Saratoga Springs Impressions

[DizWacko]

Stayed at Saratoga Springs earlier this month for the first time, as there wasnt availability anywhere else in the Deluxe or DVC category. Overall we were very disappointed in this resort, Disney definitely missed big on this one in my humble opinion. In an effort to be fair though, the good and bad as we saw them below:

The good:
1) The grounds and landscaping that do exist are very nice. The place is very clean.
2) Downtown Disney options, close proximity to shopping and dining
3) Like Artists Pallette alot .. nice selection and departure from standard food-court fare.

The bad:
1) What is with all of the roads and vehicles smack dab in the middle of the resort? Even when they designed the moderates, they designed from the outside-in whereby vehicles would stay at the perimeter of the resort, leaving the inside as "transporting" you somewhere else. In most areas of SSR, you are within eyesight or earshot of cars, buses, or ugly concrete skyscrapers of the Downtown Disney area. Even the themed pool area is within 50 ft of a bus stop. This is a total ambience-killer in our opinion.
2) Parking lot views - seems to have a large amount of parking lot and road views from guest villas .. given #1 above I suppose this was unavoidable when designing the resort.
3) Spread out ... we stayed in Congress Park and felt far apart from the rest of the resort... cant imagine how people in the Paddock section feel - they are truly an outpost. I dont mind walking at all, that is if I feel immersed in a special place, but didnt feel that way here.
4) Outside Corridors - other than saving money I cant think of one good reason to do the "motel style" outdoor corridors.. made the place feel cheaper from the inside than it should have or looks from the outside.

All of the above has to do with ambience ... both my wife and I felt Saratoga Springs was severely lacking in ambience. From the pictures on websites it looks deluxe, but having actually staying there didnt feel deluxe at all compared to other Disney Deluxe or DVCs that we have stayed at. We just felt an overall "empty" feeling when staying there .. no way we will return there unless there is nothing else in the Deluxe or DVC category available.

 

[momba#9]

We returned from SSR a month ago and we could have written your review. It really didn't "feel" Disney at all to us. All of those parking lots make it seem like an apartment or condo complex not a DVC Resort.

The bright side is we own BCV and love that resort. We won't be returning to SSR either so we WILL be booking 11 months out to ensure this.

Happier travels ahead.


Mike

 

[disneyfan2kids]

I went to SSR in January and absolutely loved it!

 

[Chuck S]

There are two DVC resort styles at WDW.

Condo style resorts, like OKW and SSR are a true "home away from home" with convenient parking...which leads of course, to roadways running to the units. These resorts do not offer valet parking or room service. These resorts both have exterior hallways.

Hotel style resorts are attached to regular WDW hotels, and have interior hallways, but there is certainly no way most folks would call the parking convenient at Boardwalk. They do offer valet parking and in-room dining.

I gather from your post that you are the type of vacationer that simply prefers the "Hotel" style DVC, and perhaps you will be able to plan early enough in the future to stay at the Hotel style resorts. Many DVCers do prefer the condo styling of OKW and SSR over the hotel styling of BCV, BWV and VWL.

While we won't know until after it opens, AKV may be some type of hybrid between hotel and condo styles.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Isn't it great that DVC provides lodging that every one will like? We love SSR and OKW and the community feel to them. And we like VWL and BCV because they are so quiet and restful.

Something for everyone.

 

[TheBeadPirate]

4) Outside Corridors - other than saving money I cant think of one good reason to do the "motel style" outdoor corridors.. made the place feel cheaper from the inside than it should have or looks from the outside.

This made me chuckle. One of the complaints from VWL and BWV are the "endless hallways" from heck. DH and I stayed at SSR right after they opened and the quote for the whole trip was "at least these hallways have a breeze!"

 

[Slakk]

This made me chuckle. One of the complaints from VWL and BWV are the "endless hallways" from heck. DH and I stayed at SSR right after they opened and the quote for the whole trip was "at least these hallways have a breeze!"

I still get a nervous twitch when I think of BWV halls

 

[Boardwalker]

I still get a nervous twitch when I think of BWV halls

Hey.... you are going off topic... I thought this thread was a "mild bashing" of Saratoga Springs....not a "mild bashing" of my beloved Boardwalk. Could you please stick to the topic?

 

[Sammie]

Different strokes, etc. But to answer your question about the internal roads, obviously you never visited the area prior to SSR. Before SSR it was Disney Institute and before that it was Disney Village Resort, the roads have been there for many years. When the buildings were taken down the new SSR buildings were built in the same locations of the previous buildings.

Landscaping takes time to mature, this is still a new resort and uncompleted. Even the first built sections took a hit during Charley and much had to be replaced.

