Disney's YACHT & BEACH CLUB RESORTS Information & Questions

[kungaloosh22]

Please let the recreation staff know if you think it is important that they consistently check that guests are staying at the resort before admittance to Stormalong Bay. I know that at this time of year, crowding is not really an issue, but I don't like to hear this is happening.

Hopefully it's just a low crowd thing. It wouldn't have occurred to me to complain at the time, (I was just surprised), because there was hardly anyone there! Maybe 10-12 people in the entire pool, plus handfuls of people at chairs. The weather's great for January, peaking in the low 80s this week, so it was absolute perfection!

 

[natebenma]

Hopefully it's just a low crowd thing. It wouldn't have occurred to me to complain at the time, (I was just surprised), because there was hardly anyone there! Maybe 10-12 people in the entire pool, plus handfuls of people at chairs. The weather's great for January, peaking in the low 80s this week, so it was absolute perfection!

Ha!

OK, it probably would have sounded silly to say "Hey, can you please make sure you are checking Magic Bands. Don't want it to get overcrowded in here" as the CM glanced over at all the empty loungers, but my comment was intended to remind others if this practice persists into busier times of the year, they should say something. I'll tweak my original answer a bit.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

The wine and beer in MK is pretty recent - caused quite a stir with some, but I think overall, it's a good move, as many, like me, do enjoy a glass or two with a good meal, rather than water, tea or lemonade...

Thanks to you and Wood Nymph for the info. Like you I enjoy a glass of wine with my evening meal and now it will be possible at MK

 

[shoreward]

For those heading to WDW this month, January is a difficult month for which to predict weather, as the weather in Orlando can be very unpredictable, this time of year. Last year, at about this time, I woke up to temps causing the weather service to issue frost warnings. While I was waiting for park transportation, one morning, I could see my breath. A jacket is highly recommended, which can be combined with layers that can be peeled off, as the day warms up. At night, while waiting for Illuminations, I actually wished I had brought my warm winter coat along, as everyone at EPCOT was shivering in the chilly evening. Most of the parks' gift shops were selling winter gloves, scarves, and socks.

It looks like this week will be very mild, though, with temps usually seen in October, not January. My go-to source for weather forecasts is one of the local TV outlets, WESH. Here is their outlook for the next several days:

• Friday Jan 20
  83°F/64°
• Saturday Jan 21
  84°F/67°F
• Sunday Jan 22
  79°F/60°F
• Monday Jan 23
  68°F/50°F

 

[natebenma]

page 766-767

Sooo excited to see the photos of the new YC rooms! (I understand they are possibly subject to change ) I think they are very, very pretty. I do understand not liking the lack of "Disney"theme, but still very pretty and nautical. Seeing all of the darker wood, brass elements and plank type flooring makes me immediately think of a cabin on a yacht or ship! Even all the built-ins are very typical of a ship cabin. The draperies.....too cute! Like a captain seeing the night sky to navigate the ship! Very Yacht Club-esque! I love it! ( A mickey lamp or Disney themed pillow would be a magical touch, but still a very pretty room!)
One more thing----No carpet=less dirt, allergens/rug chemicals. I'm definitely ok without it.

to the thread and thanks for your comments!

Very limited menu with no specific kid's options. Funny you should ask about the burger because when we went in October it was great! Nice burger with lettuce, tomato, & cheese $13.99. Good price and good burger. Fast forward to our January trip, the menu has changed a bit. The burger is now $18.99 and is adorned with the aforementioned toppings plus sautéed mushrooms, bacon and something called onion jam! I don't eat mushrooms but I am a "fungi to be with". We questioned the price increase and they said it was the beef. On top of that our burger came out rarer than rare and the fries were cold. We had ordered medium. They took it back and then they came out well done. We spoke with the manager who took care of it but suffice to say that after several years of using this quiet spot, we'll be moving on to other dining spots.

