When traveling with a large group of people, I like to stay together in one unit rather than worrying about dividing us into separate bookings. Walt Disney World Resort offers a wide range of hotels each adding unique magic to your vacation, and there are several options for larger groups. My wife and our best friends with our combined five kids stayed together at the Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs. Read on to find about our experience staying in these unique Villas and if they should be added to your bucket list of places to stay on a trip to Disney World.


Each unit is full of earth tones (pale greens and taupe) with gorgeous wood trim. Accommodations feature three bedrooms, two have a Queen bed and the third bedroom has bunk beds. This was the perfect spot for our kids to sleep and for us adults to get a break in the evening. While we didn’t make much use of this we noticed the living room also had both a Queen sleeper sofa, and a single sleeper chair. The kitchen was fully-equipped with granite countertops and bar seating for three, plus a separate dining table with seating for six. We took full advantage of the kitchen by having breakfast each day in our room and meals during break days from the parks. We also had access to a charcoal grill. For the families like us who had kids ranging from under one to five years old, we required more than the single crib provided, and Guest Services was happy to send over an extra pack ‘n play in addition to the crib. We put the kids to bed each night while the grownups enjoyed each other’s company in the living space. Adult time was a huge bonus!

Another unique aspect of the Treehouse Villas was being immersed in nature, which encourages you to take moments to connect with your surroundings. For me, there was just something special about having my morning coffee on the patio deck taking in the fresh air and pine. I liked the quiet seclusion before heading out to the busy commotion at the parks and other resorts. A lovely part of the grounds is the Saratoga Springs area trail which is perfect for a jog or a leisurely stroll. Imagine starting your day off jogging on a lovely wooded trail that makes you forget that you are on a Disney property. As you approach a winding path you might think of a familiar tune, “Just Around the Riverbend”, from the beloved classic Pocahontas.

While staying at the Treehouse Villas transportation to the parks was super important to us. While there is no direct transportation from the Treehouse Villas to the parks, we had many modes of transportation available, and we tried them all! Typically, guests staying in the Treehouses take the internal shuttle to the Springs stop and then hop on board another shuttle to the park of their choice. It sounds like a hassle to take that many stops, but many people prefer it to avoid too much walking before a long park day, even though the Springs stop is the final park shuttle stop in Saratoga Springs (you never know how long the wait could be depending on how full the shuttles filled up on the stations ahead of you, though). Luckily we got a tip from a friendly Bell Service Cast Member on another way to catch the park shuttles. By taking a small ten minute walk, a pathway from the Treehouse Villas takes you directly to the Grandstand shuttle stop, the first stop in Saratoga Springs, which almost guarantees you a spot on the early morning buses! This was a huge advantage for us as the worry of transferring from one bus to another with an arsenal of strollers and snacks to sustain tiny humans was eliminated. Our favorite transportation was the ferry boat that takes you directly to Disney Springs. We got to enjoy a peaceful ride while enjoying the sights of the Sassagoula River. I would highly recommend taking a ferry ride. It’s leisurely for adults, and fun for kids, we absolutely loved it!
We also enjoyed the quiet seclusion of the Treehouse Villas, and enjoyed the rest of the Saratoga Springs amenities. Did you know that Saratoga Springs has not one, not two, but five pool areas total? Two of the pool areas have good size slides making them seem like mini water parks with splash areas for the little ones to get a good soak. For us, the nearest of the pools were two leisure pools that we made sure to take advantage of during our non-park days to get a break from the humid weather. One is right next to the Treehouse Villas which provides a smaller pool as well as a whirlpool spa perfect for relaxing after many days of walking around the Disney parks. We spent more time at the leisure pool that was near the Grandstand bus station as it was bigger and provided a more open space for all of us.



We accidentally discovered some of the other really neat amenities on our check-in date. We had arrived early, and therefore had to wait a while before our unit was ready. Near the lobby (and also near one of the other really big pool areas) is a decent sized common room geared toward entertaining children. There were games, crafts, and a television where Cast Members are happy to distract your kids with their favorite Disney films. This was great as it got us out of the hot sun. We also stumbled across an arcade with a fair amount of games to enjoy, and, of course, the inside was air conditioned.
When you go on vacation with friends and family, you want to spend time together, not be spread out across a resort the size of San Francisco. It can be a challenge to find one unit to house a large party. The Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs are a lovely, peaceful option for large groups. It was our home-away-from-home, and I highly recommend them! Contact me today at jhall@conciears.com to book your next trip to Walt Disney World!
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