Treehouse Villas Review
Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs are one of the most unique Walt Disney World resorts, and a very niche Disney Vacation Club property that are a love it or hate it type of accommodations. This review features room photos, pros & cons, and covers our recent stay at the Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa.
While the Treehouse Villas are not too old as a DVC property, their existence dates back decades. Debuting in 1975, the Treehouse Villas were to be part of the Lake Buena Vista mixed use community (think EPCOT 2.0) that never fully came to fruition–save for these and some other villas. They were later rolled into the failed Disney Institute concept (the predecessor of Saratoga Springs) before closing to guests, and then being used for International College Program housing.
The Treehouse Villas are bona-fide “Vacation Kingdom of the World Historic Landmarks” and we were a bit relieved that Walt Disney World opted to rebuild them in the spirit of these villas’ original incarnations, save for a smaller ground-level footprint. But for a wetlands preservation law, the Treehouse Villas likely wouldn’t exist at all, and we’d have a larger development in the style of Saratoga Springs here.
Being enthusiasts of Walt Disney World history, Sarah and I have wanted to stay at the Treehouse Villa since they debuted several years ago. Our DVC home resort is Saratoga Springs Resort, so this would be a rare case when our home resort advantage pays off, but there’s only one minor problem: there are two of us, and the Treehouse Villas sleep up to 9 guests. We’ve debated having a large herd of children to justify staying here, but haven’t gotten around to that yet.
Fortunately, some friends of ours booked the Treehouse Villas for a couple of nights. Not having 9 people in their party, they invited us to stay with their family at the Treehouse Villas, and we jumped at the opportunity. We have a lot of room photos from the Treehouse Villas (and pretty much no other photos), so I’m just going to scatter those throughout this review–I think they mostly speak for themselves, anyway.
Before we even get into our review, we want to underscore just how divisive the Treehouse Villas are among guests. If you do a little searching, you’ll find a number of “horror stories” about negative stays at the Treehouse Villas, making them sound like the worst resort at Walt Disney World.
Do a little digging, and you’ll find a common thread in these stories: transportation. The other is that these are remote and isolated, totally unlike other resorts at Walt Disney World. There are other sporadic complaints, but these are the big ones and they pop up commonly enough that anyone doing any degree of research at all is going to be aware of these issues before even booking.
To the first complaint, we’d say it’s absolutely imperative that you have a car if you’re staying at the Treehouse Villas. The water taxis that offer transportation to Disney Springs are a great option, but the internal buses to the main area of Saratoga Springs are not. (You can also walk to Saratoga Springs–it’s about 10-15 minutes.)
The bus service at the Treehouse Villas is the most inefficient in all of Walt Disney World. To my knowledge, Uber or Lyft are options only when leaving the parks, as the Treehouse Villas gate is unstaffed, so they wouldn’t be able to get through to pick you up. Like we said above, renting a car is essential.
To the second complaint, it’s worth underscoring that although these are technically part of Saratoga Springs Resort, they are worlds apart. The Treehouse Villas have much more in common with the Fort Wilderness Cabins than any other accommodations, and calling these a part of Saratoga Springs would be the equivalent of calling the Polynesian Bungalows part of the Grand Floridian.
This is in terms of distance, theme, and general atmosphere. Arguably, the Grand Floridian and Poly Bungalows have more in common with one another than Saratoga Springs Resort and the Treehouse Villas. They’re associated with one another for no reason other than lack of better options.
If you want a robust slate of amenities such as a nice pool area, food court, table service restaurant, or refillable mug stations, be prepared for having to use transportation or taking a leisurely nature walk to get to those things at Saratoga Springs. (Read our separate Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa Review for info on all of that; we don’t feel any of those things merit discussion in this review.)
If any of this loses you, that’s totally understandable. The Treehouse Villas are not for everyone. We’d go as far as to say they probably make sense for ~20% of Walt Disney World visitors (even setting aside party size). The important thing is identifying whether they’ll work for you before booking, and not trying to force it if these villas don’t seem like a good fit.
