BWI, BC or YC...which one to choose???

[PersonalizedMouse]

We used to stay at the Contemporary and last year we found BWI. We fell in love with it instantly. That being said, part of the beauty was that we were sprinkled some pixie dust and ended up with a boardwalk view for free.

I am reluctant to go back and end up with a parking lot view. I looked at YC and think it is beautiful. My kids seem to prefer BC but I think it looks sterile. Hard to judge from pics. I do like that both offer the standard view garden for a minimal amount of money. Husband wants to go back to BWI. Could anyone else who has stayed in the area give me some of the pros and cons. I would appreciate.

Its been closer to a year and a half and I am jonesing for a Disney trip. This year has stunk, as my mom who was my best friend passed unexpectedly. All I have been thinking about is escaping to Disney. Only the people here would understand that. Just want to go into the Disney bubble for a week and decompress. I wonder which hotel is the best fit.

 

[AJKMOM]

We used to stay at the Contemporary and last year we found BWI. We fell in love with it instantly. That being said, part of the beauty was that we were sprinkled some pixie dust and ended up with a boardwalk view for free.

I am reluctant to go back and end up with a parking lot view. I looked at YC and think it is beautiful. My kids seem to prefer BC but I think it looks sterile. Hard to judge from pics. I do like that both offer the standard view garden for a minimal amount of money. Husband wants to go back to BWI. Could anyone else who has stayed in the area give me some of the pros and cons. I would appreciate.

Its been closer to a year and a half and I am jonesing for a Disney trip. This year has stunk, as my mom who was my best friend passed unexpectedly. All I have been thinking about is escaping to Disney. Only the people here would understand that. Just want to go into the Disney bubble for a week and decompress. I wonder which hotel is the best fit.

I think the BC is beautiful, and it seems that a lot of people with kids like it better..the decor feels "comfortable" to them. If your kids like to swim, then Storm-Along Bay is a good pool option. That being said, we own at BWV and it's nice too. You can't really go wrong with any of them. Maybe pick one for the kids, and you get YC next time?

 

[Babsy]

Yacht Club

Pros

Water view rooms often face Illuminations
MOst rooms have full balconies
Stormalong Bay Access
Closest to the YC/BC boat to Epcot and DHS

Cons

Standard view rooms can be a long confusing walk to lobby
standard view rooms are often the furthest walk to Epcot of any YC/BC rooms


Beach Club

Pros

VERY CLOSE to Epcot
Relaxed decor
Stormalong BAy access
some garden view rooms face a wooded area with Epcot just the other side - can hear music from Epcot

Cons

Many rooms have very small balconies - one person standing only



Boardwalk Inn

Pros

Activities on the Boardwalk just outside your door
Beautiful rooms
Close to DHS and Epcot

Cons

Some rooms very distant from lobby area





I am sure that there are more pros and cons to each but these are the ones that come to me. All three Epcot area resorts are lovely and have much to recommend them. All three are very large and have distant rooms that can feel like a long walk to get to. All three are very convenient to Epcot and DHS. Mostly, it's a choice of which decor appeals to you the most and whether or not Stormalong Bay appeals to you more or the pool at the BW ( better slide, perhaps?). If being so close to Epcot that you feel almost like you are staying there is important, than the BC it is! If you really need a full balcony, then BWI or YC is the best route.

However you do it, you can't really go wrong. These are wonderful resorts with fantastic dining and entertainment choices.

 

[Siriusblack]

We love staying at the Epcot resorts as well, I love Beach Club, but my hubby is a diehard Boardwalk fan. Whenever we decide to stay there, I request "no parking lot view" and have never been dissapointed. He particularly likes a Swan Dolphin view, and since some of those rooms are at the end of long hallways, we have always been accommodated. I know a lot of folks don't appreciate the extra walking, we just use the back stairways instead of coming in through the lobby.

 

[Marthasor]

We've stayed at all three and I prefer YC/BC over BWI. BWI seemed very disconnected to me - I didn't like that we had to walk out to the Boardwalk to go to a restaurant and the lobby did not feel very inviting to me. I also didn't like the clown pool very much.