Oh, no! Sad to hear that. I had one of their fabulous burgers there in August 2015, but haven't been back since.

Hello all! My family is booked at the Beach Club for our upcoming trip. We have not been to Orlando since 1996! We have a pool or lagoon view booked that is not club level (meaning access to the club concierge correct?), but I think it is at least on the 5th floor. Can anyone confirm that and give me an idea which part of the resort our rooms might be in? Balcony size and possible fireworks views? What the heck is the lagoon? I cannot locate a lagoon on the map. Is it the Lake? Any info anyone is willing to share would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time!

to the thread!

When is your trip?

As others have mentioned, non-club level lagoon or pool view rooms can be found on Floors 1-4, not 5 since that is exclusively concierge club. You could be facing the lagoon "Crescent Lake" backside of the resort, or have a pool view. I think you can request "lagoon view", along with a request for a full balcony if that is what you prefer. You can also request an upper floor. Please note, the room assigners will do their best to grant your requests if there are rooms available that match them at the time of your trip, but requests are never guaranteed.

I think some of the Beach Club lagoon view rooms have views partial views of Illuminations and some have excellent views of the Hollywood Studios fireworks.

I'll add a link to the Beach Club Room View thread- check out the indexed Water View category for a sample of the rooms/views.

ETA: Here is the thread. Go to the first page for the index by room type. I probably don't have it updated for the last couple of pages of the thread, so poke around there, too.

Beach Club Room Views

This is probably more of a personal problem than anything haha, but we'll be staying in a Studio villa for a week starting next Friday (!!), and we're taking our 13 month old for the first time. We'll be taking advantage of the pack n' play. Unfortunately, we're going to have to play it by ear as to how late we stay out since he has never stayed up past his bedtime. In the event we end up putting him to bed earlier than we'd like to go to bed, it would be nice if we could separate him somehow so we can take showers, watch tv, etc while he sleeps peacefully.

Does anyone have any suggestions for this situation? If only there was a curtain dividing the room like DCL!

I'll add you to the Be Our Guest list we keep on Page 1 of this thread.

Sorry, I have not stayed in the villas and have not travelled with a toddler, so I don't have any wisdom to share with you. Hopefully others do.

Does anyone know if there is a way to see the convention schedule?

Bump!

I have never seen one.

 

[natebenma]

OMG thats so sweet, can't wait to hear all about it. I always wanted to do that to my kids, but never kept it a secret...lol!! Can you tell....what did you pack to wear? This is my first trip in January and I am from NY we leave Monday and I am stressing...I don't like sneakers so I have loafers and sandals. I packed layers, but not really a coat, sweaters and button down shirts with capris...any ideas?

We were in Florida (Universal, 5 days) in Feb 2015 and it was really cold, colder than it typically is. We each had packed only one pair of pants so we ended up wearing those most days. We didn't have coats, but everyone but my youngest son had sweatshirts that we wore constantly. We ended up buying a pullover sweatshirt for my son on the 2nd day of the trip. Be prepared for weather that is all over the map.

 

[natebenma]

Found this post over on the Beach Club View Thread:

Have 2-bedroom suite booked at BC in early Sep 2016. First time stay at BC, have stayed at BWI previously. This is a big trip for our family, includes both sons & DILs & grandson who will be 3 at time of trip. Does anyone have pic's & views from 2-bedroom suites? I found their locations on floor map in earlier post. Have also read about entrance on Epcot side, where is it located? Thanks!

Hi Ramona- sorry you did not get any response to this post. There is not as much traffic here as there is on the main FAQ board for the Yacht and Beach Club. I'll post your questions over there. Click on the link in my signature. The first page of the thread has a ton of info and pictures. Post 12 is all about club level and there is a link in that post that has info and some pictures of the Deluxe Rooms and Suites.

 

[shruley]

Can anyone tell me, if I'm staying at the YC, are my only transportation options to DHS walking or boat? Is there a bus that runs there at all? We're going in August and I've heard the boat can be horribly hot but walking each and every time doesn't sound very appealing either!

