Trip Advisor Reviews of the Yacht Club.....

[Crazyhorse]

I wonder sometimes if the internet is always our friend. We're booked at the Yacht Club, Club level, Lagoon/Pool view for my husbands 65th birthday, arriving January 25,2016. Last night, I decided to check the reviews on Trip Advisor....I know..a little late. I've used Trip Advisor in the past and haven't been disappointed. I know there have been recent news reports about these types of review sites being falsely loaded up with good and bad reviews. I've always taken the time to read a lot of them before deciding which way to go.

If you take a look at the recent reviews of the Yacht Club, it's a plethora of more bad then good. I'm considering changing to the Beach Club, if I can find an equal category. Can anyone who has been there in the last several months give an honest review, even if it's bad?

With as many poor reviews that are on Trip Advisor, I'm curious as to why I don't see the same poor reviews on these boards. I'm so confused.....

 

[dansdad]

I wonder sometimes if the internet is always our friend. We're booked at the Yacht Club, Club level, Lagoon/Pool view for my husbands 65th birthday, arriving January 25,2016. Last night, I decided to check the reviews on Trip Advisor....I know..a little late. I've used Trip Advisor in the past and haven't been disappointed. I know there have been recent news reports about these types of review sites being falsely loaded up with good and bad reviews. I've always taken the time to read a lot of them before deciding which way to go.

If you take a look at the recent reviews of the Yacht Club, it's a plethora of more bad then good. I'm considering changing to the Beach Club, if I can find an equal category. Can anyone who has been there in the last several months give an honest review, even if it's bad?

With as many poor reviews that are on Trip Advisor, I'm curious as to why I don't see the same poor reviews on these boards. I'm so confused.....

I learned years ago not to check Trip Advisor for information/reviews of any WDW resorts. If I did, we would never stay at a WDW resort because they are all terrible, dirty, run down, etc. I have no explanation for this phenomenon, just something I noticed. I use it religiously for trips to destinations I have never been before and it's never let me down. But I have no answer to you question I bolded above.

 

[Princess Mulan]

I wonder sometimes if the internet is always our friend. We're booked at the Yacht Club, Club level, Lagoon/Pool view for my husbands 65th birthday, arriving January 25,2016. Last night, I decided to check the reviews on Trip Advisor....I know..a little late. I've used Trip Advisor in the past and haven't been disappointed. I know there have been recent news reports about these types of review sites being falsely loaded up with good and bad reviews. I've always taken the time to read a lot of them before deciding which way to go.

If you take a look at the recent reviews of the Yacht Club, it's a plethora of more bad then good. I'm considering changing to the Beach Club, if I can find an equal category. Can anyone who has been there in the last several months give an honest review, even if it's bad?

With as many poor reviews that are on Trip Advisor, I'm curious as to why I don't see the same poor reviews on these boards. I'm so confused.....

I also have a stay booked at YC and have the same questions you have about the condition of the rooms. That being said, I try not to put too much stock into Trip Advisor reviews. The reviews, both positive and negative, tend to be exaggerated, in my experience. I've stayed in hotels that were highly ranked on TA and yet were "dumps," and I've eaten at restaurants that were low in the rankings but were fabulous.

 

[gwynne]

I don't bother with Trip Advisor. I used to read there back in the day. But, I found the reviews there are often inaccurate in comparison to my own travel experiences. I've learned to look elsewhere.
There is plenty of helpful information on both the Yacht and Beach Club resorts on the DIS.

 

[eliza61]

I'll be the odd man out, I love tripadvisor.

First of all the dis board is very very hostile to anyone who give negative reviews. If you do not go with the tide here you usually will be roasted.
You will be told that it is your fault for
1) not doing enough research
2) not taking care of the problem while you're at disney
3) A dirty room is a minor inconvenience, lol stop whining.

I love the dis for information but for honest reviews I think it's horrible because you don't get honest reviews. Why would someone tell the truth about how their trip went if some negative happened.


Remember reviews are just a recap of someones experience. to me that's valuable information. If someone says their room smelled like smoke, that's important to me because my kid has asthma. if they say that here, they will get torn apart and told how it was their fault because they should have gone down and complained.

