Saratoga Springs Owners Threads

Just checking in to say that I love SSR. It was the first DVC accommodations I stayed in and the reason I bought our first resale contract!!

We just finished a stay there, and I think I officially found my favorite building - building 5500 in the Paddocks section.

SSR was actually our first DVC stay ever! I will always remember the feeling of sitting on the balcony there so happy that we had decided to buy into DVC.

That's one of my favorite DVC photos.

Saratoga is in my top five resorts. I love the architecture, the colors, the stones, the grounds. I love the view from Congress Park over the water and Disney Springs. I love that it's sprawling because I love going for walks. I love all the water and fountains and the bridge that takes you over to The Paddock. I think the rooms are stunning and you get great value for your points. We do a lot of two bedrooms with our friends, Dan & Jeff during race weekends to take advantage of the kitchen and we always spring for affordable accommodations like SSR, OKW, and AKV. SSR never disappoints and it is so peaceful. As a local, I like being able to park so close to our building and the treehouses are a lot of fun too.

Hello from the Zepeda family in Visalia, California! 👋

Proud SSR owners since 2005 and happy to be part of this community! We just got back from an incredible 8-night stay in a Grand Villa to ring in the New Year. The Zepeda and Hernandez families took over SSR for the holiday and capped it all off with New Year's Eve at Magic Kingdom, which has been on our bucket list for years. We finally checked that one off in style! 🎆

SSR will always hold a special place in our hearts. Looking forward to connecting with fellow owners here!

Arthur & Lina Zepeda | SSR & VDH owners since 2005

I love the fact that it has a private entrance (same as Key West). Makes the resort feel more like a vacation home and not just a dressed up hotel. It's also great when you have a car because it makes bringing in things like luggage and groceries easier.

New member as of July 2025! I love the peaceful vibe at SSR, and the beautiful grounds. No regrets choosing this resort. Excited to be part of this new communtity!

I love it's proximity to the Lake Buena Vista Golf Course!!

Truly feels like home when we check into Saratoga. It was our first contract, so there's a special place in our hearts for this beautiful and peaceful resort.

When we book SSR, its always a non-parks trip. The walk to Disney Springs so easy, but the boat is just a nice!

We have never tried Turf Club. Looking forward to seeing the updates!

You perfectly describe it! My husband is a Florida native (living in Georgia) and he said that SSR makes him feel like he is home. He said it looks like old school Florida with all the lakes, birds, lizards, etc. We love walking around and seeing all of the wildlife.

Speaking of wildlife - this is the first time we've ever seen this sign about the Purple Martins - is this new or new to me?

I own here but sadly have only stayed one time and that was when I first bought DVC. I did love it as t was the first DVC experience. I am planning on staying soon because the renovation looks great.

I did "gift" 2 Nights to my friend as they are locals and had points to use up. They told me thanks for letting them stay at the retirement resort!! It was just a joke but now that's what we call it LOL

We love SSR. It is beautiful, relaxing, and perfectly situated next to Disney Springs lol :)

I love SSR. Own there. Stayed twice so far. Perfect R&R vibe, and at my age, that is my goal, now—viz., Disney-based rest and relaxation.

I'm local-ish and have long thought about a short non-parks stay focused on relaxing and Disney Springs dining. What location request(s) should I make? As far as dining goes, I would need to stay for two weeks to hit everything I'd like to but would love to hear your faves. How is the resort dining?

Great point charts and a nice relaxing vibe allowed us to bring the grandparents and stay in a 2 bedroom villa allowing them to enjoy a Disney vacation with their grandson. Fun fact if you bring them, Grandmothers sweep under the table every morning for free.

Saratoga owner, SSR is one of the most relaxing resorts at WDW!

SSR was our first contract. We enjoyed staying here in the Paddock area, in particular because of the leisurely walk to Disney Springs. The Artist palate makes an excellent pepperoni pizza too.

I love SSR! My first DVC home ❤️ it’s just so calm and soothing , IMHO. It just feels chill. And I need that at the end of a long park day;)

Proud SSR owner here! SSR isn’t flashy, but it’s one of the most relaxing resorts on property. Quiet, spread out, great walking paths, in property golf course and easy access to Disney Springs. After a full park day, that low key vibe is hard to beat. While I do enjoy booking other properties (see my handle 😅🤣) I genuinely prefer SSR for stays over 6 nights. Also, you can't really beat the value proposition that SSR brings to the table.

PS. I can't wait for the Treehouses refurb!

We decided to sell all three of our contracts recently, SSR, BLT, OKW, because we have decided not to travel to the US for the next few years. We travelled to Tokyo Disney instead and we love it.

We love Saratoga Springs! Our favorite things about our home resort are the calming nature vibes and plenty of space to go for a beautiful morning walk! We really love the horse character art in the main lobby and DVC rooms as well.

SSR was our first DVC purchase and love Congress Park overlooking Disney Springs.. amazing view!

SSR was our first DVC resort we stayed at renting points. We enjoyed it so much we bought two contracts there via resale.

You cannot beat the relaxing and chill vibe of the resort.

SSR because the only thing I will ever need at an 11 month window is a Treehouse.

