2012/2013 Beach and Yacht FAQ- Closing Soon- New Thread Started- Don't Post Here

[natebenma]

Our crappy little point and shoot died this summer and with the way the boys put up a fuss about having their pictures taken I decided it wasn't worth the battle to even try Photopass. I didn't want the photographer to have to look at all the "You are taking my picture" snarls I would get. The cell phone camera was a disaster too so I am having buyers remorse at the lack of pictures.

PS. Do you have any recommendations for a good camera in the $400 and under range? I think I'll get better pictures if I start thinking about leaving the boys home on these Disney trips!

Sorry to hear about your camera.

I totally sympathize with the lack of cooperation from the teens when you try to take a picture.

I just joined the big girl camera club with a Canon EOS Rebel T3, (around $500 at Sam's Club, 2 lenses, camera case) but so far it is not going well. I need to really sit down with the manual and go out and practice. Or maybe reach out to my photography friends here.

I am still in love with my Panasonic Lumix point & shoot. I think it takes decent pictures, but the main feature I love is that it is waterproof to 40 feet, so I can take it with me everywhere! To the beach, pools, waterparks, snorkeling. I never have to worry about leaving it behind when I go into the water.

I paid under $300 for it about a year ago.

If anyone wants to see some of the pictures I have taken with it, you can check out my Wicked Awesome or Epic Fail trip report or the Atlantis portion of my Welcome Foolish Muggles trip report. (Shameless plug)

 

[AlohaAnnie]

Well we finally made it. Home. BCV. 302. On the quiet pool side. Near the bus stop.

View from balcony about 30 minutes ago!

Love this view Early Morning Lovely!


MickeyT - Good Luck with the Marathon!

 

[TeenaS]

Well we finally made it. Home. BCV. 302. On the quiet pool side. Near the bus stop. This will come in handy at 3am Saturday morning as we catch the bus to half marathon start.

Had the problems with keys again. I must be doing something wrong. We had to go through cutting 3 sets of six keys before we finally got a set that worked. Once again don’t think this is a resort problem but a tech problem. Finally went down this morning and got a full set of six that work.

View from balcony about 30 minutes ago!

Yep, it's not the resort. It's tech. I know change is good but we have soooo many problems with this new system. It will be great once it all works the way it is suppose to work but in the meantime it's a royal pain!!!

 

[natebenma]

Back now sitting around with family drinking coffee watching sun come up outside. (What’s more fun than sitting at BLT drinking coffee watching the sun come up? Sitting at BCV’s with my family drinking coffee watching the sun come up!)

View from balcony about 30 minutes ago!

Nice!!! I agree, nothing better than drinking some coffee and enjoying the beautiful view!

 

[pamkat1820]

I been reading up on balconies. What is a dormer balcony? Is it smaller than a regular balcony? Any pictures of any of them? Confused?...

 

[JKSWonder]

Don't miss Beaches and Cream!!!!

I'm actually wondering whether my family should give it the ole college try on the Kitchen Sink. It looks daunting, but I think we might be equal to the task!

More new and returning friends!



I'm glad to hear about your first stay at the Beach Club. I'll add you to the Be Our Guest list.



My family enjoys the Cape May cafe. The Captain's Grille seems to be a hidden gem as well. They have both a buffet and a la carte option for breakfast that people rave about. Lobster omlette anyone?

There are links to the menus for the restaurants at the resort on the first page of this thread, in the Dining Post.

Thank you! I have been reading the first page pretty obsessively....lots of great info there.

 

[DannysMom]

Hi Y&BC peeps. I have been hanging around since booking our next stay BCV. I just saw this news that the new bakery in The France Pavillion would be opening earlier than 11 AM for breakfast. Thought this thread oughta know!
http://www.wdwmagic.com/dining/boul...t-with-early-opening.htm#.UPAzyQ5RzWE.twitter

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards App, please excuse any typos or autocorrects!

 

[happymomof1]

More new and returning friends!






I'm glad you decided to try out the Beach Club! If the lobby scent really does bother your family, I am sure the folks at the resort will try to work with you if you are unable to stay there.

I'll add you to the Be Our Guest List








What a great time of year to be at the World for a nice long trip!

I'll add you to the list for October.






Congrats on the upgrade! I'll revise your listing.






back!

I'm happy to add you to the list.








That's awesome news!!! I'll add you to the list.








I'm glad to hear about your first stay at the Beach Club. I'll add you to the Be Our Guest list.



