SSR Lovers and Owners Part 3

[The Jackal]

Just to let you know, the 10-10 is NOT enforced. Congress Park had people in before 9 AM every day this week. If you wanted a table and came in any time after 9:30, you were out of luck. The Paddock was also filled to capacity daily, and from the few times we went there, it was by 10 AM. The Main Pool usually let guests in around 9:40 where people scrambled for tables and lounge chairs. No swimming there until 10 when the lifeguards announced the pool being opened.

Unless they reverted back to normal pool hours. The quiet pools they were allowing you to swim 24 hours a day in 2021.

 

[SwanVT2]

Just to let you know, the 10-10 is NOT enforced. Congress Park had people in before 9 AM every day this week. If you wanted a table and came in any time after 9:30, you were out of luck. The Paddock was also filled to capacity daily, and from the few times we went there, it was by 10 AM. The Main Pool usually let guests in around 9:40 where people scrambled for tables and lounge chairs. No swimming there until 10 when the lifeguards announced the pool being opened.

Yes the gates open. Good clarification!! I was at paddock at 9 to get us seats

 

[DVCKing]

Does anyone know if the bridge to Disney Springs that is closer to the Grandstand side is open yet or do you still have to use the walkway through Congress Park to get to the Springs?

 

[mrsap]

Hi guys! If anyone will be at SSR in the next couple weeks, would you please take a picture of the March Recreation Calendar for me so I can post it on the Monthly Resort Recreation Calendar Thread? I’d truly appreciate it! Thank you so much in advance!!

 

[SwanVT2]

Does anyone know if the bridge to Disney Springs that is closer to the Grandstand side is open yet or do you still have to use the walkway through Congress Park to get to the Springs?

There’s a bridge?! I had no idea. That’s super cool.

 

[zounderz]

Does the resort have rules regarding only being able to park near where your villa is located? Or for example, if my villa is in one of the non-preferred locations, could we actually park our car at Congress park for example to make it easier to walk over to Disney Springs.

We stayed at Congress Park and on the weekends there were no parking spaces for us to use close to our unit. This was problematic since my wife was in a wheelchair and needed assistance. I was not a happy camper.

 

[karen4546]

HI all! We are owners @ AKV and currently have a standard studio and CL studio booked for October 10 for 4 nights each.

I was looking on the site just now and I can get 5 nights in September for roughly the same points in a STANDARD 2 bedroom @ SSR.

I have never stayed here.

Could you tell me would you cancel the 2 studios in October for a full 5 nights in the 2 bedroom? any tips on staying here? are the rooms refurbished?

While I love club level and I love AKV Jambo house, I have rarely used my points there. We have stayed at CCV, Poly V., Riviera, BCV and BWV using our points and this trip in October will be the second time using our points there.

thanks for any suggestions/advice.

 

[LadybugsMum]

If you want to be closer to Disney Springs and all be in one room, then yes you should do it. The refurb was finished last summer; so it's all done and you'll have a refurbed room. You'll also have a full kitchen and laundry which tips in favor of SSR if it were me.

 

[karen4546]

If you want to be closer to Disney Springs and all be in one room, then yes you should do it. The refurb was finished last summer; so it's all done and you'll have a refurbed room. You'll also have a full kitchen and laundry which tips in favor of SSR if it were me.

Thanks! Canceled akv clstudio oct. 10-14 and the standard studio. Booked the 2br standard at Saratoga for less points and the rooms look lovely.

my dad was a horse racing fan and I saw a couple of photo opps when I googled the resort.

I have done a lot with my measley 125 points purchase and snagging a 2 br for 5 nights is great! We are a party of 4 adults but I love a full kitchen and living room.

I still would love tips/advice

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

Just at the hot springs pool and noticed Donald is not at the splash area anymore! So sad!

I know We saw the Donald Duck in the photos of the pool area (and the schedule on the resort channel referred to it as the Donald Duck splash pad) but no Donald Duck. The kids were looking forward to it. Plus, the whole splash pad stopped spraying water the afternoon we were there. One of the lifeguards said the statue was removed because it was a safety hazard due to kids climbing on it.

Thankfully, the kids had a great time at the Paddock Pool's water playground. We had a great first trip to SSR and hopefully the grandstand splash pad will be open if we ever stay there again.

 

[SwanVT2]

I know We saw the Donald Duck in the photos of the pool area (and the schedule on the resort channel referred to it as the Donald Duck splash pad) but no Donald Duck. The kids were looking forward to it. Plus, the whole splash pad stopped spraying water the afternoon we were there. One of the lifeguards said the statue was removed because it was a safety hazard due to kids climbing on it.

Thankfully, the kids had a great time at the Paddock Pool's water playground. We had a great first trip to SSR and hopefully the grandstand splash pad will be open if we ever stay there again.

