Can't Decide: AKL, OKS, or Saratoga?

DisneyDukie

Member
Original Poster
Hey all -

We'll be buying DVC points from a friend, and are deciding between AKL (standard view at Kidani), Old Key West (just because it's cheaper), and Saratoga Springs. I'd really like to try Saratoga, but I don't know ANYBODY who has stayed there before. Thoughts? We are big pool people, so if anybody has thoughts on the pools at these locations (we've stayed at AKL Kidani before, so I know what is offered there), that would be great. Also any perks or special things at these resorts that make one stand out over the other. My kids are both elementary school age at the time of this trip.
 

Pumbas Nakasak

Heading for the great escape.
Personally I dont like Saratoga, it doesnt feel Disney enough, more like a gated retirement community. OKW i like better vibe, if you have ankle biters the last time we stayed there was loads of activities at the main pool for them.
When we stayed at Kidani the bus service was shocking, and its hellish at Saratoga as the resort is soooooo big. OKW for me, or it will be if I can get it at 7 months.
 

Bparso87

Well-Known Member
Saratoga is my home resort and dislike it really big hard to get around and the buses suck. Akl all the way for me stayed there 4 times but okw is bigger rooms and not a bad place to stay
 

sxeensweet

Love a little Disney every day!! ;)
We have stayed ar SSR And loved it! We always have our car so can't help or say anything about the busses there. We have taken busses before but not at SSR. We stayed there before we joined DVC in 2013. We now own at AKV but would gladly stay at SSR again. Very quiet and relaxing. Beautiful grounds and close to Disney Springs if that is a plus for anyone.
Our absolute favorite is Kidani Village where we own but enjoy SSR, Boardwalk, and VGF. We have yet to stay at OKW yet. :)
 

optjay

Well-Known Member
I know you said Kidani, but if your able, Jambo is much better, followed by O.K.W., no to Saratoga. Stayed twice, and Hated it both times.
 

lostpro9het

Well-Known Member
Hey all -

We'll be buying DVC points from a friend, and are deciding between AKL (standard view at Kidani), Old Key West (just because it's cheaper), and Saratoga Springs.
Personally I rank them:
AKL: 6 differnet stays
SSR: 3 diffrent stays
OKW: 1 stay

IMO, Kidani has the better pool of the two AKL houses.

AKL gets my vote

Personally I dont like Saratoga, it doesnt feel Disney enough, more like a gated retirement community. OKW i like better vibe, if you have ankle biters the last time we stayed there was loads of activities at the main pool for them.
When we stayed at Kidani the bus service was shocking, and its hellish at Saratoga as the resort is soooooo big. OKW for me, or it will be if I can get it at 7 months.

This is interesting to me, I feel if I were colorblind I mostly wouldn't be able to tell OKW and SSR apart.
 

FrostyNaples

Well-Known Member
Personally I rank them:
AKL: 6 differnet stays
SSR: 3 diffrent stays
OKW: 1 stay

IMO, Kidani has the better pool of the two AKL houses.

AKL gets my vote



This is interesting to me, I feel if I were colorblind I mostly wouldn't be able to tell OKW and SSR apart.

I would agree with this, AKL > SSR > OKW

I also agree on the comment with comparing SSR to OKW
 

Plowboy

Well-Known Member
Stayed at AKL (Jambo) this past Oct and loved it. Also have stayed at OKW previously and liked it too. Can't speak to SSR, but from it's outwards appearance it looks kind of sterile theme-wise.
 

Bairstow

Well-Known Member
It's theme is Saratoga Springs NY - it is not full of tropical colors of Key West FL :rolleyes::p

Saratoga Springs is nice-looking, but it's also probably the most pedestrian looking of Disney's larger resort complexes, even compared to other resorts with domestic American themes like Port Orleans Riverside. Were it not for the all the imagery of horses everywhere, a person could be forgiven for not knowing the resort was built with any specific theme in mind.
 

Nastory4

Active Member
We own at SSR, and we have only stayed there three times. We prefer more of a "hotel" atmosphere like BCV, BWV, or even AK. However, of the three mentioned, SSR does have a great pool and is walk-able or you can take a boat to Disney Springs.
 

*Q*

Well-Known Member
Animal Kingdom Lodge would be my favorite out of the three by far, but Old Key West is fantastic, too. I personally find Saratoga Springs to be terribly bland and uninteresting. If pools are important to you, the main pool at Old Key West is the only one to have a sauna, and the Old Turtle Pond pool is open 24 hours, and has a hot tub and a simple quick service counter open until five or so. I think Saratoga Springs also a 24-hour pool, but I'm not sure if it has a hot tub or snack bar.
 

Pumbas Nakasak

Heading for the great escape.
Personally I rank them:
AKL: 6 differnet stays
SSR: 3 diffrent stays
OKW: 1 stay

IMO, Kidani has the better pool of the two AKL houses.

AKL gets my vote



This is interesting to me, I feel if I were colorblind I mostly wouldn't be able to tell OKW and SSR apart.