If you’re still with us, thinking that perhaps the Treehouse Villas would appeal to your party, we’ll say this: the Treehouse Villas are one of our favorite accommodations at Walt Disney World. The villas were absolutely perfect for our style of trip–mostly hanging out at the villa and making the boat ride over to Disney Springs for the occasional meal.
Like Fort Wilderness, the Treehouse Villas are perfect for visitors to Walt Disney World who want an actual vacation; they’re great for decompressing, and a serene stay. (To that point, we think they are great for a split stay–do a couple of nights after you’re done with the theme parks much like you’d do a land and sea trip with the cruise after the theme parks portion of the trip.)
This is pretty much what we did during our stay at the Treehouse Villas, spending minimal time in the theme parks over the course of our stay (I think we did a total of 3 rides over the course of these 2 nights), and spending a lot of time in the actual villa and at Disney Springs.
This was peak holiday season at Disney Springs, so the Treehouse Villas provided a nice contrast to the chaos we encountered when going out for meals.
In terms of basic info, there are 60 Treehouse Villa units, each with 3-bedrooms that sleeps up to 9 guests. Many DVC members are attracted to the Treehouse Villas by virtue of this, and the fact that the point chart is very attractive as compared to Grand Villas.
For the reasons discussed above, we’d caution against this unless the style of the Treehouse Villas appeals to you.
We’d also caution against it because the Treehouse Villas are not exactly a good way of sleeping 9 guests comfortably.
There are three bedrooms; two with queen size beds and one with bunk beds, meaning that three people need to sleep in the living room and two others have to be willing and able to sleep in the bunk beds. It’s probably an ideal fit for a party of 6-7. If you’ve got 9 people, at least 3 will need to be kids.
The decor of the Treehouse Villas is in keeping with the forested surroundings. An abundance of earth tones and relatively neutral colors, plus rich woods, and other natural accents. This style isn’t for everyone, but it’s thematically on point, and we think the look is executed incredibly well.
The Treehouse Villas are imbued with a sense of rustic luxuriousness. The finishings are exceptional, with granite and marble surfaces, plus the aforementioned rich woods. As one does upon entering the room, I lifted every piece of furniture and was surprised by the weight of many items. The kitchen chairs are especially hefty and well built, and the natural style of desk chairs and various end tables is nice.
We stayed just before Christmas on a couple of unseasonably chilly nights, but I really enjoyed putting on a thick flannel shirt and heading out to the deck at night to watch the woods and boats pass along the mighty Sassagoula.
Granted, I couldn’t really see anything because it was so dark, but that’s beside the point. It was peaceful and serene, and I could hear the rustling leaves and the wake of the boats as they passed. Suffice to say, the Treehouse Villas would be the perfect place for a family ‘retreat’ during the holidays at Walt Disney World. There’s nothing overtly Christmasy about them, but between their rustic vibe and being a nice reprieve from the peak season chaos, they’re pitch-perfect this time of year.
It really didn’t feel like Walt Disney World at all, and if you’ve read our other hotel reviews, you know this is something I very much appreciate.
Others who want to be in the center of the action might feel very differently about being isolated in the middle of nature amidst a resort that’s mostly pitch dark.
Treehouse Villas can be booked on a cash basis, but the nightly cost borders on prohibitive–to the point that you’d be better off booking a Fort Wilderness Cabin or an off-site vacation home (remember, you’ll need your own car, anyway). If you’re not a Disney Vacation Club member but are itching to stay at the Treehouse Villas, we’d highly recommend checking out our Tips for Renting Disney Vacation Club Points.
Overall, the Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs are not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but the target audience is bound to absolutely love them. Disney nailed it with the style and quality of the Treehouse Villas, making them great for those who enjoy luxury as well as those who enjoy a rustic escape with minimal amenities beyond the villa. Everything is incredibly high-end, but thematically appropriate for the resort. We might just have to have 6 kids after all, if only so we have an excuse to stay at the Treehouse Villas with greater regularity.
