Isn't it interesting!

[OneMoreTry]

....
The next "buzz" will be when the Contemporary DVC goes on sale.

HBC

This is where I will jump into the fray. I will call my guide when AKV is about half sold out to start asking when these points will be available.

I just have to hope my wife becomes a little more of a Disney fan between now and then. Otherwise I doubt she's agree to the purchase.

 

[Evil Princess]

Time depends on a lot on traffic as well as the route you take. During much of the day if you leave SSR by way of the side entrance and go in front of DD, everything is about 20 minutes or more much of the time. There is currently one non DVC timeshare (FF Bonnet Creek) and soon to be another from what I hear that is as close or closer to the parks in driving time than SSR/OKW and a number that would generally be in the same time frame of 15-25 minutes. AKV will be even further out except for one park and one minor park.

We drive everywhere except MK so it's not that we mind driving, I prefer it. And we still prefer to stay on property. But to many staying on property means not driving, even at SSR & OKW. And given that by the time you wait for a bus plus the usual travel time, you can easily spend 45-60 minutes one way. Staying off property and driving would generally be preferable if those were our choices.

I've stayed at Saratoga Springs twice, and lived down there for 5 months, and I've never experienced the 20 minute thing that you speak of. Perhaps I'm a psycho New York driver, and I do often take some shortcuts on property and ignore the normal signs for directions to the parks.

The bus thing doesn't bother us, when we go down we never rent a car. We've stayed on property 20+ times before going DVC (I know, how stupid) and we've never been on any bus for 45-60 minutes. In fact, the ONLY time it came close might have been when we stayed at Boardwalk, since it's always the last dropoff.

Perhaps it's because we never go peak season, we're always in the middle of September or sometime in May or April (never near Easter or Memorial Day). We just have never experienced the bus thing like some others have spoken of, nor have I personally had any problem driving around property from SSR or DTD. I'm well aware of how long it takes to get from DTD to everywhere else, since I often took the property entrance over by Crossroads.

BTW, Bonnet Creek is about 5, maybe 10 minutes closer than OKW. I worked at Epcot, I passed the place on a daily basis

I think we're going to have to agree to disagree, because my personal experience completely doesn't match yours.

 

[3DisneyKids]

Its that following that makes it easier to create buzz. People have a pretty good idea of what the rooms will look like, what amenities will be nearby - there aren't a lot of questions hanging out. That made VWL and BCV easier to sell as well - but I do seem to recall BCVs buzz going way up when pool hopping to SAB was dropped as an option for DVCers. Until that point, it was still a convienent hop for BWV owners and not inconvienent for OKW owners - but there wasn't an overwhelming reason to own there.

Exactly! This is why there is more AKV buzz. And as a relative newbie around here, I was not on the boards when SSR was announceed. However, I had visited WDW several times during the time of the announcement and constrution, and even the promos and CMs were somewhat ho-hum about the whole project. I remember asking a CM about the new resort, and the answer was "some horse-themed thing." Even the WDW promotional materials seemed to gloss over SSR.

There are a couple of factors that will influence buzz:

--existing fan base, as has been stated by Crisi (above) and others
--great marketing...which SEEMS to have not been done well for SSR (I emphasize seems as I was not around then to know first hand)
--some to tie-in with to generate that buzz. It seems that SSR's tie-ins are DTD and the Spa...I don't think either of these has been emphasized enough (maybe better in the last year or so)

I own at SSR and am crazy in love with the place--if I can only ever stay there, I will be happy. I will also likely add-on at AKV...it is as about as different as you can get from SSR, but I think I will love it there, too!

 

[DVCJones]

I can think of at least three reasons: Old Key West, Vero Beach and Hilton Head Island.

In fact, let's break this down a little further:

BWV Owners: When BWV was first offered, the DVC inventory included OKW, Vero, HHI and BWV. Seems like BWV owners should have known exactly what they were getting into. Their resort was the only one out of FOUR existing DVC properties within walking distance of a theme park.

VWL: Perhaps the only group with any room to complain by your standards.

