Vero and SSR thoughts during trip....

[MarriedAtDisney]

Just left Vero after a weeks stay and checked into SSR for six days. Let me preface the following by saying that I love DVC and Disney..... as my name indicates - we were even marriedatdisney back in 2000 at the pavillion and GF....

ok. first. Vero. Love it love it love it. the new carpet, furniture, TV's.... really helped bring the resort back up to a 'delux' feel. Maybe this is just our family, but last trip (last may) we were really saying that while we loved it... it was feeling fairly run-down. Not everything mind you.... but let's face it.. it was lived in.... hard.

I have to say by the way... that our family thinks the Vero staff are the BEST CM of any resort we have stayed in. They are always so friendly and go out of their way. In fact, i have to call out one of our favorites.. "Hank" the lifeguard. What a great man. last May my 4 DD talked with him for a while and he took some pictures with her. Well this trip she lost her first tooth half way thru the trip...mentioned it to Hank (as only a 5 year old can).. .next thing we know he comes over to our chairs and gives her a certificate and a tooth holder to put the tooth in for the tooth fairy that night. Wow... that was just so cool.

About the only improvement Vero needs imho is that the food at shutters needs some pizaz. given the prices it really should be a little more...special. it's pretty vanilla and priced a lot higher than other local restaurants. I'm not saying it's bad food.... just that it could be better.

So... just checked into SSR. Couple of thoughts. First... why dont' they have a luggage cart like Vero does? I mean, it's a frickin hike from the parking lot to some of the back rooms. I'd sure like a few luggage cards/wagons or something to help make it a one/two trip unload/load instead of the inevitable 4-5 with all the bags and food and such.

Second is that while we think SSR is holding up ok.. it's starting to show the same wear we saw at Vero. The doors under the sink... they are chiped around the door knobs and paint is worn off. clearly lot's of hands are pounding on it... but it looks... bad.

now my DW will shoot me for saying this but.... how about upgrading the TV's to HDTV? and when will the pull out couch be upgraded to the ones like Vero has? (the vero couch pullout in the 2 bedroom is SO GREAT!).

It's not that the rooms are BAD per se.. but we are sold on these being deluxe like resorts. that means they should look and feel like staying at Poly, GF, etc.... If it's already looking a little worn.... how bad will it get before they get refurbed?

Frankly, i'd be willing to pay slightly higher dues if it meant more frequent updates. these should feel like deluxe rooms every year.. not just the first few years of a 10 year run in between updates.

ok... more to come. please don't take my comments as flames... i love DVC!!!

 

[Lynn5700]

When we stayed at SSR, they drove us to our room in a golf cart along with our bags. They offered, I thought it was so nice. We gave the guy a couple bucks for doing it. We left our bags with bell hop when we first got there cause our room wasn't ready. I was surprised that they did that when we went to pick up our bags.

I'm assuming people can do that is they don't want to walk all the way to the rooms with their bags. Just ask bell hop to do it for you

I didn't notice any wear and tear. Sorry you did. I guess we get lucky with our rooms. Oh I think it would be nice to have the flat screen tvs too lol!!

I would love to try Vero one day!!

 

[Anal Annie]

So... just checked into SSR. Couple of thoughts. First... why dont' they have a luggage cart like Vero does? I mean, it's a frickin hike from the parking lot to some of the back rooms. I'd sure like a few luggage cards/wagons or something to help make it a one/two trip unload/load instead of the inevitable 4-5 with all the bags and food and such.

Second is that while we think SSR is holding up ok.. it's starting to show the same wear we saw at Vero. The doors under the sink... they are chiped around the door knobs and paint is worn off. clearly lot's of hands are pounding on it... but it looks... bad.

now my DW will shoot me for saying this but.... how about upgrading the TV's to HDTV? and when will the pull out couch be upgraded to the ones like Vero has? (the vero couch pullout in the 2 bedroom is SO GREAT!).

It's not that the rooms are BAD per se.. but we are sold on these being deluxe like resorts. that means they should look and feel like staying at Poly, GF, etc.... If it's already looking a little worn.... how bad will it get before they get refurbed?

Frankly, i'd be willing to pay slightly higher dues if it meant more frequent updates. these should feel like deluxe rooms every year.. not just the first few years of a 10 year run in between updates.

ok... more to come. please don't take my comments as flames... i love DVC!!!

We will be trying Vero for the first time this August so can't comment on that part of your post - have heard all great things tho.

SSR - although flat panel TV's at all of the resorts would be great at least the TV size at SSR is adequate and the TV in our studio last month was a flat screen, but it was not a flat panel...it sure as heck beats those dinky little old TV's that are still at OKW & VWL!! Those things are teeny tiny. Personally, I am not looking to pay higher dues for this upgrade tho...

DS used the pullout sofabed with no complaints (other than his usual whining about why doesn't HE get the "real" bed)!! It seemed fine, especially compared to the one at VWL...

Also, as Lynn indicated, the bell service staff drove us & our luggage to our villa in a golf cart and came to pick us up on our last day exactly when I called for them. They had a cart at the villa to transfer the luggage to and the CM went all the way to our room with us. There was no reason to schlep all of our stuff ourselves. Next time just ask for help. We gave the CM a few bucks tip for his help.

I also did not notice any big wear & tear items in our studio...