Saratoga Springs - 1st Stay

WellFedDave

WellFedDave

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We just booked a "semi" last minute trip to WDW from May 13-19th. Using DVC and staying at Saratoga Springs (it was all we could get). Anyone have any good tips, room and area suggestions for when we make room requests? We don't mind a walk, so being close to concierge/carriage house is not nearly as important as quietness and view.
 
M

MickeyPeace

Well-Known Member
Another vote for Congress Park with a room facing Downtown Disney. Great quiet pool and hot tubs near by, beautiful wooden benches to sit and observe the DD lights, and a short walk there.

Very soon an even shorter walk when they build the bridge connected to the resort. I'm sure "Disney Springs" when completed will start selling out Saratoga. I've predicted that from day one of hearing about the concept of Disney Springs.
 
Bparso87

Bparso87

Well-Known Member
Congress park is great but the buses suck I love SSR it's my home resort but busing sucks but congress is my favorite part to stay at nice to walk to DTD
 
Gaston's gal

Gaston's gal

Well-Known Member
Sounds like Congress Park is a good choice. We have stayed at SSR several times since it's our home resort too. Just remember that it is really spread out there.
 
LuvtheGoof

LuvtheGoof

DVC Guru
Premium Member
So we will be the dissenters here and suggest The Grandstand area. We have stayed there several times, and would highly recommend it.

1. It is the first stop for pick-up/drop-off from the parks. You are guaranteed a seat in the mornings to a park. We have been on the bus when it has become packed by the time we get to the Paddock section, and the bus actually skipped Congress Park and the Springs, since we were already full. The order is - Grandstand, Carousel, Paddock, Congress Park, and the Springs.
2. The quiet pool. It has it's own quiet pool which is never busy, and they have a bar open during the day for those refreshing adult beverages! Laundry facilities for those in a studio are there as well.
3. Short walk to the main area. It is less than 5 minutes to the main area/pool and to the boat transportation to Disney Springs.
 
mouse_luv

mouse_luv

Well-Known Member
WellFedDave said:
Do you happen to remember which room/building #?

Thanks for the reply!
Click to expand...
I hope it's ok that I'm posting this link to the map, but it was the Congress Park 1101-1436 building. I believe our room was 1101 or1103?
Heres a map of SSR
saratoga.jpg

It's changed a bit since this with the new foot bridges to DTD, there was a bridge closer to our room than the one they have noted on this map.
 
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slappy magoo

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
Bparso87 said:
Congress park is great but the buses suck I love SSR it's my home resort but busing sucks but congress is my favorite part to stay at nice to walk to DTD
Click to expand...

I should point out - we always have a car when we go to WDW. If we stay at SSR, we routinely only use buses to go to/from MK. Anywhere else, we drive. So the quality of bus service isn't as much of an issue for us.
 
mousehockey37

mousehockey37

Well-Known Member
Bparso87 said:
Congress park is great but the buses suck I love SSR it's my home resort but busing sucks but congress is my favorite part to stay at nice to walk to DTD
Click to expand...

While it can be a little bit of time between buses (and it's really not that long), they come through. If you're a quick thinker and you have the time, depending on where you are going, you can always grab a bus for a different park and connect to a different bus, boat or monorail. We did that a couple of times and it could actually turn out quicker... especially if you just missed the bus for where you want to go...

I wouldn't give up on staying at SSR just because of the buses. That's gonna be the case anywhere really.
 
dizneycraig

dizneycraig

Member
Our first DVC stay was at Saratoga Springs. I really enjoyed this resort. We stayed in the Grand Stand. We requested this section because of the convenience of buses to and from the parks. It was the most efficient bus service I have ever encountered at WDW. Enjoy your trip!!
 
yedliW

yedliW

Well-Known Member
We've stayed at Congress Park, and at the Grandstand. We had a fairway view at the Grandstand. It was a bit of a hike back to the main building, but not far from bus stops. It has a small pool that does have a splash area, and a drink refill station.

photo.php


As it has been pointed out, Congress park has a nice quite pool but it doesn't have the drink station (not a big deal, just pointing it out). When we stayed there, they were re-doing the front/main entrance, so the bus stops were shuffled. It was the last stop, so when you get on, you head right to the parks, but coming home, it was last. What we ended up doing more often than not was to get off at the first stop (by the main pool) and just walking back to our room, it was about a block distance, so not too bad.
 

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