Man is SSR Ever Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuge

[polyhm83]

We had a great vacation at SSR but I will agree about the behaviour at the pools. There were a lot of college kids at the pool with their 12 packs of beer under there chairs. Most resorts I have been to would not allow this. Then at the CP quiet pool there were men playing football in the pool with beers in hand. They were very loud and abnoxious. Not saying this would not happen anywhere else, I was just surprised that this seemed to be acceptable behaviour. We did love SSR and I can't wait to go back, just thought I would point out this out.

 

[BroganMc]

We had a great vacation at SSR but I will agree about the behaviour at the pools. There were a lot of college kids at the pool with their 12 packs of beer under there chairs. Most resorts I have been to would not allow this. Then at the CP quiet pool there were men playing football in the pool with beers in hand. They were very loud and abnoxious. Not saying this would not happen anywhere else, I was just surprised that this seemed to be acceptable behaviour. We did love SSR and I can't wait to go back, just thought I would point out this out.

Is there no lifeguard on duty at the quiet pools? Makes sense if there wasn't. Unattended Spring Breakers are known to cause trouble. In the beach area near me, I've watched them cart around kegs of beer, stolen street signs and all other manner of paraphenalia. For a couple years the annoying toads would always pull the fire alarm in our 10 story condo building, usually at 2am. Once the building installed a system 3 times as loud, the owners all vowed to take violators and toss them off the roof as punishment.

I did have an incident at Marriott's Grand Vista last April. Laid to down to sleep around 1am and suddenly the fire alarm goes off. The entire building (bigger than an SSR building) emptied including families of very young, and very cranky/scared babies. The staff was not amused. Someone reported teen kids running away from the scene but no one could identify them. Fire trucks showed up, security was there, everyone pretty PO'd. The rest of the week the favorite question of a security guard was "Did you catch them yet?" And GV has only one entrance, with gatehouse.

Bottomline, I'm annoyed to hear such behavior went on at the resort. I hope anyone there at the time reported it to the Front Desk and security. No one should be rough housing in a pool while drinking alcohol. It's a violation of the rules and can lead to a pretty nasty and expensive accident.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

And I had nothing to do with moving your post. I simply commented that it seemed like a trip report and not an operations question.

Don't believe her. She has the moderators wrapped around her little finger.

I have to agree with edk35... I was okay with OP's posting and found parts amusing.

HOWEVER... I have learned to never discount a woman's intuition.

Vero Beach has everything within .25 mi. walking.

 

[TenThousandVolts]

If it really takes 40 minutes to run to guest services and back from any area of the resort- they should really open 1 or 2 satellite guest service kiosks or something. That is really ridiculous. Now- I take a medium paced 3 mile walk 3 or 4 times per week and that takes me about 45 minutes. If you really have to walk about 3 miles for an up and back visit to the lobby desk that is way too much.

After reading Jillpie's report about being in the Carousel and being so far away from everything- and now this report- I am a little worried about my "new home" which I bought sight unseen.

Also- the stragglers from DTD is a concern- but I think if it became a real issue- it could be (and would be) handled pretty easily.

edited: I reread the OP- and I see he says it is a 20 minute walk- not 40- not sure why I thought he said that

 

[BroganMc]

Don't be worried. The farthest distance (from Carousel) to AP is .4 miles (a 10-12 minute walk).

You can walk a loop around the resort, through DTD and back and only do 1.8 miles. Or just hop a ferry mid-trip.

We don't get into 40 minute distances until we're talking side trips to OKW or waiting around for a resort bus that's 20 minutes away because it's in the theme park parking lot.

 

[TenThousandVolts]

Thanks BroganMc- I had seen that map before and thought the place looked manageable- but then this post (the op) made me question that. I think requesting the Grandstand area might become my MO.
I know that walking with 2 little ones in tow slows you down and can just make it harder- especially if they are complaining or God Forbid- start saying "Carry Me" that can make a mile seem a lot longer!

We live out in country and it is .3 miles for me to walk to my mailbox and back- I think I will be able to hang at SSR.

