Reviews of Beach Club Resort (Deluxe Resort)
Reviewed by jking6 Review Date: 01/07/2013
Rating: (10) Recommended
I loved this resort. Quick walk to Epcot. We actually walked from Epcot after fireworks to dock at Beach Club and was able to get to HS with 15 mins and catch Fantasmic. 2 shows, 1 night, love it. Beds were awesome. I was able to look out my room and see the back of the ToT, my favorite ride in all of Disney. Friendly, clean just awesome. one more time the POOL!!!! Can not beat this place, hands down.
Pros:
Loved the POOL area. close to Epcot and HS.Cons:
noneReviewed by jlundeen Review Date: 01/12/2013
Rating: (9) Recommended
I adore this resort. The only drawback is that Cape May is a Breakfast BUffet and you have to get reservations in advance - too full for walk ups. Next closest was the buffet at the Yacht Club...it was awful.
Overall, the Beach Club was wonderful...rooms are quiet and spacious...no Wi-Fi however...We loved being able to walk to EPCOT and Boardwalk.
If I could afford to stay here every trip, I would!
Pros:
Location Location LocationCons:
need reservations for sit down breakfast - Wi-Fi didn't workReviewed by Audrey83 Review Date: 05/02/2013
Rating: (7) Recommended
I stayed at the Beach Club for four nights 4/21-4/25/13, this is my second time staying at this resort.
The best part by far about staying here is the amazing Stormalong Bay. You will not find a better pool on Disney property. They are strict on checking room keys to get in, which is a plus for guests staying there. The room was very spacious and clean, but I think it was rushed by housekeeping as there were some linens and other basic items missing. Not a big deal, but some things do matter when you're paying Deluxe Resort prices.
The cons- I noticed while walking through the hallways there was paint chipping and scuff marks on the room doors. It doesn't make sense why Disney can't spend a little money to do some basic up keeping. Also, the carpet in the hallways seems outdated and could use a good cleaning.
Other than a few issues, I really enjoy staying at the Beach Club and would stay again just to be close to Epcot and the wonderful pool.
Pros:
pool, distance to EpcotCons:
poor up keep of hallways, lack of quick serviceReviewed by forufromu Review Date: 05/09/2013
Rating: (10) Recommended
Stayed 5/1 to 5/6. First trip to wdw in 18yrs. Location can not be beat if you are an epcot or hollywood studios fan. 10 min walk or ferry ride to epcot. 15 min ferry or 25 min walk to hollywood (do have little ones.) Best resort pool bar none. has a lazy river, shipwreked slide, section for pool sports, and a sand bar for the kids. so many quality choices for sit down dinners. cape may cafe. beaches and cream. compass and ale. yachtsman steakhouse,with epcot and the boardwalk options only minutes away. quickservice breakfast is limited. but sitting and eating in their solarium and garden areas are nice. the room was roomier than expected, and view of stormalong bay and boardwalk was awesome, as well as fireworks from hollywood studios. More than expected and would recommend to any one. It truly was magical.
Pros:
location,pool,amount of sit down restaurantsCons:
lack of options quick service restaurants for breakfastReviewed by 1283alex Review Date: 05/23/2013
Rating: (7) Recommended
Stayed in DVC timeshare - everything was great - only con was really crowded pool area - not much room to walk around - pool chairs bump up close to pool's edge -
Maintenance did enter our room while we were out to do some type of repair (not requested by us) and left all the curtains open, etc. (we were on ground floor - anyone could walk by & see our belongings) - Upon returning we immediately noticed that someone had been in the room - complained to management & they were very apologetic - overall very nice hotel - would stay her again
Pros:
good rooms + restaurants+ proximity to EpcotCons:
crowded pool area - maintenance entering roomReviewed by deedeebee Review Date: 06/13/2013
Rating: (8) Recommended
OK folks, Just got back from staying 6 nights at the Beach club and here is the Scoop. I read a lot of the reviews and agree with some and disagree with others. There are a lot of cosmetic issues at the beach club, I mean a lot. The people that wrote about bleached patches of carpet in the corridors are correct as well as the people that wrote about peeling wallpaper, however, we are not very critical of those things. If you are then don't stay here.
I'll start with the pros: 1. The beauty of the resort is amazing, the landscaping is top notch. 2. The proximity to EPCOT can't be beat. 3. The pool is the best any where on property. 4. If you have any questions, the cast members are most helpful. 5. The quick service dining is pretty good but not great.
