Which Disney Resort Should We Stay At?
The drill is always pretty much the same: I see some tidbit of news that gives me an excuse to start thinking about a Walt Disney World getaway, so I head to DVCMember.com to check availability. As I expand each resort to reveal my results in the “no availability,” “partial,” and “all dates” sweepstakes, there are always two resorts I leave for last because I’m pretty certain they will be available.
If you’re a long-time Disney Vacation Club member, you probably know the resorts to which I’m referring before I even share their names: Saratoga Springs Resort and Old Key West Resort. (Frequently, Animal Kingdom Lodge joins them, too, but I suspect that’ll end soon as Rivers of Light and Pandora make staying close to Animal Kingdom more appealing.)
It’s been a while since we’ve stayed at either resort. Sarah doesn’t care for Old Key West (which I think is underrated, but not to the point that I’ll try to override her veto) and I don’t care for Saratoga Springs Resort (which Sarah likes, but not to the point that she’ll advocate for it over other alternatives). For us, these have been the easiest to book of any Walt Disney World resorts, and yet we have spent less time at them in the last 5 years than any other Walt Disney World resort, and that includes every single All Star Resort. (Yes, really.)
This isn’t because we think the All Star Resorts are better than Old Key West and Saratoga Springs Resort (although I dunno, that Mighty Ducks mask and oversized AOL-era laptop are pretty legit!), but because we don’t want to “waste” our DVC points on these hotels, so we end up paying out of pocket for Value Resorts when our favorite DVC resorts are fully booked. Despite taking multiple trips to Walt Disney World, we actually ended up banking all but 11 of our DVC points last year.
This post is going to be unlike others in that there is absolutely nothing here that’s useful to you. We aren’t trying to help you; this is more a ‘thinking out loud’ post at the end of which, we solicit you to help us choose between the two resort options. (You owe us.)
For both resorts, I think we are long overdue for a visit. It should come as no surprise that I’m jockeying for Old Key West. (Any logical person knows it’s far superior. 😉 ) I love wandering around the resort, and I love photographing that lighthouse.
I also don’t mind the rooms, which Sarah thinks are dated and the worst of any DVC resort. It’s tough to argue that these are like visiting your grandma’s Floridian vacation house, but who doesn’t love their grandma?! (Basically, a vote against Old Key West is a vote against your grandma.) Most importantly, the rooms are spacious.
More important to me than the rooms are the amenities and potential for exploration. I love getting up early wherever we’re staying, and just wandering around the lush jogging trails until I make my way up to the Hospitality House.
There’s a lot we’ve never tried here, too, from Olivia’s (I’d love to do their breakfast) to Gurgling Suitcase to the nightly campfire to Electric Eel Game Room (okay, not that last one), we haven’t done all there is to do at Old Key West.
I’m also feeling a bit nostalgic for it. I stumbled upon DVCInfo.com’s 1993 promotional video highlighting it (back when it was “The Disney Vacation Club Resort”), and feel there’s no better way to pay tribute to Disney Vacation Club’s 25th Anniversary than by staying at the original DVC resort. Maybe it’s just me, but I think an argument could be made that there’s no better year for a stay at Old Key West.
On the other hand, Sarah is Team Saratoga (or #TeamSarahtoga GET IT?!? 😉 ). On the topic of nostalgia, Saratoga Springs Resort holds a lot of nostalgia for us. It was our stay here in 2007, during which we got a free room upgrade, pigged out on the Disney Dining Plan, attended the Pirate & Princess Party, and even met Figzilla(!!!) that really got us hooked on visiting Walt Disney World regularly.
That trip, we stumbled home from the Adventurers Club on several late nights/early mornings, and Saratoga Springs was incredibly convenient for that. Just look at us at California Grill. Ah, young Sarah and Tom, if only we could warn you about the rabbit hole you were about to dive down…
Speaking of which, that’s probably one of the most compelling arguments for Saratoga Springs: its proximity to Disney Springs and the pleasant little walking path from Congress Park to the Marketplace. For several years after the closure of Pleasure Island, Downtown Disney was dead to us. That all changed last year as the Disney Springs project started to emerge from behind construction walls, and with rave reviews coming in from the Town Center, I really wouldn’t mind some late nights sitting on rocking chairs overlooking the placid springs’ water.