My family enjoys the Cape May cafe. The Captain's Grille seems to be a hidden gem as well. They have both a buffet and a la carte option for breakfast that people rave about. Lobster omlette anyone?

There are links to the menus for the restaurants at the resort on the first page of this thread, in the Dining Post.





Congrats on the upgrade! I'll revise your listing.






for another CL upgrade. I'll change your listing.



I was at the world from June 4-8 last year for my son's 8th grade class trip. I didn't find it to be stiflingly hot. We had rain showers during two of the afternoons, and one night it poured, so prepare for that (ponchos and sandals). It is hard for me to judge the crowds, since we were in classes two of the mornings of our trip.

The advice I have for you, which is helpful in June as well as the rest of the year- hit the parks early while the crowds and temps are at the lowest point. Then, if either the heat or people start to get to you, take a break, and hit the parks again later in the day.




I believe you have to wait until you are at the resort to request the microwave. Not sure about the bed rails, but probably the same answer.

Both are based on availability.



Here is the map, along with a disclaimer!

Room Numbers: I hesitantly post this map. Please use with caution. It is outdated, pre resort rehab and prior to the addition of the Beach Club Concierge Lounge (the lounge is now on the 5th floor where you see the word "ICE". The view categories are also different. When this map was created, there were only standard view rooms and water view rooms (no garden view), so many of these rooms now have a different view category than what is indicated on this map.

Beach Club Disney Zone Map






Thanks for stopping in to say hello! Have a fantastic time on the cruise, and at BLT!!!

.

Natebenma---Thanks so much for the map (and disclaimer!)I appreciate your time and knowledge!

 

[Ninja Mom]

First of all, welcome to the new posters, lurkers coming out of the closet and those that are still in the closet (You know who you are! )

I had a nice post all typed out with quotes welcoming you and everything and my internet went off line for hours, so I finally gave up the ghost and went to bed, shutting down the computer and losing that post (insert face palm here).

I am so excited to hear about those of you who are going for club level!! I had always read up on the posts touting it's virtues and it's money saving perks but I never really got it until I stayed there and we saw it for ourselves. Now we know exactly how to plan a trip to a deluxe hotel, include club level and make reasonable dining plans with out the cost or excess involved with the dining plan. I feel like I have finally gotten one over on Disney after all these years of paying through the nose.

For those of you planing trips and maybe staying at another resort, there is a bounceback offer in available now (plus some others like the Disney Visa offer) that has that deluxe discount that makes staying club level financially workable. Remember, ditch the dining plan, stay club level, book a table service or two counter service meals a day (paying out of pocket and ordering only what you really will eat) and you will come out even or slightly ahead (or slightly behind if you buy a lot of food in the parks).

The bottom line is that you get the convenience of club level at the same over all cost when you combine a deluxe stay with the dining plan. I'm sorry if I sound like an apostle for club level but I can't believe I didn't get it before this.

Our next trip is a family one to POFQ and Club Level is not available at the Mod's or Values I was just talking to my Sister in law about Green grocer and how we need to organize a list and get 'crackin' on that order. The whole Green Grocer thing, while it will save us some money, is still a pain to have to coordinate and then keep in the room. I find myself fantasizing about starting a Club Level movement in the Mod's and maybe Values. Can you imagine what a disaster Club Level would be in a value. People would be lined up out the door to get into a club level lounge for the chocolate mousse and creme brulee cups! Young children would swear to never again eat Jello chocolate pudding after partaking of the Club Level treats!

Hi Ninja Mom. If I may be so bold, I have a suggestion. Have you considered buying an older DSLR? A few years back after two trips with crappy, blurry pictures, I switched from a p&s to a DSLR. I bought a Pentax k20D (14.6 megapixel w/ tons of bells & whistles) shortly after Pentax released two new models. Granted, I bought it new, but picked it up at half price (~$700). A few months back, I decided to upgrade again. When deciding what to do with, several people who contribute to the photography board suggested selling it (my old camera) to Keh. After checking out their site (keh.com), I noticed that they have a) only buy high quality gear, and b) sell it at a reasonable price. Right now, Keh is selling tons of older cameras at a fraction of the original price. For example, they have about 5 K20s (one of them could be mine!) ranging from $379-$415. Plus they have several of the models that came before (selling for as low as $149) and newer models (including my current camera, a K5, for $665). Of course, before doing so, I strongly suggest that you do research to find a line (Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Sony, etc) and gear (lenses, bag, sd cards, flash, etc) that suits your need. But, with the level digital technology has reached over the last 5-10 years, you can, even in your price range, put together a nice used camera package that will outlast most p&s cameras and allow you to get great shots.

