Decisions Decsions - Saratoga Springs?

[MamaHook]

Hi all

I'm hoping you might be able to help as struggling to make some decisions....! We want to go to Orlando next year but am struggling to make a decision as to where to stay.

We have been before but stayed at the Grand Floridian which was great & perfect with the monorail, but this was a special treat & before we had children so couldn't afford that now.

So, trying to decide whether to save money & book off site or go with Saratoga Springs which we really like the look of as it's close to Downtown Disney - is it walkable to there? Has anyone stayed there, would you recommend?

Also, would definitely book Disney if it was with monorail as think this would be ideal for with young children, but as this isn't an option, wondered if its really worth paying the extra money??? The children would love full on themed Disney rooms but they don't seem to do this from the pictures I've seen.

Apologies for rambling, advice appreciated!

PS does everyone now get the magic bands & how far in advance do they send them??

x

 

[ratherbeinwdw]

I highly recommend Art of Animation Cars or Nemo Suites. You can't get much better theme than that for children. The best part is two bathrooms and a kitchenette.

 

[Rob562]

We stayed in a 2-bedroom at SSR in 2012, and I'll be going back with a different group in Novmeber, again staying in a 2-bedroom.

In 2012 proximity to a bus stop was key since we had a low-mobility member in our group. We got a first-floor unit in the 4500 building of The Paddock section. It was a bit of a stroll to the central area (though not horribly long), but it was right next to the bus stop for the Carousel section. We could be back in our room about 45 seconds after stepping off the bus.

Downtown Disney is very walkable from SSR. Your best bet is to request a room in the Congress Park section. It's a short walk to the Marketplace and they just opened the new bridge that makes the walk even shorter than before. You also have the option from this bridge to hop on the water taxi that brings you to the PI or West Side docks.
If you're in the Grandstand section or happen to be in the Carriage House, you can easily walk to the West Side. It's not as widely advertised as the Marketplace walkway, but if you head out toward the golf course and walk past the putting green, the walkway continues all the way to the West Side (and it's lit at night).

Since access to Downtown Disney isn't a priority to us this time around (we'll probably only go to DD once), we requested a unit in either The Springs or one of the 8000-numbered buildings in Grandstand. They're easily walkable to the central Carriage House where Artist's Palette is. Plus, Grandstand is the first stop on the theme park bus routes and Springs is the last.

-Rob

 

[MamaHook]

Some really great advice - thanks so much!

 

[worldfanatic]

I stayed at Saratoga Springs last year, mainly due to my odd desire to stay at every DVC on WDW property.
I didn't really expect to love it, but I did.
The grounds are beautiful, and the quick access to Downtown Disney was amazing.
It's right there with Old Key West as the most laid back & relaxing resort in the "World" (Fort Wilderness probably deserves to be mentioned as well).
I'm already plotting my future SSR return.

 

[jlsHouston]

I've stayed at SSR and I really love this resort. Monorail resorts are great for ease in and out of MK. Value resorts have great theming and kids love them. The mods and deluxes have more elaborate pools.

 

[RiceCrispyMickey]

after staying at SSR in June I have become a huge fan! Don't take to much notice of the negative things you hear about the resort being dated, or the buses taking forever. We never had any problems with buses, never waited more than 10-15mins at any time of day, and the resort was just BEAUTIFUL! Its a lovely, quiet, peaceful place. I know its large but you are never that far away from a bus stop or a quick service location or a swimming pool. Its brilliant for downtown disney, we took the boat over a couple of times and also walked a couple of times round to the west side. It really didn't take long at all, and now you can walk to the marketplace as well as they have just opened a new walkway. With all the roadworks and traffic going on round downtown at the moment, it was quicker to walk or take the boat than to get the bus back from downtown disney, so definitely take one of those options!

Go and stay in saratoga springs for yourselves, I really don't think you will be disappointed!

 

[DfromATX]

We stayed at SS for our first trip ever to DW and so far it has been our favorite. We are a family of 6 and had a 2 bedroom villa which was so nice. The Boardwalk was a close second place, POR third, and Pop being my least favorite.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

We are owners at SSR and love it! Request the Grandstand section if you want to be first on the buses in the morning. It also has it's own quiet pool and pool bar. Carriage House and main pool are a short 5 minute walk away.

 

[Bparso87]

I own DVC at Saratoga and I love it only draw back is it is huge and takes a good walk to get to the fitness center r the restaurants also might have the worst transportation on property.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Up until very recently (Monday in fact) we were looking at SSR or OKW for our next trip. We haven't stayed in either before and were looking for either two rooms in a Deluxe resort (AKL) or a two bedroom villa in either of the previously mentioned resorts.
We were set to book OKW. The villas are larger (approx 1,000 sq feet compared to 1,400 sq ft). The views from OKW (so we were led to believe) were always better - golf courses, water etc, where as some SSR villas overlooked car parks (I don't know how true this bit is). Based upon these differences we made up our minds to go to OKW, as both resorts came in at exactly the same price.
That was until we researched another travel agent and got our two rooms at AKL for little more than £100 dearer than a villa

 

[Rob562]

The views from OKW (so we were led to believe) were always better - golf courses, water etc, where as some SSR villas overlooked car parks (I don't know how true this bit is).

This is probably way more detailed info than you (or anyone) would ever need, but...

At SSR all 18 buildings have the same general layout, a wide U-shape. Generally, the wide bottom part is the part the faces the parking lot, and there are no units that face that way. All units either face the inside of the U, out the sides of the U, or straight out either "prong" of the U. Any unit facing the inside or straight out the prongs won't face a parking lot.

But things are complicated slightly by the fact that some buildings at at an angle and the parking lots curve around the buildings, meaning some of the outward-facing sides do face a parking lot (or face it at an angle). So, 18 buildings means 36 outward-facing sides. Here's how they break down:

25 face landscaping, trees, golf course, pool, waterway, etc.
5 face a parking lot at an angle with at least some grass/greenery in-between
4 directly face a parking lot
2 face a roadway

So yes, there are some buildings with less-than-ideal views. But the same holds true at OKW, where there are at least a few buildings very close to Buena Vista Drive and Bonnet Creek Parkway, both of which are major roads in WDW, making for some very traffickey sounding times on your patio... (The road-facing units in SSR are internal roads)

Oh, and further making the decision harder, you might have a better chance of a good view if you have a dedicated 2-bedroom vs a lockoff. Each floor at SSR has five dedicated 2BR units. Four of them face the inside of the U. The fifth faces out one side of the U.

-Rob