2011/2012 Beach & Yacht FAQ, Part IV- DO NOT POST- see new 2012 thread

[jmkrat]

We booked the same room as you did on 1/9 and got an email from IPO on 1/11. But our trip was within 70 days from then, so maybe that's why they got in touch with us so quickly.

There is GREAT CL info at the front of this thread!

I called them today and then they sent the email information. I did read the club information on the first page and it was great. I do have one question, perhaps you could answer since you were just there. I saw at the beginning of the thread that it said the lounge would be open for coffee and soda 24 hours a day. This was done on a trial basis. Are they still doing this? Thank you

 

[TaraPA]

Glad you got your answer when you called. I haven't gone yet, so I can't answer your question! If no one else chimes in that was CL recently, I'll be sure to let you know.

 

[WsPrincess]

OK planners and BC/Disney experts: We will be there over Father's Day this year. DH just put it together and it is also the weekend of the US Open so he is giving up a lot for us to go this weekend So, I want to surprise him with something. But what? I was thinking golf and Omar from IPO was great with suggestions but anyone have a favorite course at Disney? He also suggested maybe dinner at the Yachtsman but we would have to give up Garden Grill and I am honestly not sure if Yachtsman is going to be OK with a 4 and 2 year old. Thoughts? Ideas? I would do a cake but he just won't appreciate it.

 

[pixarmom]

2 weeks from today until our BC stay!
Silly question....what is the usual ME route from the airport to the BC? Just curious what hotels we may stop at before we get there.
Thanks!

OK planners and BC/Disney experts: We will be there over Father's Day this year. DH just put it together and it is also the weekend of the US Open so he is giving up a lot for us to go this weekend So, I want to surprise him with something. But what? I was thinking golf and Omar from IPO was great with suggestions but anyone have a favorite course at Disney? He also suggested maybe dinner at the Yachtsman but we would have to give up Garden Grill and I am honestly not sure if Yachtsman is going to be OK with a 4 and 2 year old. Thoughts? Ideas? I would do a cake but he just won't appreciate it.

Hi WsPrincess!! No suggestions regarding golf, but Omar is a star!!!! He was very helpful to us (and SO enthusiastic) last summer. Now, we really love Garden Grill and it's a big hit with our boys (currently ages 5, 11 and 12, but our oldest has loved it since he was a year old!) On the other hand, we all really enjoy Yachtsman and I think it's entirely comfortable with little ones. It's hard to say whether to give up GG for Yachtsman, because both are great in their own ways, but if he's giving up the U.S. Open, then I'd probably go with Yachtsman! If I were planning a surprise for my husband (also a golfer), I'd say his favorite things at WDW are club level anywhere, a break in the late afternoon to enjoy it, and signature restaurants. Good luck with your decision!

jmkrat, I don't have current info, but the lounge was open 24 hours during our stays last year in February and August.

 

[333disneymom]

I wonder if they might be in the market for a new nut free baker. There is a bakery near me that is completely nut free. I discovered them when trying to find something that I could bring to a friend's house because her son has a nut allergy (peanuts and tree nuts) and this place has fantastic cookies. Hubby loves them, and we don't have any allergies in our house, but I bought him some for Valentine's. If they need a new place to order from, I could refer them. They supply product to Whole Foods and several other grocers as well as some other local bakeries too.

How great that you do this for your friend's son. It is greatly appreciated when others put forth an effort to include children with food allergies. By the way, you could always suggest to the bakery owner that they contact Disney.

I think we have a much better selection of generally available peanut free options in Canada. I have NO IDEA why that is, but I send a package of peanut free chocolate and other treats to a friend in Washington, D.C. who has a godchild with a peanut allergy. We have tons of Hershey and other mainstream products that have the peanut free logo on them.

Glad to see that the Marketplace offers some options!!!

I have noticed this too. Canada's schools seem really proactive too, from what I have read.

Thanks again!

When we go on a trip, I always order the Vermont Nut Free Skippers (like M&Ms but better, IMO) to take with us. I like that the BC Marketplace carries them instead of having to be at the park to get those items.

You're welcome. I'll have to try the Skippers some time.

OK planners and BC/Disney experts: We will be there over Father's Day this year. DH just put it together and it is also the weekend of the US Open so he is giving up a lot for us to go this weekend So, I want to surprise him with something. But what? I was thinking golf and Omar from IPO was great with suggestions but anyone have a favorite course at Disney? He also suggested maybe dinner at the Yachtsman but we would have to give up Garden Grill and I am honestly not sure if Yachtsman is going to be OK with a 4 and 2 year old. Thoughts? Ideas? I would do a cake but he just won't appreciate it.

