Trip report VWL/SSR 1/15-1/27

[mamatojon]

Well, we're home! Our real home in rainy WA state that is.

I posted awhile back while we were staying at VWL - http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1004501 - well, we didn't get internet anymore on the trip so I couldn't log in from my stay at SSR. We had a wonderful trip. We stayed in 1BR's both places, 6 nts each. I love love love VWL. If I knew I was going to need the 11 mo window there I would try and talk my husband into selling our SSR and buying there. We'll have to see how things to with Nov or Jan reservations in the future, I really think I'll want to stay here most of the time! Astonishing, lovely, I just can't express how much I love this resort. The only thing that would have made it much better was a working food court, the little snack shop they set up to get through the refurb of Roaring Forks was okay but not great. But that's only for a few months and won't be the case our next trip I'm sure.

We switched to SSR 1BR on the 21st. This resort will be great once the construction is finished and the trees have grown a bit. As it was, it was a bit dissapointing coming from our awesome view at VWL, here we had a view of the construction going on across from the carriage house. I joked that at VWL I awoke and heard birds and waterfalls, at SSR I heard beeps horns, LOL. We still loved it though, we thought the pool was better for us since my son was scared of the big slide at WL, he loved the small H/A one at SSR. I liked the food court, one night I think they added three times too much salt to everything - but that was the only time the food wasn't great. I was trying to envision SSR a few years older and I really think I'll be amazed when we stay there again, I'm sure it will be beautiful when it is all grown up. It is a bit like a teenager now, all pimply and awkward with the construction and fences, LOL.

The one thing I really hated about SSR's 1BR's is the bathroom. It doesn't lock completely away from the living space, if you want to be sure no one walks in on you showering you have to lock the bedroom door as well. That was a bit of a pain.

Once my husband gets the pics uploaded I'll post our view side by side with VWL's and you can see the disparity, LOL. I'm really not knocking SSR, really, I thought it was great! We just completely lucked out on our view at VWL and got a little unlucky at SSR. No big though, we had a great time.

I'm so tired now!!! My little girl turned two during this trip and she is terrible twos in full force! We did the character lunch at Crystal Palace on her birthday and that was a real trip highlight. Great buffet and the service was awesome! They decorated the table with confetti and streamers and we bought a little birthday cake for 12.00. They would have made bigger deal of it too but the characters weren't there when we were done eating and I wanted to get going so they just brought out the cake and card signed by Tigger, Pooh, Eeyore, and Piglet. It was wonderful. I don't think I'll ever do 12 nts with a two year old again if I can help it though, LOL. It was a bit much.

Thanks for reading!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I'm glad you had such a nice first trip home!

I very much agree with you that SSR will look especially lovely when it's trees are matured.

I'm guessing that you mentioned DD's 2nd birthday and the table was decorated for you when you got there. Or was it done some other way? It's been a long time since my DS's were 2, but on my DGS's (2 years in December) "thank you card to us" his mom, wrote "Dear Babci and Grandpop, No, Love, Jack." Luckily, this will pass.

Bobbi

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

Welcome back! Can't wait to see pictures!

You have me even more excited to be staying at VWL in a couple months, can't wait to be there again!

 

[MiaSRN62]

Thanks for the report Christine ! Glad you had a nice time. I agree about VWL---I'd love to own some points there as well one day. I wasn't aware of the Roaring Forks rehab....thanks for the info.
Hope you get a better view at SSR next trip.....I firmly believe all DVC resorts have some good and some bad.
Looking forward to seeing your pics when you get a chance

 

[iankh]

So happy you had a great time at VWL. I had considered SSR but wound up with a VWL resale because we had always loved the WL so much.

Did you find out what they are going to do with the roaring forks rehab? I've always been disappointed with Roaring Forks. The resort deserves better.

 

[KLEONARD]

The one thing I really hated about SSR's 1BR's is the bathroom. It doesn't lock completely away from the living space, if you want to be sure no one walks in on you showering you have to lock the bedroom door as well. That was a bit of a pain.