I use all three sources. tripadvisors, allears.net rate and review and the dis boards. also I like to read reviews from folks who a little less obsessed with any place.

I didn't think the reviews were all that bad. the place has 4.5/5 rating on tripadvisors.

The third revue while mediocre is very true. Disney's deluxe s are not Deluxe's. I always think that is important because if you are a luxury traveler and think you will get the same quality at a Disney resort as you would at another resort with the same price point, you will be disappointed.

 

[dansdad]

I'll be the odd man out, I love tripadvisor.

First of all the dis board is very very hostile to anyone who give negative reviews. If you do not go with the tide here you usually will be roasted.
You will be told that it is your fault for
1) not doing enough research
2) not taking care of the problem while you're at disney
3) A dirty room is a minor inconvenience, lol stop whining.

I love the dis for information but for honest reviews I think it's horrible because you don't get honest reviews. Why would someone tell the truth about how their trip went if some negative happened.


Remember reviews are just a recap of someones experience. to me that's valuable information. If someone says their room smelled like smoke, that's important to me because my kid has asthma. if they say that here, they will get torn apart and told how it was their fault because they should have gone down and complained.

I use all three sources. tripadvisors, allears.net rate and review and the dis boards. also I like to read reviews from folks who a little less obsessed with any place.

I didn't think the reviews were all that bad. the place has 4.5/5 rating on tripadvisors.

The third revue while mediocre is very true. Disney's deluxe s are not Deluxe's. I always think that is important because if you are a luxury traveler and think you will get the same quality at a Disney resort as you would at another resort with the same price point, you will be disappointed.

In my experience here on the DIS is the only people who get ripped for a negative review is when they over exaggerate details or completely fabricate issues. I have never seen anyone get ripped for posting an honest, fair negative review. But things like "the walk to the food court was a mile and a half from our room" posted by someone staying at a resort that would make that statement impossible deserves to be called out for that. I have not seen anyone roasted for stating that their room smelled like smoke. Now if they complain that it smelled like smoke for their entire week but never said anything to anybody at the resort, then yes that's on them.

 

[loves to dive]

YC/BC is my favorite resort, YC being number 1 for me over BC. I was there late September so here you go. I had a garden view room booked, not because that was what I wanted but just because that was all that was available, frankly I don't care about the view as long as I have a balcony to sit on in the early morning for coffee and at night for a glass of wine, I don't care if I'm looking at a pool, a lake or a swamp. I was travelling solo. Checked in early but my room wasn't ready, no big deal. Got a text to see the front desk, they were having issues with my MB so they walked me to my room and brought my band up to me about 5 min. later. I had a room with a king bed that also had a little kitchenette. Looked out toward the Boardwalk, over the water. The room was a little dated (they have started renovations on YC now) but I saw no dirt, dust or anything yucky, no peeling wallpaper and no mildew in the bathroom. I had a connecting door to the neighbors and I must have gotten lucky because I never heard them. The room was located in the furthest wing from Epcot and if you were going to walk to the lobby through the inside, it would have been a hike and you would probably need provisions. The hallways in both YC/BC and BW for that matter are long, they remind me of the hotel in the Shining and I'm always looking for little twin girls at the end. The outside door was just one room down the hall and one flight down so I always went in and out that way. Then it was a short walk through the garden where the gazebo is located and into a short hallway that if I turned left I was in the gift shop, right I was in the lobby. The YC is a little more adult oriented than BC, it is decorated in darker tones, the restaurant and bar is geared more toward adults. The QS is in the BC so if that is what you want, it is a nice little stroll to get there. Again, I would take the outside door and just walk down the sidewalk over to the BC in the mornings for breakfast, it probably took 4 min. tops. YC/BC share buses, YC is the first stop so if you are at BC there is a possibility you are going to stand. Is it the type of room you would get outside the bubble for the price, no. Is it on par with the other deluxe resorts? Hard to say, I've stayed at all of them except WL and SS and they all have something to offer, most have been updated more recently than YC. There is the big pool that both resorts share that is the draw for families with kids, both YC and BC also have quiet pools, it's been my experience that the YC quiet pool is a little more quiet than the BC, again since that side tends to be more adult oriented. I won't lie, the QS at BC is not great but the deluxe resorts aren't known for their QS. You can get the basics there, a breakfast sandwich, scrambled eggs, cereal, oatmeal, bagels, etc. You can walk over to BW to the bakery but their offerings aren't that much better. You can also go into Epcot and into France and eat breakfast there. There is no QS at YC. There have been reports of run down rooms and rooms not so clean, I've been lucky or the others have been unlucky, I've never had a bad room there. There are pictures of the rooms on the YC thread, that should give you an idea of what they look like.

