Help me get excited about SSR, please!

[j&j620]

DH and I got a call from his mom earlier this week. She and FIL want to take us (plus SIL) to WDW this summer!

MIL wanted to know how we felt about the 5 of us being in the same room. She was thinking GF or Poly. I asked her if she had looked into any of the different villas and she got really excited because she didn't realize they existed. She said she would check it out and call us back.

Well, MIL and I are both teachers and with the extended summer discounts, there isn't much available for the time we can go. In fact, only AKV, OKW, and SSR have anything left. She decided that she would prefer a 2 bedroom villa, so that took AKV out of the equation because they only have 1 bedroom villas available. Last night, MIL told us she wants to book SSR.

Obviously I am very appreciative that DH's parents want to take us on (and pay for ) this trip and I'm super excited to go back to WDW (especially since we didn't think we make it back until 2011), but I know absolutely nothing about SSR. Last summer, when DH and I were on our honeymoon, I saw a SSR bus and though, "What's that?!?" Of course, I've been checking it out online, but I haven't really read or seen anything that has gotten me excited about the resort. I'm hoping the DIS experts, with their personal experiences, can help me!

Thanks!

 

[rtravels]

You are an adult with a job and someone is paying for you to stay on property. I'm confused. You need someone else to get you excited?

 

[j&j620]

Which is why I said I was appreciative. I just don't know anything about the resort.

Thanks so much, though, for your helpful post!

 

[Missytara]

Which is why I said I was appreciative. I just don't know anything about the resort.

Thanks so much, though, for your helpful post!

Cons -

Resort is very large
Buses share with THV
Food Court has few choices

Pros -

Beautiful views of the water in most rooms
Restaurant is one of the best kept secrets on property, next to Olivia's at OKW
Easy access for walking or water taxi to DTD for counter service meals at EOS and WPE
Easy access for night time shopping, dining, etc. at DTD
Access to food to make breakfast in kitchen, thus saving meals for out in the parks (we made bagels, instant oatmeal, etc for breakfast and saved all our meals for dining out)
Very nice staff, including concierge desk, manager, mousekeeping - when I got sick during my vacation and had to go to medical care - could not have done enough for me......

 

[MEK]

SSR is my home DVC resort and it is very pretty. The 2BR villas are large, spacious, and nicely decorated. I was so impressed when I stayed there the first time in a 2BR. I thought - "now I understand why once you go DVC you can't go back". For 5 of you, you will feel like you are in a palace because it is so much larger than a regular room.

I know that everyone says SSR is big and spread out, but the walking paths that connect all the portions of the resort are very scenic. I enjoy walking outside at SSR because it is so pretty.

Unless you are the type of person who absolutely has to be in a hotel with inside corridors and entrances, I think you will enjoy SSR. Two of my old TRs have pictures (most picture in the Dec 08 TR).

The proximity to DTD is also a plus.

Enjoy your stay!!!!!

 

[msp2mco]

I've stayed at SSR a few times and think it is beautiful. I especially like being able to park near our villa door. The pools are nice; the walk to DTD is pleasant. I also love the views of DTD from some of the rooms.

Have a wonderful time!

 

[msminnieears]

We have stayed in the 2BR villas and they are amazing. Big, spacious, and a fabulous jacuzze tub. Huge master bathroom and closet. The grounds at the time of our stay were being worked on but what was finished was very nice. We stayed in the senator building (I think that was the name) and could see the fireworks at Pleasure Island. (which they don't have anymore) The second pool had a very relaxing atmosphere. Didn't go to the food court or the rest. The buses where great. We didn't have to share with anyone. Not crowded (unless at closing) about 20mins ride to the parks. We loved.

 

[honeydiane1953]

We have stayed in the 2BR villas and they are amazing. Big, spacious, and a fabulous jacuzze tub. Huge master bathroom and closet. The grounds at the time of our stay were being worked on but what was finished was very nice. We stayed in the senator building (I think that was the name) and could see the fireworks at Pleasure Island. (which they don't have anymore) The second pool had a very relaxing atmosphere. Didn't go to the food court or the rest. The buses where great. We didn't have to share with anyone. Not crowded (unless at closing) about 20mins ride to the parks. We loved.

It is very nice and you will love it. Go to WDW.com and look at pix. Get an UNOFFICIAL guide to Disney and enjoy so much info on everything down there.

 

[myjourney]

We love SSR. We always request Congress Park so we can walk over to DTD. We were even lucky enough one year to have a view from our room of DTD accross the lake (very pretty at night) We will be there again the last week of May and I can't wait. You will love it.

 

[goofyforlife]

SSR is my home resort too....

I didn't like it when it first opened...

But stayed there for 2 nights this past summer before transferring over to Beach club...

We stayed in Grandstand section.... everything very new....(even ihomes in rooms; other resorts didn't have em') there is a seperate feature pool and hot tub there....

Short walk to the other main pool/main buidlings/ and boat dock.

 

[PrincessDana]

We got an upgrade last year during free dining.

It was just the two of us in a 1-bedroom.

The room was great and so was that jacuzzi tub!!! Loved having the washer/dryer---made for minimal packing.

I found the bus service to be great. I think we only stood once during our entire 5-night stay. We didn't have a car and were just fine.

We also stayed in the Grandstand area. We really liked that area because we were the first ON the buses and first OFF the buses.

The grandstand pool and the main pool were great...never seemed crowded.

We could see the hot air balloon at Downtown Disney all the time from the exterior corridor to our room. Plus the boats to Downtown were great.

To say the resort was lovely and peaceful is not an understatement. We had a great time!!!

 

[tink_n_pooh]

We are at SSR right now

You will love the 2 bedrooms, they are super spacious

Just as a note to one of the above posts, SSR does share busses with treehouse villas but there is no seperate stop for the treehouses. Anyone staying in the treehouses has to get off at a SSR bus stop (grandstand or the springs) and transfer to a treehouse bus. The treehouses are part of SSR but they are pretty far away, you need to know where they are to even notice them.

SSR is a short bus ride from all of the parks (well except AK but not much is close to AK) and you can walk, take a boat or bus to DTD

Enjoy

 

[msminnieears]

There is a current thread going on now at Resort Photos of SSR. It's great. You should take a look.

 

[MEK]

I thought you might enjoy some pics to get you excited.......

 

[Joy]

I wasn't excited about staying there either, but I loved it. My whole family loved it. The pool is really nice (so is the pool bar). The food court had nice things to eat even if the choices were limited. I didn't even get to check out the spa. My DH used the gym and he said it was really nice.

Go with an open mind and you will have a great time. I would request the Springs or Grand Stand section.

 

[66Tink]

We stayed there for the first time last year in a one bedroom and really loved it . The size did not bother us one bit, we stayed in the Grandstand (which is what we requested because DD wanted to be near that pool) and we walked to DTD nearly every night...the walk really is not bad and the scenery is beautiful. The rooms were bright and cheery and mousekeeping and the entire staff was great. I don't think you will be disappointed at all. Oh and the slide at High Rock Springs Pool (the feature pool) was a lot of fun for all of us

 

[LeahA]

SSR is a very nice resort. We have stayed there two times. The first time we were in the Congress Park section, the second time in the Grandstand section. Congress Park was the last bus stop, it seemed like we waited for the busses a little longer in this section than in Grandstand. Congress Park we had a nice view of DD-West side accross the lake. At Grandstand we had a view of the golf course. The pool area is nice, the grounds are lovely. You won't be disappointed!

 

[j&j620]

Thanks, everyone! This is exactly what I needed!