SSR in August

[celticfan]

We just booked a short stay at SSR in early August of '11. We had requested a treehouse but ended up getting a waitlist for that and reserved a two bedroom. For people who stay at SSR I had a few questions:

Do you have any experience with the waitlists for the treehouse? Is it likely to come through? If we don't get the treehouse, is there a section of the resort that is preferred? Near the main pool? I would assume that during August no one is going to want to walk too far in the Florida heat. Have the units been recently renovated and are they in good shape? We currently have a two bedroom unit reserved.

Has anyone played golf while staying there in August? Approximately how much did it cost for greens fees? I would probably sign up for the DVC golf discount because we would have 3 or 4 golfers in out group and hopefully will play twice while there. Is the DVC discount a good value? I think it cost $50.00 to sign up and then you get discounts, but the cost of the green fees are not listed anywhere I can find for August.

Thanks for the help.

 

[cblodg]

We just booked a short stay at SSR in early August of '11. We had requested a treehouse but ended up getting a waitlist for that and reserved a two bedroom. For people who stay at SSR I had a few questions:

Do you have any experience with the waitlists for the treehouse? Is it likely to come through? If we don't get the treehouse, is there a section of the resort that is preferred? Near the main pool? I would assume that during August no one is going to want to walk too far in the Florida heat. Have the units been recently renovated and are they in good shape? We currently have a two bedroom unit reserved.

Has anyone played golf while staying there in August? Approximately how much did it cost for greens fees? I would probably sign up for the DVC golf discount because we would have 3 or 4 golfers in out group and hopefully will play twice while there. Is the DVC discount a good value? I think it cost $50.00 to sign up and then you get discounts, but the cost of the green fees are not listed anywhere I can find for August.

Thanks for the help.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/saratoga.jpg

The closest buildings to the main pool is the Springs (section D on the map). The Springs is also closest to the check-in area along with the store. If you do not get The Springs, take note of where you are on the bus loop. The Springs is usually the last stop before a bus heads out for the parks. If you need to get back out to your area, I believe The Springs is the first stop on the Downtown Disney loop. Not sure on that one though as we pretty much walked to DTD as we were in the Paddock, right across from the Congress Park bus stop.

The resort is HUGE and if you have a car, it would be worth it.

 

[slappy magoo]

I booked a treehouse at the 11-month window. Although I'm excited to go back, I think I may, at the 7-month window, try to get into a different resort. Partly because I do want to check out the other resorts. And partly because, as cool-looking as the treehouses are (and I will certainly NOT whine if that's where I wind up staying) there are some caveats. For starters, you are far away from pretty much anything else at Saratoga. You will need to bus to the main house if that's where you want to go - I believe buses that go to DTD stop at the Treehouse Villas first and then eventually make their way to the main house, and buses going to the parks go to the main building, all the other stops and then wind up at the Treehouse Villas. I may have that bass-ackwards. But to go to the main building in the Florida sun, when your time is precious, it's either brisk walk (which will still take a long time), wait for a bus or use your own car.

This distance also means running out for a quick bite or a snack or a dip in the main pool will be quite time consuming. The CM who booked me highly recommended stocking the kitchen with plenty of soft drinks and snacks.

There are only 60 Treehouses, and they are pretty high in demand. Get on the wait list and hope for the best, consider splitting up your trip if that winds up being an option, so you can at least get them for part of your trip.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

I got my treehouse request. But then it helps if you are the Establishment.

 

[celticfan]

I have heard some great things about the treehouses, but I have also heard that they are not very convenient and require long walks to the main pool and food court. Is it really that inconvenient? How long of a walk is it? In the August heat I can not see that long walk being to enjoyable.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

They are well equipped if a little dark. Parking can be an issue as there is not a space for a car at every tree house. The pool at the treehouses was hardly used when we were there. The buses to the resort are a bit of a pain, Its about 20 mins from the main build to the furthest away houses. The Boats are nice but can be even more of a pain than the bus, especially on the way back at night.

I would stock up on food as the food court is OK but I do not rate the food options at SSR at all.

All in all Id rather stay at Kidani village again than back at the treehouses. Nice but not WOW!!

 

[slappy magoo]

I have heard some great things about the treehouses, but I have also heard that they are not very convenient and require long walks to the main pool and food court. Is it really that inconvenient? How long of a walk is it? In the August heat I can not see that long walk being to enjoyable.

I was wrong about the bus service at the treehouses - think I was getting it confused with the bus service at Kidani Village. Apparently, there is an internal bus shuttle that just goes back and forth between the Treehouses and the Springs section of SSR. From there, it's not a bad walk to the main building or pool. If you are staying in a Treehouse and wish to use Disney buses to get to a theme park, you must use the shuttle to get to the Springs, and then transfer to a theme park bus there (or, if you'd rather, walk to a different section of the resort and wait at the bus stop there).