Just back and my feelings on Saratoga Springs

[nhdisnut]

Ok, I'm officially worried now. Wife and I are looking into buying 150 points at SSR and now I read this post...

We've always stayed at the value resorts, the way that guy makes it sound, we are making a huge mistake.. can anyone give me some positives on SSR? Are we making a mistake???

We own at both SSR and AKV. We have stayed at SSR twice, BWV once, and have stayed at AKL, POR, POFQ, and AS Sports (just to give some perspective of where I am coming from). We love SSR! While it is large, we are walkers and do not mind a short (5 min) walk to the main area. I do agree with others that say that the Carousel section is too far away - it would be my last choice of areas.

SSR Pros:

• Beautifully decorated and furnished rooms. Very classy decor.
• Proximity to DTD with easy access to transportation to other resorts from the Marketplace bus stop (close to the end of the CP and Paddock sections).
• Wonderful quiet pools, and a fantastic main pool (may be a tad small, but we love it). Now with the addition of the Grandstand, there are a total of 3 quiet pools, 1 main pool, and 5 hot tubs.
• A very tranquil atmosphere. SSR really provides an escape from the hectic nature of the parks. The grounds are gorgeous (and are really coming into their own after several years of growth), and the various walking paths around the resort really lend themselves to a peaceful evening stroll. Even when just about full (when we were there last Christmas week), SSR always felt quiet and relaxed - much appreciated I must say!
• The Artist's Palette is a great counter service type restaurant. Not really a food court, the food is excellent and provides more options than quick service locations at other resorts.
• The views from most of the rooms is really nice - DTD view, pool/water view, or golf course view. Designers seemed to do a nice job minimizing parking lot views...

Cons (sort of):

• I suppose the overall size could be a factor for some people. It's just not a problem for us. One way of solving the walking problem is to hop onto any theme park bus - unless the route has changed with the addition of the Grandstand, the last stop before the bus leaves the resort is at the Springs, right near the main pool and the Carriage House. There is also an internal shuttle that runs around the resort.
• SSR is not right at at theme park. That said, the access to DTD (mentioned above) makes up for that. Bus service to the parks has, in our experience, been excellent!

I really do respect the fact that everyone has their favorite DVC resort. Their are plusses and minuses to each and every WDW property. No matter where we stay we are thrilled to be at WDW - that's the bottom line.

Coach81, I hope this info helps you feel better. Check out some pics of the grounds, etc. of SSR using the link below....

 

[Jillpie]

For anyone new to SSR, if you do not wish to walk to the main area for milk you might want to stock some in your fridge and/or take the internal bus.


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OP here again. I did stock my fridge with milk and OJ on day one. On the fourth day, we ran out, and the trip to the main bldg. was basically the next state over. Its not just groceries either, I found it very frustrating that I just couldn't shop there for souvies whenever I wanted. And again, we did take the theme park buses whenever we wanted to get there, its getting back and the TIME it takes to do so is ridiculous if you are bus dependent.

I'm not really sure why folks feel the need to defend any resort if you hear negative feedback. I don't feel that need whenever anyone talks about the BCV. I say, yes! Another one that won't take up space there. And more room for us. This resort was very pretty, but not enough for us to go back unless we're desperate.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I'm not really sure why folks feel the need to defend any resort if you hear negative feedback.

I agree. The only resort that had better not get any negative feedback is VWL. If that happens, you will get the wrath of the "Groupies".

Of course, any other resort is fair game.

MG

 

[Sammie]

As to the comments about SSR and OKW's theme or lack of, I truly think you would have to actually experience Saratoga Springs, NY and Key West, Florida to be able to say whether it captures their essence.

I know that Disney does extensive research for the themes of their resorts. They travel to these areas, they stay in local hotels, not the Holiday Inn Express, and they dine in the local restaurants. They visit local shops and art galleries. They make purchases of local art and hire local artisans to contribute to the resort. Such as the beautiful bronze horse statue at SSR and the local art displayed throughout the resort.

While I agree that Disney did a great job on capturing the theme of Atlantic City's Boardwalk, they did an equally good job of capturing Key West and Saratoga Springs, the towns.

I think sometimes it is easy to say a theme does not capture the essence due to that fact the theme does not appeal to one. I for one care nothing about the the theme of the AKL and the new AKV, but I can respect the care and attention Disney has gone into, to theme it.

Believe me Disney does not sit around in these planning sessions and say lets go all out for AKL with the theme and the heck with SSR, we can just do anything. That line of thinking is sometimes reflected in comments here, and leads to the heated discussions.

Sometimes its the small things that are overlooked like the Saratoga Springs bottled water, that is only available in Saratogs Springs, NY and SSR and the Peppermint pigs.

I have stayed in all the DVC resorts many times and each offer a lot and each are very different. I have also been fortunate enough to visit the areas that each resort was themed after and I can say Disney did a great job on each of them.

