What is the Reason Why SSR is Considered the Last Resort?

[Genie+]

The last refurb did a very good job! I think one of the first to get the murphy beds too.

Your point about size is a factor I think. With so much inventory there is plenty to go around. People might associate any nitpicks they read about with the everlasting availability, maybe hearing them louder than deserved. I can see the psychology working against SSRs favor.

I’ve yet to visit or stay at SSR but it is the first thing I booked with my shiny new VGF direct points - A room for my newlywed niece and her hubby. I knew it would be a great fit. The studio is lovely and they had Disney Springs right there. I am thankful it was still available at 6 months when other studios for that week before Christmas were already gone. And just 67 points for 5 nights!

It’s hard not to get spoiled as repeat visitors. We’ll do something ‘special’ for the next trip and it can end up becoming the new normal lol. But I totally agree with you - We’ve yet to try a DVC room/resort that we left feeling we want to avoid staying again.

They all have their time/place where I’d be happy to return in the future. Even the OKW studio that ranked most lackluster to us, that was only in comparison. It still was fantastic. The resort fantastic. And definitely circumstances where I’d book that studio again (even with those temptingly large OKW 1 and 2BRs haha).

I will say (from pictures only) the outside of the SSR buildings look the least exciting to me of all the WDW DVC resorts but I’ve never been in person. Someday we will try it hopefully, and WL and RIV as well.

 

[CarolynFH]

I guess my question is, why so much hate?

I think some of the dislike is due to history, based on its location. SSR came after BWV, VWL (now BRV), and BCV, and its location distant from all parks made it an outlier and less popular than those resorts. Also, DS wasn't the destination it is now - it was Downtown Disney, Pleasure Island, and Downtown Disney Westside - and didn't have the number of shopping and dining options it does today. SSR was so unpopular that many guides made sure potential buyers knew they could buy SSR points but would never have to stay there because they could swap out at 7 months! And for a number of years it wasn't unusual to read proud statements here that someone had owned SSR for x number of years and had never stayed there. It really wasn't until the refurb that people started appreciating SSR for its own qualities, instead of comparing it to the near-park resorts.

I wasnt thinking that renting a car is always an option, which would eliminate the need for the bus altogether!

Yes, and unlike many of the other DVC resorts, you can park your rental right outside your building - very convenient! We used our SSR stays to explore outside WDW - Celebration and other areas around Orlando have some very nice restaurants.

 

[Annabell]

We love SSR!

 

[Leight19]

To me it mainly comes down to location. For deluxe resorts you basicaly have mk monorail, mk boat, and Epcot areas. This puts okw, akv, and ssr in the realm where they really aren’t deluxe location wise and I think that makes the “resort of last resorts” clearly one of these three.

Now to me and many others, akv is the best resort so even though its location is not ideal it’s clearly not in the “last resorts” tier. This puts okw vs ssr so question is why is okw considered better?

I don’t know that I can fully explain that but one idea is okw is the original dvc so has some nostalgia. It also has some of the biggest rooms for 1br/2br and has pretty good point charts which are both marks in its favor. Now to me ssr is better location for Disney springs so I can see okw beating ssr but to me it’s not clear enough to be decisive where ssr is clearly last resort.

Which brings me to last reason; ssr is huge and often historically is the last resort to book. It’s therefore the “resort of last resort” because it literally is. If I’m booking something at 4 months out or at busy time and I’m guessing where I’m likely to get a room I’d guess ssr is likely availble. This isn’t a knock it’s the “worst” but it’s the biggest and has enough reasons to like other places it will often be last available.

 

[Genie+]

something about the buildings themselves feel too much like an average FL apartment complex to me

Yeah I can’t shake that feeling. It just doesn’t excite me looking at it.

Compared to others?

Wilderness Lodge: OMG it’s a bear’s face! Theming and architecture on point.

Poly: Somehow manages kitschy and high end at the same time. I love the vibe of this place.

BLT: People have also called it out for being too bland or boring concrete, so much so they’d never stay. I was prepared to possibly be underwhelmed. Then we got inside and every direction I looked were details celebrating mid-century modern with a futuristic lean, connected by a skybridge to Contemporary. Amazing! 100% on point.

Down the list until… I’m sorry to say, SSR has the least oomph.

 

[melissa70]

SSR, OKW, and to some extent AKV will never be as sexy as some of the newer resorts

Hey!! AKV is sexy as heck!

 

[Cfabar1]

OKW is the original, which gives it instant credibility. The rooms are massive, and it is quite charming.

SSR is OKW with higher points per night, smaller rooms, and unless you are in a specific area of the preferred rooms, you cannot walk to DS. (To be fair, you can't walk to DS from OKW either you have to hope that a boat is running, and that the water isn't too low).

I have heard many of a DVC owner derisively refer to the "Saratoga people".... In their minds somehow they are lesser DVC owners, which is patently absurd.

