Young family of 5 and SSR..advice please..

[michvin]

We are thinking of buying into the SSR next month on our visit. We were there last week for the sales info and tour...thought it was really, really nice...very all-inclusive resort feel...like what they say, a home away from home. Our little ones are now 2 1/2, 5 1/2, and 7. We have been to WDW 4 times this past year, so needless to say the DVC makes lots of sense for us...even though we only plan on making a yearly week long trip.

I would just like to know what anyone thinks about the transportation to the parks and the accomodations for the little ones. We have never stayed at SSR so I can't compare it with our stays at the other resorts..we have traveled quite a bit and really enjoy the full service type hotel and we need the extra space. We have stayed at WL, POFQ, and just last week tried the value Sports. I commented to my DH that it would be nice to be able to stay somewhere where we could have our own space at night with the kids...at the one bedrooms go for $400 a night so buying in only makes financial sense longterm. I am just a bit concerned being tied to one resort all the time...I know that we can choice into other DVC places at the 7 month mark, but if we had to stay at SSR , would I miss anything? I don't think we will be able to actually stay there before we sign up so any thoughts would be appreciated...

 

[3 Hobbits 2 Disney]

SSR is a great resort....The zero entry pool/slide, quiet pools, playgrounds, plus the activites and gameroom are all great for kids. There are plenty of walking trails away from the roads...you can walk to DTD in about 20 minutes, given the age of your kids, or take one of the boats from behind Artist Palette.
The transportation system/buses are no better/no worse than the other resorts. Sometmes you hit it just right, other times you just miss it. The internal bus system within the resort is said to be quite handy -- though we haven't used it yet.
We have stayed in a 1BR and studio, and it is true, stay in a 1BR or better, and there is no going back. The ability to do laundry cuts down on packing and the full kitchen makes for convenient breakfasts.
Our DD6 loves the pullout couch...she can watch TV while DM and DD sleep in...and get her own snacks if she gets hungry. She also loves the slide and pool activities.
We've owned at SSR for a little over a year, and we have not stayed at any other DVCs yet...we enjoy home too much. We have stayed at everything from All Stars to Wilderness Lodge, and I can't ever see us staying anyplace but home/DVC in the future.
Hope this helps. If you have any specific questions, PM me.

 

[DizneyNutz]

It looks like DVC is for you and your family. Now you just need to decide where you most want to stay.Then buy into that DVC resort. This is the only way to ensure you will have the vacation you look forward too!

 

[starbox]

Our kids are 10 and almost 8 and we SSR! I have no doubt that we will end up spending the vast majority of of WDW time at SSR by choice (I can't wait till the new section opens - it sounds fabulous). The bus transportation was not a problem for us.

I did want to try all the resorts once (except for BCV, which, for various reasons, I don't think I'd like). So far, I've been able to book OKW and VB at less than 7 months without a problem. I'm hoping to try a few days at HHI this April. We wait-listed VWL for NYD and the week after (with a back-up reservation at SSR) and it came through after about a month and a half.

 

[dvc at last !]

You will never regret your purchase -
wish we could have purchased sooner than we did.

 

[lbaker3]

We bought at SSR last year and this year was the first year we used it. We brought 2 of my kids (6 and 7) and my mother in law. We all had a great time and barely left the resort at all. My 7 year-old only wanted to stay in the Community Hall playing video games or going out on the bridge to go fishing. We have been to Disney approximately 10 times within 7 years and have stayed at Wilderness Lodge, All-Star Music and Sports and at Pop Century. This was such a treat to stay at a vacation home. It was a huge savings being able to cook in the room. Breakfast became so much easier as did just coffee in the morning. We switched off for lunches, sometimes eating in and sometimes eating out. The Artist's Pallette has great food and most of it was pretty reasonably priced. Dinner we mostly ate out for.

After being spoiled for a week I cannot see my family being crammed into a one room hotel room EVER again!!!! My 6 year-old daughter wanted to live at the resort. This was actually the first vacation where none of us wanted to leave the resort.

If you have any doubts I would suggest renting someone's points for a short stay and I am sure by the end of your stay you will have bought your own vacation home.

 

[Deb & Bill]

With 5 in your family, you may want to make sure you get enough points to stay in a two bedroom. There are occupancy limits to DVC according to the paperwork that we sign. That said, Member Services is currently allowing 5 in a one bedroom, but they will not provide extra bedding or linens. You will get four bath towels, two hand towels and four face cloths. You'll have a king bed and one queen sleeper sofa in a one bedroom.

Member Service is not supposed to allow 5 in a studio unless one is under the age of three.

Since older rules that were not enforced in the past are now being enforced, they could decide to enforce occupancy as well. Meaning, four in a studio or one bedroom, eight in a two bedroom and 12 in a Grand Villa.

Just something to consider.

 

[Laurabearz]

We too are a family of 5 Our kids are 7,5,3

DVC has been a great fit for our family. SSR is a lovely resort... they are all lovely resorts.

I always book at the 11/7 month window, but change our minds so much that we average booking about 5 months out....

 

[lbaker3]

With 5 in your family, you may want to make sure you get enough points to stay in a two bedroom. There are occupancy limits to DVC according to the paperwork that we sign. That said, Member Services is currently allowing 5 in a one bedroom, but they will not provide extra bedding or linens. You will get four bath towels, two hand towels and four face cloths. You'll have a king bed and one queen sleeper sofa in a one bedroom.

