Your Thoughts on SS

[chitown67]

Hello All:

First and foremost thanks to the regular visitors here who have posted some very helpful facts, tidbits and opinions on their Disney Vacation Club Memberships. Your contributions make this forum a great resource.

My wife and I have been to Disney numerous times and are big fans of just about everything you can find on the on the Florida property. In the past we have averaged a trip to Disney World just about once every two years or so.

Now that we have two little ones (my daughter just turned 2 and my son will be one in December) we feel the frequency of our trips down to Disney World will jump up to once every year and as such we are seriously considering buying into a Disney Vacation Club Membership.

Given this I have a few questions/inquiries that I would love to get your individual feedback on.


1. What are your thoughts on the environment at Saratoga Springs? Is it noisy and busy due to its proximity to Downtown Disney? Or is it nice and laid back? We live in Chicago and when we go on trips we like a laid back atmosphere and fear it may be to close to the late night action.

To give you an idea of our mindset we have really enjoyed our past stays at the Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Polynesian Village and the former Port Orleans. While on the other hand we thought the Boardwalk and Yacht and Beach Club (while extremely nice resorts) were just a bit to hectic.

2. I once stayed at the old Disney Institute (great concept poor execution) and sort of felt that the resort was well um... "not really part of the magic". By that I mean it sort of felt a little to on the outside, like an after thought thrown on the other side of Downtown Disney. Does this feeling still prevail in the new Saratoga Springs property?

3. Is Saratoga Springs effected by its proximity to Downtown Disney? To be honest Downtown Disney is probably my least favorite part of the Florida Disney Property. I truly don't mean to offend any fans of this area and it is just my opinion, but for me it is sort of well a giant garish shopping mall with a bunch of bars (all be it with some great restaurants) as such I guess we are worried that the Downtown Disney feel may leak over to Saratoga Springs.

4. How's transportation I know it is just about all buses but as the resort sits on the edge do you have to travel through and stop at Downtown Disney to get to the parks or are they express buses? How are the waits for the buses?

5. Has construction effected your stay?


Anyway I'm sure I may have more questions after reading your responses but I'm even more sure I'll be grateful for your feedback.. so thanks much in advance.

 

[rinkwide]

Considering the above, I'd say you should take a serious look at Disney's Old Key West Resort.

 

[Beca]

I have never stayed at SSR, but have toured the models. Both OKW and SSR seemed "out of the way" for me. My 3 yr old dd asked (while we were staying at OKW), "Mommy, the next time we come to Disneyworld, can we STAY at Disneyworld?"

But, I LOVE BCV...so my tastes are very different from yours.

My first recommendation would be that you not purchase until you get the chance to tour the properties. I don't mean to be at all insulting, but you seem to have a very thin line between too busy and "not magical" (i.e. BCV and BWV "too busy" and DI being so laid back that it was "not magical"). It is fine to be "picky"....DVC is a huge investment, but I get the feeling that you would be really upset if you owned at the "wrong" resort. I was that way, too. I bought a few contracts at DVC only to sell them later (after visiting all DVC properties) to buy at my true "home"...BCV.

However, I am going to go "out on a limb" here and offer you some advice...if you know you love Wilderness Lodge, and you really want to buy before your next trip to WDW....buy a small contract at VWL. Then, if you fall in love with another resort after you visit...you can always add-on!!!

Good luck in whatever you decide!!

Beca

 

[dianeschlicht]

I was going to suggest that too, Beca. It sounds like VWL is taylor made for you. The biggest issue is the lack of the extra 12 years you get with SSR. You are probably young enough, that the 12 years could be an issue.

We own at and usually stay at OKW. We love it. It feels well themed, spacious, and truely feels like a home away from home to us. We stayed at SSR last fall, and while the rooms are very nice, it wasn't as much to our likeing. Still felt like a hotel or apartment building to us. We did, however love the "small town" themeing of the SSR area, and thought the bus service was just fine. It is not at all noisy. In fact, we thought it was very quiet, and even the fireworks could not be heard inside the room, and we were right across from DTD. The buses are direct to the parks from SSR, and their efficiency will be a bit dependant on the time of year you visit. No construction noise that we heard when we were there in October.

I still think you should think about VWL. It is nearest to MK and has great themeing and is quiet and woodsy. You can sign up with DVC to wait for a VWL contract, or you could look for a small resale and add on at SSR once you are in the system so you get the best of both worlds...nice quiet resort and extra 12 years. You can always use your SSR points to stay at the other DVC resorts booking at the 7 month window. Availablility will depend on the time of year you like to travel.

