Well, it's happening, can't get VWL or BCV at 7month window, and I own at both!!!!!

[DebbieB]

This is true, also. Many existing members try a new resort when it opens, there are always reviews posted shortly after opening day. Why shouldn't the reverse also be true, that new members want to try the existing resorts?

The thing that concerns me are reports that DVC guides are pushing people who want to stay at BCV, BWV or VWL to buy SSR and then reserve elsewhere at 7 months. Those people should be buying where they want to stay if they don't want to stay at SSR.

I've never been to SSR so I really can't comment much but I noticed that when we stayed at OKW in April that some of the units are very close to the road in the area of the intersection of DVC Drive & Buena Vista. Seems like they would be far from everything plus road noise.

 

[crisi]

The thing that concerns me are reports that DVC guides are pushing people who want to stay at BCV, BWV or VWL to buy SSR and then reserve elsewhere at 7 months. Those people should be buying where they want to stay if they don't want to stay at SSR.

I've never been to SSR so I really can't comment much but I noticed that when we stayed at OKW in April that some of the units are very close to the road in the area of the intersection of DVC Drive & Buena Vista. Seems like they would be far from everything plus road noise.

Its not more or less fair than the older members, who were told the same things and may have assumed that the system would grow as it had for the past three resort.

 

[seabright1]

I wonder, if I were a perspective owner of DVC, after reading this thread, would I want to get a DVC ownership? Probably not! And that would include BCV, BMW, OKW, and VWL in addition to SSR.

If DVC is going to that push thru with "apartment complex" type resorts in the future, I will strongly discourage people I know or meet to rethink before they purchase DVC (even resales of VWL, OKW, BWV & BCV) because it probably will be very difficult and more stressful to book at the preferred those older and truly beautiful resorts in the future.

 

[seabright1]

The thing that concerns me are reports that DVC guides are pushing people who want to stay at BCV, BWV or VWL to buy SSR and then reserve elsewhere at 7 months. Those people should be buying where they want to stay if they don't want to stay at SSR.

I've never been to SSR so I really can't comment much but I noticed that when we stayed at OKW in April that some of the units are very close to the road in the area of the intersection of DVC Drive & Buena Vista. Seems like they would be far from everything plus road noise.

You got that right too. With the other resorts I felt that there was a clear demarcation from the outside world. Not so with saratoga. I felt like I was really in an apartment complex outside of Disney.

 

[Sammie]

You got that right too. With the other resorts I felt that there was a clear demarcation from the outside world. Not so with saratoga. I felt like I was really in an apartment complex outside of Disney.

I think Debbie was referring to the units at OKW that are so close to the road.

You can't get much closer to the road than part of BCV does. Any closer and there will tire marks on the carpet.

 

[TCPluto]

...... but a more remote location than others, there is no "niche" for SSR that draws a large number of people. Beca

I understand your points, and agree that cost on many of them is likely the prohibitive factor.

But t his statement always has me amazed. What is it in reality, 2-3 minutes farther away than OKW? I don't get it and would submit that the impression of it being so hugely remote of a location is an undeserved comment.

 

[Sammie]

I understand your points, and agree that cost on many of them is likely the prohibitive factor.

But t his statement always has me amazed. What is it in reality, 2-3 minutes farther away than OKW? I don't get it and would submit that the impression of it being so hugely remote of a location is an undeserved comment.

Location is relevant to opinion of what is important to the someone. SSR and OKW are very centrally located to all parks. VWL is close to MK, but not the others and same with BCV and BWV being close to Epcot and MGM but not AKL and MK.

We love DD so SSR is very close to what we like.

 

[seabright1]

I think Debbie was referring to the units at OKW that are so close to the road.

You can't get much closer to the road than part of BCV does. Any closer and there will tire marks on the carpet.

Yes. You are right. My mistake

 

[Beca]

I understand your points, and agree that cost on many of them is likely the prohibitive factor.

But t his statement always has me amazed. What is it in reality, 2-3 minutes farther away than OKW? I don't get it and would submit that the impression of it being so hugely remote of a location is an undeserved comment.

No offense, but...that is what happens when you only quote PART of someone's sentence. The whole quote went:

"The issue with SSR is that with the size of the complex, the higher cost of points than OKW, but a more remote location than others, there is no "niche" for SSR that draws a large number of people."