 

[cobbler]

Distance is all about perception. Now I don't find any walks in SSR to be to bad. I have stayed in CP and in the Paddock, (closest to CP) and walking to the main area wasn't bad to me.

However, I did think that the hallway was endless during our stay at BWV. It wasn't bad at all but we joked that it was the worlds longest hallway. In fact, we were on the 4th floor and there is this little atrium type resting area and my family joked that it was the halfway resting point in case you were tired

It wasn't bad, just more comical than anything. But never felt that way at SSR, and they are roughly the same distance I imagine.

So it is all about perception and scenery helps too.

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

I agree that the resort can seem really big and spread out. My husband and I took a bus from Epcot over to SSR one night because we wanted to check the place out. We both decided that it just wasn't our cup of tea - we favor the smaller "hotel like" resorts. We have stayed at CBR before and didn't like it for the same reason - too spread out for us.

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

We live out in country and it is .3 miles for me to walk to my mailbox and back- I think I will be able to hang at SSR.

We live in the country too and SSR just does not seem that big or unmanageable to us. Guess thats what comes with the grocery store being a 25 minute drive away!

We love the walk, especially down the main "street" in SSR. If they added a flashing yellow light, it would be just like downtown at home!

OP-Sorry you didn't enjoy your stay.......especially since with a little better info on the resort, it probably would have been much more pleasant for you. Except for the jerks at the pool.....hopefully the lifeguards will put a stop to that.

 

[BroganMc]

Some other interesting comparisons courtesy of Google maps. All of those are screen grabs in exactly the same zoom levels:

As you can see, SSR is like the entire Boardwalk resort area, but the center point is in the middle of the lake.

And this shows you that if you include DTD and World Showcase as amenities to be enjoyed while residing at the respective resorts, you're using the same distances. The only difference is that one requires extra admission and two ferries to get about the place.

 

[TomD]

What is America's problem with walking?

Most are spoiled lazy is the problem. remember as kids running and playing all day. Riding a bike all over God's creation. Computers,video games and bad people took over.

I won't allow my kids to take off on a Saturday and come home when the street lights are on like I did as a kid. Sadly times have changed.

Back on Topic

I liked SSR when we stayed there. We were about a 5 min walk to the main pool and a 2 minute walk to the quiet pool.

 

[fishermouse]

What is America's problem with walking? I have read way too many posts this week about people complaining about loooooong hallways and loooooong walks to a pool.....If these resorts were any smaller, we'd never get a reservation and people would complain about that. If they were too small or too close together, people would complain about the tight spaces.

We all know that OKW & SSR are large resorts. If you know this and still book the resort, it is no one's fault but your own--why come home and complain about it? I know SSR is a large resort. I don't mind walking or using an internal bus--so I bought there. I just recently got back from OKW. I know it is a large resort. I was in a building (18) quite far from the main pool. I knew this might be a possibility when I booked but I chose to stay there and therefore I came home and did not complain about it here on the Dis. It was my choice.

Hopefully, you'll find a resort you like and will find no reason to stay at another resort.

Blakely

I agree, what also gets me is, this is WDW. How does someone go there and complain about walking? If Op thinks walking in a park like setting is bad try walking long hallways only to wait for an elevator that is to full to get on. Personally I prefer the stairs when available but they are usually not convenient located.

 

[4DisneyGolfnuts]

I have recently purchased SSR and am so tired already of the negativity. Some of these people really need to quit trying to exaggerate or find the negative in everything. I specifically picked SSR through resale and have stayed at or visited the other DVC locations other than OKW. It does however appear very nice and I would love to stay there one day, but for someone to assume that we are dying to stay at there so called resort is crazy. The bottom line is that we can stay anywhere we want within the rules and people just need to deal with it. If it makes you mad then ask Disney to change the rules, but don't cry about it when it happens. My guide told me when I did the tour if you take spur of the moment trips you will probably have to be flexible. I may stop reading these boards because it is getting old hearing very blessed people who can own in the first place being so selfish and condemning about several wonderful resorts. I hope people can look at the positive and if needed make constructive criticisms, but not ranting about how bad some DVC resorts are. I wouldn't care for it if it was another resort.

