I always stay at POR, but got an upgrade to SSR. There are several benefits/drawbacks for me.
POR - the room was smaller, but we were actually more cramped at SSR. I stayed at POR with three other girlfriends and there was a lot more storage area we utilized. We placed our suitcases under the beds and then pulled them out for a few minutes each night for dirty clothes. At SSR, I stayed with only two other companions. Every night, to open the sofa bed, you had to find places for the cocktail table and four large sofa pillows. We seemed to have less floor space. I like to use my suitcase as a laundry hamper. There was a double closet, but it only had one door and the rest was behind the bathroom, unreachable. It would not have fit three suitcases, unless you pulled out the other two to get to the one in the back. We ended up leaving out all the suitcases. It seemed like when we left, the additional floor space was taken up by the entryway and you couldn't really put anything there, without it being in the way.
POR - no balcony. SSR - balcony with view of the lake - priceless. But only room for two chairs.
POR - half sized fridge and a coffee pot/SSR - kitchenette. Was great for small breakfasts, like toasted bagels or instant oatmeal.
POR - water taxi to DTD, longer ride, but so relaxing. SSR - could ride (very short) or walk over to DTD.
POR - could walk to main building to go to food court and then directly over to bus stop. SSR - had to walk past bus stop to get to the main building to get to food court and then backtrack to bus stop.
POR - more pools. SSR - zero entry pool with spa right next to it.
POR - food court, fabulous for all meals. SSR - abyssimal menu at best, especially for breakfast. Meant for most people who are cooking in their rooms. However, easy trip over to DTD to WPE or EOS.
POR - nice restaurant, but kind-of expensive for moderate and only open for dinner. SSR - wonderful restaurant, open lunch and dinner, reasonable prices, fantastic food for the price and wonderful view of the Sassagoula River if sitting outside - view of water taxi going back and forth and watch golfers stroll up for a drink.
POR - lounge, fantastic, homey, great for watching sports, Yeehah Bob during the week. SSR - lounge, very, very stuffy, couldn't get into watching sports because too quiet.
POR - Fulton's General Store and SSR - Artist Palette seemed to have about the same stuff as far as merchandise and snacks. SSR had more food items, such as refrigerated, but a lot were dependent on you have a full sized kitchen, rather than the kitchenette.
POR - overall feel very homey, quaint, wonderfully themed, and lush landscaping.
SSR - beautiful architecture, nice walking grounds, nice theme.
That being said, while I so appreciated the chance to stay at a deluxe, and a vacation club at that - my overall choice is POR. It just seemed more like me - and my two traveling companions, after two trips down to POR, told me they wished we had actually stayed with our original ressie. I agreed - I almost cried when we went down there both nights. I missed being there so much.
The sofa bed in SSR is a major put off for us as I can remember how tired we were at the end of each day on our last visit.
