Reviews of Saratoga Springs Resort (Disney Vacation Club)
Reviewed by KarenM111254 Review Date: 04/24/2019
Rating: (10) Recommended
Beautiful, clean resort. Stayed at many Disney resorts. Saratoga is our favorite.
Pros:
Walkable to Disney Springs.Cons:
Food court needs a new menu.Reviewed by Dnields Review Date: 02/20/2019
Rating: (10) Recommended
I've been a member since 2004, and I joined at Saratoga Springs because, well, that's what was available. When I joined, I wasn't a huge fan (the complex felt large and confusing), and I assumed I'd often stay at different resorts. Over time, my feelings have changed, I've become a huge fan. I now know my way around, and while the resort is still large, there have been times when I've felt completely private and secluded. I love being able to walk to Disney Springs. I love the rooms (from studio to grand villa). I love the friendliness of the staff and the beauty of the design. I'm not a golfer, but I love being near the course (and I even played it once). I think Saratoga Springs is an unsung star.
Pros:
Proximity to Disney Springs. Combination of isolation and community.Cons:
Not a huge fan of Turf Club.Reviewed by vickey t Review Date: 09/30/2018
Rating: (10) Recommended
My son's favorite for a long time now. Odd for someone who was only 19 this year.
Pros:
Being able to walk to Disney SpringsCons:
Not as close as other resorts to the parks.Reviewed by toolmanjan Review Date: 11/24/2015
Rating: (10) Recommended
I stayed at Saratoga Springs Resort on 11/12. I arrived at the resort at 8am I received a text that my room was ready at 11:30. My room was a studio in the Paddock area. The room was clean and well maintained. I used the new bridge to Disney Springs in the morning to get to Wolfgang Puck Express. It’s still a bit of a walk. I found using the water taxi more convenient because the dock where you are dropped off is right in the middle of DS.
Sorry to see the bus transportation to and from SSR has not improved since our last stay in 1/13
One of my favorite DVC resorts
Moderate feel NOT!
Pros:
Clean comfortable relaxingCons:
bus serviceReviewed by deb010305 Review Date: 06/24/2015
Rating: (10) Recommended
We spent 6 night in a 2 bdr villa in April 2015, using our DVC points.
We requested (and received) a ground floor unit in the Grand Stand section-this area is great because it is quiet, has its own pool, is only a 5-7 minute walk to the main pool, and is the 1st stop for the busses to and from the parks!
Our villa was ready when we arrived and with online check-in and Magic Bands we by-passed the check-in desk and drove right to our building!
Everything was clean and in good shape-except one of the locks on the sliding patio door didn't close properly-a concern since we were on the ground floor. But a call had a maintenance person there within an hour and he fixed it in a few minutes.
This is our third time staying at Saratoga Springs, and we like it because it is beautiful-our villa overlooked the golf course, and it is quiet-at night you could hear crickets chirping.
Pros:
A quiet and peaceful break !Cons:
—Reviewed by LoriC Review Date: 02/24/2015
Rating: (10) Recommended
We stayed in a 2 bedroom villa the week of February 13th in the Springs section of Sarasota Springs. We felt the location was very convenient to all the parks and to Downtown Disney. There is a walkway on either side of the resort and its a quick 10 minute walk to DTD. The food choices were excellent. The Turf Club is a hidden gem. The Springs section was great as you could walk out either way and get to a feature pool with slides. We spent most of our time at high rock pool which had great entertainment for the kids. We were highly satisfied with this resort. We are not DVC members. The two bedroom suite was amazing and gave our family of five enough space for all to enjoy!
Pros:
Convenient, Size of Rooms, PoolsCons:
NoneReviewed by kbw45 Review Date: 01/24/2015
Rating: (10) Recommended
My husband, son and I stayed here from 12/19-12/22/14. This was our first DVC stay as new DVC members, and this was the only DVC resort available when we made the reservation 3 months before our stay. That said, we would have chosen this resort anyway, since we were coming down for a relaxing weekend away from the parks, except for one evening at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.
We weren't sure what to expect after reading some of the reviews about this resort on All Ears and other sites, but our experience far exceeded our expectations. We requested a room in Congress Park because we planned to spend quite a bit of time in Downtown Disney, and I requested VIP cleaning for allergies. Those were our only requests, and we were given room 1812 in Congress Park, a studio overlooking Fulton's Crab House in DTD. It was perfect. The room was spotless and the decor recently updated. We were very close to the bus stop and the Congress Park quiet pool. We had a gorgeous view of DTD from our 4th floor studio. Aside from wanting another extra blanket in the room, we had everything we needed. The studio layout was spacious, and we liked having the sink separate from the tub/shower area, which allowed two people to get ready at once. Also, the rooms are quiet. We did not hear anything from neighboring rooms. These were the quietest rooms we have had in 10 stays on property at every level of resort.
The resort is spread out, and this may be an issue for some, but our room was only a pleasant 5-minute walk to the Springs area with restaurants, the main pool, the spa, and other amenities. We have walked farther when staying at some value and moderate resorts. The bus stop was just a few hundred feet away. Most importantly, we were only a quick 10-minute walk from DTD using the new boardwalk, which was very convenient for shopping and dining.
We ate breakfast each day at the Artist's Palette counter service restaurant. We loved the Dale Chihuly-style light fixtures and the abstract paintings in the dining area. The food was good - among the better CS food we have had, and typically priced for WDW. Breakfast items were made to order. The adjoining gift/sundry shop was fairly small for a deluxe resort, but adequate.
