2012 Beach and Yacht FAQ ~ March, April and May ~Do Not Post Here-Old Thread

[mbtohill]

We check in on 5/8, surprising my DD's (11&9), they have NO IDEA!!!

Question, I will be getting up early and going to BC to check in while kids are sleeping at our timeshare offsite. Plan on checking in at 7am, should I expect lines that early in the morning? Also, how long does the check in process take??

Thanks

 

[Avery&Todd]

I have never taken ME, we always rent a car but I toyed with the idea this year and did look into it. Some posted being thrillled that 90 minutes later in their hotel, etc. things ran super smooth etc. I personally think you are cutting it sort of close. Who knows how long you have to wait for ME, check in, etc. I don't know.....I hope it works but boy that is tight...

I also think 12:15 is cutting it too close with a 9:40am arrival into MCO. There are just too many factors involved that can cause any type of delay - flight delay, long lines at ME and just the fact that the ME bus is shared with other resorts when heading to BC. On the last trip we went to CBR, then BWI, then BC. It was a full hour after checking in with ME until we were at BC. I'd say you won't be even on the ME bus until 10:30 after deplaning & taking the tram over to the terminal, then walking down to ME, checking in, waiting in line, etc. Once at BC, you have to walk to the boat to head to DHS, and if you've just missed one, you could wait 20 min. for another. And being SWW, there could be long lines at security & the tunstyles to get it.

I'd keep checking daily for a later ADR. Sometimes they just open up out of the blue!

We have taken ME twice now; once to OKW and once to BW. Both times we got off the plane, walked to ME counter, got on the bus and were at our resort in less than one hour (DH set his watch both times the minute we got off the plane). One time was 55 minutes and one time was 50 minutes. We landed both times in the 9-10 am time period. Boat service over to HS was really quick when we were at BC last week. but, the boats only run every 20 minutes, so if you happen to miss one boat, it can be a long wait until the next one. Once you leave the dock at BC, you then go over to the Swolphin, then it takes about 8 mintues from there to get to HS.

Personally I think you should be able to make it. BUT, I would be much happier if you were able to get a later ADR just to be safe.

OK - I think that I'll keep trying to get a later reservation - I just dont want to be so worried all morning about making it to lunch on time!!

DANG my DH for wanting to fly!! hehehehe...

and wouldnt you know, the dining reservation system is DOWN....

 

[jmkrat]

We check in on 5/8, surprising my DD's (11&9), they have NO IDEA!!!

Question, I will be getting up early and going to BC to check in while kids are sleeping at our timeshare offsite. Plan on checking in at 7am, should I expect lines that early in the morning? Also, how long does the check in process take??

Thanks

How did you manage to keep it a surprise? Good for you! I don't know about the Beach Club, I have checked in very late and very early at other resorts and it wasn't crowded. How exciting, Good luck

 

[ajpa]

We are getting in late (6 pm arrival at airport) and our one room request at BC is a daybed (2 kids can't share beds).
I didn't even try requesting a full balcony since I really want the daybed. Our plan B is a rolling cot.

Does checking in late pose any possible problems in getting either the daybed or the cot?

Thanks!

 

[TeenaS]

We are getting in late (6 pm arrival at airport) and our one room request at BC is a daybed (2 kids can't share beds).
I didn't even try requesting a full balcony since I really want the daybed. Our plan B is a rolling cot.

Does checking in late pose any possible problems in getting either the daybed or the cot?

Thanks!

The rollaway bed will not be a problem if you don't get a daybed.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Hi everyone,

We are staying at the Yacht Club next month. We were wondering if anyone knew whether or not there is any construction going on near the gazebo. We are booked into the CL garden view and heard that the view we would have.
Thanks!

Bumping for you!!

 

[uziel5000]

I dont know what the "epcot route" is, but your best bet would be just to hop on the bus from the resort. The busses on go from the resorts to DTD which causes a huge issue for us since, back in the day, we would hop on a bus from whatever park we were in to do a little shopping at DTD mid day and then go back to a park at night. Having to go to a resort to get on the bus is just a pain!

Yes, the EPCOT route... lol

At the beggining of the thread, one of the suggestions is to take the bus from YC to DTD but to return, just take a bus to EPCOT, then work your way to the back entrance (doing some rides, grabbing a bite etc..) and walk to the resort. Of course, to do this you need a park hopper.

Which BTW, I'm seriously considering after the feedback here.

 

[TeenaS]

Yes, the EPCOT route... lol

At the beggining of the thread, one of the suggestions is to take the bus from YC to DTD but to return, just take a bus to EPCOT, then work your way to the back entrance (doing some rides, grabbing a bite etc..) and walk to the resort. Of course, to do this you need a park hopper.

Which BTW, I'm seriously considering after the feedback here.

