SSR-Congress Park or Grandstand?

[nezy]

We usually stay in the Paddock but I wanted to try a different area of the resort this time. There will be 9 of us aged 12, 15, 15, 15, 15, 16, 17, 19, and me..let's just say over 30 and under 50!!

We will have a car so bus is not that big of an issue. The kids do like the main pool and activities like ping pong billiards basketball.
probably will head over to DTD.
so what do you recommend?

 

[Desnik]

We like both sections! The way I choose is if we are going to the parks we pick Grandstand because it's the first bus stop going & coming from the parks. We like Congress Park when we do a resort only trip & have easy access to DtD. We love the quiet pool in the Congress Park section. There is a playground right next to it and great views of DtD.

 

[tkbk]

Congress Park is also an excellent choice if you are going to be dining at other resorts. We often like to dine at the several of the other disney resorts and being at congress park mean a short walk to DTD and then hoping in a bus directly to what ever resort we may be dining at that night and vice versa coming back from another resort just means grabbing the DTD bus and then a short walk back to congress park!

 

[nezy]

Congress Park seems a bit far from the main pool and the carriage house. Is it at all an inconvenience to go there.

 

[Desnik]

It isn't that far, but The Grandstand is closer to the main building and at the main building you can get the boat to DtD. Something to keep in mine.

Also the Grandstand has nice views of the golf course. But if you get a view of DtD in Congress Park, that view is better IMHO.

 

[McBane]

Congress Park is also an excellent choice if you are going to be dining at other resorts. We often like to dine at the several of the other disney resorts and being at congress park mean a short walk to DTD and then hoping in a bus directly to what ever resort we may be dining at that night and vice versa coming back from another resort just means grabbing the DTD bus and then a short walk back to congress park!

That is excellent advice!!! Can't wait to try that in Sept!!

 

[drusba]

Congress Park has a temporary downside in that the walkway to DTD is not open at this time and that area is being redone, and likely will not be open before later this year if then. Otherwise, i look at the two choices as Grandstand for first bus stop advantage and easier walk to restaurant and pool, and Congress as one of the best views on site and ease to DTD (but not currently).

 

[tkbk]

Congress Park has a temporary downside in that the walkway to DTD is not open at this time and that area is being redone, and likely will not be open before later this year if then. Otherwise, i look at the two choices as Grandstand for first bus stop advantage and easier walk to restaurant and pool, and Congress as one of the best views on site and ease to DTD (but not currently).

Actually we were just there the beginning of December and it was still an easy walk to DTD , there is a guard shack getween congress park and the paddocks . You walk out right there and end up on the sidewalk on buena vista dr, it ends up being just about the same distance as the closed sidewalk took, under ten minutes. The bell hop pointed it out to us when he was taking us to our room.

 

[DisneyDetective]

Congress Park offers really good access to DTD and the side exit gives you a quick exit to WDW and I4 without having to go through the whole resort. i is quite a distance from the 2 themed pools however we really enjoy the quiet pool and the view to DTD.

 

[Tinkerbell58]

Congress Park has a temporary downside in that the walkway to DTD is not open at this time and that area is being redone, and likely will not be open before later this year if then. Otherwise, i look at the two choices as Grandstand for first bus stop advantage and easier walk to restaurant and pool, and Congress as one of the best views on site and ease to DTD (but not currently).

We were at SSR the beginning of January. At that time, Bell Services told us that the walkway to DTD is open (never used it as we stayed in Grandstand).

 

[gwb]

we stayed at Congress Park during the 1st week of last Dec and the walkway wasn't open so we decided to take the boat over to DTD. Then we transferred times we to the shuttle boat and went to Raglan. It took us far less time to do that then the previous times we walked over to Raglan rd.

 

[Cee]

I'm a Congress Park girl, myself. But FYI, if you want that gorgeous DTD view, make sure to request it. Just requesting CP doesn't always get you that view. I found that out the hard way.

 

[DizBub]

I'm a Congress Park girl, myself. But FYI, if you want that gorgeous DTD view, make sure to request it. Just requesting CP doesn't always get you that view. I found that out the hard way.

This is true. If the view is important you must request it and it isn't guaranteed. The first few times we stayed there we got lucky so I assumed they all had a view. Last time we didn't. We requested it for our trip at the end of the month.....hope we get it. Best view in all of DVC, in my opinion.

 

[iluveeyore]

If you're doing parks more than DTD, then I would choose Grandstand - we loved it there (stayed three times) - great bus stop, and there's a great pool right there as well - looks far on the map, but that's using the road - it is literally a one minute walk from the pool to the boat, and another few steps to the Carriage House. And it's a very quiet, pretty area especially if you get a golf course view.