In the nicest way possible, some of these people need to get a life!

Apparently you didn't notice the Grandstand Pool area on your resort map. There are four pools ar SSR, two quiet and two themed pools.

At what other resort in Disney is everything less then a .25 mile for walking? None.

All of the resorts have bad views to go along with the good views. All of the resorts have parking lots. All of the resorts have parking lot views. Can't just make them go away.

I really think you're exaggerating your inconvience of forgetting your room key. Either that or you have been very fortunate with getting a room close to the pool everytime.

YC and BC is actually three resorts, not two. SSR is laid out the the amenities located throughout the resort. The main building are centrally located and a 5 to 10 minute walk from the farthest building.

The theater is not allowed to be used as a theater cause of the theaters in DTD.

 

[SaratogaShan]

If you really have to walk about 3 miles for an up and back visit to the lobby desk that is way too much.

I think it was more like 5 miles.....each way.......uphill.........and I was barefoot........and it was snowing!

 

[loribell]

w

I think it was more like 5 miles.....each way.......uphill.........and I was barefoot........and it was snowing!

You left out that it was uphill BOTH ways!

 

[mwmuntz]

I think it was more like 5 miles.....each way.......uphill.........and I was barefoot........and it was snowing!

Feet?

You had feet?????

 

[Sammie]

To those that are truly new DVC members and SSR members please realize that this forum has attracted some miscreants that live to wreck havoc on the lives of the moderators and bash SSR.

That said, not every negative post is part of their pitiful attempt to discredit SSR, but due to their juvenile behavior everyone is suspicious of vague reports about SSR that are basically negative and not based on facts.

Brian might be a legitimate member but there are some parts of his report that make me wonder. One he has not returned to answer any questions about his trip. His title was a little over the top, it is not huge, it is spread out but then so is OKW, and all the moderates except POFQ. For that matter BW is a large resort, it is just under one very large roof.

I find it very hard to think at this point anyone can check in at SSR and "not" see the new pool at the Grandstand area. You have to drive right past the area to check in.

Also it seems those that critize SSR, in the same report rave about BCV. BCV is a wonderful resort as are all of the DVC resorts I just find it amusing that those that usually stay at BCV are the most critical, or so it seems. And truly they are so different if one loves BCV, why would one book SSR anyway.

The lost key would be an inconvenince but he could have gone to the front desk for a new one had he not wanted to walk all the way back.

I have never seen any activity at an SSR pool that as a male I would feel threatened by and surely if I did I would immediately go to the phone at the laundry and call for security. Security rides the property all the time, so I again find the comment about not ever seeing security questionable, as it did not happen during our several trips. It is also very well lit.

Hopefully Brian will come back and further explain some of his comments.

 

[TenThousandVolts]

Feet?

You had feet?????

Priceless- you sound like my dad.

 

[MaryJ]

The theater was never part of DVD's property lease. If you look at th POS, I don't believe you'll find any mention of the theater among the resort amenities. It has always been owned and operated by another division of TWDC.

Since SSR opened, the theater was used for a time to host the weekly member meetings. It has also been used for other non-DVC, non-SSR functions like Magical Music Days. But it was never reserved for any resort-specific activities for guests.

Part of me wishes DVC or resort management had attempted some use for the building (scheduled films, or something like that), but in the back of my mind I'm pretty sure we never would have attended. It was a nice setting for the member meetings, but I can't see giving up time at the parks (or earmarked for any other activity) to go see Herbie Rides Again at the theater.

Movies at night work at Fort Wilderness. I think showing classic Disney films in the theater at SSR would work just as well if they could figure out a way to do it. The only thing we didn't like about the movies at FW were the mosquitos, and you'd never have that problem here!

 

[rubbergypsy]

we love ssr!!! had wilderness lodge (villas) booked for our upcoming july stay and just had to change it back to ssr. love the walking, ddd being so close, THE BUSES, just can't beat ssr buses, never once had to stand due to overcrowded buses. sometimes it is just too hot to walk back to congress park in august so bell services has always given us rides in the golf carts, service is always top of the line at ssr.