Now for the cons: 1. As I said above, the cast members are helpful if you have a question, however, they don't go out of their way to speak to you unless you initiate the conversation. 2. The temperature in the room is either too warm or too cool, there is no possible way to get it just right. 3. Mousekeeping- I am not kidding you when I tell you that they did not clean the room one single day while we were there and I'll tell you why. Our families typical room cleaning schedule is to have them clean every other day, so we planned on this again. We would leave the room at about 7 in the morning and get tired of the heat, crowds and walking at about 2 pm and head back to the room and do you know mousekeeping didn't clean the room yet so I figured they could go around me but they never came before 3 pm.
Pros:
—Cons:
—Reviewed by disneydad78 Review Date: 07/07/2013
Rating: (9) Recommended
Stay from 6/15 - 6/22/13 with wife and 8yr old daughter. Standard room, 3rd floor w/large balcony.
Preface: The three of us have stayed on property at 4 different resorts (All Star Movies (2x), POP, Port Orleans Riverside, Caribbean Beach) 5 times over the last 4 years ('09, '10, '11(2x), '12). This is a DELUXE resort. You will pay for what you get. And this is what you get...
1) LOCATION. The Beach Club's proximity to Epcot is worth the price alone. The walk to Epcot takes 7-8 minutes at a decent pace. This is something you can't get at any other resort. Some nights went like this, "Hey, guys. Where do you want to eat tonight?" Wife says, "let's get a bite at Teppan Edo and then watch the fireworks." Try that anywhere else! Illuminations can be seen from the east side of the resort.
Just a quick walk or boat ride across Crescent Lake is the Boardwalk Resort. The Boardwalk is a beautiful place to walk, eat, rent bikes, etc. The Boardwalk Bakery for breakfast is a must-do.
The Beach/Yacht Club dock is serviced by Friendship boats about every 15min during the day with stops at Epcot, Boardwalk Resort, Swan/Dolphin Resorts, and Hollywood Studios. (Note: there are no busses from Beach Club to Epcot or Hollywood Studios--they're not needed)
2) Service
Service at the Beach Club is right in step with what we expected at a deluxe resort. Everyone had a great, can-do attitude. Friendly and capable check-in. Concierge was never stumped by the changes we needed to make to our dining plans. The front desk services were always well staffed = no lines. Bell services helped with every step of luggage handling--from the back of our vehicle to the inside of our room. Our handler treated our luggage as if it was his own.
Although I didn't use it, valet parking is available.
Mousekeeping was fine, again, like we expected. My family and I don't give a rip about towel animals as opposed to a clean and tidy room. We were pleased.
In-room dining service was outstanding. Menu is diverse. Even still, when I needed to make a change that didn't jive with the menu, the answer was always "yes, sir. That's not a problem at all." Meals would always arrive earlier than promised. Food was always fresh and HOT. Try the Yacht Club sandwich after a hot day at the parks!
3) Amenities
The biggest in-room advantage of a non-value-resort room is the ceiling fan--period.
Our room was located on the 3rd floor, in the corner next to the main exit from the lobby out to the walkway to Epcot. We were pleased to hear from our check-in cast member that we would have a large balcony. The balcony was so much more than we thought it would be--very spacious and furnished with a table and two chairs. Our view was of the walkway out of the lobby toward Crescent Lake.
In-room wi-fi maintained a strong signal and always worked.
Bathroom - Spacious double sinks with hard surface countertops. Smooth tile in the bath/toilet area. My only complaint about the room is the bathroom fan. The fan is not large or powerful enough to exhaust steam from even the mildest of showers. The shower itself was great--lots of water pressure. Sometimes the pressure was too much for the curtain to handle and we ended up cleaning up a few puddles.
There is a small, and I mean small, food pantry built into the main dresser beside the refrigerator. This helped keep snacks off the floor, desk, nightstands, dressers, etc.
We stayed for an entire week and had a lot of clothes to unpack. There is a tall dresser by the closet. The main dresser is in the middle of the room along the wall. This dresser houses the refrigerator, pantry, 2 open shelves, and several drawers. There is also a real closet (as opposed to the alcove you find at other resorts). Also there is a shelf with coat hooks between the closet and main dresser (handy for drying out ponchos). We had more than enough space for unpacking/storing clothes.
The overall resort decor is more upscale and is wonderfully themed in line with early 20th century Beach resort living. This continues into the rooms in the lighting, furniture, and wall art.
The Beach Club Marketplace is stocked with just about everything you would need outside of a full-fledged grocery store trip.
The solarium is a great quiet place to sit down and relax. But beware, it is a solarium...in Florida--it will be warm.
Resort restaurants -
Cape May Cafe has character (Donald, Goofy, Minnie) breakfasts and seafood dinners daily.
Beaches and Cream is a soda-shop themed diner that has sandwiches, hot dogs, and possibly the best cheeseburger in all of WDW. The ice cream creations here are many--from shakes to floats, to sundaes to splits. And then there's the Kitchen Sink.
