(For the first page of this review of Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, see this.)
THE POOLS AT DISNEY’S SARATOGA SPRINGS RESORT & SPA
There are five pools at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa.
- Two pools–at the Treehouses and Congress Park–have little to recommend them other than convenience to nearby accommodations.
- Two pools–the High Rock Spring main pool and the Paddock pool–are worth the walk from nearly anywhere in the sprawling resort
- The last pool–the Grandstand pool–is in between. It offers more than the first two but less than last two. For most guests near enough to consider it, it’s not that much more of a walk to the better High Rock Spring pool.
THE TREEHOUSE POOL
The Treehouse Villas are in a separate and distant part of Saratoga Springs, literally “off the map.” The pool here is very near their closest connection to the rest of Saratoga Springs. See the red circle on the far left of the map.
The pool is tiny–but appropriately sized, as there are only 60 Treehouse Villas. It includes a hot tub, but makes sense only for those looking for the quietest of quiet pools, as the better Grandstand pool is just a few minutes away, and the even better High Rock Spring pool just a few minutes more beyond that.
THE CONGRESS PARK POOL
Like the Treehouse pool there’s not much on offer at the Congress Park pool other than a hot tub. Its virtue is simply that it’s convenient to these otherwise distant rooms. It’s the red circle at the bottom right.
THE GRANDSTAND POOL
The Grandstand Pool is in the middle of Saratoga Springs pool offerings. On the map, it’s the circle just a bit left of center.
To the pool and hot tub it adds a kids play area…
…refillable mug station…
…and an often-closed bar, which offer some cold sandwiches when it is open (click the image to enlarge it).
The main High Rock Spring pool is just a bit away, and has many more amenities.
THE HIGH ROCK SPRING POOL
The High Rock Spring pool is in the center of the resort between the Carriage House and the Springs area.
The main pool at Saratoga Springs, it include two hot tubs, a couple of water slides–including a teeny one for little kids–and a fairly weak bar supplemented by the ability to call for food.
A couple of views that include the teeny slide.
The larger slide comes out of this spring-fed waterfall…
…curving inside of it.
There’s also a kids water play area…
…and a zero-entry to the pool.
The bar here has a refillable mug station, but no real food.
You can, however, order food to be delivered poolside (click the image to enlarge the menu).
THE PADDOCK POOL
The Paddock pool is in the circle at the upper right of the map.
It’s the best second-best pool at Disney World, and on some dimensions–e.g. the quality of its food service and bar–is better than the High Rock Spring pool.
Frankly, there’s no reason for anyone to walk past it to the main High Rock Spring pool…
Here’s the bar, the Paddock Grill…
…and its menu. Click it to enlarge it.
There’s two big water slides here, pool games, this kids play area…
…and a hot tub. All in the Paddock pool has everything you’d typically find at a Disney World main pool, and better food service!
So that’s what you have a Saratoga Springs–two fine pools, one OK pool, and two pools that offer little but are near to some of the more distant rooms.
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest!!
OMG. Seeing that pool menu reminded me of Josh in this way: I’m surprised he didn’t go there with a sharpie and remove the apostrophe from “Panini’s”. And in fact, remove the “s” as well, since panini is already plural for panino. Poor Josh. :'(
Reply
Oh, Ed…
Reply
Thank you for this information all in one place! We discovered Paddock pool area last year on our annual “summer begins” trip and it LITERALLY saved my diabetic sisters life! We were enjoying the pool with our 2 year old and my sister started to decline. She said she needed protein quickly and the Cast Members at the grill went into super help mode! They brought out a delicious grilled hamburger patty with a slab of melted cheese and large ice water. Their concern and speed of work actually brought tears to my eyes. The pool is awesome and the grill and cast members were more than expected!
Reply
Oh Monette, what a great story!
Reply