SSR Gripes!

[Daitcher]

I know the feedback has been positive for this resort but I for one don't like the place. Here are some of my gripes. Beat me up, agree, whatever.

1) How spread ot the resort is. Traveling from Congress Park to main pool is a chore with small kids in tow. Wait, what if you forgot something in the room! ugh!

2) Small Bar area. Very few seats here. Wait until this place is complete, you'll wait forever, elbowing in for drinks.

3) Lack of a sit down restaurant. This means no room service. They probably won't do room service even if the rumor is true that a sit down restaurant will be added. Again, too spread out to cart food around. Nothing like in room dining with the little ones after a long day. NOT HAPPENING HERE!

4) Dining poolside, forget it. It isn't offered here and there are few tables to eat anyway. You must trudge in your wet bathing suit inside to Artists Pallette and order from that limited menu. Poor planning here once again. Most Resorts, yes even some of DVC Resorts offer food service by the pool. Why not SSR?

5) Positioning of the boat transfer. You need a GPS system to find it. Poorly labeled and a hike from many rooms.

6) No bell carts or shopping carts to help haul your luggage/and/or groceries to the room. Come on DVC, all condos I've stayed at offer this. Bellman non existant here.

7) Limited menu at Artists Pallette. Bad enough that this is all there is but to have a menu this limited? In all fairness what we had was good but open it up a little.


There are some positives but for us the negatives far out weigh the positives. We liked the Congress Park quiet pool a lot with the views of DTD. The resort is pretty. The gym and spa are great. Golf close by.

Lets here some fedback. Am I alone with these views?

DAVE

 

[CarolA]

My experience seems the oppoisite of yours I loved it.

The bar area is bigger then the one at OKW and you don't spend a lot of time "elbowing" there. I think if you are like me and normally stay at OKW you will enjoy SSR. If you are in love with BW or BCV this might not be the right resort for you.

Almost all of your complaints would be true for OKW with the exception of the sit down resturant, but there you have an even more limited food court option and still no room service.

 

[RobDoc]

I also totally enjoyed our stay at SSR.

The proximity to DD offers lots of great dining options, so Artist's Pallette was a nice option at the resort. As Carol noted, the bar situation is far bigger than OKW which has only the Gurgling Suitcase. SSR has the pool bar and also the Turf Club.

There is definitely a bell staff at the resort. Just call on the room phone or stop by the front desk area. The Bellman will greet you and assist with any groceries or luggage you'd like.

While the resort may feel spread out to some, we felt it was pretty compact. It was no more than a 5 minute walk to the main pool from Congress Park and no more than 10 minutes to DD.

Sorry you didn't enjoy SSR- We loved it!

 

[JustineMarie]

I, too, love SSR. We have actually had a better experience there with the bellman than any other resort. They were quick to deliver our luggage and groceries to our room when we arrived and quick to pick it up when we checked out. As for the pool bar, I really don't use it so I don't have an opinion about it one way or the other. Artists Pallete doesn't have teh widest selection but the food is good. I do agree with you on the bost but we were told exactly where is was at check-in, but I caould understand it being hard to find. I also didn't think walking to the Main Building was a pain. It was a short walk and my girls never minded it and they are 3 and 6. I do wish they had some sort of room service even if it was just pizza. All in all I think the resort is great and I don't think it is any more spread out than Old Key West.

 

[CarolAnnC]

Regarding #'s 2, 3, 4 and 7...I find that enjoying a DVC vacation means I have kitchen facilities in my room and can always have something on hand for a quick meal. I rarely rely on the resort I am staying at for meals. If we eat out, we usually travel to somewhere other than where we are staying, i.e. resort or theme park.

I would suggest that maybe the OP might like to try Boardwalk. Lots of food choices and restaurant options in that area.

 

[kweaver]

We just loved SSR. I do agree with the original poster on a few things. The folks at the pool bar were great...it would be nice to have food service out there. There should DEFINITELY be more tables & umbrellas

A few things that could make it better...

- More selection at AP. I can't imagine this won't happen...but it is a bit of a disappointment after all of the hype.
- A sit down restaurant (maybe two...one fancy and one more geared toward families)
- Air conditioned elevators
- Bigger villas!

