Disney's YACHT & BEACH CLUB RESORTS Information & Questions

[QueenElinor]

Starting a few years ago now Disney started making it more difficult to just drop or add days to a reservation. Now, instead of simply dropping or adding the days, the new dates you want to book have to be available in their system under the discount you want to use. The days you are dropping don't count. For example, if you have Oct 21-27 booked and want to change it to the 21-16, Disney has to have the 21-26th available under the discount (or rack rate if that is the case) you want to use prior to you dropping your dates. Same for adding. If the days you want to add are available, but the entire time including the added days isn't available, they might not be able to give you the longer stay unless you want a second reservation for the added days. I have heard some people have luck getting guest services involved and overriding this, but that the reservation CM cannot do this. It is supposedly to avoid rogue single nights or short openings they have trouble booking. It makes it a lot harder to change dates after you have booked, and I personally hate it. Did I explain that well enough? It can be hard to figure out, because it feels like the days ARE available, since you already have them, you just want to drop a night or 2. But they don't look at it that way.

Yup. I believe that's what I'm running into right now. I felt like this was going to happen and so made an alternative reservation for one set of dates. I have gone back to change my other reservation to a set of dates that is one day longer. The system will not allow the change, and so I need to call them to do it. I'll let you all know what I find. It's a package (which I kind of now regret) at rack rate, but at least I have pre-10/16 tickets.

 

[AimeeAurora]

Hi all! I love these resort specific threads! We are staying at BC in a 1br Villa from 10/27-11/3. I'm so excited to have a bedroom! We have a 5 year old, and always felt like prisoners after he would go to sleep! We have stayed at the Contemporary Garden Wing and POR in the past. We loooove EPCOT, so the hubby is very excited to just walk over.

How long does it take to walk to the Boardwalk from BC? I've never been over to that area and thought it might make for a nice evening outing. Thanks!

 

[jlundeen]

This was posted on the Rumors thread:

My husband sent an email last night to George Kalogridis , an executive at Disney. We received a phone call this morning with the following answer:
1. There will be no pedestrian impact on the IG during the construction of the skyliner.
2. Yes there will be an impact on the Friendship Boats to Epcot.
3. There will be no impact on the Friendship boats to HS.
4. There will be no impact on the walkway to HS.
5. They apologized that no formal notice has gone out and they are working on a formal notice to be sent out.​

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

This was posted on the Rumors thread:

My husband sent an email last night to George Kalogridis , an executive at Disney. We received a phone call this morning with the following answer:
1. There will be no pedestrian impact on the IG during the construction of the skyliner.
2. Yes there will be an impact on the Friendship Boats to Epcot.
3. There will be no impact on the Friendship boats to HS.
4. There will be no impact on the walkway to HS.
5. They apologized that no formal notice has gone out and they are working on a formal notice to be sent out.​

Hopefully this is true! I think most of us could manage without a boat ride to and from Epcot.

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

Hi all! I love these resort specific threads! We are staying at BC in a 1br Villa from 10/27-11/3. I'm so excited to have a bedroom! We have a 5 year old, and always felt like prisoners after he would go to sleep! We have stayed at the Contemporary Garden Wing and POR in the past. We loooove EPCOT, so the hubby is very excited to just walk over.

How long does it take to walk to the Boardwalk from BC? I've never been over to that area and thought it might make for a nice evening outing. Thanks!

Roughly a 10 minute walk or so and it’s a wonderful stroll around especially at night with all the lights and activities.

 

[gwynne]

This was posted on the Rumors thread:

My husband sent an email last night to George Kalogridis , an executive at Disney. We received a phone call this morning with the following answer:
1. There will be no pedestrian impact on the IG during the construction of the skyliner.
2. Yes there will be an impact on the Friendship Boats to Epcot.
3. There will be no impact on the Friendship boats to HS.
4. There will be no impact on the walkway to HS.
5. They apologized that no formal notice has gone out and they are working on a formal notice to be sent out.​

@jlundeen This information is very helpful to me, thanks!

 

[jlundeen]

@jlundeen Many thanks to you and your husband for emailing Mr. K, and then posting details. The information you received is so very helpful to me.