 

[Steelers0854]

We didnt hate our stay there, but it is really our last choice (we havent stayed at OKW yet). For us it was the internal bus loop, it is quite annoying that either on the front or back end you have a few stops to hit. But also the food options there are terrible IMO. I think the proximity to DS is a little oversold, its really only super convenient for a couple of the buildings there, but the vast majority of the buildings its a bit of a trek, but the boat as an option is cool. We did very much enjoy the rooms. I would just say that any of the other DVC resorts (again haven’t done OKW but would probably have similar feelings there) have so many other compelling reasons to stay there that puts them all in front of SSR for us. Again, I would not be mad if we stayed there again at all, but it’s not something I would be excited about or would book on purpose.

 

[CinCrisis]

We love SSR. We don’t mind the bus loop even after a long park day and we enjoy the walk to DS, especially since there are so many wonderful critters and birds to discover along the way (we’re big on walking in general, though). The rooms since the refurb look great and are very comfortable.

It’s not our first choice mostly because it’s easier to get into than most resorts due to its size. We’re new enough to DVC that we want to try out other resorts first if we can get them at 7 months.

 

[Girlstar30]

I stayed there for 1 night once (solo) and loved it.

Stayed again with the fam for a 5 day trip and didn’t love as much. I find I don’t like the outdoor hallways, the long trek to the QS, bus route, and proximity to parks. We did see the drone show from our balcony which was awesome.

All in all I would stay again for sure , but wouldn’t be my first few choices.

We got lost trying to find the lobby and qs! It was def a challenge, thats how we ended up at the spa

 

[Girlstar30]

I

The last refurb did a very good job! I think one of the first to get the murphy beds too.

Your point about size is a factor I think. With so much inventory there is plenty to go around. People might associate any nitpicks they read about with the everlasting availability, maybe hearing them louder than deserved. I can see the psychology working against SSRs favor.

I’ve yet to visit or stay at SSR but it is the first thing I booked with my shiny new VGF direct points - A room for my newlywed niece and her hubby. I knew it would be a great fit. The studio is lovely and they had Disney Springs right there. I am thankful it was still available at 6 months when other studios for that week before Christmas were already gone. And just 67 points for 5 nights!

It’s hard not to get spoiled as repeat visitors. We’ll do something ‘special’ for the next trip and it can end up becoming the new normal lol. But I totally agree with you - We’ve yet to try a DVC room/resort that we left feeling we want to avoid staying again.

They all have their time/place where I’d be happy to return in the future. Even the OKW studio that ranked most lackluster to us, that was only in comparison. It still was fantastic. The resort fantastic. And definitely circumstances where I’d book that studio again (even with those temptingly large OKW 1 and 2BRs haha).

I will say (from pictures only) the outside of the SSR buildings look the least exciting to me of all the WDW DVC resorts but I’ve never been in person. Someday we will try it hopefully, and WL and RIV as well.

I think there is a psychological aspect to it now that you point it out!

The fact that its almost always available made me feel like its less desirable.

I somewhat like the thrill of the chase and just being able to book at my leisure feels wrong ive noticed ive booked things before just because its hard to get and then reluctantly dropped it, so dumb

 

[Girlstar30]

I think some of the dislike is due to history, based on its location. SSR came after BWV, VWL (now BRV), and BCV, and its location distant from all parks made it an outlier and less popular than those resorts. Also, DS wasn't the destination it is now - it was Downtown Disney, Pleasure Island, and Downtown Disney Westside - and didn't have the number of shopping and dining options it does today. SSR was so unpopular that many guides made sure potential buyers knew they could buy SSR points but would never have to stay there because they could swap out at 7 months! And for a number of years it wasn't unusual to read proud statements here that someone had owned SSR for x number of years and had never stayed there. It really wasn't until the refurb that people started appreciating SSR for its own qualities, instead of comparing it to the near-park resorts.

Yes, and unlike many of the other DVC resorts, you can park your rental right outside your building - very convenient! We used our SSR stays to explore outside WDW - Celebration and other areas around Orlando have some very nice restaurants.

Thank you for this unique perspective, I dont know much about the history of DS other than it was once pleasure island and something I would have liked to experience!

I wanted to be one of the braggers that never stayed there just because people say not to buy ssr because you might end up having to stay there but thats just silly, there is a real interest for us to explore it and more of florida!

 

[Girlstar30]

To me it mainly comes down to location. For deluxe resorts you basicaly have mk monorail, mk boat, and Epcot areas. This puts okw, akv, and ssr in the realm where they really aren’t deluxe location wise and I think that makes the “resort of last resorts” clearly one of these three.

Now to me and many others, akv is the best resort so even though its location is not ideal it’s clearly not in the “last resorts” tier. This puts okw vs ssr so question is why is okw considered better?