We're staying at OKW in May. I know we're really going to love it...but I already miss SSR. We'll have to pool hop over there one day.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

1) How spread ot the resort is. Traveling from Congress Park to main pool is a chore with small kids in tow. Wait, what if you forgot something in the room! ugh!

1) I was at SSR in early January with DD5 and DW. We walked from Building # 4 to the main pool and back twice. DD5 lets us know when she is "done" walking -- never once happened. The walk took a leisurely 10 minutes.

3) Lack of a sit down restaurant. This means no room service. They probably won't do room service even if the rumor is true that a sit down restaurant will be added. Again, too spread out to cart food around. Nothing like in room dining with the little ones after a long day. NOT HAPPENING HERE!

It is my understanding that OKW doesn't have room service either, yet I have never heard this complaint levelled against the original DVC resort.

6) No bell carts or shopping carts to help haul your luggage/and/or groceries to the room. Come on DVC, all condos I've stayed at offer this. Bellman non existant here.

Who were those people standing in the porte cochere with the funky vests and the bell services carts? How is it that I could dial 21 from my room to get Bell Services? Here is question # 8 in the Saratoga Tip Sheet.

8. How do I get my luggage to and from my room?
If you need assistance with your luggage, Touch BELL SERVICES button on your in-room phone or stop by the Bell Services desk at The Carriage House.

If you need Bell Services, they are indeed available. We didn't need them and so we didn't use them. We had a rental car, parked it out front of Building # 4 and took our two suitcases inside with us.

I'll agree the Congress Park Leisure pool was a very relaxing area. The views of DTD are to die for. However, I'm sure the villas in the Paddock and the Springs areas (as well as those on the LBV Fairway) will have their positive views as well.

 

[eileenfk]

My brother mentioned #6.
That was pretty much his only suggestion for change.

I enjoyed SSR because it is so relaxing and not yet crowded.
I liked the lack of people in the food service area.

- Eileen

 

[DizneyNutz]

When I first read your post---I was upset and had a million different repsonses from where you should eat and why food counters are just that---food counters---etc....but I stepped away and spoke w/my DH who helped shed some light on exactly what I wanted to say. My hope for you is that you and yours find a resort/hotel that can accomodate your various needs and you can enjoy WDW for exactly what it is---a magical place, with food service that is what it is---depending on what you want to spend and is more than adequate with resort bars that are small and EXTREMELY expensive (especially when drinks can range from $5 bucks for a beer on up) but they DO have mugs that can be purchased (unlimited refills) and with enough imagination, could more than acomodate your needs...ex: buy a bottle--mix your own! Also-keep in mind-little people are just that-little people-they get tired-walking in the best of times in Florida (not to mention WDW) is hard on them---if you want to have a vacation where you aren't exhausted and frustrated trying to accomodate little ones-then maybe you should try something in the DVC Membership cirlcle a little less exhausting than WDW. I am sure that there are LOTS of adults out there that could tell you that at the end of a day, they didn't want to walk a foot-much less accross a resort to get in a pool. For little people, a cool room, nice Disney movie and nap would've been much wiser than taking an already exhausted little one to a pool, it may cool them off, but would certainly add to the exhaustion---I am sorry that your visit to SSR was obviously miserable.

 

[DebbieB]

Did you buy points at SSR? If not, I would just chalk it up to experience. Some places are just not your cup of tea. For example, people rave about the Polynesian, we didn't like it at all. So we don't plan to stay there again, that's all.

 

[CarolA]

If you want Pizza, most of the delivery service (Domino's, Papa Johns etc.) deliver to Disney resorts. Not only are they cheaper then Disney I think Papa Johns is much better then the standard Disney Pizza.

 

[rmontgo892]

We just loved SSR. I do agree with the original poster on a few things. The folks at the pool bar were great...it would be nice to have food service out there. There should DEFINITELY be more tables & umbrellas

A few things that could make it better...

- More selection at AP. I can't imagine this won't happen...but it is a bit of a disappointment after all of the hype.
- A sit down restaurant (maybe two...one fancy and one more geared toward families)
- Air conditioned elevators
- Bigger villas!

