SSR #1 DVC on trip advisor!

[loribell]

Proves my point beautifully. Anytime anyone makes a negative comment about SSR, they're attacked. They're "bashing"! They're taking "cheap shots"! It's so "childish". Go read that other "bashing" thread you mentioned. The OP wasn't bashing by any stretch of the imagination. In another "bashing" thread, a man was called a lier because he didn't come back and get into it with you people. I'm bashing because I have the audacity to point out that the Trip Advisor order of ranking might be a bit skewed by the sheer numbers of SSR owners--how dare I!

You're right about the numbers though. If only all the SSR owners would so love their home resort that they'd stay there all the time.

Nope your right, not bashing I guess as far as your concerned but definetly way stretching the truth. I was just there, in the same building, walking with an 8 yo and it NEVER took more than 15 minutes round trip to actually walk it. Yes there were times we were gone for at least an hour, but that was because we were in the pool, having lunch or just taking our time looking around the gift shop.

And as for all the SSR lovers staying only at SSR, that's a pile of crap! So only SSR owners have to only stay at SSR or do all resort owners, including VWL, BCV & BWV need to only stay at their resorts. You can't have it both ways. Don't say that people (or SSR owners) shouldn't use the system the way it is sold. I will stay where I want when I want.

You are bashing, or not according to you, because you had the need to immediately jump in to discredit someone elses post. What was the point of doing that?

You can read in other posts where buyers have said after purchasing and reading these bashing threads that they were scared they had made a huge mistake. Then they visited and realized what a load of crap it all is. That is why SSR owners feel a need to report the actual facts about the resort, to help ease these peoples minds.

Believe me I am glad there are so many people who have no desire to stay at SSR. We really don't want any of them there. So please only use your points to stay in your home resort, or at least don't use them at SSR even if it is your only resort choice.

 

[loribell]

I just love the fact that someone in another "SSR Bashing" thread used the Trip Advisor link to try to show how much more appealing AKL was to SSR (therefore AKV will be too, I guess), and now that somebody noticed that SSR is the highest rated DVC on Trip Advisor there are folks now trying to discredit it.

It's sad to see that time & time again, people feel the need to bash other resorts in order to prove to themselves and others that the resort that they own or like is still "the best". And as far as SSR owners being defensive? Maybe they are being a little hyper-sensitive, but even the most timid dog will fight back if it's kicked around enough.

Disney can tear down 1/2 of SSR and build an Epcot clone in its place, turn the pool area into something that rivals Blizzard Beach, and extend the Monorail system to SSR, and some people will still try hard to find something wrong with it, because in some sad way, it make them feel better about themselves. Why can't the non-SSR owners just let the SSR folks enjoy what they have? Why do you constantly have to rain on their parade? They bought DVC for many of the same reasons that you did, why try to ruin it for them?

I think that some of the resentment towards SSR is not with the resort itself, but because of it's size. Not it's physical size, but by the number of units and number of new owners that it brought in to DVC. I think some people are upset because all of these new SSR owners have invaded their little club, and now they have to compete with them for reservations and other DVC resources. If so, take it up with DVC management. Don't come here & bash the resort, that's childish. What's going to happen when AKV is completed & sold out? When/if CRV is built? What will happen if the rumors of DVC branded resorts being built all over the world comes true? Any and all of these developments will just make it harder to book your beloved home resort outside of your priority window, You'll be thankful that DVC has some large properties in WDW. I just hope that the SSR owners learn from all of this, and won't let history repeat itself. I hope that 10 years from now, they will have more class than to take cheap potshots at that new resort down the block that just opened.

Actually what will probably happen is that the bashing will eventually switch to AKV, then whichever resort comes after it. You see, what I have learned about people on the dis is that they pick the newest resort to complain about. I have seen it happen many times over the years that I have been a member of the dis. It really is sad that people that are blessed enough to even own are so miserable that they have to try to make sure everyone is as miserable as them.

 

[mwmuntz]

Proves my point beautifully. Anytime anyone makes a negative comment about SSR, they're attacked. They're "bashing"! They're taking "cheap shots"! It's so "childish". Go read that other "bashing" thread you mentioned. The OP wasn't bashing by any stretch of the imagination. In another "bashing" thread, a man was called a lier because he didn't come back and get into it with you people. I'm bashing because I have the audacity to point out that the Trip Advisor order of ranking might be a bit skewed by the sheer numbers of SSR owners--how dare I!

You're right about the numbers though. If only all the SSR owners would so love their home resort that they'd stay there all the time.