Actually, the proximity to Disney Springs is probably our biggest selling point for both resorts. While it’s a bigger deal for Saratoga Springs with that walking path, both also have boat service. If park hours stay short during our trip, we’ll probably end up making 3-4 trips to Disney Springs. As a burger enthusiast, it’s my patriotic duty to try D-Luxe Burger. We also “need” to eat at B.B. Wolf’s Sausage Co., Paddlefish, and The Edison. I wouldn’t mind revisiting Morimoto Asia, too.
With regard to Saratoga Springs, specifically, the rooms have been refreshed since our last visit, we have never dined at Turf Club, and we still haven’t gone swimming in the (now not so new) Paddock feature pool. It’s also been ages since I got up early and wandered around Saratoga Springs; it was already 104 degrees with 98% humidity at 7 a.m. (estimates) during our last visit in July. (My last early morning photos of the resort are point and shoot photos from 2007s in the scrapbook layout above.)
So…give us your best pitch. Are you #TeamGrandma or #TeamSarahtoga? Why? Is there a must-have dessert at Olivia’s? A shockingly delicious sandwich at Backstretch Pool Bar? To die-for conch fritters at Gurgling Suitcase? (Are you sensing a trend here?) Or maybe the overstuffed couches in Papa’s Den are the best napping location at Walt Disney World. Perhaps I need to better explore the details that inform the upstate New York theme at Saratoga.
You control our destiny, so make your comments count. Should we give one of these another try, or stick to our less-than-ideal plan of splitting between Villas at Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas? We’re staying where you convince us to stay. That is, unless our Villas at Grand Floridian Resort waitlist comes through…in which case, all bets are off!
May 29, 2016 Update: Thanks for all of the feedback, everyone! By my count, #TeamSarahtoga won (but in analyzing some of the comments, I suspect there might have been foul play and perhaps voter fraud… dun dun dun). However, we decided to do a split stay because there were some compelling arguments for Old Key West, including the photography, breakfast at Olivia’s, and the nature trail to Disney Springs (thanks for the heads up on that!).
There’s another reason we decided to do a split stay, and it’s interestingly the one thing that commenters seemed to overlook. That’s the difference in points needed for a SSR v. OKW stay (we also overlooked this, initially). For the duration of our 5-night stay, Saratoga would cost 20 more points. At a value of $15/point (value if we were to rent DVC points), this works out to be a $300 difference, which is pretty significant. This, too, played a part in impacting our decision.
With that said, we have put in a couple of waitlists for the Villas at Grand Floridian, and remain hopeful those will come through. Our waitlist luck is nothing short of awful (I think we’re 1 for maybe 10?), so we aren’t holding our breath (although we are trying a different “strategy” this time). Even though the added cost is effectively $100 more per night (in points) to stay at the Grand Floridian over OKW, this is one point difference we can more easily justify. Especially around Christmas.
Anyway, thanks for all the feedback. Much appreciated!
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Your Thoughts
Where do you think we should stay? Old Key West, Saratoga Springs Resort, or none of the above? Share your take–and not just the 3 word name of the resort–this isn’t some majority wins vote!
It is because of this darn blog I made a spur of the moment (I thought about it for a week) decision to go to wdw the last day of August through Labour Day. I head back to work teaching on the 6th. Had to borrow points and split my stay and wait list my last day. My best bet was Saratoga my home resort. Actually I’d have liked to have stayed at okw, wilderness or bw but no availability.
You made me ink. Looking forward to it and thanks for all the helpful info. The latest was Frozen at Epcot.