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Your Thoughts
Have you stayed in the Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs? What did you think of the experience? Do you agree or disagree with our review? Is this a type of resort experience that appeals to you? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Do you happen to know if any of the Treehouses are handicap accessible? My kids would love staying there for our next trip.
We were there just a few weeks ago and I did notice there are at least a couple that are handicap accessible.
I’ve stayed in one of the handicap accessible treehouses. Outside it had a long ramp going up to it so it wasn’t too steep. The master bedroom/bathroom was handicap accessible but I don’t remember if the second bathroom was as well.
My first trip to Disney we stayed in one of the treehouses, way back in 1982.. I was 7 years old, i have been back to WFW more times than I can count and to date it was one of my best trips. It’s the only time we stayed at the treehouses. I still have some pictures packed away….
Tom, another great post but I’m going to have to call BS on your statement that “The villas were absolutely perfect for our style of trip—mostly hanging out at the villa and making the boat ride over to Disney Springs for the occasional meal.” I’ve read enough of this blog and Travel Caffeine to know that just hanging out at your hotel isn’t your primary mode of vacationing. 😉
Nostalgia with a twist. I’ve yet to stay at the new Treehouse villas, but they were tied with our family’s favorite place to stay with the long gone Fairway villas. They were my Mom’s favorite place to stay, as she loved sitting out on the deck, especially in the morning ( I also remember the peacocks). It was a different time: the only boats on the waterway were there for fishing. I remember my brothers and I figuratively fighting out who got to sleep downstairs; it wasn’t great sleeping quarters looking back, but whoever stayed down there got it all to himself. Even back then, transportation was an issue, but since we drove, it was a non-issue.
It’s also special as it was part of our last big family trip to WDW in 2001; my wife and I stayed at the CBR, while Mom, Dad, one of my brothers, his wife and 3 kids stayed at the Treehouse Villa, where we’d meet up, both to go to the parks and have meals. Which was fine with the wife and I; her pregnancy would be a few months too late for our kid to be considered a WDW “souvenir”, and we partied at Pleasure Island with great satisfaction, so our hours didn’t always sync.
Your comparison to the Cabins at Ft. Wilderness is apt; they also look a heckuva lot better inside than they do outside, but they’re more isolated than the Cabins are: You’re literally surrounded by trees, which you’re up in. Depending on where you were back then, you might not be able to see your neighbors.
This review nails it on what’s not easily accessible for the Treehouse Villas: You’re really going to want a car, either the one you drove in, or a rental. If your family spends a lot of time in the pool and eating at the resort’s food court, this isn’t your top selection. But if you plan on cooking your meals, if your idea of going to a pool at WDW is going to Typhoon Lagoon/Blizzard Beach, and/or you like to escape from the bustle of the crowd but stay on property, the Treehouse Villas should be a strong consideration, though, as the review says, this isn’t where you want to have 9 adults.
I love the look of the cabins. I wish the location was closer to the MK like Ft. Wilderness.
We stayed at the Treehouse Villas and loved it. We had a total of 7 people. It was perfect for us. We used the pools and each one of us loved the walk to Saratoga Springs main building. The only problem we had was the transportation to the the parks. We had two times they were very late and one of the times they were so late my husband and I missed our anniversary dinner reservations. I called on the phone about 5 times telling they it had not arrived. After an hour and 15 mins it finally arrived with no apologies. When I called to complain they said they could give everyone in our party (which totaled 12) three extra fast passes for the next day. Other then the transportation we all love the Treehouse!!!
