Who is thinking of an add-on at Saratoga Springs?

[Bexx]

I agree with you Happy Birthday Cat. BCV definitely has that add-on factor for many people, including myself, whereas SSR doesn't. It will be interesting to see how well it sells if it's mainly for initial contracts. It looks like we will all just be booking in at that seven month window to see what it's like!!

 

[crisi]

Not us.

But SSR is suppose to provide more Grand Villas. Since neither VWL or BCVs have them, this is the first chance for some people to add on to a resort and get an 11 month window on GVs.

 

[Lisa F]

I LOVE VWL... so much, in fact, that we did a small add on there when we had the opportunity to. That said, I do think that the WL is "slightly less deluxe" than the monorail resorts. By slightly less deluxe, I put it on par with the Contemporary garden wings (and I actually really enjoyed staying there so that's not meant as a put down, knowing how many people do NOT like the garden wings). Before VWL even broke ground, we spent a couple of nights at the WL and although we were completely wowed by the theming of the public spaces of it, the rooms were a little smaller, a bit more cramped and slightly less luxuriously appointed than the other deluxes that we had tried. Accordingly, however, the price was slightly lower to stay there. Additionally, the WL does not have the benefit of the monorail (or in the case of the contemporary, walking path to the MK) and I think that, combined with the room size, has kept the WL at just under the level of a deluxe (but definately above a moderate). In fact, before DVC had units at WL, didn't the contemporary wings and WL have their own category of points in the disney collection that was somewhat lower than the other deluxes but higher than moderates?

The smaller rooms at WL are no longer a problem, as we only stay in DVC units there now and I actually vastly prefer the decor in the villas to the lodge (rooms only). With the addition of DVC, I do feel like it's a much more deluxe experience... the only thing that keeps it a tiny notch below that of the monorail resorts is lack of monorail (the boat is a big pain in the butt to me and I never take the boat from the epcot resorts, I always walk). For that reason when VWL opened up, I had hoped that the point structure would reflect that, but it didn't. There are many people (myself included) who are willing to pay a little bit more for the amazing theming of VWL, but I still recognize that I am paying more for something that people staying in the lodge pay less for (compared to a room at BC or BWI or something).

As far as SSR, I definately cant' see adding on there... I wouldn't mind another 50 VWL points but we really do have enough!

Lisa

 

[Dean]

didn't the contemporary wings and WL have their own category of points in the disney collection

Yes, at least for part of the years.

 

[goofy4dvc]

For what it's worth,he also said that all the ideas and concepts from Eagle Pines have been transferred to SSR. It almost sounded to me as though Eagle Pines has been scrapped or put on the back burner indefinitely.

The concept of SSR is totally different than Eagle Pines. SSR is New England/Victorian and EP is/was to have a Florida Mizner-style architecture. The artist rendering of SSR looks like several buildings while the artist rendering of EP appeared to be one large building. Nothing I've seen looks anything remotely similar between the two. Also, didn't the plans call for EP to be larger than OKW? I was looking forward to EP, so maybe I'm just not wanting to read the writing on the wall.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by goofy4dvc
The concept of SSR is totally different than Eagle Pines. SSR is New England/Victorian and EP is/was to have a Florida Mizner-style architecture. The artist rendering of SSR looks like several buildings while the artist rendering of EP appeared to be one large building. Nothing I've seen looks anything remotely similar between the two. Also, didn't the plans call for EP to be larger than OKW? I was looking forward to EP, so maybe I'm just not wanting to read the writing on the wall.

I can see how you could feel that way but the idea that from a DVC standpoint SS is a replacement for EP makes sense. Of course EP could have changed several times from the initial ideas as well. My view of EP was some type of Inn with later branching out to add smaller grouped rooms similar to HH and OKW but likely somewhat larger buildings. I see SS as between one and four buildings that are larger than the buildings at OKW but smaller than the VWL or BCV components, maybe 50-70 units each.

EP was set to be slightly larger than OKW, maybe 600 units total with GV as well. I personally don't know if EP will ever happen and I frankly doubt it will. One thing I will assure you is that it will not happen with 600 units and end in 2042. I too think that EP was more eagerly anticipated than SS is but only time will tell how all the pieces fit together. I think SS needs a gimick or add on to sell it much along the lines of the free passes at OKW. I don't think the themed pool will be enough if the points are essentially the same as the last 2 resorts. My concern is that DVC puts SS as the test whether to keep building or not and that SS will sell only slightly better than VB and HH and that will be the end.

 

[Desperado]

.... and that will be the end.

and maybe that's OK. Too many members increases competition for peak times, etc. I think there are some other dissadvantages as well. At some point I hope they do stop building additional DVC resorts. I think we have a great selection of options.

 

[Lesley]

I think I would really love to stay at SSR sometime in the future....but I doubt we will add on there. If our fortunes allow us to add on while we're still interested in doing so we'll probably add more points at VWL (our add on there is horribly small) and/or at OKW so we have a chance to get a GV from time to time without using up way too many points.

But for now, when we haven't had the need for a GV, the 7 month window has worked fine for booking OKW. I'm hoping we do as well at the 7 month window for BCV! I love my home resorts....but I also love trying new things.

 

[littlestar]

While we were at Disney a few weeks ago, a DVC guide told us that Saratoga would be adding on in stages to the resort. Also, the models would move from the Boardwalk to Saratoga. We asked about the point schedule and he thought it would be somewhere in between Old Key West and the other DVC resorts that are closer to the parks. But, he wasn't for sure on that.

We wouldn't add on at Saratoga. Now, if they build a DVC at the Poly, maybe! I really, really like the Magic Kingdom area. But, you'd have to pull me away from the Wilderness Lodge first!