Why is there Always room at SSR?

[jimmytammy]

I am like you, I like the fact that DVC has availability for the last minute planner. We tend to make ressies at least 7 mos out, but every so often, esp. this past year, we went on a few "extra" trips in addition to our usual ones. We were able to get a studio at Kidani, and I think size alone helped us to manage getting it with less than a month to go.

SSR always has a lot of availability based on my personal thoughts, so no fact here, size 1st, it is huge, therefore, it allows for a lot of folks to stay there. This second one may ruffle some feathers, and I dont mean too upset anyone, but location and theming tend to make me look at other resorts 1st. Being close to DTD, not a draw for me. My one time there, I remember seeing the hotels near DTD, which to me sort of takes away from being in WDW, I guess the full immersion that Walt strived for. OKW is right up in the middle of being a DTD resort, but it draws me in as its not surrounded by the outside world.

So size and location are 2 things IMO are reasons SSR has a lot of availability. But if it gets me to WDW, I would stay there in a heartbeat

 

[beer dave]

I am sure the size of SSR plays the biggest part in it being available when smaller resorts are not.

For example at BCV if only 5% of the total inventory is available that will only be 14 villas but at SSR that will be 66. That has to make a huge difference.

.

Sure , 5% divided by 5% equals 1 in availability----- but 0% divided by 5% equals infinity. So if a resort is sold out and another resort has availability, the available resort can be infinitely more available than the sold out resort, until it also sells out.... All points to all resorts have been sold. Whichever resort is last available has less desirability to it's owners.

 

[kksummergirl]

To our family, it feels more like a condo complex than a Disney resort. We own there and do stay on property but feel it is the least "Disney like" property.

 

[hakepb]

I don't see any of those or planned changes causing people to say they specifically want to stay there routinely. All Disney Springs or the second pool does is lessen the impact if one stays there anyway. To even start to even out the demand you've got to give something that specifically causes someone to want to stay there over the other properties. IMO they missed most of the opportunities up front. Things like lake homes, 4 BR units (lockoff 2 BR's), connecting studios, OKW points schedule, under building parking, a true water park type pool, horse park with riding. The list could go on but it has to be one or more likely multiple such items where people say they specific want to visit multiple times. Even the "I want to try it once" crowd won't make any real difference and most have tried it already including owners there. The THV did help a little until they were reallocated pricing them out for most people for what they are and thus the reallocation of points for the THV likely reduced the demand for SSR as a whole more than the extra pool and DS put together will help it.

Yes, the additions aren't draws, they correct wrongs. I agree they missed many things up front.
1) a staff parking lot and the nice clay tennis court are using the best real estate. The Springs and the main restaurants should really be swapped (but didn't because it was "cheaper" to reuse the Disney Institute). It always frustrated me seeing those old pictures of the real Saratoga Springs as decor, but the overall plan of the resort didnt fit that feeling.
2) real horses. Yes, if you can't maintain real horses and have real horse activities, you don't use Saratoga as a theme.

 

[Mousewerks]

2) real horses. Yes, if you can't maintain real horses and have real horse activities, you don't use Saratoga as a theme.

They have horseshoe pits that are inop! How hard would it be to put clay in the pits and have shoes available for people to use?

 

[Mississippian]

We've owned a small SSR contract for four years now. We bought it because of price, size of contract and banked points. We do not regret buying there at all.

Last September we stayed there for the first time, in the Grandstand section for three nights pre-cruise. Our stay was comfortable.

We've used our points at Kidani, OKW and BWV instead of SSR because we wanted to. We are using SSR points in April for OKW again and we are waitlisted for a BWV, Standard Studio. Why? The cost of points.

It's only 89 points for BWV standard Studio and OKW Studio. SSR is 100. We are not DTD fans so to conserve points we booked OKW.

This is exactly why SSR always has rooms available. Many if not most of the people who bought there had no real desire to stay there when they visited WDW.

There was a niche for an SSR-style resort; I would say 150 rooms would be about right, instead of 800. Also, large size doesn't not make a resort have more rooms available at the last minute. The MGM Grand in Las Vegas is the world's second-largest hotel with more than 5,000 rooms. It has an occupancy rate of almost 97 percent. Why? Great location, two dozen restaurants, great shows, and so forth; the same reasons the walking-distance/monorail resorts are in such high demand.