Oh my gosh! I’m watching that promotional video (what a gem and thanks for posting it!) and just found out that in the beginning of DVC you were only allowed to borrow HALF of your points from the following year. Very interesting. A 27″ TV with VCR is touted and I love watching how oddly “vintage” and “retro” 1993 seems now. It was only $5.00 for grocery service. Have you ever done grocery service with Sarah? There was a World-of-Golf and World-of-Dining program? I wonder what that was like? Maybe you should do a “Retro Disney Benefits” post? 🙂 Oh my gosh…omg…omg! You got free passes to the park until 1999! Dang. Come on Disney! Bring that program back right now! Also, it was Disney MGM Studios Park and there was not Animal Kingdom. My how times have changed and the value of 1 point. Good lord. 1993 start price was $11,200, 25 years later? $17,100 today.
Anyway, with all that having been said…I just joined the Disney Vacation Club. Wish I wouldn’t have been a high school junior in 1993 (but hey, I was an exchange student to Finland, so I was already traveling the world and I noticed that fabulous SAUNA in the light house). Is that still a thing? If I had had any money or wherewithal, I would have joined back in the day!
My first ever DVC stay is already having to be split EXACTLY per your aforementioned statements with regard to the the “All Dates”, “Partial” and “No Availability” DVC lottery. I only got 2 days in Bay Lake Towers and of course, had to round out my stay with Saratoga Springs or Old Key West. I chose Saratoga Springs. I’ve already stayed there once in a 1-Bedroom out-of-pocket and enjoyed it. I thought it was very nice.
I have toured Old Key West and thought that the Boardwalk area was exceedingly cramped, very small and overpopulated. It didn’t seem tranquil at all. I thought Saratoga was more spacious, serene and calm. I even thought the Hospitality House was small, but then again, so is the check-in at Saratoga Springs. That’s small stuff. I liked the size of the OKW accommodations, but that was about it.
Anyway, love your blog – you keep it up! I just started a blog, but I barely ever update it. Much too busy with life in general…so my question to you is…where on earth do you find the time to blog all this?
Ooh split stay! A twofer! Can’t wait for the trip report! 🙂
Go with Sarah on this one. Not only is it true that happy wife = happy life, SSR is ideally positioned to take advantage of the new Disney Springs offerings. Yes, the rooms are smaller. Does it matter? The bed/couch set up in the studios is far more friendly for couples than the dual beds in OKW studios. We’ve been lucky enough to score Congress Park several times, which had great views plus a super quick walk over to Wolfgang Puck Express and other restaurants for meals. Go SSR!!!
(disclaimer: I had a bad experience at OKW last summer, which may slightly influence my vote…..although in all fairness, we had a great one-bedroom stay there a couple of years ago.) Either way, best wishes ya’ll have a most magical vacation!
We would love to eat at The Edison also but are not sure of when it will be opening! Is there an opening date rumoured?!
I actually just got back from a trip spent at Saratoga (and I spent 8 days at OKW in January). In fact, over the past couple of years, I’ve stayed at both resorts twice, and while I have to admit that I’m a bit bias due to OKW being my home resort, I like it more than Saratoga for a number of reasons. First and foremost, the rooms are more spacious. They’re SO much bigger than the rooms at Saratoga, and after the new refurbishments a few years ago, the rooms don’t look anywhere near as dated as they used to. As for the walkway to Disney Springs, there is one thing to keep in mind: it can be quite the walk. You CAN request to be situated over at Congress Park (the area closest to the walkway), but if you’re not in that section of the resort it can very quickly amount to a half-hour or more walk, depending on what part of the resort you’re in. The dining at OKW is also laid back and the resort as a whole is the perfect place to spend a quiet night if you’re looking to relax instead of going to the parks.
So all in all, I vote OKW. Having stayed at both recently, I can tell you that the overall experience at OKW is just better than Saratoga. It feels like Disney, not just another hotel.
I have not stayed at either resort, but your post confirms my impressions of them and why I hope Tom and Sarah choose OKW, since it seems more like a place I would potentially stay one day. I’d also add that having just gotten back yesterday from WDW, Disney Springs still doesn’t do all that much for me, as I don’t really go on vacation to shop at stores I have at home or online. To each their own though, and the new dining options look good (we didn’t try it) and shopping at the Marketplace Co-op was fun!
In either case, I’m looking forward to Tom and Sarah’s review of whatever they choose – and hoping it yields us an old school style Bricker trip report!
