SSR Lovers and Owners Part 3

[ebusinessguru]

The new Disney Springs Marketplace boat dock and walkway to Saratoga Springs is now open to guests.

wow! That's great! Just in time I'm there on Monday for my first solo trip. Should be good being able to hop over to downtown Disney easily.

 

[Lilysmom]

What size villa are you looking for? If anything other than a Grand Villa, I'd say your chances fall somewhere along the spectrum of a slim-to-fair-to-marginal chance of it coming through. There is a chance, but it would be something of a long shot this close to the trip. There are a few things that work in your favor. SSR is a very large resort, and there is a lot of churn. We're also coming up on the 30-day point, so anyone who's sitting on a reservation but is unsure if they're really travelling or not will make their decision to cancel or not in the next few weeks. Also, while SSR is my personal favorite resort and there are many, many of us who absolutely love it and seek it out, unfortunately, there are many in DVC who look at it as a "fallback" location. Rest assured that there are a lot of people holding reservations at SSR who have a waitlist in to move to another resort. If their waitlists come through, it may open a slot for you to get in.

Some things that work against you, though, are that your trip is during the Epcot Food and Wine Festival, which is very popular with DVC members. (At least it's not the half-marathon weekend, so that's good.) There's also a Mickey's Not-So-Scary-Halloween Party on the 26th, which is also a draw for DVC members.

I just re-checked availability for that night, and there are no 2-bedrooms or tree house villas available at SSR. OKW also doesn't have a 2-bedroom. So this is a night that's currently in high demand.

Once you're within 30 days of check-in, the chances of a wait list drop. (Wait lists often come through as part of a daisy-chain effect. Someone who has a reservation for the room you want may be waiting to see if their wait list comes through for another room. If they get theirs, you get yours. Shortly before the 30-day point, there is a flurry of wait list activity as people try to make final changes to their reservations before there are penalties for changing/canceling reservations. When you're within 30 days of check-in, though, there are different rules on how the points associated with a reservation can be used. If a wait listed room uses a different number of points than the reservation the member currently has, those points could go into holding. That's something most members want to avoid, so many wait lists cancel at 30 days out. That means the amount of churn slows down, and the chance of a wait list coming through goes down.)

Good luck, whatever you decide.

Thanks for your insight. I'm actually holding a reservation at SSR for 9/19-9/25 (2bdrm.) if the wait list comes through we'll stay there the 25/26. If not we'll move over to POFQ for those two nights. Can't wait to try out SSR. In 23 trips we've never stayed there so I'm looking forward to trying it out!

 

[BudgieMama]

wow! That's great! Just in time I'm there on Monday for my first solo trip. Should be good being able to hop over to downtown Disney easily.

We arrive on Monday for our first ever trip, so this is good news. Does anyone know roughly how long it takes to walk using the bridge?

 

[I Run Long]

We're checking in tomorrow after 5 days at POR. We'll have 9 nights at a 1 bedroom and am sooo looking forward to it. Have lots of laundry to catch up on. Really looking forward to having the space too. Requested Paddock area and close to pool. We'll see what we get.

 

[bigAWL]

We arrive on Monday for our first ever trip, so this is good news. Does anyone know roughly how long it takes to walk using the bridge?

Are you hoping to stay at the Congress Park section? My guess is that it's about a 5 minute walk from the closest building in Congress Park to the edge of the Marketplace. Please report back with your experience.

I'm requesting Congress Park for my New Years trip, since we want to be closest to DTD (aka Disney Springs).

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

We're checking in tomorrow after 5 days at POR. We'll have 9 nights at a 1 bedroom and am sooo looking forward to it. Have lots of laundry to catch up on. Really looking forward to having the space too. Requested Paddock area and close to pool. We'll see what we get.

hello! Have the best best best best time! I hope you get the Paddock! Let us know!

 

[Cheryl N. WI]

The new bridge is open!

Pictures and reports on facebook, today, that guests have been using the new bridge between SSR and DTD. The new boat dock for the Marketplace is also open and in use.

I'll be at SSR in 2 1/2 weeks!! We plan on walking over to DTD a few times to eat and to catch buses to a few of the other resorts. We are using Magical Express and this will be my first time at WDW without a car.

 

[ebusinessguru]

Are you hoping to stay at the Congress Park section? My guess is that it's about a 5 minute walk from the closest building in Congress Park to the edge of the Marketplace. Please report back with your experience. I'm requesting Congress Park for my New Years trip, since we want to be closest to DTD (aka Disney Springs).