I also should've included smaller rooms than OKW. But, my point here is that I actually do consider OKW a more remote location, too. I didn't until, while visiting there with my then 3yr old dd....one day as we were driving to a park, she asked, "Mom, the next time we come to WDW, can we STAY at WDW?" My dh and I looked at each other, and replied, "Honey, we ARE at WDW...WDW is a very big place." She thought for a moment and said, "Okay....the next time we come to WDW, can we stay at a place that you don't have to DRIVE to?" Yep, our points went up for sale when we returned home.

In my mind (JMHO), OKW and SSR are VERY similar. However, given the choice, I would always choose OKW over SSR because:
1) it is a more compact resort
2) the rooms are bigger
3) the rooms are cheaper
4) parking is closer to your door

And on a related note....I just re-read the "Changed from OKW to SSR" thread and noticed that a few days ago, a poster said:

"I have stayed every place but VWL. Liked every place, but HH... so...."

And, interestingly....not ONE HH owner has come to say, "I am so tired of people trashing HH on these boards. Okay...some of us actually bought there because we LIKE it!!"

But seriously....sometimes it seems like you are free to say you don't like any DVC resort EXCEPT SSR (at least, without ramifications). We ALL like some better than others...sometimes, I would like to read people's HONEST opinions, instead of their politically correct ones....but, maybe that is just me.



Beca

 

[TCPluto]

No offense, but...that is what happens when you only quote PART of someone's sentence. The whole quote went:

"The issue with SSR is that with the size of the complex, the higher cost of points than OKW, but a more remote location than others, there is no "niche" for SSR that draws a large number of people."Beca

I don't think I edited out the point she was making, at least the point I think she was making: "but a more remote location than the others". I took "others" to mean other DVC resorts, and their relative location to the parks.

The post about SSR being so far away is mentioned quite a lot throughout various threads, and I just don't get it.

 

[diznyfanatic]

We took the SSR tour the first week of April as we had rented points (first time renting, first time staying DVC) for the specific purpose of checking out DVC to decide for ourselves if it was for us.

While we absolutely love our Guide, and thought SSR was a lovely resort, we do think there are some things that could be improved, just as I think there are ways to improve the other resorts. I think some of Beca's suggestions are great!

We realized after taking the tour that we went in probably wanting to purchase at one of the other DVC's. My folks owned a vacation condo in Sarasota, FL while I was growing up so we really wanted a different experience and wanted to purchase at one of the hotel DVC's that was a little closer to the parks.

Our Guide also talked heavily about the ability to stay somewhere else, but having thoroughly researched DVC on the DIS beforehand, I couldn't shake the possibility of booking problems if we didn't purchase where it matched our family's needs the best.

We purchased our first contract via resale at BWV and closed last month, and have already added on through our Guide at VWL, which is the resort we were awed by and fell in love with during our trip in April.

Since we weren't entered into the DVC system as members until last month, (4 & 6 months out from our planned trips) we knew making reservations for our October and December trips at our home resorts was going to be next to impossible.

We're still on the wait list for our home resorts, but we were able to book a 1 BDR at OKW (which we have also stayed at and love) for F&W. We had our choice of OKW or SSR and we choose OKW for exactly the reason already mentioned. OKW was 20 points cheaper.

If everything else were equal, I think the higher point totals alone required to stay at SSR will end up causing some people to book at other resorts first.

As an example, for our upcoming October trip, the points required to stay at our BWV home resort in a Standard view 1 BDR was 90 points, (same as OKW), a BWV Preferred view was 120 points, 120 for our VWL home resort and for BCV. SSR was 110. For 20 fewer points, I can walk to Epcot from a standard view BWV during F&W, or spend only 10 more points for a Preferred view and be able to walk from two of the resorts.

We were able to book 2 out of the 5 days for a 2 BDR at VWL for our week after Christmas trip, with the final day at OKW, and we are still waitlisted for the first two days (New Year's Eve and Jan 1...slim chance, I know).

Having said all of that, I will reserve judgement on how difficult it will be getting exactly what we want at our home resorts when we are able to utilize the 11 month window. We pretty much know that we will always be able to travel during the last week of October, the first week of January, and the first week of April, so will be sure to make those at exactly 11 months out.

