Disney's YACHT & BEACH CLUB RESORTS Information & Questions

[jlundeen]

Here's the reply from the Disney Signature Services folks at Yacht Club. Guess they haven't been told anything new yet either.

Bryce (Disney)

Oct 14, 1:28 PM EDT

Good Afternoon Jeanne,
Thank you for contacting Disney Signature Services! At this time, we have not been made aware of any operational changes to Friendship Boat service or International Gateway access to Epcot during the dates you've provided. If there were to be any changes in the future, our partners at Disney's Yacht Club Resort would try to send advanced communication prior to your arrival.
Should you have any further questions or need any assistance, please reach out to us daily from 9 AM to 5 PM EST by email .....
Have a magical day!
Bryce
Disney Signature Services​

 

[Disneytam]

A couple of weeks ago I came on here and asked about what room you guys would recommend a standard BC room or a water view YC room for roughly the same price.

Well we decided to stick with the BC room. Back in the spring we spent one night at the YC and I really didn't like the vinyl flooring. I know a lot of people like it but it's just not for me. The view at the YC and knowing that I would get a full balcony was a plus but we will be spending a lot of time at Epcot and the BC being closer is a bonus. So next week we will be at the BC! Thanks for everyones comments.

 

[Disneytam]

Haven't yet heard back from DSS, but I did an online chat with "Bob" here's his reply when I asked about IG and Friendship Boat closures:

View attachment 358355
Now, I know you can't take anything any CM says as gospel, but at least I would hope that they would have SOME knowledge about it.... we'll see

Edited: and I just realized that his answer is very carefully worded - "we will continue to provide transportation".... not quite the same as "boats will be running and IG will be open"... take it for what it's worth....

This says to me" Disney won't let us tell you yet that the IG will be closed and we will be busing you in". Luckily for us we will be leaving on Nov.1 but I would be livid if I was paying those prices to be able to walk into Epcot and instead have to ride a bus to the front of the park to walk back to the World Showcase. I feel really badly for you guys that are waiting to hear back from Disney.

 

[jessicadisneygirl]

Maybe someone should send an email to the YC/BC Gen Mgr and see how they respond.

This is a great idea! Anyone know contact info?

 

[Dave006]

I doubt the IG will be closed. I would expect construction walkways to protect guests entering the IG. Just like with skyscraper construction in any major city.

The issue is the waterway behind the France Pavilion at the Friendship boat dock. A straight line from the Skyliner station and the first cable lift tower, much harder to provide a construction corridor for the boat dock over the waterway.

Dave

 

[Candlelady]

This is a great idea! Anyone know contact info?

wdw.gm.yachtandbeach@disney.com

Kim Marinaccio, General Manager
Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resorts
1800 EPCOT Resort Boulevard
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

 

[gwynne]

I follow 36 Disney and Universal bloggers on Twitter and I haven't seen anything about the International Gateway rumor or the boat rumor. If I see a link to an official source, I'll post it. (The link to the official source, not the link to the Twitter post.)

My concern about rumors is that cast members sometimes (often?) have incorrect information. So even if the castmember is a friend of the person posting and they know the castmember would never lie, that doesn't mean that the information they are passing on is correct.

I really appreciate you keeping an eye out. Hopefully this rumor turns out to be nothing. Fingers crossed!
It sounds like the rumor may have started from a trip report, but so far I haven't seen a posted link to the report.

 

[tarak]

This says to me" Disney won't let us tell you yet that the IG will be closed and we will be busing you in". Luckily for us we will be leaving on Nov.1 but I would be livid if I was paying those prices to be able to walk into Epcot and instead have to ride a bus to the front of the park to walk back to the World Showcase. I feel really badly for you guys that are waiting to hear back from Disney.

I agree. I love the Beach Club, but I wouldn’t stay there if I didn’t have access to the IG.

 

[Best Aunt]

Hey @natebenma did you see this

https://www.disboards.com/threads/real-front-desk-phone-number.3711702/

 

[natebenma]

Hey @natebenma did you see this

https://www.disboards.com/threads/real-front-desk-phone-number.3711702/

Thanks! This is interesting- first time I have heard of this. I wonder if all/most/some of the guests checking in at the resort are receiving this. Can recent guests confirm whether they have received a card with the front desk number? Does it matter if you have checked in at the front desk in person or do you still get the info if you check in online and skip the desk?

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Martin at wdwmagic forums, who’s been a pretty reliable source on other things, is saying the International Gateway will not be completely closed and will be open for foot traffic while they string the cables for the Skyliner. Crossing my fingers.

 

[♥ Mandi ♥]

Disney just called to cancel our 12/4 Illuminations Cruise
They are refunding and holding a free dessert party for those impacted, including free admission to Epcot.

 

[shoreward]

Disney just called to cancel our 12/4 Illuminations Cruise
They are refunding and holding a free dessert party for those impacted, including free admission to Epcot.

This seems to be a strong indication that the FriendShip boats will not be operating during the speculated period between just after Thanksgiving till mid December. I'm sorry that you won't be able to do the cruise, but it seems like Disney is trying to compensate and make up for the cancellation with the free dessert party. Now, they just have to placate the many guests who booked at EPCOT resorts, expecting to be able to use the FriendShip boats during their stays.

 

[♥ Mandi ♥]

Any idea why the boat service to DHS would be suspended also?
Couldn't they just leave that route open while cancelling the Epcot ferry?

 

[drquest]

I have the same question, we're at BC starting at 12/15 and potentially having the boats down and the IG too, just puts our decision to stay at BC for easy access to Epcot and DHS seem like a terrible choice.

 

[jlundeen]

It's my understanding that the boats are stored on the other side of the Epcot lake. In order to get to the resorts, they have to go past the IG dock. If that is closed, the boats can't get past.

 

[jlh512]

We were at the YC in May when the boats were not running to HS only Epcot. It was very frustrating and they did nothing to compensate, not that I expected them too, for us. We decided to walk as it was still faster than the bus. We are returning to the YC in early November and I hope if this rumor is true they don't start early. That would be two trips in a row when we didn't get to enjoy the convenience of the closeness to the parks.

 

[morganms22]

We are staying at Yacht Club 12/20-12/24..I have to laugh a little as we have always stayed at Magic Kingdom Resorts and I finally booked an Epcot Resort just in time for the boats to go out of service. We did book our tickets separately, so I could switch hotels...I would probably have to switch very soon, though. Am I reading the posts on the board correctly that IG will more than likely be closed, too?

 

[shoreward]

It looks like guests staying late Nov - mid Dec at the Swan, Dolphin, BWI, BC, YC, etc. may all be in the same boat, or not!

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

Possibly closed 11-27-12-17 is the current rumored dates.

I have heard also in more than one place that they plan to build a tunnel like walkway that would leave walking path open to IG again all rumors nothing confirmed yet that I’ve seen, someone said a fireworks cruise got cancelled also maybe that was here.


Yup that was posted above.