Saratoga Springs vs Contemporary vs Beach Club for MNSSHP trip

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

Looking to book for end of summer. Never been to SSR or Beach club. And my family has never also been to Contemporary.

Wants are 1) fully renovated rooms so no chance of old room
2) really nice pools for my little one
3) attending MNSSHP
4) spending some time at Disney Springs and Animal Kingdom ( missed on our most recent trip)
5) better quick serve type food choices or food that aren’t reservation required sit down meals

Will not have a car! so would SSR be a PIA? Worried about internal bus situation wasting time. Could also use Minnie vans I guess?Looking at the one bedroom preferred. How is the walk from preferred to Springs, pools, food? How is food choices at SS? Just torn on will we feel we are missing Mk area but afraid Contemporary pool area may be blah.

 

[brockash]

Looking to book for end of summer. Never been to SSR or Beach club. And my family has never also been to Contemporary.

Wants are 1) fully renovated rooms so no chance of old room
2) really nice pools for my little one
3) attending MNSSHP
4) spending some time at Disney Springs and Animal Kingdom ( missed on our most recent trip)
5) better quick serve type food choices or food that aren’t reservation required sit down meals

Will not have a car! so would SSR be a PIA? Worried about internal bus situation wasting time. Could also use Minnie vans I guess?Looking at the one bedroom preferred. How is the walk from preferred to Springs, pools, food? How is food choices at SS? Just torn on will we feel we are missing Mk area but afraid Contemporary pool area may be blah.

My opinion, yes SSR would be a PITA due to size. I really love BC and their pool, however their quick service is REALLY lacking. We also really enjoy CR. They have a decent pool/CS food and walking to MK. In your situation we'd choose CR.

 

[PalmettoPath]

Definitely CR in this scenario. The proximity to MK for the party is well worth it. We love SSR and BC as well, but in this scenario, I'd go CR for sure. At the end of the party it's a quick and super easy walk (great if the monorail line is long at the very end of the party) or monorail ride home.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I think CR’s pool looks blah but so does SSR- as a kid the only thing I cared about was can I get wet and bonus points if a slide is involved. If yours is too young for that, both hotels have splash pads. If you need to keep an eye your kid SAB is a bad idea, common complaint from parents is how hard it is to keep an eye on kids due to its size.

BC is literally in the middle of refurb. No sign they are going to be done by Aug, so you’d have to do YC. (BWI is done but they are refurbing BWV so you could get noise from that and they’re still working on the Boardwalk.)

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Looking to book for end of summer. Never been to SSR or Beach club. And my family has never also been to Contemporary.

Wants are 1) fully renovated rooms so no chance of old room
2) really nice pools for my little one
3) attending MNSSHP
4) spending some time at Disney Springs and Animal Kingdom ( missed on our most recent trip)
5) better quick serve type food choices or food that aren’t reservation required sit down meals

Will not have a car! so would SSR be a PIA? Worried about internal bus situation wasting time. Could also use Minnie vans I guess?Looking at the one bedroom preferred. How is the walk from preferred to Springs, pools, food? How is food choices at SS? Just torn on will we feel we are missing Mk area but afraid Contemporary pool area may be blah.

So, SSR you'd definitely get a nice room and be close to DS but beyond that, it's my least fave of your options. If you can do preferred location, that might help but the internal busses do get old, very reminiscent of Caribbean Beach It really just depends where you end up but if you're in congress park, you'll have an 8-10 min walk to food in the lobby BUT you'd be closer to DS.

I think with BC, all rooms won't be done until fall, so you could get a non-reno room but pool is fun for kids and it's a great location for Ep/DHS. I don't know your kids' ages but it's a lot going on so if you have really small kids that require following them around, the BC pool could be a pia too. BC buses to MK/DS are easy and you'd have some decent food options with several resorts nearby.

CR-decent food options being on the monorail, great location for the party and buses to other parks are not bad with one stop. All main tower rooms are incredibles, relatively newly redone but if you do the garden wing, those are not incredibles and don't know when those were last re-done, I'm sure someone on here would know. Pool is just a pool, has a slide that's not bad but it's nothing special. IMO probably the least themed, fun pool of the three resorts.

I know you didn't ask but Wilderness lodge had their rooms renovated in 2021, I think, they're so pretty, you can boat to MK and they have some good dining options. And a fun pool, the geyser going off is fun too, easy bus. Just throwing that out there since it might be a more palatable price than CR.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

So, SSR you'd definitely get a nice room and be close to DS but beyond that, it's my least fave of your options. If you can do preferred location, that might help but the internal busses do get old, very reminiscent of Caribbean Beach It really just depends where you end up but if you're in congress park, you'll have an 8-10 min walk to food in the lobby BUT you'd be closer to DS.

