Treehouse Villas & Bus stop

[jim martin]

Does anyone know how the buses are going to stop at the Treehouse Villas? I think the buses will be packed if it is the last stop.

 

[tjkraz]

Most of the current bus routes have them passing the Treehouse Villas first when coming up Disney Vacation Club Way headed to SSR. So I assume they would hit the Treehouses first.

There are only 60 treehouses. That's just a handful more rooms than a single building at SSR (of which there are currently 18.) So the traffic growth would be maybe 5% tops. And I assume (I HOPE!) that most treehouse guests will plan to have their own transportation due to the remote nature of most buildings.

In all, I think the added traffic (bodies) will be minimal and the increase in transportation time will be maybe 3-4 minutes for the side trip thru the Treehouse complex.

 

[mtdewhead]

Treehouse Villas will also have their own dock and share the ferry to Downtown Disney with Saratoga.

 

[dallastxcpa]

Unfortunately DVC has not released any information at this point so everything is pure speculation. As much as I dislike multiple bus stops, I also dislike the hotel type bus stops were you wait with a 100 of your closet friends.

 

[Really_Goofy_Daddy]

Sorry to sound like a disgruntled DVC member but, when they added the Grandstand to SSR the vast majority of people thought that Saratoga Springs was "too big" and that the maximum capacity made it impossible to use the theme pool or to get breakfast at the very limited seating of the Artists Palate. Even the 2 quiet pools and the 1 at Grandstand are packed to the gills during busy months.

All the write ups indicate that the occupants of the THV will use the same facilities as the rest of SSR. Well I think it is time that DVC does some expansion on the services as well as the accommodations. DVC boasts that SSR is the "largest DVC Property to date". Well they didn't add anything extra other than more rooms!

Don't get me wrong I am a proud SSR owner and we love to stay at our home resort over any other, BUT DVC indicates only that they are building a pool for the THV. How about another restaurant? When the Grandstand opened they boasted about the pool bar which I should point out was closed the entire time we were at SSR for a 20 day stay last Summer.

This is just a little perspective on the impact that 60 more units will have. I have read LOTS of threads here on SSR busses being "packed" or standing room only. We have also had to watch as a number of busses passed us by at the Springs Stop becuase they were already at capacity We have also stood on the dock while water shuttles already full of OKW visitors passed us by. Hopefully the THV get their own bus and additional water shuttle. (The water shuttles to DTD are provided for and paid for by DTD).

None of these issues have been mentioned by DVC, but all of these complaints have been listed multiple times on this board!

DVC plans on adding 60 units at 6-9 people a unit, that 540 more people staying at SSR when at capacity, at this rate we will need a fast pass for the water slide at High Rocks Pool!!!!

 

[ccigliano]

I agree with you 100% Really Goofy Daddy. It's great to add more rooms to a resort like SSR where Disney has the land but Disney needs to add the facilities that support those units as well. I am WLV owner but was able to book SSR in January at the 4 month mark for a week at the end of April. When we were there, Artist Palette was always packed for breakfast, the main pool was also mobbed by 10 and even when we returned from the parks at 10 PM was hopping. They need to add another counterservice restaurant as well as another "main" pool area or add on to the existing main pool now. Let's hope they come to their senses.

 

[tjkraz]

Adding 60 extra villas should have no impact on transportation. Disney provides bus service to much larger resorts now. Jambo House at AKL/AKV is bigger than SSR now and will be MUCH bigger once Kidani opens. In other situations multiple resorts share bus service (BWV, BWI, Dolphin , Swan, sometimes even BC/YC). And then you have the gargantuan resorts like Pop Century which are 3-4 times the size of SSR.

The size of SSR shouldn't have any bearing on transportation. If there's an issue with bus overcrowding, all Disney has to do is increase the frequency of service.

The Treehouse Villa area will have its own pool. No it won't be a full-blown "feature" pool with a slide, but it is a net gain for the resort. We're going from 828 units and 4 pools to 888 units and 5 pools. The pool is situated fairly close to The Grandstand area of the resort so it will be accessible by more than just THV guests.

Personally I have a hard time putting SSR into perspective with other resorts because in the middle of the summer ALL of the resort pools are mobbed by mid-morning. That's just a reality of supply and demand. Is SSR truly worse than other resorts? Prior to DVC moving-in, Jambo house at AKL had 1300 cash rooms and only one pool. The Wilderness Lodge pool is smaller than SSR and serves 700 cash rooms and villas.

When it comes to building a resort amenity like a pool, usually a 90/10 rule comes into play. The goal is to make it adequate to accommodate demand at least 90% of the time. It simply doesn't make sense to add additional resources necessary to meet peak demand.

As for the restaurant situation, I think I have only eaten at AP once so I'll take people's word for the fact that the lines can get excessive. The best thing to do is to complain to DVC. That's how the Turf Club got constructed in the first place. If breakfast is particularly bad, perhaps they will open the Turf Club in the morning hours as well. I'll say this--I've never known Disney to turn its back on a dollar. If enough people tell them they are losing meal dollars because of excessive waits at AP, they are likely to respond. But if it's just a case of making people wait in line a little longer--not so much lost then.

