SSR Lovers and Owners Part 3

[CarolynFH]

Yes, this is what surprised me, since preferred is often talked about but Grandstand never gets mentioned as preferred.
I realize this thread is in the DVC forum and so most here are owners, but even in threads outside of the DVC forum this isn't clear.

This is actually an example of how inaccurate and useless the request section of online checkin is. It's not unusual for the options to be irrelevant to the resort or villa that's reserved. I can't remember what the example is, but there's at least one resort for which one of the options can be fulfilled by any room there!

 

[bobbiwoz]

Yes, this is what surprised me, since preferred is often talked about but Grandstand never gets mentioned as preferred.
I realize this thread is in the DVC forum and so most here are owners, but even in threads outside of the DVC forum this isn't clear.

A lot of DVCers like Grandstand and consider it the best of the Standard because of the location of the bus stop. If you have an ECV, for instance, you are not likely to have to wait for another bus going to the park.

We only stayed at Grandstand once, and we were lucky enough to be in the building close to the pool. I saw other buildings that were quite a distance away.

We like Paddock as our preferred Standard, by DVC category, and Congress Park as our preferred Preferred by DVC category.

I hope you like what you get!

 

[tom1944]

A lot of DVCers like Grandstand and consider it the best of the Standard because of the location of the bus stop. If you have an ECV, for instance, you are not likely to have to wait for another bus going to the park.

We only stayed at Grandstand once, and we were lucky enough to be in the building close to the pool. I saw other buildings that were quite a distance away.

We like Paddock as our preferred Standard, by DVC category, and Congress Park as our preferred Preferred by DVC category.

I hope you like what you get!

Do you know if Grandstand or Paddock is closer to the boat launch to Disney Springs?

Or is it dependent on which section of either you are in?

Our trip for the immediate future is in August so even when we stay within walking distance to a park we generally take the monorail from BLT or a boat from BWV. Same plan would go getting to DS.

 

[wilkydelts]

The boat launch to Disney Springs is right by the Carriage House which is in Springs so technically closer walk from Paddock but if you get the Paddock building closest to Congress you may not want the boat cause walking is easier.

 

[CarolynFH]

Or is it dependent on which section of either you are in?

This. The 8501-8836 building in Grandstand is a very short walk from the boat dock; the other Grandstand buildings are farther, and so are the Paddock buildings. See map https://www.wdwinfo.com/maps/SSMap.pdf

 

[zackiedawg]

What time does the entrance from SSR to DS open?

I saw this question and was ready to answer quickly and easily, then realized I may not be correct anymore. Pre-Covid, you could walk around Disney Springs as early as you like - I walked through at 6am long before anything opened. There were no security screeners back then - so guests trying to get there by bus needed to wait for the busses to run, and the parking garage wasn't open yet - but walking over from Saratoga had no limitations.

Now with the security screenings to get in - I'm not 100% sure if you could get in any earlier than 9am. Stores and shops open at 10am, but they start the security screenings and parking lots open around 9am. I'd be curious if anyone was able to walk in earlier. Maybe coming around the westside entrance might work better than the Marketplace side if you wanted to walk around in the early AM?

 

[Crescent_Lake]

I saw this question and was ready to answer quickly and easily, then realized I may not be correct anymore. Pre-Covid, you could walk around Disney Springs as early as you like - I walked through at 6am long before anything opened. There were no security screeners back then - so guests trying to get there by bus needed to wait for the busses to run, and the parking garage wasn't open yet - but walking over from Saratoga had no limitations.

Now with the security screenings to get in - I'm not 100% sure if you could get in any earlier than 9am. Stores and shops open at 10am, but they start the security screenings and parking lots open around 9am. I'd be curious if anyone was able to walk in earlier. Maybe coming around the westside entrance might work better than the Marketplace side if you wanted to walk around in the early AM?

Thanks for trying to answer, but I already know that no one can enter DS from Congress Park until security is officially open. I guess my question should have been, what time does DS security open for walkers?

 

[act1980]

Last time we stayed we were in Grandstand which we really liked as it was close to the boat launch and the lobby. This time we have requested the Paddock as I keep hearing really good things about it.

I’ve had to make this request via DVC MS chat as you can no longer select it when completing online checkin.

How successful have people been when making requests? What did you request and what did you end up with?

