Best for 4 adults and 4 children

[ajmellu7]

I am currently booking a holiday for August 2017 and really wanted to go to Old Key West again. I am coming with my wife and our 2 daughters (age 3 and 6 next year) and our closest friends who have never been to Disney before (husband and wife and son and daughter who will be 9 and 11 next year) I was wanting to book Old Key West as I stayed there last year and loved it, but unfortunately it seems to already be booked up and the only option left within budget is Saratoga Springs. I have never stayed there before and am worried that it will be smaller than what we need and that the sleeping arrangements will be awkward. I was wondering if anybody would be able to help at all and if anybody had any advice for me (we are from England and have to come over at that time) Many thanks in advance

 

[Rob562]

I am currently booking a holiday for August 2017 and really wanted to go to Old Key West again. I am coming with my wife and our 2 daughters (age 3 and 6 next year) and our closest friends who have never been to Disney before (husband and wife and son and daughter who will be 9 and 11 next year) I was wanting to book Old Key West as I stayed there last year and loved it, but unfortunately it seems to already be booked up and the only option left within budget is Saratoga Springs. I have never stayed there before and am worried that it will be smaller than what we need and that the sleeping arrangements will be awkward. I was wondering if anybody would be able to help at all and if anybody had any advice for me (we are from England and have to come over at that time) Many thanks in advance

I'm surprised they showed availability at SSR at all.

The thing with the DVC resorts is that no one can book them more than 11 months out. (I guess for some reason some inventory at SSR is handled differently) The 11-month window allows owners at that resort to book their villas ahead of non-owners.

So, for OKW you'll have to wait until closer to your trip to book directly with Disney. Or, to save some money, look into renting points through one of the DVC rental brokers like David's. It's much cheaper than booking directly from Disney. They should be able to set you up on a waitlist so that at the 11-month window they can book you right away.

-Rob

 

[sxeensweet]

We love Saratoga Springs it's one of our faves amongst also Kidani, Boardwalk, Grand Floridian etc, but we are only 2 me and the hubby and we get a 1 or 2 bed villa. He's a snorer so can't always sleep in the same room and we like having 2 bathrooms if possible. LOL.
So I can't help you with room size. Old Key West is known to be larger than all the rest of the DVC rooms.
Why not get 2 seperate studios for both families or 2 regular rooms at a moderate etc instead of a Villa y'all all 8 have to share. Those are options as well. That many people in a room of course is doable and folks do it but price out your other options of maybe 2 seperate studios or rooms as well at different resorts.

 

[BigRedDad]

SSR is an excellent resort. If you like OKW, you will like SSR more IMO.

 

[ajmellu7]

In the U.K. we can pre-register and pay a deposit and then confirm the booking in September for next August but it has never been a problem before. I was just shocked that Old Key West was already booked up. I have been told I can book Saratoga Springs and then move over to Old Key West for no cost if any becomes available later but just really wanted peoples thoughts on Saratoga Springs and whether they had enjoyed it.

 

[awilliams4]

OKW is not sold out for August 2017. If SSR is showing availability, my guess is that owners have traded their points out of the system, borrowed their 2017 points into 2016 or some sort of scenario that already somehow created availability this far out and in advance. OKW will show availability sooner or later for August 2017.

 

[slappy magoo]

In the U.K. we can pre-register and pay a deposit and then confirm the booking in September for next August but it has never been a problem before. I was just shocked that Old Key West was already booked up. I have been told I can book Saratoga Springs and then move over to Old Key West for no cost if any becomes available later but just really wanted peoples thoughts on Saratoga Springs and whether they had enjoyed it.

Whatever's going on, it's not that Old Key West is "totally booked." Here's a possible scenario - Disney retains a small ownership in all DVC resorts, something like 2%. They can rent those rooms out. It's possible they're even able to make arrangements to book them out beyond the 11-month period that DVC members have to wait to use, I don't know. But if that's the case, then that small amount they're allotted to use, have already been rented out at Old Key West, but not at Saratoga Springs.

It's also possible that Saratoga Springs should not show any inventory, or what @awilliams4 said above.

 

[ajmellu7]

Well I understand what you are saying guys, but I have actually pre-registered and paid a deposit now for Saratoga Springs. I don't know fully how it works, but have been assured that there are no issues and that it is official that I am there next year.

 

[Tiggerish]

I am currently booking a holiday for August 2017 and really wanted to go to Old Key West again. I am coming with my wife and our 2 daughters (age 3 and 6 next year) and our closest friends who have never been to Disney before (husband and wife and son and daughter who will be 9 and 11 next year) I was wanting to book Old Key West as I stayed there last year and loved it, but unfortunately it seems to already be booked up and the only option left within budget is Saratoga Springs. I have never stayed there before and am worried that it will be smaller than what we need and that the sleeping arrangements will be awkward. I was wondering if anybody would be able to help at all and if anybody had any advice for me (we are from England and have to come over at that time) Many thanks in advance

What size villa are you booking?

SSR is great, different vibe than OKW but the larger villas are comparable. The studios are not. Where OKW has 2 queen beds in its studios, all the other DVC resorts have a queen and a sofabed. So if you've got 4 people in a studio, 2 of them are sleeping in a sofabed instead of a proper cushy bed like at OKW.

 

[ajmellu7]

We have booked a 2 bed villa at Saratoga Springs. Would have liked to have booked the same at Old Key West.

 

[Tiggerish]

So you'd have the sofabed issue to contend with anyway, because a 2BR villa at OKW gives you 1 King, 2 queens, and a sofabed (and a single sleep chair, IIRC). The living room/kitchen areas are definitely bigger at OKW.

SSR is a lovely resort and I think it gets a bad rap unjustifiably, but 8 people could feel a bit squeezed in the kitchen there!

 

[tractor tipper]

If you don't mind sleeping with the kids in same room, I'd suggest two Royal rooms At POR. Kid s will love decour and it is IMHO the beautiful landscaped resort on site.