2014/2015 Beach and Yacht Club FAQ, Friends & Fun, Sept 2014-Mayl 2015

[JanetMom]

HA! I'm reading that and it's not registering... until I'm making up my May trip schedule tonight and I realize it's ME and Rebecca that you are talking about!

Rebecca B.B. do you want to get together for Dinner on Monday night 5/18/15 ? You can pick the place and it can be anywhere. Lemme know and we can work it out.
Teena: I'll have plenty of time to see you in Nov/Dec. The dates for that trip are 11/28/15 to 12/13/15 at the Boardwalk CLUB LEVEL!!! I couldn't get the Beach Club with my "Magical" deal. I will just have to spend a lot of time running back and forth to the Marketplace for some of those delicious Chocolate croissants!

~NM

Wow NM that sounds like a great trip. Nice and long and CL too! Makes me want to consider booking a December trip. Maybe it's a good time to give BWI a try? Hmmm...

 

[TJA]

Whoah! All this talk about 699 rooms has me a bit worried. We are booked in garden view club level in July. My requests were going to be: close to lounge, full balcony but now I'm worried I need to consider other things! What do you all recommend?

We are the ones that stayed in 5699 last July -- it's a lagoon view room with full balcony, no daybed, and not really near the lounge.

For our upcoming trip in a few weeks, I booked just a standard CL room mainly in the hopes we'd have a better chance to get a daybed.
The order of my requests are:
(1) daybed
(2) full balcony
(3) near lounge

I know that means our view will be AWFUL, lol, but I guess as long as we have our daybed and full balcony we'll be ok.

I plan to double-check at check-in to be sure our room is not near a service elevator.

 

[pixarmom]

I couldn't get the Beach Club with my "Magical" deal. I will just have to spend a lot of time running back and forth to the Marketplace for some of those delicious Chocolate croissants!

~NM

Two things: 1) At least during our stay, BWI served chocolate croissants in the lounge on a few occasions. I only know this because of our middle son's addiction. The ones in the lounge are tiny, but he loved them. 2) BC Marketplace is the best. Nobody agrees with me, but I actually go there on purpose when staying at any Epcot area resort. It also has, in my opinion, the best and least chaotic resort CS (gasp!) Again, nobody agrees with me.

I know that means our view will be AWFUL, lol, but I guess as long as we have our daybed and full balcony we'll be ok.

I plan to double-check at check-in to be sure our room is not near a service elevator.

We share a similar fate with standard CL at BC. But it's a short trip and we'll spend more time in the lounge than the room, so whatever is fine. My requests are a little silly: 1) full balcony (not the silly part); and 2) as nice of a view possible with standard CL.

 

[HockeyMomR]

HA! I'm reading that and it's not registering... until I'm making up my May trip schedule tonight and I realize it's ME and Rebecca that you are talking about!

Rebecca B.B. do you want to get together for Dinner on Monday night 5/18/15 ? You can pick the place and it can be anywhere. Lemme know and we can work it out.
Teena: I'll have plenty of time to see you in Nov/Dec. The dates for that trip are 11/28/15 to 12/13/15 at the Boardwalk CLUB LEVEL!!! I couldn't get the Beach Club with my "Magical" deal. I will just have to spend a lot of time running back and forth to the Marketplace for some of those delicious Chocolate croissants!

~NM

NM - I am totally in for dinner 5/18. Was looking forward to the dinner. We need a plan!

So jealous of your November / December extended stay at BWI CLUB LEVEL! That is a nice long stay. Wow, I need to think about a plan to stay at the same time at the BWI with the "magical" deal. Would be sooo much fun.

 

[HockeyMomR]

Wow NM that sounds like a great trip. Nice and long and CL too! Makes me want to consider booking a December trip. Maybe it's a good time to give BWI a try? Hmmm...

Yes! Me too that would be Fun!!!

 

[sophie832]

back!

I'll add you to the Be Our Guest list.



Can't really help you with the activities for your son, but I do want to make sure that you know about the kiddie pool and slide that are underneath the big Jib slide. I didn't know about that until after my first couple of trips!

We didn't know about that pool and slide...thanks! We are definitely interested in water activities for DS, but I don't think he'll be ready to be in the large pool.

 

[ichabody]

If I google "Walt Disney World magical deal" is the first website in the search results the "magical deal" website? So secretive...LOL!! We usually book the military rates for rooms and buy our tickets on base, and it's usually the least expensive option...but it would be nice to compare to other offers.