We love the paddock pool. My daughter went down that slide a million times. That is a shame about the Donald splash pad.

 

[peacefrogdog]

We stayed at Congress Park and on the weekends there were no parking spaces for us to use close to our unit. This was problematic since my wife was in a wheelchair and needed assistance. I was not a happy camper.

I can see why you would be upset. We will be sure NOT to park there just to go to Disney Springs.

 

[nlenguyen]

For an upcoming trip we are going to be needing a lot of rooms, essentially it is a family reunion. 6 different family units. We want to get at least 1-2BD standard for the kitchen, this could be for 3 families although one family has to be in the living room.
The following are some options:

2-2BD
1-3BD +1 studio
1-2BD + 2 studio
1-2BD + 3 studio

Any experience with having to book this many rooms or ease of having rooms closer together? Thank you for any help

 

[peacefrogdog]

For an upcoming trip we are going to be needing a lot of rooms, essentially it is a family reunion. 6 different family units. We want to get at least 1-2BD standard for the kitchen, this could be for 3 families although one family has to be in the living room.
The following are some options:

2-2BD
1-3BD +1 studio
1-2BD + 2 studio
1-2BD + 3 studio

Any experience with having to book this many rooms or ease of having rooms closer together? Thank you for any help

Haven't tried to get this many close together at SSR, but for AKV the most they could do was take requests for the same area of the building. I suspect they would say this as well at SSR.
I thinking getting 2 x 2-bedrooms would be the most straightforward to get.

 

[karen4546]

For an upcoming trip we are going to be needing a lot of rooms, essentially it is a family reunion. 6 different family units. We want to get at least 1-2BD standard for the kitchen, this could be for 3 families although one family has to be in the living room.
The following are some options:

2-2BD
1-3BD +1 studio
1-2BD + 2 studio
1-2BD + 3 studio

Any experience with having to book this many rooms or ease of having rooms closer together? Thank you for any help

To have more room to spread out, I would get three 2 bedroom villas. Make a request to be area/building - you may get lucky and be in the same floor. I would book standard because to save the points. Happy Family reunion!

 

[Wakey]

Does anyone know if the bridge to Disney Springs that is closer to the Grandstand side is open yet or do you still have to use the walkway through Congress Park to get to the Springs?

Yes it’s open, we walked it numerous times at Xmas. I’m not aware they ever closed it?

 

[CarolynFH]

For an upcoming trip we are going to be needing a lot of rooms, essentially it is a family reunion. 6 different family units. We want to get at least 1-2BD standard for the kitchen, this could be for 3 families although one family has to be in the living room.
The following are some options:

2-2BD
1-3BD +1 studio
1-2BD + 2 studio
1-2BD + 3 studio

Any experience with having to book this many rooms or ease of having rooms closer together? Thank you for any help

I would look carefully at floor plans and beds and figure out who would sleep on which sleeping surface. Also think about privacy and that each family should have space they don’t share with another family - everyone needs some down time!

No matter what accommodations you end up booking, give MS all the confirmation numbers and ask that a “traveling with” notation be put on each one. That tells the room assigners to keep you as close together as possible.

Have fun!

 

[Doingitagain]

I would look carefully at floor plans and beds and figure out who would sleep on which sleeping surface. Also think about privacy and that each family should have space they don’t share with another family - everyone needs some down time!

No matter what accommodations you end up booking, give MS all the confirmation numbers and ask that a “traveling with” notation be put on each one. That tells the room assigners to keep you as close together as possible.

Have fun!

This is good advice! Also look at how many bathrooms…when traveling in larger parties, we find it helps if each family party has their private space and bathroom.

 

[sjdrr1313]

We stayed at Congress Park and on the weekends there were no parking spaces for us to use close to our unit. This was problematic since my wife was in a wheelchair and needed assistance. I was not a happy camper.

We had this issue too. Come back from a long day at the parks and nowhere to park our car... We were in Congress park building 1. We like being in the preferred section for the nicer views of disney springs but people taking all the parking spaces when they aren't even staying in that building stinks. We also have a handicapped parking tag and even all those spaces were gone.

 

[karen4546]

Thanks! Canceled akv clstudio oct. 10-14 and the standard studio. Booked the 2br standard at Saratoga for less points and the rooms look lovely.

my dad was a horse racing fan and I saw a couple of photo opps when I googled the resort.

I have done a lot with my measley 125 points purchase and snagging a 2 br for 5 nights is great! We are a party of 4 adults but I love a full kitchen and living room.

I still would love tips/advice

I guess we will see Saratoga Springs later this year. I switched us to 2 bedroom at CCV for September but we will be @ SSR soon. The rooms look great!