Late May/early June trip; possibly Beach Club?

[shosh1530]

We are planning a trip for this spring and are debating spring break (week of March 15 for us) or right after our 9-year-old gets out of school (after May 27). We prefer March weather-wise, but are worried about crowds, and also aren't finding great room discounts that week at this point.

Looking at the week of 5/30, I see that Beach Club resort is opening at what seem like decent prices. Not sure we want to deal with the heat, but do like the option of Storm Along Bay.

A few questions:

1. I've been reading lots about the Villas, but how do the main resort rooms compare?
2. We ideally would like a room with 2 queens and a day bed since we have two adults who do not want to bed share. How likely are we to get this configuration with only 3 total guests? I assume we would do this via a room request?
3. Walking distance to Hollywood Studios is probably too far for my son (got to save his limited energy for the parks), what other transportation options are there? Do the boats run regularly?
4. Do buses to Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom run regularly?
5. Is it crazy to try and stay the first day the resort re-opens? Did other resorts have glitches when reopening?
6. We could stay at Caribbean Beach for about $60 less a night. Are the extra amenities at Beach Club worth the extra $500? We plan on 4 park days with hoppers and one full resort day. I imagine we will also take breaks during the day and squeeze in pool time.

Thanks for any insight!

 

[Marthasor]

We are planning a trip for this spring and are debating spring break (week of March 15 for us) or right after our 9-year-old gets out of school (after May 27). We prefer March weather-wise, but are worried about crowds, and also aren't finding great room discounts that week at this point.

Looking at the week of 5/30, I see that Beach Club resort is opening at what seem like decent prices. Not sure we want to deal with the heat, but do like the option of Storm Along Bay.

A few questions:

1. I've been reading lots about the Villas, but how do the main resort rooms compare?
2. We ideally would like a room with 2 queens and a day bed since we have two adults who do not want to bed share. How likely are we to get this configuration with only 3 total guests? I assume we would do this via a room request?
3. Walking distance to Hollywood Studios is probably too far for my son (got to save his limited energy for the parks), what other transportation options are there? Do the boats run regularly?
4. Do buses to Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom run regularly?
5. Is it crazy to try and stay the first day the resort re-opens? Did other resorts have glitches when reopening?
6. We could stay at Caribbean Beach for about $60 less a night. Are the extra amenities at Beach Club worth the extra $500? We plan on 4 park days with hoppers and one full resort day. I imagine we will also take breaks during the day and squeeze in pool time.

Thanks for any insight!

1. The villas are lovely, however, if you are looking for a 2 queen/day bed configuration, your closest bet in the villas would be a 2-bedroom which would cost more than a standard resort room.
2. You would need to request the 2 queen/day bed configuration but there is no guarantee it will be granted.
3. From BC to DHS you can walk, boat or take the Skyliner. Boats and Skyliner run regularly
4. Buses to MK and AK run regularly
5. YC and BCV have been operating for quite some time now. I wouldn't foresee any substantial glitches on opening day of BC.
6. I definitely think BC is worth the $60 upgrade over CBR. Better pool, amenities and walking distance to two parks.

 

[shosh1530]

Thanks! Beach Club does seem worth it. Now I just have to convince my husband we won't completely melt in the heat (or at least we'll have a nice pool to cool off in)

 

[Marthasor]

We last stayed at BC in July 2019. It was REALLY hot! What is so nice about that resort is that the pool is so centrally located. Not a lot of walking when you want to cool off!

 

[gottalovepluto]

We are planning a trip for this spring and are debating spring break (week of March 15 for us) or right after our 9-year-old gets out of school (after May 27). We prefer March weather-wise, but are worried about crowds, and also aren't finding great room discounts that week at this point.

Looking at the week of 5/30, I see that Beach Club resort is opening at what seem like decent prices. Not sure we want to deal with the heat, but do like the option of Storm Along Bay.

A few questions:

1. I've been reading lots about the Villas, but how do the main resort rooms compare?
2. We ideally would like a room with 2 queens and a day bed since we have two adults who do not want to bed share. How likely are we to get this configuration with only 3 total guests? I assume we would do this via a room request?
3. Walking distance to Hollywood Studios is probably too far for my son (got to save his limited energy for the parks), what other transportation options are there? Do the boats run regularly?
4. Do buses to Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom run regularly?
5. Is it crazy to try and stay the first day the resort re-opens? Did other resorts have glitches when reopening?
6. We could stay at Caribbean Beach for about $60 less a night. Are the extra amenities at Beach Club worth the extra $500? We plan on 4 park days with hoppers and one full resort day. I imagine we will also take breaks during the day and squeeze in pool time.

Thanks for any insight!

2. Decent, especially since the hotel will not be full when you arrive
4. Buses run regularly to MK and AK from every single Disney hotel that isn’t on the MK monorail line
5. They’ve been open at BCV since July so it’s not like opening from scratch. Glitches happen, I just got back from a split riviera/CSR trip and I had to move from my original room due to room issues both times. Just bad room luck twice and those hotels rooms have been open since July.
6. You could get stormed out of SAB every day. But if you have the budget for it I think it is still worth it over CBR due to size of CBR. Everytime I ride the Skyliner over CBR the size of it astounds me. If you’re worried about the little one walking from BC to DHS I don’t think CBR is the resort for you.

 

[kylenne]

Have not been since covid but I really enjoyed my stay at BC a year ago. We would stay there again except having a balcony is really important to me and I didn’t like the Juliet situation there so will be staying at YC instead.

 

[MomOTwins]

First, I think May over March is absolutely the right call. The reason you are seeing limited hotel discounts that week is because that is when Florida schools are on spring break. I would avoid that week like the plague.

I am not a big fan of relying on room requests for the room you want. We once stayed at BC with 5 in a room and were put in a room without a day bed because our 5th was 2 years old and technically didn't qualify as a 5th sleeper under Disney rules (though he was huge for his age and couldn't fit in a pack n play). We had requested the day bed by phone in advance, and were there in off-season (late August) but they wouldn't move us. That was a very uncomfortable week with our DS smooshed between me and DH in the bed, kicking us in the head all night.

So normally I would say absolutely Beach Club worth the upgrade over Caribbean, but if beds are really important to you, then the ability to book a dedicated 5th sleeper room at Caribbean might be worth it.

I wouldn't be deterred from going opening week to BC just because it is opening week though. The resort has been largely reopened since the YC side is open as is the DVC wing. So the hotel is already for the most part "open" and I doubt it would be a huge adjustment to the hotel staff.