Just back From 2 weeks at SSR

[welove Mickey/Minney]

I miss SSR already. We have just returned from 2 weeks running the gammet of a 2 bedroom to a studio. All of our rooms were in the Springs. Yes all 3 buildings are open and 1 of the paddock opened on Tues. All the rooms were in great shape and if you want to be near the pool, food area then the Springs is the place to be. If you like a quiter area then Congress park is for you.

We actually added on while we were there. We purchased March of 2004 and we added on this year. It was under the old incentive before the 19th.(or so they say the old is expiring?????)

You will be glad to here they have broken ground on the buildings near the gaurd shack and the area of the fairway Villas. All of the trees are gone and the excavators were diging fondations in both areas. The paddock has 1 building open as well as the quite pool and play ground, the bridge that goes from the springs to the paddock is also open. It looks like 2 more Paddock buildings will be ready soon. The others still have construction fence around them and are not nearly ready. The tree house villas area is untouched and very grown up with brush.

As for the trip the parks were crowded and it RAINED every day. It would rain every afternoon, lucky we went to the parks 1st thing and were on our way back to SSR when it rained. It did clear up so we could catch the fireworks shows at the MK, MGM and Epcot in the evening.

My kids enjoyed the main pool with the zero entry and of course the waterslide. We did spend some time in the Community Hall when it rained, where my 6 year old colored and did arts and crafts. The also have PS 2 game consols and you can get games(with your hotel card) for free to use in the hall. The titles are limited, so bring you own games for more choices. The arcade was also a hot place to be in the rain. Of course you can just get a movie and wait out the rain in your room. Honestly the Rain did not really hamper us from having a good time.

The only draw back to SSR is the food area. It is very limited. We did go to GOODINGS and had supplies in our room for cooking, it is a good thing with only a few choices it would get old eating the same thing every meal.

That is enough typing for me, if I can be of any help with any question you may have, I will try to help.

 

[lulu71]

It sounds like you had a great trip! I'm jealous...two weeks at WDW...Wow!!!!

 

[MJTinNH]

Great report! Two weeks is a nice break, thank you for posting!

 

[athenna]

Thanks for posting! Glad you had a good time! Wow, 2 weeks at WDW/ SSR sounds heavenly

 

[DIS-NH]

Just recently back from SSR. I share your thoughts..

We stayed in the CP area, and it is very quiet. It was only an 8 minute
walk from our room, to DTD Marketplace. The quiet pool at CP was nearly deserted. We like to start our day off with a swim, and we were the only people there each day.

We have OKW booked for November, but I would definately go back to SSR.

 

[Pinnie]

Thank you for your report!

We stayed at SSR last July and found the food choices limited back then, too. Thankfully we were in a two bedroom and had a car and made a few runs to Publix! We ended up doing an add on at SSR in April, so we will be back there August 17 - 21.

pinnie

 

[Pooh's Pixie]

I am trying to decide where we should book our stay at SSR...Springs or Congress Park...We have small kids (7, 5, 3) so being near the pool/food/action would be great but I envision us eating at DTD pretty often and going there for the evening. Also, how far is the bus to get to the resorts? Any recommendations from those that have been there? Thanks!

 

[welove Mickey/Minney]

It is really what is your first priority, being near DTD or being where the action is. There is a bus stop near the Springs middle building and the ferry boat leaves from behind the the food building(need to go thru the gift shop, out the back doors and down a ramp to the boat launch).

The buses are every 20 min. approx(buses are DTD and typhoon lagoon during the day, 1st stop east side, then PI/WEST side then Typhoon lagoon) and the ferry is every 1/2 hour after 1100 am(it goes from DTD to SSR to OKW back to DTD, so if you are in a hurry to get to DTD a bus may be better). We did eat at the Earl of Sandwich (in DTD) 3 times during our stay and it was great. There is also a Mc Donalds in DTD, happy meal discount with DVC Member card.

We did not try to walk over to DTD, we used the ferry twice, the bus 4 times and drove our car over 1 (the day we checked in while we were waiting for our room).

As I said in my first post near the springs area there is the main pool, food court, gift shop, bike rentals, comminity hall, arcade, work out area and SPA.
In congress park you are closer to DTD, walking path to the east side. There is a quite pool and a small play ground. Ther is less traffic and noise in Cp also.

So it is really what you want to be closer to. If you have a car you can drive from CP to the parking lot for the Springs if it is to far for you to walk.(there were quite a few people who did this during the day). Right now you could also jump on any bus and get off at the springs (the buses run when we were there, the paddock had just opened so it my change, first stop broadway near pool area(temp stop), then to the Cp, then back to the Springs, then to the Paddock, then to parks or DTD.

 

[Disney Doll]

Sounds like an overall good trip!!!!

Just an FYI-if oyu used a car to go to Goodings, if you went out that gate right there and took a right(instead of going straight across for Goodings)in about 5minutes you'd come to a Winn-Dixie which has basically the same stuff for cheaper rprices.

If you can find SR192 there's a Publix there as well. I say "if you can find" because I can't tell you how to get there, but DH gets us there every time!!!

I just find Goodings to be extraordinarily expensive. They definitely take advantage of their location.

 

[welove Mickey/Minney]

Thanks for the info. We take 192 into Disney World, so we are aware of the stores there. We bring a supply's with us and usually only get the cold or frozen items at Goodings. I did not know about the store 5 min from Goodings, but we will check it out. Tahnks again. We have already booked for next Feb and are waiting for the 11 month window for June.

 

[Sammie]

Glad you had a good trip and thanks for sharing the info on the new openings.

We have a trip planned for later this month and could not decide on Congress Park again or try for something new in the Springs. Still undecided, so I will just let Disney decide.

I am curious about your comment about Artist's Pallette having a limited menu. What do you compare that to?

I checked the online menus for the snack area at OKW and they offer 6 entrees, BCV offers 7 at the new Marketplace, VWL offers 12 items and Artist's Pointe offers 17 items. We ate there daily and never got tired of it, in fact found it a very welcome change for the usual burgers, and chicken tenders offered elsewhere.

 

[disneyholic family]

i didn't know that the paddock area was open.
I hope we get the congress park area, but i don't know if i should put a request in or not. hmmm..

 

[paulh]

If you can find SR192 there's a Publix there as well. I say "if you can find" because I can't tell you how to get there, but DH gets us there every time!!!

.

Publix turn right at the crossroads exit get into the left lane and at lights after going under I4 turn left onto vineland then follow road round and it comes to publix
Paulh

 

[jbwolffiv]

Thanks for the great report. It is good to hear what is open and I am glad the bridge is open if we end up in the Paddock next month.

 

[MJS1902]

Just returned in mid-june from 4 nights at SSRS and 3 nights at Vero Beach. We love SSRS and have stayed in Congress Park and The Springs. The Paddock looks as though it will be complete sometime early in 2006. If you have kids you may want to stay in The Springs as you are closer to hub of SSRS. Congress Park and The Paddock each have their own quiet pool, but I think that more kids would enjoy the big pool which is a two minute walk from The Springs. We had a two bedroom at SSRS and we love the size and the way you can spread out. We had found the Publix over near the outlets off of 535 and Vineland last year when we stayed in SSRS and we made a run to pick up grocercies before arriving this time. Publix has some great deals and you can find everything there. We drive from Baltimore so driving in WDW seems like a cake walk to us. Will be returning in December to stay in a studio at SSRS with family (we have allocated points to get a second studio and bring them along). Looking forward to SSRS at the Holidays.