They do not have buses to the parks from DTD. They eliminated park buses because people would park at DTD for free and take the bus to the parks.

 

[scottmel]

Bumping for you!!

that is my favorite view the YC CL GV. There are going to be 4 rooms that face that area. My favorite is the third from the right. best sideways lagoon view. 2nd from right is ok but you are blocked by part of support thing on your balcony from seeing lagoon. Your other choice will be the room overlooking the walkway to the front steps. Sorry no consturction details but wanted to explain the rooms to you! This is YC GV CL Gazebo

 

[mbtohill]

How did you manage to keep it a surprise? Good for you! I don't know about the Beach Club, I have checked in very late and very early at other resorts and it wasn't crowded. How exciting, Good luck

JMKRAT, we are spending the first 5 days of our trip at our timeshare off property, so business as usual for the kids, 5/8 is our scheduled "pool day", so we plan on waking them up and springing the surprise on them that morning!!! Honestly not sure who is going to be more excited, me or the girls.

 

[natebenma]

Yes, the EPCOT route... lol

At the beggining of the thread, one of the suggestions is to take the bus from YC to DTD but to return, just take a bus to EPCOT, then work your way to the back entrance (doing some rides, grabbing a bite etc..) and walk to the resort. Of course, to do this you need a park hopper.

Which BTW, I'm seriously considering after the feedback here.

They do not have buses to the parks from DTD. They eliminated park buses because people would park at DTD for free and take the bus to the parks.

The "EPCOT Route" is my scheme. When we are done at DTD, we take one of the resort boats to a DTD resort (OKW, SS, POR) and then take a bus to EP from there. The boat ride is nice and relaxing for us, and as mentioned above, we enjoy attractions in EP on our way back to BC.

As noted, hoppers needed, and you need to do this before EP closes.

We used to save a Soarin' FP that we would pull right after leaving the park in the morning, so that would be one of our attractions on the way back.

.

We are getting in late (6 pm arrival at airport) and our one room request at BC is a daybed (2 kids can't share beds).
I didn't even try requesting a full balcony since I really want the daybed. Our plan B is a rolling cot.

Does checking in late pose any possible problems in getting either the daybed or the cot?

Thanks!

The rollaway bed will not be a problem if you don't get a daybed.

I just wanted to add (and I think I need to add the info up front)- that if you don't get the daybed, request the rollaway like Teena say, AND you can also request to be moved to a room with a daybed later in your stay if one becomes available, and if that is not too much of a PITA to your family.

 

[abcangie87]

50 hours from now, God willing all goes right, we'll be checking in to Beach Club for our one night 'at the beach'!!

I've read thru much of this thread, but life has me a little stressed right now and my brain has kind of gone to mush so I wanted to throw out a few last minute questions to you all please!

Stormalong Bay, is the whole pool complex all connected? like, can you stay in the water to go between the beachy kids area to...sinking sands....the wave pool area...etc? or do you have to walk between features? (I know, weird question. I'm a dork).

Sounds like we will want to take a cab back from DTD that night after we eat at Wolfgang Puck Express. Can we catch one on the end by the Christmas store? (I get turned around at DTD very easily!).

Sunday morning we will get up, send our bags off to Bay Lake, and head over to Hollywood Studios. We have DD4 and DD8. Would you walk or take a boat?

What is the 'secret passage way' from BC to Epcot? We are doing dinner there later in the week and plan on heading over to Worldshowcase after that.

What is "IPO"? I saw this mentioned a time or two in recent posts.

Oh and if you want to add me to the Guestlist, feel free abcangie87 with DH, DD4 and DD8 staying one night, April 28th, in a studio at the villas.

Thanks in advance!

 

[TeenaS]

50 hours from now, God willing all goes right, we'll be checking in to Beach Club for our one night 'at the beach'!!

I've read thru much of this thread, but life has me a little stressed right now and my brain has kind of gone to mush so I wanted to throw out a few last minute questions to you all please!

Stormalong Bay, is the whole pool complex all connected? like, can you stay in the water to go between the beachy kids area to...sinking sands....the wave pool area...etc? or do you have to walk between features? (I know, weird question. I'm a dork).

Sounds like we will want to take a cab back from DTD that night after we eat at Wolfgang Puck Express. Can we catch one on the end by the Christmas store? (I get turned around at DTD very easily!).

Sunday morning we will get up, send our bags off to Bay Lake, and head over to Hollywood Studios. We have DD4 and DD8. Would you walk or take a boat?

What is the 'secret passage way' from BC to Epcot? We are doing dinner there later in the week and plan on heading over to Worldshowcase after that.

What is "IPO"? I saw this mentioned a time or two in recent posts.

Oh and if you want to add me to the Guestlist, feel free abcangie87 with DH, DD4 and DD8 staying one night, April 28th, in a studio at the villas.

Thanks in advance!