 

[Crazyhorse]

First of all the dis board is very very hostile to anyone who give negative reviews. If you do not go with the tide here you usually will be roasted.
You will be told that it is your fault for
1) not doing enough research
2) not taking care of the problem while you're at disney
3) A dirty room is a minor inconvenience, lol stop whining.

Exactly what I'm worried about....I just don't see ANY bad reviews, anywhere close to what I'm seeing on review sites. I've checked others and they too aren't exactly raving about the current condition of the Yacht Club. As others have mentioned, it is all subjective. I think I'm gonna take a flyer and move on over to the BC. My only concern is NOT getting a full balcony.

 

[casey5457]

I wanted to chime in to say that we stayed at YC for the first time in November and I went not expecting to like it at all, but we were very impressed! Yes, it's time for a room refurb (which they have started), but our rooms were still well maintained and had plenty of storage. The property is lovely and we really enjoyed the boat rides to HS and Epcot. I would also like to point out that we had some of the best bus service ever. My mom finally saw the value in a deluxe and never wants to stay anywhere else now!

 

[dansdad]

Exactly what I'm worried about....I just don't see ANY bad reviews, anywhere close to what I'm seeing on review sites. I've checked others and they too aren't exactly raving about the current condition of the Yacht Club. As others have mentioned, it is all subjective. I think I'm gonna take a flyer and move on over. My only concern is NOT getting a full balcony.

If you check out the BC/YC FAQ Thread you will find plenty of people stating that the YC Rooms are definitely showing they are in need of a refurb. And said refurb is starting this month to remedy that.

 

[Crazyhorse]

But things like "the walk to the food court was a mile and a half from our room" posted by someone staying at a resort that would make that statement impossible deserves to be called out for that.

I totally agree. It's all about doing your homework. I'm only concerned about the reviews that have clearly noted poor conditions of the actual rooms/hotel.

 

[Crazyhorse]

If you check out the BC/YC FAQ Thread you will find plenty of people stating that the YC Rooms are definitely showing they are in need of a refurb. And said refurb is starting this month to remedy that.

You bring up a good point, it's not like it's a secret that a refurb is needed. I did just change my reservation to the BC and it cost me a total of $105.72 more. I'm also going to take someones good advice and not do on line check in, thereby hoping to convince an actual body to find us a room with a full balcony

 

[dansdad]

I totally agree. It's all about doing your homework. I'm only concerned about the reviews that have clearly noted poor conditions of the actual rooms/hotel.

And there are plenty of people here on the DIS that have said that the YC rooms are showing that they haven't had a refurb in quite a while.

 

[dansdad]

You bring up a good point, it's not like it's a secret that a refurb is needed. I did just change my reservation to the BC and it cost me a total of $105.72 more. I'm also going to take someones good advice and not do on line check in, thereby hoping to convince an actual body to find us a room with a full balcony

Good choice as BC just completed their refurb a couple months ago. Rooms are assigned 2-3 days before you arrive whether you do online check in or not. So, there's really no reason not to do it. And if you do online check in there's a chance you can skip the front desk and head straight to your room. Then if you don't have a full balcony you can still ask for another room. Not that it matters either way, just wanted you to be aware.

 

[Crazyhorse]

Rooms are assigned 2-3 days before you arrive whether you do online check in or not. So, there's really no reason not to do it. And if you do online check in there's a chance you can skip the front desk and head straight to your room. Then if you don't have a full balcony you can still ask for another room. Not that it matters either way, just wanted you to be aware.

