SSR adding standard view in 2017

[JWG]

My guess is that they will be snapped up by owners as a bargain. Which is great for SSR owners.

Which is totally fine as well. I don't think we've ever stayed in the preferred locations as we typically prefer a pool area. Will be interested to see if it shifts more SSR owners to stay "home" versus venture out.

 

[jgdsoarin]

For us, it will shave 15 points off of our usual stay. We like to try different places each trip, but this definitely makes "home" very attractive. Plus, the new Disney Springs area is very nice and we typically go there a few times each trip.

 

[Dean]

Based on history of DVC - you would think that the lower point option would go faster - however, the interesting part of this situation is there's never been a location where the LOWER point option is the MAJORITY of the rooms. The closest analogy to the SSR distribution is probably AKV - there are two main point categories and a lot of availability.

The standard view rooms typically get taken up before the Savannah view rooms. However, the Savannah view rooms are in the majority pretty strongly. (I think around 60% at Jambo House, and probably more like 70% at Kidani, though those are just "eyeball" numbers.

In THIS case - the Standard View will be the majority - by a 61% / 39% margin. But - will people be willing to pay a 15-20% premium just for the honor of being closer to the main building or Disney Springs. For a two-bedroom villa - you are talking 50-60 more points per week. While some people will be willing to do this, I think the majority of SSR owners or even other DVC owners will not. Therefore, I think it's easy to predict that the Standard Views will "sell-out" earlier than the preferred views.

Now - the big question remains - will there be times of year where the Standard View (or preferred view) "sell out" before 7-months. Looking at the data from my "booking pattern" thread HERE, studios rarely are booked up at 7-months (only a few days a year) and 1-bedrooms are never booked up at 7-months and even being booked at 6-months is rare. However, there is no way to tell how booked any time period is - for instance is SSR 90% booked the first two weeks of December at 7 months? Could we now see times where the standard view is completely booked at 7-months?

One thing is certain - we won't know for at least 15 months.

NO doubt it's somewhat unique where DVC is concerned. So many rooms, lower demand resort, many owners there not planning to stay there routinely, less desirable vs more desirable area, etc. Will the lower points win out over the increased risk of Congress park? Will the owners there pay for the location or go for the cheaper option? As I've already stated, I think they'll go for the cheaper points and those not owning there will want that as well. Personally I don't think there's enough of a demand for the area to justify the points difference but we'll see. I wouldn't be surprised to see further changes along this line for SSR in the future, maybe a booking category that separates out the Carousel from the rest for example. I still think just doing booking categories would have been a better choice.

 

[beer dave]

I started a thread on the member services section - but if that is repetitive I thought I would post this over here.

My initial analysis says this move is done to make owning at SSR more favorable. With what appears to be slightly more than half of the resort set up as standard view rooms, owners will now have a positive reason to own at this property - in other words - lesser points cost rooms. Based on other resorts - these rooms will likely book up first. While SSR owners do not 100% fill up there resort, there may now be a favorable reason to book early.

Analyzing the charts - the changes are more interesting than just two room categories. Look at the point shift:
Deluxe Studios:
Standard - 1 to 2 points LESS per night
Preferred - 1 point MORE per night
Result: Small effect

One-Bedroom Villas:
Standard - 2 points LESS per night
Preferred - 2-4 points MORE per night
Result: Moderate effect

Two-Bedroom Villas:
Standard - 3 points LESS per night
Preferred - 4 to 9 points MORE per night
Result: Moderate effect / Large effect during Magic/Premiere Season

Three-Bedroom Villas:
Standard - 3 points LESS per night
Preferred - 8 to 16 points MORE per night
Result: Huge effect

Based on the points distribution - they are shifting a higher % of points to the 2 and 3 bedroom preferred units than they are to the studios and one-bedrooms. Of course one would expect the amount of points in the change to be greater the larger the room sizes, but in particular, the shift is unusually large in the 2-bedroom units during the two "prime" seasons and especially strong across the board in the Grand Villas. While a standard Grand Villa is only dropping by about 20 points a week, the preferred Grand Villas are going UP by between 60 and 100 points a week - indicating that the "shift" here is that points were taken away from the studio and 1-bedroom units to add more points to the Grand Villas. Meanwhile - a studio in a standard unit went down by 7 points and the preferred went up by 7 points. Again, a MUCH bigger shift in the Grand Villas.

No conspiracy theory here - just saying this is clearly a purposeful move by DVC.

Interesting--- The thing about the shift though-- All categories are now about 8 to 9 % increase or decrease-- from a central ghost number..... If you take the average cost in any room category (studio standard verses preferred) you will find that the point cost is either 9 % (approximately) above or below the average cost. Seems they worked a bit to make that work. I guess that means they are basically about 18% apart.

 

[LenInMaine]

Did anyone else notice the 1brs changing to 4+1 instead of 5+1?

 

[erionm]

Did anyone else notice the 1brs changing to 4+1 instead of 5+1?

SSR 1-bedrooms are not 5+1 (no sleeper chair), the stated occupancy has always been 4 (plus 1 under the age of 3). They will allow 5, but you must provide your own bed & linens unless using the pack n play.

 

[LenInMaine]

SSR 1-bedrooms are not 5+1 (no sleeper chair), the stated occupancy has always been 4 (plus 1 under the age of 3). They will allow 5, but you must provide your own bed & linens unless using the pack n play.

This is our first year ( and only) needing a 1 br. Next year we move up to a 2 br. But, when we purchased, and when we booked this years trip, MS told us, and booked us as a 5 +1 infant. It's listed on the site as Sleeps Up to 5. That was explained to me by MS as 5 +1 infant. Maybe the Cm was confused, because I was specifically asking about our case which is 2 adults, and 4 children, two which are infants.

 

[skier_pete]

This is our first year ( and only) needing a 1 br. Next year we move up to a 2 br. But, when we purchased, and when we booked this years trip, MS told us, and booked us as a 5 +1 infant. It's listed on the site as Sleeps Up to 5. That was explained to me by MS as 5 +1 infant. Maybe the Cm was confused, because I was specifically asking about our case which is 2 adults, and 4 children, two which are infants.

Yes - SSR only has the main bed and the sleeper sofa in the 1 bedroom. You may want to call again. Of course, if you have two infants, you're probably OK if they both will sleep in a pack n play.

 

[Dean]

This is our first year ( and only) needing a 1 br. Next year we move up to a 2 br. But, when we purchased, and when we booked this years trip, MS told us, and booked us as a 5 +1 infant. It's listed on the site as Sleeps Up to 5. That was explained to me by MS as 5 +1 infant. Maybe the Cm was confused, because I was specifically asking about our case which is 2 adults, and 4 children, two which are infants.

DVC will allow 5 + 1 in all 1BR though this appears to be a consequence of the computer system and not by intention for those that don't have the extra chair.

 

[msjprincess]

Which is totally fine as well. I don't think we've ever stayed in the preferred locations as we typically prefer a pool area. Will be interested to see if it shifts more SSR owners to stay "home" versus venture out.

It's definitely giving me something to think about. I was planning on a 9 nights in a 1 bedroom AKV Savannah view next year. But now I can stay in a SSR Standard 2 bedroom for only 6 more points.

 

[CarolMN]

Now that the construction is winding down for DS, SSR is much more attractive to me. The grounds are beautiful and with the bridge, it's quick and easy to stroll over to DS. I wouldn't mind staying in any of the standard view sections.

That said, the times we like to go are still more expensive (standard view) than staying standard view at BWV (our home). I just can't bring myself to pay more for what I believe to be a less desirable location.