We stayed BC two years ago (GV) and Yacht Club (SV-CL) last year and I liked both! They offer very different atmospheres. YC was more sedate, while BC was a little more lively. I would say YC is a bit more sterile than BC. I liked YC because it is closer to the boat dock and a little closer to the pool entrance, but also like BC for the proximity to EP. We will be staying BC SV-CL in a few weeks. You can't go wrong with either!

 

[Disneylover99]

I would stay at BC to be closest to Epcot.

 

[jbullard01]

I have only stayed at the Yachtclub out of those three. I agree with the previous poster that the hallways are long and it takes a while to get to the lobby.

The pool area however is one of the best at Walt Disney World. And if you like to be near Epcot and Hollywood studios then that is the resort for you.

Our family favorite is still the BLT with a theme park view!

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Of the 3 I prefer the YC. The BC is great too but the hustle and bustle of the busy lobby and crowded Marketplace can be overwhelming if you are looking for something quiet and calm. BC has a lot more children running around and the YC tends to have more adults and convention people. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of families and children at the YC too, but the BC just seems to have more, probably because of BCV. Obviously the 2 resorts share a lot of the same amenities, SAB, restaurants, etc, so you kind of get the best of both worlds all rolled into one.

The BWI is nice too, but the layout of the hotel bugs me a bit. The main pool seems so far away and the places to get food and drinks are down on the Boardwalk which isn't super convenient to the BWI rooms. I wish they had more access points to the hotel from the Boardwalk, like maybe an elevator down on the ESPN end. Walking back from Epcot you have to go all the way past the BWI and double back once you go upstairs. BC has them beat for sure with the side door on the Epcot end. Makes for such a quick walk!

Really you can't go wrong with any of them. A lot of it boils down to personal preference. If you really loved the BWI last time chances are you'll love it again.

 

[mickeynut1]

We used to stay at the Contemporary and last year we found BWI. We fell in love with it instantly. That being said, part of the beauty was that we were sprinkled some pixie dust and ended up with a boardwalk view for free.

I am reluctant to go back and end up with a parking lot view. I looked at YC and think it is beautiful. My kids seem to prefer BC but I think it looks sterile. Hard to judge from pics. I do like that both offer the standard view garden for a minimal amount of money. Husband wants to go back to BWI. Could anyone else who has stayed in the area give me some of the pros and cons. I would appreciate.

Its been closer to a year and a half and I am jonesing for a Disney trip. This year has stunk, as my mom who was my best friend passed unexpectedly. All I have been thinking about is escaping to Disney. Only the people here would understand that. Just want to go into the Disney bubble for a week and decompress. I wonder which hotel is the best fit.

I'm sorry about your loss .

Out of the 3 we've only stayed at the BC and loved the resort. With that said, we have visited the YC and BWI many times over the years and I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. With that said, if a balcony is important, you might want to go with the YC or BWI as not all rooms at the BC have a full balcony.

 

[thisismyusername]

I can relate to your feelings about your mom. I lost mine 8 years ago, and she was also my best friend, and I still miss her daily.

I have stayed at all three.

Out of the three, Beach Club is my least favorite. I'd stay there again after they refurb it, but I'd request a full balcony.

As for BW/YC, for us, it's a tie. Our family has been deciding what to do for a split stay next year when we'll be at the GF for a week and then are moving over to an Epcot resort. My husband and I talked about it and couldn't decide, so we left it up to our kids, and they can't decide, either. So I think we're just going to see which offers the best rate and go from there.

If the pools aren't deciding factors for you (they aren't for us--we like both pools--Luna Park is much more relaxing for us, but the kids like SAB a slightly bit more, but we don't like it nearly as much because we can't keep an eye on all three kids at once, so we don't feel like we ever get a chance to relax), I think it comes down to deciding which is more important to you:

-better bus service
-better theming

Busses: Because they share with the Swan and Dolphin, the Boardwalk bus tends to have a much more congested queue when leaving the parks than the BC/YC bus. For us, we often hopped onto the BC/YC bus and got off at the YC and walked over to the Boardwalk. Not a big deal for us since we didn't mind walking a bit more (what's another 1/4 mile after spending a whole day walking?), but if that would be an issue for you with smaller kids or mobility issues, you might want to pick the YC.

