Old Key West vs. Saratoga Springs

Tom P.

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I know people have some very strong opinions, sometimes quite negative, about these two DVC resorts. However, they are consistently the lowest priced of the DVC properties. So if a family wanted to rent points for a DVC stay, but needed to stay at one of those two due to budget considerations, which would you choose and why?

Thanks!
 

Eric Graham

Well-Known Member
I've not stayed at either, but I've attended an event at Old Key West. My main problem in my opinion is that it is a very large resort and that every building in the complex look exactly the same. So, it may be difficult finding your building your staying at because of such reason. This problem happened to me anyway for my event. Happy travels!
 

nickys

Premium Member
I know people have some very strong opinions, sometimes quite negative, about these two DVC resorts. However, they are consistently the lowest priced of the DVC properties. So if a family wanted to rent points for a DVC stay, but needed to stay at one of those two due to budget considerations, which would you choose and why?

Thanks!
OKW has much bigger rooms than any other DVC resort. However most do not have elevators. Also the 1-beds in many of the earlier buildings only have one way into the bathroom which is from the master bedroom. The later buildings (>30 iirc) have second door through the laundry room. The rooms are in need of updating and should be getting a full refurb in a few years.

Although the internal buses make it seem like the different areas are miles away, in reality it’s to do with the convoluted route they take. We stayed in Old Turtle Pond and it was just 10 minutes stroll, 7 minutes normal walking pace to Hospitality House.

I would happily stay there again.

Saratoga recently had a full refurb (spanning before & after Covid. I haven’t stayed but they look gorgeous.

Again a big drawback for us, and many, is there is no storage in the living room for anyone sleeping on the Queen Murphy bed. The closets are all in the master suite, or second bedroom in a 2-bed.

Close to Disney Springs.
 

Tom P.

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
The fact that the buildings have elevators at Saratoga Springs and don't at Old Key West might be a deciding factor for us. We have a large family with small kids and are often lugging a stroller and a number of backpacks and we'd prefer to have elevators available to us. So that's good information for us to have!
 

DisneyFanatic12

Well-Known Member
I don’t think you can go wrong with either! Old Key West is beautiful and has great amenities. From the DVC ferries to Disney Springs, to the amazing selection of recreational activities at both, you can’t go wrong with either in my book! However, you made a great point that you’re traveling with small kids, and the elevators are a nice amenity to have!

Overall, these are two of my favorite resorts, so to me there’s no going too wrong!
 

MickeyCookies

Active Member
We love Saratoga Springs. The rooms are nice and spacious. The resort is quiet, beautiful and peaceful. You can decide if you want to stay closer to Disney Springs or be the first on the bus stop and closer to the treehouses. Either way, Disney Springs is right there. Artist’s Palette was always good. The pools were lovely. We just have always had a nice stay here!

If you have a Touring Plans subscription, use their room finder tool to help find a building / room that you’d like.
 

heapster411

Well-Known Member
OKW is the go-to from the DW and I. Last trip we did the Treehouses @ SS. Treehouse were dated but quiet and relaxing. Checked that off out bucket list. You just can't beat the 1BR @ OKW. It's a great bargain if you do BB or buy points. SS has Turf Club, great menu and easy reservations. OKW has Olivia's, which at one time was a great secret restaurant, but to us has kind of slipped in the past couple of years. The ferries are a nice trip to DS.
 

nickys

Premium Member
We love both but I would say go with SS because it has a a great QSR where you can get breakfast, lunch, and dinner while OKW has a small walk-up food window with very limited options.
You can also order items from Olivia’s to go, which adds more variety.
 

nickys

Premium Member
OKW is better but the bus situation is atrocious
We found it was quicker to walk to HH than take the bus.

But I don’t mind the buses. I mean when you’re on the bus what’s the problem if it takes 5 or 15 minutes to get to the right stop? I guess maybe it’s because I use public buses all the time.

