Saratoga Springs Advice?

[Katie Sansom]

Hi there!
Me & my family are going to Disney world in November. When we were first booking (about 6 months ago) we were told our first & second choices (The Beach Club & Old Key West) were booked up - aside from the concierge level rooms. So we reviewed the options we had, and decided eventually on Saratoga Springs. Since we've never been there we're all very excited & nervous, so I was wondering if anyone had any tips for us? Which restaurants/meal times should we go for, or anything else you can say? Also, 2 of our party are in wheelchairs - any tips concerning that?
Thankyou for taking the time to read and answer

 

[sxeensweet]

Love Saratoga Springs. And the table service restaurant Turf Club is a hidden gem. SSR is not our top fave but we still really like and enjoy SSR. Quiet, beautiful grounds, and can park right at the building your room is located in which is so nice.

 

[Tinkerfan4ever]

I would suggest trying to book the Grandstand section - this is the first bus pickup. I would think it would be easier for the wheelchairs to get on with fewer people on the bus. It is also a short walk to the main building and to the boat to Disney springs. Plus grandstand has it's own pool.

 

[Katie Sansom]

Love Saratoga Springs. And the table service restaurant Turf Club is a hidden gem. SSR is not our top fave but we still really like and enjoy SSR. Quiet, beautiful grounds, and can park right at the building your room is located in which is so nice.

Thanks for the suggestion! Will definitely try it

I would suggest trying to book the Grandstand section - this is the first bus pickup. I would think it would be easier for the wheelchairs to get on with fewer people on the bus. It is also a short walk to the main building and to the boat to Disney springs. Plus grandstand has it's own pool.

Thankyou! That should be really useful

 

[sxeensweet]

Thanks for the suggestion! Will definitely try it

Thankyou! That should be really useful

Your very welcome!! I hope y'all have a wonderful trip!!

 

[slappy magoo]

The food court there is quite nice, but for a resort that big (and it's huge), it can get incredibly packed. So on the occasions you plan to eat casual at the resort, consider this - get the phone number for Wolfgang Puck express at Disney Springs. Depending on where they book you, it could only be a 5-10 minute walk to get there. Call ahead, they'll box to-go orders, someone can go pick it up while everyone else is getting ready to hit the parks or lounging poolside. I guarantee the food will be ready faster and taste better than damn near anything at Artist's Palette. Which is not to say the food at AP is inedible, it's fine. But Puck express is better. The fact that they place orders over the phone is icing on the cake.

 

[mouse_luv]

If you want to go to Disney Springs often, ask to be put in the Congress Park section of SSR, we were able to walk to DS and back from there via a walkway. Also a good thing to know is SSR has elevators, so you aren't limited to first floor rooms for the HA option like you would be at OKW.

 

[bethymouse]

The Paddock was perfect! This section had the pool with a cool slide, and a quick service restaurant with a refillable mug area. It was also close to a bus stop! We had to walk a ways to get to the main pool area, but that was no big deal, since it is such a beautiful resort! Turf Club... best kept secret on Disney property! And although a long walk to Disney Springs, it is gorgeous! ( Take the boat back). SSR is one of my husband's favorite resorts! Enjoy!

 

[jlsHouston]

I love SSR!. Usually I rent points from a DVC member when I stay there, but last summer I got a great deal direct from Disney for a 1 bedroom! We usually request Springs area and get it so I can't speak about the other sections of the resort. I prefer Springs because it is right across the pool from the the qs restaurant, gift shop, main pool, spa..etc. Last year the grandkids did tons of arts & crafts in the afternoon in addition to pool time. We enjoy the boat trip to Disney Springs and yes Wolfgang Puck Express is a great place for a meal. Is the resort huge? Yes..but I find CSR sprawling and I get positively turned around at OKW so I think sprawling is not really a limiting factor. Enjoy!

 

[montyz81]

I am going to be checking in here for the first time on Saturday (2 days). How does one get grocery's for the room? We are not renting a car this time around (first time ever). I am anticipating that there will be nothing available in Disney Springs and the groceries available at Saratoga Springs will be limited. The only option i can see is a cab or uber

 

[jlsHouston]

I am going to be checking in here for the first time on Saturday (2 days). How does one get grocery's for the room? We are not renting a car this time around (first time ever). I am anticipating that there will be nothing available in Disney Springs and the groceries available at Saratoga Springs will be limited. The only option i can see is a cab or uber

There is some kind of a grocery service people use. I normally have a car. Our trip from 5/8-13 we won't have a car either and I am going to order our water from that grocery service.

 

[BigRedDad]

My $0.02 on SSR. The resort is excellent. My only minor complaint was that the room entries are through exterior corridors. We did not eat at the restaurants there. We chose to go offsite to save money. For comparison, dinner for 4 with drinks for 3 adults was about the price of one meal at the Turf Club. The shop is relatively small but I think that is due to DtD a 5-10 minute walk away. Pools are excellent. You are not too far from one and you can always hop the first bus and get dropped off right by it. Walking access to DtD is perfect if you like going there. All the staff were friendly and helpful.

We would definitely stay there again as long as we keep getting the DVC rentals for the price we do.

 

[Rob562]

I am going to be checking in here for the first time on Saturday (2 days). How does one get grocery's for the room? We are not renting a car this time around (first time ever). I am anticipating that there will be nothing available in Disney Springs and the groceries available at Saratoga Springs will be limited. The only option i can see is a cab or uber

The one time we stayed at Saratoga we had a rental car for the day, but when we stayed at Port Orleans we made a grocery run to the Publix on route 435 for snacks and alcohol and used Uber. (The drive there from SSR is probably about the same distance)

Uber cost us $7.07 on the way there and $7.27 on the way back. (We lucked into a large SUV on the ride back, but in retrospect we probably should've requested an UberXL to ensure we had room for all the stuff we bought)

I guess your best bet is to compare the fee for a grocery delivery service vs. the round-trip Uber price.