I'd love to take credit for it, but it wasn't us that wrote in or got the call... ha ha ha.... just passing this along since we've had discussion here also.... And I have a trip booked at YC end of November and was just as concerned as some of the rest of of the folks here.... I can work with "no boat to Epcot..." was way more concerned for my group having to walk to HS....

 

[bphilb]

I'm sure this has been discussed on here before so I apologize, but when I look at the Beach Club I notice a lot of different size balconies with some appearing to be very small and only suitable for a standing adult. Is that the case or am I missing something. I was looking at the studio's but a normal size balcony is important to me and my wife as we like to hang out after the kids go to bed.

 

[ninafeliz]

I'm sure this has been discussed on here before so I apologize, but when I look at the Beach Club I notice a lot of different size balconies with some appearing to be very small and only suitable for a standing adult. Is that the case or am I missing something. I was looking at the studio's but a normal size balcony is important to me and my wife as we like to hang out after the kids go to bed.

At the Beach Club resort, there are about 50% full balconies and 50% Juliette (standing only) balconies. You can request a full balcony, but cannot guarantee one. At the Beach Club Villas they all have full balconies. The yacht Club also has all full balconies. So if by studio you mean at the Beach Club Villas, then you will have either a full balcony or patio (of on the first floor).

 

[bphilb]

At the Beach Club resort, there are about 50% full balconies and 50% Juliette (standing only) balconies. You can request a full balcony, but cannot guarantee one. At the Beach Club Villas they all have full balconies. The yacht Club also has all full balconies. So if by studio you mean at the Beach Club Villas, then you will have either a full balcony or patio (of on the first floor).

Perfect. That is exactly what I was wanting to know. Thanks for your help.

 

[Pookie9922]

Can someone give me a rough idea of how much time we should leave to get from the BC to MK and to AK in the morning? And how much time should we leave if we take Friendship boats to HS (now that it looks like they'll be running!) vs if we walk to HS? I'm trying to plan out what time we need to leave for Rope Drop days. And how much time should we leave for bag check? Does bag check take longer at any parks vs others?

 

[Candlelady]

At the Beach Club resort, there are about 50% full balconies and 50% Juliette (standing only) balconies. You can request a full balcony, but cannot guarantee one. At the Beach Club Villas they all have full balconies. The yacht Club also has all full balconies. So if by studio you mean at the Beach Club Villas, then you will have either a full balcony or patio (of on the first floor).

There are two basic types of balconies at the Villas. One is quite small and the two chairs and table barely fit. There is no room to move at all. The other size is the same depth, but twice as long. When we get the small balcony we don't use it at all. There are a couple of other odd sizes on the corners that are larger, but very few.

 

[QueenElinor]

Yup. I believe that's what I'm running into right now. I felt like this was going to happen and so made an alternative reservation for one set of dates. I have gone back to change my other reservation to a set of dates that is one day longer. The system will not allow the change, and so I need to call them to do it. I'll let you all know what I find. It's a package (which I kind of now regret) at rack rate, but at least I have pre-10/16 tickets.

Ok, so an update-
I was told that I could not hold two reservations at the same time. But.... I had a reservation for a package, then made a room-only reservation for overlapping dates without a problem.
It was only after I tried to change the first, longer one that the online option went down and I was forced to call in... so maybe the reason I was given isn't even what actually flagged my account.

I told the CM that I made the second reservation only because I couldn't be sure I'd be able to alter the dates on the first reservation in the future, so I was going with the minimum number of nights, the ones I knew WITH CERTAINTY we'd be able to make. In the end, my only option was to cancel that whole first package, because she couldn't say if I'd be able to reduce the number of days on that package or not.....
Which is why I made the second reservation!
I don't know, the whole thing is a little bit nutty. Why not just make the rules clear, instead of all this mystery regarding what we can and cannot do? I have to admit, I tempted to go back and book another stay just to see what happens.

 

[Dave006]

Sorry but the basic rules for Packages are quite clear. See below for the basics, the problems when Disney is not consistent and is able to override the basic rules to assist guests in some but not all cases.



