Saratoga Springs Treetop Villas

[Sneezie]

Can anyone give me any information on the Treetop Villas? Have you stayed there before? Did you like it? Some pros and cons?

Also, is there a way to check the availability of a resort without actually booking a stay?

Thanks for your help!

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

We love the tree house villas when we stayed there two summers ago. We're staying there again this year.

Check out my very detailed trip report (with pictures) here... http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2249094

Off the top of my head, here are some of the pros and cons from my experience:

Pros:

3 bedrooms for the points of a two bedroom. It doesn't sleep any more people, but gives you an extra room for privacy.

Every unit has it's own patio and BBQ grill.

Lovely location. Quiet and secluded.

Cons:

Need to carry luggage up and down a flight of stairs.

Queen sized bed in the master bedroom instead of a king.

3rd bedroom has bunk beds. Great if kids are in your group, not so much if you want to put an adult couple in that room.

Need to take a bus to the park buses. (Or a boat, or walk)

Far from Carriage House, where restaurants, gift shop, and front desk are located.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Oh, I forgot your second question. There is not a way to check availability, yet. However, you can call member services and ask them to check availability without any obligation to book.

 

[Sneezie]

Thanks Dave! I'm about to check out your trip report right now!

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you are more than 7 months out from your potential stay, you would have to have SSR points to call MS and find out availability. If you are 7 months or less, you can have any DVC points to find out availability. And if you are not a DVC member, you can't call MS at all.

You can also get them for cash directly from Disney because not all of the are available for points.

Another con - only two bathrooms. And only one parking space per Treehouse Villa.

 

[Sheribo]

Have stayed in the THVs 3 times now. They sleep 9 so that was convenient with a larger group. We did not enjoy the distance to the carriage house for drink refills and lack of light in the villa. It can be bright and sunny outside but it's always dark inside with very low wattage lights and trees blocking the sun. No theme pool either. We saw lots of small children on the balconies begging their parents to go to the slides.

So, for older kids who can boat, bus or walk on their own, great. For young families, it's too far away from the action to keep your kids busy. Nothing better that sitting by a pool with a cold beverage watching your kids splash around in the fountains and playing with the squirters.

 

[DisneyFreaks]

We stayed at the THVs this past november and had a great time. Our family loved them. There were 5 of us for most of the week but 7 the first night. Even then we had plenty of room. We were in #7010 and I was disappointed at first that we didn't get the water view we requested but it was good anyway. The large decks are amazing. DH and I really enjoyed sitting out there relaxing while our DD and her family went off to the parks. It really felt like a vacation inside our vacation. We didn't find anything that could actually be called a con. We look forward to staying in one again. Heck I wish we owned one.

 

[TisBit]

We stayed at THV's and really enjoyed them.

Pro's

Extra room for privacy
Secluded area
More "space" in the living area for kids to be at dining room table coloring, etc


Con's
Only 1 vehicle per villa
Stairs
Not "in" the action

As for the pool, it is not theme'd but neither are the quiet pools. Yes, you are a little further away from Carriage House and some other areas, but honestly you are not that far away. If you look at the real distances to walk to the Grandstand to get a park bus, it is about the same distance as the furthest buildings to other bus stops. The distance to Carriage House, it is about 8-12 minutes, depending on which villa you have. The villas near the south bus stop are no further away than most rooms at SSR....and you have the option of taking the internal shuttle, which runs ever 10 minutes straight to the Springs stop. I don't consider the distance a con, so much as something you need to expect a slight delay or further walk. But if you put it in perspective, it isn't much of a difference between other villa's.....