Disney's YACHT & BEACH CLUB RESORTS Information & Questions

[Hopefully]

WDWNT is reporting on their site that Disney reached out to them after they posted the International Gateway closure yesterday. Disney stated that the IG WILL remain open. Friendship boat service to Epcot will not be running on the dates rumored.

 

[focusondisney]

WDWNT is reporting on their site that Disney reached out to them after they posted the International Gateway closure yesterday. Disney stated that the IG WILL remain open. Friendship boat service to Epcot will not be running on the dates rumored.

This was posted on the thread on the rumors board earlier yesterday:

My husband sent an email last night to George Kalogridis , an executive at Disney. We received a phone call this morning with the following answer:
1. There will be no pedestrian impact on the IG during the construction of the skyliner.
2. Yes there will be an impact on the Friendship Boats to Epcot.
3. There will be no impact on the Friendship boats to HS.
4. There will be no impact on the walkway to HS.
5. They apologized that no formal notice has gone out and they are working on a formal notice to be sent out.

 

[natebenma]

Has anyone seen a list of Halloween activities for the resort?

If there is anyone who has a club level stay at the end of the month, would you mind emailing Disney Signature Services to see if they have any info?

Thanks!!!

 

[natebenma]

Page 1338

We returned last Saturday night from a week stay at the BC. We had an absolutely fantastic time. Everything was wonderful.

We were upgraded from a standard view to what they said was a garden view but we could also see storm along bay pool. We looked out over the entrance to the back of the resort.

Mousekeeping was great. So great in fact that I sent a letter to Kim the GM acknowledging our mousekeeper. She worked her butt off getting all the rooms cleaned on our floor but always stopped to say hi with a smile and ask if there was anything we needed.

Buses were plentiful and never full.
Crowds were better than I expected them to be. We loved the slinky dog ride. Great addition to HS especially for the younger visitors.

On our second day we came back to the room to find a box of chocolates from the Ganachery with a nice thank you from the cast at the beach club. I love the ganachery chocolates!

Anyone looking for a delicious quick sit down breakfast, make sure you go to compass and ale! My caramel apple French toast was out of this world delicious!

Wishes that everyone going can relax and have as great and enjoyable time as we did.

Thank you so much for your review!

That is great news about your experience with the mousekeeping, especially since there have been some negative reviews over the past couple of years. I really appreciate you passing along the feedback to the GM so she knows the things that went well.

Any descriptions/comments/pictures of your room? What was the room number? View category? Bedding?

Thanks, again!

My wife and I were 'WDW veterans', going many times between 2004 (our honeymoon) to 2010... During most of that time, we stayed at the moderates (Port Orleans, which we love, especially French Quarter). On our last trip (2010) befor we had kids, we stayed at the Yacht Club and fell in love with it -the resort itself, but also its close proximity to Epcot.

Fast forward to last April, we took our first trip with our two boys (DS-7 and DS-10mos at the time) and first since 2010. We stayed at the Beach Club, and had an amazing time. Didn't think we'd be going back for a few years, but last week we got a discount code in the mail - and on a whim, booked a room at the BC for Presidents Day week. I can't wait - the resort really does feel like our Disney Home. Just so excited for this unexpected, upcoming trip... I don't really have a question, just had to share the excitement with someone (as we are surprising our son at Christmas, so he doesn't know yet ..).

back!

I'll add your trip to the Be Our Guest list on Page 1, Post 15.

popping in after a LONG time upcoming YC GV CL stay with DH using the amazing Chase Visa 35% off 1/18-21. I really wanted BC or Poly, but since I am a brat on a budget...YC it is. Thank you for your continued hard work here Dee (lots of changes already, so hopefully I am done)

back!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for the kind words.

I'll add you to the list.

Has anyone used a full size crib rental service at the beach club? I am staying a week with my 18 month old and wondering if its worth it. Does beach club have full size cribs upon request? Just worried she will get tired of a travel crib really fast...

to the thread!

I saw in a later post that your group has a few rooms. When is the trip?