Dave

 

[jessicadisneygirl]

Hi all! So so excited for my first trip to either of these hotels - a split stay at YC/BC Dec 1 - 9! I have been watching the breaking news on the boat closure/IG closure rumors with anticipation. I was all ready to cancel my rooms if the IG was going to be closed and just move off property. Now that it seems like we are good to go there I am moving on with online check-in, magic band orders and room requests!

I am traveling with a party of 2 adults, 3 kids (5 total). We like to hide out on the balcony once the kids are going to bed to have a little downtime and let them fall asleep. I have read that all YC rooms have a full balcony. My question is on the BC rooms. From what I read, if I am making a room request for a full balcony that should be my only request. Is that complicated by the fact I have a party of 5 and need the daybed? Should I include that in the request as well or is that understood since the ressie is for 5? TIA!

 

[dansdad]

Hi all! So so excited for my first trip to either of these hotels - a split stay at YC/BC Dec 1 - 9! I have been watching the breaking news on the boat closure/IG closure rumors with anticipation. I was all ready to cancel my rooms if the IG was going to be closed and just move off property. Now that it seems like we are good to go there I am moving on with online check-in, magic band orders and room requests!

I am traveling with a party of 2 adults, 3 kids (5 total). We like to hide out on the balcony once the kids are going to bed to have a little downtime and let them fall asleep. I have read that all YC rooms have a full balcony. My question is on the BC rooms. From what I read, if I am making a room request for a full balcony that should be my only request. Is that complicated by the fact I have a party of 5 and need the daybed? Should I include that in the request as well or is that understood since the ressie is for 5? TIA!

If all the kids are over the age of 3, it's understood and you don't need to request a room with a day bed. If any of the kids are under 3, then I would add a 2nd request for a room with a day bed.

 

[QueenElinor]

Sorry but the basic rules for Packages are quite clear. See below for the basics, the problems when Disney is not consistent and is able to override the basic rules to assist guests in some but not all cases.

View attachment 359049

Dave

I disagree that the rules are quite clear. Those are the same rules posted for pretty much every hotel system, ever. They're deliberately written to cover a hotel for whatever they want to do according to their internal algorithms. Which is fine- except Disney's algorithms are very idiosyncratic, whatever they are. That's the source of all the consternation one sees every day in these forums. Disney doesn't handle its reservations like every other mega hotel brand out there, but we don't know that.

I have stayed at scores, if not hundreds of hotels all around the world and have not seen any who do not allow one to add or subtract a couple of days to a reservation without re-doing the entire reservation; with the exception of those with published set or minimum stays, e.g. 3-days or 5 days. But the YC isn't a condo resort, it's a hotel. They do single day stays all the time. Of course there has to be space available to add time- but to be unable to remove a day is exceedingly unusual. I've never run into it before. Yet that is the case here- and they don't tell you that up front.

I have also not seen a large system that does not allow for more than one reservation at a time- nowhere does Disney publish wording to that effect. In fact, I discussed this with the CM, when I pointed out to her that I had to make duplicate reservations because of their (apparently- once again it's hard to say since no one actually KNOWS) inflexible change policies.

This is why deposit and cancellation policies exist- to make sure people show up when and where the contract specifies. And Disney's cancellation policies are somewhat stringent but that's okay, because they're published. We all know what they are.

But it's very odd that Disney has other, unusual and unpublished restrictions in addition to their cancellation policy. That's my problem with this whole scenario. Just tell us what the policies, are, for heaven's sake. We'll roll with it. It's the uncertainty that upsets people.

 

[dansdad]

I disagree that the rules are quite clear. Those are the same rules posted for pretty much every hotel system, ever. They're deliberately written to cover a hotel for whatever they want to do according to their internal algorithms. Which is fine- except Disney's algorithms are very idiosyncratic, whatever they are. That's the source of all the consternation one sees every day in these forums. Disney doesn't handle its reservations like every other mega hotel brand out there, but we don't know that.