 

[tripletvan]

So if we are going down on 3/29 is there anything we can ask for in advance? Would hate to get a parking lot view again as we did at BW! Just want it to be quiet and picture perfect this time. Kids are sixteen and making us feel like 60! We need a recalibration as the engineer would say! Just need a little one on one time.

 

[Sammie]

OP here again. I did stock my fridge with milk and OJ on day one. On the fourth day, we ran out, and the trip to the main bldg. was basically the next state over. Its not just groceries either, I found it very frustrating that I just couldn't shop there for souvies whenever I wanted. And again, we did take the theme park buses whenever we wanted to get there, its getting back and the TIME it takes to do so is ridiculous if you are bus dependent.

I'm not really sure why folks feel the need to defend any resort if you hear negative feedback. I don't feel that need whenever anyone talks about the BCV. I say, yes! Another one that won't take up space there. And more room for us. This resort was very pretty, but not enough for us to go back unless we're desperate.

It is not a defending situation. You don't like it, that is fine.

However I think it is only fair that opinions can be presented and counter opinions can be presented simply because of the situation with Coach81, where someone is concerned that your opinion is the only opinion of SSR.

No one is critizing your right to dislike SSR, nor should you be concerned if someone disagrees with what it was you disliked.

was basically the next state over.

plus someone that had never been there might actually think that is factual, it truly is not that far.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Thank God DVC didn't duplicate the true Saratoga water.
I was in the real Saratoga and took a drink out of that fountain in the park. I started gagging uncontrolably, and almost heaved.

Has anyone else here drank that specific water that I'm talking about?

MG

 

[Sammie]

Thank God DVC didn't duplicate the true Saratoga water.
I was in the real Saratoga and took a drink out of that fountain in the park. I started gagging uncontrolably, and almost heaved.

Has anyone else here drank that specific water that I'm talking about?

MG

MG, that was the one for the horses.

 

[BroganMc]

And again, we did take the theme park buses whenever we wanted to get there, its getting back and the TIME it takes to do so is ridiculous if you are bus dependent.

Ah well then that explains your "hour back and forth" time assessment from Carousel to Artist Palette. In actuality the distance is roughly .4 miles. (The same distance as from the BWV lobby/Beaches & Cream/Epcot View BCV units to the International Gateway.) It takes approximately 10-15 minutes to walk, depending on how slow/fast a walker you are. (Normal walking speed is 2.5 mph and fast walking is 3-3.5 mph. In my slow-powered wheelchair, I pull around 4.5 mph when I've got wide open space. I guess that means I could do it in 5-7 minutes.)

In general waiting on a resort bus is a tedious experience. Did you actually take a theme park bus to AP, buy your stuff then just wait around for another bus? Even walking one way is not a hardship.

 

[Slakk]

Ah well then that explains your "hour back and forth" time assessment from Carousel to Artist Palette. In actuality the distance is roughly .4 miles. (The same distance as from the BWV lobby/Beaches & Cream/Epcot View BCV units to the International Gateway.) It takes approximately 10-15 minutes to walk, depending on how slow/fast a walker you are. (Normal walking speed is 2.5 mph and fast walking is 3-3.5 mph. In my slow-powered wheelchair, I pull around 4.5 mph when I've got wide open space. I guess that means I could do it in 5-7 minutes.)

In general waiting on a resort bus is a tedious experience. Did you actually take a theme park bus to AP, buy your stuff then just wait around for another bus? Even walking one way is not a hardship.

So basically about the same as walking through the corridors of BWV to your room.

 

[tomandrobin]

Ah well then that explains your "hour back and forth" time assessment from Carousel to Artist Palette. In actuality the distance is roughly .4 miles. (The same distance as from the BWV lobby/Beaches & Cream/Epcot View BCV units to the International Gateway.) It takes approximately 10-15 minutes to walk, depending on how slow/fast a walker you are. (Normal walking speed is 2.5 mph and fast walking is 3-3.5 mph. In my slow-powered wheelchair, I pull around 4.5 mph when I've got wide open space. I guess that means I could do it in 5-7 minutes.)

In general waiting on a resort bus is a tedious experience. Did you actually take a theme park bus to AP, buy your stuff then just wait around for another bus? Even walking one way is not a hardship.

BroganMC.....Now why would you introduce facts into this discussion. It will only confuse the truth.

Truth is the OP is custom to staying at the Boardwalk area. I think any other resort would not have been good, especially since they did not choose to stay at SSR, it was choosen for them. Which also may be a factor in the negativity towards the resort.

 

[loribell]

I think this is fairly representative of a fair percentage of the DVC members. Great resort but others they like even better. I also feel having a car makes a much larger difference at SSR & OKW than the other resorts.

The funny thing about that is I just recently stayed at SSR, in the Carousel, without a car and it didn't bother me at all. However, I stayed at BCV one summer without a car and said I would never do it again because of the resort sharing its bus with the Swan, Dolphin, Yacht Club & Boardwalk. I felt like that was the worst bus transportation I have ever experienced.
I guess it just goes to show how varied opinions can be!

