Just booked Saratoga Springs for the first time in December. I was hoping for Copper Creek or Beach Club Villas, but Saratoga was the only one available. I’m going for a couple of days prior to a Disney Cruise and booked a Studio, preferred room. No parks this trip, just enjoying the resort, Disney Springs, boat to POFQ for Beignets, and will resort hop to see the holiday decorations.
Tell me everything!!! Which preferred building/room would you recommend? Would like to stay close to the main building. How is the dining there? Is it peaceful? Safe & well lit?
Turf Club is not open every day - or wasn’t last May when we were there. I think it was closed Mondays and Tuesdays which we only heard about when we showed up w/o an ADR. We wound up eating in the lounge.
I’ve eaten at Turf Club several times and have had decent food. The grab and go quick service is ok. Both TS and QS are serviceable.
I’ve always found the whole resort to be quietly pleasant. I have not walked to DS, nor have I stayed in the Congress Park area. I’ve only been in the Springs, which is preferred and across the street essentially from the main area, and the first Paddock building which is my favorite.
We were in the Springs bldg with rooms 3501 - 3836. The Springs bldg with the 4101 rooms would be closer to the main bldg.
Another, possibly standard, building is in the Grandstand area with the rooms 8501. This bldg might be the closest.
We like the first Paddock bldg which has rooms starting with 4501 and is a fair walk from the main building and has standard views. We might only go to the main building twice in a week, tho.
We love (and own at) SSR. We prefer Congress Park due to the closeness to walking to Disney Springs…Disney Springs can almost become a food court!
We have also stayed in The Paddock, in the building closest to Disney Springs, which also made for an easy walk there if you book standard instead of preferred.
Both locations are also close to the friendship boats that can take you to OKW (if you want to eat at Olivia’s) or to POFQ and POR.
The vibe at SSR is very quiet and relaxed. We have never used the pool, so can’t comment about that.
Even though it is a spread out resort, it is lovely to walk around at as well.
If you play golf (we don’t) it is right there as well.
I would also like to echo what others are recommending - Congress Park is a perfect location for being near to DS and the quiet pool overlooks the Sassagoula/DS making it extra picturesque
How efficient is the bus service to/from the parks here throughout the day? i see that the buses make multiple stops within the resort, but is bus service shared with any other resorts?
Thanks! We’ve never stayed at this resort, but I am thinking of a brief relaxing July 4th getaway. Sounds like a nice place since we have already done the crazy marathon all-day theme park/llmp/llsp trip! Sounds like a good place to enjoy the resort during the day and maybe head to a park in the evening. My main concern would be late-day summer rain/storms.
I stayed at SSR for a relaxing getaway in Feb 2019. My room was in Congress Park which was super convenient to DS which was mostly where we spent our time over that long weekend. We did do an after hours party at MK which was phenomenal, and a short day at AK (because I’m me). But mostly we enjoyed hanging out by the pool and strolling DS. I wasn’t playing golf yet at that time but that would have been fantastic too.
Pretty sure it rains at all the resorts, not just SSR.
Buses are efficient there. Never had any issues. We have stayed at Congress Park for closeness to DS, but also The Paddock, building closest to DS, which was almost as convenient as Congress Park but isn’t preferred point cost.
LOL - I meant that in reference to staying at a remote resort and not heading to the parks until later in the day, when storms are more likely. If we were closer to a park, we would be more inclined to go in the morning and take a mid-day break.
I requested the Grandstand so we can be first on the bus and first off, the bus according to the internets. I’ve never stayed here before, but I’ve stayed at CSR and did the same thing there choosing I think it’s Casitas. I never had problems making a bus first thing and I don’t get the people saying it’s such a bad service. In fact, this was better than trying to make a bus at a single stop resort like Animal Kingdom Kidani or Yacht Club where there were huge clumps of people in the mornings and I ended up Ubering. I think maybe because people complain so much, I had low expectations so was pleasantly surprised. The only place I’ve ever waited for a 2nd bus is coming home from the parks/Disney Springs.
*Also, I’d just walk to Grandstand if you’re worried about getting a bus first thing in the morning.
My parents waited three hours for a HS bus from The Springs bus stop. They were always full and just passed them by. Finally a bus driver felt bad for them after seeing them several rounds and they got a private bus to meet us (we had gone to HS at RD) They didn’t know to ask or walk to another stop.