True. We do arrive at 9:30 am and we don't use the Disney bus service. We use Tony Hinds, great guy. Therefore, we will likely be at the hotel around 11 and don't expect a room to be ready anyway. I did fire off an email to the IPO, asking for pixie dust with regards to a full balcony. I feel good about making the change. Thank you!

 

[westie55]

I stayed at the YC in April of 2015. It was a very pleasant stay. The room was very clean. Even though I paid for a standard view, I got what had to be a garden view and even had a partial view of the Boardwalk and the water. If I am to be completely honest, however, I was disappointed in some ways. Allow me to explain: I don't often stay at Deluxe resorts. They are often out of my price range. This was a special trip for just my husband and myself and I wanted something that felt luxurious. The YC, to me, fell short of luxurious. It was clean but it definitely felt dated. Our room did have an area where the wallpaper was peeling. It was near the floor by the bed so it wasn't hugely noticeable, but I noticed it. I expected to be more impressed with the lobby. Instead, the furniture in the lobby felt tired to me. The couches looked very worn. I preferred the Beach Club's lobby. I love Disney and despite all this, I wouldn't hesitate to stay at the YC again. However, I got a great rate around $275 a night through Orbitz. Had I actually spent around $450/night as I often see the YC priced at, I may been more disillusioned. I do not think that the YC is nice enough to justify those kinds of prices, nor would I go back at that price tag. That's about how much it costs to stay at the Four Seasons in Orlando which I admittedly haven't been to but I imagine is kept impeccably updated. As others have mentioned, those who are accustomed to staying in true luxury accommodations will probably be disappointed with the YC. The pool was great and we loved the Yachtsman Steakhouse. I found the bus service to be good. I've also stayed at the Wilderness Lodge and the AKL and to me, the AKL was the most impressive. Beautiful lobby, nicely appointed room (this was 12 years ago however).

 

[JediBonas]

We stayed at YC in the middle of November and loved it. We MUCH prefer YC over BC.

 

[eliza61]

In my experience here on the DIS is the only people who get ripped for a negative review is when they over exaggerate details or completely fabricate issues. I have never seen anyone get ripped for posting an honest, fair negative review. But things like "the walk to the food court was a mile and a half from our room" posted by someone staying at a resort that would make that statement impossible deserves to be called out for that. I have not seen anyone roasted for stating that their room smelled like smoke. Now if they complain that it smelled like smoke for their entire week but never said anything to anybody at the resort, then yes that's on them.

The thing is reviews are subjective. Saying a hallway is long can mean many things, Saying a hallway is a mile and 1/2 long conveys some thing totally different. I understand the second. i Also recognize that most readers would not take that literally. When some one says it's raining "cats and dogs" do people go outside and look for animals? Nope , you understand the context.
Also when you write a review you tell the truth it doesn't mean you didn't do any thing about the situation. I had a filthy balcony one trip, yes definitely i complained and got a room change but do i then lie and say the room was great? Sorry but no I don't, I write about my experience. I will say Disney fixed the problem BUT if a problem exist no matter the outcome I write about it.

 

[dansdad]

The thing is reviews are subjective. Saying a hallway is long can mean many things, Saying a hallway is a mile and 1/2 long conveys some thing totally different. I understand the second. i Also recognize that most readers would not take that literally. When some one says it's raining "cats and dogs" do people go outside and look for animals? Nope , you understand the context.

But when someone says "Our Pirate Room was literally a mile and a half from the main pool and took us 40 minutes to walk there at a quick pace" I am going to call BS.

Also when you write a review you tell the truth it doesn't mean you didn't do any thing about the situation. I had a filthy balcony one trip, yes definitely i complained and got a room change but do i then lie and say the room was great? Sorry but no I don't, I write about my experience. I will say Disney fixed the problem BUT if a problem exist no matter the outcome I write about it.

Completely agree with this. And like I said before, I have never seen anyone get roasted here on the DIS for telling it like it is. But I have seen people get called out when they tell others to stay away from a resort because they had an issue and didn't give the resort a chance to fix it.

 

[ajwolfe]

I love tripadvisor and use it when planning all our other trips, but when planning for Disney I use other resources. I just feel like people get overwhelmed with Disney trips and therefore can sometimes give a negative review when really it was just their lack of planning that caused them to not enjoy themselves.