Pros and cons of staying at the Beach Club and what request to make for standard room?

[maryj11]

What are the pros and cons of staying at the Beach Club? We plan on giving it a try but I'm a little worried we wont like it. The reason I don't think we will like it is because I have read some bad reviews on the standard rooms being long walks to and from things. If we stay there we will have to go with a standard room. What would be a good room request for a standard room? We really would like to have a ground floor room . Are there any standard rooms on the ground floor?

 

[DisDadDVC]

Pros: Stormalong bay is probably the best pool at WDW
Cons: I don't find any of the rooms to be too long of a walk. I guess no monorail is a con?

 

[maryj11]

Pros: Stormalong bay is probably the best pool at WDW
Cons: I don't find any of the rooms to be too long of a walk. I guess no monorail is a con?

Ok thanks. Is it a hassle to get to and from MK from there?

 

[Disneylover99]

There are no standard rooms on the ground floor. I guess that's a con, if you like ground floor.

We love to walk to Epcot every morning for breakfast. That's a definite pro.

 

[PAcpl]

With as much walking as you do in Disney I wouldn't worry too much about a long walk. It isn't that big of a resort.

It would be just as hard to get to Epcot from The Contemporary as it would be to get to MK from The Beach Club.

 

[DisDadDVC]

Ok thanks. Is it a hassle to get to and from MK from there?

Well, it's a bus ride... No resort is perfect that way. The monorail resorts are not great for HS and AK. The Epcot resorts are not great for AK and MK. We will sometimes do a split stay with a monorail resort and an Epcot one. But if we are just doing one resort, we like to do an Epcot one (namely Beach Club). We like walking to Epcot for dinner, etc. My kids are 10 and 13 now though. If they were 1 and 3 I would want to be on monorail.

 

[Hopefully]

We were at the BC last week and found the buses to be fine. Early morning we waited about 10 minutes for a MK bus and there were seats available after it had stopped first at the YC. It did fill and was standing room only, but that is typical for early morning for all resorts. The trip took less than 20 minutes. It was finel
We love the BC and I don't believe any rooms are a long walk

 

[Wood Nymph]

What are the pros and cons of staying at the Beach Club? We plan on giving it a try but I'm a little worried we wont like it. The reason I don't think we will like it is because I have read some bad reviews on the standard rooms being long walks to and from things. If we stay there we will have to go with a standard room. What would be a good room request for a standard room? We really would like to have a ground floor room . Are there any standard rooms on the ground floor?

The BC is a relatively small resort when compared to much larger resorts or resorts with multiple buildings. The farthest building at the Poly or GF is a much longer walk than any room at the BC. There aren't any standard rooms on the first floor. Most of them are on the third and fourth floors. The best option is to request a room close to the elevator. That will put you near the lobby and be convenient for the bus, boat and the resort amenities. Epcot is about an eight minute walk from the lobby. Hollywood Studios is a 20 minute boat ride or 20 minute walk. The bus to MK takes about 16 minutes. Having to take a bus to two parks instead of four parks is a real plus to staying in an Epcot area resort.

 

[melbatoast]

Love the Beach Club! We always request a room close to the lobby. This map from touring plans shows the standard rooms in purple and they are all close to the lobby which is the large rectangle.
http://touringplans.com/hotel_maps/...filters[sound]=any&date=2015-11-01&rooms=true

 

[DisneyWishes14]

We love BC! If you are going with a standard room, you will be on the second or third floor. You may want to consider putting in a request for a full balcony and close to lobby. You might also want to consider asking for the third floor. I would think the second floor rooms might be a little loud as some overlook the lobby area.

 

[maryj11]

Love the Beach Club! We always request a room close to the lobby. This map from touring plans shows the standard rooms in purple and they are all close to the lobby which is the large rectangle.
http://touringplans.com/hotel_maps/...filters[sound]=any&date=2015-11-01&rooms=true

Thanks for the map. I have looked at the touring plans map and have been told it is not very accurate. I was told the standard rooms can be any where around the resort. I know that some of touring plans map has to be correct though. I will just probably request close to the elevator and lobby.

 

[maryj11]

There are no standard rooms on the ground floor. I guess that's a con, if you like ground floor.

We love to walk to Epcot every morning for breakfast. That's a definite pro.[/QUOT
So do you think we should get a hopper pass to be able to go in and out of Epcot to eat?