WOW! Thanks for the great idea. I'm going to show this to DH who loves a bargain. He is really the one that would adopt new technology better than me and learn how to work a contraption like that. I just like to push the button. A friend of mine also gave me a great idea. She got tired of her children scowling in pictures all the time so she put a bunch of those kind of pictures on a picture playing frame and put it right by the front door so you see it as soon as you walk in. Her kids were so embarrassed by how they looked that they soon got the message they better shape up and smile when somebody was taking their picture. I told her my boys would get wise and go the other way, hamming it up like the ultimate buffoons when ever a camera came out, thinking that that was funny. Like I said before, we will just have to threaten to take other, more photogenic children to WDW if the cooperation is not there in the picture taking department.

But thanks for the KEH, used idea. My husband will love that!

Sorry to hear about your camera.

I totally sympathize with the lack of cooperation from the teens when you try to take a picture.

I just joined the big girl camera club with a Canon EOS Rebel T3, (around $500 at Sam's Club, 2 lenses, camera case) but so far it is not going well. I need to really sit down with the manual and go out and practice. Or maybe reach out to my photography friends here.

I am still in love with my Panasonic Lumix point & shoot. I think it takes decent pictures, but the main feature I love is that it is waterproof to 40 feet, so I can take it with me everywhere! To the beach, pools, waterparks, snorkeling. I never have to worry about leaving it behind when I go into the water.

I paid under $300 for it about a year ago.

If anyone wants to see some of the pictures I have taken with it, you can check out my Wicked Awesome or Epic Fail trip report or the Atlantis portion of my Welcome Foolish Muggles trip report. (Shameless plug)

Thanks for the recommendation. So you can take this camera on rides and not have to worry about getting it wet? Sounds like my boys They are fond of drowning cell phones

~NM

 

[wdisneyaholic]

I just wanted to make a comment about people parking at YC and going into Epcot. We go every year the last week in July. We had several days where we had trouble finding parking after coming back to the hotel in the evening. So it does fill up.

 

[Karebear]

I'm hoping someone can help me with this. We always order water to be shipped to our room. Last year, we stayed at POR the first night then moved to BC so we just had the water sent to POR and brought it with us to BC the next day. We ordered it from Staples and apparently in Orlando, they just courier it to the hotel. If I order from Staples this year and have it sent to BC and they courier it again, will I still get charged the convention center fee or will the courier deliver it to the hotel?

Would love to know the answer to this as well. We will probably only be needing to order water (if we stay CL) and garden grocer, etc. usually have minimum $ amounts to place an order. Thanks to anyone who knows about this!

 

[ALMinVA]

Two weeks from today the car will be packed and we will be ready for our Yacht Club adventure!
I'm so excited its almost here but know I will be so sad once it's come and gone. I have done so much planning for this vacation and have spent more time on this website that my dh refuses to speak Disney with me!
BUT, I have the best plan for our family - anyone interested in hearing?

Saturday 26 - arrive YC check in Club level (very excited about this part) - check out all CL has to offer. We have stayed CL at Poly but so excited to try something new! Explore YC and perhaps a lunch at Beaches and Cream??
Dinner - Captains Grille and afterwards perhaps a walk into Epcot

Sunday 27 - Breakfast in the lounge, followed by a morning swim at SAB - weather permitting. Head over to MK for a Noon Barber Shop appointment for DS5 - he LOVES to get his haircut and what a great place to do it! I also discovered via these boards the ability to have our silhouettes done and so thats a must too! Dinner in MK at BOG at 6 and then extra magic hours.

Monday 28 early rising for 8am extra hour at AK and then followed by breakfast at Tusker house at 9:45 afterwards back to YC for relaxation time
Back to MK for 3:30 Pirates League visit and then to the CR for the Pirates and Pals Wishes Voyage.

Tuesday - Sea World followed by a Kids Nite Out sitter coming at 6 so the adults could enjoy a dinner with a good friend who happens to be a CM and his wife at Yachtsman

Weds - HS, Epcot...no set plans DH's birthday so 8pm Illuminations cruise out of the YC

Thurs - HS, Epcot...no set plans except dinner at 5:45 50sPTC a first for us

Friday - breakfast at Captains Grill, Noon - DH and DD11 will snorkel the Nemo tank in Epcot followed at 4 DH will scuba dive the nemo tank and ending will be dinner at Coral Reef.

