Renting a Bike at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa (A Peaceful Day at Disney)
We love to visit the resorts and experience all the little things they offer. One of those experiences is renting a bike to do a little sight-seeing. With a resort as large as Disney’s Saratoga Springs, you can cover a good deal of ground. So for this article, we’ll discuss the process of renting a bike and where you can ride it around the resort and nearby. On this visit, I drove to Saratoga Springs and parked near the Springs bus stop. If you take a bus to the resort, you would want to exit at The Springs. The bike rental location, Horsing Around Bike Rentals, is directly across the street from the bus stop.
My plan was to have lunch and then enjoy an hour or so biking around the resort to take a few photos. So I walked up to the Carriage House lobby and enjoyed lunch at The Artist’s Palette. I had the roast chicken with potatoes and green beans. It was delicious. Between us, I’ve come to consider this quick service a hidden gem over the years.
Related: The Artist’s Palette Review
After lunch, I made my way to Horsing Around Rentals.
Horsing Around Rentals has several options:
- 2 Seat Surrey Rentals
- 4 Seat Surrey Rentals
- Bicycle Rentals (Per Hour)
- Bicycle Rentals (Per Day)
*DVC members receive a small discount off the set prices for guests. You can preview the prices in the photo below, but note that prices change over time. This photo reflects the price of a bike rental in 2023.
A cast member greeted me and said I could complete the rental inside Community Hall. I mentioned that I wasn’t staying at the resort, and he said it was fine. So, if you’re staying at another resort or visiting from off-property, you can still rent a bicycle from the resorts that offer them. You may remember, I also did a bike rental at Disney’s Old Key West not too long ago.
It was late afternoon, and signage indicated I needed to return by 5:00 p.m. But the cast member said as long as I was back by 5:30 p.m. I would be fine. This left me about an hour and a half to cover some ground.
Guests can ride anywhere around the resort they choose as long as they stay on the sidewalk. When I was getting ready to leave, the cast member mentioned that I was probably already familiar with the trail between Saratoga Springs and Old Key West. No one ever mentioned the trail when I rode bikes at Old Key West last year. So I didn’t know it was available.
He told me to go to the Saratoga Springs boat dock and join the golf cart path by the bridge. Then after crossing the bridge, you take a right on the trail, and it leads directly to Old Key West. (This is also the walkway between Old Key West and Disney Springs.) Here is a photo of the boat dock at Saratoga Springs. It sits directly behind The Carriage House, the resort’s lobby area where you’ll find Artist’s Palette, The Springs Pool, the pro shop, and Chip ‘n’ Dales Cafe.
So off I went over the river and through the woods.
This path runs all the way to Old Key West. Guests staying at the Treehouse Villas can cross over the next bridge to get back and forth from Saratoga Springs.
As I continued, I passed another bridge that indicated it was only for golfers.
One of Disney’s smaller boats came through the area. I assume they ride through now and then since the path is pretty remote.
Eventually, the path ended at a cul-de-sac at the back of Disney’s Old Key West.
I took a photo of the building to show where the trail ends (or begins) at Old Key West. This was a few buildings down from where we stayed last summer.
It was approximately a 10-minute bicycle ride between Community Hall at Saratoga Springs and Old Key West. However, I stopped to take several photos along the way. So it took me a bit longer.
On my return to Saratoga Springs, I noticed this area was called the Conch Flats Trail.
On the Saratoga side, I ran into a few signs that called it the Saratoga Springs Nature Path. Several guests were walking the path during my ride. Some of them were walking back from Disney Springs.
I still had some time left when I returned to the Community Hall area. So, I took the dedicated path for the Surrey bikes.
This path is somewhat marked. Now and then, you’ll see a sign directing you where to go.
You’ll leave Community Hall, where the “You Are Here” is on the running trail map below. Then, you’ll head straight toward the 1.4-mile trail. You’ll cross a bridge and then take a hard right at the first set of villas.
Afterward, you’ll come out at the long walkway to Disney Springs.
This wide path features scenic views of Disney Springs in the distance.
The resort side is pretty, too.
If you’ve ever taken a boat to Disney Springs, you’ve likely seen the rock wall with the sign that says Welcome Home, Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort. That signage is on the wall where I’m standing to take this photo.
You can see many of the restaurants that sit out on the water.
As you approach the bridge to Disney Springs, you’ll take a left to circle back around Congress Park.
At the front of the building, you’ll take another left and you’ll be back where you started within a few minutes. It was 5:25 p.m. when I returned to Community Hall. All total, I ended up riding my bike for over an hour. However, they were nice enough only to charge me for a one-hour rental.
For approximately $10.00, I was able to see a good deal of scenery around the area and learn my way around the resort better. As much time as I spend at the resorts, I was surprised to learn about this trail that connected Old Key West and Saratoga Springs.
I guess you learn something new every day! If you enjoy riding bikes, you might consider taking the time for a ride during your next vacation. It’s a wonderful way to spend a portion of a resort day off from the parks. For more information about the resort, you might enjoy the following:
- Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort Review
- Disney’s Saratoga Springs Restaurants Guide
- Deluxe Studio Room Tour at Disney’s Saratoga Springs
- Transportation Options at Disney’s Saratoga Springs
Or you might like our entire resort guide:
The Resorts Gal Guide to Disney’s Saratoga Springs
In the Comments
Have you ever taken a bike ride at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort? What are your thoughts on this activity? Let us know in the comments below.