 

[iankh]

When I started thinking about buying into DVC I considered SSR, but ended up shying away from it because, I live in Chicago on the Northside, and on vacation didn't feel a need to be in an urban environment close to an equivilent of Old Orchard.

Most of my recent stays had been at Wilderness Lodge, so I ended up finally buying a VWL resale.

I just had my first trip there and was extremely pleased that I went with my gut feeling. Given my normal day to day lifestyle it was the right vacation choice for me.

 

[KAMLEM]

We own at BWV but last week we stayed at SSR because we wanted to try it out. We stayed in the Springs building right next to the main building. I'm glad that we tried it out but we really didn't enjoy it. We prefer the "hotel" style villas such as BWV or BCV. We were fortunate enough to be within walking distance of the main pool but some of the buildings are too far away to walk. You couldn't see Downtown Disney at all from our building and it was very quiet. We felt like we were too far away from everything. We felt pretty much the same when we stayed at OKW a few years ago. The benefit there was the size of the rooms but we still prefer BWV. We like being able to walk out of our rooms at the Boardwalk and have restaurants and entertainment available and just be in the middle of everything. We love the ESPN Zone and the kids like the arcades and carnival games. We really like being able to walk to EPCOT and MGM. We're glad that we stayed there once but we probably won't stay there again.

The construction didn't effect our stay. We didn't use the transportation so I can't help with that.

Good luck!

 

[jennyl772003]

1 & 3. I thought it was rather quite. Sedate even. It seems to be set up in a way that seperates it from DTD. While still close to DTD, it is not really connected. We stayed in the Springs though, which is farther away then the Paddock section.

2. I thought it was very "Disney". Like a PO type of Disney though, not a Pop or All Stars type.

4. Only the DTD busses stop at DTD, all others go straight to the parks. Typhoon Lagoon does stop at DTD first though. The busses did have long waits when we were there last week. I really feel this is because the resort is not finished and that at this time it has the least amount of rooms of the other resorts. I truly feel this will improve.

5. Other then the bus stops for the Carriage House being a bit different, and minor things like that, the construction didn't bother me one bit.

 

[mathmagic]

We love SSR, but we also love DTD. SSR is very quiet, despite its proximity to DTD. If you don't care for DTD, you can see it the from every view of the lake so you probably would not care for that either. We like being so close to DTD for many reasons (lots of food and shopping options) but one of the best reasons to be so close is you can take a bus to any other resort, rather than having to take a bus all the way to a park and then transfer. A short walk, and only one bus, and I can be at any resort for a meal. I don't need SSR to have it's own restaurant with that kind of flexibility!

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

Is Saratoga Springs effected by its proximity to Downtown Disney? To be honest Downtown Disney is probably my least favorite part of the Florida Disney Property.

Then SSR is not for you. As has been suggested, look at a resale at VWL. You won't regret it based on what you are looking for.

HBC

 

[tjkraz]

1. What are your thoughts on the environment at Saratoga Springs? Is it noisy and busy due to its proximity to Downtown Disney? Or is it nice and laid back? We live in Chicago and when we go on trips we like a laid back atmosphere and fear it may be to close to the late night action.

Only 4 of the 18 buildings line the waterway to DTD. In those buildings, I've been told that they used special construction materials to insulate the rooms from any noise. We stayed there a few months back, and the only noise we could hear from DTD was the fireworks at midnight. And, with the doors closed, the fireworks amounted to very faint pops--undetectable to all but the lightest sleepers.

The resort itself was designed with a small town feel, and that's the experience we had. I found to to be very laid-back.

2. I once stayed at the old Disney Institute (great concept poor execution) and sort of felt that the resort was well um... "not really part of the magic". By that I mean it sort of felt a little to on the outside, like an after thought thrown on the other side of Downtown Disney. Does this feeling still prevail in the new Saratoga Springs property?

In response to your "not really part of the magic" comment, I'll repeat a statement I made to my wife during our first stay at OKW. One of the things I really loved about OKW was the fact that we were very close to the theme parks, received Disney-level service, and yet at the end of the day we could leave the parks behind us and escape to another world. That's the feel I get from both OKW and SSR.