Hello! 👋 first time DVC owner. My husband and I just closed and are eagerly awaiting Disney to set up our account. We stayed at SSR last month in a 1 Bedroom and absolutely loved it! We loved the room, the grounds and the ferry ride over to Disney Springs. I can’t wait to go back!

We love how peaceful the resort is, the rooms, the picturesque grounds, the proximity to disney springs and the low point charts

About the purple martins, I feel like it’s been a thing in the past but when I was down last month I think it’s the most publicity I’ve seen around them. EPCOT has similar programs at least during Flower & Garden, and the birdhouses are pretty easy to spot if you know what you’re looking for (Animal Kingdom has a few right as you enter).

We own 400 direct SSR. Bought in 2005. Couldn’t be happier.

Headed there in June...what do you like about 5500?

SSR was the first deluxe resort we stayed at direct with Disney. We loved the proximity to Disney Springs and how calm and peaceful it was after a chaotic day in the parks. It was our first DVC contract and it would never be our last resort. We love it! Especially after the gorgeous refurb.

Our heart belongs to SSR! From the moment we saw it, sat across the lake having dinner in Portobello (back in the Downtown Disney days!) we promised ourselves we’d stay there - little did we know we’d own there too 😂. A decade into DVC ownership and having stayed at many other DVC locations, SSR is still home for us 😊

Same here it was our first DVC that we stayed in and fell in love there so we bought our first resale ..happy times!!

SSR was our first DVC love! It provides a quiet escape for the craziness of WDW. We love the grounds/running trails as well as the proximity to DS. The rooms are fantastic as well. Truly has our hearts, I miss it when we’re gone!

We love SSR. It was our first resort and we love it proximity to Disney Springs. We regularly stay in the 3 bedroom with all the grandkids.

They love it to.

The only Disney resort with a golf course.

Can easily walk to Disney Springs or take a boat - feels like the Disney Springs resort. Lovely grounds. Excellent refurb. Nice pools. Relaxing resort. Reasonable point chart. Availability. Not full of WDW rookies. Tell me when to stop.

Hi! We just purchased in January and our first stay is planned for January 2027 in a 1 bedroom! Any insights to what areas or rooms should be requested for a standard one bedroom? My wife and I will be traveling with our son (12) and my wife’s grandmother (68).

I like the paddock area when staying standard. It’s close to the paddock pool that has a water slide, and the pool bar with nice snacks. You can fill your refillable mugs up there too if you have them. It’s not too far a walk to Disney Springs and I don’t think too far from the lobby/quick service.

Love SSR and our 6 contracts there! 2005 owners. We love the Paddock, ideally 5500 building by the pool. Walking the grounds at night is a favorite thing to do, we are not much for late nights at the parks anymore. Love the team members at SSR, many have been there since resort opened. Paddock Grill is a hidden gem, especially the fish tacos! The pools are , in our opinion, the best on property. Great selection of pools for every mood. Access to Disney Springs is such a plus. We feel lucky that SSR is our home resort.

We bought SSR when it was new and we didn't know there was a choice. Since then we've bought a bunch more points there. It's Disney and it's Disney Springs, it's the best!

If I hear it called "the resort of last resorts" again on the podcast I'll unsubscribe. I'm watching you Paul!

We had our Christmas 2024 Dinner at the Turf Club and we were blown away. it was much better than we'd anticipated and much better than some reviews we'd read. Looking forward to seeing exactly what they do with this update.

SSR was the last home resort I added and I have no regrets! It truly does feel like home. I LOVE these rooms., love the vibe of this resort. I appreciate the unique Disney touches that you simply cannot see anywhere else on property. I'm kind of a Grandstand girlie and proud of it!

Hello. Just wanted to say hi to see if I could make a post. Never really done forums before so learning as I go.

Glad to have you join us! There is a Field Guide that can also help guide you: https://forums.dvcfan.com/guide

Don't feel like you have to understand everything at once. There is lots to explore and no rush to do so.

We still haven’t eaten at the Turf Club yet, but enjoyed the lounge a few times this last trip and loved the onion rings and the brussels sprouts… Oh, and the margaritas! The restaurant was closed the two days we were there, so we are definitely going to try it next time

The lower dues, first off :) Even though they are creeping up just like everything else.

Beyond that, I love the sprawling layout. Low rise - nice sight lines - great views of DTD - plenty of green space between buildings - connected to a golf course, boat transport options - all in all very comfortable and non-stressful.

Our first DVC purchase about 4/5 years ago (I can never remember how long we’ve been members😁) . We have only stayed there once in a 2-bed and loved the space and the relaxing atmosphere. Tend to use the points at 7 months out to book elsewhere but we are staying there this summer.

Good afternoon. Member for many years and big fan of this group.

Yup their brussel sprouts are excellent!

We stayed one night on 3/14 to use up a few points that were expiring before switching to the Poly Tower. So much space in a deluxe studio! We also ate at Turf Club..delicious and fun atmosphere. We were tempted to eat outside.

I love the Artist Palette food area. After staying at SS many times, it feels so comfortable. I can’t say I have a must have food item but I just enjoy the atmosphere.