 

[maryj11]

Ops that last post did not work right

 

[mickeynut1]

What are the pros and cons of staying at the Beach Club? We plan on giving it a try but I'm a little worried we wont like it. The reason I don't think we will like it is because I have read some bad reviews on the standard rooms being long walks to and from things. If we stay there we will have to go with a standard room. What would be a good room request for a standard room? We really would like to have a ground floor room . Are there any standard rooms on the ground floor?

The BC is a nice resort and I'm glad we tried it, but IMO, CS is a negative. The Marketplace has grab-n-go items, but we find the options very limited compared to other deluxe resorts. There are a lot of options in Epcot, but going into Epcot just to eat isn't convenient to us (especially for breakfast before going to a park). We also weren't wow'd by SAB as it's very large and spread out and is somewhat hard to navigate with little ones (IMO). With that said, BC is very convenient to Epcot and DHS and if it's a resort that appeals to you, I think it's worth a try. Good luck.

 

[disneygolfer1985]

I always loved the BC as a kid. The pool was amazing and the ability to walk to Epcot and HS is an added bonus. The resort has a very relaxed atmosphere. We have stayed there 6 times before buying DVC points at the Boardwalk.

 

[Disneylover99]

Ops that last post did not work right

I wouldn't get a hopper just to eat breakfast in Epcot, especially if you are planning on rope dropping other parks.

 

[MrToadsWildRide]

What are the pros and cons of staying at the Beach Club?

A few quick, brief comments on the Beach Club.

This is a question I should not answer honestly. (I will, but I shouldn't) Because this is by far my favorite family resort. (as in, when I stay with my kids) Telling anyone else this is my favorite family resort means I run the risk of making it even harder to get rooms. So, fine, I'll be "honest".

I like the theme, decor and atmosphere. I feel like I'm on vacation at the Beach Club, it feels less like your typical hotel. While the Yacht Club feels like I walked into a really nice men's locker room of an exclusive golf club. Creepy. (apologies to Yacht Club lovers) Don't believe me? Try it. Then again, you might be a manly golfer. In which case you'll be like, "Honey! We're home." (again, apologies to Yacht Club lovers)

Plus, the Beach Club (not the DVC portion that I know of) has been recently remodeled. For most die-hard (like there's any other type) Disney fans, this can be very tragic. "What? They changed something? First FastPass+. Now this? Oh my beloved Beach Club, what have they done to you?" (don't get me started on Mr. Toad's Wild ride)

Then there's Storm Along Bay, which is arguably (and I will argue this point) the best pool complex in the entire state of Florida, that is in Disney World and owned and operated by Disney. (meaning, I'm not counting the pretty nice pool complex at the new Four Seasons)

Storm Along Bay is (probably) the first pool complex that Disney had to build a fence around and start checking credentials. If you aren't staying at the Beach (and Yacht) Club, you cannot get in. I think this even includes (as far as I know) DVC members from other resorts. If they had to build a fence, it as to be great.

They have 3.5 (I'm counting the small kiddie one at the base of the pirate ship slide entrance) pools. Each of which have fake sand bottoms. Very cool. Pool one is a big, all sand, one foot deep diaper pool. If you wear diapers, you'll love laying down in this slightly warmer (you can guess why) pool, soaking up all its diaper goodness. Then there's the adult pool, which has the only deep section, like over 6 feet. Finally what I call the family section, which big, with a volley ball section and has a small, slow whirlpool section.

There's also a big tubular slide that starts on a pirate ship, outside on the beach and empties into the family pool.

The pool (at least for us) was what really sold us. (can you tell?) We usually visited the World in the summer. We'd hit the park early, then by mid day when the crowds were high and the temps were higher, we'd go back to the BC and hit the pools. (seems like we hit things a lot) The way I figured it, why pay for a deluxe resort if you don't use the resort?

The other aspect that we liked the BC for was its location, for both Epcot and Hollywood Studios. You can walk into (and out of) Epcot between the UK and France. (I wonder if the water way there is called the English Channel? I just realized this realistic relation after oh, walking it like a gazillion times, just call me Mr. Disney trivia) Often times, we'd use this quick access to Epcot to eat dinner there. MK, AK or HS in the morning, Epcot for dinner at night. Or dinner at any of the Boardwalk restaurants. Like the Flying Fish, which is closing for refurbishment in February (as told to me by a cast member there the other night).

