Just back from our first magical DVC stay...we are SSR lovers!

[meriface11]

DH and I just came back from a 5 night stay in a 2 bedroom at SSR using our developer's points. We considered ourselves lucky to get room 3210 in the Springs--just a short walk over to the bus stop, the main pool, and Artist's Palette. We debated whether we wanted the Springs to be the last on the bus stop, or The Grandstand to be the first, and I was concerned about the bus service after reading several postings, but we never had a problem. We liked being the last stop on the bus route on the way out to the parks, and in most cases always got a seat. Being the last stop home was a little annoying, but after a few trips we decided to get off at Congress Park and just walk home. It probably took just as long as sitting on the bus, but we enjoyed the short walk. And while SSR is a bit far from most of the parks, being walking distance to DTD gave us the freedom of "resort to resort" bus transportation. We enjoyed several late night resort dinners, and then just hopped the resort bus to DTD and walked home--something we would not have been able to do while staying at other resorts. We are staying at the Beach Club for our next stay in Jan, and I am very much looking forward to being walking distance to both Epcot and DHS, but I definitely think we will be doing another SSR stay in the near future (we are actually AKV owners).

 

[disneynutz]

Great information and well written. Thanks for sharing.

 

[vandy]

Glad to hear you enjoyed your stay. SSR may not be for everyone, but it does have its strong points and we always enjoy it when we cannot book another resort and have to stay 'home'!

 

[MEK]

SSR is my home resort and I enjoy it for the reasons you posted. I love the walking paths and the freedom out of doors. I just stayed at AKL Kidani and loved the inside of that resort, the room, the activities, and the animals, but I really missed the "wide open spaces" of SSR.

 

[ctrabada]

We own at SSR and love it and have found each area charming in its own way. We're excited we'll be staying at THV next week after a 4-night stay at HHR. We've stayed at all the DVC resorts (except Kidani & BLT) and I'm always comparing them to SSR. We love them all, but I feel like SSR has all the things I like and want in a DVC resort (crazy, huh?).

 

[littlestar]

Glad you enjoyed SSR.

 

[rentayenta]

I cannot wait to go home next year!

 

[wildernessDad]

The mega bus service nearby at DTD is a big advantage to SSR owners, I think. I think that BLT owners have the same benefit, as the MK bus area is just a short walk away.

 

[tallgalaz1]

Thanks for sharing your stay at the SSR.

 

[Greysword]

One thing that never gets old for me is the spaciousness of a 1 or 2BR apartment at Disney! That is living in style, which you just can't get in a hotel room (regardless of how cool the theming is). The full kitchen, seperation of living and berthing areas, the HUGE bathrooms and tub, and the laundry facilities are priceless!!! Glad you had a great time!

- Chris

 

[dizney4us]

Glad you enjoyed SSR. We love it too!

 

[GreenMonster12]

I just came back from a 7 day stay at SSR. We loved the resort. There were 6 of us in a 2 bedroom villa and it was wonderful. We were in the Grandstand which was fantastic. We loved the pool there and the Backstretch Bar and first stop on the busses on the way back to the parks. The resort is large so we were very happy with our central location!

Anyways, I am in my late 20's and wondering if down the road, would it be worth purchasing a DVC? Any gray areas and hidden fees that would sneak up on members? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!!!

 

[disfanRN]

We have stayed at SSR a couple of times, Both in Congress Park, and I have enjoyed both stays there. I usually have a car but have used the bus service to MK several times and found it to be as good as other resorts.

 

[Hunclemarco]

We like SSR also. We stayed at the Grandstand section, so we got a little spoiled being near their pool and minutes to the "hospitality" area. We also like BCV....and during our last stay, we were at BCV. Noticed that we didn't go to DTD as much since it was a little more hassle/time to get there. We liked being within walking/boat distance when staying at SSR. I know that some don't like SSR due to location, but we like both resorts for their respective locations. In our opinion, if we were to choose which place was "out of the way" the most, i'd say AKV, but they have their advantages too.

 

[DiznyDi]

SSR ! Glad you enjoyed it, too!

 

[Anal Annie]

I just came back from a 7 day stay at SSR. We loved the resort. There were 6 of us in a 2 bedroom villa and it was wonderful. We were in the Grandstand which was fantastic. We loved the pool there and the Backstretch Bar and first stop on the busses on the way back to the parks. The resort is large so we were very happy with our central location!

Anyways, I am in my late 20's and wondering if down the road, would it be worth purchasing a DVC? Any gray areas and hidden fees that would sneak up on members? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!!!

DVC is a wonderful purchase if you go every year or multiple times per year. You are basically pre-paying for your accomodations and if you compare what you pay for your overall contract to paying rack rate for the SAME villa it's a big savings over time. You also get a good discount ($100) off annual passes (but that's a perk subject to change). There are annual maintenance dues for each resort. You pay a few dollars per point and each resort has a different amount. (That's not a hidden fee but it might be something you were unaware of.)

Here's a link to the Timeshare Store from above - they are a reputable DVC resale company and this page shows the maintenance dues per resort: http://www.dvc-resales.com/dvclisting.cfm

It is a timeshare though so it's a luxury purchase that should be made carefully. It is a flexible point system so you can basically go anytime you want if there's availability and you have enough points. You CAN "trade out" to other destinations but your points are usually best used AT Disney and trading out can take a long time to find a match. It's not like you can just call up and say you want X resort for X date and boom you've got the ressie. Using DVC takes planning. It's not as good for people who like to travel last minute. But if you're a Disney regular and you can afford it, it's a great deal.

 

[toniosmom]

We stayed in a 1BR at SSR this past March. Unfortunately, the main pool was closed while we were there, which was disappointing, but we still had a great time. Since we were cooking in the room, we didn't need to be near the eating facilities and chose to stay in the Paddock section. One of the "quiet" pools was right outside our building and so was the bus stop. We never waited more than 15 minutes for a bus. Our balcony had a great view of the water and it was so peaceful. A great respite after the parks. I'm not crazy about the theme in SSR, and since I had such a great time there, I am REALLY looking forward to my upcoming trip to AKV.

 

[GreenMonster12]

Thank you so much for the great info! Your insight was definately what I was looking for. Down the road, it might be something to think about! Thanks!

 

[smep013]

We love SSR! It is so relaxing and the grounds are beautiful. We like being across the DTD and enjoy the pool at Congress Park!

 

[Coach81]

Glad you like my home!!!! Glad you had such a good time!!!!