I have stayed at scores, if not hundreds of hotels all around the world and have not seen any who do not allow one to add or subtract a couple of days to a reservation without re-doing the entire reservation; with the exception of those with published set or minimum stays, e.g. 3-days or 5 days. But the YC isn't a condo resort, it's a hotel. They do single day stays all the time. Of course there has to be space available to add time- but to be unable to remove a day is exceedingly unusual. I've never run into it before. Yet that is the case here- and they don't tell you that up front.

I have also not seen a large system that does not allow for more than one reservation at a time- nowhere does Disney publish wording to that effect. In fact, I discussed this with the CM, when I pointed out to her that I had to make duplicate reservations because of their (apparently- once again it's hard to say since no one actually KNOWS) inflexible change policies.

This is why deposit and cancellation policies exist- to make sure people show up when and where the contract specifies. And Disney's cancellation policies are somewhat stringent but that's okay, because they're published. We all know what they are.

But it's very odd that Disney has other, unusual and unpublished restrictions in addition to their cancellation policy. That's my problem with this whole scenario. Just tell us what the policies, are, for heaven's sake. We'll roll with it. It's the uncertainty that upsets people.

Actually most chains DO use the same type of system as WDW does for maximizing revenue. However, you rarely know/see it because most hotels don't run at over 90% occupancy every day. So it's very easy to drop a night from an existing reservation as there is always a room available for the new amount of nights. Where us guests run into issues at WDW, is that there are quite a few times where there is not a room available for the new amount of nights. So then we have to get Guest Services involved to override the system.

If you have a WDW room reserved for 7 nights and want to knock it down to 5 nights, if there is another room available for 5 nights you will have zero issues dropping those 2 nights online without speaking to anyone. The only time you do is when there is not another room available for the 5 nights.

 

[QueenElinor]

Actually most chains DO use the same type of system as WDW does for maximizing revenue. However, you rarely know/see it because most hotels don't run at over 90% occupancy every day. So it's very easy to drop a night from an existing reservation as there is always a room available for the new amount of nights. Where us guests run into issues at WDW, is that there are quite a few times where there is not a room available for the new amount of nights. So then we have to get Guest Services involved to override the system.

If you have a WDW room reserved for 7 nights and want to knock it down to 5 nights, if there is another room available for 5 nights you will have zero issues dropping those 2 nights online without speaking to anyone. The only time you do is when there is not another room available for the 5 nights.

A lot of hotels do run over 90% capacity, especially in major resort areas such as the Hawaiian coast and peak ski season in ski towns. Adjusting days downward does not put your entire reservation at risk in these places.

But that's not why I had to talk to the CM. They didn't want me to hold two reservations, an explanation that didn't really fit with what I was doing in the MDX, and a policy that they do not prohibit in writing, anyway. Again, that's where the cancellation policy should come into play- it exists to firm up the plans of all these folks like me who can't pin down dates nine months ahead of time. Instead, they have additional opaque policies that lead to more confusion. If, in fact, they really need to implement this no-change policy that other hotels also have but don't use, it would be helpful to lay it out for people.

When the CM told me I had to cancel one of the two reservations I held, I told her I would cancel the longer one, since I didn't want to keep it if I couldn't take days off of it should the need arise. She didn't disagree with me on that point. She did say they might be able to lengthen the longer one, so that's what I'm going to have to live with. I'd like to start the vacay as soon as Junior ends his finals, but not at the risk of throwing away $700 a day if we can't get there by the earlier start date.

 

[ninafeliz]

A lot of hotels do run over 90% capacity, especially in major resort areas such as the Hawaiian coast and peak ski season in ski towns. Adjusting days downward does not put your entire reservation at risk in these places. But that's not why I had to talk to the CM. They didn't want me to hold two reservations, an explanation that didn't really fit with what I saw happening online.

I have held 2 room only reservations for the same period a couple of different times before we chose one and cancelled the other. Most recently just a couple of weeks ago, when we had AKL for our upcoming stay and then BCV opened up. I booked BCV, discussed with my husband, and cancelled AKL maybe a week or week and a half later. We never had an issue. I’ve done that before as well. I’ve never had Disney make the reservations, it was always me online or a Citi concierge.