Wow, nice way to take things out of context....

If you read my post, you will see that I agreed that some SSR owners are being hypersensitive. And yes, they are being overly defensive of what anmounts to just a group of buildings. Whether that is because they are a bunch of babies or because they are sick of the constant onslaught of negativity towards SSR is something that we can debate all day... Now that I've admitted that some SSR owners are being overly defensive, can you admit that some other owners are being overly critical of SSR, or does that hit too close to home?

And if the "other bashing thread" that say I mentioned is the one that was started by Jillpie, then maybe YOU should go back and read it. If you do, you will see that I commended her TWICE on her original post. You will also see that I defended her against the unwarranted reactions of some SSR owners in that thread. I said it in that thread, and I will say it here, there is nothing wrong with healthy or constructive criticism. It was some of the other posts that bothered me, For example, there was one poster who said something to the effect that reading the bad experiences of others made her feel better about her resort. I think that her feelings are not unique, and that there are many others who feel the same way here. And that's sad. Also, they may have been removed, but there were other posts in that thread calling SSR owners "trash". Again, totally uncalled for and out of line if you ask me.

Now, you're probably going to do like you did with my last post and ignore 90% of what I wrote here, and just pick and choose some sound bites to support your argument, but I guess that's a chance I'll have to take here.

 

[Olaf]

Now that I've admitted that some SSR owners are being overly defensive, can you admit that some other owners are being overly critical of SSR, or does that hit too close to home?

Why would it hit close to home? I haven't bashed SSR. I'm just tired of seeing people personally attacked for voicing their opinions about this resort.

It seems to me you're doing your own "picking and choosing" and "taking out of context". You commend Jillpie on the one hand, pointing out that "there's nothing wrong with healthy or constructive criticism", and then call it a "bashing thread." A little tough to have it both ways.

You're dead on the money about the numbers. SSR has brought in thousands of new members, while the resort just doesn't do it for a lot of people.

 

[mwmuntz]

Why would it hit close to home? I haven't bashed SSR. I'm just tired of seeing people personally attacked for voicing their opinions about this resort.

It seems to me you're doing your own "picking and choosing" and "taking out of context". You commend Jillpie on the one hand, pointing out that "there's nothing wrong with healthy or constructive criticism", and then call it a "bashing thread." A little tough to have it both ways.

You're dead on the money about the numbers. SSR has brought in thousands of new members, while the resort just doesn't do it for a lot of people.

Because "A constructive criticism thread that turned into a bashing" thread is a bit cumbersome. Again, nice try on twisting my words....

 

[mwehttam]

I haven't bashed SSR.

Hmm, well, lets see:

Hmmm, now why would that be? Maybe because there are thousands of SSR owners?

Oh, please, it's hardly rocket science. Look at that list, look at the size of the resorts relative to their position on the list, now go look at the resale board.

You're right about the numbers though. If only all the SSR owners would so love their home resort that they'd stay there all the time.

If it looks like a duck and it quacks like a duck...


-Matt
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[reiddog]

you can drink decaf ya know!

 

[Anthony1971]

I just love the fact that someone in another "SSR Bashing" thread used the Trip Advisor link to try to show how much more appealing AKL was to SSR (therefore AKV will be too, I guess), and now that somebody noticed that SSR is the highest rated DVC on Trip Advisor there are folks now trying to discredit it.

It's sad to see that time & time again, people feel the need to bash other resorts in order to prove to themselves and others that the resort that they own or like is still "the best". And as far as SSR owners being defensive? Maybe they are being a little hyper-sensitive, but even the most timid dog will fight back if it's kicked around enough.



