SSR Lovers and Owners Part 3

[Doingitagain]

I hope people keep this in mind when they think about asking for late checkout or plan to make rope drop and then return to the room at 10:55 to call for luggage assistance.

Good point. I wonder if they offered and promoted free luggage storage more people would do that rather than leaving it in their room.

 

[CarolynFH]

Good point. I wonder if they offered and promoted free luggage storage more people would do that rather than leaving it in their room.

They do offer it, just don’t promote it, and apparently some people don’t think about it.

 

[Michiel]

Hi there! Does anyone have an update on the refurb of the main lobby building? Saw on YouTube they were working on the lobby area between check in and Artist Palette last week. Doe anyone know how this is progressing and when it will be all done?

 

[puente0629]

Hi there! Does anyone have an update on the refurb of the main lobby building? Saw on YouTube they were working on the lobby area between check in and Artist Palette last week. Doe anyone know how this is progressing and when it will be all done?

Refurb on the lobby will continue into late Oct 2021

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

We may plan a trip to WDW in February and our usually resorts aren't available. We like to stay at Boardwalk usually partly because of the convenience of location. SSR and AKL are the only resorts available though and I've never stayed at SSR. Please sell me on SSR. Why should we stay there? TIA

 

[Doingitagain]

We may plan a trip to WDW in February and our usually resorts aren't available. We like to stay at Boardwalk usually partly because of the convenience of location. SSR and AKL are the only resorts available though and I've never stayed at SSR. Please sell me on SSR. Why should we stay there? TIA

Could you give more info on size of group, number of adults, ages of kids, what you look forward to doing at WDW? Then we can be more specific in replies.
I have stayed at both SSR and AKL.

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

Could you give more info on size of group, number of adults, ages of kids, what you look forward to doing at WDW? Then we can be more specific in replies.
I have stayed at both SSR and AKL.

Just me and DD who is an adult. We will spend probably just one day at AK and divide the rest of the days between the other 3 parks. 2 days each. We do like to spend sometime at the resort just hanging out but not big on going to the pool. Won't spend too much time at DS but will go at least for a little bit. We have actually gone ahead and booked for SSR since I made the original post but would still love any advice and tips that anyone has to offer.

 

[bigAWL]

Just me and DD who is an adult. We will spend probably just one day at AK and divide the rest of the days between the other 3 parks. 2 days each. We do like to spend sometime at the resort just hanging out but not big on going to the pool. Won't spend too much time at DS but will go at least for a little bit. We have actually gone ahead and booked for SSR since I made the original post but would still love any advice and tips that anyone has to offer.

For me the biggest advantage over other resorts is the walk to DS, so I say take advantage of that and explore everything there (potentially ideal spot for getting into Gideons Bakehouse?). Another recent plus is that every room has been fully refurbed. For you and your daughter (assuming you're in a deluxe studio), that means you'll each have your own decent bed. They all have a regular queen plus a pull-down full murphy bed with a good mattress -- no fold-out sofa bed, which you'll find in most studios around WDW. Another relatively unique feature is the Senses Spa, which most others don't have... if that's your thing. Other than those things, I think it's a matter of taste. I think the resort is picturesque with beautiful grounds, but others think it lacks some sort of Disney charm. There are several of the same resort activity options you'll find at other resorts, and several nice pols dotted around. And you'll have to accept buses as the only transportation option to the parks. But if you have a car, you'll have easy access off property to I-4 and I-Drive.

 

[TinkFan74]

We are finally doing it, after 11 years of ownership at SSR, we are finally going to stay at our home resort. It will be me, my 23 yo daughter and her friend, and my 12 yo niece. We will be there over Easter for nine nights in a standard 2 bedroom, but I am unsure of what section to request. My gut tells me that the Paddock area is the best bet as the two most important factors are proximity to a pool and Disney Springs, but the resort is so big that I am unsure if this is a good choice. Are there any experts who can help me out? We will have a rental car, so access to a bus stop is not important. Thanks for the advice.

