THV...please help

[Pixieflip]

Help! This probably won't even happen, but if it does, I've got to convince my mom and DH that it will be great!

We are headed to SSR for 6 nights beginning Oct. 10 in a 2 bdm villa, DTD view requested - traveling with my DH, 4 kids and my parents. Mom likes that more than I knew. As we watched the new Disney Planning Video this weekend, all four of my kids were pleading for a THV. Well, it does make sense to give Mom and Dad a separate bedroom (they always volunteer to keep the girls in their room and who am I to argue keeping the master to ourselves!). Plus we'd get that sleeper chair that my DS9 loved so much last year at Kidani. My DS16 is not so keen on sharing his pullout bed with anyone. So I called and put a THV on a waitlist.

Anyway, with such late notice, we'll probably not get the waitlist, but now my mom and DH are rooting for no THV. She likes to be close to the action with a city view. She likes to be closer to the food and refillable drinks. They stayed in a Studio at Kidani last fall and she felt like they were in the boonies away from the bigger store and Mara, etc.

But just in case, help me sell them on the THV!! If we get it, I need to be prepared with my reasons as to why it will be great! But I haven't stayed there before...

 

[Pixieflip]

Here are some concerns she has:

-too rustic, not as "nice" as regular SSR
-that must be where all the families stay, it will be too loud
-really far from shopping and restaurant (I'd like to know how to overcome that myself!)
-bus will be not fun
-will feel like she's missing all the action

I've got some ideas, but I wanted to see what you experts and experienced travelers might offer. Thanks!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I don't think it would be loud. When we went through just to check the area out, it was very very secluded and quiet.

There is a dedicated bus that takes the loop from the treehouse area, (2 stops, north and south) and then travels through ssr to let people out by the springs area near the pool. The way I understand it, after 11AM, the Grandstand is added to that loop. It was explained to me that the Grandstand is the first stop for SSR buses and so the treehouse people would have that advantage then, an early "on" for the park buses.

There is also a dock at the treehouses. That boat goes from treehouse, to SSR main area, to the DTD part that is Pleasure Island. You would have to take another boat to get to the Marketplace.

We will have our DS, DDiL, and 3 DGC ages 5, 6 and 7 along with DH and me in November when we are trying out the treehouses, but just for 1 night. We have a cruise the next day. We are excited about staying there, but as you can tell, we aren't exactly sure if we will all like it, but we definitely wanted to try it. We'll be getting to WDW around 10AM that day, and will go to a park or water park, but we want to enjoy the evening at SSR. We want to barbecue (I do at least) hang around the community hall.

So, you can see that I'm not sure myself as to what sort of experience it will be, but we all hope it's a good one. I booked this one night 11 months in advance. If you get your stay there, I will be very surprised. If you want the experience, I hope you get to try the THV too!

Bobbi

 

[skylynx]

We stayed three nights in a Treehouse last October and have one booked again for three nights next June. We loved the Treehouse, but we had a car. Our family just does not do Disney buses...our time at Disney is never enough that we feel we can afford to lose hours or even half hours waiting for buses and jockeying for position on crowded ones.

If you like being right by the action, the Treehouse isn't it. It is a place you go to get away from all the action, IMO. That's why it is so lovely to have your own huge deck, table and chairs, and barbecue grill in the forest. It is a loooooong way from a mug refill or a snack station, but we always stock the fridge with drinks and the cupboards with goodies, anyway. Since so many of our favorite DVC places are really distant from drink refill stations (Kidani, VWL, THV) we've kind of weaned ourselves off of them.

I will say grilling out at the Treehouse was a Disney first for us. (Grilling tools were provided, by the way, but you have to bring your own charcoal or buy the instant-light kind at the SSR food court). It was my DH's birthday and that's what he wanted most to do...grill out at Disney on his birthday! We'd asked for a Treehouse by the water and got our wish...we literally hung over the water on two sides and got to watch the merry lights of the DTD boats going to/from our THV boat dock and OKW. At night when DH and I turned out the lights in our bedroom, we left the drapes all the way open so we could just look at the treetops and the boats going by since no one could see us. (We hope.) There was just something so COOL about it being on stilts and sharing no common walls with anyone else. We love rustic, so would choose the Treehouse over SSR decor any day.

It's the way it goes with DVC, isn't it? Some people (like us) love the Treehouses and others think they are just too far off the trail. It's a good thing EVERYONE doesn't love the Treehouses, or it would be even harder to get reservations there!