I have never needed to rent a crib, but there are cribs available for guest use at the resort (I believe they are free of charge, based on availability).








Outside stroller rental companies do deliver to the Yacht & Beach club, so that is another possibility, as the post below indicates.

We arrived on Friday and ordered from a baby's best friend as kingdom strollers were out. Worked a treat and my 18 month old sleeping soundly. We arrived late and baby's best friend easily accommodated us. Asked at check in whether here were any cribs instead of pack and plays available since we arrived so late and there were, although it turmed out I didn't need as baby's best friend delivered. So - there does seem to be cribs available. My son doesn't sleep on pack and lays so I decided not to take the chance no full cribs available.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with crib rental!

 

[Disneytam]

I found this while wandering around the forums- Disney occupancy isn't so different from other major resort properties after all- so in my opinion, I don't know why their policies need to be:

"We will be leaving next week for Disney and doing a split stay. At the time we booked we couldn't find an Epcot resort for our entire stay so we booked 2 nights at the WL. Today I was just looking at hotel availability for our stay and was shocked at all the rooms available, many with an AP discount. From the GF to the BWI and the YC as well as many discounted rooms at the moderate and value resorts. So if anyone wants to do a very last minute trip lots of rooms available."

https://www.disboards.com/threads/lots-of-hotel-rooms-available-last-week-of-october.3712212/

I was the one that wrote that post and I was very surprised to find so many available resort rooms. As others have stated they don't tend to stay up very long and I have noticed often when you plug in your dates it may show nothing available for a certain resort but when you click on that resort it will show rooms available. I actually wrote down some of the rooms that were available and the prices to show my husband but when I finally got around to showing him the only deluxe still showing was the YC garden view at rack rate.

Late last night I looked and the BWI had a garden cottage room with an AP discount for a really nice rate. My dates are October 26-31. We are coming in a couple of days earlier but staying at the WL for those dates. I have also noticed especially lately that I will go on MDE and it shows nothing available for any rooms, then go back on a few hours later and see a lot of rooms. I just put that down to typical Disney IT issues and not room availability.

 

[natebenma]

Page 1339-1341

HAS anyone checked available illuminations cruises for the rumored IG closure? That’s another verification of something happening.

to posting on this forum!

That's a great suggestion to get some intel. Disney has indeed cancelled Illuminations cruises during that time period, offering a dessert party in EPCOT instead, so that does reinforce that there will be restrictions with the Friendship boats.

We are still awaiting an official announcement from Disney about what exactly will be closed.

I have the same question, we're at BC starting at 12/15 and potentially having the boats down and the IG too, just puts our decision to stay at BC for easy access to Epcot and DHS seem like a terrible choice.

to the thread!

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

 

[pas130]

I’m STILL booked at YC CL, and for those who know my changes *cough cough Dee... that’s kinda a big deal.

For our upcoming Creseny Lake stay folks, I did see a post (maybe BWI or CL thread) that the walkway is unaffected. It’s only the Friendship posts that will be out of service. Again, like all Disney rumors, everyone has different info, BUT this would be good news for me since I need my walk to Epcot.

 

[QueenElinor]

I was the one that wrote that post and I was very surprised to find so many available resort rooms. As others have stated they don't tend to stay up very long and I have noticed often when you plug in your dates it may show nothing available for a certain resort but when you click on that resort it will show rooms available. I actually wrote down some of the rooms that were available and the prices to show my husband but when I finally got around to showing him the only deluxe still showing was the YC garden view at rack rate.

Late last night I looked and the BWI had a garden cottage room with an AP discount for a really nice rate. My dates are October 26-31. We are coming in a couple of days earlier but staying at the WL for those dates. I have also noticed especially lately that I will go on MDE and it shows nothing available for any rooms, then go back on a few hours later and see a lot of rooms. I just put that down to typical Disney IT issues and not room availability.