 

[zackiedawg]

I've generally been around 90% for more general requests, like a section...and around 40% for specific requests like a specific building or room (at all DVC resorts, not just Saratoga). When booking Preferred at Saratoga I always request Congress Park and out of the last 30 stays there, I only ended up not getting it twice.

I've been better at getting specific room number requests (I'll request 4-8 specific room numbers) at Boardwalk and Boulder Ridge - with Saratoga I have only gotten a specific room number requested once in 15 tries. With Boardwalk, I've gotten one of my requested rooms around 50% and 70% at Boulder Ridge over the past 2-3 years.

 

[CarolynFH]

How successful have people been when making requests? What did you request and what did you end up with?

For our last visit to SSR, in 2022, I requested the Paddock building that's at the Carousel bus stop, and we were in Carousel, so I guess that's sort of close!

A few years ago when we had a standard view 1BR at BWV, I requested to be in one of the corner rooms (x123). We were assigned one of the villas more or less next door, and we were on the 4th floor which fulfilled our secondary request for High Floor.

I wish I could remember our success rate back when Boardwalk view was just a request when booking Preferred view (not a separate booking category), but I can't - sometimes we got it, sometimes we didn't!

 

[JHarveyTN]

Where can I find the bus route for SSR? I believe Grandstand is the 1st stop for arriving buses but I'm not sure the rest of the order.

 

[CarolynFH]

Where can I find the bus route for SSR? I believe Grandstand is the 1st stop for arriving buses but I'm not sure the rest of the order.

For the parks, the bus goes Grandstand, Carousel, Paddock, Congress Park, Springs. For DS the route is opposite.

 

[Crescent_Lake]

For the parks, the bus goes Grandstand, Carousel, Paddock, Congress Park, Springs. For DS the route is opposite.

We stayed in Congress Park in January and in March. The DS bus went straight there after picking us up every time.

And no, we aren't lazy. We mostly walked to DS, but a few times we were really tired in the evening and wanted to conserve steps picking up late night Polite Pig.

 

[JHarveyTN]

For the parks, the bus goes Grandstand, Carousel, Paddock, Congress Park, Springs. For DS the route is opposite.

We stayed in Congress Park in January and in March. The DS bus went straight there after picking us up every time.

And no, we aren't lazy. We mostly walked to DS, but a few times we were really tired in the evening and wanted to conserve steps picking up late night Polite Pig.

Thank you! Looking forward to our 1st SSR stay in May!

 

[The Jackal]

For the parks, the bus goes Grandstand, Carousel, Paddock, Congress Park, Springs. For DS the route is opposite.

I thought DS bus went Springs, grandstand, carousel, paddock, congress park then back to springs then to DS.

 

[Crescent_Lake]

I thought DS bus went Springs, grandstand, carousel, paddock, congress park then back to springs then to DS.

I got on the DS bus at the Congress Park bus stop multiple times in January and multiple times in March. We went straight to Disney Springs every time.

I will say, everything the front desk check in person told me about the bus routes when we checked in for our January stay (our first SSR stay) was incorrect. Or at least it was not how things were happening during our two visits

 

[CarolynFH]

I thought DS bus went Springs, grandstand, carousel, paddock, congress park then back to springs then to DS.

You’re probably right - we didn’t ride to DS, only to the parks.

 

[Shoktherapy]

How successful have people been when making requests? What did you request and what did you end up with?

I will tell you in Sept - we requested Congress Park / Ground Floor - Booked 2 Studios. MS said they would try to keep them together, but we shall see.

 

[jess2022]

How successful have people been when making requests? What did you request and what did you end up with?

I'm two for two so far at SSR. First trip, we requested Congress Park, upper floor & facing the water. We got a lovely view of DS on the 3rd floor. Second time, we requested a building near the Paddock pool. We got a top floor room in the building closest to the pool and the bridge to the Springs.

 

[GrumpyInPhilly]

I'm two for two so far at SSR. First trip, we requested Congress Park, upper floor & facing the water. We got a lovely view of DS on the 3rd floor. Second time, we requested a building near the Paddock pool. We got a top floor room in the building closest to the pool and the bridge to the Springs.

Stayed twice at SSR. Requested Grandstand both time. Got it the first time. Just last month got Carrousel and ending up really liking it. Who knew?