Saratoga Springs vs Beach Club...help us choose!

[JFiorianti]

So we think we are down to choosing between a 2Br Villa at either SS or BC. The price difference is what has us right now. The SS is about $1600 cheaper than BC would be (for our share of the price which includes 2 adults and 3 kids).

So my question is what is the pros/cons of each place and what would your preferences be? Help us choose!!!!

Also does anyone know about the 2nd bedroom in both of these places? The website says that they 2nd room can have either 2 Queens or a Queen and a twin sleeper but when I called Disney the one agent said that the SS and BC always have one Queen and a sleeper sofa.

 

[WEDWDW]

The Beach Club has a better location-Guests can walk or boat to Epcot and DHS and it has the best Pool of any Resort-Storm-a-Long Bay.

Is it $1600.00 better?Personally,I would say no-that is a lot of souvenir and Mickey Premium Ice Cream money!

 

[bellebride116]

Those two hotels shouldn't even be in the same sentence. IMO, Beach Club is FAR superior. It doesn't even have to do with locations, the beds and the comfort, the room, staff, at BC, etc were just incomparable to SSR.

 

[Darkside]

I think the BC is the most overrated resort that WDW has. Don't get me wrong, it is a nice resort, just overrated. If you stay in the villas, you are in the back of the resort. BC is older and rooms are not as new/nice as SSR. BC is very popular and very crowded(not a plus for me, if I liked that I would stay at a value resort). Yes, BC is near EPCOT, but SSR is literally a 5 minute walk to Down Town Disney. Not a fan of the pool at BC, I don't not care for the sea shell sand in the bottom of the pool. I did, however, enjoy the zero entry rock poll at SSR. Again, I want to reiterate that BC is a nice resort and you can not go wrong with either resort, but if it was my money, I would keep the $1600 and stay at SSR.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I would go with SSR even if the price wasn't cheaper! We love SSR, the grounds are beautiful and while Stormalong Bay is widely considered the best pool complex in WDW, SSR has an incredible main pool, a second main pool that is being added (not sure when your dates are, but the SSR Lovers Thread on the DVC board will tell you when the Paddock Main pool will be completed) and it also has several very nice quiet pools.

BC is ideal for Epcot, for DHS you have either a 15 minute walk or a 15 minute boat ride but to all other areas you share busses. SSR uses busses for all areas but DTD, however it does not share with another resort. I vowed never to stay in the Epcot resort area without a car again after our last stay at Boardwalk due to the bus sharing. AK and MK are our favorite parks and to AK in particular, the shared route was unacceptable time wise.

BC has more in the way of full serve dining nearby between BC, YC, Boardwalk, Swan Dolphin and Epcot. However, Turf Club is outstanding. And you have all the restaurants in DTD a short walk, boatride or bus ride away at SSR. If you don't have a car, dining at other resorts is much easier at SSR since you can go over to DTD and use the resort bus stops to get you anywhere within WDW you want to go.

If you rent a car, being able to park right outside your building is very nice. SSR also has multiple bus stops which means from no area will you have a far walk to a bus stop.

SSR is spread out over multiple buildings. It feels very relaxing, very calm and the grounds have really matured over the years into something very beautiful. A lot of people don't care for the exterior hallways, lack of room service, lack of a hotel feel and lobby and just find it too far removed. We are the exact opposite and I will say that while the doors face outside, the windows do not. So you don't have people walking by your room able to look in.

They are so different its hard to compare. But I do think $1600 is alot of money and that SSR is a very lovely resort. But only you can decide if the theme and layout of SSR as a resort will work for you.

 

[Disneycup]

Are you booking online? If so, did you give you the option of a Treehouse for +0? I recently booked SSR and it gave me that option. I thought it might make a difference if you had a third bedroom. I debated this same question, but decided that for the price difference we could rent a car. Also, we love the quietness of SSR after busy days in the parks. The theming is not the best at SSR, but being away from the crowds and noise definitely is especially if we have a rental car! Good Luck making your decision!

 

[kerri0616]

Are you making a cash reservation for your trip? Have you considered renting points? I don't know when you are going or how long you are staying, but using a board sponsor: http://www.dvcrequest.com/default.asp

I chose a random week in July. 7 nights at Beach Club were $4500ish. 7 nights SSR were $4100ish. For the $400 difference I would choose BC based on location and the awesome looking pool.

Kerri

 

[Pakey]

I love Beach Club but I don't love it $1600 more. SSR is a very very nice resort. We've stayed there 6 times and have enjoyed every vacation there.

I own at BC and stay there most of the time but I'm perfectly happy staying at SSR.

 

[francie57]

I would choose the BC hands down. Our preferred villas are the BWVs but as of right now a 2 bedroom isn't available for our dates so we are booked at the BCVs. We love the location and being able to walk to two parks. We have stayed at the OKW in the past but didn't like the fact that it was so far from stuff and to me the SSR has the same problem. I know others love it but for us it isn't a consideration just because of the location.