You can get to Hollywood Studios by boat. Which is a great way to start your day. Mornings are (almost) always sunny and pleasant. Riding (cause there's no sail) the boats out back in the fresh air is pleasant.

Long review short (and redundant) ... The Pros are: The pools, the casual vacation-style theme, Storm Along Bay, access to Epcot and Hollywood Studios and the pools.

I've stayed in many of the rooms. (no, I won't add up what I've probably spent) I've always like ground floor rooms, except when I come out of the bathroom to find little Jimmy standing in what he thinks is his room, cause someone left the sliding door open.

Sometimes, a ground floor room is quicker to get in and out than the upper floor rooms which need an elevator. Except the 2nd floor. There's a staircase in the lobby that takes you to the second floor, eliminating the need to wait for an elevator for the 4th floor and then have to watch someone get off at the second. (really? can't climb one set of stairs?)

The pool view room view are nice. Especially in the morning, when they aren't yet open. Nice and calming. Keep in mind the pools are open (and all the lights are on) up till about 10:30 or 11:00 PM. Then it's loud and bright.

Also, if you're headed to Epcot or HS, you don't have to go through the lobby. Often times you can head straight toward the water/beach and exit the building you are in, regardless of the floor you're on. You'll find (fire exit) stair cases in all the buildings. (cause I don't think they can charge extra for having fire exits)

Cons:
If you (along with what seems like everyone else on this planet) loves the Magic Kingdom (based on the never ending sea of people watching fireworks on any given night of any given week of any given month of any given year), then you might want to reconsider staying here. The only way to get to the MK faster than staying at the Grand Floridian or the Polynesian, is to stay at the Contemporary and walk. Fast. If you walk, you get to read all the names on the bricks people bought who thought they be in front of the MK. (ours is in front of the MK, thanks to my brother) The bus from the Beach Club is fine. Not as fast, nor as cool as the Monorail. But no different from any other resort bus. So if you love the MK and you're an early morning person (cause you have to be for the MK), then don't stay here. (did I scare you off? please be scared off)

Are the rooms a long walk to and from things? No offense (but I guess I'm about to), if long walks are an issue, um ... hello. Disney? (see? warned you.) I'd classify a short walk as the walk from my bed to the bathroom. (though with age this is getting longer and I find I have to move quicker)

Stay at the Beach Club. Love their pools.

Did I answer your question?

What was your question?

Was it about their pools?

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

We stayed on the the fourth floor water view and nothing felt like a long walk.

We loved it! It's tied with Polynesian as our favorite.

 

[maryj11]

A few quick, brief comments on the Beach Club.

This is a question I should not answer honestly. (I will, but I shouldn't) Because this is by far my favorite family resort. (as in, when I stay with my kids) Telling anyone else this is my favorite family resort means I run the risk of making it even harder to get rooms. So, fine, I'll be "honest".

I like the theme, decor and atmosphere. I feel like I'm on vacation at the Beach Club, it feels less like your typical hotel. While the Yacht Club feels like I walked into a really nice men's locker room of an exclusive golf club. Creepy. (apologies to Yacht Club lovers) Don't believe me? Try it. Then again, you might be a manly golfer. In which case you'll be like, "Honey! We're home." (again, apologies to Yacht Club lovers)

Plus, the Beach Club (not the DVC portion that I know of) has been recently remodeled. For most die-hard (like there's any other type) Disney fans, this can be very tragic. "What? They changed something? First FastPass+. Now this? Oh my beloved Beach Club, what have they done to you?" (don't get me started on Mr. Toad's Wild ride)

Then there's Storm Along Bay, which is arguably (and I will argue this point) the best pool complex in the entire state of Florida, that is in Disney World and owned and operated by Disney. (meaning, I'm not counting the pretty nice pool complex at the new Four Seasons)

Storm Along Bay is (probably) the first pool complex that Disney had to build a fence around and start checking credentials. If you aren't staying at the Beach (and Yacht) Club, you cannot get in. I think this even includes (as far as I know) DVC members from other resorts. If they had to build a fence, it as to be great.