BCV: During most of the period while BCV points were for sale, plans for SSR and even Eagle Pines were public knowledge. These folks were (or should have been) well aware of the plans to build resorts in another location.

And everyone who has bought via resale over the last 4+ years has known exactly what DVC had in store.



And we all know what happens when one makes assumptions.

I'm also unclear as to why AKV falls into your desired category. You are aware that you can't walk or take a boat from AKV to the park, right? How does the bus travel distance from AKV to AK compare with OKW/SSR to Epcot?



And before SSR, OKW was the only resort consistently available 3 months out.



You do know that SSR is about 2 min up the road from OKW, right?!?! Sorry, but I'm not even going to dignify the implication that SSR's location is sub-standard when its entrance is 1/4 mile up the road from the flagship DVC property.

And speaking as someone who tends to make his way to Downtown Disney on about 75% of the nights during our trip, being 10 minutes from DTD is just as valuable--perhaps moreso--as being within walking distance of a theme park.



I'm sensing that personal bias again, here. To YOU that may be true...



And the same is true of all of the resorts since OKW. DVC's marketing has always placed an emphasis on the entire program. All we were ever promised is a set of points each year and a 4-month priority to book at Home (subject to availablility, and the Christmas '07 reservations are demonstrating how even that is not sufficient at times.)

Here's the problem I have with your mindset, Jim. You've made it clear that you believe that the deciding factor in resort choice for all DVC members is location. I'm here to tell you (as will THOUSANDS of others if you choose to listen) that is simply not true.

Which resort is actually the "most popular"? Heck, I don't know any more than you do. And even if people can't get into the "most popular" resort one year out of fifty, I don't see many people crying in their soup about it. It's the nature of the beast.

Yes, BCV, BWV and VWL will fill up quicker than SSR. Consistently. But SSR is SIX TIMES as large as VWL!!! If SSR is 75% booked at 7 months for any given date, it still has 200+ rooms open to non-members. If VWL is 75% booked for the same date, it has about 35 rooms available to non-members. It doesn't take a math wiz to figure out that those 35 rooms will be booked before the 200+ at SSR.

If SSR isn't your favorite, so be it. Do what you know to be necessary to make sure you book before that is the only option. Your attempts to generalize the likes and dislikes of 100,000+ members just come across as sour grapes.

I agree with what you are saying!!! I LOVE SSR!!! It is my home!!!

That being said, I think the point others are trying to say is....Given SSR size, it will be easier to get a room there at 7 months. So, if you look at DVC as a game, then the strategy would be to secure points in one/all of the "little 3". In the belief that if you ever wanted to stay at SSR you could (with little trouble) The reverse cannot be said.

If SSR was a small resort, I think things would be different. The spa, DTD, lower points, golf, pools, etc would be something to try and get at 7 months. I don't think anyone can say SSR isn't a beautiful and fantastic resort. It is just too easy to get into.

Owners of the "little 3" are po'd because ALL the SSR owners are creeping into there space. As a new owner I want to try all the DVC resorts. I do believe I will continue to love SSR when I have finished. I believe most new owners ant any DVC want to try all the resorts. In about 5 years when all the SSR owners are finished trying out the other DVC resorts, SSR owners won't be the "red headed step-child" anymore.

AKV is going to pretty large. New AKV owners are going to want to try out the "little 3" too.

I LOVE SSR!!! When I am finished trying all DVC resorts I will be happy knowing that I will never have a hard time getting into my SSR

So, what I am trying to say is. I understand the whole strategy that is part of the DVC game. Enough of the SSR bashing!! geeez

 

[Dean]

Owners of the "little 3" are po'd because ALL the SSR owners are creeping into there space. As a new owner I want to try all the DVC resorts. I do believe I will continue to love SSR when I have finished. I believe most new owners ant any DVC want to try all the resorts. In about 5 years when all the SSR owners are finished trying out the other DVC resorts, SSR owners won't be the "red headed step-child" anymore.

I agree with you in general other than this view. I think MOST people posting on this topic negative to SSR are not upset but just holding an intellectual view, one that I see as reality as it seems do you. I've posted many times I don't see it as right or wrong, it is what it is.