I also wanted to add that I own at VWL & SSR. These are two very different as you all know & I LOVE them both.

 

[Coach81]

Well I've done the homework, and my wife and I have decided to send in the signed contract and deposit tomorrow morning for SSR!

I don't put much merit into all the negative posts on this thread, I am a positive person, and I've read and seen enough on SSR to believe it will be a great "home away from home" for my family.

Now I'm praying my offer gets past ROFR!

Thanks for all the info all of you.

 

[BroganMc]

So basically about the same as walking through the corridors of BWV to your room.

In all fairness, the furthest distance from BWV wing to wing is around .25 miles. That would take you around 6 minutes to walk. Or in my case around 15minutes since I'd have to slowdown to navigate foot traffic and wait for an elevator if I wanted to see anything outside of corridors.

I think the main difference smaller resort guests experience with the larger OKW/SSR standalones is that they don't have one main lobby to pass through on the way to the rooms. So you have to purposefully go out of your way to get to the lobby for food/drink/shopping.

AKV may or may not give guests similar ills depending on whether they put a marketplace in the main Kidani lodge. As it stands, the closest corner of Kidani to the existing Lodge is .25 miles. The gift shop has some staples, but I believe the cafeteria style restaurant is down another floor and through the resort by Uzima Pool.

 

[BroganMc]

BroganMC.....Now why would you introduce facts into this discussion. It will only confuse the truth.

I know. Horrible of me, isn't it? Just when we had a good ragfest going too. Mea culpa.

I don't put much merit into all the negative posts on this thread, I am a positive person, and I've read and seen enough on SSR to believe it will be a great "home away from home" for my family.

Good luck to you Coach. Just remember to take everything of opinion with a grain of salt here. My little factoids are based on pedometer maps and walking speed assessments.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Darn, 55 posts before I even get to read this!

We love to stay at SSR because of the community style setting you have (just like OKW). More laid back, more friendly, less hotel-like. We like to stay at VWL because of the theme (parking is a pain, but we can endure this to stay there). BCV used to be a favorite until my husband decided it was getting run down by the high occupancy (I still like it, again, because we can park closeby and we will be staying there in June).

So my number one priority for a DVC resort must be close by parking. Forget the room, forget the restaurants, just let me park my car and walk to the room without getting lost.

Of all the DVC resorts, the one I like the least is BWV. Don't know why, I just don't care for it. The hallways there seem so much narrower than the ones at VWL or BCV.

Isn't it good that DVC has something for all of us?

To the OP, next time you don't want to stay at SSR or OKW, you'll need to make a reservation with more lead time. If I recall, you made this somewhat last minute and all that was available was SSR.

 

[nhdisnut]

Well I've done the homework, and my wife and I have decided to send in the signed contract and deposit tomorrow morning for SSR!

I don't put much merit into all the negative posts on this thread, I am a positive person, and I've read and seen enough on SSR to believe it will be a great "home away from home" for my family.

Now I'm praying my offer gets past ROFR!

Thanks for all the info all of you.

Congrats! Good luck with ROFR!

 

[summergolf]

Count me in among the dumbest people on the planet...I absolutely love SSR...and I'm beyond belief happy to have bought there (and added on there, too).

There are dozens of threads on the good (and less good) aspects of each of the DVC resorts. But one thing I find really really "curious:" people who complain about walking distance...how do they manage at the parks? In my experience, being at Disney is being prepared to walk--and walk and walk and walk some more. For me that's part of the fun...I love strolling along and "gawking" at all the wonderful and colorful things to look at (and I can fool myself into thinking that all the extra eating I'm doing won't do "that much" damage to my waistline...now that is self deception in the extreme...but it feels good while it's happening!)...

Anyway, just wanted to post to say I'm dumb (if loving SSR makes me dumb) and proud of it!

Couldnt have said it better

 

[Jillpie]

To the OP, next time you don't want to stay at SSR or OKW, you'll need to make a reservation with more lead time. If I recall, you made this somewhat last minute and all that was available was SSR.

Wow, not sure where that came from? I did book this 8 weeks out, was ready to try something new and had an open mind for it. All I'm saying is this place is not my cup of tea because of its size, thats all. I'm glad I tried it once, but once is enough.

 

[Jillpie]

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Truth is the OP is custom to staying at the Boardwalk area. I think any other resort would not have been good, especially since they did not choose to stay at SSR, it was choosen for them. Which also may be a factor in the negativity towards the resort.

Thank you, however, thats not entirely true. Any other resort I would have been very happy with, I didn't like this resort for its sheer size and inability to get supplies easy. I would have loved it if the access would have been easy and time efficient. The fact that it was chosen for me really doesn't factor in my dislike for this resort, I was actually looking forward to it prior to arriving.