 

[Cluelyss]

ichabody, you got it!

 

[Wood Nymph]

We didn't know about that pool and slide...thanks! We are definitely interested in water activities for DS, but I don't think he'll be ready to be in the large pool.

Your son will probably be happy playing in the sand and the warm, shallow water at SAB. But if you feel like taking him on a small, kiddie slide, there is a kiddie pool behind the big slide. It is located between the beach and the sidewalk and is the entry point for the big slide. Here is a picture of it from the first page of this thread, courtesy of Dee.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Having booked through Orbitz a number of times, there has never been any different treatment, than if the booking were made directly through Disney. When booking the room, the room rate is based on the category you select; you'll be assigned that category, or sometimes, a step up. As long as your requests are provided to Orbitz via phone, about one week prior to arrival, there seems to be a real effort to accommodate reasonable requests.

The Orbitz RO rates usually are very competitive, using the current promo, and sometimes are comparable, if not better, than BB rates. I personally have been satisfied with Orbitz.

Thanks for the information about Orbitz. It makes me feel a little better. The ONLY reason that we booked this trip through Orbitz was because the Beach Club wasn't available for our bounce back offer. We originally booked the Yacht Club at 35% off with the BB only because the BC wasn't available. In fact, it wasn't available for any discount, even the general public ones. So when someone posted about the great Orbitz deals in early January, I had to check it out. Sure, I only saved $155 over the Yacht Club reservation but I switched to the BC because it is my husband's favorite. So, if Disney was "giving" the BC to Orbitz for discounted rooms rather than offering their own discounts, then there must be a lot of us staying at the BC with an Orbitz rate.

I never was able to get Orbitz to add my room request. The Orbitz rep said that I would have to cancel and rebook, so I didn't bother messing with all that. My only request is a full balcony and I knew that it was an option on the online check in, so I added it then.

I've heard that Disney will take requests on reservations made through a TA if you call about ten days ahead of check in date. Has anyone else had experience with that?

 

[tarak]

Ichabody, we booked a BB for last August (40% off room only, I think). The only reason the magical deal wasn't cheaper is my mom is retired military and bought tickets for the four of us. We have convention-rate tickets for the next trip. I'm sure Disney will have some sort of late summer discount, but without the military salute tickets, I don't imagine it will come close to the deal we currently have.

 

[shoreward]

Thanks for the information about Orbitz. It makes me feel a little better. The ONLY reason that we booked this trip through Orbitz was because the Beach Club wasn't available for our bounce back offer. We originally booked the Yacht Club at 35% off with the BB only because the BC wasn't available. In fact, it wasn't available for any discount, even the general public ones. So when someone posted about the great Orbitz deals in early January, I had to check it out. Sure, I only saved $155 over the Yacht Club reservation but I switched to the BC because it is my husband's favorite. So, if Disney was "giving" the BC to Orbitz for discounted rooms rather than offering their own discounts, then there must be a lot of us staying at the BC with an Orbitz rate.

I never was able to get Orbitz to add my room request. The Orbitz rep said that I would have to cancel and rebook, so I didn't bother messing with all that. My only request is a full balcony and I knew that it was an option on the online check in, so I added it then.

I've heard that Disney will take requests on reservations made through a TA if you call about ten days ahead of check in date. Has anyone else had experience with that?

I have always called Orbitz one week before arrival and made my room requests. Most of the time, the Orbitz agent will ask me to hold, while they contact the property to add the requests; sometimes, the agent needs to be directed to call the resort.

Calling Orbitz takes about 5-10 minutes of time, which I don't mind, if the requests get added. It seems that my requests have been received by the resort, judging by my usual room assignments.

In my mind, the one major Orbitz drawback is payment in full, at time of booking. If reserving a stay of more than a few days, paying upfront may not always be the most optimal option, especially at the Deluxe resorts, or if booking quite far in advance.

 

[Ninja Mom]

Wow NM that sounds like a great trip. Nice and long and CL too! Makes me want to consider booking a December trip. Maybe it's a good time to give BWI a try? Hmmm...

Well you know how much fun we had together last August @ the Beach Club. I think we owe it to our husbands to get them together again!

Two things: 1) At least during our stay, BWI served chocolate croissants in the lounge on a few occasions. I only know this because of our middle son's addiction. The ones in the lounge are tiny, but he loved them. 2) BC Marketplace is the best. Nobody agrees with me, but I actually go there on purpose when staying at any Epcot area resort. It also has, in my opinion, the best and least chaotic resort CS (gasp!) Again, nobody agrees with me.