Thanks for the review – I’ve wanted to stay here since I found out about them, too! Our party of five adults and one kid usually stay at the Ft. Wilderness cabins, but since our first trip, we get two cabins – one bathroom with five adults just wasn’t cutting it! I’ve tried to convince the rest of the family if we’re going to get two cabins, might as well get one treehouse. We also appreciate that, similar to the Wilderness cabins, each treehouse has a grill and an individual designated smoking area, so that the smokers in our party don’t have to hike off-campus to grab a smoke.
If Disney would rent out golf carts to the Treehouses, like they do at Ft. Wilderness, I think I’d have the rest of the family sold on the idea. I don’t know why not – they’re on the Saratoga Springs golf course, after all, and it would solve a lot of issues with transportation to the main resort. That is, if there are places to park a golf cart at Saratoga Springs – I’ve never been.
We’ve stayed in the treehouses on 3 occasions and we love it! We love the peacefulness and this year we were a little more remote but had a car and drove to one of the stops within Saratoga and it worked good. Two other times we were close enough to walk to the nearest stop. For my family its worth it! But I agree, it’s not for everyone.
The treehouses are awesome. I too had this as a dream from my childhood ever since I first heard of them in the 80s. A couple of years ago we stayed there with some friends. Five adults and three kids was perfect. They drive down, so we had a vehicle. Taking the two stage bus loop was too long and cumbersome. We’re planning on staying there in October with 8 adults for Food and Wine, so that could be different…
I stayed in a treehouse when I was maybe 7, so around 1977. Abpout the only thing I remember from that trip is that I was too short for most of the rides and my main way of having fun was running up and down the spiral staircase in the treehouse.
Thanks for the look inside the new models!
Are golf carts available to rent?
We stayed at the Treehouses year ago, it was cool at the time the bedroom on the lowere level had a bed that hung from the ceiling. We were younger at the time and thought that was the best thing ever.
We stayed in a Treehouse Villa over Thanksgiving and it was perfect. We hosted a group of 14 for Thanksgiving dinner (brought in the patio table for extra seating). There were 6 of us staying in the villa. 9 would have been cramped. Our college age kids enjoyed the Treehouse Villas pool and hot tub.
I’ve never seen Saratoga Springs, let alone the Treehouse Villas, so I appreciate the pictures. But I know the real reason for the positive review – bed runners! 😀
I’m thinking if I had a large party and a rental car I’d probably just op for a house off site for the savings, but these look like a nice option.
It’s finally here – the review of the Treehouse Villas! One thing I will mention that wasn’t stated in Tom’s review, is the proximity of some units to the Saratoga Springs golf course. Our Treehouse was absolutely pock-marked from wayward shots, and it was common to hear balls smacking the roof, siding and deck during our stay. If you are on the outer edges of the loop, no worries. But if you want a unit that has the closest walk to Saratoga Springs – fore!
And the cost increase for 2020 has just been rolled back, so they’re going to be a great deal on points for at least one more year!
Stayed there with some friends a few years back. Loved the experience, did find the transportation options a little lacking. Overall great, found it enjoyable to hit the pool late at night after coming back from a long day in the parks. It would be nice if Disney were to provide each villa with a golf cart for the stay. That way guests could use it to drive to and from the Grandstand, and be freed from intra resort bus.
No only would the parking fee apply for non-DVC stays, each THV is limited to one vehicle being parked at the THV. If you have more than one vehicle, you’ll need to park the extras at the Grandstand parking lot.
Stayed at the treehouse villas in the 70s. It was great came out on the deck one day and there were 2 peacocks. The tub was deep but not very long it was a great experience.
Besides the birds coming on deck there was also a river flowing behind those tree houses and made everything very peaceful. Enjoyed reading the newspaper in the morning before going to the park.
Does the overnight parking fee apply here? These look right up our alley but I’m still cranky about the parking fees…We haven’t rented a car for a WDW trip in years but would consider it for renting at the Treehouses if we didn’t have to pay to park.
That being said, my wife and I wouldn’t have any issue with walking 10 minutes to the buses if necessary.
The other four people convince to stay with us, though…