2016 couple of questions

[Gurt]

Hi everyone, it's good to be back here After our 2013 trip I thought it would be many years before I got back to the world but my lovely boyfriend decided we need to squeeze a trip in next year before we become real grown ups and and spend the next 10 years buying a house, getting married, children and all the responsibilities that come along with these things, so back to the world it is.

We are planning a September trip and this poses my 1st question, last time we missed the food & wine festival by 1 day, gutted, we will be booking our trip in January, will Disney have released the festival dates by then?

my 2nd question is villas, we stayed at OKW last time and loved it, looking at early price indicators we can either stay again at OKW or for the same price stay at Saratogoa Springs, does anyone have any pro / cons and thoughts on comparing the two?

lastly with all the announcements of what is to come but with yet with the exception of Pandora no dates how realistic do I need to be about construction walls? This really will be our last trip for a good decade and with what we have pushed back this year (house buying) to go next year we really can't push the trip back.

Thanks in advance for what is always wonderful advise x

 

[RiceCrispyMickey]

Haven't stayed at OKW so can't really compare the two but we did love Saratoga Springs. It was very nice and peaceful - perfect for a couple looking to relax a bit as well as enjoy the parks, also lovely and close to downtown disney so you could walk over in the evenings or get the boat over and enjoy some of the restaurants/bars etc.

As for food and wine, i'd probably have a look at this years dates and try to aim for somewhere in the middle of those dates - that would probably give you the best chance of hitting it even if the actual dates haven't been released yet.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

I can't answer the first 2, but I can answer the 3rd to a degree in terms of the walls. I am going from a Disney Springs to theme park explanation for wall Expectations.

Disney Springs Shouldn't have any walls at the time you go next year.

There should be less walls for AK next year compare to this year due to the Night show being open by the time you go in September of 2016.

There should walls at DHS next year, but not as much in future years. It appears that Disney would be Doing Toy Story Land before Star Wars Land. Star Wars Land is going to have a lot of walls or stuff block off.

Toy Story Land's construction is going be mostly where the Studios Backlot Tour was with the exception of demolishing a some buildings of the Animation Courtyard for a future entrance for Toy Story Land. I am guessing the old Jack Sparrow Building, One Man's Dream and maybe Voyage of the little Mermaid would be demolished. The only thing not walled off in terms of the Animation Courtyard is going to be the Animation Building that would be Star Wars Launch Bay.

There shouldn't be any construction walls at Epcot when you go in 2016 since Frozen supposed to open by the time you go, unless Disney plans something else for Epcot that hasn't been announced.

Magic Kingdom is a guessing game if there is going to be any walls.

 

[Mukta]

Disney will not have festival dates announced in January, so picking the first 2 weeks of October is probably a safer bet.

 

[lorreejean]

This may help for your first 2 questions, not sure of an answer for the last. We go frequently in September and have stayed at both places several times.
First, Food and Wine traditionally starts the last weekend in September, at least the last several years since we have been watching, and lasts through October into the first week of November.
As far as comparing OKW with Saratoga, it depends on what you want and what size villa you are looking at. We personally prefer OKW for the size of the rooms. OKW studios are 390 sq. ft., and Saratoga studios are 355 sq. ft., that may not seem like much, but it does make a difference. Also OKW are the only DVC studios that have 2 queen beds in the studio. Saratoga studios have 1 queen bed and a full size sleeper sofa. Other size villas are also larger at OKW, but amenities are the same. Both have easy boat access to Downtown Disney, and you can walk from part of Saratoga. When we stay at OKW we like to request to be near Hospitality House. At Saratoga we prefer the Grandstand section, it is first stop for the buses.
Hope this helps.

 

[Jon81uk]

Biggest Pro of staying at SSR is being able to walk to Downtown Disney.

 

[Durkoefc]

Stayed in both OKW and Saratoga 1 bed villas. The OKW is far superior is size and space but Saratoga will do if just the 2 of you? OKW for Villa for me!

 

[Gurt]

Thank you everyone for your replies, my mum is coming too so we have decided on again staying in a 1 bed villa at OKW, and we have decided to push the dates back a little to make sure we get to enjoy the Food & Wine festival. I am already so excited our brochure and little big book arrived in the post on Friday which made me want to start seriously planning, bit early for that I think though!

 

[Gurt]

I can't answer the first 2, but I can answer the 3rd to a degree in terms of the walls. I am going from a Disney Springs to theme park explanation for wall Expectations.

Disney Springs Shouldn't have any walls at the time you go next year.

There should be less walls for AK next year compare to this year due to the Night show being open by the time you go in September of 2016.

There should walls at DHS next year, but not as much in future years. It appears that Disney would be Doing Toy Story Land before Star Wars Land. Star Wars Land is going to have a lot of walls or stuff block off.

Toy Story Land's construction is going be mostly where the Studios Backlot Tour was with the exception of demolishing a some buildings of the Animation Courtyard for a future entrance for Toy Story Land. I am guessing the old Jack Sparrow Building, One Man's Dream and maybe Voyage of the little Mermaid would be demolished. The only thing not walled off in terms of the Animation Courtyard is going to be the Animation Building that would be Star Wars Launch Bay.

There shouldn't be any construction walls at Epcot when you go in 2016 since Frozen supposed to open by the time you go, unless Disney plans something else for Epcot that hasn't been announced.

Magic Kingdom is a guessing game if there is going to be any walls.

Thank you @wdwfan4ver, I had started to convince myself that everything would be all walled up when I heard the D23 announcements, your reply has reassured me I was panicking too much