I think with BC, all rooms won't be done until fall, so you could get a non-reno room but pool is fun for kids and it's a great location for Ep/DHS. I don't know your kids' ages but it's a lot going on so if you have really small kids that require following them around, the BC pool could be a pia too. BC buses to MK/DS are easy and you'd have some decent food options with several resorts nearby.

CR-decent food options being on the monorail, great location for the party and buses to other parks are not bad with one stop. All main tower rooms are incredibles, relatively newly redone but if you do the garden wing, those are not incredibles and don't know when those were last re-done, I'm sure someone on here would know. Pool is just a pool, has a slide that's not bad but it's nothing special. IMO probably the least themed, fun pool of the three resorts.

I know you didn't ask but Wilderness lodge had their rooms renovated in 2021, I think, they're so pretty, you can boat to MK and they have some good dining options. And a fun pool, the geyser going off is fun too, easy bus. Just throwing that out there since it might be a more palatable price than CR.

Thank you. Literally just got back from WL a few weeks ago, our first time and we decided to go back for the MNSSHP party if we can swing it. So we have stayed in Poly, GF and last WL, so looking to try something new.

I didn't realize even in Congress park it would be an 8 minute walk to get food??? I did stay in CB decades ago, twice. I was much younger then so I don't recall the time spent traveling within the resort itself.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

So, SSR you'd definitely get a nice room and be close to DS but beyond that, it's my least fave of your options. If you can do preferred location, that might help but the internal busses do get old, very reminiscent of Caribbean Beach It really just depends where you end up but if you're in congress park, you'll have an 8-10 min walk to food in the lobby BUT you'd be closer to DS.

I think with BC, all rooms won't be done until fall, so you could get a non-reno room but pool is fun for kids and it's a great location for Ep/DHS. I don't know your kids' ages but it's a lot going on so if you have really small kids that require following them around, the BC pool could be a pia too. BC buses to MK/DS are easy and you'd have some decent food options with several resorts nearby.

CR-decent food options being on the monorail, great location for the party and buses to other parks are not bad with one stop. All main tower rooms are incredibles, relatively newly redone but if you do the garden wing, those are not incredibles and don't know when those were last re-done, I'm sure someone on here would know. Pool is just a pool, has a slide that's not bad but it's nothing special. IMO probably the least themed, fun pool of the three resorts.

I know you didn't ask but Wilderness lodge had their rooms renovated in 2021, I think, they're so pretty, you can boat to MK and they have some good dining options. And a fun pool, the geyser going off is fun too, easy bus. Just throwing that out there since it might be a more palatable price than CR.

Is there another option I am overlooking? Looking for a villa or Deluxe, or a very spacious moderate possibly (if that exists). And with the renovation at BC, which I forgot about, that's off the list. .No way, wont deal with that. Thank you for pointing it out and reminding me.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

My opinion, yes SSR would be a PITA due to size. I really love BC and their pool, however their quick service is REALLY lacking. We also really enjoy CR. They have a decent pool/CS food and walking to MK. In your situation we'd choose CR.

Yes, the lack of quick service is an issue for us. Also, I forgot about the current renovation so BC is now out.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

Definitely CR in this scenario. The proximity to MK for the party is well worth it. We love SSR and BC as well, but in this scenario, I'd go CR for sure. At the end of the party it's a quick and super easy walk (great if the monorail line is long at the very end of the party) or monorail ride home.

I have stayed in CR as a kid, twice (My family has never). I am a bit worried about it feeling "airport" like, and lack of resort feel. Also, worried about the constant noise when eating in the Contempo Cafe. Lack of ability to wind down and relax a bit while eating, for me. Hotel doesn't feel private enough. Otherwise, it's nostalgic for me and while I want to stay there, I also don't care for Incredibles theming. I would pick purely for location.

 

[LMO429]

I would only stay at Saratoga if I had a rental or my own car

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

I would only stay at Saratoga if I had a rental or my own car

Oh wow, is transportation that bad?

 

[PalmettoPath]

I have stayed in CR as a kid, twice (My family has never). I am a bit worried about it feeling "airport" like, and lack of resort feel. Also, worried about the constant noise when eating in the Contempo Cafe. Lack of ability to wind down and relax a bit while eating, for me. Hotel doesn't feel private enough. Otherwise, it's nostalgic for me and while I want to stay there, I also don't care for Incredibles theming. I would pick purely for location.

During the early years in the 1970s I didn't care much for the Contemporary (preferring the Polynesian and Fort Wilderness, the only two other options for quite awhile), although I loved the restaurants and food service. But it has grown on me over the 50 years and I now much prefer it to the Poly in a direct comparison. I actually like the theming, but I know it's polarizing. There was a period of time when they painted the bottom of the floors in the Grand Canyon Concourse to match the levels of rock found in the bottom of the Grand Canyon. So when standing on the Concourse level and looking up, there were different shades as you would see from the bottom of the Grand Canyon. I thought that was clever But it's not for everyone, which is why there is such a huge range of hotel themes and styles. I agree about the Incredibles theming. That is a head scratcher. But at least it was refreshed.

