Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa is a Disney Vacation Club resort at the Walt Disney World Resort. The resort is the seventh Disney Vacation Club resort and situated on the former site of The Disney Institute. The resort was first opened on May 17, 2004 and built in three phases as the largest Disney Vacation Club resort. The resort was inspired by the city of Saratoga Springs, New York.
The resort was designed by Graham Gund Architects of Cambridge, Massachusetts. There are a total of 18 Villa Buildings providing 828 Vacation Home Units (1260 guest rooms).
* Phase 1: 4 Villa Buildings in one section called Congress Park opened with 184 Vacation Home units (280 guest rooms) on May 17, 2004.
*Phase 2: 8 Villa Buildings in two sections called The Springs and The Paddock started opening in Spring 2005 eventually adding an additional 378 Vacation Home Units (560 guest rooms).
*Phase 3: 6 Villa Buildings in two sections called The Carousel and The Grandstand completed the (then) final phase of this large resort in Summer 2007.
*Phase 4: Treehouse Villas built in natural forest glens with 60 three-bedroom homes opened on June 1, 2009. These stand-alone structures—elevated 10 feet off the ground on pedestals and beams—are nestled unobtrusively into natural glens alongside the Sassagoula River.
Available rooms range from single room studios to three bedroom extended family suites on two floors (Grand Villas). Like other Disney Vacation Club resorts, the studios offer kitchenettes, bathrooms, one queen bed, and one sleeper sofa.
In October 2007, the resort received designation in the Florida Green Lodging Program.
==Dining ==
The Artist's Palette is a market-style counter service eatery that offers both hot and cold meals and food grocery items including a bakery and wine selection. The restaurant is themed after an artist's studio. The Artist's Palette also offers a gift shop adjacent to the eatery with Disney merchandise, resort merchandise, sundries, and other convenience items for guests.
The Turf Club Bar & Grill offers a full service restaurant and lounge area. The lounge area is known as the "Turf Club" which offers a full-size pool table and full service bar. The Turf Club Grill restaurant serves lunch and dinner.
On The Rocks Pool Bar is the main poolside bar located at the High Rock Springs Pool. The bar offers alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, light snacks, and a refillable mug station. The Back Stretch Pool Bar is a similar poolside bar at The Grandstand pool. In addition to drinks, this poolside bar will offer small meals.
== Spa and recreation==
The Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa offers recreational activities which include the main pool, three additional pools, a spa and fitness center, bike and surrey rentals, an arcade, a "Community Hall" (arts, crafts, and entertainment center), and the Lake Buena Vista Golf Club.
Senses - A Disney Spa offers professional spa treatments and packages. The center features relaxing mineral pools and private treatment rooms for spa guests.
Lake Buena Vista Golf Course is a golf course. The golf club entrance is located on the lower level of the Carriage House lobby building and is only accessible behind the Carriage House lobby building below the Turf Club Bar & Grill. The course has been a host to PGA and LPGA events.
High Rock Springs Pool is the original feature pool of the resort located outside the main/clubhouse building. It is designed as a natural spring with rocks, geysers, trees, and other themed touche. It features a zero-depth entry into the pool, a waterslide that starts at the top of the spring with turns and drops into pool below, two hot tubs outside the pool, a wet play area for young children (with Donald Duck in a spring), and a poolside bar called "On The Rocks Pool Bar".
Paddock Springs Pool - This second feature pool was added in 2011. It was built due to the increased guest capacity of Walt Disney World and so guests staying in the back of the resort would have a pool that was easier to access. This second feature pool is the same size of the original feature pool and is themed to the Paddock Village and Spring area with a zero-depth entry into the pool, a waterslide that starts at the top of the spring with turns and drops that leads into the pool below, 2 hot tubs, a restroom/changing room facility, and a quick service restaurant serving American, Italian, health food and kids' meals in a building themed to a Paddock building similar to the main lobby area. A seating area for a quick service restaurant, a pool bar adjacent to the restaurant, pool chairs and play area for young children with a spring creek theme are included.
==Transportation==
Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa is served by Disney Transport bus and watercraft transportation. For bus service, there are five bus stops located throughout the resort. The bus stops are The Springs (Guest Villa 3101 - 4436 & The Carriage House), Congress Park (Guest Villas 1101 - 2836), The Paddock (Guest Villas 4501 - 6836), The Carousel (Guest Villas 7101 - 7836), and The Grandstand (Guest Villas 8101 - 9836). Buses at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa have direct routes to all theme parks and Downtown Disney. Watercraft service is available to Downtown Disney, with connecting service to Disney's Old Key West Resort and Disney's Port Orleans Resort at Downtown Disney. Transportation to a Walt Disney World Resort Golf Course is also available by taxi, which will be arranged by the Bell Services Desk, located at the Carriage House. Upon return to Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, the Pro Shop at the golf course will arrange a return taxi. This service is free of charge.
Although there are no plans for an expansion, a legal easement for the Walt Disney World Monorail System exists within the resort, dating back to plans for a master-planned residential community of Lake Buena Vista in the early 1970s.
==Disney Vacation Club Preview Center==
The Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa contains the Disney Vacation Club Preview Center, the official open house and sales center for the Disney Vacation Club. The center includes a preview lobby and several full-scale model villas of the latest Disney Vacation Club resorts.
==External links==
*Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa Official site
Category:Walt Disney World Resort
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Category:Walt Disney World Resort Resorts
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Category:Disney Hotels
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