Your post gave me hope, I kept going back and checking and was able to get a Deluxe room at the BWI! YC and BC were cleared out of CL rooms for a party of 5. It was very pricey but the extra space will be really nice. I'm really excited to try BWI, though it won't be as soon as your trip, sadly.
I'm guessing there's something about the MDE that may not be quite real-time, or there's a Disney TA that adjusts client's reservations once every few days, etc. At least they input the inventory eventually. I deal with Xanterra (National Parks) quite a lot and once something goes off the inventory online, that may be the last time you see it until next season! They don't typically put cancellations back online. You have to call and ask. Archaic!

 

[Disneytam]

Your post gave me hope, I kept going back and checking and was able to get a Deluxe room at the BWI! YC and BC were cleared out of CL rooms for a party of 5. It was very pricey but the extra space will be really nice. I'm really excited to try BWI, though it won't be as soon as your trip, sadly.
I'm guessing there's something about the MDE that may not be quite real-time, or there's a Disney TA that adjusts client's reservations once every few days, etc. At least they input the inventory eventually. I deal with Xanterra (National Parks) quite a lot and once something goes off the inventory online, that may be the last time you see it until next season! They don't typically put cancellations back online. You have to call and ask. Archaic!

You will love the BWI CL deluxe rooms! They are a bit of a waste when just the two of us go but we loved them when family joins us. Have a great trip!

 

[natebenma]

Page 1342-1343

How hard is it to change room reservations at YC over a busy time- in my case Memorial Day weekend? The dates are a good guess, but I won't know them exactly until about two months before the trip. We have five nights reserved from May 22-27, garden view. We may need to shift them one or two days in either direction or possibly add days. Thanks!

to this forum!

I have been so far behind here that I see you already found the accommodations you need over at the Boardwalk.

Have a fantastic trip!

Starting a few years ago now Disney started making it more difficult to just drop or add days to a reservation. Now, instead of simply dropping or adding the days, the new dates you want to book have to be available in their system under the discount you want to use. The days you are dropping don't count. For example, if you have Oct 21-27 booked and want to change it to the 21-16, Disney has to have the 21-26th available under the discount (or rack rate if that is the case) you want to use prior to you dropping your dates. Same for adding. If the days you want to add are available, but the entire time including the added days isn't available, they might not be able to give you the longer stay unless you want a second reservation for the added days. I have heard some people have luck getting guest services involved and overriding this, but that the reservation CM cannot do this. It is supposedly to avoid rogue single nights or short openings they have trouble booking. It makes it a lot harder to change dates after you have booked, and I personally hate it. Did I explain that well enough? It can be hard to figure out, because it feels like the days ARE available, since you already have them, you just want to drop a night or 2. But they don't look at it that way.

Thanks so much for your response and getting the ball in motion for the discussion about changes to existing reservations.

Hi all! I love these resort specific threads! We are staying at BC in a 1br Villa from 10/27-11/3. I'm so excited to have a bedroom! We have a 5 year old, and always felt like prisoners after he would go to sleep! We have stayed at the Contemporary Garden Wing and POR in the past. We loooove EPCOT, so the hubby is very excited to just walk over.

How long does it take to walk to the Boardwalk from BC? I've never been over to that area and thought it might make for a nice evening outing. Thanks!

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



As another poster indicated, the walk to the Boardwalk is at most 10 minutes. Coming from the Beach Club villas, you will be very close to the bridge that takes you right over to that area.

I'm sure this has been discussed on here before so I apologize, but when I look at the Beach Club I notice a lot of different size balconies with some appearing to be very small and only suitable for a standing adult. Is that the case or am I missing something. I was looking at the studio's but a normal size balcony is important to me and my wife as we like to hang out after the kids go to bed.

The Beach Club resort rooms have a mix of patios, smaller balconies and full-sized balconies.

The Beach Club villas all have at least full-sized balconies, some are larger than others and a few are ridiculously huge.

Let us know if you book a stay here.

Can someone give me a rough idea of how much time we should leave to get from the BC to MK and to AK in the morning? And how much time should we leave if we take Friendship boats to HS (now that it looks like they'll be running!) vs if we walk to HS? I'm trying to plan out what time we need to leave for Rope Drop days. And how much time should we leave for bag check? Does bag check take longer at any parks vs others?

