Beaches?

[Rash]

We're considering DVC and one option that is important to us is that the resort have a beach. Disney's web site says that VWL and BW have a beach, and that OKW doesn't. However, I have yet to see a picture of these beaches or mention of them on any other site. Can someone confirm this and provide an opinion on the size/quality of each beach?

[dvcdudes]

BWV does not have a beach. There is a beach on the other side of Echo lake. This is the Beach Club Resort beach. I was told you could use it as a WDW resort guest. You can not swim in the lake though, just play or lay in the sand. I'm not sure but I think VWL does have a beach. Again I don't think you can swim though. If a beach is that important to you, you should consider buying at VB. We stayed there last Aug and it was great. You could then get an add on at a WDW DVC resort and have the best of both worlds. You could split your vacations a few days at VB and then a few at VWL or BWV or OKW...
Here are some pictures from our VB trip. (http://www.fortunecity.com/oasis/stlucia/476/index.htm)

[rbuzzotta]

dvcdudes,

Thanks for the pictures. Hope my VB waitlist pulls through!!!!!!!!

[kozmo]

i have always wondered about vb, loved your pictures.:D

[MaryJ]

The VWL do have a small beach, but it seems to me that swimming in the water is not allowed there. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. However, there was a beach volleyball net and tether ball there that looked like a lot of fun.

[PamOKW]

There is no swimming in any of the lakes/ponds at WDW. Just checking that you've been to WDW Rash and know that the beaches are basically for "looks" and that WDW is not anywhere near the ocean or swimable water.

[ohiominnie]

Our kids have waded in the water at WL, the Polynesian and at Beach Club....Just far enough to go to their mid calf, and mostly to get wet sand to build castles. Should they not even do this???

As far as the beauty of the beaches....WOW!!! In fact, that is one of the reasons we are going to WDW without kids this August....because we could literally spend all day admiring the view on the beach without getting interupted every 4 seconds! ;)

ohiominnie :p

[PamOKW]

I'd be pretty cautious about kids in the water. There are snakes, turtles and the occassional alligator not to mention boat fuel, etc.

[dvcdudes]

Now that sounds like a good time Pam.
But seriously, I saw some kids putting thier ankles into the water (also getting sand). It seemed safe enough BUT I would keep a close eye on my kids just as I would if we were at the (ocean) beach. At the beach you have Jelly fish, waves & riptides, and PEOPLE. Some adults are pretty stupid. I had one boogy board right into my 7YO son. She took his legs right out from under him and he was floundering around on his back until I could get to him to help him up. When we were at VB last Aug, there was a storm off shore and made the water pretty rough... I was very nervous about my kids going in past thier knees.
This is what makes SAB so nice. It's the best of both worlds.

[Rash]

Thank you for all of youe replies. I realize we would not be able to swim in the water. We mainly just want to have a sand beach to lay out and relax - we prefer that to a pool. We love WDW, but still don't want to give up some "beach" time on our vacations. Are the beaches at the DVC resorts large enough for adults to enjoy or are they mainly just substitute sandboxes for the kids?

[ohiominnie]

I can't speak for ALL beaches, but the ones we've been on have been pretty big! And they've all had chairs and loungers on them. The Polynesian even had some hamocks around. And, again, my experience is there aren't a bunch of children around on the beach. Most of them are at the nearby pool.

Now, they aren't like the ocean, where the beaches go on for miles and miles, but they are quite beautiful!!

ohiominnie :p

[Tiggeriffic]

Is my memory correct? Did they allow swimming in the lake at Fort Wilderness at one time? I seem to remember swimming in that water the first time I went to WDW.

[nhmomx2]

You used to be able to swim at all the beach areas at one time, but at least for the past 5-6 years (that I'm aware of) swimming has not been allowed. Lots of speculation as to why (bacteria, pollution, gators, etc.) but I don't think Disney has ever said why.

[downontheBW]

Best beach for on-site DVC will be the (appropriately named ) "Beach Club"! We love VWL but don't remember much of a beach there. As stated before on this thread, BWV does not have a beach; I'm not sure what the "sand" situation is at OKW.

For "beach-hopping" at WDW, my favorite (not including water parks) would be the Grand Floridian, it's beautiful; second is the YC/BC beach, then the Polynesian. I think there are beaches at some of the moderates but am not sure.