We have never done Yachtsman, but my little ones would be quite disappointed to give up Garden Grill - one of their favorites. That said, I am sure lots of families with little ones go to Yachtsman and have a good time. Good luck with your decision.

 

[jmkrat]

Glad you got your answer when you called. I haven't gone yet, so I can't answer your question! If no one else chimes in that was CL recently, I'll be sure to let you know.

I had misread your post. I thought you had gone on 1/09 to 1/11. Please do post when you get back. I have never been to the Beach Club, club level before. I am really looking forward to it. Thank you!

 

[MinnieTink]

Hi all! We have a standard view booked for August. Very excited! Being that we won't have much of a view, a full balcony is not super important to us, but room location is. Would "close to lobby" be too noisy an area? Would it be better to ask for "close to elevator" or maybe "close to pool"?

Thanks for any input!

 

[LuvLDM]

Hi all! We have a standard view booked for August. Very excited! Being that we won't have much of a view, a full balcony is not super important to us, but room location is. Would "close to lobby" be too noisy an area? Would it be better to ask for "close to elevator" or maybe "close to pool"?

Thanks for any input!

Our most recent stay was last month, I had a standard room booked but they upgraded us to a garden view room.

Our room was right off the lobby, as you enter the lobby, left up the stairs....about 3rd room down (2622), no bothersome noise at all & very convenient location!

 

[Feckless]

OK planners and BC/Disney experts: We will be there over Father's Day this year. DH just put it together and it is also the weekend of the US Open so he is giving up a lot for us to go this weekend So, I want to surprise him with something. But what? I was thinking golf and Omar from IPO was great with suggestions but anyone have a favorite course at Disney? He also suggested maybe dinner at the Yachtsman but we would have to give up Garden Grill and I am honestly not sure if Yachtsman is going to be OK with a 4 and 2 year old. Thoughts? Ideas? I would do a cake but he just won't appreciate it.

I can't get my DH to tell me what golf course he likes best either! LOL I did plan on surprising him with the Exotic Driving Experience but I haven't read any reviews yet. Plus he was turned off it when he saw that the cars were automatics! An automatic Ferrari! What's the point??? LOL

 

[Belle1967]

Good morning all! I confess to being a daily lurker. We are returning to the Beach Club Standard CL for the second time. We arrive Feb. 24. This group helped make our 1st BC CL a wonderful vacation. I never post any questions because this great thread provides answers before I even need to post them!

I haven't seen any updates on work around SAB. Is the entire complex currrently open? My kids love the zero entry sandy section and in one of the birds eye photos it looked closed.

 

[natebenma]

Good morning all! I confess to being a daily lurker. We are returning to the Beach Club Standard CL for the second time. We arrive Feb. 24. This group helped make our 1st BC CL a wonderful vacation. I never post any questions because this great thread provides answers before I even need to post them!

I haven't seen any updates on work around SAB. Is the entire complex currrently open? My kids love the zero entry sandy section and in one of the birds eye photos it looked closed.

Thanks for de-lurking! I'm so glad you have found this thread helpful!

Great question about the pool- I haven't heard much chatter about the work at SAB.

Hopefully someone who has been at the resort recently can report back about what is going on at the pool.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

That would be news to me. Although I have heard microwaves are available (free of charge, based on availability) I have not heard the same about toasters.

luvpoohandcompany , if you would like a great breakfast you also have
the Captains Grille at the Yacht club and they are not usually very busy
first thing in the morning and they have great Buffet if interested
Enjoy your trip .

Thanks for the help-I didnt think they'd have toasters but read elsewhere that some hotels carried them. Just checking with you experts to be sure

 

[mommyrosa2]

Found out yesterday morning that we have to change our dates in August. My youngest DD will be entering high school in the Fall and will be trying out for the soccer team and apparently the high school holds tryouts aka "Dog Week" the 3rd week of August into the last week of August. Normally, I wouldn't care so much about moving our dates around BUT: A). I'm a little nervous since I don't know what crowds in August are like to begin with and I originally chose the 3rd week thinking that most of the southern schools would be back in session. and B). We also chose the 3rd wk, knowing that we had a better chance for FD. Once it all sunk in, I went into "change" mode. We ended up cutting back a day so instead of 9 days, we'll be there 8days (the 2nd week was more expensive than the 3rd ). I started looking at airfare options (I had already booked our airfare)...luckily, we booked with Southwest so no change fees . I spent a good portion of my day yesterday doing nothing more than making tons of changes and reconfiguring our entire trip. With that said:

Our new dates are now August 11-18...Dee, can you update our dates on the Be our Guest page, please? and for anyone that's been August, will going a week earlier really make a huge difference with crowds?

