Any advice for a 1st stay at Saratoga?

[tinkerbellmom1]

We are booked for our first stay at Saratoga Springs. We've booked a 2bd unit for 6 days New Years 2007 with our then 14 and 13 year old sons. Does anyone have any advice? Easiest way to get groceries? Bring your own laundry detergent? Where to eat? Fun activies to plan? We're heading out for a week long DCL Eastern Caribbean cruise after our stay there. Any help will be welcome!

 

[bartty]

We loved our trip to SSR in 04. We got groceries at goodings and drove there. Eating was easy because Downtown Disney is a 5 min walk away (from congress park). We stayed in a GV and it was amazing! We walked every night to DD and loved wolfgang puck express. It was cheap and GOOD! And we have little ones and they had this train ride that they went on atleast 20 times!!!! kids, go figure!

 

[DawnaJean]

Yes, bring your laundry detergent. I brought two small TIDE powder boxes (4 loads each) and did four loads while we were there (5 of us). Also, remember to bring your fabric softener sheets (or whatever your used to) and maybe a stain "stick" or "pen". We bring two mesh laundry bags so that we have a place to put dirty clothes in each bedroom.

We used Wegoshop - internet grocery service. It was great and low cost...better than having to miss time to go shopping. You just send your grocery list in and then schedule a time for her to deliver and she brings it right to your room.

We stayed in a SSR 2BR in April and it was wonderful...have a great time!!

Dawna

 

[MagikMom]

We stayed in the Congress Park area. Easy walk to DTD. Lot's of restaraunts there to choose from. Fulton's Crab House is our favorite. I don't like the on site restaraunt at SSR. Not enough choices.

 

[rinkwide]

...Does anyone have any advice?

Try the tater-tots - They'er delicious.

 

[mjmcca]

Stayed in a 1 BR. Unless you are planning to cook every night just get some essentials from-the grocery store. Definitely buy or bring laundry supplies. Having the washer dryer in the unit is wonderful!

 

[LUVMICKEY]

We stayed at SSR for 10 days last May and we really liked it. We stayed in The Springs section. It was great. That section is by the main pool, store, food court and the boat dock to DTD. We intend to go back there next May also. Very nice resort.

Michele

 

[cdpa4d]

You could take a horse-drawn carriage ride around SSR your first day. You have to make a reservation. I believe the cost is $35.00 for 4 people. I don't think the carriage can hold more than 4.

 

[DrTomorrow]

Pack your hiking boots and bring 3 months worth of survival provision - I hear SSR is a biiiiiig place!

Just kidding - we own there are will be there IN TWO DAYS for our fifth SSR stay and we love it.

If you will have a car, take the time to buy some groceries; if I remember what DS was like at that age, they eat and drink and eat some more. There's the previously mentioned Goodings; less than a mile further is a Winn-Dixie (check their web site for the location) that we go to - DW even got a "Discount Card" so we can take advantage of the sale items.

Underpack - having a W/D makes life so much easier, and suitcases so much ligher. Your sons should enjoy DTD, and it is in walking distance (there's a bus, too).

 

[Thesilentstorm]

Try the tater-tots - They'er delicious.

I agree and how bout Earls???????


Eugene

 

[Thesilentstorm]

Pack your hiking boots and bring 3 months worth of survival provision - I hear SSR is a biiiiiig place!

Just kidding - we own there are will be there IN TWO DAYS for our fifth SSR stay and we love it.

It must be big because it seems to be able to hold your ego.

Just kidding- SSR is a great resort or so I'm told.

Have a great trip.


Eugene

 

[MinMouse]

If you will have a car, take the time to buy some groceries; if I remember what DS was like at that age, they eat and drink and eat some more. There's the previously mentioned Goodings; less than a mile further is a Winn-Dixie (check their web site for the location) that we go to - DW even got a "Discount Card" so we can take advantage of the sale items.

This is great advice. You can get a Discount Card from the Winn Dixie web site prior to your trip and even get their weekly ad (which runs Wed to Tues) to preplan some of the shopping based on the sales! Never been to SSR but we make a run to Winn Dixie at least once during our BWV stays. We're planning on stopping their this Sunday . . . it's our first stay at BCV!

