nwdisgal
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2002
- Messages
- 2,120
Day 6 - Well, the day came. We had to pack up and leave our Heavenly Beds
The good news was though that we were headed over to SSR. I had read many wonderful things about this new DVC resort. I've never stayed at a DVC before and wanted to try it out. I love the Downtown Disney area and felt this might be a good resort to try. Plus, everything was new. They had some AP rates there... I know, I know. I could rent points off these boards from a member, but I'm weird, no better yet, I'm paranoid about trying new things. So I stayed in my comfort zone and called CRO. I lucked out there was availabilty at SSR and they had an AP rate. It was a great way for me to try out this resort and consider the benefits of DVC... After staying at this resort, the thought of buying DVC is very, very tempting... It is nice that Disney offers the cash ressie as a way of introducing potential customers to their DVC properties. I would recommend that, or better yet, rent points off these boards.
First let me start out by saying that the whole time we were at SSR we were never approached by a sales person, never hassled for a time share presentation. I hate hard sells and time share people hassling me is right up at the top of my "I Don't Like List". I was very happy that Disney takes a hands off/low key approach . They use subtle sales through promotion signs, kiosks, a dedicated advertisement channel on the tv for DVC, etc. They let their resorts and the ammenities sell themselves and I can tell you, if I ever buy a timeshare it will be with Disney because they are not in my face ,and I like their resorts. No I don't work for Disney, or Starbucks or the Wine Growers Association, or the Heavenly Bed firm.
I do like giving Good Things a good plug when it's deserved. We had to be out of our hotel room at Dolphin by 11:00 and I had no idea what to expect on the other end at SSR. I did know we could at least drive our luggage over and check it, go to the parks and then check back later on our room status. So we loaded up all our crap and headed to SSR. There were no lines when arrived and this CM immediately smiled at us and said "Welcome Home."
I gave her our ressie information and she looked us up. "I know its early" I told her. "I'm hoping we can check our bags." She fiddled with the computer a bit, and said "We have a room ready for you and it looks like it has a nice view of Downtown Disney". At this point I am doing an internal happy dance
. Wow, how lucky is that!?! When I had made the room reservation all I had requested was upper floor and non-smoking. I had read on these boards that the resort was fairly new and still under construction. The current area that is open is Congress Park. That section has a nice view of DD. We were on the very far left building - in Room 1330, which was a great room. That said, we opened the door and I saw the kitchen, and the washing machine right in the room and the enormous bathroom with the sunken tub.... We had a nice one bedroom that was immaculate. It was really cute, in the bathroom, the Mousekeeper had set up a towel that looked like the bottom half of Mickey's torso and put toiletries in it. I am kicking myself now that I did not take a picture of it, but I do have pics of the other towel animals during our stay. TG! I have never been so thrilled with a place in I don't know when, and suddenly the Heavenly Bed, as wonderful as it was, became a distant memory. I will have to tell you at that point I was in my perpetual happy place and going to the park (any park that day) when completely down the toilet. I looked at DH and said, "Let's just spend the day hanging out at this resort and being lounge lizards" and he gave me the big High Five. So this thread is gonna be the all about SSR, being a lounge lizard, drinking out of the refillable mug thread 
So here we are at SSR, and what's a gal to do. There are too many choices and we are Day 1 into our three night stay here and I'm already dreading having to leave. We head up to the pool area and there is a neat rock pool with slide. The landscaping reminds me a bit of the Grand Californian. It is very natural looking and they integrate the plantings and rockery in with the pool. The moment to end all moments comes when I head up to check out the work out area and spa. Wow! They had a really extensive cardio area with eliptical machines and treadmill. The weight area had brand new top of the line equipment.
I had been getting my daily dose of exercise walking around the parks and clearly that was about to change. Downstairs they had the check in area and a nice little retail shop with resort polo shirts spa and bath accessories. I splurged on some lavendar bath salts, just so I could go back to the condo and pour a good dose in the sunken tub and let myself brine in the tub. The weather kind of sucked that day. It was overcast and a bit chilly 
(we're talking mid to upper 60s), but the pool looked too fun. So we grabbed the kids, put them in their long sleeved rash guards and they took several turns going down the slide, while DH and I sat huddled together on the lounge chairs, sharing soda out of his refillable mug. Yep, we did it. We purchased a refillable mug and there was print on the side "Free refills available at our Beverage Islands until the end of stay in with the mug is purchased." Yep, someone at Disney's been reading these mug threads. Now it's in writing! Put away those 7-11 cups! The best thing about the refillable mugs is after the stay I take them home and drink my morning coffee in them. The coffee tastes so good in the refillables. I know this is probably a psychosomatic response, my need to feel the Disney magic through a refillable mug 
Maybe the coffee truly isn't any better, but it tastes better in that mug. 
The kids enjoyed the pool and shortly after we left that area, the rain started to pour, in buckets!
We had dinner at the condo. I had picked up groceries earlier in the day at a Publix on Dr. Phillips Road. We had been eating out so much that a simple broiled steak with sauteed mushrooms and a tossed green salad tasted really, really good. The condo was well equipped with cooking pans and utensils for preparing and eating meals. The only bummer that evening was that I developed an incurable sweet tooth - imagine that!
I had forgotten to pick up dessert at Publix and we had to make an emergency run. It was still raining really hard and DH was all fussed up with me, but you know how it goes when you have a craving. So we go out in the car and DH is grumbling "This better be fast, because I'm not driving all over Orlando." I'm trying to rack my brain and the only place I can remember directions to is Goodings. Can you say Tourist Trap? Sure I knew you could. I am appalled at their prices - especially since we live in Hawaii and have some the highest grocery prices in the nation here. Goodings is higher than what I pay at my local grocer 
That was my first and last trip to Goodings and I knew it was high before I stepped in there, but I was desperate for a sugar fix. I also noticed the Chevron down the street from there had gas at 30+ cents a gallon more, than just driving down the road aways Well, I guess they charge what people will pay, but still... 
From what I remember Gooding's was always expensive, no matter what part of town you are in. Of course I haven't lived in Florida since 1988 so my memory could be a bit off.
Is it just my computer?
