Walt Disney World Travel Series - Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort is one of the newest Disney Vacation Club resorts located in Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. It sits across the river from Downtown Disney, giving its guests a great view of the Marketplace and the West Side.

The resort's architecture was inspired by Saratoga Springs, a city in Saratoga County in New York. The city was named after the hot springs in the area, and is famous for its Race Course, one of the oldest horse racing tracks in the country. The Victorian style of the resort is inviting, and its 65 acres of land offer great accommodations and entertainment. The resort opened to the public in 2004.

The front lobby, known as the Carriage House, is a large circular space, with over five registration desks staffed with cast members (that's what Disney calls their staff) dressed as horse racing track attendants. The same building offers a large seating/meeting area, which also serves as a walkway to the Artist's Palette. Artist's Palette is a three-in-one dinning experience. It offers a mini-grocery store for any items you would like to bring back to your room. For their deli-style food, which includes a kids' menu, you have a choice of sit-in or take-out.

The resort offers great accommodations, from studios to three-bedroom villas. There are a total of 18 villa building in five different areas of the resort:
1. The Springs (rooms 3101-4436)
2. The Paddock (rooms 4501-6836)
3. Congress Park (rooms 1101-2836)
4. The Carousel (rooms 7101-7836; I stayed in this area of the resort and found it to be the farthest from the Carriage House)
5. The Grandstand (rooms 8101-9836).

The resort offers four swimming pools, each with its own look and feel. The main pool, the High Rock Spring pool, located right outside of the Artist's Palette, offers the largest swimming area (although not the deepest), several slides and the largest seating area. While the other pools are smaller, they seem to be less crowded and more suited for actual swimming (you know, just in case you want to do a few laps).

The resort is also a home to the Lake Buena Vista Golf Course, which was closed at the time of my visit (mid-July 2007). I've been told the course has welcomed PGA and LPGA tours, but as I biked through its path (I was waiting for someone to kick me out, but no one did), I found its scenary and its views of the resort and Downtown Disney amazing (and possibly distracting if you are a golfer).

The resort offers a Spa and Fitness Center, which is located behind the Carriage House and right next to the main pool. The Fitness Center is open daily, for use by all guests. The Spa offers a variety of services, and is, if I may say so, very reasonable priced given its location.

The Community Hall, DVC Preview Center, a bike rental place, tennis and basketball courts, and an arcade complete the recreation and entertainment of the resort.

For details on accommodations, dining and pool review, and helpful tips about visiting this resort, as well as visiting Walt Disney World, please check out my other article titled "Walt Disney World Travel Series."