We're staying at OKW in May. I know we're really going to love it...but I already miss SSR. We'll have to pool hop over there one day.

No air conditioning in the elevators at SSR???? I have yet to stay at an elevator BLDG at OKW. Do they NOT have air conditioning too???

 

[RobDoc]

Yeah, you just have to suffer for those 12 seconds you're in the elevator.

 

[CarolA]

OKW has solved the AC problem! Most of the buildings don't have elevators! LOL!

 

[Sammie]

Totally disagree.

I have had rooms at BW and BCV that were a further walk to the main pool. I have definitely had rooms at OKW much further to the main pool.

The bar area seem comparable to other Disney bars.

Full Service restaurant, this would be a nice addition. I will continue to have faith they will eventually put one in. Until then I can find plenty of nice places to eat nearby.

Absolutely love Artist's Palette, in my opinion the best food selection of any fast food area.

Agree the boat dock could be in a more convenient location.

There are definitely bellmen at SSR.

 

[DrBond007]

I know the feedback has been positive for this resort but I for one don't like the place. Here are some of my gripes. Beat me up, agree, whatever.

1) How spread ot the resort is. Traveling from Congress Park to main pool is a chore with small kids in tow. Wait, what if you forgot something in the room! ugh!

2) Small Bar area. Very few seats here. Wait until this place is complete, you'll wait forever, elbowing in for drinks.

3) Lack of a sit down restaurant. This means no room service. They probably won't do room service even if the rumor is true that a sit down restaurant will be added. Again, too spread out to cart food around. Nothing like in room dining with the little ones after a long day. NOT HAPPENING HERE!

4) Dining poolside, forget it. It isn't offered here and there are few tables to eat anyway. You must trudge in your wet bathing suit inside to Artists Pallette and order from that limited menu. Poor planning here once again. Most Resorts, yes even some of DVC Resorts offer food service by the pool. Why not SSR?

5) Positioning of the boat transfer. You need a GPS system to find it. Poorly labeled and a hike from many rooms.

6) No bell carts or shopping carts to help haul your luggage/and/or groceries to the room. Come on DVC, all condos I've stayed at offer this. Bellman non existant here.

7) Limited menu at Artists Pallette. Bad enough that this is all there is but to have a menu this limited? In all fairness what we had was good but open it up a little.


There are some positives but for us the negatives far out weigh the positives. We liked the Congress Park quiet pool a lot with the views of DTD. The resort is pretty. The gym and spa are great. Golf close by.

Lets here some fedback. Am I alone with these views?

DAVE

Thanks for sharing your views.

 

[rmontgo892]

Yeah, you just have to suffer for those 12 seconds you're in the elevator.

Thanks??? So no air conditioning in the elevators?? It just never occurred to me and I was curious. Does that mean the porches have no air too??? Actually I have never requested or been put in a elevator BLDG at OKW. I assumed they were for the handicapped.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

Does that mean the porches have no air too???

DVC policy restricts A/C on the porches to November - April. A thorough reading of your contracts will show the heat on the porches is turned on May -- October. If you experience A/C during the heating season or heat during A/C season, a call to Engineering services will help get things fixed.

I do understand the porches on the GVs at VWL and BCV have A/C during the regular DVC porch heating season. This is a real bonus, but it is available only on the preferred view GVs.

 

[rmontgo892]

OKW has solved the AC problem! Most of the buildings don't have elevators! LOL!

I posted the same thing to another poster. It never occurred to me! Aren't the OKW elevator BLDGS for Handicapped??

I could sure use a blast of AIR CONDITIONING whenever we get 3rd floor during the summer!!

 

[rmontgo892]

DVC policy restricts A/C on the porches to November - April. A thorough reading of your contracts will show the heat on the porches is turned on May -- October. If you experience A/C during the heating season or heat during A/C season, a call to Engineering services will help get things fixed.

I do understand the porches on the GVs at VWL and BCV have A/C during the regular DVC porch heating season. This is a real bonus, but it is available only on the preferred view GVs.

Neil,

Thanks for the info! I was actually kidding about "air conditioning" on the porches.

Porches...or at least "GV" porches at VWL and BCV have A/C and Heat?? See..ya learn something NEW everyday!! Something else I had NO idea about.