I don't have you on the Be Our Guest list.

When is your trip?

I'm so happy to say we will be back at BC the end of February. Sad that it's only for 3 nights, but I'll take what I can get. Between DH wanting to try (GASP) non-Disney things, and our daughter moving to the area 3 years ago (we spend time at their place), our Disney stays have gotten short. But as I said, I'll take the 3 nights and enjoy every minute! There aren't enough words in the English language to describe my feeling of happiness as we stroll the boardwalk.

back!

I'll add you to the list.

 

[natebenma]

Page 1344-1345

Here at the BCVs now and my wife and I ran the Regatta Run, 3k (1.8 miles) this morning! Very well organized, fun and nice Swag at the end! $30.02 for the 2 of us, race bib, water, bananas, gogo squeeze apple sauce, nutrition bar, tote bag, pin, YC ear buds, and sunglasses! Highly recommend it for all! There were about 30 runners/walkers.

Trip started off a little interesting yesterday when we arrived and I received a baggage incident email from southwest.
My luggage was “dragged” and items run over by the cart. Lost most toiletries and clothes stained. Southwest made it right with compensation, new luggage, toiletry kits, and a duffle bag. Disney has been great also replacing items we lost and compensating us for food we packed for lunch. It was an ugly day yesterday but things are much better today! Any questions while I’m down here.....fire away!

Thanks for the info about the Regatta run. Sounds like fun and the bling is unbelievable!

Sorry to hear about your luggage issues, but it sounds like both Southwest and Disney were good about helping you out, and your attitude about the situation is commendable.

I have a Garden View room booked for four people. Are my chances of getting a sofa bed slim? Even with a request?

back!

When is your trip? BC or YC?

I’m STILL booked at YC CL, and for those who know my changes *cough cough Dee... that’s kinda a big deal.

"Day ain't over yet!"

 

[natebenma]

I have updated the Be Our Guest list from the past 10 days. Please take a moment to see if I have your information listed correctly.

Post 15: Be Our Guest List

​

 

[ShayBells]

back!

When is your trip? BC or YC?

Thanks! We’re doing YC this time. 9/16 -9/22

 

[monorailsilver]

Do you have an iPhone? I always email the pictures to myself and when it asks what size I pick one smaller then "Actual Size".

Does Beaches and Cream have lactose-free options?? Thank you in advance!

Late in responding.

My son got Toffuti but they also had Rice Dream both are dairy free. I didn't ask about lactose free since he is dairy allergic. I think he could of got the Mini Mickey with Toffuti but they would have not put all the toppings on but he didn't want that and was happy with his own bowl, big bowl I might add. I did bring him shots/sprinkles from home because I know Disney is picky on that and won't give it because he also has a peanut/tree nut allergy.

 

[momto4obkids]

Hello!

I have Yacht Club booked for just one night at the beginning of our trip next month. Garden or woods view is what I have now, but for $145 more I can upgrade to a standard club level. Would that be worth it for just one night? I have zero experience with club level.

 

[focusondisney]

Hello!

I have Yacht Club booked for just one night at the beginning of our trip next month. Garden or woods view is what I have now, but for $145 more I can upgrade to a standard club level. Would that be worth it for just one night? I have zero experience with club level.

What are your plans for the day, what time will you check in & what is your party size? You will have access to the lounge & food offerings from the time you check in until midnight the day you check out. Breakfast, snacks, appetizers & beverages for 2 days for a few people can easily cost you $145 somewhere else. So if you will be around the resort, it could be a good deal. If you will be in the park all of both days & have ADRs set up, it might be better to keep what you have.

The standard room may not have the best view, but for only one night, that probably isn’t an issue. And then consider the effect staying club level once can have on your future stays. Lots of us have found if we stay club just once, we get hooked & can’t resist booking it again. So factor future costs in too! We’ve been staying club level for years. I keep saying we don’t really get our “money’s worth” because we don’t drink & my DH eats very little from the lounge, he likes table service meat & potato meals. But I still keep booking it. Have a great trip!

