Old key west vs Saratoga springs DVC

[Robvilla123]

Hello we have 3 nights scheduled at old key west. We have a studio scheduled. What hotel is better for food, pools, spa, location wise to the parks and. Disney springs? Thank you

 

[Tony Toon]

We've stayed at both and have a trip to SSR planned for January.
OKW has recently refurbed rooms and the studios are large. The studio we had last year was beautiful. The vast majority of buildings don't have lifts so if you have difficulty with stairs you would need to ask for something on the ground floor.
SSR has just started to refurb rooms and studios are smaller. Photos of the new rooms in Congress Park look beautiful.
Both resorts have bus and boat transportation to Disney Springs (DS). You can walk to DS from SSR (very close to the rooms in Congress Park) and the boat journey is much more frequent as the journey is so much shorter.
Similar travel times by bus to the parks.
Both resorts are large so busses make multiple stops.
Both resorts have TS and QS options but OKW QS is very small (not much more than a serving hatch) and has no indoor seating. Seating is outside overlooking the water near the main pool. We much prefer the QS in Artist's Palette at SSR.
No spa at OKW.
More choice of pools at SSR. The main pool at The Springs, the pools at The Grandstand and the Paddock all have slides and water play for children, QS/mug refill service as well as laundry facilities. Congress Park pool is very quiet and only has laundry. OKW main pool has slides and always seems to be mobbed as well as a couple of quieter pools - Miller Road and Turtle Pond which also has seasonal QS/mug refill.
SSR has a golf course on site.
OKW has prettier theming in my opinion. The main area is beautiful. SSR is very green.
We're happy to stay at either resort.

Mrs TT

 

[Denise W]

Studios at OKW have two queen beds. Studios at SSR have one queen bed and one sleeper couch.
Denise

 

[Fred M]

Really depends on what’s most important to you. Getting to the parks is equally inconvenient.

For me personally, I love the tranquility of OKW and the bigger rooms. Last time we stayed at OKW in building 25 and our unit overlooked the 5th green from the golf course and it really added to the vacation away from the vacation feel. And I really enjoy the boat ride down into Disney Springs. So for me I would do OKW in a heartbeat.

But for easy access food options, hands down it’s SSR. At OKW your only real option is Olivia’s. If you’re hangry, waiting for the OKW boat just to get dinner at Disney Springs isn’t much of an option. And as mentioned above, there is no spa at OKW.

Finally, on the pool front, I have a 5 year old, so the main pool at OKW worked for him (and especially since we were super close to the Hospitality House). We didn’t get over to any of the other OKW pools, so I can’t comment on those. Anyway, if using the main pool at OKW is a major draw for you, not getting a unit close to Hospitality House will be a major drawback.

 

[cedricandsophie]

We love OKW. The staff is great. The pool and other activities like tennis, pool, shuffleboard and the community house are close together and easy to access.

 

[plygph]

OKW is one of my favorites for all of the reasons already mentioned. will be there this weekend.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...
No spa at OKW.
More choice of pools at SSR. The main pool at The Springs, the pools at The Grandstand and the Paddock all have slides and water play for children, QS/mug refill service as well as laundry facilities. Congress Park pool is very quiet and only has laundry. OKW main pool has slides and always seems to be mobbed as well as a couple of quieter pools - Miller Road and Turtle Pond which also has seasonal QS/mug refill.
SSR has a golf course on site.
OKW has prettier theming in my opinion. The main area is beautiful. SSR is very green.
We're happy to stay at either resort.

Mrs TT

Spa has both an exercise room and a sauna in the lighthouse at the main themed pool. There are some spa services available at the fitness center at OKW, but not to the extend as the SSR spa. There are three leisure pools at OKW - Millers Road, Southpoint and Turtle Pond (which has a small seasonally opened counter service, too). Turtle Pond pool also has some activities to pay besides swimming. The themed pool is the only one with a slide. OKW also has a golf course surrounding the resort (greens and water traps are the majority of the views at OKW), but the clubhouse and first hole is at SSR. It's the same course.

An OKW studio will have two real queen beds. A SSR studio will have one queen bed and one double sleeper sofa. I'm not sure if the SSR studio has the murphy bed in it, but the unrenovated rooms will not.

OKW has very few buildings that have an elevator. There are a few buildings (maybe four) that have studios on the third floor. SSR buildings all have elevators.

 

[holden]

I prefer OKW to SSR. I know OKW is large, but it doesn't feel as large to me as SSR. We stay at OKW when we want to maximize our points but generally prefer smaller resorts.

 

[nursejackie]

I have stayed at both. Our building at SSR was within walking distance of Disney Springs, this was a real bonus in the busy season, but this convenience will depend on which building you are in. The quick service has more options at SSR in my opinion (I am not so keen on Goods to Go), however the whole resort seems a little disjointed. I would stay there again for the great DS access, but my heart lies in OKW having spent many christmases there and the wonderful memories we made.