Two DVC questions

[Laralyn]

We're considering DVC, and I have two quick questions.

1) What are the hours for getting the facilities tour at WDW? Do they have the tours in the evening or is it just 9-5?

2) I don't want to start a flame war--just looking for honest info, but... why do I hear folks saying they don't like SSR? Is it a bad location, or something else?

OK, so that's four questions, sorry!

Thanks in advance!

 

[dianeschlicht]

I don't really know the answer to your first question, but I think if you contact a sales guide, they will tell you their thoughts. I suspect it is going to be daytime hours though, because they have lives and families too. My guess is it's a bit later than 5 PM though.

Some folks don't care for SSR because of the large complex of buildings, or the location. Others fine the location to be a big plus. It really does depend on your style of vacationing. We own at OKW and AKV....We LIKE to be away from the hubub when we aren't in the parks. Also, we find we do a LOT more walking when we are in the Boardwalk/Beach Club area. We tend to get frustrated with the long boat ride to two of the parks and the not so great bus service from that area. OKW, SSR, and AKL/AKV hve great bus service, and we find we prefer being out a bit too. Of course, we aren't exactly city folks anyway. It really does depend on your style.

Remember that you don't have to purchase just SSR or AKV direct from Disney. They also have inventory available from all the other DVC resorts, but you might have to twist a guide's arm to get them to do that.

 

[yxe dad]

When we took the tour in March, our guide said he started that morning @ around 7:30 and was finishing up after us, maybe around 4pm. When we went to purchase 2 days later he was working into the evening.
So I'd probably guess they would start the tours around 8am and go until 8 or 9pm.
As for SSR and people saying they don't like it, it's all personal taste. I heard plenty of people on these boards say they don't like the AKL or the Animal Kingdom Park but for me it's my favorite place to stay and my 2nd favorite park(MK will always be #1)!!
My advice is go take the tour of SSR, while your there see the AKV show suites??? If that doesn't float your boat then go tour the other DVC resorts, find one you like and buy a resale or direct from Disney(but it will cost more than a resale)
Shayne

 

[vandy]

In addition to the other replies, SSR and OKW are different in resort type than the others. By that I mean that SSR and OKW are similiar to a condo/town home building in style. There are multiple buildings with a few units that have the doorway to the exterior and parking is just outside the building. The other resorts are Hotel style with interior doorways and long hallways and parking is in a resort lot, not next to the building.

BW and BCV are popular due to their proximity to Epcot and MGM, VWL is poplular because of its closeness to the Magic Kingdom and of course AKV is close to Animal Kingdom. SSR is farther away from the parks, but just across the lake from DTD. OKW is close to SSR and DTD as well. Some feel that the "theming" is better at the other resorts than SSR, but again that is personal taste.

We have stayed at other resorts but feel right at home at SSR. Best advice is to take the tour and see for yourself. Best wishes.

 

[Slowbee]

SSR is a very beautiful resort. It's very clean and everything looks so new (yes, I know they just finished construction). Some of the other resorts have been around longer and have a great following, but they can look a little run down.

We've stayed at SSR before and when we bougth into DVC it was a choice between SSR and AKV. We loved that the SSR resort is a stones throw from DTD and next to the golf course. But, it's a LARGE resort... it's a hike from the room we were at back to the main lodge.

We felt that at AKV, we wouldn't be so far away from everything. Even the new village doesn't appear to be so far from everything...

Remember, as everyone will tell you... Buy where you personally want to stay.

 

[njmeisje]

We just came back from WDW, and we did the SSR tour while there. We also got to drive around SSR. And like many of the other psters have said, while it is very pretty, it is designed for a particular type of vacationer. To me it looks like a gated community, rather than a vacation resort. Some one once posted that they should issue you a golf cart to get around when you check in. Having seen the resort, I totally agree!!!

We prefer being closer to the Disney experience. We prefer BCV or BW. We also wet to visit VWL and while that is also a great resort. Maybe we prefer the smaller resorts....that might be it.

Best of luck in deciding!!
Diane