Just back and my feelings on Saratoga Springs

[Sammie]

Wow, not sure where that came from? I did book this 8 weeks out, was ready to try something new and had an open mind for it. All I'm saying is this place is not my cup of tea because of its size, thats all. I'm glad I tried it once, but once is enough.

All Deb is saying 8 weeks out, is very short notice, and you will not be able to book the smaller resorts. It is a shame you got the furthest location from the main area, as some of the other locations are not that far at all to the main building, especially Springs and the new Grandstand.

Glad you enjoyed your trip with your son.

 

[twinmomplus2new]

It's funny how people get so mad

I own at Boardwalk and usually stay there but have been known to stay frequently at BCV as well.
Twice I have stayed At OKW because family was staying there and we wanted to all be together. While I liked my stay I would not choose OKW simply not my style. We are going in August I was booked at WLV and switched to Saratoga for somthing differant. I actually chose SSR over Wilderness.

There is some truth however, ( FOR SOME PEOPLE ) on location making or breaking your stay. I stayed at SSr in I think the Springs section overlooking the main pool. The kids and I loved it. My mom was way out there not sure what section, and she absolutely hated the resort. When I booked her for this August she said she will not go if she has to stay there. So she is at BWV and we at SSR. everyone clearly has a differant opinion...

 

[Jillpie]

Ah well then that explains your "hour back and forth" time assessment from Carousel to Artist Palette. In actuality the distance is roughly .4 miles. (The same distance as from the BWV lobby/Beaches & Cream/Epcot View BCV units to the International Gateway.) It takes approximately 10-15 minutes to walk, depending on how slow/fast a walker you are. (Normal walking speed is 2.5 mph and fast walking is 3-3.5 mph. In my slow-powered wheelchair, I pull around 4.5 mph when I've got wide open space. I guess that means I could do it in 5-7 minutes.)

In general waiting on a resort bus is a tedious experience. Did you actually take a theme park bus to AP, buy your stuff then just wait around for another bus? Even walking one way is not a hardship.

I didn't think you'd take me that literally (hour back and forth), it was an estimate. What's with all the numbers you are listing? My point in posting my experience is the huge hassle in getting supplies/souvenirs from this place. Taking the bus back and forth just doesn't cut it when you are there for only 6 days and park time takes precidence, ya know? I did take a theme park bus to AP, waited around for awhile before the nice pool man stopped and asked if I wanted a ride (which I gratefully took). Walking one way is a hardship from Carousel, especially when TIME is not on your side.

 

[Sammie]

It's funny how people get so mad

I own at Boardwalk and usually stay there but have been known to stay frequently at BCV as well.
Twice I have stayed At OKW because family was staying there and we wanted to all be together. While I liked my stay I would not choose OKW simply not my style. We are going in August I was booked at WLV and switched to Saratoga for somthing differant. I actually chose SSR over Wilderness.

There is some truth however, ( FOR SOME PEOPLE ) on location making or breaking your stay. I stayed at SSr in I think the Springs section overlooking the main pool. The kids and I loved it. My mom was way out there not sure what section, and she absolutely hated the resort. When I booked her for this August she said she will not go if she has to stay there. So she is at BWV and we at SSR. everyone clearly has a differant opinion...

Totally agree about location. I know we all have to have our share of the less than favorable locations, but we got the last room(first floor) next to the road at BCV and it was enough to make me never want to take that chance again. I felt like I was sleeping in the street.

So like the OP I won't book BCV again because with other choices such as OKW and SSR and VWL, it is not worth the chance of getting the road room again.

I just knew any minute a bus was going to land in the living room. At night when the buses were zooming back and forth to the parks, we could hear the tires squealing.

 

[Jillpie]

My mom was way out there not sure what section, and she absolutely hated the resort. When I booked her for this August she said she will not go if she has to stay there. So she is at BWV and we at SSR. everyone clearly has a differant opinion...

I think you will come back with an entirely different opinion if you are stuck on your next trip as far out as your Mom and I were. It will be very interesting to hear you view when you come back, it is a very frustrating experience.

 

[UConnJack]

Another opportunity to bash SSR?

Must........resist........

 

[UConnJack]

Ok, I couldn't resist. Of course I agree with the OP completely.

 

[Chuck S]

Another opportunity to bash SSR?

Must........resist........

