What Would You Choose for a Solo Trip in Dec: BW, YC, or BC

[TexanInTheMidwest]

I'm looking to schedule a solo trip in December - 3 or 4 nights - it just needs to be completed before 12/19 as I have a Military Salute pass that expires after that.

It's part vacation/getaway to replace the solo trip had to cancel in Sept due to Hurricane Dorian. And it's also to get my feet on the ground to look at the changes in the parks since Jan 2019 and from the perspective of making our BIG family trip in January as stress-free as possible. It's been 20 years since I've traveled with kiddos and I'll be helping with either a 3-year-old or a 3rd and 4th grader (There are 23 of us in all on the Jan trip)

I would love to stay the the GF since that's where we are all staying in January but with the overall cost and availability, it looks as if Boardwalk or Beach Club may be a more attractive choice financially. Both show a lot of availability with the Holiday Room only deal (and $100 a night less expensive than the GF!) And the Yacht Club is in the same price range as BC and BW but it looks like the walk is a bit further from there....

My criteria: I want ease when getting into the parks - and more than a single mode of transportation (not only buses). I want a Deluxe experience/amenities - I have only stayed at Contemporary and Grand Floridian in the past.

I am making the call tomorrow to see what's the best deal I can find - hopefully with Military Rates so I can make some dining and airline reservations - as well as look at FP's, Processional, and Christmas Party.

What would you choose? What do you love about BW or BC? What do you dislike? What rooms would you request?

 

[DisneyWishes14]

We love all of those resorts and I, personally, would choose whichever is cheapest. You are correct, YC is a slightly longer walk to EP (but still very close), but the YC lobby is closest to the BC/YC boat dock. BC is the closest you can get to EP, but longer walk to the boat dock and walking path to DHS. BWI is a short walk to EP, right next to the DHS path, but the boat dock is the first to pick up to DHS and last to be dropped off (you can walk over to Swan/Dolphin, however, and pick up the boat from there for first on/first off). Of the three, if pricing isn't much different, I would probably go BC. It's closest to EP, has a better QS area than BWI (BWI's QS is on the Boardwalk, so you have to walk outside to access it) and, overall, I find it to be a quieter resort. I've had a number of noise issues at BWI. I would also suggest checking discount rates for a studio at either BCV or BWV - as a solo traveler, the studios would be quite comfortable, IMHO. If you can get a studio at BCV at a discount, that would be my first choice - super close to EP, the BC QS and the BC bus area.

 

[JoJoGirl]

All three are great choices. Which is best for you depends on which theme you prefer and your resort time priorities.

If pool time is high on your list, Stormalong Bay at Y&B is the best pool complex at Disney. That said, the Boardwalk pool is no slouch either - my kids loved the slide!

If having a balcony or patio is important, BWI or YC would be better choices, all rooms there have outdoor spaces, whereas only about half the rooms at BC have them. Also, there are a fair few oddball rooms at BC which are smaller and only have one bed! Being a party of one, you may run a higher risk of being placed in one of these.

YC rooms are the most recently refurbished and have vinyl/wood floors, and a more modern adult look. Many rooms have walk-in showers. BC and BWI rooms are carpeted with tub/shower combos.

Walking distance to parks is a wash for me, BC is closest to Epcot but farthest from HS, YC is a tiny bit farther from Epcot but exactly that much closer to HS. BW is closest to HS, but not far from Epcot either, about the same as YC. I wouldn’t base my resort choice on this.

I personally enjoy the Boardwalk at night, It has a festive atmosphere and it’s easy to grab a beer or other drink and sit and people watch. I also like it during the day and find it a more fun alternative to the other resorts’ lobby shops, so for me having it right at my resort is a plus. YMMV.

Price: If you can get a significant discount at one of these resorts, that basically trumps everything for me. They are all wonderful in their own way and you can’t go wrong!

 

[kylenne]

I chose BC for my upcoming solo trip for Vets Day weekend. I have similar criteria to you, always want to have Deluxe amenities and transportation/proximity to parks.

Ultimately I chose BC because it’s slightly closer to Epcot and I’ll be focused on F&W this trip. If you plan on hitting Festival of the Holidays at all I would suggest it for that reason. The difference is really negligible though from what I understand. I would stay away from BW just because it’s laid out weird.

 

[loves to dive]

I love them all and have stayed at all of them, I just go with whichever one is less. As far as distance, yes the farthest rooms at YC are farther away from Epcot but closer to HS so there is that. If I had to rank them, I'd go:
YC as #1, I love the adult feel of the resort, have never had a bad view, even the canal was good for me.
BW as #2, again like the adult feel but am not in love with the big pool views, the quiet pools are nice and the bar inside is great. Don't love that you have to go outside on the boardwalk for something to eat.
BC as #3, it is more kid friendly than the other two and there are a limited number of full balconys, otherwise you get the Juliet balcony and I love sitting outside in the morning with a cup of coffee. If you get on the DVC end, it is just a hop skip and jump to Epcot but farther to HS.

Lately, I've been staying at Swan/Dolphin instead. The prices are less, you still get Disney transportation, still walking distance to Epcot and HS and the rooms seem a tad bigger to me in the Dolphin.

 

[Princess Mulan]

The previous posters all bring up good points, and it’s interesting that everyone has different criteria and favorites. I have stayed at all three, and I usually go with whichever one is significantly cheaper. The difference in walking distance to the parks is negligible, so it isn’t a factor to me.

In general, I prefer the Yacht Club and Boardwalk Inn over Beach Club. I like the calmer, more adult atmosphere of YC and BWI, and I especially like having an almost guaranteed full balcony. So far I’ve had good luck with views and service at YC and BWI. At BC, I’ve gotten some fairly terrible views, but YMMV.

Any of the three would be a good choice.

 

[TexanInTheMidwest]

What AMAZING advice everyone! This was ALL so helpful to help me figure it out. I ended up with a room at the Yacht Club for 3 nights!

(finance wise: It was $330 less than GF and $50 less than BWI. The BC was the same price, but being close to the dock + the food options ended up winning me over.)

 

[JoJoGirl]

What AMAZING advice everyone! This was ALL so helpful to help me figure it out. I ended up with a room at the Yacht Club for 3 nights!

(finance wise: It was $330 less than GF and $50 less than BWI. The BC was the same price, but being close to the dock + the food options ended up winning me over.)

Yay!!! Enjoy!!!

 

[TexanInTheMidwest]

Yay!!! Enjoy!!!

THANKS! I can't WAIT!!