Stormalong Bay, is the whole pool complex all connected? like, can you stay in the water to go between the beachy kids area to...sinking sands....the wave pool area...etc? or do you have to walk between features? (I know, weird question. I'm a dork). SAB is three separate pools. To get from the kids' beachy area to the lazy river, you must exit the one area and enter the second area. Same with Sinking sands, etc.

Sounds like we will want to take a cab back from DTD that night after we eat at Wolfgang Puck Express. Can we catch one on the end by the Christmas store? (I get turned around at DTD very easily!). Not sure about the Christmas Store but loads of cabs hang out at the road by Basin and World of Disney.

Sunday morning we will get up, send our bags off to Bay Lake, and head over to Hollywood Studios. We have DD4 and DD8. Would you walk or take a boat?
I'd take the boat. It's over a mile.

What is the 'secret passage way' from BC to Epcot? We are doing dinner there later in the week and plan on heading over to Worldshowcase after that. You can stay in the BC building and head towards room 1501. There is an exit door right next to room 1501. The only reason I'd use this door is if it were real hot and I wanted to stay in air conditioning as much as possible.

What is "IPO"? I saw this mentioned a time or two in recent posts. Itinerary Planning Office.

 

[abk96]

The rollaway bed will not be a problem if you don't get a daybed.

Now I've called Disney twice on this question about a daybed and needing to request one and have been told twice that I don't need to request because we have 5 people in our party and we will automatically be given a daybed. The second time I called I was asked what room category we booked and I told them garden and the person said that we will be given a daybed.

Is this true? I sure hope so.

 

[Mississippianna]

OK - I need some expert advice from everyone who has taken the ME from MCO and then stayed at the BC...

We fly into MCO at 9:40am on a Friday morning - we'll be taking the ME to the BC - about how long will it take us to deplane, get through ME (we've never used it before!!) and the bussed over to the BC??

I think it might be do-able, but you should keep checking for a later ADR. I don't know if Sci-Fi is a restaurant with the late cancellation/no show penalty, but be aware of that as well. Now that there's a fee for not making it to some dining reservations, I hesitate to make any ADRs at all on the day we fly in. You never know if a flight will be delayed or something.

In our ME to the BC experience, BC was the last stop of three. We walked right on to the bus once we got down to ME, but then pulling away from the airport to actually checking in at BC was probably almost an hour. I think "allow 90 minutes" is a pretty good rule of thumb.

Good luck! Have a great trip!

 

[outahere]

Hi everyone,

We are staying at the Yacht Club next month. We were wondering if anyone knew whether or not there is any construction going on near the gazebo. We are booked into the CL garden view and heard that the view we would have.
Thanks!

We were in a GV CL room last week that faced the gazebo and we couldn't see any construction. They have been working on the siding since at least last August and last week they were working on the main courtyard side of the building and at the end of the wing that faces the lagoon and marina.

 

[mmmears]

They do not have buses to the parks from DTD. They eliminated park buses because people would park at DTD for free and take the bus to the parks.

Does this apply to TL, too? I'm asking since we wanted to take a bus from TL to DTD for lunch (I know they are close, but not close enough for us to walk it).

 

[disneyxo]

Where is this thread at please?

www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2069267
or this one http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=62582&highlight=illuminations+cruise

Hopefully the links work, if not if you do a search with "Illuminations cruise" you should find the thread and maybe even more options.

 

[333disneymom]

To everyone traveling in the next week or so- hope you all have FANTASTIC trips!!!

Thanks Dee! Getting super excited.

We check in on 5/8, surprising my DD's (11&9), they have NO IDEA!!!

Question, I will be getting up early and going to BC to check in while kids are sleeping at our timeshare offsite. Plan on checking in at 7am, should I expect lines that early in the morning? Also, how long does the check in process take??

Thanks

So exciting! We did the surprise trip before too, and the reactions were great! Try to tape their reactions if you can. It's so fun to look back at the video.

 

[Avery&Todd]

I think it might be do-able, but you should keep checking for a later ADR. I don't know if Sci-Fi is a restaurant with the late cancellation/no show penalty, but be aware of that as well. Now that there's a fee for not making it to some dining reservations, I hesitate to make any ADRs at all on the day we fly in. You never know if a flight will be delayed or something.

In our ME to the BC experience, BC was the last stop of three. We walked right on to the bus once we got down to ME, but then pulling away from the airport to actually checking in at BC was probably almost an hour. I think "allow 90 minutes" is a pretty good rule of thumb.

Good luck! Have a great trip!

GOOD CALL!!! I hadnt even thought of that!!

But I just checked and Sci-Fi is NOT under the new $10/pp cancellation policy - and neither is 50s Prime Time...but like Brown Derby does have that disclaimer on their website..

phew..

Im going to keep looking for a later ressie..

you guys are the BEST!!!