SSR Lovers and Owners Part 3

[LongLiveRafiki]

We have a 2 Bedroom Standard room in November. We will not be arriving till midnight and are travelling with two small children and using magical express. Will we need transportation within the resort (from front desk) to get to our room and is it provided. Also how far will the pool be from the standard room area. It looks like a vast resort

There are 3 areas you could be in with a standard room: Grandstand, Paddock, or Carrousel. A couple of the buildings in Grandstand are somewhat close (5 min walk) to the front desk building (which is called Carriage House and is located in the Springs section of the resort), but a couple buildings in Grandstand are more like a 10 minute walk. Paddock is a 10+ min walk across a bridge, depending on where your building is, and Carrousel is a little past Paddock. There should be a map on the first page of this thread that gives you a layout of the resort and where each section is.

There are internal buses that run pretty late and depending on what section your room is in, you may want to hop on one to get to your room. The buses that say Disney Springs will stop first at the Springs section, which is where you'd get on after checking in, then go to Grandstand, Carrousel, Paddock, and Congress Park. If you will have luggage with you, I think you will need Bell Services to deliver it to your room as I don't think luggage is allowed on the resort buses. Bell Services is right where the Magical Express will drop you off at the resort.

As for pools, the main pool with a big water slide, small kids slide, and a small kids Splash area are in the Springs section. Paddock also has a feature pool with a water slide and a nice little kids water play area with fountains and slides. Grandstand has a pool with a spray/fountain area. There are also plain pools in the Treehouse Villas area and in Congress Park, but they are pretty far from the standard rooms and nothing special. Carrousel doesn't have its own pool, but it is fairly close to Paddock.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

We have a 2 Bedroom Standard room in November. We will not be arriving till midnight and are travelling with two small children and using magical express. Will we need transportation within the resort (from front desk) to get to our room and is it provided. Also how far will the pool be from the standard room area. It looks like a vast resort

Bell service can assist you in getting to your room. And there are pools in every section except Carousel. If you don’t have a particular area you want to be in you could request to be close to a pool and will hopefully end up either close to the Grandstand pool or the Paddock pool - both are standard view sections.

 

[igrsod]

Does anyone know what type of drink refill machines they have on resort? Is it the standard ones, or the new ones where you can choose a bunch of flavour options?

 

[The Jackal]

Does anyone know what type of drink refill machines they have on resort? Is it the standard ones, or the new ones where you can choose a bunch of flavour options?

Standard ones last time we were there in the May.

 

[hsmamato2]

I want to thank the experts here for great advice... we had a great stay at Saratoga Springs ! We got room 6534 in Paddock section. No great views, but a nice location ground floor.... short walk to congress bus stop and pool,and short walk to paddock pool. (the kids preferred congress pool!) easy walk to Disney Springs once we figured out the map too. I'd recommend this location and stay there again.

 

[FoodieFriend]

Very excited for our first stay at SSR in Dec Preferred 1 bedroom. I was able to transfer my BLT home resort booking at 7 months. I'm looking forward to easy access to Disney Springs & dining at the Turf Club. Hopefully renovations won't have any negative impact & I'd appreciate hearing any feedback about it from people who have stayed there recently.

 

[PsycProfPlum]

Standard ones last time we were there in the May.

Standard as of mid June.

 

[Wakey]

Remember, the refurb is now underway, started in Congress. Will not affect you if staying as doing 1 building at a time like OKW.

 

[MiniMN]

Has SSR started their refurb yet? Will any of the rooms be done by late Aug?

I heard they just started in Congress Park in the building closest to Disney Springs.

 

[Chirple]

Hi! We are SSR and BLT owners, and normally it's just my husband and me in either a studio or 1 bedroom villa. In 2020 we've invited my cousin, his wife, their two young daughters, and my aunt (cousin's mom) for a week in August. If my aunt plans to join us, we will stay at SSR and put her in a studio and the rest of us in a 2 bedroom villa, both standard. My questions to the group are:

1. Based on the map, it looks like villas 8501-8836 are the closest section in The Grandstand to the Carriage House. Is this correct?
2. How difficult would it be to get the studio close to the 2 bedroom? My aunt is a very active 70 year old right now, but I don't want her to feel isolated from us. Side note: we first offered her the pull-out sofa, but understandably she would like some privacy from the rest of us. We have the points and are happy to use them for her.