Use the force...resist the dark side. I finally got a chance to use the Darth smiley

 

[4DisneyGolfnuts]

Enough already. It seems when I first started reading these boards it was more positive. Don't think I don't live in the real world, it's just when I get on here I expect a positive forum. I know people have likes and dislikes, but keep it within your own resort. If you do that you are not offending anyone.

If you can't be positive when talking about Disney World, I would hate to see your daily conversations.

Keep it positive because life will bring you down enough!

 

[tomandrobin]

Thank you, however, thats not entirely true. Any other resort I would have been very happy with, I didn't like this resort for its sheer size and inability to get supplies easy. I would have loved it if the access would have been easy and time efficient. The fact that it was chosen for me really doesn't factor in my dislike for this resort, I was actually looking forward to it prior to arriving.

I just meant you would have been happier if you had gotten your first choice.

 

[Pootle]

Enough already. It seems when I first started reading these boards it was more positive. Don't think I don't live in the real world, it's just when I get on here I expect a positive forum. I know people have likes and dislikes, but keep it within your own resort. If you do that you are not offending anyone.

Like it or not - and I don't - it's the negatives that keep folk reading (and yes, I'm reading too of course ). How many of the gushing trip reports get so many hits?

What I can't understand is why the OP has had so much criticism for her quite reasonable and balanced personal views. Some of the later posts are deserving of the 'resort bashing' label, but I really don't think hers was.

A few years ago I posted about a less than stellar experience at Disney in an equally (I thought) mild and balanced way and boy did the responses make me think twice about ever doing so again. So to OP, ignore the posts which try to tell you that you shouldn't mind a long trek to buy stuff - you minded on your vacation and that's ok.

 

[Fitswimmer]

Enough already. It seems when I first started reading these boards it was more positive. Don't think I don't live in the real world, it's just when I get on here I expect a positive forum. I know people have likes and dislikes, but keep it within your own resort. If you do that you are not offending anyone.

If you can't be positive when talking about Disney World, I would hate to see your daily conversations.

Keep it positive because life will bring you down enough!

I have to agree with you. Sometimes it seems to me that we all forget how lucky we are! I include myself because I get caught up in the negativity too, the sense that everything should be completely perfect on every vacation. Good Grief, I'm in WDW!!! I'm not working!!! I'm not sitting in traffic!!! I'm spending time with my family!!
How many people NEVER get the kind of opportunities that I have had in WDW and I have the nerve to complain if the temperature of the room isn't perfect or if I have to wait too long for a bus?
DVC was a dream for me. If you had asked me even 5 years ago if I thought I would actually own DVC I would have said "not in my wildest dreams". Now I'm less than 2 months away from taking my family on vacation for the third time.
We're all different and like different things, which is why there are so many different resorts at WDW. Nobody should be getting bashed for not liking a particular place, but on the other hand, nobody should be insulted for liking a place either. All I'm suggesting is that we step back for a minute before we go on that negative rant and really think about the level of importance of those complaints.

 

[nana26]

Thank God DVC didn't duplicate the true Saratoga water.
I was in the real Saratoga and took a drink out of that fountain in the park. I started gagging uncontrolably, and almost heaved.

Has anyone else here drank that specific water that I'm talking about?

MG

Yes, I made that mistake once. Awful, isn't it? However, some people vacation in Saratoga to "take the waters". They think it's good for their health(all those minerals). Yuck!!!

 

[mickeymarcor]

I've seen a lot of SSR bashing over the last six months. Why has it been picked so often. I bought into SSR for exactly the same reasons that some people bash it. I wanted the spacious exterior and quiet surroundings. Don't we get enough congestion and noise while at the parks? While at the resort, I want peace and quiet to rest up for another fun day at WDW. I've stayed at enough hotels, including the WDW value resorts, that I've outgrown the hotel-style resort that I see at BCV and BWV. Walking through the SSR allows me the opportunity to enjoy those pleasant relaxing surroundings, so being "far" from certain things is a plus for me.

Moral of the story: To each his own, so respect each other's choices without bashing.

 

[Olaf]

Enough already. It seems when I first started reading these boards it was more positive.

Really? When was that? As you can see, I've been a DISser for some time, and it's always been like this. You should have seen some of the OKW and BWV bashing threads.