Thanks for filling me in about the mini Chocolate Croissants as this is News that I can USE! I also think that the Marketplace is a very accessible counter service. There is almost never a line and our family loves to stop in to get our Clam Chowder fix. The price they charge at the Marketplace for the chowder is very reasonable. We also have been known to take back Fish and Chips from the take out window in England and feast on the fish with a cup of clam chowder from the Marketplace while sitting in the Solarium. The fish and chips are so hot when they are dispensed that it can take the time that it takes to walk to the solarium just for them to cool down enough to be eaten safely.

NM - I am totally in for dinner 5/18. Was looking forward to the dinner. We need a plan!

So jealous of your November / December extended stay at BWI CLUB LEVEL! That is a nice long stay. Wow, I need to think about a plan to stay at the same time at the BWI with the "magical" deal. Would be sooo much fun.

Because of the deal we were able to really splurge. DH and I are doing a week long getaway and then the boys will be joining us. With 5 of us in the room club level made absolute sense. I'm hoping that more of us will book and we can have another Beach Club Meet, only this time at the Boardwalk! LOL!!!

~NM

 

[pixarmom]

We didn't know about that pool and slide...thanks! We are definitely interested in water activities for DS, but I don't think he'll be ready to be in the large pool.

Hi Sophie! Here's a photo tour of SAB: http://www.disboards.com/threads/stormalong-bay.2790323/ There are so many great areas for little ones that are fun, safe and entirely separate from the deep areas of the pool. Our youngest LOVED the small slide when he was tiny - he's standing at the top of the slide in the photo, above! And as you can see, the lifeguards allowed parents to catch the kids at the end of that particular slide. I haven't updated in a while, but I'll add to it after our April stay!

P.S. The part in the link about the great spot for a home base by the waterfall - just forget that if visiting during Easter Weekend. I'm sure it will be terrible then . . .

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Pixarmom I LOVE BC marketplace too Food is great, service with a smile and plently of healthier choices to make up for the copious amounts of treats consumed on holiday plus a bag of bagels,freshly toasted, makes a cheap and cheerful breakfast/ lunch/supper depending on the mood for the while family for less than $10 so what's not to love!

 

[Travellerman]

In an old photo I saw online I noticed a couple of the Disney hotels had iphone cases with the hotel name on it (the one I saw was a Polynesian case) I don't suppose they still have those and that they have one with YC or BC on it? I've also heard about personalized ones sold somewhere in Disney World? Or did I hear that wrong.

Just one more question, speaking of personalized souvenirs, Does anyone know if there are coffee mugs (ceramic not travel) in Disney you can have personalized with a name (or any other product but coffee mug first choice) I know a couple folks who have names that are not usually found on any shelf of ready made souvenir mugs etc. So I thought it would be neat to get them something from Disney with their name on it if I could find something.
Hope you all don't mind me asking in here. This board is a friendly board so I'm comfortable asking here.

 

[TeenaS]

In an old photo I saw online I noticed a couple of the Disney hotels had iphone cases with the hotel name on it (the one I saw was a Polynesian case) I don't suppose they still have those and that they have one with YC or BC on it? I've also heard about personalized ones sold somewhere in Disney World? Or did I hear that wrong.

Just one more question, speaking of personalized souvenirs, Does anyone know if there are coffee mugs (ceramic not travel) in Disney you can have personalized with a name (or any other product but coffee mug first choice) I know a couple folks who have names that are not usually found on any shelf of ready made souvenir mugs etc. So I thought it would be neat to get them something from Disney with their name on it if I could find something.
Hope you all don't mind me asking in here. This board is a friendly board so I'm comfortable asking here.

You can have them made up with the different resorts/hotels on them at Downtown Disney ... in that new section where the Sports stuff was before near the Trendy place.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Think it's called the co-op marketplace. The Christmas shop at dtd also personalises tree decorations to order

 

[suse66]

Our van is all packed and we are on our way tomorrow afternoon to the beautiful Beach Club! Check in is Saturday! Just have to survive the 21 hour drive....

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Our van is all packed and we are on our way tomorrow afternoon to the beautiful Beach Club! Check in is Saturday! Just have to survive the 21 hour drive....

Good luck and safe journey. You'll be there in no time (almost)