Question for SSR owners - Did you know this???

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

This snippet was in today's AllEars Newsletter. I don't own at SSR, and I have never stayed at POR or POFQ, but this came as quite a shock. If I owned at SSR I don't think I would appreciate paying dues to keep up a gym for the folks over at the mod. Any thoughts from SSR owners?

"I go to the gym daily, it's part of my lifestyle. As you know, gyms are only located in the deluxe resorts in Disney. Last trip we stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge, and I advised the concierge there that I would be staying at Port Orleans Riverside next trip and asked about gym accommodations. I was told that I could attend any gym for a $35 fee that would cover my entire length of stay. When we checked into Port Orleans Riverside recently, I inquired about the gym fee, and was told that guests staying at Port Orleans can use the gym at Saratoga Springs at no charge! This was an extra savings that was unexpected!"

 

[ToddyLu]

Oh, lordy .....

 

[vicki_c]

OK, well first, I don't know whether it's true or not. My understanding has always been that guests not staying AT any deluxe resort could not use the gym without paying.

And given that SSR owners have recently been told they have to pay to use the facilities in the SSR spa (not the gym, but the locker rooms, sauna, showers I think), this seems highly unlikely to me.

It sounds more like typical Disney CM misinformation, but I don't really understand why Deb would publish it in allears if she didn't know that it was correct.

Lastly, isn't the gym part of the spa area itself vs. a separate place? I own there and have stayed there, but haven't gone to the gym and/or spa yet. I just don't see the spa management letting any Disney guest come in to use the gym, but who knows?

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

In Deb's defense, I believe there is a disclaimer in the newsletter saying that tips submitted by readers may or may not be accurate.

It sounded wrong to me, but I am really curious as to how often the people at Port Orleans are sent over to enjoy free use of the SSR fitness center.

 

[vicki_c]

In Deb's defense, I believe there is a disclaimer in the newsletter saying that tips submitted by readers may or may not be accurate.

It sounded wrong to me, but I am really curious as to how often the people at Port Orleans are sent over to enjoy free use of the SSR fitness center.

Well, at any of the resorts where I've seen the gyms (LOL - not too many) there are CMs working in them. I believe you have to show your KTTW card to be able to use it - so even in POFQ CMs are sending people there, it doesn't mean they were actually able to do it.

I'd be interested to heard from some of the DVC members who DO use the SSR facilities - I know there's a few around here.

 

[hakepb]

Is the exchange, SSR gets to order pizza from POR and POR gets to use SSR's gym?

Not sure why you'd order POR pizza when you can order a much, much better Giordano's...

 

[podsnel]

I worked out there on my last trip when I had been at the spa earlier in the day and was at the pool hanging out afterwards with DH. It is SUCH a great gym!! I did ask if it was ok for me to use the gym later when I was checking out of the spa, and that I was staying at OKW. They told me it was fine to use the gym, both because I was at OKW and because I had used the spa. No idea what they would have said if I had been staying at a moderate though, sorry!

Also, there was no one at the desk when I walked back in to use it, but I think that was just timing- there was someone there when I left.

FWIW, I have been in there 3 times and it has never appeared overly busy. There were 2 others in the gym this visit doing cardio, that was it. And I felt really good when I walked out- they have a ton of great equipment!

 

[kikiq]

My DH and DDs used the gym last summer. They had their room keys with them but no one asked to see them. They also said that the gym was not busy. At one point, they were the only three using the equipment.

 

[Chellymouse]

Interesting. While we have peeked into the gym at SSR, I can't we've actually used it. (hey..we walk how many miles a day at the parks...?) However, I can't imagine that a person staying at a mod, would be able to use the facilities for people who are staying at a deluxe or DVC without having some kind of charge. Something doesn't sound correct. I know that we don't have to pay for anything except for spa treatments and we do own at SSR.

 

[Starr W.]

DH loves the gym at SSR, he goes really early, so it's not busy. He says there is someone at the desk, he has to sign in and show his room card.

 

[rutgers1]

They could open the SSR gym to every person at Disney and it would still never have more than a trickle of visitors. Although I don't like the idea of it being open to POR guests, in the end I don't think it matters.

As far as outsiders using the gym.....When we were at BWV in early August, every night there was a guy there working out who said that he was a cast member. He wasn't a cast member at the hotel, rather I believe he was involved with maintenance at the parks or something like that. He said that he uses the gym all the time.

We split our stay between BWV and SSR, and the BWV gym seemed to actually attract more people than SSR, despite the fact that SSR has more guests, and the gym is larger and nicer.

The lack of people at the SSR gym (busy season) supports my belief that the "spa" theme that Disney uses to attract guests to SSR was poorly thought out. When I was there, not only was the gym relatively empty at all times, there were very few people using the spa services. Same situation when I stayed at another resort two years ago but slipped over to SSR for a massage --- empty. Herein lies the problem with SSR ---- they built an enormous resort on the premise that the masses would be attracted to golf, DTD and the gym/spa. I have to admit that I probably would have bought into that idea when it was at the planning stages, but I definitely would have scaled it back. No sane person would conclude that THAT many people would be attracted to those things while on a Disney vacation.