My husband and I welcomed our beautiful baby girl into the world in July 2023 and now that she is almost 5 months old, we decided it was time to have our very first Disney staycation. After all, this is the most magical time of the year to visit the Walt Disney World Resort. With the help of our friends over at David's Vacation Club Rentals, we were able to book a magical stay at Saratoga Springs for mid-December (2023).
Saratoga Springs is considered a deluxe resort in the Disney Springs area of Walt Disney World Resort. This place is quite large, and there is so much to see and do. I highly recommend planning some resort time to wander the property. Saratoga Springs is spread out over 65 acres. You can definitely count on clocking a significant amount of steps traveling around this place! You might even consider it a hike to get to the lobby or pool, depending on your room location. We found our room location (Congress) to be a bit far from the main Carriage house, so we ended up taking the car over a few times to save us the longer walk.
Saratoga Springs resort has Victorian-themed architecture, a gorgeous golf course, and picturesque views of Disney Springs. We found it to be incredibly relaxing and tranquil, offering a serene retreat from the bustling park activities, which can get overwhelming at times during this time of the year. It was the perfect resort to take our baby girl to for the first time as it offers a clean and modern design, the perfect blend of indoor and outdoor activities, plenty of Disney magic around every corner, and delicious food.
Check out a montage of our stay here: We checked in for a 2 night stay.
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Why David's Vacation Club Rentals?
David's was the very first DVC rental company and after 16 years continues to be the leader within the DVC community! They are my personal recommendation, and it all comes down to their impeccable customer service.
Guests can save up to 30-50% when booking with DVC rentals compared to booking the same room from Disney central services.
The reservation is booked in your name and is easily linked to your My Disney Experience profile for access throughout your stay.
You will receive the same on-property perks including early theme park entry and use of all DVC amenities.
Because you are staying at a deluxe resort you will have access to extended evening theme park hours on select nights.
self-parking and theme park parking is included on all DVC stays
The team @dvcrentals works with 15 DVC resorts, including Aulani in Hawaii!
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Accommodations:
Deluxe Studio Room: Recently updated with sleek finishes, modern decor, and just a pinch of Disney magic.
Location: Congress Building (Closest to Disney Springs)
Sleeps: up to 4 guests (1 queen and 1 pull down queen murphy bed)
There is a small kitchenette with toaster, microwave, mini fridge, mini sink, and coffee maker. Disney does provide individually wrapped paper plates, bowls, and cups. Other amenities include paper towels, dish soap, a traditional towel, a can opener, a wine opener, and plasticware.
This room was VERY spacious. I love that there was a murphy bed leaving us with ample space to set up the pack and play bassinet for the baby. The coffee table also raises up for easy access for eating or working on your laptop. The coffee table is also on rollers, so it was quite easy to move around the room. The simple decor was bright and cheerful and I was able to add some Christmas decorations to really make it feel like HOME for the 2 nights we were staying there.
When the murphy bed is in use, darling artwork featuring horses in Saratoga Springs Stables is displayed. If you look closely, you might just find some hidden Mickeys.
This room had a tub and shower combo featuring the fan favorite, H2O products in large bottles inside the shower. (conditioner, shampoo, body wash). Fixtures include a rainfall-like shower and a removable showerhead option. Now that I have Brooklyn, I have found the removable option comes in handy for bathing children, especially when it comes time to wash their hair. I brought this foldable bathtub with us that we purchased on Amazon.
The vanity area is separate from the toilet and shower. The lighting was great and I love that the vanity itself has 2 drawers for storing your toiletries. This space allowed ample room for multiple guests to get ready at once. At the entryway there is also a full sized mirror, which is always a must-have.
The closet contained all the usuals, like an extra pillow, blanket, iron, ironing board, and a safe. Most of the deluxe studios have a vacuum cleaner. DVC members staying on points do not receive daily housekeeping. (However, regular guests do.) - they did empty our trash each day, but for clean towels, extra pillows/blankets, etc. you have to request.
A bench was available where you could sit and remove your shoes (or put them on). There are also drawers underneath the bench that open and provide a place to store your shoes. or other belongings. I thought this was a great idea to save space. Note: this does replace where the typical table and chairs used to be.
I don't know about you, but it doesn't matter if I am staying for a week or only one night, I am an unpacker! Storage-wise, the dresser was not only aesthetically pleasing but provided tons of space for our clothes and baby essentials. I ended up setting up the whole top drawer just like I have it at home which helped keep us in the groove of things. I ended up adding some Christmas decorations to the marble top and I absolutely LOVED how it came out.
