Old Key West vs Saratoga?

[BeachMouse1]

Closing on a new contract soon (hopefully) and have points that will need to be used before they expire. Looks like only things available are Old Key West and Saratoga and I have never stayed at either. Which on and why? Looks like Old Key West is a few points cheaper per night but I have to use the points anyway so that’s really not an issue

 

[igrsod]

I really like OKW, but SSR is lovely too.
They are very similar in that they are big resorts with multiple buildings and a bus loop.
I love the vibe of OKW, very laid back. We have always had a great time with the lovely cast members there.
I also like that the points are a bit cheaper at OKW as well.

 

[jimmytammy]

Both are great resorts for varying reasons:
1. Both are near DS with a nod to SSR for a close boat or walk. But OKW isn't too much farther by boat.
2. Olivias IMO at OKW is a better eatery than The Turf Club at SSR, but SSR QS place is way better than OKW, with better variety.
3. Bus service is about the same at both, with several stops depending upon which part of either resort you are staying in.
4. Pools are great at each
5. Rooms are bigger at OKW. If you are staying in a 1 or 2 bedroom, nod goes to OKW. The size of room will spoil you. But if studios are your preference, I would stay at SSR. OKW studio just feels like a big hotel room, SSR is more like a true studio. Maybe look at room layouts of each if this matters
6. OKW to me seems quite, maybe with less hustle and bustle, and walk to front area not as far as some of the rooms can be at SSR. We like Turtle Pond area at OKW, Grandstand at SSR
7. If you want a nightcap, Gurgling Suitcase at OKW is small but can be busy. Turf Club Bar at SSR has smaller selections but more room to sit, and tends to be far less crowded

I know this is a lot of info but maybe it can help to weigh out likes/dislikes and go from there.

 

[CarolynFH]

I love the relaxed vibe at OKW, but I doubt we’ll ever stay there again because of the lack of elevators (only 2 or 3 buildings have them). As we age, hauling luggage up stairs is becoming more difficult. All SSR buildings have elevators.

Will you be booking studios? OKW studios have 2 queen beds, no couch. SSR studios have a queen bed plus a double Murphy bed that folds down over a couch, so you have a place to sit, read, watch tv when the extra bed isn’t needed.

 

[Pens Fan]

I probably shouldn't weigh in as I've never stayed at SSR. However we booked a last minute (like a week ahead of time) trip over Memorial Day and after stalking the website for three days managed to string together 4 nights together at OKW. Gotta be honest, while I was happy to be able to pull that off I wasn't too excited to stay there. However that stay really changed my mind. We were in a 2 BR and it was huge - a little dated, but still very nice. The resort itself is lovely and very laid back and the CM's were great. I was worried about how spread out it was, and do prefer just being in a more compact resort. However while we ended up in one of, if not the furthest buildings from Hospitality House it honestly was fine. That bus system just works. I've never seen so many busses at any resort coming through with such frequency. You just have to figure out the order of the stops and you can get easily hop a ride to HH and back. Bus service to the parks was the best we've ever experienced at any resort, and we also really enjoyed the lovely boat ride to DS. We had a wonderful dinner at Olivias which I really don't think gets enough hype - service and food were excellent!

Bottom line, while I can't speak to SSR - I would stay at OKW again. I'd never choose to book it at 7 months over our home resorts (or quite a few other other ones), but in a pinch looking for last minute accommodations I would be happy to stay there. The lack of elevators is problem for me (bad knees) but I called and requested a first floor room due to that, and we got one so it was fine.

 

[RuntheMouse]

I loved the feel of OKW but wasn’t a fan of the studio layout. We would possibly stay there again but only in a 1 bedroom.

I love everything about SSR. Love being able to walk to DS.

 

[Donna M]

We own at SSR and had a nice stay recently in a 2 bd. My favorite is OKW, and we usually stay there. We live in the Northeast and OKW gives me the Florida feel; SSR looks like what I see everyday.
OKW is cheaper with larger rooms, and a nice boat ride to DS.

 

[npatellye]

We love the laid back, old school Florida vibe of OKW. We’ve stayed in a 1 and 2 bedroom there and the space was great for our needs (family of 4 with two girls who were 5 and 7 for both stays). My kids love staying in Turtle Pond but we find the feature pool area crowded and sometimes difficult to find chairs. We have the GV on our bucket list for a trip.

We also like SSR but have only done a 1 bedroom there and didn’t really like it as much. The renovation was beautiful but the space was a bit tighter. I also just find that SSR looks a lot like other buildings we find up here in the northeast. However, we did love the 2 feature pools at SSR.

Edited to add: I can’t comment on buses because we’ve never used them at either resort.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

I never thought I'd say this, because an OKW one bedroom was the reason we bought DVC in the first place, but these days we actually prefer SSR for the following reasons:

1. Better feature pools
2. Better quick service (marginally...neither resort is great in this respect)
3. Bus loop is faster (idk if this is real or perceived, but the bus loop seems to be better designed and more efficient at SSR)
4. Better overall resort layout (like someone above mentioned, aside from a small handful of rooms, most are within a reasonable walking distance of the main building, unlike OKW which is arranged more linearly.)

 

[teawar]

We staying in both a good bit because we like to stretch our points out. Both resorts are fine and you will hectic cheerleaders for both. Our family stays in studios and I like the renovations they did on the rooms at Saratoga better than the rooms at Old Key West, personally.