 

[waltfan1957]

I am an SSR-lover. After staying at the other locations, I honestly found that SSR is the very best location for us. DTD is a HUGE, HUGE draw - much bigger than being next to a park because I don't like spending evenings in any park when it's so crowded. I've walked out of EPCOT while Illuminations was going on more times than I've stayed to watch. OTOH, I love being at DTD after dinner.

and dont forget its not far from the crossroads where their are many places to eat

 

[FinallyBoughtDVC]

The difference in excitement or "buzz" is expected. For more than five years the Animal Kindom Lodge has hosted millions of Disney fans as guests, diners or mere curiousity seekers. And many have developed a fondness for the resort. It is tangible. It is real.

For the first six months the only thing tangible about Saratoga Springs was an overhead map (with 2/3 of the resort listed as "future development") and a couple of artist renderings of building exteriors. No great surprise that it didn't generate much excitement.

As for the tired old discussion of which resort is more popular, to each their own. Every discussion that ventures down this road is just a re-hash of people applying their own personal bias to the discussion. "I want to be near a park, ergo EVERYONE must want to be near a park." Pheh!

Don't like SSR? Book your Home during your 4-month priority (which is all you were ever guaranteed from Day One) and all is well.

I agree with all of this - I LOVE the AKL. I've stayed at least 40 times in the past 18 years as a cash paying guest (before I was DVC) at BWV, BCV and VWL, AKL, GF, CR, BC, YC, BWI. These resorts are all very "familiar" to me and my family.

When we made the decision to purchase DVC (after hemming and hawing for years) we chose SSR mostly because of the extra number of years we'd receive - we knew going into our purchase that we'd be making ressies at 2-3 months out (due to the nature of our business), so the 11-month advantage didn't mean much to us and we'd have to "take our chances" when it came to which resort we could stay at because of this.

One of the reasons I wasn't initially "eager" to stay at my home resort was because of the construction. The bigger reason was because we were so VERY familiar with all of the other resorts, it just seemed "easier" to go where we knew where the pool was, where the bus stop was, and where the food was...

SSR is a different ballgame...it's all new, to everyone. That being said, I can't wait to get to know my home resort. I am very excited about its proximity to DD. I can't see that the transportation to the parks would be any worse than at OKW or AKL. We are so past the "park commando" stage, that we don't mind missing the morning & evening stampedes.

As for ideas of things to "draw" people to the area, I do think a great idea for the DD and SSR area would be some type of nightly watershow (like the EWP at GF, Poly and CR) or some type of nightly event, i.e. "Night at the Races" with a barbecue and fun family games (sack races, etc.).

 

[UConnJack]

SSR = DVC cash cow. Unfortunately, since the demand for DVC was so high, Disney succumbed to the $$ (but would I have expected anything less), and built the biggest, and easiest (on the already existing Disney institute grounds - which is why it replaced EP) resort it could. Disney didn't need buzz to sell this resort, since the DVC concept as a whole already had the buzz. Now, if Disney turned around and followed SSR with another monstrosity at EP, I think the reputation and buzz of DVC would have taken a hit, looking more like a generic timeshare than Disney magic. AKV and CRV we the only things they could have followed with to bring the buzz back.

Not that SSR didn't (or even doesn't still) have potential, but DVC really missed the boat on turning it into something special. As those in another active thread are debating, there is a lot SSR should have, and still can do, to make it a preferred resort. They need to make SSR a destination resort in and of itself, adding more activities and resort "centers" area to make the place a community, not just a massive collection of timeshare units in big buildings near the most un-Disney like place at WDW (i.e., DTD).

A previous poster hit the nail on the head stating that SSR will never be the preferred resort of those owning at BWV, BCV, VWL, or even OKW (at least I have NEVER seen anyone post to that effect). However, there are many SSR owners who say bought to access the other DVC resorts, staying at their home as a last resort (forgive the pun). Many of them buying sight unseen (did many do this with other DVC resorts). This is very concerning for the future of SSR.

