SSR thermostats

[jlx2]

We just returned from a great trip to Saratoga Springs. We loved everything about the resort except the darn thermostat in the room. We would set it for 70 degrees and a minute after setting it it would just jump back to the current temperature. I called maintenance and they said since it was on a motion sensor it would adjust itself. I asked if at night when we were sleeping since there was no movement how hot would it get? They said they have a certain temperature it won't go over. Well at night it was really odd. We would go to bed and it would be 75 and then once we weren't moving it got up to 87 after a few hours then we got up and waved our hand in front of the sensor and woke up to 62 degrees! It varied by 25 degrees back and forth all night from sweating hot to freezing cold. I undersatnd they want to save money when people aren't in the room, but what good is it if the thermostat kicks on and off varying temperatures so much? Wouldn't it be cheaper to keep it at a constant temp.? I feel like we paid a lot of money to become members and I should be able to get a good nights sleep and not wake up every hour or two to wave my hand at a sensor. Anyway, does anyone have an e-mail address I could write to just to let them know how our experience was? I am not one to complain ever, but I would just like someone at SSR to know what was happening and maybe there is a simple solution so we will sleep better the next time. Who knows maybe our thermostat was even broken and it wasn't even their fault. Thanks in advance!

 

[DisneyDadof2]

I read so much on the boards about that happening before we went to SSR. Someone had posted a way to bypassed the thermostat. It was the first thing I did when we got to the room and we never had a problem with it after that.

Sorry for the bad experience.

 

[phyllisnnj]

I've used this email address in the past wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com and received a phone call (granted the final response was a month later but I greatly appreciated the call). They will direct the email to the appropriate department. I just included my full name and indicated that I was a DVC member.

 

[jlx2]

Thank you for the address I appreciate it!

 

[cobbler]

We had similar problems with ours too. The temp didn't vary as much as the OP but we did get warm at night.

I read somewhere that you push the buttons in some sort of combo to bypass it, but can't find it now. Does anyone know?

 

[rinkwide]

So you wanna' know the AC manual override code, eh? That's very sensitive information and I can't just... Say, how much do you have in your PayPal account?

Seriously, the same people responsible for the ban on the posting of the MS 800 number better rail against this bypass being leaked too. The expense of a toll-free call is a drop in the bucket compared to that of an ungoverned air conditioner in Florida.

 

[Candace]

These instructions were from a post regarding BCV, but last week I used them for OKW and it worked fine. I only had to do it my first day, it never reset itself.

"I saved these instructions from another post. With apologies to the original poster of this info who deserves the credit for this":

TO CHANGE AC THERMOSTAT SETTINGS THE THERMOSTAT HAS TO BE PUT INTO "SERVICE MODE" IT IS SIMPLE TO DO BY PRESSING THE FOLLOWING KEYS ON THE FRONT OF THE THERMOSTAT.

EXECUTE THE FOLLOWING SEQUENCE:

1. PRESS (AND KEEP PRESSED) THE F/C KEY

2. PRESS (AND RELEASE) THE OFF/AUTO KEY

3. PRESS (AND RELEASE) THE DISPLAY KEY.

4. RELEASE THE F/C KEY.

UPON SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING THIS SEQUENCE, THE LCD WILL DISPLAY PAR (PARAMETER) AND THE PARAMETER NUMBER.

1. PRESS THE UP ARROW KEY AND SCROLL UNTIL # 6 APPEARS. (NEW MODELS # 24)

2. PRESS THE OFF/AUTO KEY

3. THE CURRENT LOW TEMPERATURE IS DISPLAYED.

4. PRESS THE DOWN ARROW KEY AND SCROLL UNTIL THE DESIRED ROOM
TEMPERATURE APPEARS

5. PRESS THE F/C KEY

 

[LisaS]

There seems to be more than one type of thermostat in use at various resorts so here is another set of instructions:

Press the power button and the down arrow button simultaneously. The letters "bp" should appear in the display indicating you are in "bypass" mode. Then you can use the up/down buttons to set the temperature. You may have to do this every 24 hours or every few days.


And yet another:

The thermostat has two buttons on the left (ON/OFF and AUTO/FAN) and two buttons on the right (UP and DOWN)

1) Press the ON/OFF and AUTO/FAN buttons together. The digital display will change to 'CA'.

