(For the first page of this review of Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, see this.)
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort has been undergoing a room refurbishment. Of its six areas, three are done, one (the Grandstand area) is well along, and the last area confirmed for refurb, the Carousel, should be completed by sometime this summer. There’s no official word on a refurb to the sixth area at Saratoga Springs, the Treehouses, which saw a minor set of changes in 2016.
Thanks to COVID stuff, I have not yet had a chance to stay in any of these refurbed rooms, but do have some new floor plans of the refurbished rooms at Saratoga Springs to share, and some simple observations coming from comparing them with the former spaces. More will come after I can stay here.
REFURBISHED STUDIOS AT DISNEY’S SARATOGA SPRINGS RESORT
Like most other recent Disney World refurbs, Studios at Saratoga Springs have gained a nice wooden-look floor, and the queen bed is now a single mattress on a platform, allowing for storage below it.
As in other recent Disney Vacation Club construction and refurbs, the fold-out sofa bed has been replaced with a fold-down bed, which is more consistently comfortable.
The small table and two chairs that used to be in the corner near the balcony are gone. I don’t see the value of or need for this change, and it seems to diminish the livability of these rooms.
REFURBISHED ONE BEDROOM VILLAS AT DISNEY’S SARATOGA SPRINGS RESORT
In the Living-Dining-Kitchen area of One (and Two) Bedroom Villas at Saratoga Springs, the major changes are in the living area.
As in Studios, the fold-out sofa bed has been replaced with a fold-down bed, which is more consistently comfortable.
In front of tis fold-down bed is a larger, L-shaped couch with a movable piece that can serve as either a chair or a footstool. This new couch increases the overall seating capacity of this area.
The dresser has been replaced with a fold-down twin sized bed underneath the TV. This adds both capacity and flexibility to sleeping arrangements, and this space can now sleep three, rather than the two it could sleep before. There likely is a net reduction in storage space thanks to the dresser being replaced with this fold-down twin, but I won’t know that for sure, or how much the net change matters, until I investigate this space in person. These (and Studios, and Two Bedroom Villas) have always been among the smallest instances of their given room type among the DVC resorts, and short on closet space, so I am a little suspicious…
The dining table has had two chairs added, and now looks to seat five. These chairs, however, came from the old breakfast bar that used to be between the kitchen and living area and is now gone—perhaps to make room for the fold-down twin bed–so there’s no real net increase in dining seating capacity…and perhaps a reduction in “places to put your plates.”
Wood-look floors replace carpets in this entire area.
The master king bedroom and bath have seen smaller changes, principal among them being losing the desk in the bedroom, and having the spa tub in the bath being replaced with a soaker tub that takes up less space on the long wall, and thus permits a larger sink area. Also gone here is the shuttered viewing space between the bath/sink area and the bedroom area.
REFURBISHED LOCKOFF TWO BEDROOM VILLAS AT DISNEY’S SARATOGA SPRINGS RESORT
“Lockoff” Two Bedroom Villas combine a One Bedroom Villa and a Studio via a connecting door, so changes to them combine the changes ot the two spaces already discussed. These will now sleep in total nine, but as in the past there’s still not remotely near enough space in the living/dining areas for nine.
REFURBISHED DEDICATED TWO BEDROOM VILLAS AT DISNEY’S SARATOGA SPRINGS RESORT
“Dedicated” Two Bedroom Villas at Saratoga Springs have a second bedroom that is similar to a Studio, but not identical to it.
For example, it has two queens rather than the queen and fold-down bed of a Studio–and this also loses the sofa. Instead of a mini-kitchen it has a closet, and the closet in the sink area of the Studio is gone, and replaced with a larger double sink. In where in a Studio would be an entry area and exterior door, it has a second closet. There’s no longer a table and chairs in this space.
REFURBISHED GRAND VILLAS AT DISNEY’S SARATOGA SPRINGS RESORT
Grand Villas see the flooring changes seen elsewhere in the Saratoga Springs refurb. Other changes appear minor.
The fold out couch in the living room is replaced with a fold-down bed.
The breakfast counter is gone from the area between the kitchen and dining room
The master king bedroom has largely the same changes as the king bedroom in One and Two Bedroom Villas.
The two upstairs bedrooms have changes similar to those in the second bedroom of Dedicated Two Bedroom Villas.
I’ll come back to all of these spaces after I’ve had a chance to stay in them!
PHOTO TOUR OF A STUDIO AT DISNEY’S SARATOGA SPRINGS RESORT
This review continues here.
The long-time travel agent partner of this site, Kelly, can book you at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort or anywhere else at Disney World. Contact her using the form below!
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest!!</p