FWIW, Even though I've been a critic of SSR and believe Disney really harmed the value of the other resorts by building it, I've thought about staying there while driving down to Fort Lauderdale to take a cruise. We wouldn't have visited the parks; instead we would just hang out and go to Downtown Disney. For many the only appeal of SSR is as a place to go when not visiting the theme parks. If WDW is my final destination, I'm there to go to the theme parks, so SSR is out, to the point that if my choice was SSR or not going, I'd probably just not go and make other plans.

And by the way, there is nothing wrong with people buying SSR and not using that resort. That's the way the rules are set up, and everyone should use the rules to their advantage, like them or not.

 

[CMOORE185]

Many if not most of the people who bought there had no real desire to stay there when they visited WDW.

This is just pure speculation on your part and no one here should accept that as true. Just because there is less demand does not show that most people that bought there have no desire to stay there. As I said earlier there is enough demand at SSR that getting all the other resorts at 7 months is still very doable. If most SSR owners were trading out or if no non owners were trading in then getting the other resorts at 7 months would be more difficult in my opinion.

 

[dsnydaddy]

Well, we bought into SSR for the value of it. But I actually like the resort quite a bit and cannot wait to stay there. Otherwise, we'd have bought elsewhere.

 

[Mississippian]

This is just pure speculation on your part and no one here should accept that as true. Just because there is less demand does not show that most people that bought there have no desire to stay there. As I said earlier there is enough demand at SSR that getting all the other resorts at 7 months is still very doable. If most SSR owners were trading out or if no non owners were trading in then getting the other resorts at 7 months would be more difficult in my opinion.

My quote was "many if not most," and it was made in response to an SSR member who said he had been happy with his points but had never stayed there.

There are a lot of people who post that they own at SSR and either never stay there, or just stay there occasionally. If SSR owners had the same level of desire to stay in their home resort then SSR wouldn't be the one resort available all of the time. The bottom line is that the rooms are a lot more expensive than at OKW, and you can't walk or take the monorail to any of the theme parks.

 

[Mary2e]

A friend has a small contract and gives me her points to use each. They're enough for 2 nights in most places in a studio.

For the last 3 years we've only had the option of SSR, and this year she looked at exactly 7 months in advance as was able to get us into WLV, which unfortunately, I had to revise and got stuck in SSR again.

Why do I say stuck? For most of the same reasons people have outlined above. We liked the property when it was the Institute and stayed in townhouses frequently. We've stayed in every hotel, and used to be a deluxe hotel snob. If you can believe it, I've grown incredibly attached to the Ft. Wilderness cabins and that has now become my primary resort.

When at SSR we both feel confined. The bed is small and stuck in the corner and the sofa bed is very uncomfortable. Add to it the motel feel, and well, it doesn't surprise me that it's always available.

Some people like it, but unless it's free, it's not for us.

 

[Dean]

This is just pure speculation on your part and no one here should accept that as true. Just because there is less demand does not show that most people that bought there have no desire to stay there. As I said earlier there is enough demand at SSR that getting all the other resorts at 7 months is still very doable. If most SSR owners were trading out or if no non owners were trading in then getting the other resorts at 7 months would be more difficult in my opinion.

While we do not have the factual numbers, there are indications the post you quoted is accurate. As a minimum it appears that a larger % bought points just to get into the system and not because they wanted SSR than most resorts and from what I see, than all other current resorts. Obviously there are other factors such as long term owners had less choices and might or might not make different choices with a current purchase. In reality it doesn't take a large difference for purchase or demand to add up, esp given the size of SSR. I'm confident in saying that SSR has a larger affect on the 7 month window than all other resorts combined. As a reminder to those reading, this is not an issue that upsets me, ASAMOF, that it's more available is helpful to me. It's just my honest opinion based on all that I see and have seen. Plus as of late, I've suggested most new buyers consider SSR as their best option.

 

[CarolMN]

This thread seems to be turning into a debate. Since the OP's question has been thoroughly explored and before it turns into a fight (this topic has brought out the worst in us more than once in the past), I'm going to close this particular discussion.

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Thanks for understanding.