3. Is Saratoga Springs effected by its proximity to Downtown Disney? To be honest Downtown Disney is probably my least favorite part of the Florida Disney Property. I truly don't mean to offend any fans of this area and it is just my opinion, but for me it is sort of well a giant garish shopping mall with a bunch of bars (all be it with some great restaurants) as such I guess we are worried that the Downtown Disney feel may leak over to Saratoga Springs.

From 14 of the 18 guest buildings, you can't even see Downtown Disney. 'Nuff said.

4. How's transportation I know it is just about all buses but as the resort sits on the edge do you have to travel through and stop at Downtown Disney to get to the parks or are they express buses? How are the waits for the buses?

SSR has direct service to all of the theme parks and waterparks. It does not share busses with DTD.

5. Has construction effected your stay?

It was noticable when we stayed, but it didn't disrupt our trip. Our balcony faced DTD, so when we were in the room, we couldn't even see or hear the construction.

But here's your reality check: All of the construction will be complete by 2007. If you're considering a trip in the next 2 years, then you may want to factor this in. But if you're considering a purchase, I wouldn't concern yourself with somethign that will be a non-issue for the remaining 47 years of your ownership.

Good luck!

 

[Jenny0725]

We stayed at SSR this past March and really enjoyed it. We own at VWL and BCV but like to stay at different resorts each time.

We thought that SSR was very peacefully and we liked that it was closed to DTD. It was nice to be able to walk over instead of dealing with the busses or having to find parking.

My children are 7 and 3 and they loved the pool and activities at SSR. We will definitely stay there again.

 

[littlestar]

While we were at downtown Disney on our last trip waiting for a bus back to the BWV resort, we heard people discussing walking over to SSR to catch a bus to the theme parks. I don't know if they were trying to save on parking or what. They were staying off site. Me and my husband said we figured this would happen more and more. John Q public park their car at downtown disney and then come over to Saratoga to swim, go to the parks, etc. Ugh.

There is a walkway that goes to Saratoga and anybody (John Q public) can come and go as they please. At least at even the DVC beach resorts (Hilton Head and Vero) you have to use a room key to get in and out of the pool areas. I think Saratoga is a little too "out in the open" for my Disney resort tastes. I know the general public can visit any Disney resort (and that usually involves a car), but Saratoga has really, really easy access. I'd rather stay at POFQ to be honest with you. I just think with Downtown Disney being right there and that huge parking lot, you have the potential for a lot of easy access to Saratoga. That really worries me. And like you, Downtown Disney is my least favorite area of Disneyworld.

Sounds like you should probably look for VWL resale. Good luck.

 

[pbharris4]

SSR is a nice resort and to me it's laid back. I think some areas are too far from others. I would stay there again, but not until my youngest is at least 4 or 5 yo. We got stuck in The Paddock which far from everything. We certainly don't mind walking, but we had a studio and our 2 yo did a lot of walking-she refused the stroller (she's miss independent these days). We basically drove everywhere (which was OK) because when kids are that young they get pooped out from the parks all day and why make them take a bus for another 30-60 mins or have to walk real far? We own at BCV and VWL (haven't stayed at VWL yet), but have gotten spoiled with the convenience of BCV although it can be crowded. When we bought..we never even visited a model or the resort we bought at. We just thought it sounded like a good deal and knew we didn't want to stay off prop. anymore so we just bought what they were selling at the time and it was BCV. The OP had a great idea to buy at VWL since you like it already and then visit the other DVC prop. and add-on. Wherever you buy you can always stay at any of the other places.

 

[MiaSRN62]

My 3 yr old dd asked (while we were staying at OKW), "Mommy, the next time we come to Disneyworld, can we STAY at Disneyworld?"

LOL...cracked me up.
We own an offsite timeshare and believe me.....there's a big difference when staying at OKW. We KNOW we're on property. We've had various views of Illimunations from our balcony (something I didn't even have at BWV), the Mickey heads on the balcony railings, the cool pool with hidden Mickey's on it.....the Disney busses.....the boat to DD.....the gift shop. It all feels very Disney to us while at the same time offers a very relaxing atmosphere. We actually feel we could get to the MK quicker from OKW than from our stay at BWV. Just a varying viewpoint
But I agree, that VWL might be a nice option for you as you have little ones and probably MK is the main attraction for your family right now.

 

[tjkraz]

While we were at downtown Disney on our last trip waiting for a bus back to the BWV resort, we heard people discussing walking over to SSR to catch a bus to the theme parks. I don't know if they were trying to save on parking or what. They were staying off site. Me and my husband said we figured this would happen more and more. John Q public park their car at downtown disney and then come over to Saratoga to swim, go to the parks, etc. Ugh.