 

[momto4obkids]

What are your plans for the day, what time will you check in & what is your party size? You will have access to the lounge & food offerings from the time you check in until midnight the day you check out. Breakfast, snacks, appetizers & beverages for 2 days for a few people can easily cost you $145 somewhere else. So if you will be around the resort, it could be a good deal. If you will be in the park all of both days & have ADRs set up, it might be better to keep what you have.

The standard room may not have the best view, but for only one night, that probably isn’t an issue. And then consider the effect staying club level once can have on your future stays. Lots of us have found if we stay club just once, we get hooked & can’t resist booking it again. So factor future costs in too! We’ve been staying club for years. I keep saying we don’t really get our “money’s worth” because we don’t drink & my DH eats very little from the lounge, he likes table service meat & potato meals. But I still keep booking it. Have a great trip!

My DH is a snacker, so I'm kind of scared to get him into club level!! I'll never get him back in a cheaper romm option! It's just the two of us.

We would be checking in very early, we actually fly in the night before and are staying offsite at a hotel, since we are getting in late.

We would be heading to DHS and Epcot, so it would be fairly convenient to head back to Yacht Club for snacks and drinks.

We would be taking lengthy breaks and we do like adult beverages on occasion , so I think it might be a good idea?

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

Hello!

I have Yacht Club booked for just one night at the beginning of our trip next month. Garden or woods view is what I have now, but for $145 more I can upgrade to a standard club level. Would that be worth it for just one night? I have zero experience with club level.

You’ll have Lounge access for the day you check in and check out, depends on if you’re planning to be around the resort much or at the parks but if you take advantage of the offerings it would probably be cheaper than what you would spend at the restaurants for sure. Especially if you’re a larger party say 4-5 or more.

 

[focusondisney]

My DH is a snacker, so I'm kind of scared to get him into club level!! I'll never get him back in a cheaper romm option! It's just the two of us.

We would be checking in very early, we actually fly in the night before and are staying offsite at a hotel, since we are getting in late.

We would be heading to DHS and Epcot, so it would be fairly convenient to head back to Yacht Club for snacks and drinks.

We would be taking lengthy breaks and we do like adult beverages on occasion , so I think it might be a good idea?

Great that you could be there early. The lounge starts breakfast at 7 am, so you could have breakfast in the lounge before you head to the park. Afternoon snacks are really just snacks: veggies, candy, chips & dip etc. So you might want lunch somewhere. But the 5 - 7 pm appetizers are substantial. They have 2 hot items, 3 - 4 cold salad type foods, veggies & dip, hummus, cheeses, rolls & crackers. Wine, beer & cordials are available. Sounds like it would work well for you.

 

[Best Aunt]

We would be heading to DHS and Epcot, so it would be fairly convenient to head back to Yacht Club for snacks and drinks.

It depends on your touring style. I like to leave the hotel by about 8:30 in the morning to go to a park, but by about 3:00 my feet and back hurt so I go back to the hotel to rest. But I would never go back to the hotel just for snacks and drinks if I didn't physically need that break.

Technically there is very little distance between Epcot's International Gateway exit and the beginning of Yacht/Beach Club property. But the distance from wherever you find yourself in Epcot when you decide to take a break (China? Test Track?) to your actual room in the Yacht Club, could take the "fairly convenient" out of your sentence if you just want a snack or a drink and then want to head out again.

Getting back and forth from DHS is even less convenient. It seems like I'm always waiting a long time for the boat. Or if I get right on the boat at DHS, the boat sits there a long time before leaving.

Don't get me wrong, I love staying in the Epcot resort area. For someone like me who gets motion sick easily, being able to walk to Epcot is a big deal. But you might not want to pay extra to stay Club Level because you think it would be fairly convenient to go back and forth between the Club Level Lounge and the parks.

Hope that doesn't sound too negative - just wanted to give you food for thought while your thoughts are on food. (Club Level Lounge food, that is.)