We were there last August -- loved it!
So was SSR truly the only thing open -- meaning not even OKW was available? If so -- interesting. (We went in August because I was afraid we might not otherwise get a chance, haha! Figured everyone would want a shot at the newbie... oh well, just means more chances for us.)
Our family found the pool very nice, and while many complain it's small, wehad no complaints there (and the resort was filled to capacity at the time, though perhaps not as many units were open then?) We also LOVED the quiet pool especailly at night, with the DTD lights twinkling across the water -- so nice! We had a pool / DTD view -- awesome! THe CMs there were THE BEST -- especially in the community hall. We had great bus service, and DH loved having the car nearby and accessible. Our kids think DTD is the 5th park, LOL, so it was very convenient for us!
The sleeper sofa was undeniably the best we have ever experienced... DH and I gave up the king in the master BR to the kids and took the sleeper, it was so nice! We didn't eat at Artist Palette, and the little shop there is kind of like BWV's internal shop -- it's more spread out than BWV's, perhaps more space to move around, but like BWV, it's just a small smathering of items, kind of hit or miss.
Only things I didn't like: decreased storage space relative to other resorts (much smaller closets or even reduction of # of closets compared to BWV/BCV/VWL and certainly OKW); layout of bathroom (all those doors! Like playing "Let's Make a Deal" -- I almost expected to find a goat behind one...<a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008_ZNxdm801YYUS' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_10_170.gif' alt='Goat' border=0></a>) Reduced counter space in bath and kitchen (they have carved away at it and reduced it in some places to just a few inches deep -- very shallow! The exterior halls didn't bother me at all -- although I wasn't too keen on all the frogs and lizards I found in them at night! (The kids, of course, thought that was WAY COOL. To each his own!) We were worried we might think the decor was too much like "goin' to grandma's" with all the antique-appeal, but instead we found it quite classy looking...
I guess it all boils down in the end to a matter of individual taste and good fortuen, though. If you like that type resort (condo-style, open halls, sprawling resort) and styling, and you like a DTD location, and you have a good vacation with no major stoppers, you'll come back raving about SSR. If, on the other hand, you're a big-hotel-amenities person, who likes all-inclusive resorts in the heart of the parks, interior halls, and/or you happen to have some series of "unfortunate events" befall you, chances are, you'll return with a less glowing review of SSR.
As for us... We would probably put SSR in contention with OKW, which puts it just below VWL and perhaps a bare notch above BCV and well above BWV. But understand that in our case, ironically, BWV is even where we own, and if it were the last place available, I'd still say, "Thanks VERY MUCH!" and be thrilled to be there!