Considering a stay at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts? These deluxe Disney resorts boast a walking distance location to Epcot and are probably most well known for sharing the best pool on Disney property, Stormalong Bay. Leslie and Joe discuss the pros and cons of these two sister resorts with lots of tips along the way.
If you like what you hear/read, please share the podcast and the site with others you think might enjoy it. Also, we’d appreciate if you subscribed on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn, PlayerFM, iHeartRadio, or Google Play, liked our Facebook page, or followed us on Twitter or Pinterest!
Yacht & Beach Club Basics
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and Disney’s Beach Club Resort are two Epcot area Walt Disney World hotels. They are located along Crescent Lake near the International Gateway entrance into Epcot’s World Showcase. While the two are technically separate resorts, they share a number of amenities because of their proximity. Unsurprisingly, nautical elements and theming run throughout both resorts.
Both Yacht and Beach are Disney deluxe resorts. Rack rates are about $400 a night for standard rooms, although discounts in the low $300s are often fairly easy to find. It remains to be seen whether rates will increase once Disney’s Skyliner and Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge opens in the fall of 2019 (spoiler alert – they will!).
Epcot is an easy 5-10 minute walk, and the walk to Hollywood Studios is about 15-20 minutes. Most guests choose to take the Friendship Boats to get to Hollywood Studios because the path is a bit meandering.
Rooms at Yacht & Beach Club
Both resorts have undergone recent renovations to discard some of the vestiges of their 1990s era cheesiness. The result is definitely more understated and elegant.
Beach Club rooms were renovated first in 2016. While the rooms are very functional, they’ve been criticized as being too bland. The renovated Yacht Club rooms have been more highly reviewed for their more extensive theming.
As family travelers, we are always on the lookout for the bathroom layout of any Disney room. Disney tends to have a lot of resorts where the bathroom vanity areas are open the bedroom, with only the toilet and shower or tub behind a closed door. If this separation matters to you to allow young kids to sleep while parents or older siblings use the sink areas, then Yacht is the resort for you. Beach Club has an open layout, but Yacht’s standard rooms include a sliding pocket door to close off the entire bathroom area.
Both hotels have rooms that can sleep up to 5. Some rooms have a sofa that converts into a small bed that is just a bit smaller than a standard twin. These rooms are only guaranteed if you have 5 people on your reservation, although you may luck into them with a smaller traveling party.
Beach Club also has some DVC villas. Studio villas are not much more expensive than standard rooms, and 1 bedroom villas are about around $600 a night.
Restaurants at Yacht & Beach Club
Ale & Compass is the newest addition to the Yacht & Beach Club dining scene and gets very mixed reviews.
Cape May Cafe is home to an underrated character breakfast. This is one of the easier character breakfast reservations to snag, and it positions guests perfectly to head to Epcot for the rest of the day. Take a Minnie Van or an Uber Car Seat with your kids in the morning from other hotels and then you are right at Epcot’s door.
Beaches & Cream Soda Shop is an ice cream parlor and quick service diner and probably the best known eatery at these hotels. The signature item is the Kitchen Sink, a decadent $34 sundae that serves a least 4 people. The menu also includes diner favorites like burgers, chili, and turkey club sandwiches.
Amenities at Yacht & Beach Club
The biggest draw at Yacht & Beach Club is its amazing pool, Stormalong Bay. It’s often named as the best pool at Walt Disney World. With a lazy river, a sandy wade in area for toddlers, and a couple of waterslides, it’s definitely worth spending at least an afternoon here. Just don’t try to sneak in if you aren’t staying at these hotels. MagicBand checks are always done and the pool is gated.
The Bottom Line
So what are the pros and cons of these two Disney resorts?
Pros: Walkability! For guests who love Epcot and in particular love the food festivals and restaurants in that park, the location doesn’t get any better.
Cons: Lack of Disney theming.
Episode Description
Leslie and Joe continue their quick looks at Disney resorts with the Yacht & Beach Club, Disney’s deluxe resorts set on Crescent Lake between Epcot and Hollywood Studios. We chat room types, DVC, Stormalong Bay, and all the reasons why you should or should not stay there!
If you like what you hear, please share the podcast with others you think might enjoy it. Also, we’d appreciate if you subscribed on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn, PlayerFM, iHeartRadio, or Google Play (please leave a positive review if you’re enjoying the show), liked our Facebook page, or followed us on Twitter!
You can also e-mail us at disneydeciphered AT gmail DOT com. Connect with Leslie @TripswithTykes on social media and Joe @asthejoeflies.
Episode Notes
2:20 – Location
4:12 – General theming and feel
7:05 – Room types, prices, and what you need to know
10:21 – Restaurants and eateries
13:14 – Resort amenities and the pool (Stormalong Bay)
16:03 – Why you should and should NOT stay at the Yacht & Beach Club Resort
17:10 – Disney Do’s and Don’ts
Connect with Disney Deciphered!
3 thoughts on “Episode 46 – Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club 101”