Saratoga Springs?

[ElleBelle88]

We were so very close to booking AKL for DH, myself and DS (10 months at time of travelling in February) but then all of a sudden Saratoga Springs is showing up on the Disney site for a great price. We don't know much about the resort. Positives are it is very close to DS and it has the boat which we have previously enjoyed when staying at POR. I am a bit worried the rooms look a little dated and the main building theme doesn't look overly amazing but I haven't visited so I may obviously be totally wrong. The positives for AKL are that it is AKL! We haven't visited there either but it just looks fantastic from what I've seen online. Are the two resorts comparable? We will be staying for 10 nights.
Thanks in advance!

 

[mikebb]

We own DVC at SSR and love the resort for many reasons. Yes the theming is more understated than other resorts and it’s further away from the parks. But as you said it’s great if you just want to pop over to DS at any time, and the grounds are beautiful and very relaxing.

That said, you should head on over to the DVC resort forum, there are pic and general discussion threads there with tons of info.

 

[Deb & Bill]

SSR is a really nice resort. What size villa were you considering? A one bedroom would get you a full kitchen plus a washer and dryer right in your villa.

 

[rteetz]

I have yet to stay at AKL but did stay at SSR and very much enjoyed it. The proximity to Disney springs and the overall peaceful feel of the resort was great.

 

[las3888]

I probably like everything better at SSR than AKL except the lobby and the animals! If you were planning to book a savannah view, then you might feel a little cheated at SSR, if you were just going to book a standard view room at AKL then it's worth considering, especially depending on the savings. We were not too keen on staying at SSR and for one trip it was all that was available so we went with it and ended up liking it quite nicely! Also a big difference is whether or not you have a car, if you don't, you will rely on the busses at SSR. If you do have a car, it's super convenient to park basically right by your room at SSR. Pro's and con's to everything, it's tough!

 

[conandrob240]

We like SSR as well. Great pools and the walk to DS with all of the dining options is fantastic. We chose it for our NYE trip so that we can walk over to DS every night.

 

[Luvs Mickey]

We’ve really enjoyed our stays at SSR. It’s peaceful, beautiful and we like the proximity to DS. That being said, trying AKL for the first time this December and looking forward to it!

 

[amytaylor2]

We absolutely loved SSR! While the themeing wasn’t extravagant by any means it was very nice. The best part was it was so quiet! We never once heard anyone outside our room and the food court area was never busy. At times we were the only people in there. The boat ride to DS was fun and the bus rides to the other parks wasn’t bad either. I wouldn’t hesitate to stay there again!

 

[clayfolks]

We much prefer AKL/V over SSR. The animals are exceptional. The restaurant options are much more varied. The bus service is MUCH better. AND the atmosphere can’t be beat. It is a very special place. SSR is nice, it just doesn’t feel special or Disney to me.

 

[Finerfam]

I've stayed at both AKL (KV) and SSR and although they differ greatly in their theming, I loved them both for different reasons!

We had a savanna view at KV and thought it was neat, but didn't spend any time in our room and never really saw any animals. So not sure that would be a selling point for me. We did love the restaurants at AKL though, especially dinner at Sanaa (great last night dinner followed by night vision animal viewing)! The room was spacious, and the bus service was good.

SSR was our resort this May, and I had my concerns, but was staying positive. We had a preferred room and lucked out having a room in The Springs section, which was close to the main lobby, food, pool, etc. I found the resort very peaceful and thought there was actually much more to the theming than I had originally expected. The room was still very spacious (moreso than AKL, I thought), but I also preferred the ground level room with patio we had at SSR as opposed to being on a higher floor with a balcony. The bus service was OK, and I'd like to think we just ran into some bad luck having to wait a while for some park buses. Epcot and HS buses seemed to be in abundance, but the AK and MK buses always seemed to be running late (and of course we were at these parks for 4 out of our 6 days). We also walked to Disney Springs twice during our trip. It's a little bit of a hike, but definitely a plus if you're planning to spend any time there.

Bottom line - yes, they are very different, but I don't think you'll be disappointed with either resort!

 

[delux]

I stayed at Saratoga once before but it was only for 2 nights so I experienced next to nothing. But i am staying there in a couple of weeks and am looking forward to it. I do feel that you cannot really compare the two because they are so totally different. I loved AKL for it's theme and restaurant choices. Distance from the parks doesn't bother me for either one. My reasons for choosing my hotel change each time but mostly It depends on how much money I am able to spend for that particular trip or who I am going with.

 

[Cee]

SSR is home. Love it. Beautiful, peaceful, and walking distance to DS. Busses and boats for transportation. So lovely, AND Sunrise Yoga by the quiet pool with a view. Fabulous. Enjoy!

 

[NYIrunDisney]

It's beautiful there. Very close to DS, further from the parks. Frankly, I prefer being closer to DS. I'm hopping on buses to get to the parks anyway. I like the added convenience of walking over to DS at any given time and going to Raglan for a pint.