I've arrived and just did the walk! If you're in the section closest to downtown Disney ... It's about a 5-10 min walk. That bridge looks really new

 

[bigAWL]

I've arrived and just did the walk! If you're in the section closest to downtown Disney ... It's about a 5-10 min walk. That bridge looks really new

Super. Thanks for the report.

 

[I Run Long]

Checked in today. Asked for Paddock and close to pool and got Springs section close to the pool. Love our room and it's a beautiful resort. Just wondering how far the walk to downtown from here is or where the boat dock. Have a bit of exploring to do.

 

[KJSJpipe]

Probably a 30ish minute walk going to the Market Place from the new bridge near Congress Park. The boat is through the gift shop and out the back, there is a hallway in the back right corner. There is also a walkway near there through the golf course that puts you at the back of L'Cirque all the way at the end of DTD. That might be a 5-10 minute walk, but it's then a long walk to the Market Place if you are headed there.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Checked in today. Asked for Paddock and close to pool and got Springs section close to the pool. Love our room and it's a beautiful resort. Just wondering how far the walk to downtown from here is or where the boat dock. Have a bit of exploring to do.

Downtown Disney: cross the street toward the pool, turn left, and then walk up the sidewalk until you get to the Congress Park bus stop. Walk through the bus stop, through the pool area, until you get to the water. Turn left and follow the water to the bridge.

The boats: Cross the street toward the pool. Turn left. Walk to the end of the building and turn right. Pass the DVC Preview Center, and continue walking until you get around to the back of the building. You'll see the dock.

Alternate route to the boat: Enter the Carriage House and turn left. Walk past Artist's Palette and keep going until you get to the Turf Club. Walk out the back door near Turf Club and down the steps. You'll see the boat dock.

 

[I Run Long]

Thanks very much! Our building is right across the street from the DVC centre so we are nice & close to the boat. Quick question. Is there a way to walk to Old Key West from here? We have a breakfast at Olivia's on our departure day.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Thanks very much! Our building is right across the street from the DVC centre so we are nice & close to the boat. Quick question. Is there a way to walk to Old Key West from here? We have a breakfast at Olivia's on our departure day.

During daylight hours, you can cross the bridge behind the Golf Pro Shop, and then turn right. That path will take you to OKW. Know up front, though, that this isn't an official walking path. It's meant to be a cart path for golfers and cast members. It's not lighted at night. I can't remember if there are signs on this path similar to those on the cart paths at Grandstand that indicate the path isn't for walking or jogging. I do know that people walk along here all the time, though, to get to the Downtown Disney Westside.

 

[I Run Long]

Thanks everyone. I'll put my husband on it. He's retired Canadian army and loves his early morning recees as he calls it. He can do his "route march" and come back with a map/briefing.

 

[I Run Long]

Thinking of having a pedicure here with my DD16 to ease those tired feet. Anyone ever been to the spa here for that? Just wondering how it was.

 

[winnie77]

I have been twice and I got Swedish massages. It's expensive but it's disney so what do you expect. But besides that, it was very enjoyable and relaxing. And if I have money and time on my next visit I would do it again. I always feel very relaxed when I leave. Have never gotten my nails done there so can't speak of that but the massages are good

 

[I Run Long]

Thanks winnie77 we both went yesterday and boy do my feet feel better. Going today for manicures. We just can't help ourselves.

 

[susan137]

My family of 4 will be staying at SSR for three nights at the beginning of Oct. We would like to be in the Paddock section near or hopefully facing the Paddock pool. I will be calling member services this morning to add a room request. What is the best way to word it? Paddocks close to the pool? Or should I be asking for a certain building number? Just trying to have the best shot at getting our request, so any advice would be appreciated.

Susan

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

My family of 4 will be staying at SSR for three nights at the beginning of Oct. We would like to be in the Paddock section near or hopefully facing the Paddock pool. I will be calling member services this morning to add a room request. What is the best way to word it? Paddocks close to the pool? Or should I be asking for a certain building number? Just trying to have the best shot at getting our request, so any advice would be appreciated.

Susan

If you want to actually overlook the pool, you should specify ask for that. "Paddock section with a balcony that looks out on the pool." There are two buildings near the pool, but only a handful in each that actually have a balcony that looks out on the pool.

Ask again when you get to the desk for check-in, to make sure Member Services didn't enter that as a more-generic request for Paddock near the pool.