 

[BroganMc]

Owners of the "little 3" are po'd because ALL the SSR owners are creeping into there space.

I have seen posts that I strongly suspect are motivated by this feeling. We've all heard the whine about SSR owners "taxing the system" and moans that people used to be able to book a little 3 room at 3-4 months out with no problem. Availability is limited at these resorts and that's why I've heard a guide or two refer to them as "mistakes". It just doesn't jive with a timeshare system where you start with the likes of OKW and encourage open trading.

Now AKV is coming to us, a resort attached to an existing hotel, but it is 3x the size of those "mistakes". This shows a change in philosophy and wisdom. DVC finally understands how their system is utilized by members. Not for the hotel stays but for resort hopping depending on the mood of the trip.

As for the buzz for AKV, I think this is directly tied to the established existence and uniqueness of the Lodge. People, especially DISers, have been drawn to Boma's and every travel news outlet loves talking about seeing those giraffes from your window. It is also the newest of the deluxe hotels at Disney, nearest the newest park. That makes it a current hot topic location.

Where this thread goes awry is in taking that "buzz" to mean one resort is a success or failure over another. That's a product of time and location. For me, the "buzz" is in being a frequent Boma visitor who would never pay cash to stay at AKL. So DVC gives me a window into the place at a more affordable price.

AKV is further out than the other DVCs. We're talking value resort territory. And there is nothing within walking distance, not even AK. So unless you bring a car, love the bus or just really enjoy pool dipping or animal gazing, I can imagine that remoteness becomes even more a factor than the other resorts. (I gather that's a reason Disney opted to go with SSR instead of Eagle Pines. Except for golfers, who would EP appeal to?)

I think AKV is attempting to make up for that deficit by offering larger room sizes and a variety of point levels. It'll become a place families of 5 will chose to go to.

As an owner, I'm thrilled at the excitement and growth of DVC. It makes my investment even more valuable on a personal level. But at the same time, I purchased SSR because I like the system and the resort itself. Remember, I am a Marriott owner as well. That's a cheaper timeshare with far more places around the world. But their resorts are also billed as being "10 minutes away from DisneyWorld". Yes, to DW property, i.e. DTD. But they also don't provide free shuttle service to parks, nightly stays or walking distance to anything.

 

[mamaprincess]

Yawn

 

[jimmytammy]

[QUOTE=DVCJones;16812688
Owners of the "little 3" are po'd because ALL the SSR owners are creeping into there space.


I am an owner of VWL, one of the "little 3" as you refer to it, though this is the first time I have heard it called this. Not all of us are PO'd as you assume we are. I for one am glad that OKW and SSR are a part of DVC as much as VWL, BCV and BWV are. Why? It gives my family more choices of accomodations than ever before and with VAKL on the way, ahh, just one more place to try. And lets not forget HH and VB. Yes , we LOVE VWL. But having options is nice too.

I welcome the SSR and all other owners of the various resorts on over to VWL. Just remember, us "little 3" owners might want to get in on a piece of the action at your place so dont be PO'ed at us All's fair in love and war and how we use our DVC pts.

 

[BroganMc]

I welcome the SSR and all other owners of the various resorts on over to VWL. Just remember, us "little 3" owners might want to get in on a piece of the action at your place so dont be PO'ed at us All's fair in love and war and how we use our DVC pts.

Absolutely not, after all that's what the DVC system is for. Just as we realize there will always be better availability at the bigger resorts than those "little 3" just by virtue of raw size. Doesn't bother me, once I realized the disparity in sizes.

I think one fault of the SSR sales and (possibly the AKV sales) is that owners will be expecting the same type of availability as they get at their home resort. OKW owners had several years to grow attached to their home before the little guys came on board. Then it was the reign of the little guys with equal sizes and thus availability, at a significant point increase. But now we're back to the reign of the bigger resorts. Since you can openly trade in the system without increased cost (i.e. no extra reservation fee), and for AKV perhaps a point savings, that limited availability at the smaller resorts is going to hurt and disappoint.