I had the very same choice for this September and chose a villa at Old Key West. I was at SSR last year for a DVC presentation and had the same feeling that I’ve heard you express that, while very nice, SSR lacks in theming and just feels like a nice resort in Anywhere, USA as opposed to Disney. So I chose Old Key West. The sandcastle pool was also cool and a boat ride to Disney Springs was appealing.
Just got back a little over a week ago, and I actually added a SSR night to my stay.
I fully expected to like OKW more, but ended up liking SSR more and by a good bit.
To me the resort seemed much newer, nicer, and more upscale. I also really liked the Paddock pool and carriage house areas. OKW 2BR villas do have a really nice layout, but the rooms are showing age.
SSR. However, since that’s her preference, in order to balance things out you should require that at some point during the trip Sarah must wear a toga.
Tom, here’s my pitch: Grilled New York Strip with Lobster Fondue
That’s really all you need to know. And knowing how much you like to eat, well that’s a to-die–for meal at the Turf Club that you simply must have. So, #TeamSarahToga it is. I may or may not have behaved in an uncouth manner licking the inside of my lobster fondue bowl …
In the past I’d have been on #TeamKeyWest, but the new Disney Springs is too much of a draw this year.
Thanks for sharing the cheesy 1993 video. “The” resort comes with a VCR! And I watched all the way to the end for the especially cheesy music – wow.
Normally, my vote would be for OKW, if only because I like to go from the sauna to the pool for effect. That said, Saratoga wins due to all the new stuff at the Springs. (Full disclosure… I’ve never actually stayed at Saratoga.)
Having just returned from a visit (yesterday!), I have to say, I am loving Disney Springs right now. A lot of the new shops, granted, are shops that I can get to any day, but the restaurants and live music we got to experience on Monday evening made for a really cool atmosphere.
It’s so funny you post this article today, as we had time to kill before dinner at Disney Springs and decided to just hop on the boat to take a walk around Old Key West because we had never been there before! It was beautiful, and you’re right, it reminded me a lot of Grandma’s! BUT as another Sarah who loves tying her name into things (Tom, surely you understand how awesome triSARAHtops are!) – I have to go with #TeamSarahtoga!
I hope you decide soon…the suspense is killing me. I have to live vicariously through you and Sarah.
Totally Saratoga! Tom, I know you really aren’t a fan of Disney quick service breakfast, but Artist Palette really does a nice job. Last time, I ordered my husband the omelette of the day – it was delicious! Plus, Artist Palette is one of the few quick service places that excepts Tables in Wonderland – extra savings with no 18% tip! Take your wife where she wants!
Deffo Sarahtoga :o)
We stayed in Saratoga in November last year and absolutely loved it. I was a little hesitant given your previous reviews but it was a good deal with the dining plan – so we took a punt!
1 bedroom suite in the Springs building meant the pool/Artists Palette etc. were right across the road. Parking and a bus stop are right by the building.
We only ate QS but the food we had was excellent – we were very impressed counter food was so nice.
The rooms are lovely and spacious and most of all – super quiet. The resort as a whole was peaceful and beautiful – we saw people but never experience that busy manic feel we noticed when visiting the Boardwalk or when we stayed at the Wilderness Lodge.
I would definitely stay again but for our intention to try a new resort each visit!
Old Key West! My family are long-time DVC members and we just love this place. It feels so nice and removed from the general fast-faced, super stimulating atmosphere of WDW. The extra space in the units and a unique layout of the villas, relative to subsequent resorts, is noteworthy, too. Everything about this place feels truly relaxing, and Olivia’s is consistently one of the more charming, quieter restaurants on property. The breakfast is nice, and the conch chowder is delicious. Saratoga Springs is lovely, but OKW feels like a true home away from home in a way few resorts outside of Fort Wilderness manage.
I’m team Sarahtoga because I’m really intrigued by that resort and I want to see tons of pictures and a really in-depth report. I think the theme seems really cool and unusual and I don’t know a ton about that resort or that area.
Happy wife = happy life. Just sayin’. =)