As to spread out, it seems to appear that way to some but to others the distance is no more than any of the moderates or the walk from the BW to Epcot or MGM. It is all perception of what is far.

With any condo setup versus hotel setup, you will always have outside corridors or landings.

The very things you disliked we like very much so I guess DVC tries to provide a variety. I would not own if all of DVC was hotel setup type resorts.

Obviously you prefer the hotel setup, so you will need to plan accordingly to book that.

 

[TenThousandVolts]

I just got back from our first trip home to SSR- we liked the resort very much-but I agree that the road down the center is a buzz-kill. It would be great if they continued the main street look that you have around the Springs section all the way down to the end and worked to make that area have a more quaint look. I think a trolley would be great as inter-resort transport.

We were in the Paddock section and we loved it there- I actually found it very convenient as we did a good bit of resort hopping and we were a really close to the DTD Marketplace bus spot. The Corousel and the back part of the Paddock do seem very far removed- I think a room there would be a disappointment.

 

[tjkraz]

2) Parking lot views - seems to have a large amount of parking lot and road views from guest villas .. given #1 above I suppose this was unavoidable when designing the resort.

I guess that depends on how you define "large amount." The buildings all have their parking lots on the same side and there are no balconies on that side of any building. The only time you have balconies with any exposure to a road or parking lot is when buildings are set at odd angles or when they happen to have roads running on two sides.

Below is an image of the four Congress Park buildings at SSR:

The yellow marks I made illustrate the only two blocks of guest rooms that would have a balcony with a partial view of a road or parking lot. Each building has 8 units on this side (2 units per floor x 4 floors) for a total of 16 units facing toward the parking lot. That's about 8% of the 192 Congress Park units.

If I recall, Disney also did quite a bit of planting in the grassy area between these balconies and the parking lot to dress-up the view as best they could.

Certainly not all of the views are ideal, but the same can be said for every Disney resort.

 

[Boardwalker]

If there are units at SSR that have parking lot views, front and back, do they consider that standard view with a lower rate? I know that the standard view rooms are the first to go at my BWV.
I've not stayed at SSR, but did stay at OKW, so I understand the difference in styles... condo vs hotel.
But the OKW unit we stayed in may have had a parking lot in front, but the view from the back was a lovely area... quiet and green. It was very relaxing.
I felt that that style of accomodation would have been great for people bringing their own cars. Unloading would have been a breeze and if you wanted to drive to and from the parks, you had it made.

 

[Sammie]

If there are units at SSR that have parking lot views, front and back, do they consider that standard view with a lower rate? I know that the standard view rooms are the first to go at my BWV.
I've not stayed at SSR, but did stay at OKW, so I understand the difference in styles... condo vs hotel.
But the OKW unit we stayed in may have had a parking lot in front, but the view from the back was a lovely area... quiet and green. It was very relaxing.
I felt that that style of accomodation would have been great for people bringing their own cars. Unloading would have been a breeze and if you wanted to drive to and from the parks, you had it made.

Nope, no difference in points kinda like at BCV if you get the room where you feel at any minute you might be road kill and basically all the pool views rooms could also be considered parking lot as the lot is just past the pool even though there is extensive landscaping between the two, just as there is at SSR.

The difference in OKW and SSR though is OKW buildings are much smaller and basically rectangle and SSR is a larger U shaped building. Therefore some SSR units depending on how the building is positioned to the road will have a parking lot view beyond the landscaping.

 

[Deb & Bill]

If there are units at SSR that have parking lot views, front and back, do they consider that standard view with a lower rate? I know that the standard view rooms are the first to go at my BWV.
I've not stayed at SSR, but did stay at OKW, so I understand the difference in styles... condo vs hotel.
But the OKW unit we stayed in may have had a parking lot in front, but the view from the back was a lovely area... quiet and green. It was very relaxing.
I felt that that style of accomodation would have been great for people bringing their own cars. Unloading would have been a breeze and if you wanted to drive to and from the parks, you had it made.

Nope, luckily with the later resorts after BWV,they got rid of the various views at different rates. Too bad they reinstituted it with AKV.

At both OKW and SSR, there aren't any windows in the villa directly facing the parking lot except for the few on the ends like tjkraz indicated. The only way to get the parking lot view on most of the villas is to glue your eyeball to the peephole on the door.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

The roads through SSR didn't bother us at all. Even though we were using Disney transportation, we could certainly see the convenience of being able to park right at your unit -- especially when loading in groceries.