Theming: The YC is gorgeous, but it really doesn't have a fun vibe to it. The BW is also gorgeous, but it edges out the YC with the truly enjoyable and relaxing activities on the boardwalk at night and in the hotel. My kids (and me and my husband) loved the jugglers and the magicians and grabbing an ice cream from Seashore Sweets at night. We live on the east coast and usually vacation at Jersey beaches, so it felt comfortable for us and like we hadn't missed out on our typical summer vacation.

I don't think you can go wrong with either.

 

[Scott MC]

I really love all three, but BWI, by a tiny margin is my favorite. I know you are worried about a pkng lot view, but there are so many standard view rooms at BWI that face the lovely inner gardens, that the chances are slim. When you check-in, politely ask if you could have a room that doesn't overlook the front entrance and parking lot. This isn't a guarantee, but I think you'll be ok.
I love YC and BC. also. BC is a lot more bustling with the villas, and the "waiting room" for Cape May Cafe being in the lobby. YC is a bit more refined, and quiet. I prefer BC mainly because I like the rooms more. I don't find them sterile at all. I find them relaxing, elegant, and they lightly wink at the beachy theme, whereas at YC, whereas the rest of the place feels very elegant, the rooms seem a bit kitschy and hit you over the head with the theme. That's my opinion though. I'm sure others would disagree. As others here have said, you really can't go wrong with any of the 3. For the longest time, I thought I was a non-negotiable monorail loop fan, but I have been 100% converted, and DP and I have decided that from here on out, when the money allows, we'll stay at BC/YC/BWI, and when money is a little thin, we'll stay at the Swan or Dolphin, because we love the Epcot Resort Loop so much!

If you really loved BWI, don't let a little parking lot view scare you....just note it on your reservation that you'd prefer not to look at the parking lot, and ask again at check-in.

 

[LisaCM614]

I am so sorry for your loss.

BWI is DH's favorite. Disney is not totally his thing so if staying at BWI helps us all get another Disney trip - BW it is! We all like BW too though - the background music, the scent of the lobby, the decor. The kids like how Luna park isn't a total zoo like SAB. They can go up and down the slide as much as they want without massive lines, there is marshmallow roasting right next to the pool in the evening - its all good! WE have had lovely views of the quiet pool - which means you can see the Eifel tower and Illuminations! Guess we were lucky!

We ate dinner over at YC. I did not like YC because of the suits in the lobby! Too many people at work conventions - made me remember work bleh
But it was quite lovely.

We liked BC quite a bit, I didn't see how old your kids were but SAB can be difficult if you have kids who are good swimmers and some that are not - it means the family needs to be divided. The big kids go to the fun busy part of SAB and the littles over to the shallow sandy part or across the walkway for the littles slide. All of it is very fun - just food for thought. If they are all big kids then no big deal here.
I hated how the lobby smelled like fish everynight. That really grossed me out. A seafood restaurant shouldn't have to smell fishy!

You will be happy no matter where you pick! The Epcot resorts are my fav!

 

[Pakey]

I've done multiple vacations at each of these resorts; I've done CL at each and then non CL.

My order of preference is BWI, YC and then BC. Those small standing room only balconies at BC seal the deal for me there. I like the BC resort better than YC except for those balconies.

Overall, I just like BWI better. I did CL with a boardwalk view and I did a non CL with a standard view. I love this resort even with a standard view.

Disclaimer: no kids in our party. SAB is not a favorite of mine. If your kids are swimmers and old enough to wander the pool complex, I could see why they would choose to stay there.

 

[cluvsdisney]

I love the BW!! You know all the pros & cons from staying there. The BW view is really something but we had a parking lot view once or twice and it's really not terrible because the grounds are really well landscaped. I'll take that over the smokehouse view at the Wilderness Lodge any day. But I think the view is one of their bookable categories.

The BC/YC don't appeal to me because I don't like the looks of SAB (gasp! ha!). It always looks crowded and I don't like that it's right on the walkway to Epcot and that you have to leave the pool area to go on the slide. Luna Park is tucked away and feels spacious.