SSR questions - Trip in late Feb

[WeLoveAriel0505]

Hi all,

Have a couple questions as staying at SSR for first time in late Feb.

1. Transportation - How good is it........we have 3 kids under 5 and are wondering if we need a rental car or......?

2. What sort of food options are there or should be plan on buying a lot of our own groceries??

3. Any other suggestions are welcome

Thanks.

 

[snowwhite7]

We have stayed at SSR a few times. The buses are not too bad. It depends on what section you are staying at. Sometimes the bus can be full by the time it gets to your stop. The Artists Palette is pretty good for a quick breakfast, that is usually all we get to eat there, since we usually purchase the dining plan. Since you mentioned you have 3 kids under the age 5, they have things like diapers, etc at the Artists Palette, too, if you run out or need extras. Not a lot to choose from, but it is still convenient.

 

[tomandrobin]

We have owned for 4 years now. Most of our stays have been at Saratoga Springs.

The bus transportation has been terrific on our stays. No complaints form us. I am not sure that a rental will help or not. I am leaning more on the not side.

For food, there is the Artist Pallet (quick service dining) and Turf Club (table service dining). The Artist Pallet also has groceries, but are pricey.

If you have a one bedroom or larger, you will have a washer and dryer. Very handy, especially with small kids. Take coffee and tea bags, if you prefer that in the morning, flat bottom filters for coffee machine.

Stay away from Carousel section. With small kids, try for Springs and Grand Stand (first two buildings).

 

[ChelleinNC]

I agree with tomandrobin!

1. Bus service: we've had very good bus service at SSR and awful service at BWV. It just depends on time of day/week/season and perhaps whether the moon is in Jupiter We drive to Disney, but the only time the car leaves the parking lot is to drive to the golf courses (if we're not playing LBV) and to go to AKL for meals.

2. We love the food at SSR! Artists' Palette has great CS food!!! The really nice thing is that it's not the same CS that you get everywhere else. The flatbreads are wonderful (breakfast & lunch/dinner), the dinner specials are good & I really like the ham & brie sandwich OH, and don't miss the brownies & cupcakes, YUM! The Turf Club is the TS restaurant and in our opinion is a hidden gem! We've eaten there even when we weren't staying at SSR

3. Definitely bring coffee & filters (flat bottom basket filters), but that applies to all Disney resorts! We love the Grandstand, great 2nd feature pool (and pool bar ), short walk to Carriage House --where food/main pool are, and first bus stop. A lot of families with small children prefer the Springs which is very convenient to everything.

Have a great trip! We love our home!

 

[Brenle]

If you're staying in a one bedroom especially, (becuase of a full kitchen) I would order all your groceries/diaper needs from an online grocery service and have everything delivered to SSR. We have always used gardengrocer.com. Great service and good prices. Bell services at SSR brings the order up to your room - very convenient.

SSR is our home resort and we love it there. With two small kids, I'd suggest as the others did Grandstand or Springs. Grandstand is usually the first stop for pick up and drop off/Springs is the last.

Have a great trip.

 

[hilarys]

We stayed in SSR two bedroom for a week in May this past year with DH, myself, my parents and our then 5 and 3.5 year old. We had a rental car and used it for every park we visited except for Magic Kingdom. Because we bought our park tickets through AAA we were able to get a preferred parking pass that put us up front (plus the parks were not busy at all when we were there). So driving turned out to be very quick. The bus service was fine when we used it for Magic Kingdom but there is some waiting around involved vs with the car we would walk out of the park and hop in the car. We came back to SSR for naps on two days and I don't know that we would have done that with the bus service. We are going back in 2010 and we are undecided on the rental car since the kids will be older and naps won't be an issue.

I would second using the garden grocer grocery delivery service. It was so easy - everything was brought to our room by bell services. The selection and service was great. You can also order directly through SSR but the selection is more limited. It was great to have food for breakfasts and snacks and some wine for the evening for the grown-ups (we were usually back to the room by 8:30 so the kids could get to sleep at a sem-normal hour).

We stayed in Congress Park and loved it. It is further from the main building and is one of the last bus stops, but it was also a very easy walk to DTD with the younger one in her stroller. There is a small pool in the section that was not crowded at all when we were there. It was a longer walk to the big pool, but the only day we used that pool was on our non-park day so it really wasn't a big deal to walk to it.

We loved SSR especially the convenience to DTD.

Hilary

 

[Brenle]

Hilary,

Your trip sounds like mine. We were there last May, 2 bedroom, gardengrocer, main pool on a no-park day. But we stayed in Grandstand section. (We always do)

Good advice to the OP, too.

BTW, since you have a 3 and 5 year old, be sure to check out the Rain Forest Cafe. Very entertaining. Heard the new T-Rex restaruant is awesome, too.

 

[EDuke98080]

Why stay away from Carousel section? (just curious)

We have owned for 4 years now. Most of our stays have been at Saratoga Springs.

The bus transportation has been terrific on our stays. No complaints form us. I am not sure that a rental will help or not. I am leaning more on the not side.

For food, there is the Artist Pallet (quick service dining) and Turf Club (table service dining). The Artist Pallet also has groceries, but are pricey.

If you have a one bedroom or larger, you will have a washer and dryer. Very handy, especially with small kids. Take coffee and tea bags, if you prefer that in the morning, flat bottom filters for coffee machine.

Stay away from Carousel section. With small kids, try for Springs and Grand Stand (first two buildings).

 

[jgus]

Go with garden grocer... bus service has always been good for us on past 3 stays. Artists' Palette is actually quite good (i'm picky about eating good food)

 

[Brenle]

Why stay away from Carousel section? (just curious)

Carousel section is the furthest away. And the OP has two little ones. Looong walk from Carousel to Artist Palette and the main pool.

 

[WeLoveAriel0505]

What are the pros and cons of Grandstand and Springs..............? Thanks for all of your comments/thoughts.