 

[Disney93]

The BC is a wonderful place to stay, we've stayed there twice. SSR is a very nice place as well, we've also stayed there twice. Now my choice is SSR. I get a feeling of peace and quiet there that I don't get at other resorts. The parking is so easy and nearby. Both resorts need to improve their CS for quick meals. Our first trip to BC was for 7 nights and we didn't have a car. This was 18 years ago and we got so tired of Cape May. The food there is great but it never changes. The CS at SSR isn't the easiest to get to... once you find it. My decision is based solely on the feeling I get at SSR, it is so laid back which isn't what everyone is looking for. I also enjoy the other quests, I've never met any that wouldn't stop and visit at SSR. Our home resort is the BWV and our next trip will be either SSR or BC. How's that for talking in circles? Of course the decision is yours, I guess alot of it depends on what you're looking for...enjoy your trip, you can't make a wrong decision, they are both great.

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

For me it totally depends on the kind of trip you are having. SSR was great for us when we went in February because we spent all day in the parks and then some nights at DTD. It is a very spreadout resort and I would say the rooms at SSR and BCV (we had 1BR both times) were nearly idential, except pull out couch at BCV was nicer, I think it was new from refurb. The decor was different but the same set up, etc SSR is very spread out and we often called the concierge for ride to main building since we were in Congress Park and in Feb. it was 40-50 degrees daily when we went (too cold to walk everywhere IMO). In August when we went we stayed at BCV, we only went to the parks 3 days and spent the rest of the time at the poo.l This was GREAT being at BCV since they have an awesome pool and lots of activities like movie on the beach and marshmallow roasts at night for the kids, plus walking distance to the Boardwalk and Epcot (let me just say, it is not CLOSE. We thought the walk from Epcot back to BCV would be easy, it was long and exhausting at the end of a day of walking, I wouldn't do it again with 2 small kids who cried the whole walk back

 

[toodycat]

Let me preface by saying I've never stayed at either. However, close friends of ours are DVC owners and fellow Disney buffs, so we exchange notes about our vacations all the time. They have stayed at both and prefer BC because of the location and the pool. However, they did say the villas at SSR are beautiful and that the spa services beat all, even the GF. They felt going to SSR at the end of the day was kind of like going home i.e. removing yourself from the action to go someplace attractive, comfortable and peaceful whereas going to BC keeps you in the hub of the boardwalk action. So, I guess it's about what kind of atmosphere you want when you return to your resort.

 

[mom22cuties]

This is easy... SSR. I certainly wouldn't pay $1600 extra for BC. SSR is really nice, it's our home resort. It's beautiful, spread out, and very relaxing!

 

[deslynnpatterson]

we were not a fan of SSR-- we thought it was way too big and spread out for our taste-- it did however have a nice pool--- and had a nice view of downtown disney and it was so nice being so close to downtown disney. personally I would not stay here again unless when renting points its the only resort avaliable-- but I don't think I would spend a additional 1600 for Beach club. You might like SSR if you don't mind a large resort. It was very peaceful just the size was a turn off for you

 

[DemoBri1]

Being an owner at BCV I would definitely say BC. However, for a $1,600 price difference I'm a bit shocked at that considering that both of these resorts are in the same basic cost category with one another.

SSR is a bit more "secluded" from the main Disney parks. While you do have DTD it is a shell of it's former self at least for the clubs and nightlife part. You do have a bit more of choice regarding food at BC as I'm including all of the restaurants that are available on the Boardwalk across the lake from the resort.

I'm just not sure that BC would be worth an extra $1,600. As another poster stated that can buy you alot of souvenirs or meals.

 

[JFiorianti]

For those who were wondering, the major price difference was because none of the discount codes I had were available for BC. I wound up using the 40% off room rate code for late summer on SS. BC looks great but unless I get some deal I cant justify the price difference.....ohhh which is actually $1700. The one thing I am looking at maybe doing is waiting to see if an annual pass discount may make a difference. Someone told me that what I would pay for the pass I would make up for on the discount. My question is whether or not I could definetly use the discount on any of the resorts including BC.

 

[cally533]

I'd definitely go SSR......

 

[Hibernians]

we have stayed at both resorts twice each and while we prefer BCV I don't think its worth the extra $1700. Save the money and enjoy SSR even more with all that extra cash in your pocket !!

 

[Sammie]

at SSR you will have two queen beds in the second bedroom

at BCV you will have one queen and one full size sofa bed.

 

[Sammie]

Those two hotels shouldn't even be in the same sentence. IMO, Beach Club is FAR superior. It doesn't even have to do with locations, the beds and the comfort, the room, staff, at BC, etc were just incomparable to SSR.

The beds at BCVs and SSR are the same, are you comparing SSR to the resort rooms at the BC or the Villas?