OKW/SSR? with small kids?

[3girlsmml]

My family and my sisters family are travelling to Disney in Sept. We are currently booked at a 2 bedroom villa at SSR. OKW 2 bedroom is also available. The children are ages 5,4,3,3 and an infant. Which is the best resort for us to choose? Keep in mind we will be spending most of our time at the Magic Kingdom.
Thanks!

 

[spiceycat]

both have bus transportation to the MK.

OKW is a little better.

but I would stick with SSR. the pool is zero entry.

You just think you will be spending most of your time at MK.

Kids that age will love the pool at SSR.

 

[spiceycat]

forgot a big one.

OKW has a much, much bigger livingroom area and kitchen. It has a laundry room - not just a closet.

so SSR has the zero entry for the Pool. OKW has bigger rooms.

 

[beccasmom]

And SSR is a much bigger resort. If you have a car, this is a non-issue. Depending on where your villa is, the walk to the main pool and hospitality house can be a good stretch of the legs. We did not have much luck using the bus to get around internally at SSR.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

I would stick to SSR.

Zero entry and the new splash area on the other pool would be just great.

SSR is not that much bigger or walking then OKW depending on room location.

Request Grandstand or Springs

 

[dscott1996]

I stayed in OKW from July 8 to 15 in a 2 bdrm villa with my wife, in-laws, sister-in-law, and our 5 and 7 yr old. The size of the rooms at OKW made the difference. The kids slept in the hide-a-bed in the main room and we could hang out in either bedroom and were all very comfortable. We stayed in the Turtle's Pond area and that pool and play area was very comfortable and never very busy (rarely more than 15 people at the pool).

The main pool area is probably more fun for kids, but we never spent more than 30-60 minutes at the pool (in the parks mostly) - so it didn't bother us and my kids just loved to swim in a pool (we brought swim vests for their pool time).

I don't know SSR, but I can't imagine that any other hotel would have rooms as big as the OKW 2 bdrm villa.

I would go back to OKW.

DAn

 

[Amy&Dan]

I can't comment on OKW, haven't stayed there (will remedy that very soon ) but have stayed in a two bedroom at SSR. I know the rooms are not as big, but they are very new. In fact we have two trips in a two bedroom unit with family members and those units are still very spacious. I love the furnishings, and while the laundry room is a closet, the machines hold quite a bit, I think they are full sized (stackable) machines. I did laundry every night of our stays. And the pool area is wonderful, the zero entry thing would be so nice for young children, especially an infant. They play a lot of gun games at the pool with the kids (and they probably do this at OKW as well). We had wonderful bus transportation at SSR for both of our stays. The resort is spread out, but OKW looks spread out too. Our first stay we were in the Paddocks, which is a bit further out, but we had a lovely quiet pool and bus stop just steps from our door. A bridge connected us very easily to the main area, it was maybe a 5 minute walk. My 80 year old dad and 70 year old (very ill at the time) mom did that walk just fine. The next trip we were in the Springs which was nice since it was so close. But I actually missed our area of the Paddocks, it was so peaceful and lovely. Either one had advantages. The cs place at SSR is great, a notch above your burger, chicken basket routine. They had some really good sandwiches, salads and flatbread pizzas.

I think you cannot go wrong with either. OKW for the space would be fabulous but if you plan to spend a lot of time at the pool, SSR would be a sure winner. Have a great trip!

 

[Deb & Bill]

SSR has elevators for every building. OKW only has elevators in three buildings. So if lugging strollers and kids up possibly three flights of stairs is a problem, go with SSR. But the rooms will be smaller.

 

[Toesmom1]

We just got back from our first stay at OKW for 7 nights. We had a 1 BR my MIL a studio. I'd chose OKW all the way. It was the best stay on disney property ever. I talked to a few people at OKW they say Saratoga isn't as nice, the resort is bigger, the rooms are smaller & I read somewhere that the sofa beds aren't as nice. I've never stayed there. We didn't wait long on a bus to MK & it's like right next door we were there in no time. As I've driving by Saratoga it just looks boring. Hope this helps.