I would like for her to have easy access to the Carriage House and the boat to Disney Springs if she chooses to not join us in the parks. We will have a small rental car to make grocery runs, which will allow her to keep food and beverages in her room, too.

 

[MiniMN]

Hi! We are SSR and BLT owners, and normally it's just my husband and me in either a studio or 1 bedroom villa. In 2020 we've invited my cousin, his wife, their two young daughters, and my aunt (cousin's mom) for a week in August. If my aunt plans to join us, we will stay at SSR and put her in a studio and the rest of us in a 2 bedroom villa, both standard. My questions to the group are:

1. Based on the map, it looks like villas 8501-8836 are the closest section in The Grandstand to the Carriage House. Is this correct?
2. How difficult would it be to get the studio close to the 2 bedroom? My aunt is a very active 70 year old right now, but I don't want her to feel isolated from us. Side note: we first offered her the pull-out sofa, but understandably she would like some privacy from the rest of us. We have the points and are happy to use them for her.

I would like for her to have easy access to the Carriage House and the boat to Disney Springs if she chooses to not join us in the parks. We will have a small rental car to make grocery runs, which will allow her to keep food and beverages in her room, too.

1. Yes, those are the closest rooms in the Grandstand to the Carriage House. I found a map from the sponsor of this site:
https://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/saratoga.htm2. Call and ask. And Hurray for your aunt. There's an internal bus that runs around the resort too.

 

[The Jackal]

1. Yes that building is very close to the Carriage house. We stayed there i a 2 bedroom last fall the room was in great shape. We were on the 4th floor.

2. That just depends on scheduling. If they have a open studio near or in the same building at the same timeframe. They will try, but everyone loves Disney and DVC, so fingers crossed.

 

[Bearrister]

I’m looking forward to our first ever DVC vacation (coming up this Saturday July 6!) and we’ll be staying at SSR.

I was wondering if the fitness center has a Keiser style spin bike. The Grand Floridian fitness center had one of these bikes (or something very similar) and I’m really hoping SSR has one. Thanks in advance!

 

[KStash]

I have my first stay coming up in early September, and I also put in my first DVC resale contract for SSR that I hope is not gobbled up in ROFR.

Looking forward to the first (of many, hopefully!) stays at SSR!

 

[TeeDisney1025]

I’m looking forward to our first ever DVC vacation (coming up this Saturday July 6!) and we’ll be staying at SSR.

I was wondering if the fitness center has a Keiser style spin bike. The Grand Floridian fitness center had one of these bikes (or something very similar) and I’m really hoping SSR has one. Thanks in advance!

View attachment 414136

I wish I could help but I’m very interested too! We’ll be doing a split stay between SSR and GF starting on the 11th. I have been working out on a Peloton bike and would love to continue the trend on vacation.

 

[Bearrister]

I wish I could help but I’m very interested too! We’ll be doing a split stay between SSR and GF starting on the 11th. I have been working out on a Peloton bike and would love to continue the trend on vacation.

Haha nice! We too have a Peloton and I’m hoping to do rides with the Peloton app while we’re there. My LB name is #Bearister

 

[hayesdvc]

When i am staying at SSR, on check out day, do I need to take my luggage back to the Carriage House to check the luggage on through MCO?

 

[jaysmom4285]

Yes, assuming you're using Resort Airline Check-in. The RAC desk is just outside the main entrance to the Carriage House. If you're taking ME, the bus picks you up there.

 

[MinnieTink]

Hi there. We have a one bedroom stay coming up for myself, my husband, our 19 year old DD and 13 year old DS. I am going to get a new air mattress to bring so each kid can have their own sleeping space. Is there room for a full size air mattress? Maybe in the entry way/foyer area? Or in the master bedroom? Or should I stick with a twin size?
Thanks for any input!

 

[MonaMN]

I heard they just started in Congress Park in the building closest to Disney Springs.

Are they doing the preferred sections first? We have preferred booked for mid-January and being in a refurbed room would be icing on the cake... our first stay at SSR (renting points before our cruise).