Saratoga Room requests

[DIsneydreamer#1]

Hello, We are staying in June at Saratoga springs non preferred in a 2 bedroom villa and a studio, we would like to request Paddock area close to the pool and for the two villas to be close to each other, what building or rooms are great in this area? And if you have stayed nonprefered before what area you like and why?

 

[Sammie]

Love Paddock and honestly that is all I request. If you get too specific, you can run the risk of not getting there.

 

[CarolMN]

Agree with @Sammie. "General and few" is the key. Make Paddock your first request and close to each other the second. Don't ask for anything else unless being close to each other isn't a priority.

 

[han22735]

I'd request "paddock area, near pool" and make sure to have MS link the reservations as "traveling with"

 

[DIsneydreamer#1]

Thank you so much to all

 

[EatMoreVeg]

We were there in January and stayed in the Grandstand area. It is the first pick up to the parks and first drop off from the parks which made it ideal for us! It was also only a 5 minute walk to the main lobby and another 2 minutes to the boat launch to Disney Springs. We also had a 2 BR and studio, and had our reservations linked as "traveling with". Unfortunately, the closest they could put us together was in two separate buildings (one on either side of the pool) in the Grandstand area so just be warned your two rooms may not be that accessible to each other.

 

[DIsneydreamer#1]

We were there in January and stayed in the Grandstand area. It is the first pick up to the parks and first drop off from the parks which made it ideal for us! It was also only a 5 minute walk to the main lobby and another 2 minutes to the boat launch to Disney Springs. We also had a 2 BR and studio, and had our reservations linked as "traveling with". Unfortunately, the closest they could put us together was in two separate buildings (one on either side of the pool) in the Grandstand area so just be warned your two rooms may not be that accessible to each other.

Thank you, this is so helpful and I will make note in case they don’t place us in the paddock area!

 

[DIsneydreamer#1]

Do you guys know how early the buses start taking guests to the parks? We are planning to rope drop

 

[Brian Noble]

My "standard view" SSR request is "near pool, upper floor." Near a pool is the equivalent of "not Carousel", and I don't have a strong opinion between Grandstand and Paddock. So far, that's always put me in Paddock in one of the two buildings closest to the pool.

 

[The Jackal]

Do you guys know how early the buses start taking guests to the parks? We are planning to rope drop

I believe Disney states busses start 1 hour before park opening. Don’t forget about early morning hours. Staying on WDW property you get in 30 minutes before park opening. So I would think they would start around 90 minutes before park opening. We are not rope droppers. Hopefully someone else has more experience will chime in.

 

[CarolynFH]

Do you guys know how early the buses start taking guests to the parks? We are planning to rope drop

As above, buses will start running about 1 hour before Early Entry opening time. If you want to be near the front of the the crowd of guests entering the park, it’s recommended that you be at the bus stop 90 minutes before EE opening time, to make sure you’re on the first bus. So if regular park opening is at 9, EE at 8:30, it’s recommended to be at the bus stop at 7:00 in hopes of near the front of the line to catch that 7:30 bus.

 

[zackiedawg]

Personally, I get pretty specific with my requests and it works out most of the time. I actually request specific room numbers and buildings - I'm checking in tomorrow at Saratoga, and requested Congress Park, building 1, with 6 different specific room numbers, with building 4 as the backup, also with 6 specific room numbers. Sometimes I get the room number requested, and usually when i don't, I get very close by. Last year I stayed at Boardwalk on 4 different trips, and got my exact requested room number 3 out of 4 times.

 

[DIsneydreamer#1]

My "standard view" SSR request is "near pool, upper floor." Near a pool is the equivalent of "not Carousel", and I don't have a strong opinion between Grandstand and Paddock. So far, that's always put me in Paddock in one of the two buildings closest to the pool.

Thank you!

 

[DIsneydreamer#1]

As above, buses will start running about 1 hour before Early Entry opening time. If you want to be near the front of the the crowd of guests entering the park, it’s recommended that you be at the bus stop 90 minutes before EE opening time, to make sure you’re on the first bus. So if regular park opening is at 9, EE at 8:30, it’s recommended to be at the bus stop at 7:00 in hopes of near the front of the line to catch that 7:30 bus.

Thank you, we will be there !! Fingers crossed with the teenagers wanting to be up that early !’

 

[DisneyTexan]

My "standard view" SSR request is "near pool, upper floor." Near a pool is the equivalent of "not Carousel", and I don't have a strong opinion between Grandstand and Paddock. So far, that's always put me in Paddock in one of the two buildings closest to the pool.

I asked for Grandstand and near a pool for an early December 2022 reservation, and I didn't get either one! We ended up in the Carousel section. Apparently it doesn't matter to Disney that I'm an SSR owner.

 

[LadybugsMum]

Personally, I get pretty specific with my requests and it works out most of the time. I actually request specific room numbers and buildings - I'm checking in tomorrow at Saratoga, and requested Congress Park, building 1, with 6 different specific room numbers, with building 4 as the backup, also with 6 specific room numbers. Sometimes I get the room number requested, and usually when i don't, I get very close by. Last year I stayed at Boardwalk on 4 different trips, and got my exact requested room number 3 out of 4 times.

I've stayed at Boardwalk 4 times and have never gotten anywhere near what I request. I'm a bit jealous.

 

[Sandisw]

I asked for Grandstand and near a pool for an early December 2022 reservation, and I didn't get either one! We ended up in the Carousel section. Apparently it doesn't matter to Disney that I'm an SSR owner.

Owning gives you no preference since requests can’t be guaranteed and it’s all based on check in and check out.

But I will say that SSR tends to be the one in which we have been the most successful! Though we usually go to the front desk when we get there and mention we’d like Grandstand if they can do that and we have always been given one right then and there.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I asked for Grandstand and near a pool for an early December 2022 reservation, and I didn't get either one! We ended up in the Carousel section. Apparently it doesn't matter to Disney that I'm an SSR owner.

My worst success - as in zero - has been at my 1st home resort, Boulder Ridge. Other resorts it's decent. Not 100% but frequently. And then there's BWV where I've gotten it all but once. That's a resort people complain about the most for not getting requests.

 

[zackiedawg]

I've stayed at Boardwalk 4 times and have never gotten anywhere near what I request. I'm a bit jealous.

Last year was definitely an unusually good run, I admit. To get a specific room number 3 times out of 4 was amazing. Last week at Saratoga, I didn't get one of my specific room number requests...I had wanted building 1, facing the lake, at the two wings of the building on the 2nd or 3rd floor. But they did pretty good at getting close, as I ended up with a 1st floor room, directly under one of my requested rooms...not perfect, but pretty good.

 

[SL6827]

A couple of those Grandstands buildings are closer to lobby of SSR than some of the Springs buildings. I had a maybe 3 minute walk to the lobby when we stayed there.