Refurbishments are nothing new for Walt Disney World hotels, as you’d be hard-pressed to find a time when there aren’t updates being made to one of the resorts on property. Which makes it somewhat surprising that one of Disney’s hotels has been left essentially untouched for years.
I’ve been covering Disney World for nearly 7 years, and I can’t remember many instances where I covered updates being made to the Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, even though this resort sits directly across from Disney Springs on some of the oldest developed property in Disney World.
The site where Saratoga Springs now sits was first developed in 1973 as part of the planned Lake Buena Vista residential community. By 1975, the Lake Buena Vista Village shopping center — now the Marketplace portion of Disney Springs — and 60 villas were constructed. However, Disney abandoned the residential aspect of the property at this time, mainly due to voting rights and taxation issues.
The villas were repurposed into hotel space, and along with the newly constructed Walt Disney World Conference Center, opened as The Village Resort in 1985. Just over a decade later, the hotel — by then known as The Disney Village Resort — was closed and transformed into the Disney Institute. The resort, based on a camp Michael Eisner had often visited early in life, was a “hands-on” experience where guests would choose to participate in an array of over 80 programs. These programs were under categories such as Animation, Culinary, Gardening, The Great Outdoors, Photography, Television, and Youth. Despite being somewhat acclaimed for its courses, the Disney Institute was never a huge success and closed in the early 2000s.
Finally, in 2004, the site and its preexisting buildings became part of the 7th Disney Vacation Club Resort: Saratoga Springs. The Victorian-themed resort resembles the New York retreat famous for its spas and horse racing.
Saratoga Springs opened in 4 stages between 2004 and 2009:
- Phase 1: Four Villa Buildings in one section called Congress Park opened with 184 Vacation Home units (280 guest rooms) on May 17, 2004.
- Phase 2: Eight Villa Buildings in two sections, called The Springs and The Paddock, started opening in Spring 2005, eventually adding 368 Vacation Home Units (560 guest rooms).
- Phase 3: Six Villa Buildings in two sections called The Carousel and The Grandstand, completed this phase of the large resort in Summer 2007, adding 276 Vacation Home Units (420 guest rooms).
- Phase 4: Treehouse Villas built in natural forest glens with 60 three-bedroom homes opened on June 1, 2009. These stand-alone structures—elevated 10 feet off the ground on pedestals and beams—are located along the Sassagoula River.
Since the final phase opened over 16 years ago, Saratoga Springs has remained relatively stagnant. Don’t get us wrong, the hotel is well-maintained and has DVC guests who swear by it. However, there have been few, if any, major additions which, combined with the hotel’s location at the very end of Disney World property, often leave it overshadowed by its sister hotels.
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort hasn’t seen a major update in a long time. Stay tuned to AllEar for more on Disney’s history and evolution.
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Are you a fan of Saratoga Springs? Let us know in the comments below.
We bought into DVC when Saratoga Springs opened in 2004. Our family of 8 has gone to WDW every year in the winter season, and several times we have visited more than once per year for the Flower & Garden or Food & Wine Festivals. We have used our points to stay at several of the resort hotels over the years, but we find it refreshing to return to SS. After staying in each section of this resort (other than the Tree House Villas) we find Grandstand to be the most convenient. It is bus stop #1. It is convenient to the main building for food and refreshments. It is a short walk to the boat dock for a pleasant ride over to Disney Springs as an alternative to the bus. Before the grandchildren came our men played the golf courses here (in fact, we have played all of the original 6 courses). Our ladies have enjoyed the spa here as well as at the Grand Floridian and over at the Swan & Dolphin. Not everyone enjoys being spread out, but we prefer this versus the crowded feel that we find elsewhere, like Riviera. And at SS we aren’t entrenched in Disney 24/7. There are several pools, crowded or isolated. Lastly, we don’t have an issue with the multiple bus stops. A first timer may find it a bit drawn out. But the frequency of buses is related to the occupancy at the resort. We have waited far longer for buses at Boardwalk and Animal Kingdom Lodge. Does the resort need to be spiced up a bit? Perhaps. I don’t find the buildings to be offensive as is. The rooms have been modernized with murphy beds replacing those worthless sofa beds. Our investment in the DVC resort has turned out to be a very pleasant experience for us.
Saratoga springs under went a major refurb from 2019 to 2021. The carpets were removed a flooring installed, pull down beds replaced the pull out sofas. The appliances were updated as well.
It doesn’t need one. Its great. And while it may be far from Magic Kingdom as an adult who now ventures there without children that doesn’t matter so much. You can also go to bed early without having to listen to Fireworks at 9 PM. It’s one of the few places in WDW and I can sit and enjoy my morning coffee on the patio and not see anyone out and about for sometimes 30 minutes or more. It’s hard to get that kind of peace and quite anywhere else on Disney property. As far as the rooms go they look new and modern. I wouldn’t have guessed it’s been 15 years since they were finished.