I also feel that the rooms at Saratoga are quieter than the ones at OKW, it could also be that we lucked out with our neighbors. At OKW, we can always hear the people talking next door.

 

[BeachMouse1]

I love the relaxed vibe at OKW, but I doubt we’ll ever stay there again because of the lack of elevators (only 2 or 3 buildings have them). As we age, hauling luggage up stairs is becoming more difficult. All SSR buildings have elevators.

Will you be booking studios? OKW studios have 2 queen beds, no couch. SSR studios have a queen bed plus a double Murphy bed that folds down over a couch, so you have a place to sit, read, watch tv when the extra bed isn’t needed.

Yes we do studios. Thank you

 

[JulieBeeRN]

I do like the SSR studios better than OKW bc I like having a couch.

 

[rdevans_2000]

Both are great resorts for varying reasons:
1. Both are near DS with a nod to SSR for a close boat or walk. But OKW isn't too much farther by boat.
2. Olivias IMO at OKW is a better eatery than The Turf Club at SSR, but SSR QS place is way better than OKW, with better variety.
3. Bus service is about the same at both, with several stops depending upon which part of either resort you are staying in.
4. Pools are great at each
5. Rooms are bigger at OKW. If you are staying in a 1 or 2 bedroom, nod goes to OKW. The size of room will spoil you. But if studios are your preference, I would stay at SSR. OKW studio just feels like a big hotel room, SSR is more like a true studio. Maybe look at room layouts of each if this matters
6. OKW to me seems quite, maybe with less hustle and bustle, and walk to front area not as far as some of the rooms can be at SSR. We like Turtle Pond area at OKW, Grandstand at SSR
7. If you want a nightcap, Gurgling Suitcase at OKW is small but can be busy. Turf Club Bar at SSR has smaller selections but more room to sit, and tends to be far less crowded

I know this is a lot of info but maybe it can help to weigh out likes/dislikes and go from there.

Great summary. THANKS. I think my wife and I will give OKW a try. Wanna get a three bedroom and take the family (grown boys and their sig others).

 

[CarolynFH]

Great summary. THANKS. I think my wife and I will give OKW a try. Wanna get a three bedroom and take the family (grown boys and their sig others).

Be ready to book that GV when your window opens, if OKW isn’t your home resort. They’re the cheapest GV, so they go quickly. Fortunately, the ones at SSR aren’t as difficult to get.

 

[Htide]

I have stayed in both as recently as last Aug (OKW) and Oct/Dec (SSR). I had never stayed at OKW before and was looking forward to it because I heard that the room sizes were some of the biggest of the DVC properties. While I really liked the laid back feeling of the resort, and enjoyed the quiet pool. I didn't care for their quick service or Olivia's. The studio layout was also not my favorite. However I would stay there again in a larger room.

As for SSR, I had previously stayed there in 2014 and did not care for it at all. The studio we stayed in that year smelt of mildew, had a leaky refrigerator and the drawers under the TV were falling apart. Also Disney Springs was under construction and the roads at the resort itself were also under construction. It left a bad taste in my mouth.

This last August and December we stayed at SSR due to it being the only resort available at 7 months. I can say that after the last two stays there I am a fan. The rooms were beautiful, the ability to walk to Disney Springs was a huge plus. Having Disney Springs so close gives SSR the edge when it comes to dining as you don't have to settle for their table and quick service options.

 

[cedricandsophie]

We own at OKW and love it. We have only stayed at SS a couple times and found it very sterile. We always get. One bedroom near the hospitality house. We rarely do the parks so we spend time at pool, play tennis, shuffleboard, workout (all of which is very close together). My adult disabled daughter and her friend love the community house abd the pool games. The one bedroom. Is very large with a full size laundry room and a nice size balcony overlooking the golf course. We usually get ground floor but if we have to get above the first floor then we ask the bellman to haul our bags up.

 

[Tigger's ally]

We stay at both and have always preferred OKW for the vibe and beautiful walks back from Gurgling Suitcase. However, lately we have been staying at SSR due to the room layout. My daughter is a single mom and she loves the pull down in the living room with my little grandtink on the small pulldown under the TV. Heading there again in October and me and the wife may do a different trip home from the Gurgling suitcase taking two boats instead of walking. We always stay at Turtle pond in OKW and preferred closest to Springs at SSR. October trip we have a 2BR with son and his GF in the 2nd br.

 

[Shellyred8]

3. Bus loop is faster (idk if this is real or perceived, but the bus loop seems to be better designed and more efficient at SSR)

This! While they both have multiple stops, the layout at SSR creates a more efficient route. At OKW the buses have to go slower as they navigate the narrower roads where cars are parked. There are also a few "loops" at OKW where the bus has to go down and back the same road. At SSR, there is only one of those. The rest of the stops are just on one big loop.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

I do like the SSR studios better than OKW bc I like having a couch.

Interesting.... We very much prefer OKW studios because they have 2 queen beds for sleeping!

 

[LadybugsMum]

Interesting.... We very much prefer OKW studios because they have 2 queen beds for sleeping!

With the refurb at SSR, the murphy bed is a queen bed. They're quite comfortable. I'm team SSR as I like to put the murphy bed away so there's more room to move around. I also don't like watching tv from a bed, but I'm weird like that.