 

[natebenma]

Can anyone tell me, if I'm staying at the YC, are my only transportation options to DHS walking or boat? Is there a bus that runs there at all? We're going in August and I've heard the boat can be horribly hot but walking each and every time doesn't sound very appealing either!

I'll add you to the Be Our Guest list we keep on Page 1, Post 15.

Typically the boat is the only transportation provided between the resort and Hollywood Studios. A bus will be provided in the case of inclement weather (lightning) if the boat is not running.

I won't lie- what you have heard about the boat being hot is what we have experienced as well, although I don't know that I would describe it as "horribly hot". More like "not a relief from the outside temperature" You can sit in the back in the open air, but you get the diesel smell doing that. We do a combination of walking/taking the boat between the resort and the studios on our summer trips.

I suppose you could also take a taxi/Uber and it wouldn't take very long to get there. But I think guests have encountered cranky drivers when they try to arrange that trip since it is so short.

 

[DLFan123]

No carpet in the updated rooms at YC? No! It's already totally loud in the rooms at this resort, with hall traffic echoing into the room. Not having carpet will make it even louder. On top of that, it's just not as comfy. We lived in a home without carpet in our master bedroom, and it is definitely not as comfortable. I understand it might be easier for Disney to keep clean, but I'd rather have old carpet. Can anyone who has been to YC very recently tell me if their room had carpeting? We are supposed to stay here in April.

 

[natebenma]

I promised someone last week (or longer?) that I would post pictures of the Marketplace seating options. These were taken on my October trip:


Indoor seating in the hallway just outside of the Marketplace








Outside, but covered seating just across the hall from the Marketplace:





Pretty views:









The rarely spotted Orange-banded DH in his natural habitat:

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

With regards to the boats being hot, I've always found them to be comfortable, though we don't go in the middle of summer.

 

[Sinope]

to the thread!

When is your trip?

As others have mentioned, non-club level lagoon or pool view rooms can be found on Floors 1-4, not 5 since that is exclusively concierge club. You could be facing the lagoon "Crescent Lake" backside of the resort, or have a pool view. I think you can request "lagoon view", along with a request for a full balcony if that is what you prefer. You can also request an upper floor. Please note, the room assigners will do their best to grant your requests if there are rooms available that match them at the time of your trip, but requests are never guaranteed.

I think some of the Beach Club lagoon view rooms have views partial views of Illuminations and some have excellent views of the Hollywood Studios fireworks.

I'll add a link to the Beach Club Room View thread- check out the indexed Water View category for a sample of the rooms/views.

ETA: Here is the thread. Go to the first page for the index by room type. I probably don't have it updated for the last couple of pages of the thread, so poke around there, too.

Beach Club Room Views





ETA: Tried to quote you but it didn''t work out great.

Thanks! Everyone keeps telling me we are making a huge mistake, but we are going in June. We will be in Florida from the 6th to the 19th! We live in Arizona and don't know a lagoon from a drainage ditch so all this info helps me so much. It is weird looking at the Orlando map and seeing so much of it covered with water. I really appreciate the view pics! Thanks again!

 

[shruley]

I'll add you to the Be Our Guest list we keep on Page 1, Post 15.

Typically the boat is the only transportation provided between the resort and Hollywood Studios. A bus will be provided in the case of inclement weather (lightning) if the boat is not running.

I won't lie- what you have heard about the boat being hot is what we have experienced as well, although I don't know that I would describe it as "horribly hot". More like "not a relief from the outside temperature" You can sit in the back in the open air, but you get the diesel smell doing that. We do a combination of walking/taking the boat between the resort and the studios on our summer trips.

I suppose you could also take a taxi/Uber and it wouldn't take very long to get there. But I think guests have encountered cranky drivers when they try to arrange that trip since it is so short.

