Contemporary or Beach Club?

[Wood Nymph]

I wish there was a curtain at the BC in the sink area. 2 people could get dressed at the same time or one could be in the shower/on the toilet while the other is getting dressed.

As another poster pointed out, the YC has installed a barn door so you can have a private dressing area. For what its worth, many of the deluxe resorts have an open sink area.

The sandy kids pool area at Storm Along Bay is a great place for young kids. They love playing there and there are plenty of pool chairs for mom and dad surrounding this area. The kids meals from Hurricane Hanna's come in a plastic pail with a shovel so the kids can use them when they play in the sand. There are always extra pails laying around the pool that anyone can use. There are also plenty of life jackets for children, too.

We love the BC/YC for its location mostly. It is really nice to be able to walk into Epcot at any time for food or to watch one of the bands or to just walk around the World Showcase. The boat to DHS is nice, too. You will only have to take buses to MK and AK for the parks. The MK bus is approximately a 15 minute ride. This is a shorter ride than it would be if you had to take two monorails from the Contemporary to get to Epcot. You would also have to go through bag check twice when you switch to the Epcot monorail at the Ticket and Transportation Center.

The Contemporary shares the bus to DHS, AK and Disney Springs with Wilderness Lodge. The bus picks up and drops off at WL first, then goes to the Contemporary.

We had done a split stay once and that was a GF/BC split. We concentrated on MK and AK when we stayed at the GF. Then we went to DHS and Epcot when we were at the BC. It worked out well for us because there were just two of us so we called a taxi and took our luggage with us. We got the text that our room was ready at the BC before we even left the GF. So we were able to walk straight to our room when we got to the BC. We did lose the morning, though, with packing and transferring to the other resort. But it was a great way to handle the problem of getting to Epcot from a monorail resort. The line for the monorail back to MK from Epcot at night was super long. That was a big turn off and what prompted us to do a split stay. We love being able to walk into Epcot so that is the main reason we stay at the BC or YC.

 

[monorailsilver]

As another poster pointed out, the YC has installed a barn door so you can have a private dressing area. For what its worth, many of the deluxe resorts have an open sink area.

Yeah I saw that. Hopefully they do it at the BC too! It would be great. The Poly sink (well in the room we were in) was with in the toilet/tub area. But it was huge and I had a spot to put clothes. Oh but the hook for the towel was in an odd spot, not with in arms reach of the shower.

I think they also need more hooks for the walls, lol! Little things, especially when there are 5 of us In a and we all shower and would use our towel again, there is only so much space to hang them.

 

[Momma_Lanier]

As another poster pointed out, the YC has installed a barn door so you can have a private dressing area. For what its worth, many of the deluxe resorts have an open sink area.

The sandy kids pool area at Storm Along Bay is a great place for young kids. They love playing there and there are plenty of pool chairs for mom and dad surrounding this area. The kids meals from Hurricane Hanna's come in a plastic pail with a shovel so the kids can use them when they play in the sand. There are always extra pails laying around the pool that anyone can use. There are also plenty of life jackets for children, too.

We love the BC/YC for its location mostly. It is really nice to be able to walk into Epcot at any time for food or to watch one of the bands or to just walk around the World Showcase. The boat to DHS is nice, too. You will only have to take buses to MK and AK for the parks. The MK bus is approximately a 15 minute ride. This is a shorter ride than it would be if you had to take two monorails from the Contemporary to get to Epcot. You would also have to go through bag check twice when you switch to the Epcot monorail at the Ticket and Transportation Center.

The Contemporary shares the bus to DHS, AK and Disney Springs with Wilderness Lodge. The bus picks up and drops off at WL first, then goes to the Contemporary.

We had done a split stay once and that was a GF/BC split. We concentrated on MK and AK when we stayed at the GF. Then we went to DHS and Epcot when we were at the BC. It worked out well for us because there were just two of us so we called a taxi and took our luggage with us. We got the text that our room was ready at the BC before we even left the GF. So we were able to walk straight to our room when we got to the BC. We did lose the morning, though, with packing and transferring to the other resort. But it was a great way to handle the problem of getting to Epcot from a monorail resort. The line for the monorail back to MK from Epcot at night was super long. That was a big turn off and what prompted us to do a split stay. We love being able to walk into Epcot so that is the main reason we stay at the BC or YC.

I had no idea the Contemporary shared buses! I also didn't realize it took awhile to ride the monorail to Epcot from Contemporary. I love the idea of being able to walk to Epcot, HS and the Boardwalk. Are you able to be let in the park for rope drop when you walk to Epcot?

 

[Momma_Lanier]

Sure. I love how small the resort is. We just did a split stay at both and I wish we had stayed at the contemporary the whole time. It’s so much smaller and I love that everyone is in one place on the 4th floor. Chef mickeys, plus the quick service and stores. Plus the drink station is open 24 hours. We also spend our most time at mk, so the convenience is awesome.

The pool is fine and we love the quietness of the whole area.

