Help me decide - GF or YC!

[KimR]

I want to make my resort reservations very soon since we are going during a busy time of year (spring break) and as usual, I am having a terrible time deciding! It is always between Grand Floridian and Yacht Club - our 2 favorite resorts. We've stayed at both resorts so I'm don't really need additional information on the resorts; I guess I'm just looking for various opinions or anything that might tip the scales in favor of one or the other.

My take on the resorts: I like Grand Floridian for its atmosphere and convenience to MK; Yacht Club for the pool (for my girls) and of course, convenience to EPCOT. My children are 13, 7, and 4. Believe it or not, they love both resorts and don't really have an opinion one way or the other. DH keeps voting for Bellagio or the the Venetian and I have to keep reminding him...stop dreaming - we are going to Disney World NOT Vegas! We stayed at Grand Floridian this year so I'm leaning a bit towards YC for this next next time. An itinerary would make the decision easier but I'm not that far along in planning yet. We always choose the resort first since we go at a busy time and need to make those reservations early. However, I am beginning to see that choosing a resort first is backwards...we need to make restaurant choices first and then base the resort on that; but oh, well. I need to decide soon! So - what would you do??

 

[snowmouse]

What we love about the EPCOT resort area is the availability of dinner choices after our afternoon break. So many things in that area in the evening, too. One of these days we are going to try those MK resorts, though (have only stayed at WL).

 

[missypie]

If you'll spend the most time at MK, choose the GF (although I'll tell you that when we rode the bus from YC to MK 1st thing in the morning in late May, we were the only ones on the bus). If you'll be spending more time at Epcot and MGM, choose YC.

 

[teentoddlermom]

We stayed at GF, YC, and BWI each year for the last 3 summers. We absolutely loved, so much, the flagship atmosphere at the GF! However, we felt a little inconvenienced in getting back from MK and going to almost every other park. Monorail to Epcot is not really that convenient because you have to transfer at the TTC. GF shares busses with many other MK resorts so there are a lot of stops and it takes a long time to get to/from MGM, AK, and the Waterparks. Getting back to GF at MK closing is hard, and it is so close! But so far. You still have to wait in line with all the crowds for either the monorail, or launch! Once it took an hour for us to get back using the launch after Wishes! The monorail can be down a lot because of weather. It would be so great if you could walk back from MK but the walkway does not go to the GF. So that is why we stayed at the deluxes in the Epcot area, more transportation choices. You can walk to MGM and Epcot, and there is so much to do in the BW area. Even the walk back after Fantasmic is a good choice better than waiting for the boats. So, while I LOVE the GF for the flagship atmosphere, the Deluxes in the Epcot area are a little more convenient.

 

[TammiMcMan]

I think you're absolutely right about going over an itinerary first. That's how we choose resorts. For our last stay, we planned on spending more of our time between MGM and Epcot, so the YC was a pretty easy choice. I completely agree with Teentoddlermom about the transportation. It seemed so much easier getting from the YC to the MK, then the GF to either MGM or Epcot. I did miss seeing the castle and I do like the more spread out feel of the GF, but resort choice usually does come down to what our plans are for that particular vacation.

Tammi

 

[KimR]

Wow, see we think just the opposite: we find it easier to get from GF to EPCOT/MGM than from YC to MK. I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that we don't like taking the bus. About the only time we do is when we stay at YC just because it's a royal pain to get to and from MK otherwise. Also, I think it is actually faster getting back to GF after Fantasmic than taking the boat back to the YC (a loooong wait followed by a looong boat ride!). That is one of the things that sometimes sways me back to GF. Since we'll probably be spending about the same amount of time in both MK and EPCOT/MGM, it really boils down to where I think we will be eating most of our dinners which will probably be in the EPCOT area (the only MK-area restaurant I am considering is Artist Point). So, the more I think about it, the more I lean towards Yacht Club this time! Boy, I sure will miss that monorail, though!