To each their own. After all the sense of vibe is entirely subjective. I know some folk who swear by SSR, admittedly they are coffin dodgers, so the gated community sterile feel is perhaps a reminder of home.

I do like the tree-houses though.
 

craig schuster

New Member
I have DVC ownership at both AKL Kadani and SS. I enjoy AKL more since you have the option to stay at either Kadani or Jambo House. Also if you have enough points and you book 11 months out and you can get into the concierge rooms at Jambo House. AKL seems more remote and quieter, a world away from Disney World. Also Boma and Jiko are great restaurants if that is important to you to have at your resort. The other 2 resorts you mentioned do not have that same service. SS is nice to but it is a different feel. If you like the new Disney springs area its great to walk over or take a boat to the shops, restaurants, and night life of the Disney Springs. The pools at SS are nice too, with 2 themed pools with nice water slides. AKL Kadani has a great pool, slide, and water play area for the kids. The Jambo House has a huge pool but the slide is really tame and is really only for little kids not us big ones. :) I find that OKW is more of a golfing community with all the buildings being spread way apart from each other. It takes for every to get around the OKW property on a Disney buses. If you have your own car it might be different. The pool and water slide at OKW is fun but the rest of the resort is kind of boring. My vote would be AKL everytime.
 

DisneyDukie

Member
Original Poster
I know you said Kidani, but if your able, Jambo is much better, followed by O.K.W., no to Saratoga. Stayed twice, and Hated it both times.

What made you prefer Jambo to Kidani? When we previously stayed at AKL, we were at Kidani and preferred it to when we stopped by Jambo House to eat a few times. Am I missing something?
 

epcotisbest

Well-Known Member
What made you prefer Jambo to Kidani? When we previously stayed at AKL, we were at Kidani and preferred it to when we stopped by Jambo House to eat a few times. Am I missing something?
I think this just comes down to personal preference. Unlike the poster you quoted, we prefer Kidani to Jambo, but really enjoyed both. We have also stayed at and liked OKW and SSR. As for someone staying at SSR and hating it with a capital H both times, if we hate some place once, there is no second time, too many other choices.
 

dizfan917

Well-Known Member
We are DVC members and SSR is our Home. I really like the atmosphere and the tranquility of the resort. I wish it had the convenience of the Boardwalk Villas, but I appreciate its calm. There is theming a-plenty everywhere you look at WDW. I like the ability to escape a bit, back to a comfortable, well appointed room. It is spacious, always well tended and the buses run consistently. I didn't love the endless hallways of AKL Kidani, but the animals everywhere are SUPER COOL and there is some great food there. Haven't been to OKW yet.
 

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
If you're not staying in a 1 or 2BR unit, I think Jambo might be better as you'll be closer to the food court, two of the 3 on-site sit down restaurants and the bus depot to the parks.

If anyone in your party is into shopping, SSR's proximity to Downtown Disney (is it Disney Springs now? I haven't been there or here in a while) is a major plus, as well as the two main swimming pools and the assorted smaller quiet pools. My favorite section is Congress Park - you're very close to the main building/pool, but it's a very quick walk to the Marketplace side of DTD and all of the restaurants. Better to grab a meal there than the crowded food court at Saratoga, especially Wolfgang Puck Express. We'd often grab a breakfast there before going to the parks, or ordering ahead a "to go" dinner to bring back to the room if we needed an early night (they'll take orders and pack it for you, it'll probably be ready right when you arrive). Pumbas' comments have some merit (maybe not as much as thinks they do AWWWWW SNAP!), Saratoga and Old Key West are probably the least "whimsical" or "magical" resorts in terms of theme, with the possible exception of Contemporary(which gets bonus "magical" points by virtue of location and monorail). It does indeed come across like an upstate NY resort (except for weather), where you could spend your entire vacation swimming and doing stuff there without ever setting foot in the parks and as a result not even feel like you're at WDW. But is that how you want to feel? Other resorts also have plenty to do, but with much more of a Disney vibe. Heck, I think the DVC resort in Hilton Head SC feels more Disney-ish than a resort actually IN WDW. But that's not to say it's a bad resort. Some people probably prefer a more muted theme, not getting choked by Disney whimsy 24/7.

Conversely, I'm not that big a fan of OKW's theme. But the one thing it has going for it are some of the biggest studio rooms on property, if you think you'll spend a lot of time in your room. But quick-serve/to-go offerings are pretty meager, I've never eaten at Olivia's but I get the impression it's not very big - if an unusual percentage of OKW decides to stay in one night due to weather or other things, I don't know if the restaurant could handle the crowd well. Turf Club at Saratoga is also not very big, but you're much closer to other options at DTD, walking distance if you don't want to wait for a boat. Plus, by being closer to DTD, you're also close to their resort bus stop, making it easier to get to other hotels if you want reservations at their restaurants.

Were I you, I'd probably try AKL first, then SSR and then OKW.
 

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