Member Service is not supposed to allow 5 in a studio unless one is under the age of three.

Since older rules that were not enforced in the past are now being enforced, they could decide to enforce occupancy as well. Meaning, four in a studio or one bedroom, eight in a two bedroom and 12 in a Grand Villa.

Just something to consider.

I know about the limits for the occupancy. We will be brininging a blow up mattress for one of my kids next trip. When we were looking at the vacation club we were told that we could bring in a sleeping bag or "something" in a one bedroom but not in a studio because of room size restrictions. I like the two bedroom size anyways. This next trip however we will be staying in a one bedroom so the air mattress will get used. Now we just have to figure out which lucky child gets to sleep on it. (The three of them will be fighting over it, I am sure!!!)

 

[michvin]

We too are a family of 5 Our kids are 7,5,3

DVC has been a great fit for our family. SSR is a lovely resort... they are all lovely resorts.

I always book at the 11/7 month window, but change our minds so much that we average booking about 5 months out....

Laurabearz and other families of 5...do you usually stay in a one bedroom? That is all the points we were planning on purchasing right now as the kids are small. It is so much bigger than a room, we figured we could do the one bedroom for a few years...

 

[dianeschlicht]

We are a familiy of 4 and started out planning on a 2 bedroom because we needed the additional bathroom as well as two real beds in the second bedroom.

 

[Disneyaholic]

We are a familiy of 4 and started out planning on a 2 bedroom because we needed the additional bathroom as well as two real beds in the second bedroom.

Similar story with us. Our kids were 5 (boy) and 8 (girl) when we bought. We bought enough points for a week in a 1BR during the spring, which was when we usually went to WDW. We figured a 1BR would be OK for a couple of years and then we could add on to be able to get a 2BR. We bought our points in July and had that year's worth to use (still had free passes then, so we wanted to make sure we got to take advantage of those), so we went in early November. The same number of points got us a 2BR for a week at that time. We knew we would never be able to do a 1BR!

Even now, when it's just DH and me, we almost always get a 1BR for the extra room. To us, you're not using DVC to its full advantage if you're not able to really feel like "home"!

 

[Granny]

We are a familiy of 4 and started out planning on a 2 bedroom because we needed the additional bathroom as well as two real beds in the second bedroom.

We also wanted the second bathroom with our family of four. Plus it allows the middle room to be a place of relaxation in the mornings and late evenings without disturbing others' sleep.

We started with a 1BR and after a few trips bought another contract to give us enough points for a 2BR each trip. With 5, I'd think you would want to plan that way at some point.

 

[Deb & Bill]

When we bought in 1997, five over three yrs old in a one bedroom wasn't allowed since occupancy was 4 plus one under three yrs of age. We are a family of three, so it wasn't a concern for us except when we wanted to bring others along.

The five in a one bedroom is only a recent thing with MS, and with other rules being enforced, you may need to consider getting a two bedroom in the future with five in a family. It would be a shame to purchase your points based on the one bedroom and not be allowed to stay in a one bedroom with your family of five.

 

[bdb7607]

We're a young family of 5 (kids 7,6,5) and will only do the 2 bedroom, 1 bedroom is too small for 3 kids in our opinion....

 

[GADisneyDVC]

We have been owners for a little over a year and we have stayed at SSR 3 times, HHI once and we have upcoming stays for OKW and BWV. It has been great for our family of 4 or 5 depending on if we bring a friend of our son's. We only regret that we didn't know about it before. We love our friends who told us about it!!

 

[llp479]

Laurabearz and other families of 5...do you usually stay in a one bedroom? That is all the points we were planning on purchasing right now as the kids are small. It is so much bigger than a room, we figured we could do the one bedroom for a few years...

We're a family of 5, dds 12,12 and 9 and we've always stayed in a two bedroom, even when the girls were younger. For me, the second bathroom is a necessity, especially now that the girls are getting older. When they were smaller, the second bedroom was needed for all the stuffed animals that just "had" to come to WDW with us.

 

[3DisneyKids]

Laurabearz and other families of 5...do you usually stay in a one bedroom? That is all the points we were planning on purchasing right now as the kids are small. It is so much bigger than a room, we figured we could do the one bedroom for a few years...

My kids are the same ages as yours and we love, love, love SSR (we have stayed at OKW, POFQ, AKL, CON, and Poly over the years, and SSR is their fav--by far!). With kids in this age range, DVC is totally for you.

We do the 1 BR (no flames about 5 in a 1 BR, please...different thread) and since our kids are so small, it totally works for us (the 1 BRs in OKW are way bigger, though).

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Jeremy&Susan]

We spoke with a number of relatives and friends about what their kids look for when vacationing. We don't have any yet, but plan to.

Everyone we spoke to with small kids said to make sure the hotel was a great place to stay with little ones. Reason being, the small ones usually love the pool and activities as much as the theme parks (sometimes more).
One friend brought his family down for a grand vacation and his daughter didn't want to leave the hotel. He finally convinced her to go to the park. Right after they walk through the gates, her first question was whether or not they could now go back to the pool.
SSR is great for pools and kids activities plus fun for the big kids; golf right out your door, DTD a 15 minute walk or boat ride, also a cafeteria style dining hall and now a great resturaunt.
All inclusive kind of sums it up. Also with the size, the kids are bound to make friends to help keep them occupied.