Just my 2 cents. :smooth: :smooth:

[JillU-DVC]

I'm SURE that OKW does have sand areas around it's main pool; I remember getting sand in my shoes as we walked around. There was sand volley ball, and several areas for the kids to dig.

Come on, all you other OKW owners out there, confirm this for me!

However, the BEST place for sand is the YAcht & Beach club pool(s). They have a shallow sandy pool for the kids that is just like a small tide pool (but it's a lot bigger than most tide pools). Their main pool also has a sandy bottom.

[Tiggeriffic]

There is a big area for the kids to play in the sand at OKW at the main pool. However, it certainly doesn't qualify as a beach. My kids did really enjoy it though.

[normr]

Excuse me, but I don't get it? Maybe because I was born and raised in Miami, But before some of you go setting up your chairs in a sandy area next to a pond or body at WDW for the kids to play in, you better be aware that swimming is not allowed in these areas and a alligators are a distinct possibility.

[dvcdudes]

The Swan and Dolphin also have a beach. I'm not sure on beach hopping to these as they are not WDW resorts (privately run).
All of the beaches mentioned seem to suit your needs though. They are not really for swimming. They are for relaxing in the sun and maybe a little sand sport like volleyball, etc. I don't think they are over run with kids too. They actually seemed pretty empty to me anytime I passed.

[jrintels]

We traveled to Vero Beach with the intent of adding on points, because we wanted to own at a beach. When we got there -- in early Nov. of 2000, there was literally NO beach. The stair steps were dangling high up in the air. The CM/salesperson said there were a couple reasons: 1). fierce winter storms, and; 2). the sand often washes through the inlet north of the beach into the ICW. And the Army Corps of Engineers would need to dredge the sand back out onto the beach. We didn't buy. FWIW.

[CaptainMidnight]

We were at Vero Beach over Christmas, and there was plenty of beach. No dangling stairs, or anything like that. It is not wide like HH, but it was fine. My son an I walked south down the beach, and north of the resort to the ice cream shop. I have never seen it crowded and we have always had all the room we needed and more, including umbrellas, chairs, cabannas, etc. I'm looking forward to our next trip.

:p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p

[Rash]

Thanks again for all the replies. Never thought about splitting time between WDW and Vero Beach - good idea. How far of a drive is it?

[dvcdudes]

I think it takes about an hour and a half.

[dvcdudes]

Here is an excellent picture of someone at the beach at BC. This is a link from another thread. (http://members.aol.com/mpatrickmd/beach.jpg)

[Lisa P.]

Someone asked... yes, there was a time when swimming was allowed in both Seven Seas Lagoon (Poly & GF) and Bay Lake (Contemp, WL & FW). I remember when they started having temporary bans on swimming and posted them at the beaches. It was seasonal for a while and the CM's had said they tested the water regularly and if season bacteria bounts were too high, they banned swimming. Eventually, swimming was eliminated at the lakes. They may have decided it was too much liability to test and ban repeatedly. The same thing happened at the (name?) lake at Caribbean Resort. I don't recall Crescent Lake (BW & BC/YC) ever permitting swimming - too much boat traffic perhaps?

Bay Lake is the only natural lake of all these. It is fed from an area away from the canal to Seven Seas Lagoon (which was created when MK was built above ground level, above the tunnel system). River Country's lake water circulates out to Bay Lake. I don't know what filtration system they use or not. I've read that they do have netting in place to limit creatures in River Country's water. The water slides empty into lake water and children play in it all day. Also, water skiing is offered on Bay Lake.

I don't think you are taking any risk by letting closely supervised children wade into Bay Lake (VWL beach) to get water for sand castles. And the beach at VWL is modest but nice, with plenty of lounge chairs and a few cabanas. It's not far from the boat marina for rentals and the main pool's bar/grill is only a bit further.

Another vote here for the beach at the Beach Club, though, for someone who just enjoys a water (not a pool) view while sunbathing. Among the DVC options, that beach is pleasant, barely used, and quietly overlooks all the lake activity, boats, BoardWalk, etc. OKW's sandy area is a well-used children's play area, poolside. So is BWV's. VWL has the beach, but Beach Club's is bigger and, I think, nicer. Hope that helps.