Tell me about SSR (only the good please)

[DVC Jen]

So I added a quick 4 night last minute trip to WDW after our Fantasy cruise next month. The only place I could get was SSR. We have never stayed there. We have never had a desire to stay there. I have read a lot of negative posts about it. Now - I want to hear the GOOD. We have a one bedroom preferred booked and I have no idea what that means, where or what to request. Help! I need a crash course on all things SSR.

 

[bumbershoot]

I think preferred means you’ll be near the main building and main pool.

I’ve stayed mainly in the Paddock section (not near the main bldg and pool) and I’ve loved it. Nice room, nice staff, lots to do.

 

[disneynutz]

I would request congress park, disney springs view. Beautiful grounds, easy walk to disney springs.

Bill

 

[travelbug]

I'm not an expert on SSR by any means, but I've stayed there twice and thought it was a lovely place to stay. The grounds are really nice to walk around, love the proximity to Disney Springs, and also really liked the wide variety of food choices available at Artist's Palette. I think I stayed in the Congress Park section one time and in the Springs section the other time. I enjoyed the quiet pool in each of those sections, so didn't go to the main pool at all.

My home resorts are BWV and BCV, so I usually stay in one of those. But if a situation came up where SSR was all that was available, I would absolutely be happy to stay there again.

Have a wonderful time!

 

[bobbiwoz]

The Turf Club has delicious food!

Counter service, The Artist Palette is very good. Sometimes they have a pot roast sort of special, and everyone I know who has tried it really enjoyed it. It takes TIW card for the meals.

I enjoyed the Community Room activities with my grands!

I have only encountered very nice CMs there.

Some of the views are magnificent. I ask for a view of Disney Springs when I am in Congress Park.

Something I just remembered! In December I had a two bedroom HA with my aunt, cousins and my sister. It was just about the nicest 4 night vacation I have EVER had. My family raved about the unit, the bus service and courtesies given to my aunt who needed a scooter. We were in the Springs section.

 

[Kim&Chris]

Only stayed there once, but the main pool is really nice, and the Turf Club is VERY good!

 

[Firepath]

Turf Club is our favorite Disney restaurant. Great food and we enjoy the surprisingly quiet atmosphere. You can also choose to eat indoors or out weather permitting. We've only ever stayed in 1 bedrooms at SSR and they have never been run down.

 

[las3888]

We were like you, the only place available for a last minute trip to WDW was SSR. Up until then we really didn't care for it. We ended up really liking it and have chosen to stay there about 2 more times since that point. We like to mix it up and stay all over WDW but I look forward to our next time back at SSR. If you have preferred view I think that means you are close to the hospitality house. We have stayed in the Springs which I believe is considered preferred. We enjoyed a nice water view. We were right across the street from the main pool etc. and found that to be very convenient. Subsequently we have discovered the Grandstand and have stayed in a building or two is also very close to the main pool. I do not believe this is considered a preferred view, but we enjoy the golf course views from there. I hope you end up liking it as much as we do. Sometimes we are pleasantly surprised when we have a lower expectation!

 

[Rochester Disney Fan]

This is my go to resort when returning from a cruise . If you like pools you'll love SSR as they have 2 feature pools.

The counter service in the main building Artist Palette has a wide selection.

I know the Springs section is considered preferred because it is close to the main building and largest feature pool. I believe the only other section considered preferred is Congress Park because it is close to Disney Springs.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Preferred is Congress Park or The Springs. I'd go with Congress Park like Bill suggested above. We had a one night SSR stay last Dec and we were in a one bedroom ground level in Congress Park looking out at Disney Spring. It was really nice.

It was an easy walk over to Disney Springs to eat at the Boathouse (great Baked Crab Stuffed Whole Lobster).

 

[BEASLYBOO]

I would request congress park, disney springs view. Beautiful grounds, easy walk to disney springs. Bill

This is where we’ve requested and stayed many times, my favorite area, close to a quiet pool and BBQ. SSR has beautiful grounds, and my experiences have all been contrary to what you read in the”SSR Disapointed” thread, call it luck, call it what you will. My stays at SSR have always been in 2bd units, which is a 1bd as you reserved with the addition of a “deluxe” studio. The resort has a nice gym and good places to eat. We’ve enjoyed every meal we’ve had at the Turf Club, often choosing to eat there even when staying elsewhere. The lamb and beef dishes have always been succulent, well seasoned and prepared as requested. For QS, the Artist’s Palette has good flatbreads and sandwiches, served with tasty homemade crispy chips. I prefer the quiet pools, my kids are grown so I can stay away from the crowds and the slide! SSR’s proximity to DS, by relaxing boat ride, especially at night, gives it charm. Now, every resort has a certain amount of less than stellar inventory as the resorts ages, I guess it’s a luck of the draw as to what you get. I think the later you arrive, affects your accommodations, but that’s only my experience and opinion. I’ve been lucky, and I hope you will be as well. Even with what I read, I still wouldn’t hesitate to stay there.

 

[Miffy]

SSR, as others have said--and I agree--has beautiful grounds. It's a pleasure just to walk around there. And it's great to be able to walk over to DS. Love that about SSR. Also, it's really quiet there--extra love for that! We were in a studio room next to a roadway in March, and I was concerned the noise would be bad, but with the balcony door closed there was ZERO noise. Just wonderful.

As a PP stated, the two preferred sections are the Springs and Congress Park. If you'd like to be closer to Disney Springs, ask for Congress Park. The Springs is great because it's an easy walk to the QS restaurant.

There's also a boat to DS, but if you're at Congress Park, it's easier to just walk.

The walk from SSR to OKW is lovely. If some more Disney walking is on your agenda, I highly recommend this. We do this walk all the time--and sometimes have a meal at Olivia's on the OKW end of things. Or we'll walk to OKW and then take whatever bus shows up for our park visit.

On our last night in March we discovered that one can see the tops of the MK fireworks from the riverside walkway in Congress Park. Nice!

Well, we like SSR. We started staying there when WL was under construction and were pleasantly surprised. We've continued to stay there because we like everything I've mentioned above.

Have a great stay!

 

[Deb & Bill]

...The walk from SSR to OKW is lovely. If some more Disney walking is on your agenda, I highly recommend this. We do this walk all the time--and sometimes have a meal at Olivia's on the OKW end of things. Or we'll walk to OKW and then take whatever bus shows up for our park visit....

You can only do that walk during daylight hours since the path between OKW and DS isn't lit at night.

 

[Miffy]

You can only do that walk during daylight hours since the path between OKW and DS isn't lit at night.

Yes! Thanks for catching that.

 

[larissawbb]

You can only do that walk during daylight hours since the path between OKW and DS isn't lit at night.

And there is wildlife lurking!

 

[jamiecarr@dvcstore]

I have stayed at all of the Orlando DVC resorts and while my home resort and first love is Wilderness Lodge, in the season I am in right now in my life, we stay at Saratoga more then anywhere else. I love being able to take the boat to Disney Springs and then walk back to the resort at night. I love the grounds, the views off the patio and how quiet it is. The main pool and pool area are great. I have heard all sorts of views on SS, though I have stayed there many times, love it and have absolutely nothing bad to say. Have a great trip!