Any regrets with SSR? First time buyer

[bwvBound]

I keep seeing the phrase "stuck at SSR" . It sounds so negative. Time at any resort has to be better than work

LOL. To the item in bold, I'd have to say, "No, not always ..." as I recall a time, several years ago where I was 'stuck' at BWV (having booked too long a stay) and chose to ditch the remaining stay, took the hit on losing my points, paid the airline change fee and caught the next available flight home. My booking a 'vaca' at the end of the work conference was simply a bad idea and I had better things I could have been doing elsewhere.

To the OPs question: We first purchased SSR in 2004 over the phone, pre-opening. (So, sight unseen.) We've had no particular regrets over SSR. Sorta wished we'd waited 5 more years to purchase at the Grand Cal, but "oh, well." Looking back, we'd probably have had a harder time (emotionally) using the CA points for WDW reservations. In my mind, any WDW location would have been a down trade. As it is, I never have that worry. My SSR points have worked quite well across the network for our purposes.

 

[stuartsong]

I think SSR get a bad reputation because it's the largest DVC Resort and always the last resort to get booked up. This is one resort I do not own or have any desire to own. I do own at all of the resorts except for CCV and SSR. I have never had the need to own at SSR since I can always book with my other points if I need to stay there. CCV is different because I already own at BRV and no need to pay a high price to own those points.

 

[zavandor]

Does this change anything? Are any of the SSR rooms now going to be able to sleep 5 post-refurbishment?

No. The murphy bed they're adding is a queen bed and it will replace the sleeper sofa bed. SSR will still sleep 4.

 

[AnnaS]

We do not own at SSR but have stayed here at least 4/5 times for various reasons. I am sure we will have some future stays here again.

It is a lovely resort. Yes, it is huge but once you get to walking around, it is not as big as I "read/thought" it might be. We also loved the convenience of walking to DS, having our car outside of our unit. Great QS, TS restaurant, choice of pools (we spent a few hours at each pool each day), great community room, spa and golf.

My two sons own some points here. One is a fairly new owner. One son has been lucky to switch a few times. He is a happy camper either way (BCV & BWV always their first choice - but both sons are young and purchasing there did not make much sense for them/their choice).

Good luck deciding. Let us know how you make out.

 

[skippytx]

I just got back from a stay at SSR. It was a trip we decided to take about 4 months ago, so SSR was our only option in that time frame and we wanted to try it anyway. Spent 6 nights in a studio in the Congress Park section closest to the DS walkway.

It wasn't a bad trip, but we're used to staying at Bay Lake so it was different. All of the different DVC resorts have positives and negatives for different people. Everyone is different though, and that's what is great about DVC. There's different options for different folks.

I will say when I originally bought into DVC in Summer of 2017, I took the buy where you want to stay advice and I'm 1000% happy I did. We originally thought about buying into SSR at a lower cost and hoping for a 7 month opening at BLT or a monorail resort. After a lot of reading and research we decided to buy where we wanted to stay the most (BLT) and it was the right call. Zero regrets.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I think the counter service, The Artist’s Palette has a decent variety of food that is quite good, and we do enjoy Turf Club.

One December I hosted an aunt and cousins, and my aunt needed HA roll in shower, and at 7 months, only SSR had that in the two bedroom we needed. Our trip was wonderful, and as I saw the accommodations and the resort through my guests’ eyes, I realized just what a gem SSR is.

We were in Springs, and only once did the bus fail to accommodate my aunts ECV, and one came very soon after.
I would not choose SSR every time. I prefer it to OKW largely because it has elevators in every building and OKW does not.

Best wishes as you decide. Especially because you are choosing largely one bedrooms, I think more points trumps getting a particular resort, since you do like SSR.

 

[Lyusuf27]

We had this same quandary a couple of months back (also from the UK also )We were planning to buy riviera planning to stay in studios but reassessed when the new restrictions became obvious.
We decided for the same money we could buy more points resale at SSR and give us more options having enough for a one bed.
We do plan to try out different resorts and particularly love the boardwalk area, but if we ‘have’ to stay at SSR it’s certainly no hardship being walking distance to Disney springs. Haven’t stayed there yet only walked around but have stayed at OKW and loved the boat ride from there.
Just had ROFR waived and feeling excited with the decision.

 

[AnnaS]

We had this same quandary a couple of months back (also from the UK also )We were planning to buy riviera planning to stay in studios but reassessed when the new restrictions became obvious.
We decided for the same money we could buy more points resale at SSR and give us more options having enough for a one bed.
We do plan to try out different resorts and particularly love the boardwalk area, but if we ‘have’ to stay at SSR it’s certainly no hardship being walking distance to Disney springs. Haven’t stayed there yet only walked around but have stayed at OKW and loved the boat ride from there.
Just had ROFR waived and feeling excited with the decision.

Congrats!!!

 

[D-Trick]

Loving SSR or not all depends on your travel style.

My wife and I love SSR and own only there. We love it because we're the types who like to be able to drive up and park right by our villa instead of in a central parking lot. Also, we like having the openness of the buildings, as opposed to a central hotel like corridor. It's far enough from the parks that you don't feel like you're missing out if it's a no-parks trip.

We're still fairly young, so walking is of no issue to us and don't mind where we are on property (as long as it's not Carousel!). Proximity to DS is of course great with 3 options to get there (walk west, boat, walk east).

To each their own though, and only you can make the decision of what's best for your family.

 

[kittykorat]

We bought 130pts resale at SSR in November 2018. We plan to add 75 pts for the direct benefits. We have stayed at SSR and OKW before we bought our own points. We have 3 nights at BCV in a 2 bedroom booked in August. We want to try all the resorts, so buying at a cheaper price point worked for us.

 

[Wakey]

We pending DVC members who are in the process of purchasing resale at PVB. But I too was thinking that perhaps long-term, a 1-bedroom situation might be more preferable, so I was thinking in the back of my mind maybe adding on at some point with SSR just for the reason described by the OP. What concerns me is that if we did so and were unable to obtain Animal Kingdom or Bay Lake (only 1-bedrooms that sleep 5, I believe), then we would be "stuck" (no offense) with SSR. But SSR is listed as sleeping only 4 in both studios and 1-bedrooms. But then I saw this quote:



Does this change anything? Are any of the SSR rooms now going to be able to sleep 5 post-refurbishment?

Doubtful the 1 bed will have the small Murphy bed, it is getting a new sofa bed where a proper bed collapses the sofa.
You can get 5 in, with one on an airbed. We use a 'readybed' (not sure if in US but suspect you can get there) at SSR, BCV, BWV etc as outlet teenage kids are a boy and girl and don't want to sleep in same bed.