I could make comments about all DVC resorts for example sliding glass doors with a huge gap at the bottom birds living on the balcony ring around the hut tub garbage on the lawn outside the balcony and the list can go on.....
all of the above are valid trip reports but also would be bashing a resort in favor of the one I own. If i had that much of a problem with it I can call and get a different room even if I had to pay a few dollars because the front desk does not see it as being a problem its worth rather than having to deal with certain things if they bother you that much.
Every resort has rooms closer or in better condition or??????
Because a room is not in the location you wnat to be in or in the condition you want it to be in does not represent the entire resort..
some people love to be in the remote parts and would be upset if they got a room close to the pool or main building.
All of the resorts have ups and downs to the transportation system.
walking you need to walk with ALL why anyone would complian about having to walk to the main building but not having to walk to EPCOT and up that steep hill and then a long distance to be where the attrcations are that our children want to go on.... I do love to stay at those resorts for that convience but I also love being droped off a short walk form the main entrance to any park via bus.
Disney however is all walking. Don't want to walk go to HH or VB once we get in the parks you walk a lot
Valid points are valid points but to me walking distance and transportation are not valid at any of these resorts as the are all large. Room condition call the front desk they will take care of it.
If your problems are not taken care of then you have a valid point other than that well lets just say you caused your own headache they will change your room to where you want to be and if you don't want to pay for this service then why spend the time to moaning.
If there is not another room avaliable the whole time you are there then maybe just maybe it is you and not the long wlaks or poor condition of the room or bad bus service or long bus rides or?????????
I see most of the negative reviews steming from people not being in the location they want to be in or going to these resorts with the wrong expectations...
I use to stay at the Poly year after year the bus srevice there STINKS I waited 45 minutes to get a bus to go to DTD and on several ocasions waited for 20-30 minutes for MGM or AK I guess with the monorail right there they figure most people will go to MK or EPCOT I expect it but still chosse to stay there because I like it and at 350-400+ a night I could think of many other things I could do ther are always options in life even if that means staying home and renting your points or paying cash for somewhere else.
so my question is why torture yourself when there are so many options?

Here is an example of a valid problem I went on a RCCL cruise and the bathroom in my room did not work for 3 DAYS and for that fact it was a whole section of the ship it got so bad that someone took a crap in the pool I saw it....... ther were other things this was the worst and the othre problems were bad as well they did in the end give me a 200 romm credit and 250.00 certificate for each person in my room to use towards another cruise which was filed in a proper place but given the respect to not be shredded. This was 2 years ago and we still have a long list of jokes in my family as we had 5 rooms with the same problems. A lot of toasts were made to working toilets when we are on the ship and it was funny and still is but I would not go on another RCCL cruise I would rether pay the extra $ to go on a nicer cruise line and not for the non working toilets just because I have been on different cruise lines and had better service food etc. and again I still enjoyed the cruise but I expected better and working plumbing would have been a plus.

 

[Firebug]

I think many have missed the point. I look at this whole subject this way. I don't look at this like I own specific resort. I bought into a vacation club that allows me to stay at the properties that the club owns subject to availability. I get to book at my home resort at eleven months and the rest at seven months if there is room available. One resort is not better that the other just different. Some people myself included will like some properties better than others. This was true even before I became a DVC member. I don't like the Grand Floridian for instance it just was not our cup of tea but we really liked the POLY and AKL. I like SSR as well. I like to visit Boardwalk for the activities but I would not like to stay there. As for the resorts needing to be close to the parks again it is all what you are used too. Where I live if you want to go shopping at Wal-mart that is a two hour car ride. The whole bashing another resort just doesn't make sense. If you don't like a particular resort fine don't stay there but I guarantee that their are just as many people that do like it just fine. That is the nice thing about DVC their is something for everybody.

Is this the same DVC now that existed in 1993? No, of course not. Things change. As the club gets bigger many things probably will change. What I think is happening now is the Club is outgrowing some of the smaller properties that it owns. Happens all the time, that is why families have to buy bigger houses when new babies come along, stores have to buy bigger buildings when their business takes off, this is no different.

PF

 

[nuts]

 

[4DisneyGolfnuts]

Hey Jack,

Georgetown! Come on.

Don't worry, I suspect it will never be a problem.......

 

[Chuck S]

Folks,

A reminder...this thread is about the Trip Advisor rankings...not the tired old "my resort is better than your resort" nonsense. Please keep to the topic of the rankings.

 

[tjkraz]

Using your example that I bolded, how can you explain how one and only one value on the list can leapfrog Disney's flagship resort the Grand Floridian. The Pop is rated 30, the GF is 32. Non of the other values are under 50. It can't be the price because the other three values aren't even close to the GF. So are you suggesting that the staff at the Pop Century are that much nicer, the rooms are that much cleaner or the ammenities are that much better than the Grand Floridian?

Taking into account the expectations of individual travelers, YES, that's exactly what I'm saying.

Nobody is saying that POP is worthy of more AAA Diamonds then the GF. Obviously there are amenities and perks available at the GF that you'll never get at POP.

But what this does demonstrate is that, on average, people returning from vacations at POP are more satisfied than people returning from the Grand Floridian. Why exactly is that? You'd have to read the individual reviews. Here are some snippets from the GF reviews:

"Beautiful property and pools. Nice rooms. Awful service."