2) Press the ON/OFF and DOWN button together. The digital display will change to 'OR" (or something similar).

You have just deactivated the motion sensor. This will last for three days at which point you will have to repeat the process.

 

[carol1231]

Wow!! I am always so amazed by what people know here. This is very good info!

 

[jlx2]

Thank you! I can't believe the things the people on these boards know. I just printed this out and will bring it with us on our next trip in September.

 

[emma'smom]

I just cut and pasted all three sets of instructions to take with me. I'll be prepared for whatever kind of thermostat we find! Thanks!

 

[Uncleromulus]

The sad part of all this is that they have these motion sensor thermostats in the first place---

 

[Ms. WDW]

Thank you very much!!! If it's one thing I DO NOT WANT at SSR it's to wake up hot.

I've copied and pasted also and will tuck this in my bag for my trip in 31 days!

 

[mrsminniemouse]

We have stayed at SSR twice now. For the first trip in Sept 04 we had no problems with the AC. This February we really suffered at night. We would wake up boiling hot, our mouths dry, feeling hung over- it was horrid. I tried to bypass the controls as i had read here but it didn't help- not sure what I did wrong. I wish now I had called maintenance about it. It really was annoying. As someone else said, you expect to be comfortable enough to sleep at night.

Mandy

 

[T.E. Yeary]

We just spent 3 nights at the Beach Club, a one bedroom. It was GREAT!!! When we walked in the room the thermostat was set at 69. We never touched it and it stayed there the entire time. I'll bet the cleaning people did an override and forgot about it! Or, maybe Beach Club doesn't have the same sensors as the other resorts. What do you think?

Tom

 

[jennz]

I'm glad I saw this post! We had the same problems w/the ac, I didn't realize it was on a motion sensor. It gets so stuffy and humid - ugh. I'm printing this out for future reference.

 

[m4travel]

We often stay at a particular hotel across the street from the Disneyland Resort when the Grand Californian is too expensive. The last time we stayed they had installed a cost-saving thermostat in the rooms that required the insertion of your room keycard. When your keycard was in the thermostat, the guest could set the temperature to anything they wanted. When you left the room - taking your keycard - the thermostat reverted to a preset temperature.

Perhaps Disney should look at these thermostats for installation. You didn't need to wake up in the middle of the night and wave your arms about to get the A/C working!

 

[LisaS]

The sad part of all this is that they have these motion sensor thermostats in the first place---

I agree. I like the idea of saving energy when people are out of the room for hours at a time, but there are better solutions available. For instance, there are systems that work off your keycard. When you enter your room, you insert (and leave) your key card in a reader just inside your door. When the keycard is in place, the A/C runs normally. When you remove the keycard (when you are going out) then the A/C runs in an energy saving mode. So the room might be a little warmer than you would like when you return, but once you insert your keycard, the A/C runs normally again and quickly cools down the room and keeps it cool throughout the night.

Going with the motion sensor approach just makes guests uncomfortable during the night, causing them to desperately seek a way to bypass the sensor so they can get a good night's sleep. Once bypassed, the A/C is then likely running flat out all day, wasting energy. So spending money on the wrong solution costs them twice: first the cost to purchase a bad solution to the problem and second, for the energy costs they had expected to save.

 

[LIFERBABE]

So spending money on the wrong solution costs them twice: first the cost to purchase a bad solution to the problem and second, for the energy costs they had expected to save.

I agree Lisa, but it doesnt cost them, it costs us!



I think the solution is for everyone affected to write DVC and let them know. Just like the decreased winter pool temps were addressed. Bypassing the system will result in instant comfort but our dues will suffer. That may or may not be acceptable but those concerned, should let DVC know.
Many armed with this info, won't even give this system a chance, and will bypass it immediately upon check in.

We just returned from SSR and the only adjustment we made to the AC was to turn it off because it was so cold in the villa if we let it run as set. At night it got really chilly.

Next we will have issues because "renters" are bypassing the AC!

 

[LisaS]

I agree Lisa, but it doesnt cost them, it costs us!

You're right of course. I think I typed "them" instead of "us" because as I was writing my response, I kept wondering "who at Disney chose this sensor system anyway?" I think the shortcomings of this type of system have been well known for some time so I cannot understand why, especially in a development as new as SSR, they chose to install this type of thermostat.