-Rob

 

[LuvtheGoof]

I am going to be checking in here for the first time on Saturday (2 days). How does one get grocery's for the room? We are not renting a car this time around (first time ever). I am anticipating that there will be nothing available in Disney Springs and the groceries available at Saratoga Springs will be limited. The only option i can see is a cab or uber

https://www.gardengrocer.com/ is the best as far as we are concerned. Never an issue in several uses. You can get anything you need, included alcohol, if desired.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

My $0.02 on SSR. The resort is excellent. My only minor complaint was that the room entries are through exterior corridors. We did not eat at the restaurants there. We chose to go offsite to save money. For comparison, dinner for 4 with drinks for 3 adults was about the price of one meal at the Turf Club. The shop is relatively small but I think that is due to DtD a 5-10 minute walk away. Pools are excellent. You are not too far from one and you can always hop the first bus and get dropped off right by it. Walking access to DtD is perfect if you like going there. All the staff were friendly and helpful.

We would definitely stay there again as long as we keep getting the DVC rentals for the price we do.

OK, I have to ask. How could you possibly have fed 3 adults with 4 drinks for the price of one meal at Turf Club? McDonalds maybe? I mean, even the NY Strip is only $34 including mashed potatoes and a side of asparagus. There is no way that you can feed 4 people for that price at a good sit down, and the Turf Club is an excellent sit down restaurant. We've eaten there maybe a dozen times already, and it has always been excellent food and service.

 

[BigRedDad]

OK, I have to ask. How could you possibly have fed 3 adults with 4 drinks for the price of one meal at Turf Club?

Read the sentence before. We ate offsite. It was Lone Star during Happy Hour

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Read the sentence before. We ate offsite. It was Lone Star during Happy Hour

Sorry, but there is no way that you paid for 3 adult meals at Lone Star with beverages for under $34. No way.

 

[epcotisbest]

Sorry, but there is no way that you paid for 3 adult meals at Lone Star with beverages for under $34. No way.

Actually, there is a way and it is easy. Lone Star has a big, hearty bowl of Texas chili topped with cheddar, sour cream and jalapeño served with bread or plenty of crackers for $4.99. The smaller size for someone less hungry is $3.99. So if all three got the large bowl of chili as their meal, there is still $19 left for the four drinks. Now I don't drink but would guess at happy hour with half price drinks, you could get two $9.50 drinks and two free. There is the $34. Now, we have not included tax or tip, but still, adds up to about $34 pre-tax and tip, so yes, way.
We have eaten there for $10 for two. Both had the chili, had water to go with it, left quite full and satisfied. Did leave a nice tip, but basically still dined for $10 bucks. So go ahead and call me a liar too.
OH, and we think the restaurant at SSR is one of the better resort restaurants onsite and will be staying at SSR and dining there again soon. And might just go to Lone Star for some chili again too.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Actually, there is a way and it is easy. Lone Star has a big, hearty bowl of Texas chili topped with cheddar, sour cream and jalapeño served with bread or plenty of crackers for $4.99. The smaller size for someone less hungry is $3.99. So if all three got the large bowl of chili as their meal, there is still $19 left for the four drinks. Now I don't drink but would guess at happy hour with half price drinks, you could get two $9.50 drinks and two free. There is the $34. Now, we have not included tax or tip, but still, adds up to about $34 pre-tax and tip, so yes, way.
We have eaten there for $10 for two. Both had the chili, had water to go with it, left quite full and satisfied. Did leave a nice tip, but basically still dined for $10 bucks. So go ahead and call me a liar too.
OH, and we think the restaurant at SSR is one of the better resort restaurants onsite and will be staying at SSR and dining there again soon. And might just go to Lone Star for some chili again too.

I only think of the steaks at Lone Star, so was trying to compare apples to apples. Saying you can get a bowl of chili that isn't even available at Turf Club is disingenuous at best and a very bad comparison when you are talking only about price. If you were going to eat a cheap bowl of chili off-site, then you have no right to compare that to an excellent sit-down at SSR. If you want to compare that, then go over to Earl of Sandwich instead. You could also have eaten at Artist's Palette cheaper than Turf Club as well.

Now can you get a steak cheaper there? Well of course. It's a cheap steak house, but then you have to drive off-property to get there. Did you rent a car? Well, did you factor that cost into it? Gas? How much park time did you lose, or did you not care?

We stay on-site every time, so use Disney transportation and dining exclusively. We do that even when we drive there. I have lived in Orlando before, and don't feel the need to go off-site for any reason.

 

[epcotisbest]

I only think of the steaks at Lone Star, so was trying to compare apples to apples. Saying you can get a bowl of chili that isn't even available at Turf Club is disingenuous at best and a very bad comparison when you are talking only about price. If you were going to eat a cheap bowl of chili off-site, then you have no right to compare that to an excellent sit-down at SSR. If you want to compare that, then go over to Earl of Sandwich instead. You could also have eaten at Artist's Palette cheaper than Turf Club as well.

Now can you get a steak cheaper there? Well of course. It's a cheap steak house, but then you have to drive off-property to get there. Did you rent a car? Well, did you factor that cost into it? Gas? How much park time did you lose, or did you not care?

We stay on-site every time, so use Disney transportation and dining exclusively. We do that even when we drive there. I have lived in Orlando before, and don't feel the need to go off-site for any reason.

Congratulations on your use of Disney transportation and dining exclusively. I am quite happy for you.