We did not have the opportunity to try the Turf Club, but the menu looked quite appealing, and we plan to dine there during our next visit.
The Rock Springs (main) pool was beautifully themed but a little chilly (daytime temps were in the low 70s). The quiet pool in the Congress Park section was warmer, and we spent quite a bit of time there. There are whirlpools/hot tubs at the quiet pools as well as at the main pool.
I was able to book a same day pedicure at Senses Spa at Saratoga Springs, and it was a marvelous experience. I would stay at this resort again just for the spa.
We did Online Check-in prior to our arrival, so our resort check-in was quick and smooth. All of the cast members we encountered during our stay were welcoming and friendly. Checkout was equally seamless.
We enjoyed the theming at Saratoga Springs. It does not scream Disney like many other resorts, but there are hidden Mickeys everywhere and little touches of Disney magic if you look for them. We enjoyed the equestrian theme, from the carriage outside of the Carriage House (main building) to the jockey silks lining the walls of the Turf Club and adjacent hallway, to the sketches of some of the most beloved horses from Disney animated films on the walls of the Carriage House, to the throw pillows and artwork in our room. The grounds and buildings are beautiful, and the resort has an elegant, peaceful, northern resort feel to it. Since we live in Florida, we didn't want to feel like we were in Florida, so we were pleased.
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In addition, the holiday decorations in the Carriage House and spa were quite lovely - especially the large Christmas tree in the Carriage House. Swags of holiday greenery in the walkways added to the festive atmosphere. A visit from Mickey Mouse in the Carriage House lobby one morning, along with carolers, was a real treat.
We used the buses to go to MVMCP. We waited 5 minutes for a bus to the Magic Kingdom just before 5pm, and we waited less than 10 minutes for a return bus to the resort. Buses were full, but we expected this the weekend before Christmas, and it was not an issue for us. Although full, they were not crammed or uncomfortable. Riding to multiple bus stops within the resort only took a few minutes and so was not an issue for us. We stay on property so we do not have to drive. The convenience of not having to drive more than outweighs the slight inconvenience of multiple bus stops. We do not have unrealistic expectations for bus transportation, and we have always encountered shorter than expected waits. The ride to the MK took about 20 minutes. For reference, the Congress Park bus stop is the second to the last stop when leaving for the parks (the Springs/main area is the last), so when going to a park, there is only one stop after Congress Park before leaving the resort.
We appreciated being able to park right in front of our building, which made for easy loading/unloading of luggage. It also made it easy to jump in the car for drives to Fantasia Gardens (about 10 minutes away) and Wilderness Lodge for dinner (15-20 minutes). Epcot and Hollywood Studios are only about 10 minutes from the resort by car.
In summary, we had a fabulous, relaxing stay in a beautiful resort in a very convenient location. Although our home resort is the Grand Floridian, we can already tell that staying there will be a challenge because we do not usually plan our vacations 11 months ahead of time, and their villas book quickly. We plan to return to Sarasota Springs for years to come.
Pros:
Beautiful, peaceful, quiet rooms, close to Downtown DisneyCons:
None for usReviewed by chall0789 Review Date: 11/06/2014
Rating: (10) Recommended
We just returned from a 4 night stay at Saratoga Springs Resort. We have never been disappointed with this resort. We were in a two bedroom villa which was clean and newly refurnished. We enjoy the proximity to Downtown Disney and we especially liked the new boardwalk which makes it even closer.
We enjoyed renting bikes and riding through the Treehouse Villas and Old Key West Resort before taking the bikes to Downtown Disney.
Our children enjoyed the campfire in the evenings where they were given marshmallows to roast. It would have been great if the store would have sold graham crackers so that they could have made s'mores.
My husband and I visited the gym almost every morning. It is probably the best equipped gym we've used.
This is just a great resort and we truly feel at home here.
Pros:
Close to DTD and a Beautiful ResortCons:
NoneReviewed by QueenBlackFrost Review Date: 01/24/2023
Rating: (9) Recommended
DH & I stayed here in September 2022. We rented DVC points and really lucked out with the location of our room. This resort is huge, but our room was a short walk to the lobby and right next to a bus stop. When we first arrived, we discovered our toilet wasn't flushing after we had already unpacked. We called the front desk and some workers showed up minutes later to fix the problem. I was really worried that they would move us to a different room, but it got fixed and was fine the rest of our stay. We were stuck in our room for 2 days during Hurricane Ian, but cast members were great and we were able to extend our stay. I feel like the majority of guests were stressed and behaving rudely. This resort only had prebagged sandwiches for sale and shut down all dining options. Because this resort is close to Disney Springs, we had planned to do most of our dining there, but of course that wasn't an option either. I thought cast members did the best they could to keep everyone fed and protected from the storm. I think if I had to ride out the storm in a value resort, I would have felt more claustrophobic than I already did. Buses were slow the following days, but roads were flooded and again I understood that we were dealing with unusual circumstances. I definitely would stay at this resort again.
Pros:
The lobby smelled amazing! I spent hours there adjusting reservations and it made me feel calm and relaxed. Cast members were all very kind. Bed was comfortable. There is an ottoman that adjusts to a TV tray. This was pretty handy since we ate a number of meals in our room.Cons:
The resort is large and depending on location, you might do a lot of walking.Reviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 12/13/2022
Rating: (9) Recommended
The updated rooms are amazing. Loved staying here and it was close to many parks and Disney springs.
