Sometimes you just have to learn lessons the hard way in Disney World.
Disney’s Old Key West
Over the years, I’ve made countless mistakes in Disney World — from forgetting to pack a phone charger in my park bag to losing belongings on rides to choosing restaurants that were definitely not right for me. But each time I’ve made a mistake in Disney World, I’ve learned a valuable lesson. And today, I’m here to warn you about a “shortcut” I once tried!
If you’ve been to Disney World a few times, you may know that there are quite a few shortcuts hidden around the parks and resorts. These pathways often connect between lands or hotels to shave off a little bit of transportation time, and they can come in handy when navigating the property if you know how to use them. However, some of them are more harmful than they are helpful.
Disney’s Saratoga Springs
Having the ability to walk from your hotel to the hotel next door is a fun perk — it opens a whole new world of dining and shopping opportunities. But if you’ve ever thought about walking from Saratoga Springs Resort to Old Key West Resort, I’m here to discourage you from taking that path.
View from pathways at Saratoga Springs
You can travel this way by starting on the Saratoga Springs Nature Path near the hotel’s lobby. It’ll take you past part of the golf course, but when it says “nature” path, it MEANS it. You’ll mostly be walking alongside the woods and getting a glimpse at the edge of the property as you go. It almost feels weird to be walking this way, but I followed the signs and maps to make sure I was on the right track.
©Google Maps
From there, you’ll work your way towards Old Key West property and link up with one of the trails heading to the front of the resort. The entire walk takes about half an hour from one hotel to the next, so it’s definitely not the route to travel when you’re in a hurry. And I’ll warn you that it’s fairly easy to get lost! There are a few different paths branching off from this one, and there are golf course walkways to add into the mix as well.
©Disney
If it’s a particularly hot or sunny day, the walk can be kind of miserable as well. In general, I’m definitely going to recommend you just hop on the Sassagoula River Boats (there’s a dock near the Saratoga lobby) and take one of those over to Old Key West instead. If you ride the boats, you can also swap between the two main routes and ride to Disney’s Port Orleans Resorts as well.
Saratoga Springs Water Taxi
So I suppose if you’ve got plenty of free time and energy to do a long walk in the sun, this pathway might be a fun one to know about. It’s not very popular, and it could be a good route for a jog. However, it definitely doesn’t qualify for the title of “shortcut.” There’s nothing short about it!
Old Key West
For hotels that have a much easier walking path between, try staying at the Polynesian Village Resort and Grand Floridian Resort, the Caribbean Beach Resort and Riviera Resort, or the Pop Century Resort and Art of Animation Resort. The Yacht Club, Beach Club, Swan and Dolphin, and BoardWalk are all within walking distance of each other as well.
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If staying in the Boardwalk area, it is an easy walk to the Swan and Dolphin for some elevated or casual dining. You can also easily walk from one All Star to another as they are effectively one large resort. Enjoy all the pools – six plus kiddie pools, three food courts, shops, arcades and bus stops. Walk or jog on the mostly shaded paved path that runs in front of all three, and if you need a classic fast-food fix, walk out the gate to the
‘green” McDonald’s just a few hundred feet away.
This article could not be wrong, the path between SSR and OKW is fantastic. I even saw a Bobcat on it once.