That's a problem at almost every Disney resort and is not exactly exclusive to SSR.

People park at the Boardwalk, Beach Club, Dolphin or Swan and walk to Epcot or MGM. People park at the MK area resorts and take the monorail into the parks.

Even though resorts have posted guards at the entrances, it's not difficult to talk your way past the guard. They don't turn people away who just want to visit or shop, and handing out time-limited parking passes is a rare occurrence.

 

[chitown67]

All:

Thanks for your insightful replies to my post. I can not tell you all how much I appreciate your time and input.

We have pretty much already set the wheels in motion as far as dealing and purchasing directly with Disney, in that we have requested the DVD, gone through a follow-up call, getting assigned a DVC rep who has sent us the complete information booklet.

We are vacation members at Starwood so we pretty much know the score when it comes to the pluses and minuses of being vacation club members and quite honestly the becoming a DVC member seems like a no-brainer as the benefits are pretty obvious.

I guess the one thing holding us back is taking a bit of time to explore the SSR property to make sure it is the right one for us. We plan on doing so when we go down to Disney World this December for a 9 day stay.

If SS is right for us well it looks like we are joining, if not we will investigate a re-sell opportunity.

Thanks again for your feedback and I will make a point to keep checking back here for additional feedback.

 

[iankh]

Something you should know, that I didn't and the DVC guides will not volunteer is that you CAN buy a sold out resort directly from Disney.

I was offered SSR and that was it. I did not know that I could press the issue. Since I did not require financing it was not an issue. I ended up buying a resale (very easy) and saved myself about 4K to boot over "retail."

But remember, while they are actively selling SSR, you still do have other options if you go directly to Disney.

 

[littlestar]

That's a problem at almost every Disney resort and is not exactly exclusive to SSR.

People park at the Boardwalk, Beach Club, Dolphin or Swan and walk to Epcot or MGM. People park at the MK area resorts and take the monorail into the parks.

Even though resorts have posted guards at the entrances, it's not difficult to talk your way past the guard. They don't turn people away who just want to visit or shop, and handing out time-limited parking passes is a rare occurrence.

Yeah, but don't the guards usually take down your license plate number and look at your I.D.? That's been my experience. I just think with the vast parking lot of Downtown Disney, you have a lot more opportunity for abuse of Saratoga's facilities. I just don't want to stay at Saratoga unless they have a gate or something on the downtown disney path. Like I said, it's too easy access for my comfort level. I would also be worried about my daughters walking around in Saratoga's parking lot at night because of the easy access.

 

[Tinkerbell04]

Hi,
We stayed at SSR this past spring and loved the resort. We were in a building that was close to the walkway, and it was still quite a walk. I think that the number of people who abuse the bus situation by walking to the resort are very few.

 

[Disney Doll]

Based on what you have indicated your likes & dislikes are, it doesn't sound like SSR is the place for you. The DTD area is your least favorite part of WDW, so don't buy at a resort that is located in such close proximity to that area.

It doesn't sound like oyu like "hectic", so BCV & BWV are probably out too, since that whole Boardwalk area can be hectic and busy at times.

That leaves VWL & OKW.

VWL is a lovely spot, as you have experienced. Close proximity to the MK, which is perfect for you now with your young children and will work even once the children are older.

OKW is another option...quieter, calmer, more laid-back. Truthfully, despite Beca's 3 year old's opinion you do feel as if you are in WDW. I think Beca's 3 year old is just more used to the Boardwalk area, KWIM? The rooms are large, there is parking (if you have a car) right outside your unit, there are several pools, the points per night are the least out of all the DVC resorts, I have always had very good bus service, the folks are nice...there's a lot of space to roam around.

Keep in mind, that while DVC is "pushing" SSR right now, they do have contracts available at the other DVC properties that they have bought back through ROFR. Someone posted not too long ago that he told a DVC guide that he wanted to purchase at...BCV I believe...the guide tried to steer him toward SSR, the poster finally flat out said "Iwant to buy at BCV & if I can't do it through Disney then I will do it through a resale". Suddenly there was an available contract.

The one plus about SSR for you, since you have a young family, is that the contract is another 12 years. SSR contract ends in 2054. All the other resorts contracts end in 2042. Might be part of your consideration in where you purchase.

Best of luck to you in your decision. I will say that we have thoroughly enjoyed owning our DVC points.