 

[UConnJack]

I've seen a lot of SSR bashing over the last six months. Why has it been picked so often. I bought into SSR for exactly the same reasons that some people bash it. I wanted the spacious exterior and quiet surroundings. Don't we get enough congestion and noise while at the parks? While at the resort, I want peace and quiet to rest up for another fun day at WDW. I've stayed at enough hotels, including the WDW value resorts, that I've outgrown the hotel-style resort that I see at BCV and BWV. Walking through the SSR allows me the opportunity to enjoy those pleasant relaxing surroundings, so being "far" from certain things is a plus for me.

Well, the confrontational answer would be that as SSR gets bigger, puts more of an imbalanced strain on DVC as a whole, it forces more DVC owners (from all resorts) to have to stay there and they are finally realizing that they don't like the resort as much as the others. Hence the pickup in negative reviews.

Whether that's bashing or just one's opinion, you decide. But another probable reason is that there has been a few specific posters who continue to post topics on the board with the sole intention of starting an SSR-bashing thread.

 

[UConnJack]

Really? When was that? As you can see, I've been a DISser for some time, and it's always been like this. You should have seen some of the OKW and BWV bashing threads.

Yeah, those were fun. Interesting how OKW and BWV are more chummy since SSR came on-line. I guess it's in our nature to pick on the new kid. Unless, of course, he's cool like AKV........

 

[beachblanket]

Well, the confrontational answer would be that as SSR gets bigger, puts more of an imbalanced strain on DVC as a whole, it forces more DVC owners (from all resorts) to have to stay there and they are finally realizing that they don't like the resort as much as the others.

I read this argument somewhat differently, and don't always see it being presented in a confrontational manner.

Specifically, the "SSR as problem" viewpoint does touch on the imbalance you descibe, but more on the level of SSR bringing in a large universe of new members who are not as interested in primarily staying at their home resort.

It is inarguable that the level of discussion on 7 month window availability here has grown dramatically since SSR opened, with a majority of the questions coming from SSR members.

Put another way, you have a large universe of new bodies coming into DVC, many who bought in not so much out of deep love for their home property, but rather interest at immediately leveraging that ownership to stay in the "good" places (in particular the Epcot area resorts, where resale values have jumped amd 7 month availabilty has been getting tighter by the month since SSR opened).

That is the imbalance - when I purchased at BWV in 1999, I wasn't frothing at the mouth to immediately stay at OKW, HH or VB - but a huge percentage of the SSR owners are now immediately looking to crash my home.

So what?

Well, I used to view my 11 month home resort ressie advantage as a privelege.

Now I view it as a critical defensive necessity!!

 

[abk96]

Specifically, the "SSR as problem" viewpoint does touch on the imbalance you descibe, but more on the level of SSR bringing in a large universe of new members who are not as interested in primarily staying at their home resort.

Put another way, you have a large universe of new bodies coming into DVC, many who bought in not so much out of deep love for their home property, but rather interest at immediately leveraging that ownership to stay in the "good" places (in particular the Epcot area resorts, where resale values have jumped amd 7 month availabilty has been getting tighter by the month since SSR opened).

Wow! Is that really what other owners at different DVC resorts think? DVC does say you can choose any resort you would like as long as there is availability. Some people, like us, like to have a variety when we vacation. We loved the GF and the YC but have chosen to stay at other resorts because we enjoy doing so and it makes our vacation fun for us. We definitely didn't buy into DVC at SSR with the notion of making others mad when we want to try a different resort that happens to be their home resort.

So, what I'm saying is, your comments make others feel like you have a special club in which none of us are welcome. Not true at all. We are all DVC members, period.

 

[cobbler]

My mom was way out there not sure what section, and she absolutely hated the resort. When I booked her for this August she said she will not go if she has to stay there.

Ok, 1st off this is not meant to come off as negative but this struck me funny. Every now and again I get these insights and well today is one of them. I see posts similar to this and I think wow, how spoiled. But then again I can't really throw stones because I would rather not go if I have to stay at a value for more than 2 nights. Again, not negative, it just amused me.

...I felt like I was sleeping in the street.
... I just knew any minute a bus was going to land in the living room. At night when the buses were zooming back and forth to the parks, we could hear the tires squealing.

Ok, this makes me laugh. I haven't stayed at BCV but my friend has and I remember visiting her and she was in one of those rooms. Not as close as you were but. Still funny.

I've seen a lot of SSR bashing over the last six months. Why has it been picked so often.

Should have been here around the end of 05 beginning of 06. It was MUCH WORSE. These bashings are quite mild compared to what they used to be.

Wow! Is that really what other owners at different DVC resorts think?

Unfortunately there are some that do. We are the red headed step children of DVC