OKW or SSR for next year

[Jon G]

Dear all

we have stayed at SSR this August in a 1 bed villa and are now looking at next year with the new deal.

There are 4 of us in our party with the kids being 14 and 10. We dont tend to hire a car as we use Disney transport.

We are now trying to decide on whether to stay at OKW or SSR and if we should pay for a 1 bed villa again or save the money and stay in a studio.

Any views on OKW v SSR would be appreciated.

 

[Clare D]

Hi Jon,
Can't advise from personal experience but we are going to be faced with a similar dilemma. I think I am going to go with the 1 bed villa as our kids will be 7 and 2 and we found that on the Aug trip this year we had to be really quiet when the little one went to bed. Also I like the idea of having a washing machine as there is no way I am planning on taking as may clothes as we did this time nor is it much fun waiting in a laundry room.
The main plus for me with SSR is how close it is to DTD, other than that I don't have a clue.
I will keep my eye out on the responses though - just keeping my fingers crossed that Oct dates come on the deal soon.

 

[jen_uk]

I really didn't like OKW when we stayed there this year, it is soooo spread out it feels more like an estate with houses rather than a hotel. They are also refurbing it and during the day there was a lot of noise from the builders which meade it hard to have a relxing day!

 

[cantwait!!!!!!!!!!!!]

I was booked in for POR but with the offer coming back today have switched to SSR 1 bed

I chose this over OKW because of the dining options, seemed a better choice. Ive compromised on having a sofa bed for the children but felt it was worth it for the extra space we will get.

I have read lots of threads about OKW v SSR and it seems pretty split really, some like 1 some like the other !

 

[Jon G]

thanks for the responses. We did love the extra space and the children were fine on the sofa bed.

Due to the heat and taking midday breaks we seemed to spend more time in the room than previous trips.

Also when you are getting ready to go out for dinner the huge bathroom is great and you dont feel that you are on top of one another.

I think I am talking myself into booking the 1 bed at SSR instead of the studio.

My wife will just have to cut back on buying shoes at the Premium Outlets.

 

[mikki.young]

If you really like the space then the 1 bed at OKW is massive, much bigger than SSR. It is a relaxed resort and I like it a lot.

 

[disney_princess_85]

I have the same dilemma. Initially I was going to go for SSR, as I don't know much about OKW. However, I'm now torn between the two! Also, as it's only DBF and I going, is it worth getting the 1-bedroom villa over a studio room? We will be on the DDP so the kitchen is pretty pointless but we like the idea of the extra space. Choices, choices...

 

[orangetiggs]

we booked a 2 bed villa at ssr, I like the fact we can walk to dtd and again dont really know much about OKW even though pics do look nice

 

[wayneg]

We chose OKW this year, larger studio and 2 double beds. Really liked it. Next year we are considering studio at SSR just for the change but will we like it as much as OKW? might just stick to where we know we like. Why do Disney give me a choice? Just make SSR £1/night more then I don't have to decide, I always go for cheapest.

 

[mikki.young]

There are only 2 of us when we go and we always get the 1 bed at OKW. The living area is fantastic, jacuzzi big enough for 2 and a laundry room.

 

[disney_princess_85]

Why do Disney give me a choice?

That's what I was thinking! In a way, it'd be preferable if the prices were outrageous so the choice was more limited. Can't complain I suppose. We were considering staying at the GF next year (well, it was at the top of our shortlist last time we discussed it), but it would cost £400 less to stay in a villa at SSR/OKW, so it's a bit of a no-brainer. Deciding between SSR/OKW, however, is a bit of a thinker! I've heard great things about both resorts. Wayne, I may well have to revert back to your TR when you stayed at OKW for some guidance!!

 

[burt]

Can you get a boat to DTD from OKW and SSR ? We normally stay at POR but now they have stopped allowing 5 in a room we need to find somewhere else.

 

[Jon G]

Yes you can. SSR now has its own dedicated boat to DTD. I am not sure if you share with POR or not for OKW.