I don’t know that I can fully explain that but one idea is okw is the original dvc so has some nostalgia. It also has some of the biggest rooms for 1br/2br and has pretty good point charts which are both marks in its favor. Now to me ssr is better location for Disney springs so I can see okw beating ssr but to me it’s not clear enough to be decisive where ssr is clearly last resort.

Which brings me to last reason; ssr is huge and often historically is the last resort to book. It’s therefore the “resort of last resort” because it literally is. If I’m booking something at 4 months out or at busy time and I’m guessing where I’m likely to get a room I’d guess ssr is likely availble. This isn’t a knock it’s the “worst” but it’s the biggest and has enough reasons to like other places it will often be last available.

Ive actually had more people advise me to stay at ssr than okw! I have a feeling ill be fine with either!

 

[Girlstar30]

Hey!! AKV is sexy as heck!

Right I thought animal print was sexy The refurbushed rooms look very sexy to me

 

[Girlstar30]

We didnt hate our stay there, but it is really our last choice (we havent stayed at OKW yet). For us it was the internal bus loop, it is quite annoying that either on the front or back end you have a few stops to hit. But also the food options there are terrible IMO. I think the proximity to DS is a little oversold, its really only super convenient for a couple of the buildings there, but the vast majority of the buildings its a bit of a trek, but the boat as an option is cool. We did very much enjoy the rooms. I would just say that any of the other DVC resorts (again haven’t done OKW but would probably have similar feelings there) have so many other compelling reasons to stay there that puts them all in front of SSR for us. Again, I would not be mad if we stayed there again at all, but it’s not something I would be excited about or would book on purpose.

I was curious about the restaurant there, I didnt even know it had a restaurant until I stumbled upon it, I thought it was qs only! Disappointed to hear it wasnt good!

 

[GrumpyInPhilly]

With regard to walking: At SSR, we request Grandstand and walk to DS regularly. We even walked to DS from Carousel (not our favorite area of SSR but boy was it quiet) when our request for Grandstand didn't come thru. Granted, we like to walk and are fortunate to be able to do so. If fact, the one time we stayed at OKW, we walked to DS a couple of times from a near-Hospitality House room. I think the walking around the parks is at least as much walking as those walks to and around DS.

 

[Judique]

With regard to walking: At SSR, we request Grandstand and walk to DS regularly. We even walked to DS from Carousel (not our favorite area of SSR but boy was it quiet) when our request for Grandstand didn't come thru. Granted, we like to walk and are fortunate to be able to do so. If fact, the one time we stayed at OKW, we walked to DS a couple of times from a near-Hospitality House room. I think the walking around the parks is at least as much walking as those walks to and around DS.

Isn't the OKW/DS walk about a mile from the building 50 area? I was staying there long ago and was going to try that walk. Had my then young child with me and changed my mind as I didn't want to end up carrying her if it got to be too much. Haven't stayed there since so haven't walked it. Also wanted to try the boat and have never got around to it.

 

[muppets3d]

In many ways SSR is why it's so tough to book your "favorite" resort at 7 months. There are a lot of points at SSR that are never spent there, as evidenced by the last-minute availability.

SSR is a nice resort. It's well-designed, quiet, and has a lot of advantages.

I find the rooms a little on the small side personally. But other than that I like it a lot. It's an entirely different vacation than staying at BLT or Riviera, and I think part of the hate it gets is people want it to offer the same vacation as those resorts. But that's impossible.

 

[GrumpyInPhilly]

Isn't the OKW/DS walk about a mile from the building 50 area? I was staying there long ago and was going to try that walk. Had my then young child with me and changed my mind as I didn't want to end up carrying her if it got to be too much. Haven't stayed there since so haven't walked it. Also wanted to try the boat and have never got around to it.

Yes, you are correct. I walk 3 miles every morning, so to me, to/from and around DS was just my normal walk. I also wouldn't want to do it with small children.
The boat wasn't running when we stayed during Covid.

 

[BeachClub2014]

First, the aesthetics. SSR has the undeniable charm of a sprawling, beige apartment complex. The kind where you expect to see a leasing office offering one month free and a free tote bag. It’s less “Disney magic” and more “corporate housing with landscaping.”

Second, the location. Saratoga Springs is technically on Disney property, but spiritually it’s somewhere between Orlando and a rest stop on I-95. It’s far from everything except the nearby shopping mall. If you squint hard enough, you might see a theme park in the distance, but you’ll age a year before you get there.

Which brings us to transportation. Bus-only. No Skyliner. No monorail. Just buses. Loud buses. Buses that hiss, beep, and announce their presence like a foghorn at sea, usually at 6:12 a.m.

And let’s talk about the size. Saratoga Springs is so enormous that navigating it feels like a cross-country expedition. I’m reasonably certain that if you walk from one end to the other, your phone changes time zones. Pack snacks. Alert your family. Update your will.

Other than that, it's a nice place.