We were in the last unit in one of the Springs buildings. If we stood at our balcony railing and looked out to the right, we could see the main road. There wasn't much traffic on it, though. And while we were sitting on our balcony, the view was of the lake.

The pool area did disappoint me a little bit, I was hoping for a little more of a theme. It was still a very nice pool.

We're happy to call it our home resort. That doesn't mean we won't be in line early when they announce a more hotel-style DVC at the Contemporary, though.

 

[fishermouse]

Funny you mention roads and pasrking lots as bad ambiance, we stayed at BWV in Jan and had a view of a road, some linen carts and the Swan or Dolphin hotel and parking. After being moved since we di not book the cheaper view we overlooked the leisure pool but still had a view of a parking lot, not sure which one, but Tower of Terror was off in the distance. Not a bad view in my opinion but I prefer SSR. I love the view of DTD, also love to walk and ride bikes around the resort. Would not pick BWV as my first choice nothing to do with veiw. Thats not to say I'll never stay there again after all it is Disney. BWV is however my Sisters favorite resort, she owns OKW, BWV and SSR, different strokes for different folks I guess. Sorry you did not like it I hate to hear someone had a less then Magical experience at any resort.

 

[Slakk]

Hey.... you are going off topic... I thought this thread was a "mild bashing" of Saratoga Springs....not a "mild bashing" of my beloved Boardwalk. Could you please stick to the topic?

So sorry...I couldn't help it but in my defense the twitch only showed up after my THIRD trip to the front desk when they accidently deactivated my key.

 

[BroganMc]

1) What is with all of the roads and vehicles smack dab in the middle of the resort? Even when they designed the moderates, they designed from the outside-in whereby vehicles would stay at the perimeter of the resort, leaving the inside as "transporting" you somewhere else.

I believe the idea of the roads is that Saratoga is a community unto itself. Broad Street is main street so you have the various activities and access to the community center, as well as the various adjunct sections. It feels like a private gated community. Reminds me of Hilton Head but with much less traffic.

 

[Snookies]

Different strokes, etc. But to answer your question about the internal roads, obviously you never visited the area prior to SSR. Before SSR it was Disney Institute and before that it was Disney Village Resort, the roads have been there for many years. When the buildings were taken down the new SSR buildings were built in the same locations of the previous buildings.

Landscaping takes time to mature, this is still a new resort and uncompleted. Even the first built sections took a hit during Charley and much had to be replaced.

As to spread out, it seems to appear that way to some but to others the distance is no more than any of the moderates or the walk from the BW to Epcot or MGM. It is all perception of what is far.

With any condo setup versus hotel setup, you will always have outside corridors or landings.

The very things you disliked we like very much so I guess DVC tries to provide a variety. I would not own if all of DVC was hotel setup type resorts.

Obviously you prefer the hotel setup, so you will need to plan accordingly to book that.

Sammie is spot on with respect to roads. SSR was designed around the infrastructure of the Disney Village Resort (later known as the Disney Institutue). In fact, SSR supplanted Eagle Pines on the DVC drawing board because it was cheaper to develop a DVC unit there because of the existing infrastructure when Eisner's Disney Institute concept failed. Although all of the buildings are new (with the exception of the main building housing the spa, restaurant, check-in, etc.) the accomodations were built in many of the exact same locations as previous Village accomodations. For example, the Paddock section has literally replaced the old Disney Village Townhouses.

With respect to Sammie's comment about likes and dislikes, we've added a substantial number of points at SSR exactly because of the Downtown Disney location and condo style. Without SSR, those points would have been added-on at OKW. Although DW and I enjoy stays at BWV, BCV, & VWL, we don't have interest in buying additional points there because of the hotel style. The same will probably be true for us when CRV is announced. If we add-on again in the near future, it will likely be at either OKW or SSR because the location and condo style is a better fit for us.

 

[ANTSS2001]

We just felt an overall "empty" feeling when staying there .. no way we will return there unless there is nothing else in the Deluxe or DVC category available.

I guess you wont be reading my trip report then....

I am so sorry you feel that way... I am new to being a DVC'er and last month was the 1st time I set foot at a DVC resort/home resort SSR and I am glad to say it was love at 1st sight. My next trip is OKW and I hope I get the same feeling I had with SSR.... just like what they have said to each his/her own... I would also would like to try the endless halls of the above mentioned DVC resort.. but if I would be ask on the spot where I would stay again.. I would end up saying SSR ...

ambience~ the quiet pool at Congress is bursting with ambience... I even feel asleep at the rocking chair listening to the music at DTD's PI

Goodluck on your future DVC resort stay.... that is the worst thing that can happend when you go to the happiest place on earth and something is making you feel "empty"