OKW or SSR 1 Bed?

[gemmybear83]

Thinking of taking advantage of the 42% offer for 2011, we had already decided we wanted to stay in a 1 bed villa somewhere, and this sounds ideal as we still have someone to make the bed every day! (I must be really weird as this is really important to me!).

Which one would you say is better? I am leaning more towards SSR as I have always loved the rooms, and we would want to take advantage of the DTD location, but the theming has never done much for me (saying that I have been looking at photos and videos and I am definetly warming to it!). While I have always had a soft spot for OKW, we love the theming but thought the rooms looked a tad dated, I know they are being refurbished but they still dont look as nice as SRR, or is it nicer than how it looks in photos?

If its any help were an adult couple no kids and will be relying on disney buses

Which would you pick?

 

[jackieleanne]

Not been before but we me and bf choose SSR for closeness to dtd walking distance also the fact that if releying on buses like we will be then with SSR if you want to go to another resort you can go to dtd and use one of the buses to a resort rather than having to go to a park and then get on another bus from there.

 

[2Tiggies]

We made a visit to SSR last year to check out the resort. A kind CM actually showed us some of the rooms too .

I think the rooms look lovely - the theming doesn't do it for me either. I thought there was no atmosphere. Now, before you get hung up on that last statement, I have to stress that I have a little girl. She is still at the stage where OTT theming is appealing . It struck me as a tasteful adult resort and when I read that you have no kids, it made me think it might be worth looking a bit deeper into it as I suspect if I was at that stage of my life, it would probably have plenty of appeal. I also think the location is pretty unbeatable. We make a lot of quick visits to DTD which is one of the main reasons I went to check it out and if this is something you do too, then it is certainly worth considering.

 

[Disneymad]

I am a big fan of SSR. It's funny, because the first time I checked it out just for a walkabout (when staying elsewhere) I thought it was a bit pants. All spread out, not much atmosphere etc.

Then, I had a last minute trip and the only rooms available was SSR so I stayed there 'under duress' - I've never been so glad of being forced to do something in my life, hehe, and now we choose to stay there when we can for our 'quiet portion' of the trip when we're ready to take our foot off the theme park pedal a bit and enjoy being out of the action a little bit. It's a fab resort, the 1 beds are shiny and walking to DTD is awesome.

But. OKW is a beautiful resort. SSR is great but OKW is more homely and for want of a better word, romantic with it's lush landscaping (though that can add to the mossies too unfortunately).

I know a lot of people comment about being in need of refurb, I think though you have to take this with a grain of salt. Some folks on the DIS and especially the DVC owners can sometimes set an extremely high bar for standards and in all honesty this isn't likely to be what most people would judge a resort by and so I'd not rule out OKW due to needing a refurb - this is still Disney and it's still a top quality product.

Technically you can still walk to DTD - there is a path that leads to SSR past the new Treehouses that opened recently. Never done that walk (though plan to try it this trip) but I'm guessing it's in the region of 20 minutes. This is the path that will bring you in near the Cirque tent so add another 10 mins for Marketplace. So not a quick and convenient walk but still an option. The boat ride is very nice though.

I have a bunch of pics of SSR 1 bed I can post, for some reason though I only took a single picture the time I was in an OKW one - I will dig that up and post too though. I will say though that the 1 beds at OKW are HUGE, noticeably bigger than SSR (or any of the other DVC 1 beds for that matter).

 

[Disneymad]

Ok, here's what I've got of SSR:-

My one and only pic of OKW:-

That's kinda the view of the doorway, to the left is the kitchen area which is bigger than the SSR one, to the right you can just see the edge of the couch - the room extended a fair way across with the tv and stuff.

It's not much, but I think you can still tell just from that just how much more open plan and spacious the OKW 1 bedroom is, it really is pretty nice.

By the way, we're only 2 adults too for context.

 

[gemmybear83]

Thank you for the photos!

Thanks for the comments everyone - I think we are going to go with SSR, we would love to have DTD on our doorstep, and as Jackie says being able to use the resort buses for ADRS will be really handy

I also think the bus service at OKW looks quite complicated.

We do have annual passes though so we might just do a split stay!

 

[wayneg]

sounds ideal as we still have someone to make the bed every day! (I must be really weird as this is really important to me!).

Doesn't sound weird to me. Its one of the most important things for us on holiday. Stayed in Condo Easter 2008, it was a quilt to throw back on the bed not difficult but that plus putting the rubbish out and the other few little jobs totally took the holiday feel away from us, I do all that at home every day, on holiday I want it all doing for me.

 

[fuse04]

What maid service is provided at OKW? We have stayed at VWL and Kidani and both times we only had a visit every few days rather than every day?

 

[wayneg]

What maid service is provided at OKW? We have stayed at VWL and Kidani and both times we only had a visit every few days rather than every day?

Every day last August Rob. I believe its different if you rent/use points but paying a nightly rate you get it every day.

 

[torsie24]

What maid service is provided at OKW? We have stayed at VWL and Kidani and both times we only had a visit every few days rather than every day?

If you stay on points you get the various services every 4 days, so a full clean, or a towel change depending on your length of stay.

But if you booked it as you would any of the hotels, and pay cash then you get daily maid service jsut like the hotels.

 

[iluvtot]

Hi,
We have stayed at OKW a few times, but 2 years ago we couldn't get booked, so we had to stay at SS.
Granted, we stayed in 2 studios, and they weren't together which was a bit of a pain, but we didn't like it. We are a family of 5, and the kids were 16 and 14 then; but I thought it was really for young families.
Had our kids been younger, maybe it would've been better, but we have moved on from that.
The main pool area was really noisy and busy, so we used a smaller pool, but it was really basic. We definitely wouldn't stay there as a couple. OKW is more chilled, and the bar is really nice. Also, the boat ride to DTD is lovely.
Just my opinion...
Oh, DSIL is a DVC member, and tries to get out there about 3 times a year. When she goes on her own, she likes to stay at SS, so we are all different

Jules x

 

[2Tiggies]

Doesn't sound weird to me. Its one of the most important things for us on holiday. Stayed in Condo Easter 2008, it was a quilt to throw back on the bed not difficult but that plus putting the rubbish out and the other few little jobs totally took the holiday feel away from us, I do all that at home every day, on holiday I want it all doing for me.

I second this! It does make me lazy when I come back though. After a few weeks in Disney it's like an afterthought that I need to flush the toilet To me that is proof of a REAL holiday!

 

[mikki.young]

The bus service at OKW is very easy, probably easier than SSR. The closeness of SSR to Downtown Disney buses is a plus and minus - good to go there yourself but bad because people park at Downtown and walk to SSR to catch buses to the parks and this can fill the buses up.

I have to admit as 2 adults on our own we would always go for a 1 bed at OKW because we love the huge rooms, so much bigger than SSR. I like a proper table too, rather than the breakfast bar atype in the newer DVC.

I also much prefer the relaxed theming at OKW. Love Olivias but must admit the fast food option is better at SSR.

 

[fuse04]

If you stay on points you get the various services every 4 days, so a full clean, or a towel change depending on your length of stay.

But if you booked it as you would any of the hotels, and pay cash then you get daily maid service jsut like the hotels.

many thanks, and you Wayne, when staying at DVC before we have rented points; this time paid cash direct to Disney so am looking forward to the daily service

 

[Louisebshp]

Another vote for OKW.

We have a 7 year old though and find the much bigger apartments and calm peace of the place very useful for chillout time when it all gets too much for the boy! SSR always seems soulless and noisy to us.

We mostly use Disney transportation - only really using the car if we are pool hopping, or getting somewhere very very early. Buses are pretty good and frequent.