Sorry, so long winded, but Beca, just wanted to say how much I appreciate reading your posts. They are informative, well thought out, helpful and diplomatic, and I find myself usually agreeing with most of what you say.

 

[Sarnia]

If DVC is going to that push thru with "apartment complex" type resorts in the future, I will strongly discourage people I know or meet to rethink before they purchase DVC (even resales of VWL, OKW, BWV & BCV) because it probably will be very difficult and more stressful to book at the preferred those older and truly beautiful resorts in the future.

Has it ever occured to you that some people may actually prefer the way SSR is to the other resorts?

From what I have read of your posts I doubt it very much. Although i'm sure you believe that everybody should think the way that you do, and that you should enlighten them with your great wisdom, why not let them make up their own minds?

Many people would rather stay somewhere that feels like an apartment complex, a home away from home, than in somewhere that feels like a hotel.

 

[DebbieB]

I think Debbie was referring to the units at OKW that are so close to the road.

You can't get much closer to the road than part of BCV does. Any closer and there will tire marks on the carpet.

Sorry I wasn't clear, I was referring to the SSR units they are building near the intersection of DVC Way & Buena Vista (taking the back way from OKW to Downtown Disney, past the SSR entrance). They are not as close as the BCV units but the view there doesn't seem appealing. Maybe they will put some trees up to block the road view.

 

[kathleena]

I think Debbie was referring to the units at OKW that are so close to the road.

You can't get much closer to the road than part of BCV does. Any closer and there will tire marks on the carpet.

I have stayed in an OKW studio that was probably the closest to the road that OKW gets.

I have stayed in a similar unit at BCV.

I can assure you that the noise from traffic in the OKW one is much, much, much worse because of the constant buses and trucks - even in the middle of the night. At BCV, while there is traffic, it is not with the same frequency as the road by OKW is a main road as opposed to just the Epcot Resorts loop.

 

[MissD]

Has it ever occured to you that some people may actually prefer the way SSR is to the other resorts?

From what I have read of your posts I doubt it very much. Although i'm sure you believe that everybody should think the way that you do, and that you should enlighten them with your great wisdom, why not let them make up their own minds?

Many people would rather stay somewhere that feels like an apartment complex, a home away from home, than in somewhere that feels like a hotel.

Without all the nasty comments about SSR, Seabright1 would have nothing at all to post. Nothing. Zero. Zip. Nada.

As for me, his (or her) unwillingness to stay there will make my trips home to SSR all the more enjoyable.

 

[crisi]

I don't think I edited out the point she was making, at least the point I think she was making: "but a more remote location than the others". I took "others" to mean other DVC resorts, and their relative location to the parks.

The post about SSR being so far away is mentioned quite a lot throughout various threads, and I just don't get it.

Remote is relative.

I love VWL, we own at BWV. We never even try to get VWL, because its "remote" compared to BWV for the place we spend many evenings - Epcot.

But if we spent many evenings at DTD, SSR wouldn't be remote at all.

In some ways, VWL is the most remote at WDW - you can't WALK to anything. The MK is a boat ride away, as are the MK resorts.

SSR and OKW give you walking access to DTD. If you want to argue, OKW is really close to Epcot, and if all those roads weren't in the way, you could walk it. (If the roads weren't in the way, you could probably walk most anywhere if you wanted and had some stamina). I think both give you walking access to Golf Courses, which isn't a feature for most people (but which is one of the things I find attractive about SSR).

BWV and BCV have a location advantage for most (but not all) people - walking distance to both Epcot and MGM. There are plenty of people who don't find this attractive, but there do seem to be more that do think it is desireable.

Is SSR more or less remote than OKW - I personally would say its less remote, being closer to DTD.

(I think the most remote place on property is AKL, though - so what do I know - that place is in the middle of nowhere).

We (and a lot of people who prefer the Epcot area) don't rent cars. A lot of people who prefer OKW and SSR do rent cars. If you are going to rent a car, and you are going to USE that car - remote becomes less of an issue - even becomes desirable because parking is a lot closer at SSR and OKW. Get dependant on Disney buses and cabs, and remote becomes a bigger issue (just getting a cab at SSR or OKW is a bigger deal if you aren't close to the lobby - the hotel resorts are more compact).