Thanks for your reply! I thought that was the only option from what I read but was hoping maybe I was wrong.

 

[Mainemama]

Can anyone tell me, if I'm staying at the YC, are my only transportation options to DHS walking or boat? Is there a bus that runs there at all? We're going in August and I've heard the boat can be horribly hot but walking each and every time doesn't sound very appealing either!

Tagging on to Natebenma's reply to add that we took a cab last month from DHS to BC and the driver was perfectly cordial. $15 (including tip), and well worth it. We had just missed a boat, and it was hot, we were tired, faced a long line waiting for the next boat, and didn't think our kids could handle the walk. I saw it as $15 spent for an extra half hour in the pool! It was actually fun to see the proximity by car, as we never drive.

 

[shruley]

Tagging on to Natebenma's reply to add that we took a cab last month from DHS to BC and the driver was perfectly cordial. $15 (including tip), and well worth it. We had just missed a boat, and it was hot, we were tired, faced a long line waiting for the next boat, and didn't think our kids could handle the walk. I saw it as $15 spent for an extra half hour in the pool! It was actually fun to see the proximity by car, as we never drive.

Thanks! That is helpful!

 

[gluestickgirl]

Hopefully it's just a low crowd thing. It wouldn't have occurred to me to complain at the time, (I was just surprised), because there was hardly anyone there! Maybe 10-12 people in the entire pool, plus handfuls of people at chairs. The weather's great for January, peaking in the low 80s this week, so it was absolute perfection!

we were staying at BWV this last weekend & were given access to stormalong bay on saturday when the luna park pool had to be closed due to mechanical issues. i was surprised that there was no one at the gates, and no one checking bands while we were there. it definitely wasn't crowded, but wasn't dead.

i would have felt better being scanned / given arm bands - i didn't want people to think we were just waltzing in from another hotel!

 

[cmarsh31]

For those heading to WDW this month, January is a difficult month for which to predict weather, as the weather in Orlando can be very unpredictable, this time of year. Last year, at about this time, I woke up to temps causing the weather service to issue frost warnings. While I was waiting for park transportation, one morning, I could see my breath. A jacket is highly recommended, which can be combined with layers that can be peeled off, as the day warms up. At night, while waiting for Illuminations, I actually wished I had brought my warm winter coat along, as everyone at EPCOT was shivering in the chilly evening. Most of the parks' gift shops were selling winter gloves, scarves, and socks.

It looks like this week will be very mild, though, with temps usually seen in October, not January. My go-to source for weather forecasts is one of the local TV outlets, WESH. Here is their outlook for the next several days:

• Friday Jan 20
  83°F/64°
• Saturday Jan 21
  84°F/67°F
• Sunday Jan 22
  79°F/60°F
• Monday Jan 23
  68°F/50°F

Coming from Upstate NY in Feb... PLEASE FL keep those temps! Even if only part of our week is that gloriously warm I'll be thrilled!

 

[PCFriar80]

Hopefully it's just a low crowd thing. It wouldn't have occurred to me to complain at the time, (I was just surprised), because there was hardly anyone there! Maybe 10-12 people in the entire pool, plus handfuls of people at chairs. The weather's great for January, peaking in the low 80s this week, so it was absolute perfection!

I think it's a low crowd thing. We experienced the inconsistency on our trip 1/4 - 1/12, but when they were checking magic bands/cards it was being done by CMs at the towel stations. They also have new types of gates installed which allow for more areas of access to the pool, so instead of checking at the gates they may be going to the towel station approach down the road. But then that begs the question: "what's to prevent non-resort guests from bringing their own towels in with them to secure a chair or 2? I couldn't get a sense if the new "hinged" gates needed to be closed throughout the day vs. how they had it in the past when the walkways were open?

 

[mkate9]

I'm very excited for my first stay at BCV May 5th through May 10th! I'm looking forward to being so close to Epcot during the Flower and Garden Festival.