Please tell me about these Community Halls

[Buckalew11]

At DVC resorts. What do they offer?
TIA

 

[Jenn]

There are usually chairs/tables/couches, a TV, board games, etc. The staff gathers there for various activites (arts and crafts, etc.).

 

[laceemouse]

We own another t/s as well as DVC and most of the resorts offer some type of "get together" room. They are great if you have multiple family members staying in different units and want to all congregate during your trip once or twice. We meet other dissers at the one in VWL in December, it is an absolutely gorgeouse room, and even has some Walt Disney memorabilia! They are all worth checking out, even if you don't "use" them!!

 

[SueM in MN]

At OKW, there are children's activities at the Community Hall.

 

[TheBeast]

AT BWV, there are some video games, ping pong, foosball, movie rentals, activities. It also right next to the quiet pool, so it's good for a break from the heat.

 

[LIFERBABE]

Each DVC resort has a common area, but only OKW, BWV and SSR (not sure about VB or HH) have Community Halls.

Community Halls are staffed and they offer a schedule of activities. BWV has Gamecube games, a ping pong table, air hockey, television, and arts and crafts. Videos/DVD's can be checked out from BWV and OKW CH's. You can also checkout sports equipment and BBQ items.

OKW I did not see video games, but they did have an electronic dart board and foosball, their CH is a little smaller than BWV's.

SSR has the largest CH onsite with a separate room for television and Playstation 2 games as well as ping pong, and a separate room for arts and crafts and the weekly WDW florist class. Video rental is at Artist Palette not Ch at SSR.

Some activities and crafts are free and others cost a fee. The fee is less if you are a member and show your blue card. Non Members can participate, but they pay more.

We spend alot of time at the CH's because my boys like the video games and I find coloring relaxing

Last trip we made wooden tops, NYE party hats and glasses, checked out shuffleboard and tennis equipment and just hung out. Ds's made friends there and they would meet up and play video games.

 

[murcor]

Last year when we stayed at SSR never vistied the Community Hall. This year, one day decided to look around....it was the best discovery. My kids love the community hall. We have done many of the scheduled activites, ceramics, painted backpacks, bead necklaces, t-shirts. My kids looked forward the the daily activities, its a great change of pace from the parks.

 

[mommym]

Another reason to love my new home at SSR!! Our guide just kinda pointed to the CH as we walked by. We are hoping to surpise our 2 kids with a short trip the 3rd week in October for MNSSHP. We dont' have DING! fares here but seems like Air Tran runs lots of $99 one way fares. We will be on a tighter budget on this trip due to this big ticket purchase and plan on skipping the parks otherwise. (GASP!! I know...) Okay, so here are my questions.
#1 Has anyone been to SSR around Halloween? I'm hoping the CH has some really fun activities at this time and would love to hear your experiences around Halloween or other holidays.
#2 Can someone be more specific about fees for DVC members? Doing ceramics and decorating t-shirts sounds great but if it's $25 per kid that might dampen my enthusiasm a bit.
#3 Is there a charge for X-Box and Play Station use? Also, is Win, Lose or Draw reasonable? It looks great and I know my kids would live there if they could but would like to know what I'm getting myself into beforehand.
Leslie

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Can you pick up a schedule when you check in? Does it change dramatically?
Thanks for any help.

 

[mommym]

Bump!! I am really curious...

 

[LIFERBABE]

Hi Mommym,

The activity prices are nominal to cover the cost of supplies, most are less than $10. You can charge the fees to your room key which was convenient.

Here are the tops we made, they were $2 for members, $3 for non members:

http://images.snapfish.com/34637;;43fp335>nu=3272>;<:>979>WSNRCG=32334;;485323nu0mrj

The Cms were great and the next day, after they dried, they showed us how to spin them using the string! LOL! You should have seen my Hi Tech babies trying to spin a wooden top!

The playstation 2 and the check out of games is free. Gamecube is free at BWV also. You or your child can use your room key to check out games or equipment. The SSR CH does not have DVD player, but remember, the PS2 is a DVD player also, and we were able to play our Disney Scene it Game we brought along with us.

The schedule is part of the checkin package and there are also copies at CH. The activities are posted for the month, and they always have seasonal activities like the NYE activities they scheduled. It was great and I was so happy not to be stuck in the parks all day NYE, just to see the fireworks at midnight as awesome as they are, DTD's was pretty awesome too and we watched them from the Congress Park Hot Tub.

At SSR, there is a weekly pool party at the High Rock pool and they have music and trivia and hula hoops. Most of the activities occur each week on the same day. Ceramics occurs early in the week, because they need time to cure before they can be picked up.

We had a great time, were never bored and the boys made lots of friends.

I cant say enough about the CM's. They were really involved, and encouraging to the children working on their projects and they were always offering to help or bring more supplies.

The most expensive activity they offer is the Floral class. It is $35 and members receive a 15% discount. You get to keep the floral arrangement you make.


Video checkout is free to members also although as mentioned, videos are located at Artist Palette.

We spent a week at SSR over NYE week and we only visited the parks 1 day out of those seven. Each day, we would check the CH schedule(TIP: Take magnets and stick sched on your steel door at SSR) to see what was going on. There was more than enough to keep us busy, and it is convenient to the laundry room (we stayed in a studio), AP and the main pool area and arcade.
That was our 3rd trip to WDW in 2005, plus it was the holidays, so we just took it easy and really enjoyed our family time and the Resort amenities.

The CH closes at 10pm.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Thanks so much Liferbabe!! This sounds great!

 

[mommym]

Wow LIFERBABE-you are a wealth of information and I really appreciate it. The CH just sweetens the deal and I am so glad we have one at SSR. Thanks again!

 

[twinmomplus2new]

We stayed at BWV and SSR over Halloween. At BWV my boys made Halloween T-shirts. they used fabric paint and all kinds of halloween themed stamps. They did make your own mug where they colored a halloween picture and then it was put in the plastic mug. They offerred make your own tote bag again with Halloween stamps.
Just for referance... I truly can not recall but maybe teh T-shirts were $10 and the other offerrings were $3?

Then we switched to SSR, they offerred a Mummy wrapping class. I think it was a contest that involved toilet paper and racing to see who wrapped the mummy first? We did not do that as we had a PS. they had a piggy bank painting thing. Paper mache' pumpkins. Halloween t-shirts (as well) and let see magnet making?

We make good use of the actvities at the community halls my kids love them!!!!!