The yacht club for me personally way too spread out and I don’t love the sand in the bottom of the pool. There is also not someplace to fill my drink 24 hours and we do late nights.

Great reasons to choose the Contemporary! Did you stay in the main tower or garden wing?

 

[ice cube]

Go with the Beach Club and not just because of SAB but for the all around feel you get when your at that resort. Contemporary has a cold feel too modern for our taste. Being on
the monorail and close to MK still can't match what BC gives you.

 

[Momma_Lanier]

Go with the Beach Club and not just because of SAB but for the all around feel you get when your at that resort. Contemporary has a cold feel too modern for our taste. Being on
the monorail and close to MK still can't match what BC gives you.

Good points!

 

[Spunky946]

Great reasons to choose the Contemporary! Did you stay in the main tower or garden wing?

We were booked in a garden room and paid to upgrade to a theme park view, which was amazing

 

[fairygagamother]

Split stay for sure! If not, Beach Club.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I had no idea the Contemporary shared buses! I also didn't realize it took awhile to ride the monorail to Epcot from Contemporary. I love the idea of being able to walk to Epcot, HS and the Boardwalk. Are you able to be let in the park for rope drop when you walk to Epcot?

Yes, the International Gateway opens at the same time that the main entrance opens for Epcot. And it is a 5 minute walk from the closest room in the BC to Epcot.

 

[Karen46]

I would definitely split stay. We are doing 4 nights at the CR resort and then moving to the YC because we want to be able to walk to the parks as well. You get to experience so much during the split. They transfer the luggage and it really is not that big of a deal to switch. Beach club pool is wonderful and the kids loved it every time we went. SPLIT is my vote!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I absolutely love the vibe of the Epcot area. We did a Poly/BC split last trip and we absolutely loved both stays but preferred BC. We loved it so much we are staying at BWV this trip. I love the ability to walk to two parks. It's gorgeous at night. And the pool really is amazing.

I wouldn't do a split with 3 small kids.

 

[Jillm09]

It was different sections and was tough with multiple children to watch them. We had 3 kids ages 11,6 and 1. We just like 1 big pool.

Ugh. I was planning to stay here but will have a 2.5 year old then. Tell me more about this.....

th

 

[Ladyandthepuppies]

I stayed at the BC when I was about 8 and the pool took my breath away. Stormalong Bay is seriously incredible, if you stay at the BC you might even want to do a park-free day and just enjoy the pool. But if your youngest is 3 that could make things more complicated. We are going with my 5 year old and 2.5 year old and staying at the Contemporary. My kids aren't strong enough swimmers yet to really enjoy Stormalong Bay. I am definitely looking forward to staying at the BC in a few years! We stayed at the Contemporary last year too, and we enjoyed walking to MK. We got park hoppers and rope dropped MK every morning, then whenever it started getting crowded we would hop to a different park. It is also a really good compromise with my husband who loves to sleep in vs. me who loves to rope drop. He can get a few extra mins of zzz's because I know we don't have to worry about the bus schedule, and we get to go through separate security that isn't usually crowded.

 

[rstevens333]

I love this. Would you recommend staying in the main tower or garden wing? I've heard people like garden wing to be closer to pool but the main tower has a special feel to it as you're right in the middle of it all!

The tower is *super* cool, but you can save a lot of money with a good garden wing deal. I like both, but give the edge to the tower.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

The tower is *super* cool, but you can save a lot of money with a good garden wing deal. I like both, but give the edge to the tower.

I actually thought the garden wings would be much less expensive than the tower, than it actually is. I have stayed in both and like things about both to be honest. But I just expected the price to be much lower in the garden wings than it is. However, I guess location alone of the CR demands the high price in the GW.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

I would definitely split stay. We are doing 4 nights at the CR resort and then moving to the YC because we want to be able to walk to the parks as well. You get to experience so much during the split. They transfer the luggage and it really is not that big of a deal to switch. Beach club pool is wonderful and the kids loved it every time we went. SPLIT is my vote!

Do you do an even split ?

 

[rstevens333]

I actually thought the garden wings would be much less expensive than the tower, than it actually is. I have stayed in both and like things about both to be honest. But I just expected the price to be much lower in the garden wings than it is. However, I guess location alone of the CR demands the high price in the GW.

It really depends. I've searched busier weeks and the garden wing rooms are all super expensive. I've looked on dead weeks and seen stuff right around $300, which is comparable to Wilderness Lodge.

(admittedly, some of these were passholder prices.)

 

[moonshadow]

My vote is BC. So relaxing, the pool is fantastic and so close to Epcot and Boardwalk. The Contemporary just doesn't give me the same feeling I want when I walk through it. It feels more like a normal hotel if you know what I mean.

 

[goodeats]

I would do BC. We just got back and I was surprised at how old and dilapidated the monorails looked. We only rode them a few times, but when I did I held my breath thinking we'd get stuck any minute. This may be an unpopular opinion though.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

The Contemporary just doesn't give me the same feeling I want when I walk through it. It feels more like a normal hotel if you know what I mean.

That's what my hubby says...