 

[lugnut33]

Here are some concerns she has:

-too rustic, not as "nice" as regular SSR
-that must be where all the families stay, it will be too loud
-really far from shopping and restaurant (I'd like to know how to overcome that myself!)
-bus will be not fun
-will feel like she's missing all the action

I've got some ideas, but I wanted to see what you experts and experienced travelers might offer. Thanks!

It's not as nice... it's better. Everyone in our party of 8 loved the THV

The only time you'll see anybod else is when you go to the bus or your car. I loved the feeling of getting away from the WDW insanity. Truly relaxing.

If you have a car you are actually closer to dining and shopping off-property which will save you tons. Example, the Hess gas station across from DTD has a small pizza shop inside. You can order up 3 large pizzas and feed a group of 8 for under $25! Try that on property. There is a Sweet Tomatoes restaurant at the Cross Roads Shopping Center just a 5 minute drive away and it's awesome. Some really nice outlet malls within 20 minutes of the THV where you can save tons of money, even on Disney souvineers. We ate all our dinners off-site, our breakfasts in the villas, and a few of the lunches in the parks and we saved a ton of money. I didn't miss dining inside the parks at all, but then again we like to come back in the afternoon, relax, eat, and then head back to the parks.

Renting a car will make you stay much more enjoyable no matter where you stay in my opinion. I dislike being dependant on the busses. The bus system works at THV, it's just a little extra work.

You are not going to miss anything being in the THV. SSR is just a short walk from the THV. There's the bus that runs between the 2 THV and SSR if you don't feel like walking.

 

[Muhlenberg]

We just returned from the THV last Thursday. We absolutely LOVED them!!! They are REALLY well-themed, secluded/QUIET, and seem like you're living in your own "house" at Disney. It was WONDERFUL!

We had a van, so we only did the bus once, and that was to MK. We actually drove to Grandstand and got on there. It worked really well with our own van. We usually rent a vehicle as we don't like the buses too much, and this time it was a God-send as our DD had a broken foot and we rented a scooter. We were near the boat dock, and some of our group went to DTD a few times.

While you won't feel like you're in the "middle of it all" (because you're NOT), it's VERY relaxing. The living area in the THV is to die for...a great place to gather. And the three bedrooms were PERFECT for our group. DH and I were in the 2nd queen room, my DD/DSIL/DGD were in the master, and hop-along DD was in the bunk room. DS came for 2 nights, and used the sofabed. It worked out great!

Hope that helps you! I'd really like to go back there some day!

 

[twinklebug]

The THV sound like they'd fit your family perfectly and could be a ton of fun providing the adults are all on board for the experience. The term "Glamping" was used in the THV video by Devey Cee. Aside from my opinion on her videos rolleyes1) I agree that the term fits. The tree houses are a step up from the cabins over in Fort wilderness: They put you out in the woods but with all the modern conveniences you'd expect of DVC.

Noise should not be an issue. There will be families in there, but the trees are awesome sound insulators and most folk are off having fun or inside their tree houses for the bulk of their visits. The most noise will come from the buses doing the loop on a regular basis.

The THVs are removed from the action. The closest refillable mug station I believe is over in the Grandstand area unless they installed one at frog-spit pond.

You'll have your own kitchen large deck and grill (the only DVC units that have private grills!) The setup is made more for people who intend on using them than running out to eat for every meal as the closest food court or restaurant is DTD or Artists palate.

Good luck making your decision to let the WL ride or to cancel it. Personally, I'd keep it, but then again I love the cabins at wilderness lodge and the THV are very similar.

 

[Deb & Bill]

No king bed. You only get two bathrooms (like you would at what you have reserved now).

But you are only a short boat ride away from DTD.

 

[ELKHUNTER]

We stayed in Feb. during presidents week in the THV's, and there were six of us. We had plenty of room and loved the view of the water. The THV's are rustic, but quite elegant at the same time with the granite surfaces and very nice plumbing fixtures. The only negative was hauling luggage up all the stairs. Also if you can get a THV near the walking trail to the GrandStand its a nice short walk to the bus stop (which is well lit at nite).

 

[Pixieflip]

Alright, well you have totally convinced ME! I think I would love love love it. But my DH and my mom would both rather stay closer to the action and the refillable drinks and the walk to and view of DTD.

I know I'm not losing, SSR will be fabulous. We'll save the THV for another time in our lives. Maybe with the grandkids??

Thanks so much for all your replies. You've really helped.

 

[Mtnman44]

Um...might what to point out that she is part of one of those "irritaiting" family groups!

Here are some concerns she has:

-that must be where all the families stay, it will be too loud

 

[Cee]

If they like the walkway and being close to the action, the walk(via walkway) from the THV is barely 10 min. and that's if you're strolling. I say THV all the way.