SSR vs. OKW: Help us decide! Please?!

[wrighter]

Please help me! I'm driving myself (and DH!) crazy!

We are a family of four who has only ever taken the kids to Disney during the off season. Next year, 2010, we will be joining the throngs of visitors to WDW the week before Easter. We know this will change how we "do Disney," and we're ready to rock.

Here's what we can't decide: Do we stay at SSR or OKW? We're planning on a six night stay in a two bedroom villa. At the time of travel our DS will be almost 7 and DD will be 4. We plan to be at the parks early and enjoy, and spend our afternoons and evenings in the pool - our kids are fish!

The debate in our house centers around this main theme: Do we stay at SSR, with nicer pools and newer accommodations? Or do we stay at OKW, with bigger rooms and a bigger patio?

Help?! Save my marriage!

 

[toniosmom]

We stayed at SSR this past March, but the main pool was closed for refurb. I've never stayed at OKW. Unfortunately, I can't give you an experience recommendation of one vs the other.

If your kids are fish (like my son), I suspect that you will be spending many hours by the pool each day. I'd go with whichever has the best pool.

 

[Arthur27]

They both have their +'s. The one thing I think I would engoy @ SSR is it is in walking distance to Downtown Disney.

 

[Brian Noble]

With four people---and two younger kids---the extra size of OKW's rooms might not be quite as important. I happen to like OKW's theme better, but that's just a personal opinion.

Remember that at either location, you might end up farther away from the "good" pool, unless you book the HH category at OKW.

 

[kikiq]

Tough choice. Visiting a friend in OKW is what convinced us that DVC just might be for us. Loved that patio. However, your kids are 7 and 4, SSR has pools and playgrounds. The main pool has the slide and activities, the Grandstand pool has a smaller type water play area. The Congress Park pool has a playground next to it. Does your 7 yr old ride bikes? My niece loved the little rental bikes at SSR. Does it help that SSR has areas that your kids can just run along the river and lake? My sil liked the quiet CP pool because it's close to the river and my niece would sometimes just look for the water birds and critters (bunnies).

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

With only 4 and two being younger children I don't think the extra space at OKW is such an issue. And I think the water play areas at SSR might be fun for them, zero entry etc.

 

[ldo]

my kids 7,11 prefer OKW's pool. They like the slide better--it twists around a bit more and is faster. For a 4 yr old, it might be too fast. SSR also has a nice zero entry. Both have very good Community Halls. For a 1st visit, I might pick SSR and request Grandstands--the waterplay area would be good for your ages. Plus, you can sit in the hot tub and watch them--it's in the same area.

 

[Mississippian]

I would vote for OKW. The rooms are bigger and it is cheaper, too. I would strongly advise getting a room near the Hospitality House. This is a separate booking catagory. We were in the boondocks the one time I stayed at OKW and it negatively impacted our stay.

I much prefer the EPCOT resorts, but between OKW and SSR, I just don't see how getting bigger rooms for less money is a bad deal.

 

[jessesgirl]

My vote is for SSR. We just left OKW and my back is still killing me from the hard bed. The furniture at OKW was a lot older than that of SSR. I liked the pool at SSR a lot better, I have a 3yr that loves the zero entry of SSR pool.

 

[rwcmath]

I voted for SSR because I think it's nicer, but I really think if it's just for the 4of you, I would save the points and get a 1 bedroom savannah view at Kidani. I would enjoy that more than OKW or SSR.

 

[DVC Grammy]

Since your logo shows your "home" as AKV, how come Kidani, savanna view isn't on your list? The pool area is supposed to be great, the animals delight kids, and although AKV requires buses to all the parks, so do SSR and OKW.
But, if your hearts are set on either SSR or OKW, I'd vote for SSR. I'd suggest the Grandstand section, which is close to the main pool and the Carriage House, but also has a nice water-play area and pool. One other advantage to SSR over OKW is that if you get a 2nd or 3rd story villa, there are elevators, very welcome when you come back from the parks "dragging".

 

[wrighter]

Thanks, everyone, for your replies, thoughts, and suggestions here. I think at this point we're leaning towards SSR. We figure that if our hope is to be outside in the pools as much as we can - why not choose the resort with what we believe are the better pools. More space is nice (at OKW,) but we hope to not be in the room as much.

DVC Grammy - you asked why Kidani is not on our list for this trip. I am actually dying to stay there, but since our trip is Easter week, I worry that the one small pool area there will be much too crowded to enjoy properly.

 

[Tink&PirateMama]

We stayed in a 2 br this past winter with 2 kids (at that time 4, and 5), and they LOVED SSR! I can't rave about it enough. That's where they want to stay again. They loved the room, the style, the playgrounds, walking to DTD, and the pool was a huge hit. Great slide! I'd suggest trying for congress park area if you can get it- they loved being near to the 'lego dragon'!

That being said, we are happily trying OKW on our next trip, and I'm excited about trying new resorts.... but my daughter is STILL asking we just stay at SSR again!

You really can't go wrong!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I am an SSR owner and love my home resort. On the other hand at OKW your room as 2 queen beds and the square footage of the room is some what bigger. So for a family of 4 I would stay at OKW. You can take the boat to DTD. You can rent bikes and ride over to SSR.

 

[jarestel]

i suspect if all of the DVC resorts were magically transported to the exact same location so outside factors were mostly eliminated (walking to parks, pool amenities, restaurant proximity, etc), OKW would be the hands down favorite of the vast majority of members. It just seems like it was designed as a "vacation home".

If the resort experience is your main interest, you can't beat OKW. However, those pesky "outside factors" tend to sway opinions like tree branches in the wind.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[MissyDVC]

I voted for SSR! We tried OKW on our last trip and really disliked it for a number of reasons and cannot wait to get back to SSR on our next trip. We are actually going to try BCV for part of our trip and SSR to end the stay because we love it there and we know that, no matter what, we will love it there. Enjoy your trip no matter where you choose to stay