Can you imagine the sort of trades that bring new AKV owners wanting to stay at SSR or OKW for a different feel? Animals are cute, but I think the same resort stay would get tiresome. And AKV owners can save points by staying elsewhere.

 

[UConnJack]

This is why it's best to own at the "Little 3 mistakes". You have the 11-month window when you need it, but can get into the larger resorts (OKW, SSR, and assuming AKV when it's done) fairly easily at the 7-month window when you want a change or a point savings.

 

[tjkraz]

It never ceases to amaze me how a system that is truly equitable to all (four months exclusivity at Home, seven months to book anywhere) can be characterized as being patently unfair. "I don't like YOUR resort as much as MINE, therefore the system is flawed (or DVC lied to me, or whatever.)"

Put as much energy into planning your trips 8+ months out and you'll never have a problem.

Move on, already.

"SSR = DVC cash cow". Uh, yeah, unlike all of the other resorts where they lost their shirts, huh? I'm thinking they did pretty well selling 40 year contracts at BCV for $84 each.

 

[UConnJack]

"SSR = DVC cash cow". Uh, yeah, unlike all of the other resorts where they lost their shirts, huh? I'm thinking they did pretty well selling 40 year contracts at BCV for $84 each.

I'm sure they did, but multiply BCV by 4, now you have what they made on SSR.

 

[tjkraz]

I'm sure they did, but multiply BCV by 4, now you have what they made on SSR.

Soooo, if BCV were 4x larger it would be the "cash cow"?

We're just using the term "cash cow" because it's larger than others? IMO, given the current demand for DVC, it's pretty naive to think that they were going to continue building 150-200 room add-ons to existing resorts.

 

[Starr W.]

It never ceases to amaze me how a system that is truly equitable to all (four months exclusivity at Home, seven months to book anywhere) can be characterized as being patently unfair. "I don't like YOUR resort as much as MINE, therefore the system is flawed (or DVC lied to me, or whatever.)"

Put as much energy into planning your trips 8+ months out and you'll never have a problem

Very well put! Thank you tjkraz

 

[UConnJack]

Soooo, if BCV were 4x larger it would be the "cash cow"?

We're just using the term "cash cow" because it's larger than others? IMO, given the current demand for DVC, it's pretty naive to think that they were going to continue building 150-200 room add-ons to existing resorts.

Um, yes, and you are making my point to a large degree. Yes, DVC demand was (is) high and they knew they could make more money by building them larger. Not just more to sell, but you save significantly on construction costs building one resort with 800 rooms vs. 4 resorts with 200 rooms. Plus, they maximized profit by keeping the rooms small like the "little 3", while still keeping the points higher than OKW. Couple with the fact they built SSR on a site with existing infrastructure as opposed to a virgin site at EP, more money saved.

So yes, cash cow. Never said I expected them to keep building little resorts. I'm just saying they are following the money (and I can't say I blame them). I'm just glad I own at one of the "little 3 mistakes" and that there are still resales available at them when I decide to add on.

 

[Dean]

It never ceases to amaze me how a system that is truly equitable to all (four months exclusivity at Home, seven months to book anywhere) can be characterized as being patently unfair. "I don't like YOUR resort as much as MINE, therefore the system is flawed (or DVC lied to me, or whatever.)"

I don't disagree with you that if you want X resort you should own there and reserve during your home resort priority. I've never said this is a problem per se, simply it's the way the system works. However, SSR certainly has skewed the system significantly at or after the 7 month window. Whether it's good or bad depends on what you want. If you want BCV, BWV, BCV at or after the 7 month window the changes are very bad for you. If you want a chance to call up 2 months out and get somewhere to stay on property with points, the change it good and if you prefer SSR to anything else, the change is also good. However if anyone suggests that SSR hasn't changed the landscape of DVC forever, they are not being intellectually honest, the only question is how and how much has it changed things and is it really good or bad.

For me it will be great in that most of my future stays will likely be II exchanges in to DVC so the more units there are and the more members, the better.

 

[UConnJack]

Let's make SSR the dedicated II trade out resort!