 

[disneydreamer781]

If I was planning on doing MNSSHP, didn't have a car, and didn't want to split stay, from that list I would choose CR.

 

[_19disnA]

Where to stay is mostly a matter of budget and your subjective personal preferences about various hotel 'themes'. We stayed at the Contemporary a couple of years ago and have always enjoyed that hotel. It is still the only Disney hotel where the monorail runs through the lobby and still look futuristic to me after all these years. Noise was never an issue for us and in fact we found the rooms much more quiet then other hotels. They originally built the Contemporary by sliding modular room units in from the outside. The idea was it was would be easier to update in the future. However, due to settling of the foundation that is no longer possible. (You can search around online to see pictures of when it was originally under construction). Having double walls does make each room seem quieter.

Frankly for the current price of most Disney hotels, I think you can get much more for your money by staying off-site somewhere or even renting a home in the area. Many of those have a pool and certainly a lot more room to spread out.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Is there another option I am overlooking? Looking for a villa or Deluxe, or a very spacious moderate possibly (if that exists). And with the renovation at BC, which I forgot about, that's off the list. .No way, wont deal with that. Thank you for pointing it out and reminding me.

Love that WL suggestion! Beautiful pool, boat to MK. It’s my go to MK resort due to price but I think it’s also quite pretty. WL majorly renovated the rooms a couple years ago, so rooms should still feel fresh. As for WL’s DVC properties I think Boulder Ridge was in refurb early this year so maybe that’s done? You’d have to check with the WL thread here on DIS, don’t know when Copper Creek was last refurbed.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

Love that WL suggestion! Beautiful pool, boat to MK. It’s my go to MK resort due to price but I think it’s also quite pretty. WL majorly renovated the rooms a couple years ago, so rooms should still feel fresh. As for WL’s DVC properties I think Boulder Ridge was in refurb early this year so maybe that’s done? You’d have to check with the WL thread here on DIS, don’t know when Copper Creek was last refurbed.

Thanks, actually just got back from WL a while ago and want to try something different.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Is there another option I am overlooking? Looking for a villa or Deluxe, or a very spacious moderate possibly (if that exists). And with the renovation at BC, which I forgot about, that's off the list. .No way, wont deal with that. Thank you for pointing it out and reminding me.

So walking around the larger resorts isn’t that bad even for the able bodied, young and spry. It just gets old, repetitive and tiring when you have to walk far to the amenities. We’ve done some of the larger resorts and it’s not bad for short stays but after 3/4 nights, the walks aren’t as enjoyable. Especially when you’ve hit 25k steps in the parks.

Poly has freshly redone Moana themed rooms, that could be a contender. Of course pricing isn’t so hot. The boardwalk just revealed some new rooms that look really pretty. Boardwalk has a very small footprint and great DHS/Epcot location. And Gf has the redone rooms too but still in progress in the lobby areas. Not sure when that wraps up.

I’m sure I’m missing other options but I think CR is probably the best option of what you suggested.

 

[jemtx]

Please note that one of the PP is incorrect about the rooms in the Garden Wing of the CR. ALL the rooms in the Tower & Garden Wing were refurbed at the same time and all have the Incredibles theming. The Tower Club (one of the CL’s (mostly suites) up on the 14th floor) has slightly different decor, but still mid-century modern going along with the Incredibles styling.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

What about a split stay? 2 nights at Contemporary (one MNSSHP) and 4 nights at Saratoga?

 

[Selket]

Looking to book for end of summer. Never been to SSR or Beach club. And my family has never also been to Contemporary.

Wants are 1) fully renovated rooms so no chance of old room
2) really nice pools for my little one
3) attending MNSSHP
4) spending some time at Disney Springs and Animal Kingdom ( missed on our most recent trip)
5) better quick serve type food choices or food that aren’t reservation required sit down meals

Will not have a car! so would SSR be a PIA? Worried about internal bus situation wasting time. Could also use Minnie vans I guess?Looking at the one bedroom preferred. How is the walk from preferred to Springs, pools, food? How is food choices at SS? Just torn on will we feel we are missing Mk area but afraid Contemporary pool area may be blah.

I stayed at the CR in the garden wing around the 4th of July a few weeks ago and loved it. I'm not super into the Incredibles as an adult with grown kids but the refreshed rooms are nice and not over the top. The ease of walking to the MK and back is fantastic. You can also hop on the monorail and eat at one of the other resorts around the loop fairly easily. The pool and splash pad looked nice and the little kids I saw didn't seem to be unhappy but I don't have littles anymore. Kids love seeing the monorail going through the lobby.