One of the objective ways to measure remote would be to pick the center of WDW - closer to the center and you'd be less remote. Farther from the center would mean more remote - by that measure, the Dolphin looks to be the resort closest to the center of WDW and OKW would be less remote than SSR.

http://www.allearsnet.com/tp/wdw.jpg

Location is one of many attributes that may make a resort desireable. Some people could care less about location. And not everyone desires the same features in location - plenty of OKW and SSR fans like relatively more "laid back" atmosphere of their resort. But SSR isn't remote at all - in comparison to HH.

 

[HUFF590]

And on a related note....I just re-read the "Changed from OKW to SSR" thread and noticed that a few days ago, a poster said:

"I have stayed every place but VWL. Liked every place, but HH... so...."

And, interestingly....not ONE HH owner has come to say, "I am so tired of people trashing HH on these boards. Okay...some of us actually bought there because we LIKE it!!"

But seriously....sometimes it seems like you are free to say you don't like any DVC resort EXCEPT SSR (at least, without ramifications). We ALL like some better than others...sometimes, I would like to read people's HONEST opinions, instead of their politically correct ones....but, maybe that is just me.



Beca[/QUOTE]

Thats because Seabright didnt say it

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

As others have mentioned, DVC could have used SSR to kind of break the cookie cutter mold they have set for themselves with the curent DVC room design. It would have been nice to see some true imagination instead of the same exact same room layout as the last three onsite resorts.

Disney seems to get in a rut and they take something successful (and highly desired) and copy it until the copies lose all the charm of the original. For example, because everyone loves the Dumbo ride, Disney responds and builds the magic carpets and that Hester and Chester thing at AK. The copies are OK, but I'll take the Dumbos anyday. SSR would have been much better if Disney would have broken the mold. With all the space, bigger rooms, a loft or an upstairs/downstairs layout would have been a nice change.

Because of that, SSR is the DVC of last resort for us.

 

[gopherit]

But seriously....sometimes it seems like you are free to say you don't like any DVC resort EXCEPT SSR (at least, without ramifications). We ALL like some better than others...sometimes, I would like to read people's HONEST opinions, instead of their politically correct ones....but, maybe that is just me.

This is the big issue I have with this board in general - so many are willing and waiting to POUNCE on the first thing they can disagree with, and often there are bizarre standards as to what gets criticized and what doesn't. And while I value honesty and the opinions of others, well, unfortunately, I would actually PREFER a little more "political correctness" in the responses. Sorry to say, but on this board, some of the responders are frankly antagonistic and rude and could stand to curb their keyboards. It gets in the way of tranferring real info to people, and turns a thread into one big he said-she said "My opinion is better than yours" debate.

 

[shantay1008]

This is the big issue I have with this board in general - so many are willing and waiting to POUNCE on the first thing they can disagree with, and often there are bizarre standards as to what gets criticized and what doesn't. And while I value honesty and the opinions of others, well, unfortunately, I would actually PREFER a little more "political correctness" in the responses. Sorry to say, but on this board, some of the responders are frankly antagonistic and rude and could stand to curb their keyboards. It gets in the way of tranferring real info to people, and turns a thread into one big he said-she said "My opinion is better than yours" debate.

I don't think it takes a psychology degree to see several things at play on these boards. First, you've got the whole anonymity factor, which perhaps emboldens people to type things here that they would never say to someone in person. (Sort of like the difference I see between drivers in our small town where everyone knows everyone versus driving in the Cities where they don't. Amazing how much more polite people are in the little town. )

Also, people come here for validation. They want reassurance that they haven't blown $20K or whatever, and that's probably why the littlest bit of criticism can wreak havok on their psyches. I know this from experience because, as an SSR owner, the whole "buy where you want to stay" concept has caused me some mental grief because I want to stay at BCV, too! So I always devour the "SSR is great" threads because it makes me feel better about staying there. We stayed at SSR in Feb. and had a great time, by the way.

Finally, it's easy to get caught up in the hype and start to believe that any of this really matters in the big scheme of things. People actually start to think that staying at BWV vs. SSR will make or break their lives, or at least their vacation. To me, Disney should be a fun place, and maybe some people need a little reminder of that.
Shannon