 

[nuts]

Well said! Yes, SSR is the largest DVC resort, but is the second smallest overall resort! People forget that.

 

[DisneyFreaks]

As for the restaurant situation, I think I have only eaten at AP once so I'll take people's word for the fact that the lines can get excessive. The best thing to do is to complain to DVC. That's how the Turf Club got constructed in the first place. If breakfast is particularly bad, perhaps they will open the Turf Club in the morning hours as well. I'll say this--I've never known Disney to turn its back on a dollar. If enough people tell them they are losing meal dollars because of excessive waits at AP, they are likely to respond. But if it's just a case of making people wait in line a little longer--not so much lost then.

Opening the Turf Club for breakfast would be a great idea. SSR is our home resort and both times we have stayed there it has been over crowded at breakfast time. Some days the line was right inside the door. We had to walk around with our trays waiting for another family to vacate a table. I do hope we all follow up on your suggestion to complain to DVC and they do listen. Giving the gift shop area its own check out during crowded times would be greatly appreciated as well. And am I asking too much to get help with the bus situation there? LoL

 

[dcibrando]

I agree... being an owner at SSR and having stayed there multiple times, it would be nice to see better bus service and a few new additions (restaurant, etc.) to help when it is crowded.
Now that they are adding THV, I hope they consider this.

Also, will they have any good way for people to get to the main building/pool from the THV?

I think they should move the souvi shop to another location and make it bigger (since it's so small) and expand the food court area with more seating and dining options

 

[dallasdisneymommy]

I think they should move the souvi shop to another location and make it bigger (since it's so small) and expand the food court area with more seating and dining options

That is a fantastic idea!

 

[sweetinmaine]

I agree... being an owner at SSR and having stayed there multiple times, it would be nice to see better bus service and a few new additions (restaurant, etc.) to help when it is crowded.
Now that they are adding THV, I hope they consider this.

I think they should move the souvi shop to another location and make it bigger (since it's so small) and expand the food court area with more seating and dining options

I agree! An expanded food court would be great especially for those of us that stay in the Studios and don't necessarily eat in their rooms.

 

[dcibrando]

well then let's email disney and suggest it

 

[momhmmx2]

We stayed at the Treehouses in 1999. They were part of the OKW bus system. Don't know if they will do this again? Just an FYI

 

[Debbie Jean]

Anyone have any new information on bus service for the Treehouses????

 

[the who #3]

can anyone tell me if scooters and wheel chairs can get on the ferries to dtd? you can not get scooters and wheel chairs on the boats from the resorts to mk so i would like to know about that before i go to ssr in the next 3 months.

 

[spiceycat]

really don't think TH will get its own buses. but will probably share with SSR.
they are only putting in 2 stops.

the boats too.

DD pays for the PO boats. DVC members pay for the DD boats. we found out this - when DD stop paying for the PO boats - but the DVC boats still went.

members pay for everything at the DVC resorts - especially the transportation - boats and buses.

what DVC resort is bigger (area) than SSR? - OKW is not - SSR got bigger when grandstand was opened.

also think the maintence fees for this place will be high. So although might try to stay there - really glad DVC went with SSR instead of OKW. of course my opinion no longer counts - got rid of my OKW.

 

[Debbie Jean]

can anyone tell me if scooters and wheel chairs can get on the ferries to dtd? you can not get scooters and wheel chairs on the boats from the resorts to mk so i would like to know about that before i go to ssr in the next 3 months.

Yes, I took my scooter on the the boat from OKW last month and we stopped at SSR. The boat is similar to the ones that POR and POFQ have, if you've ever been on one of those. I'm assuming the boats servicing THV will be the same since you pass the treehouses when going from OKW to SSR and then on to DTD

I understand the reason getting a scooter on the resort boats at MK is not an issue is because you can take the monorail.

You will love SSR! Have a great trip!

 

[tjkraz]

really don't think TH will get its own buses. but will probably share with SSR.
they are only putting in 2 stops.

the boats too.

I'm quite sure the buses will be shared. Doesn't make any sense to send separate buses for 60 villas. Even with SSR being the largest DVC, there are still WDW bus loops which service more guests rooms--POP has many more rooms, the BWV/BWI/Dolphin/Swan loop services more rooms, etc.

Not sure how boat service will work. Info from Disney suggests that boat transportation will be an efficient way to get from the Treehouse area to the other SSR dock. We'll see...

also think the maintence fees for this place will be high. So although might try to stay there - really glad DVC went with SSR instead of OKW. of course my opinion no longer counts - got rid of my OKW.

The treehouses represent less than 7% of all SSR villas. Although the costs of maintaining 60 individual structures will certainly be higher than a single building with 60 rooms, when spread over all owners I doubt there will be much of a blip in the budget. The 2009 budget actually includes all of the treehouses yet the overall increase was still only 3% more than 2008.

 

[the who #3]

the monorail does not go to the wilderness lodge, therefore the boat is an important issue to me and other very or slightly disabled. sorry, i realize that we are responsible for our own ablilities and disablilities but the boat would be really nice.