However if I was staying near the last stop before leaving for the parks I’d go to HH and get the park bus there (it stops there twice).
 

Club Cooloholic

Well-Known Member
Having stayed at many 1bd DVCs Saratoga's are one of our favorites. Very function, as well as pleasing design. The resort itself is pretty big, but pretty nice. Key West is ok, but I found it not as easy to walk around in as I felt like the walking paths were along a road most of the time, whereas at Saratoga there were more dedicated walking paths. Plus you can walk to Disney Springs.
 

nickys

Premium Member
Having stayed at many 1bd DVCs Saratoga's are one of our favorites. Very function, as well as pleasing design. The resort itself is pretty big, but pretty nice. Key West is ok, but I found it not as easy to walk around in as I felt like the walking paths were along a road most of the time, whereas at Saratoga there were more dedicated walking paths. Plus you can walk to Disney Springs.
Do you use the living room as a sleeping area?

If so, do you find it awkward for those guests having to use the closet in the master suite? Are those closets accessible without having to enter the bedroom? That for me would be the deal-breaker.
 

Club Cooloholic

Well-Known Member
Do you use the living room as a sleeping area?

If so, do you find it awkward for those guests having to use the closet in the master suite? Are those closets accessible without having to enter the bedroom? That for me would be the deal-breaker.
I think we kept some of the suitcases in the large entryway(our room seemed to have a good sized one) near the entrance. I couldn't see remember what we did with all the bags, but looking at the layout, the closet is off the bathroom, which has two entrances, one right off the bedroom and one off the living room, so no need to go into the bedroom to access it. Listen I was skeptical too, but my wife really wanted to try it and we were on a top floor and it was easily the quietest room we ever had.
 

nickys

Premium Member
I think we kept some of the suitcases in the large entryway(our room seemed to have a good sized one) near the entrance. I couldn't see remember what we did with all the bags, but looking at the layout, the closet is off the bathroom, which has two entrances, one right off the bedroom and one off the living room, so no need to go into the bedroom to access it. Listen I was skeptical too, but my wife really wanted to try it and we were on a top floor and it was easily the quietest room we ever had.
That’s good to know.

Still a pain having nowhere to store clothes, ‘tho I guess underwear could go in the storage cube. But if they can hang stuff in the closet off the bathroom that’s fair enough.

Storing empty cases isn’t a huge issue. We just don’t like having clothes / bags lying around in the living room.

It means SSR could be an option to save some points.
 
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Club Cooloholic

Well-Known Member
That’s good to know.

Still a pain having nowhere to store clothes, ‘tho I guess underwear could go in the storage cube. But if they can hang stuff in the closet off the bathroom that’s fair enough.

Storing Emory cases isn’t a huge issue. We just don’t like having clothes / bags lying around in the living room.

It means SSR could be an option to save some points.
The furnishings were really nice. The outside of the buildings are blah for sure, very apartment complex ish. But the grounds were nice. I would definitely try it for a a few nights to see what you think, and I for sure liked it better than Key West.
 

KDM31091

Well-Known Member
I enjoy both. I love the laid back vibe of both. OKW is the quieter and more laid back but SSR is still very peaceful. Rooms are larger at OKW. You can technically walk to Disney Springs from OKW, but it's quite the walk, so unless the weather is pleasant (i.e. winter months) you probably wouldn't want to. SSR gains points for easy proximity to DS and the rooms are more recently renovated. But, the OKW rooms are still very nice, spacious, and have much of the same scenery to look at (mostly trees and/or golf course). So it depends on your priorities.

The only weirdness with OKW is that in many of the 1 bedrooms you have to enter the master to get to the bathroom, which is not the best design. I believe it is the lower numbered buildings that are affected by this. Some of them have a door from the laundry room to the bathroom, others just have a wall there.

If visiting with no car SSR gets the edge, but if you have a car I think you cannot go wrong with either.
 

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