Amy and I are back with our first construction update of 2021, and this time we decided to take you along for the ride! Join us as we take another stroll through Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa to check out the latest refurbishment of the resort and get a feel for what rooms and buildings have been completed so far!
Miss one of our previous updates? Check them out here:
- Congress Park Refurb at Saratoga Springs Complete
- Construction Update: What Rooms Have Been Refurbished at Saratoga Springs? – October 2020
- Construction Update: What Rooms Have Been Refurbished at Saratoga Springs? – December 2020
Construction on this massive overhaul of the resort began in June 2019. New features being added as part of the renovations include all new furniture, flooring, appliances, and more, including pull-down murphy beds, similar to those featured at Disney’s Riviera Resort. Exterior painting is also being performed as part of the project.
As announced at this year’s DVC Condo Association Meeting, refurbishment is continuing to progress at Saratoga Springs, with a target completion date of Summer 2021.
In our last update, we reported that the refurbishment had moved onto the resort’s first standard booking category – The Paddock. Construction crews had previously completed all villas in the “preferred” booking category located in Congress Park and The Springs, making booking a room in the “preferred” category an easy guarantee that you will snag a sparkling new villa!
The Paddock is now completely refurbished, with all five buildings in this standard section finished. Construction at Saratoga Springs has now moved onto The Grandstand, with buildings in various stages of their refurbishment:
- 8101-8436: Refurbishment Completed.
- 8501-8836: Refurbishment Completed.
- 9501-9836: Under Refurbishment Currently.
- 9101-9436: Not refurbished.
After completing The Grandstand, construction crews will make their way to the final two buildings of the resort located in The Carousel:
- 7101-7436: Not Refurbished
- 7501-7836: Not Refurbished
For those visual learners out there, we created the map below to highlight all the refurbished or “New” villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa thus far:
As confirmed by construction plans obtained as part of an ongoing lawsuit surrounding the Saratoga Springs refurbishment project, the Treehouse Villas will not undergo any renovations at this time due to being built several years after the primary section of the resort.
In total, Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort has over 800 villas and is the largest Disney Vacation Club property at Walt Disney World.
If you are planning an upcoming trip to Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, booking a preferred category room is still your safest bet to ensure a refurbished villa. Those wanting to take the risk and book standard can put in a room request for The Paddock, which, if granted, will also give you a shiny new room. Construction appears to be on track for an early Summer 2021 completion, making it highly likely that all rooms will either be completed or in the progress of refurbishment in just a few short months!
Let us know in the comments if you have had the opportunity to stay in a refurbished room at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa and what you think of the updated accommodations!
So I was just talking to someone online that said they stayed in a refurbished room in Carousel last week… they said that section is done, but I haven’t heard of anyone else saying they were refurbished yet
I’m wondering if that person got their sections mixed up. We could see the rooms and we just got confirmation posted on the YouTube video from someone in Carousel right now that said room not refurbished. There are no signs of renovations going on in that section yet. I’m sure they will be started soon though.
Yea I probed further and they were actually in the Paddock rooms across from the Carousel bus stop, so they thought it was that section
Hello,
I appreciate all of your updates. They have been very helpful. I’m hoping you noticed whether or not the bridge connecting the paddock and the springs area is completed. I read that it was under refurbishment this winter as well. Thank you for any information you can provide.
Yes – It has reopened dawn to dusk!
You can see the finished product in the video. 🙂
Hi! Thanks for the review! Can you explain how to get to Disney Springs from Saratoga Springs resort right now (current as of your video)? I believe it’s the walkway by the Carriage House and past all the parking lots to get to the West side of Disney Springs (where Cirque du Soleil’s tent is)? Any news about the East walkway and boats?
Hey Raina – The current walking path is heading towards the Congress Park section of the resort. This will take you in over near World of Disney.
The path you are referring to that enters by Cirque continues to be closed at this time. Not news on when this or boat transportation will resume.
Hi due to be out there ( fingers crossed ) in Feb 2022 should all the rooms have been done by then do you think ? Asking as have booked a preferred room as would like a new room but equally if I can save some points and the standard rooms are done I’d happily change as not to worried about location would just like a refurbished room.
Thanks in advance
I am 99.99999% sure everything will be done by then. They should finish by Summer 2021.
Hi! Do you know if they’re still booking people in Carousel even though it isn’t finished? We can switch from OKW to SS for our trip the last week of April and love the refurbs, but I just do not want to stay in an old studio room over the rooms at OKW!
Yes – Carousel has not moved into the construction stage yet and is still in the active booking inventory. There would still be the risk of getting a room there if you booked standard.
Will all the one bedrooms be able to sleep 5 once the refurb is complete?