Ferry Tale Stays at Saratoga Springs and Old Key West Resorts

Posted:  DVC Rentals Resorts

Greetings and salutations, my fellow travelers!

I’ve talked about my trips to Walt Disney World as part of David’s Vacation Club Rentals in the past. One of the key experiences on these trips is using all the different kinds of transportation around Disney property. 

A red and white Disney Bus heading to Hollywood Studios pulls up to a stop at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa.

There are the always reliable buses, of course, which are the most common method of transportation. The monorail is always a big deal! Disney’s sleek, futuristic train is such a fan favorite that staying at a resort on the monorail route is a huge selling point for many guests. Then there’s the Skyliner. If you love getting the best view possible and are okay with heights, the Skyliner is a real winner.

The monorail passes by the Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows under a sunny sky.

Today, however, I’m here to talk about the often-forgotten option: the ferries. 

Two yellow and blue boats sail along the path from Disney’s Old Key West and Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa to Disney Springs under a blue sky.

The ferry was the first Disney transportation I got to experience on my very first visit to Walt Disney World. After checking into our rooms at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, we went to Disney Springs for our Dinner reservation at the Terralina Crafted Italian restaurant.

The “Florida Queen” yellow and blue water taxi sits docked at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa under a blue sky, waiting for guests to board.

A yellow and blue Disney water taxi sails past the Boathouse restaurant and other buildings at Disney Springs under a cloudy sky.

It was a wonderfully clear afternoon, and on our approach, I got plenty of time to take in all the sights of Disney Springs, like the Aerophile hot air balloon, the Paddlefish steamboat, the House of Blues water tower, and the Boathouse Amphicars. It was a lot like the first experience of looking down Main Street U.S.A. at Magic Kingdom or seeing Spaceship Earth when heading into EPCOT. You don’t get those sights when taking the bus to Disney Springs! 

Paddlefish and other restaurant and shop exteriors as well as the Aerophile balloon attraction at Disney Springs are seen from across the water under a sunny sky from Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa.

My second stay at Disney World was at the original DVC Resort, Disney’s Old Key West Resort, which also offers boat transportation to Disney Springs. The ride from Old Key West is a bit longer than from Saratoga Springs, but that’s fun in its own way, with more time to take in the scenery.

Disney’s Old Key West Resort is seen under a blue sky as a blue and yellow water taxi heads over the water to Disney Springs.

One of Disney’s water taxis is seen in the distance as it heads past the buildings and landscaping of Disney’s Old Key West Resort towards Disney Springs on a sunny day.

The reason I enjoy the ferries isn’t just the convenience. In my opinion, taking a ferry is a much more relaxed way to get around compared to the Disney buses. I like the openness, and in good weather, it’s nice to sit back and enjoy the cool breeze on the way to and from your destination. Good weather is key, as Disney’s water transportation will shut down in bad weather. That first trip to Saratoga Springs did see us walking back from Disney Springs in the rain, as the boats had stopped running due to weather (bus transportation is offered as an alternative, but we were already closer to the resort and had ponchos).

Water taxis sail between Disney Springs and the nearby DVC resorts, Saratoga Springs and Old Key West during golden hour as the sun shines bright, warm yellow light in the distance under a hazy sky.

Now, Saratoga Springs and Old Key West aren’t the only resorts with boats as a travel option. The Boulder Ridge Villas and the Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and other resorts nearby offer a ferry service to Magic Kingdom, which I’ve taken, and it’s also pretty great. Disney’s Beach Club Villas and Disney’s BoardWalk Villas offer the Friendship Boats to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, which I also think are enjoyable.

A white boat with a blue canopy carries guests across Bay Lake from Disney’s Wilderness Lodge to the Magic Kingdom, as seen from the resort.

A white and blue Friendship Boat sails over Crescent Lake past Disney’s BoardWalk Villas under a sunny sky.

If you haven’t had the chance to take a leisurely mini-cruise on Disney’s boat transportation, I highly recommend it for your next trip. The ferries get a huge recommendation from me!

Three yellow and blue water taxis are docked outside Disney Springs, ready to take guests to nearby resorts Saratoga Springs and Old Key West. The restaurants and shops of Disney Springs are visible in the background under a bright, sunny sky.

 

Until next time, fellow travelers!

 

~Stephen

The message “Welcome Home” is displayed along fencing at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa as viewed from the boat heading over the water back to the resort.

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