I thought all the one bedroom villas had two bathroom doors in all the DVC resorts. Do the ones at SSR not have locks? Did your one bedroom at VWL have only one bathroom door?
I stayed at VWL, Oct 2005, and thought it was great. My only complaint was the view. I stayed in studio 1516. First floor, right past the elevators. The patio doors were about fifteen feet from the walkway leading into VWL. It was kind of like vacationing in a NYC storefront (people looking into the room as the walked to the Villas). It really did not feel like the Pacific Northwest in the room. But the common areas and the lodge are fantastic.
I will be staying in a one bedroom at SSR in May. Hope I do not get the construction view.

 

[mamatojon]

I thought all the one bedroom villas had two bathroom doors in all the DVC resorts. Do the ones at SSR not have locks? Did your one bedroom at VWL have only one bathroom door?

Okay, lets see if I can explain this right... At VWL, there were two doors into the bathroom with the shower, sink, and toilet all in the same room, both of these doors locked from inside the bathroom, so that a person showering would have complete privacy. At SSR, the bathroom still had two doors, but inside there was a separate "water closet" room for the toilet which locked from inside of course, the door into the living room locked from inside the bathroom, but the door to the bedroom locked from the bedroom side. So a person in the tub could have complete privacy within the bedroom without having to lock the livingroom/bathroom door. In my family we shower, not bathe, so that was not really useful to us. I didn't see the benefit to the separate toilet room either since there is a vanity in the bedroom that is much better equipped for getting ready at. Of course, I'm sure there are people who this works better for, I definitely liked VWL's bathroom setup better.

 

[mamatojon]

So happy you had a great time at VWL. I had considered SSR but wound up with a VWL resale because we had always loved the WL so much.

Did you find out what they are going to do with the roaring forks rehab? I've always been disappointed with Roaring Forks. The resort deserves better.

I don't know, but they had the little snack area in the area that was the seating area before. There were a few little tables outside in the hallway, but it was more a grab and go type setup, kind of like a convenience store. It wasn't apparent to me what changes were being made, they had it all walled off from view.

 

[mamatojon]

I firmly believe all DVC resorts have some good and some bad.
Looking forward to seeing your pics when you get a chance

Absolutely, I really think we lucked out on the view at VWL and I know we might not be so lucky next time. We could get a killer view of Downtown Disney next SSR trip too, who knows. The view doesn't make or break it for me anyway, just a nice addition to an already lovely resort.

 

[rigsby25]

We were just at SSR for 3 nights, coming home yesterday. Our home resort is OKW, but that was booked as we just decided to go on New Year's Eve. We were at Magic Kingdom and just happened to see the boat to Wilderness Lodge, so we decided to just go and explore and have lunch. We too fell in love with that resort! We had lunch at Whispering Canyon and we had such a great time. The Margaritas were really good and we did the hokie pokie right in the middle of lunch. I can't wait to try to get a reservation at Fort Wilderness! I think Fort Wilderness is the best kept secret at Disney! As far as SSR, it was nice. We thought we'd feel cramped coming from OKW because everyone says other resorts have smaller rooms. But since there were only two of us, my husband and I, we left the couch folded in our studio, and actually, the room seemed bigger. We enjoyed the pool and the Turf Club is now open. It was nice to go in there in the evening and have a nice view of Downtown Disney from our table.

 

[MiaSRN62]

We thought we'd feel cramped coming from OKW because everyone says other resorts have smaller rooms. But since there were only two of us, my husband and I, we left the couch folded in our studio, and actually, the room seemed bigger.

Yes, I've never felt a big difference with size between OKW and the other DVC resorts with the studios. It's the 1 and 2 bedrooms where OKW shines as far as size goes.
As for the studios, I agree, if only 2 people are staying in them, then the DVC resorts with the fold-out couch is the way to go. But when we stay with my kids, they won't sleep on the couch because they say it's not nearly as comfortable as a real bed. So OKW studios are the only thing that works well for our family because of having 2 queen beds.
I agree with rigsby25, in that Whispering Canyon is a fun place to dine