 

[bigAWL]

We are finally doing it, after 11 years of ownership at SSR, we are finally going to stay at our home resort. It will be me, my 23 yo daughter and her friend, and my 12 yo niece. We will be there over Easter for nine nights in a standard 2 bedroom, but I am unsure of what section to request. My gut tells me that the Paddock area is the best bet as the two most important factors are proximity to a pool and Disney Springs, but the resort is so big that I am unsure if this is a good choice. Are there any experts who can help me out? We will have a rental car, so access to a bus stop is not important. Thanks for the advice.

I posted this a couple weeks ago. Paddock has a feature pool. Grandstand has a quiet pool.

Depending on which building you get, and which part of Disney Springs you'll spend more time in, Grandstand may be a closer walk. This is a map I posted a while back comparing the walk to DS from Grandstand to the Springs, but you can see the Paddock buildings continue up off the top of the image (the Paddock pool is ALMOST off the top). But... don't sweat it too much. It'll be great no matter where you are.

View attachment 589333

 

[Memorymakerfor4]

Well, I'm absolutely in love with SSR after our trip. Stayed in Grandstand and we were bowled over by how pretty the grounds were driving in every night. We always got a spot right in front and thought the renovation was done really well. This is my first choice for adding on points in the future!

 

[figmentfinesse]

Here now for my first stay here. Put our arrival time as 11 am, was hoping it would be ready by 4. No dice. Fingers crossed it is soon!!

 

[kilik64]

Here now for my first stay here. Put our arrival time as 11 am, was hoping it would be ready by 4. No dice. Fingers crossed it is soon!!

In before some one points out the whole after 4pm thing

 

[figmentfinesse]

In before some one points out the whole after 4pm thing

I know it’s after 4, that’s why I was hoping after 4 it would be ready. But it wasn’t. We got the text at 5pm. I was just tempering anyone’s expectations about what your arrival time meant.

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

So any suggestions on a room request that we should make? Is there a room that will be closer to the bus stop maybe? I think that would be our main concern. We would like to be on the bus the least amount of time as possible. I know when we stayed at OKW it's best to ask for a room near the hospitality house and I wasn't sure if it was like that at all at SSR. We are staying in a standard room btw.

 

[CarolynFH]

So any suggestions on a room request that we should make? Is there a room that will be closer to the bus stop maybe? I think that would be our main concern. We would like to be on the bus the least amount of time as possible. I know when we stayed at OKW it's best to ask for a room near the hospitality house and I wasn't sure if it was like that at all at SSR. We are staying in a standard room btw.

The bus picks up at Grandstand first, then Carousel, then Paddock, which are the three Standard sections. The Preferred sections College Park and Springs are 4th and 5th, respectively. We were in Paddock building 45 in June, with the Carousel bus stop directly in front of our building. It was also a short walk to the Paddock feature pool. We would request that building again. You could also consider Grandstand building 85, which is a very short walk to the Carriage House where the High Rock Springs feature pool is, not to mention close to the Grandstand quiet pool.

 

[The Jackal]

The bus picks up at Grandstand first, then Carousel, then Paddock, which are the three Standard sections. The Preferred sections College Park and Springs are 4th and 5th, respectively. We were in Paddock building 45 in June, with the Carousel bus stop directly in front of our building. It was also a short walk to the Paddock feature pool. We would request that building again. You could also consider Grandstand building 85, which is a very short walk to the Carriage House where the High Rock Springs feature pool is, not to mention close to the Grandstand quiet pool.

Congress Park. Got to love spell check.

 

[CarolynFH]

Congress Park. Got to love spell check.

Actually, it may be because I used to live near an area called College Park, and that name is just embedded in my brain!

 

[starfrenzy]

We just stayed in a two bedroom at Saratoga for 10 nights and absolutely loved the beautiful rooms.

We were in The Paddock right next to the pool there (building 55) and the location was great because we were near the pool, drink refill, and bus stop. Plus the Paddock Grill has really good fish tacos plus the chocolate croissants I somehow became infatuated with on this trip.

The lobby/QS/Community Hall was a quick five minute walk. I think I'd request The Paddock again.

 

[Boomatt]

Does anyone know if the walkway from Saratoga to the West side of Disney Springs is re-open? I tried searching but didn’t come up with anything since July.