Pooh's Pixie
<font color=royalblue>The joy I get seeing those l
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2005
- Messages
- 1,975
We were at SSR 1/1 - 1/7 in a 2BR in the Springs. It was our 1st visit as DVC members. Our group consisted of me, DH, our 3 kids (DS7, DS5 , DD3) and my mom and my 19 yo twin niece & nephew. I was a little disappointed we didn't get any "welcome homes" but that's ok. Our checkin was crowded...ME bus! But we got thru the lines and the kids waited in the waiting area where there are mini chairs and a TV playing old Mickey cartoons...they loved that. Our room was not ready but they gave us a # to call and they would tell us if it would be ready. The CM hinted that it would be soon. We went to the arcade for about 5 minutes and I called the # and the room was ready. The rooms are lovely, very nice condition. I actually liked the outside hallways and I didn't think I would. It was nice to be able to open your door and look at the landscaping. It was very private; we were at the end of the hallway and I never saw another person on our floor!
The pool was great...lots for the kids to do. Two slides, the Donald Duck fountain and falls area was a huge hit with the kids. The teenagers loved going to the hot tub at night. And it was a nice quick walk from our room in the Springs to the pool, bus and Artist Palette. In fact, I think we may have been closer to the pool, etc than we were when we stayed in a hotel room at WL because we had a very LONG walk inside that hotel every time we wanted to visit Roaring Forks or the lobby!
Artist Palette was very nice. MUCH better than Roaring Forks or other cafeteria style restaurants, IMHO. Even the picky eaters in our group could find something they liked!
Overall, we wish there was a real sit-down restaurant there. It's coming, I know. But that was an obvious need. DTD is close but it's not the same as having it right there. In fact, DH & I were attempting to go to Olivia's at OKW for dinner on our last night 'cause we didn't want to go too far and they closed the boat service for the night 'cause it was TOO COLD! DH & I chuckled 'cause we're from Boston and we thought it was quite comfortable. LAst year around here they had to use ice cutters to allow the commuter boats through the harbor, but Floridians aren't used to it, I guess. Still not sure what the harm in running the boats was...it was in the high 40s. So we went to DTD to Bongo's, which was quite good, albeit LOUD!
Another night we went to Raglan Road, which we really enjoyed. The food was good, the decor was beautiful. Even the ladies' room was lovely! MY DH was disappointed that in an Irish pub, the server did not know the differences in the beers (pilsner vs ale). He was asking about a beer on the menu and she said "Well, it's like a pilsner or maybe an ale" and he said "which?" and she said she didn't know. DH thought that she should have known that (or at least offered to find out!) (BTW, he went for the Guinness!) The fish & chips were very good and the fries were very much homemade style...yum. We were there early but later (around 9) they have an Irish step dancer on a platform with an Irish band playing...that would have been fun!
Teenagers in our group loved going to DTD at night. I think the location is great for families with teens...DisneyQuest, the movie theater and restaurants were all right there.
Buses and transportation were fine...we averaged at about 10-15 minutes, with some buses that we ran for and some we waited for. I think SSR will need more buses in the future as it fills up...interestingly, although the resort is very large, it never felt crowded. Maybe because everything is spread out. But it has a distinct, relaxed and homey feel. I liked it very much and I'm happy it's my home resort.
One funny note: all the CMs were very friendly and helpful. The morning we checked out, the bell services guy came to get our stuff early (we were catching ME at 7:00 am) He loaded up his van with our 8 bags and said he would give us a ride to the lobby, which was great. It was the morning of the 1/2 marathon and he said there was complimentary coffee in the lobby for the marathoners but we were very welcome to it. We were the only ones in the lobby waiting for the ME bus so we went to the coffee table (which did not have a sign or anything; just a table set up; if he hadn't mentioned the marathon I would have thought it was always there in the am) and we got a few cups... about 5 minutes later two CMs came and moved the whole table into a locked area at Artist's Palette...
It seemed like maybe we weren't so welcome to the coffee after all! 
Anyway, that's my report..any questions?
The pool was great...lots for the kids to do. Two slides, the Donald Duck fountain and falls area was a huge hit with the kids. The teenagers loved going to the hot tub at night. And it was a nice quick walk from our room in the Springs to the pool, bus and Artist Palette. In fact, I think we may have been closer to the pool, etc than we were when we stayed in a hotel room at WL because we had a very LONG walk inside that hotel every time we wanted to visit Roaring Forks or the lobby!
Artist Palette was very nice. MUCH better than Roaring Forks or other cafeteria style restaurants, IMHO. Even the picky eaters in our group could find something they liked!
Overall, we wish there was a real sit-down restaurant there. It's coming, I know. But that was an obvious need. DTD is close but it's not the same as having it right there. In fact, DH & I were attempting to go to Olivia's at OKW for dinner on our last night 'cause we didn't want to go too far and they closed the boat service for the night 'cause it was TOO COLD! DH & I chuckled 'cause we're from Boston and we thought it was quite comfortable. LAst year around here they had to use ice cutters to allow the commuter boats through the harbor, but Floridians aren't used to it, I guess. Still not sure what the harm in running the boats was...it was in the high 40s. So we went to DTD to Bongo's, which was quite good, albeit LOUD!
Another night we went to Raglan Road, which we really enjoyed. The food was good, the decor was beautiful. Even the ladies' room was lovely! MY DH was disappointed that in an Irish pub, the server did not know the differences in the beers (pilsner vs ale). He was asking about a beer on the menu and she said "Well, it's like a pilsner or maybe an ale" and he said "which?" and she said she didn't know. DH thought that she should have known that (or at least offered to find out!) (BTW, he went for the Guinness!) The fish & chips were very good and the fries were very much homemade style...yum. We were there early but later (around 9) they have an Irish step dancer on a platform with an Irish band playing...that would have been fun!
Teenagers in our group loved going to DTD at night. I think the location is great for families with teens...DisneyQuest, the movie theater and restaurants were all right there.
Buses and transportation were fine...we averaged at about 10-15 minutes, with some buses that we ran for and some we waited for. I think SSR will need more buses in the future as it fills up...interestingly, although the resort is very large, it never felt crowded. Maybe because everything is spread out. But it has a distinct, relaxed and homey feel. I liked it very much and I'm happy it's my home resort.
One funny note: all the CMs were very friendly and helpful. The morning we checked out, the bell services guy came to get our stuff early (we were catching ME at 7:00 am) He loaded up his van with our 8 bags and said he would give us a ride to the lobby, which was great. It was the morning of the 1/2 marathon and he said there was complimentary coffee in the lobby for the marathoners but we were very welcome to it. We were the only ones in the lobby waiting for the ME bus so we went to the coffee table (which did not have a sign or anything; just a table set up; if he hadn't mentioned the marathon I would have thought it was always there in the am) and we got a few cups... about 5 minutes later two CMs came and moved the whole table into a locked area at Artist's Palette...
It seemed like maybe we weren't so welcome to the coffee after all! Anyway, that's my report..any questions?