Depending on where you are staying at SSR it is an easy walk over to DTD.

 

[cantwait!!!!!!!!!!!!]

Can I ask a silly question ?

Can you leave the sofa bed made up as a bed all of the time so you dont have to keep putting it up and down ?

Also is there enough room in a 1 bed for a childrens ready bed type thing, my daughter is not thrilled at having to share with her little brother !!

 

[Jon G]

You can leave the sofa bed open, we did. There is probably enough room at SSR for a single inflatable mattress but it looks like there is much more room at OKW.

Luckily our kids (13, 9) slept together in the sofa bed at SSR without too much fighting.

Now just trying to decide 1 bed or studio, SSR or OKW, I wish I wasn't a Librian(I think thats how you spell it)

 

[cantwait!!!!!!!!!!!!]

Thanks

My 2 will be 11 and 7 so they should be ok, might take a little air bed will see nearer the time how much they are arguing !

Fingers crossed I should have a countdown now

 

[wayneg]

Yes you can. SSR now has its own dedicated boat to DTD. I am not sure if you share with POR or not for OKW.

Depending on where you are staying at SSR it is an easy walk over to DTD.

Both OKW & SSR now have their own boat service(or they did this August) We only used it once, just to try. Used car every other time, would be same if we stayed at SSR, prefer to use car.

 

[disney_princess_85]

Could someone please tell me if SSR has exterior access to the rooms? Also, are all the villas located in one area or are they scattered around the resort?

 

[Twilight Terror]

We've stayed in the 1BR at SSR, a studio at OKW, and been taken around a 1BR at OKW.

The 1BR at OKW wins hands down!!! The 1BR at SSR was very comfortable for us, but the OKW 1BR seemed like double the size! If you're trying to decide between the two in terms of 1BR, then go for OKW.

As for the studios, well I'm not so sure. The trouble with the OKW studios is that they are in the corners of the buildings, so rather than having a straight rectangular room, it's sort of triangular. But because of that, you do loose a bit of floor space. We never saw a studio at SSR, but have been in the AKV and BWV demos, and while they are technically smaller in size of floor space, they don't feel smaller, if that makes sense?

Our room was also very dark too. Awing out front, a patio that you could hardly open the door onto without hitting someone in the leg if already sat out there. Then there was just shrubbery as tall as the windows on either side which didn't help!

I know as a family, if we were debating between a studio at SSR and OKW, SSR would win out. But then everyone doesn't like the same thing. I know a lot of people who would prefer OKW over SSR; we are the over way around.

A few other things that bug me about OKW:

The place is huge, and if you have not got a car, then it will be the internal bus service for everything. We had a room in their 'hospitality' section, which is the closest set of buildings to reception/food/shops. It took me 10mins to walk from my room to the counter service/pool area.

While they have a TS restaurant on site, where you can sit and eat, the CS place is outside. The ordering desk is outside, and your food is served outside. The seating is just some benches with umbrellas - rubbish for sitting under in the summer heat or the pouring rain. There is no indoor area to sit and eat CSs.

The Concierge desk shuts at 10pm.

The Bell Service was great however. We switched hotels mid-stay and had things in our fridge and freezer from SSR. Bell Service at OKW was great at storing in the fridge/freezer and were speedy at delivering when we got to our room! OKW also have a better selection of DVDs for rent!

 

[stephensmum]

We chose OKW this year, larger studio and 2 double beds. Really liked it. Next year we are considering studio at SSR just for the change but will we like it as much as OKW? might just stick to where we know we like. Why do Disney give me a choice? Just make SSR £1/night more then I don't have to decide, I always go for cheapest.

We have the same dilema only the opposite way around. Stayed at SSR & visited OKW, £1 difference would swing it for us too. I think OKW seemed quite spread out & we would need a car here, whereas we could walk to DD from SSR. Only thing we did'nt enjoy at SSR was the Turf Club, although I know many of you do.