 

[blueeyesrnc]

Just got another PIN in the mail and when I put it in online, it looks like we can save even more than with our last PIN. I will be emailing my TA tomorrow!

Thats great. Two PIN's. What will you do with the savings??? Let's see...more food, more snacks, more drinks, more souvenirs, or maybe more Disney. Send some pixie dust my way, won't cha.

 

[natebenma]

Our new dates are now August 11-18...Dee, can you update our dates on the Be our Guest page, please? and for anyone that's been August, will going a week earlier really make a huge difference with crowds?

Will do!

 

[kelleigh1]

Thats great. Two PIN's. What will you do with the savings??? Let's see...more food, more snacks, more drinks, more souvenirs, or maybe more Disney. Send some pixie dust my way, won't cha.

If you think that's good...this trip is being paid for with money that I won, bonus money and reimbursement for my unused sick time last year. With my newest PIN, that means I really only have to "raise" less than $150 to pay it off.

Of course, I still need to buy airline tickets, MNSHHP tickets and costumes for the party.

And this trip was planned as our "Debt is Paid Off" celebration, which it is, so now we have no car payments, no loan payments, and the only credit card payments are either this trip (which is on the Disney card and will be paid off long before the 6 month mark) and the card I use and pay off each month. That is why we chose the YC/BC, so we could celebrate and treat ourselves for working so hard to get everything paid off.

 

[blueeyesrnc]

If you think that's good...this trip is being paid for with money that I won, bonus money and reimbursement for my unused sick time last year. With my newest PIN, that means I really only have to "raise" less than $150 to pay it off.

Of course, I still need to buy airline tickets, MNSHHP tickets and costumes for the party.

And this trip was planned as our "Debt is Paid Off" celebration, which it is, so now we have no car payments, no loan payments, and the only credit card payments are either this trip (which is on the Disney card and will be paid off long before the 6 month mark) and the card I use and pay off each month. That is why we chose the YC/BC, so we could celebrate and treat ourselves for working so hard to get everything paid off.

Nice. Practically a free trip for being such a great employee. Doesn't get much better than that.

 

[nannette]

Ticker check Almost time!!

~Nannette

 

[GinCar]

Our new dates are now August 11-18...Dee, can you update our dates on the Be our Guest page, please? and for anyone that's been August, will going a week earlier really make a huge difference with crowds?[/QUOTE]

We were in Disney last Aug 9-16 (but not at the BC). Although August is not our preferred month, we went to surprise my daughter for her Bday.

We went thinking that it would be the worst in weather and crowds. We were pleasantly surprised. The weather was hot and humid, but not as bad as we expected. The crowds were not as bad, either. We are morning park people, afternoon pool and back to the parks in the evening. There were times in the park that became really crowded and long wait lines, so we just would leave for swimming or take a long lunch break.
I think as long as you have a good attitude and know what to expect you will be fine.
We will be at BC for Spring Break next month. We know what to expect in crowds. We plan to spend A LOT of time at the pool.

 

[em36]

Found out yesterday morning that we have to change our dates in August. My youngest DD will be entering high school in the Fall and will be trying out for the soccer team and apparently the high school holds tryouts aka "Dog Week" the 3rd week of August into the last week of August. Normally, I wouldn't care so much about moving our dates around BUT: A). I'm a little nervous since I don't know what crowds in August are like to begin with and I originally chose the 3rd week thinking that most of the southern schools would be back in session. and B). We also chose the 3rd wk, knowing that we had a better chance for FD. Once it all sunk in, I went into "change" mode. We ended up cutting back a day so instead of 9 days, we'll be there 8days (the 2nd week was more expensive than the 3rd ). I started looking at airfare options (I had already booked our airfare)...luckily, we booked with Southwest so no change fees . I spent a good portion of my day yesterday doing nothing more than making tons of changes and reconfiguring our entire trip. With that said:

Our new dates are now August 11-18...Dee, can you update our dates on the Be our Guest page, please? and for anyone that's been August, will going a week earlier really make a huge difference with crowds?

I can only speak for the schools in Georgia, but most of our schools start back before the 11th of August. We live in Northwest Georgia, and our schools started August 5 this past year. Hopefully the crowds will not be too terrible. I know your family will have a wonderful time.