A few other details include three silhouettes hanging above the queen-sized bed. One was a horse, another a horse-riding helmet with Mickey’s ears, and the third, a blue ribbon. These tied in well with the horse-racing theme of Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa.
Additionally, the padded headboard was a nice element for those who like to sit in bed and read or watch television. Each side of the bed featured a nightstand with a reading lamp. I loved the lighting in this room, it was perfect for setting an at-home cozy vibe.
This room also had a ceiling fan which was a nice addition.
The best part for us, was being on the 1st floor with easy stroller access, and views of The Boathouse, hot air balloon and other Disney Springs icons. We read that it could be louder in this section with the music and bands playing at springs, but we actually liked hearing it and watching from the comfort of our patio. The weather was on the cooler side, so we quite enjoyed having the slider door open to allow for fresh air to fill the room while we relaxed.
This resort does have elevators so if you do have a wheelchair, or stroller it is very easy to access. We typically love being on a higher floor, but we enjoyed being able to get to our room nice and quick on the first floor this trip.
Even for a studio, we found the room to be quite spacious. The layout provided ample room for our little one to play and nap, while the kitchenette allowed us to prepare baby food and bottles conveniently.
Booking with David's Vacation Club Rentals is super easy. Click here to check out the rental process. Boom! You're now one step closer to booking the trip of your dreams!
Proximity to the Parks
One of the perks of staying at Saratoga Springs was its proximity to the Disney theme parks. A quick ride on the complimentary shuttle transported us to the magic of Disney's iconic attractions within minutes. This convenience was a game-changer with a baby, allowing us to return to our villa for naps or breaks whenever needed. We also loved the close proximity to Disney Springs-- via the walking trails, bus, or boat access. Our room was only a 5–6-minute walk into Disney Springs. (entry by the Christmas Store)
Holiday Festivities Visiting Walt Disney World during the holidays is like an experience straight out of a fairy tale. The parks were adorned with dazzling decorations, twinkling lights, and festive cheer at every turn. Brooklyn absolutely loved the sights and sounds, as well as meeting new characters. We spent most of our time at Disney Springs, Christmas shopping, but we did also visit Epcot one night to see the new area, and WOW! If you have never visited during the holidays, I highly recommend it. I know it can be extra crowded but if you just take it slow it truly is so magical. Our favorite ride of the day was the overlay of Living with The Land.
Family-Friendly Amenities Saratoga Springs doesn't fall short on family-friendly amenities. There are smores, movies under the Stars, pools, playgrounds, and more. We appreciated the convenience of the on-site marketplace, where we could grab essentials and baby supplies without hassle.
Tips for New Families For fellow new parents planning a Disney holiday with a young baby:
Pack strategically: Bring essentials like diapers, wipes, formula, and baby food. Don't forget to pack sun protection and comfortable clothing for your little one. This time of year can be a bit tricky so pack layers of clothing because the temperatures can drop in the early morning and at night. Be sure to bring some extra blankets!
One of the things I have used the most in the parks so far from my Baby shower has been my infant noise cancelling headphones. We use them for fireworks, shows, and while walking through Disney Springs at night, as the music can get pretty loud for her little ears!
Plan downtime: Babies thrive on routine, so plan breaks for naps and feeding times. Saratoga Springs' proximity to the parks makes it easy to return to your villa for some downtime. Since we were only staying two days, we really wanted to take advantage of relaxing in the room, which was quite nice. I packed my own pack and play and also brought Brooklyn's piano mat for self-play while in the room.
Utilize Baby Care Centers: Disney parks have Baby Care Centers equipped with changing stations, feeding areas, and quiet spaces. They are all a little different, but offer so many things like filtered water, bottle warmers, a sink with soap to clean bottles and more. They also provide medication, headphones, diapers, creams, for purchase, just in case there is something you may have forgotten to pack that day.
Overall, we had an incredible time, and we cannot wait to see what adventures are in store for us in 2024.
Thank you again David's Vacation Club Rentals. Not only is their staff highly knowledgeable in all things Disney, but they are also so kind and courteous of making pure magic come to life for your next stay. If you have ever dreamt of staying at a deluxe property, but didn't think you could ever afford it, then look into renting points for your next vacation!
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Which resort do you think we will stay at next? Leave your predictions below!
Taryn Alyssa Xo.