 

[cncDisney4]

We stayed at SSR in December and will be there again in a few days. I would suggest bringing some Tide (small boxes) and we put some Downy in a small squirt bottle (makes the towels so much softer). We are trying gardengrocer.com this trip and I'll post how that went.

One thing that is wonderful about SSR is you can walk to DTD in about 10-15 minutes. We went to the Earl of Sandwich about three times and loved the food and the price ($4.95 a sandwich). Our DS's would go to DQ practically every night and loved the Virgin Music store - they already have a list of what they want to get this trip!

It's great also if you have an ADR at another resort because you can just walk to DTD and catch a bus there to any other resort. We thought that was much faster than catching a bus at SSR to a park and then getting on a bus to the resort we wanted - very convenient!!

 

[corinnak]

I don't think this has been mentioned recently, but a while ago, someone mentioned that they do not provide fitted sheets in the villas - flat sheets that you do hospital corners on perhaps? I have not yet stayed in a villa, but I imagine if this is the case, it is more challenging to keep the sheets on the beds and the beds nicely made. Someone (not sure who) was saying that they bring their own fitted sheets (and not white) for the villas for this reason.

I stayed in a hotel room this weekend with very slippery mattresses and flat sheets instead of fitted and I would wake up in the morning with the sheets in various states of disaster, and so was reminded of this tip.

 

[TinkGirl]

We had a great stay at SSR in Jan. We used gardengrocer.com for groceries--it was very easy and convenient. Our unit was in the Springs area, which was close to everything. We also walked to either end of DD from our place in about 10 or 15 min. If you want to take a boat to DD, there is a shuttle boat launch near the pro shop. It's kind of hidden--not well marked. There were two one-time use boxes of Tide in our room. I had brought little baggies of laundry detergent in our suitcase (we flew). If you are using ME, SSR (for us) was the first stop in and the last stop to the airport. The only problem was that the bus for our return trip was a Cruise Line vehicle, so we almost missed it. Luckily, I had read on these boards about a similar situation. We were surprised at how quiet and peaceful SSR is even though it is so close to all the action at DD. The kids, 9, 11, and 13, loved it! Have a great trip and cruise!

 

[purpliequeen]

Have a good time!

My parents and I stayed at SSR this past Dec '05. We had a great time. The facilities were good, everything was obviously brand new and in good shape.

We loved the proximity to DTD- definitely try Earl of Sandwich, great for quick meals and yummy food. The food at Artist Palette in SSR is also decent, we had no problems. The already made salads were good.

The bus service was also really nice even though we were there during the holiday. I like not having to share a bus with other resorts.

Raina

 

[tinkerbellmom1]

Thanks for all of the advice! I found some small Tide bottles (4 use size) at Target and bought 2.

Where is Earls? And how does the gardengrocer.com work?

I've got 6 1/2 months left and just can't stand it already!

 

[Madi100]

Thanks for all of the advice! I found some small Tide bottles (4 use size) at Target and bought 2.

Where is Earls? And how does the gardengrocer.com work?

I've got 6 1/2 months left and just can't stand it already!

Earls is by the backside of the Christmas store. Pretty close to it anyway. We enjoyed it, my kids didn't.

We used that same Tide and will do so again. Looking forward to having that in our room.

We are going to Saratoga Springs in December. Really wanted to stay on the Boardwalk, but doesn't look like that is happening. Oh well. I love the idea of walking to Downtown Disney to grab a bus.

What is the best location for Saratoga Springs as far as being close to buses and Downtown Disney?

 

[ZerasPride]

We stayed in the Spring section last week and had a bus stop almost literally outside our patio door. It was very convenient to see what bus just passed by and wait a few minutes before heading out to the hot bus stop. You are also close to the pier where you can take the boat to Downtown Disney if you stay in the Springs section.

 

[tinkerbellmom1]

Hi girls,

We have only been to WDW the one time when we bought the DVC. We never made it to DTD.

Do you have to go to DTD to catch a bus to the parks? Does the resort have a bus schedule? How do you know where you are staying at Saratoga?

Why did you like Earl's? And why didn't your kiddo's? Our boys love sandwiches, but one likes only meat and bread! Would the Meal Plan be advantagous?

I am so new to this! I really appreciate your input!