They have 3.5 (I'm counting the small kiddie one at the base of the pirate ship slide entrance) pools. Each of which have fake sand bottoms. Very cool. Pool one is a big, all sand, one foot deep diaper pool. If you wear diapers, you'll love laying down in this slightly warmer (you can guess why) pool, soaking up all its diaper goodness. Then there's the adult pool, which has the only deep section, like over 6 feet. Finally what I call the family section, which big, with a volley ball section and has a small, slow whirlpool section.

There's also a big tubular slide that starts on a pirate ship, outside on the beach and empties into the family pool.

The pool (at least for us) was what really sold us. (can you tell?) We usually visited the World in the summer. We'd hit the park early, then by mid day when the crowds were high and the temps were higher, we'd go back to the BC and hit the pools. (seems like we hit things a lot) The way I figured it, why pay for a deluxe resort if you don't use the resort?

The other aspect that we liked the BC for was its location, for both Epcot and Hollywood Studios. You can walk into (and out of) Epcot between the UK and France. (I wonder if the water way there is called the English Channel? I just realized this realistic relation after oh, walking it like a gazillion times, just call me Mr. Disney trivia) Often times, we'd use this quick access to Epcot to eat dinner there. MK, AK or HS in the morning, Epcot for dinner at night. Or dinner at any of the Boardwalk restaurants. Like the Flying Fish, which is closing for refurbishment in February (as told to me by a cast member there the other night).

You can get to Hollywood Studios by boat. Which is a great way to start your day. Mornings are (almost) always sunny and pleasant. Riding (cause there's no sail) the boats out back in the fresh air is pleasant.

Long review short (and redundant) ... The Pros are: The pools, the casual vacation-style theme, Storm Along Bay, access to Epcot and Hollywood Studios and the pools.

I've stayed in many of the rooms. (no, I won't add up what I've probably spent) I've always like ground floor rooms, except when I come out of the bathroom to find little Jimmy standing in what he thinks is his room, cause someone left the sliding door open.

Sometimes, a ground floor room is quicker to get in and out than the upper floor rooms which need an elevator. Except the 2nd floor. There's a staircase in the lobby that takes you to the second floor, eliminating the need to wait for an elevator for the 4th floor and then have to watch someone get off at the second. (really? can't climb one set of stairs?)

The pool view room view are nice. Especially in the morning, when they aren't yet open. Nice and calming. Keep in mind the pools are open (and all the lights are on) up till about 10:30 or 11:00 PM. Then it's loud and bright.

Also, if you're headed to Epcot or HS, you don't have to go through the lobby. Often times you can head straight toward the water/beach and exit the building you are in, regardless of the floor you're on. You'll find (fire exit) stair cases in all the buildings. (cause I don't think they can charge extra for having fire exits)

Cons:
If you (along with what seems like everyone else on this planet) loves the Magic Kingdom (based on the never ending sea of people watching fireworks on any given night of any given week of any given month of any given year), then you might want to reconsider staying here. The only way to get to the MK faster than staying at the Grand Floridian or the Polynesian, is to stay at the Contemporary and walk. Fast. If you walk, you get to read all the names on the bricks people bought who thought they be in front of the MK. (ours is in front of the MK, thanks to my brother) The bus from the Beach Club is fine. Not as fast, nor as cool as the Monorail. But no different from any other resort bus. So if you love the MK and you're an early morning person (cause you have to be for the MK), then don't stay here. (did I scare you off? please be scared off)

Are the rooms a long walk to and from things? No offense (but I guess I'm about to), if long walks are an issue, um ... hello. Disney? (see? warned you.) I'd classify a short walk as the walk from my bed to the bathroom. (though with age this is getting longer and I find I have to move quicker)

Stay at the Beach Club. Love their pools.

Did I answer your question?

What was your question?

Was it about their pools?

Wow thanks for all the detailed information Yes I think you answered pretty much everything.

 

[maryj11]

The BC is a nice resort and I'm glad we tried it, but IMO, CS is a negative. The Marketplace has grab-n-go items, but we find the options very limited compared to other deluxe resorts. There are a lot of options in Epcot, but going into Epcot just to eat isn't convenient to us (especially for breakfast before going to a park). We also weren't wow'd by SAB as it's very large and spread out and is somewhat hard to navigate with little ones (IMO). With that said, BC is very convenient to Epcot and DHS and if it's a resort that appeals to you, I think it's worth a try. Good luck.

Thanks for you opinions. We do not have any little ones so that shouldn't be a problem. I think we will give it a try for a couple nights and maybe just do a split stay .