"Left wanting more"

"Rooms are good but service is poor at this price point"

"We have just returned from a week in the Grand Floridan. Typical though its the "Little things" that matter which were lacking. "

"Beautiful hotel, but we deliberately chose this one thinking it would provide a peaceful haven from the chaos of the Disney Parks. WRONG !"

Those are all people who gave the resort sub-par reviews. Does that mean that ASMo has a better pool or Coronado Springs has better restaurants? Of course not. It DOES mean that the resort was, at times, unsuccessful in meeting guest needs and expectations.

I think we DVC members often get tunnel vision when discussing resorts. "Oh, BCV is closer to Epcot and has a bigger pool than OKW so BCV must be better." In doing so, critical factors like room cleanliness, service quality and room condition are often ignored.

IMO, looking at the comments on Trip Advisor is something of a wakeup call. These things DO matter to many people. Like the convenience of BCV? That's fine but the room condition is almost certainly going to be sub-par compared to other resorts because of the abuse inherent to a resort that's consistently at 100% capacity. And those who value a clean, well-maintained room will return from BCV with a less-than-favorable opinion of the resort in that regard.

And of course no one is pointing out the obvious problem with this whole list is if you chose to believe it, we should all sell DVC and see if we can get into the Bonnet Creek resort which is currently #3 on the list.

Why is that a problem?

I think anyone who thinks that the Disney resorts deserve to be #s 1-20 on this list is living in a box. I've never stayed at Bonnet Creek but I've heard very good things about it. But that doesn't mean I'm going to sell my DVC points to buy Fairfield.

 

[conciergekelly]

SSR has always been number one in my book! Thanks for the info.

 

[NemoMOm]

Wow, this thread has exploded.

We can believe that it has such a high listing on trip advisor. We went in Feb. (expecting the worse due to all the threads) and we loved it. It is so beautiful and relaxing. Of course, all the cm's were awesome.

 

[BroganMc]

I went to Trip Advisor and Saratoga Springs is ranked #23 in Orlando. The highest ranking of the DVC resorts in Disney! All the constant pounding the resort gets, I was pleasantly surprised!

#23 Saratoga Springs
#33 Old Key West
#35 Villas at Wilderness Lodge
#36 Boardwalk Villas
#45 Beach Club Villas

I can't say I'm that surprised. SSR's chief merits are the things DIS posters find the most disagreeable. Fortunately, the outside world is not privy to the petty concerns that plague this forum.

It's also interesting to note that the negative reports tend to come from when the resort first opened and was plagued with construction bugs. Now that it's near completion, it's becoming a more and more pleasant place to visit. All that tree growth, fewer ugly dirt ditches, more knowledgeable veteran staff, and more resort amenities.

Sidenote concern for me is that many of the negative reports for older resorts seem to revolve around housekeeping/maintenance issues. Since SSR is so new, maintenance issues shouldn't be a major concern now. I hope we don't see a slide in quality though. In this I think Marriott tends to do a better job. All their resorts tend to be spotless.

I imagine SSR will just become known as the place to go if one wants a health spa type of vacation but with access to nighttime adult entertainment.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Ok, how did Pop beat out all the other DVC resorts. Something fishy is going on there

Maybe there is something from the 60's in the water

Definitely. I'm just amazed that tripadvisor has Pop anywhere near the Grand Floridian: and yet people are taking these rankings seriously, arguing about them-"my resort is better than yours". Like Sly and the Family Stone said, "Different strokes for different folks." That's really what's different about the different DVC resorts, not one is any better/worse than the other.

 

[Chuck S]

I dunno, I actually like POP better than GF in general...of course, I prefer the monorail at GF. GF is my least favorite Deluxe resort.

 

[loribell]

Ditto here Chuck. I have no desire to stay at the Grand Floridian. At first it was because I figured it to be to snooty but after visiting while my dd was at the Grand Adventures in Cooking I realized it wasn't snooty but it wasn't my cup of tea either.

 

[BroganMc]

Regarding Grand Floridian vs. Pop, I just have my brother's secondhand reports. For him it was a case of "getting your money's worth".

GF's rooms are very small and very expensive. Meanwhile Pop is average with reasonable prices. And my young niece is enthralled with the OTT decor of Pop. So for my brother, GF wasn't worth it while Pop was a delightful surprise.

Of course since staying at both, he's been talked into trying the Contemporary and that seems to be the compromise winner for adults & kids. Close enough to Magic Kingdom but with a kid-friendly decor.

I suspect SSR wins in general favor because it has just enough in all amenities to recommend it but at a reasonable cost. Compared to the Boardwalk area that goes for almost $100 more a night, and you can see why folks would be less favorable.