Welcome back to
planDisney, Katherine!
First off, let me tell you that I think your current plans are fantastic!
Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa is a beautiful Victorian-style Resort hotel echoing late-1800's upstate New York with sprawling grounds, recently refreshed Guest rooms and a host of wonderful amenities (so many pools!). You can also walk to all the shopping, dining, and entertainment at
Disney Springs!
Disney's Pop Century Resort, full of fun from the 1950s through the 1990s, has always been my favorite Value Resort. Now, with
Disney Skyliner transportation to
Disney's Hollywood Studios,
EPCOT,
Disney's BoardWalk, and more, Disney's Pop Century Resort is a great home base.
There are
so many benefits of staying at a
Disney Resort Collection hotel and you'll want to keep these in mind when making any decisions. My favorite benefit of staying in the magic is extra time to play in the parks every day! While offerings change from time to time, Guests of Disney Resort hotels can usually get a 30-minute (or more) headstart on their day at Disney's
Theme Parks, and in some cases, also have extended evening hours available. Combined with complimentary transportation throughout
Walt Disney World Resort, staying at a Disney Resort Collection hotel ensures you're immersed in Disney magic all day long!
I see that my friend and fellow
planDisney panelist Jennifer has already provided you with
some fantastic guidance about transportation, and I have one other suggestion to add as you think about your accommodations. If I were in your Mickey shoes, having "home bases" at both Resorts would be invaluable to my family given how we like to spend our days at Walt Disney World Resort. Let's say that someone in your family wants to take a break during your day at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Rather than taking bus transportation back to Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, you could just hop on the Disney Skyliner with your sister or brother and be relaxing at nearby Disney's Pop Century in no time. Likewise, if your sister shops 'til she almost drops in Disney Springs, the two of you can walk to your room at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa to relax without needing to rely on any transportation at all.
Last but not least, remember that you will likely be spending many hours of the day together experiencing the Theme Parks. For me, retreating to my own space at the end of the day is a great way to recharge and get myself ready for more magic with my whole crew the next day!
I hope this helps your planning - please never hesitate to
reach out to me with additional questions as you continue planning your vacation!
Ryan J.