Are We Crazy? We totally LOVE Saratoga Springs!!

[tbay]

SSR is our home resort and my family loves . The grandchildren love the pool areas . The food is great and it is beautifully laid out .Love the proximity to Disney Springs .

 

[Deb & Bill]

SSR is a really nice resort especially if you like to go walking in the morning or evening. It's like a very nice community, similar to OKW.

 

[Wakey]

SSR is a really nice resort especially if you like to go walking in the morning or evening. It's like a very nice community, similar to OKW.

That’s exactly what some of us love about it, and what some disparage it for. Coming from the U.K. you made me realise I like the US community feel about it.

 

[bwvBound]

@sczarnecki , Thank you for your lovely and thoughtful review!

SSR is our home resort, since pre-opening, but hasn't been our 'priority' until perhaps this year. We enjoyed the Treehouses (for our second time) in January and are returning twice this summer for full week stays in the main section. This is, it seems, our YEAR for SSR!

I look forward to the morning yoga, the pools, the maturing landscaping and horsey themes. (I'll be missing my own horses, of course.)

 

[DVCDUDE48]

I could have written that better myself Its a beautiful resort that doesn't get much credit.

 

[GrumpyInPhilly]

We own @ BCV but are anxiously waiting for the refurb to be completed to book a stay there. We have stayed @ the Treehouses and loved them but didn't really get a feel for the main resort (except for the quick service restaurant which we really liked) since we had a car and drove to the parks.

 

[Jennasis]

I agree! We stayed at SSR in 2017 for a 5 day non-park trip (we did SeaWorld, Bush Gardens, Discovery Cove) and we had a BLAST. It was so peaceful and serene. I loved the theme (we own a horse farm and I am a riding instructor and horse trainer). The Paddock area was PERFECT. The pool was great. I think we might have been the only people in our building! It was so quiet! We spent every night at Disney Springs and it was fabulous. We have another trip planned for this December and I can't wait!!

 

[cjbcam]

We stayed at SSR for the very first time at the end of April and absolutely loved it too!! My kids thought it was the best place we have ever stayed. My husband has talked about buying more points since we returned so we can go every year.

 

[Coloradomom]

Agree with everyone here..shhhh. We own 4 contracts all at SSR bought the first one direct in 2005 at SSR for all the reasons stated here. I don’t need or want Disney in my face all the time. SSR is so much more relaxing. We love being able to walk to DS whenever we want. An added bonus is that if we are resort hopping for dinner all we need to do is grab that resort’s DS bus and we are good. We can then walk or take the boat back to SSR. We don’t spend long days in the park but do travel with a fold up wheelchair so usually stay at the Paddock to ensure we have room and Imcan get a seat.
Oh and those cupcakes...that spa...ahem and the Turf Club bar according to my DH makes one of the best martinis he has ever had.

 

[littlestar]

Well stated. Our grand kids love Saratoga resort. Two themed pools with slides and Grandstand pool has the water play area. I like the peacefulness of the grounds and the green space.

 

[bwvBound]

Y'all (all y'all) are stirring my excitement for our upcoming visit to SSR next month. Thank you!!

 

[3 Hobbits 2 Disney]

Just back from a 4-day quick trip, and you hit on all the reasons (minus the yoga!) that we love home. We bought sight unseen in 2005 and have added on since. #theresnoplacelikehome

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

 

[SwanVT2]

Totally agree. We booked SSR again for next February. We love the wildlife and DD age 7 thought the pools were fantastic. We used the community hall. Morning yoga the first day of vacation was the perfect kick off. Next time you go walk the trail from SSR to OKW for dinner at Olivia's. Beautiful!

 

[arminnie]

I just sold a BLT contract as we don’t really enjoy staying there.we love SSR.

 

[Goldfish Are Feral]

Shhhh dont let everyone know! I'm big lover of SSR and am just fine when people fight over the poly's rooms.

 

[Wakey]

Yoga seems v popular where offered- suggest emailing member services to sing it's praises so it doesn't get taken away.

 

[sczarnecki]

Wow great post, I think you nicely describe why I love SSR also. It will be doubly fantastic when refurbed. One man’s meat is another man’s poison as they say:

Quiet and relaxed a big tick for me- Not in your face Disney enough for some.

Lots of walking, it’s what I love on vacation as I’m sat behind a desk all day- “The size of the resort and walking is ridiculous” to some.

Yoga, my wife loves it- “ I’ve no interest in exercise, least on vacation” many will think (Yoga also at Boardwalk, BLT, Beach Club and I think Grand Floridian though).

Spread out and pretty gardens is what I like for the reasons you say- “ Like a condo village” to others and “ Like a value with no internal corridors”.

Nature, like you I love seeing this stuff, particularly as I’m from the U.K.: We don’t have any remotely exotic wildlife and anything that could injure you was hunted out of existence hundreds of years ago- “ I want to only be in a highly Disneyfied environment, that’s why I come to Disney” to many.

Funny but many U.K. citizens seem to like SSR as we insist on being able to walk to restaurants and bars on an evening so we can have a drink and people don’t like driving if they can help it.

Not saying the other folks are wrong, I am not a big fan of Animal Kingdom as I cannot walk or run anywhere, but I can see why others think it’s fantastic.

By the way did you walk up the canal path to Old Key West? If not you’d enjoy that.

Yep, you nailed it. No Disney resort - however well done - is going to thrill everybody. I guess I'm just shocked that no outspoken fans of SSR post rave reviews of this amazing resort in the way that folks who love Poly, GF, BCV... post. I've seen plenty of chatter from people who hate SSR. Ok. But where are the comments from people who love it? THe most positive posts run something like "it's not my favorite but it is nice." Hardly a glowing review! And this place IS fantastic to the right people. My fam was shocked to come and find our own little piece of paradise here! This is where I'd buy if I could talk my DH into it - my DD is sold! Ah well, we are saving $ so we can at least rent points and come again. BTW, I so relate to each of your points! As much as I like AKL - the food, the CMs from Africa, the animals, the art, the architecture - I felt very penned in when we stayed for a week. I kept wishing for "that path" that would allow me to walk around the animal enclosures instead of just standing in overlooks. I would do AKL for a couple of days, but not for a week again for that reason. I was saddened to read that the trail between WL and FW has been closed due to construction. The ability to walk and bike to FW by the lake and through the woods was huge to me. Oh, and thanks for the canal path suggestion. A few other folks have mentioned it. We will definitely bring our bikes next time we come to SSR to ride the canal path to OKW -- and I'll walk the canal path also!

 

[jade1]

Since we do D Springs at least 3 or 4 times each week now, SSR is finally back on our radar.

We still haven't dropped any BCV/BWV/BLT reservations for SSR, but there likely will come a time were SSR is avail and those are not-and will have no problem choosing SSR.

 

[MaleficentEvilSister]

SSR is my home resort. I have only stayed there once for a weekend Girl's Trip a couple of years ago. I currently have it booked for my upcoming Princess Weekend 2020 but may switch it at 7 months out. I am contimpating doing the Star Wars 1/2 marathon in April of 2020 and may stay there as I will want plenty of peace and quiet as well as a massage at the spa after that race. LOL

 

[sczarnecki]

Hey! I've really enjoyed reading everyone's comments. Makes my heart happy to find other SSR lovers out there. I also appreciate the thoughts on walking the canal trail to OKW. So that and spa treatments are now added to my wishlist!