Sat - check out day

I invite comments and suggestions - am completely excited and thrilled to be doing new things this trip. Thanks to everyone who has given advice on my countless questions - YC GV CL here I come and I will find parking

 

[TeenaS]

Two weeks from today the car will be packed and we will be ready for our Yacht Club adventure!
I'm so excited its almost here but know I will be so sad once it's come and gone. I have done so much planning for this vacation and have spent more time on this website that my dh refuses to speak Disney with me!
BUT, I have the best plan for our family - anyone interested in hearing?

Saturday 26 - arrive YC check in Club level (very excited about this part) - check out all CL has to offer. We have stayed CL at Poly but so excited to try something new! Explore YC and perhaps a lunch at Beaches and Cream??
Dinner - Captains Grille and afterwards perhaps a walk into Epcot

Sunday 27 - Breakfast in the lounge, followed by a morning swim at SAB - weather permitting. Head over to MK for a Noon Barber Shop appointment for DS5 - he LOVES to get his haircut and what a great place to do it! I also discovered via these boards the ability to have our silhouettes done and so thats a must too! Dinner in MK at BOG at 6 and then extra magic hours.

Monday 28 early rising for 8am extra hour at AK and then followed by breakfast at Tusker house at 9:45 afterwards back to YC for relaxation time
Back to MK for 3:30 Pirates League visit and then to the CR for the Pirates and Pals Wishes Voyage.

Tuesday - Sea World followed by a Kids Nite Out sitter coming at 6 so the adults could enjoy a dinner with a good friend who happens to be a CM and his wife at Yachtsman

Weds - HS, Epcot...no set plans DH's birthday so 8pm Illuminations cruise out of the YC

Thurs - HS, Epcot...no set plans except dinner at 5:45 50sPTC a first for us

Friday - breakfast at Captains Grill, Noon - DH and DD11 will snorkel the Nemo tank in Epcot followed at 4 DH will scuba dive the nemo tank and ending will be dinner at Coral Reef.

Sat - check out day

I invite comments and suggestions - am completely excited and thrilled to be doing new things this trip. Thanks to everyone who has given advice on my countless questions - YC GV CL here I come and I will find parking

Hope you stop over to the BC lobby and say hi on Sunday.

 

[TeenaS]

We're packed and waiting for 6 AM to arrive tomorrow morning to head down to Ft. Lauderdale. Cannot wait to get on the Celebrity Eclipse!!! Hope everybody at WDW has a wonderful time!!! I'll be back in the lobby on 1/27.

 

[ALMinVA]

We're packed and waiting for 6 AM to arrive tomorrow morning to head down to Ft. Lauderdale. Cannot wait to get on the Celebrity Eclipse!!! Hope everybody at WDW has a wonderful time!!! I'll be back in the lobby on 1/27.

Bon Voyage! Will see you on the 27th!

 

[ekmom]

I just wanted to make a comment about people parking at YC and going into Epcot. We go every year the last week in July. We had several days where we had trouble finding parking after coming back to the hotel in the evening. So it does fill up.

I'm confused by this. How can people get past the guard booth if they're not staying there?

 

[pamkat1820]

Ok it's official!!!! I am no longer a lurker, we have made the final decision! We have 2rooms booked for August 25-september 1st at the Yacht Club CL. I love the beach club it is my first choice but I have to have a balcony it was truly missed on our last visit to POR. 50/50 chance with 2rooms getting balcony I just couldn't take a chance at being disappointed. Or play Rock Paper Scissors with my mom for room with the balcony ;( didn't see that working out well.
I am so excited for our trip I can not wait! This will be our first CL stay, we are celebrating my mom's 60 th bday. I think it's a great way to celebrate

 

[TeenaS]

I'm confused by this. How can people get past the guard booth if they're not staying there?

Say they are there to eat at the Captain's Grill.

 

[AlohaAnnie]

Hi Y&BC peeps. I have been hanging around since booking our next stay BCV. I just saw this news that the new bakery in The France Pavillion would be opening earlier than 11 AM for breakfast. Thought this thread oughta know!
http://www.wdwmagic.com/dining/boul...t-with-early-opening.htm#.UPAzyQ5RzWE.twitter

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards App, please excuse any typos or autocorrects!

I am excited about this

 

[west&east]

Would love to know the answer to this as well. We will probably only be needing to order water (if we stay CL) and garden grocer, etc. usually have minimum $ amounts to place an order. Thanks to anyone who knows about this!

Not sure why you would order water if you stay CL. They will give you as much bottled water as you would like. We practically swam in Evian our last trip. We are heading back in one week and I've heard they now also give smaller bottles for the parks, (they used to just give the larger bottles for the room).