There are many other restaurants available in the Beach/Yacht Club/Boardwalk areas, but you will not find anything like the food courts at the value/moderate resorts.
4) Activities (not a complete list, by far)
Movies on the beach most nights (weather permitting).
Campfire on the beach with marshmallow roast. Fire and mallos provided by the resort. My daughter and I were lured in on the way to the pirate ship water slide. Lots of fun.
Boating on Crescent Lake is available at the Yacht Club marina.
5) Stormalong Bay
Stormalong Bay is a collection of several different pools all joined by the same walkways inside a fenced-in complex. None of the pools in Stormalong bay are rectangular. Curves abound and coves appear--complete with a waterfall here and there. One cove has it's own current that generates a whirlpool.
One section has a volleyball "rope" set up for lots of game-time fun. "Pool party" activities are conducted by resort staff in this area.
There is a separate "lazy river" pool with it's own river current that will float you along in a resort-supplied inner tube for as long as you like.
There is a kiddie area on the Yacht Club side that has it's own sand play area in the pool.
Yes, the entire pool has a sand bottom.
There are also plenty of free-swim areas all over the complex.
Two outdoor spas are located by the main bathroom area. They are raised up and concealed by the landscaping to ensure privacy and the opportunity to unwind.
Stormalong Bay has 2 water slides: one is a kiddie slide with its own splash pool behind the pirate ship; the other starts at the top of what used to be a pirate ship. The first part of this slide is a straight and steady decent down a hollowed-out section of mast, followed by outdoor twists and turns before ending in a splashdown pool in the main pool area. Despite its size, the slide is not as fast as you would think. Kids of all ages (some small enough to wear life vests) and adults were riding this one over and over again.
Use of the pool is limited to Yacht/Beach Club resort guests only. You have to show your key-to-the-world card every day to be admitted to the pool. You are then given a colored wristband that is good for admission for the remainder of the day. The wristbands are a different color every day. Towels are supplied by the resort.
There are many lifeguards on duty at Stormalong Bay. Nothing bugs me more than safety staff that won't take and keep control of the area they're assigned to. Every lifeguard at Stormalong Bay was "no BS". Sorry for the strong expression, but it communicates the idea clearly. If kids were playing too rough, the lifeguard staff didn't wait for piercing looks from parents before they took action to address the situation. If you swam into the water slide splashdown area, you were asked to move elsewhere in the pool. The lifeguards walk around frequently instead of staying put all day. We had a few lifeguards that would throw buckets of water at us when we weren't looking (gave my daughter a good laugh), but make no mistake--the pranks were covering up the "all business" actions of the entire staff. Very pleased.
Overall, the Beach Club resort is special because it is unique. The location can't be beat. Services are what they should be. Amenities are plentiful, and the pool is the best you'll find on Disney property. Uniqueness comes at a price.
Pros:
LOCATION. Service, amenities, activities. And the POOL.Cons:
None.Reviewed by Harrimans Review Date: 07/21/2013
Rating: (9) Recommended
Stay 6/19 - 6/26
This was our first visit to a Deluxe Resort after staying at two value resorts previously. Check-in was extremely pleasant and efficient which set the tone right away. The lobby was beautiful just like it had been when we were there for dinner at Cape May last year and all of the staff was very friendly. The atmosphere was bit more reserved than the value resorts we have stayed (and quiet).
Our room was ready right away when we checked in at around 6 PM. Our bags were brought up about 5 minutes after we got to the room. We got settled in to our room, changed and made plans to get dinner and swim.
DS14, DD10, DD7 and I went to find the pool while DW went in search of laundry facilities and was going to meet us at the pool after she threw a load of laundry in a washer. We were told the laundry was near the quiet pool so she headed down the maze of corridors and found a smaller laundry room with only a few washers and one of them was broken while the rest were full. She gave up at that point and headed to the market place to find something to eat.
Meanwhile the kids and I found the pool, got our wristbands, went for a quick swim and were also in the marketplace in search of food. The kids did not want burgers at Hurricane Hanna's and were more in the mood for Pizza and I wanted a cold sandwich. The lines were terribly long at the Marketplace and were not moving at all. After looking around and waiting in line for a bit we headed back to Hanna's at the pool and arrived just in time for the door to slam in our face at EXACTLY 9 PM. Back to the Marketplace for flatbreads and pizza, friendly but very slow service and then took our food back to the pool. We had a bit of trouble finding a table but sat and ate and the kids got to enjoy the AMAZING pool for about an hour before bed.
We loved the resort and went to the pool basically every day. We even spent a day just at the resort swimming, coloring, doing laundry (my wife later found a larger laundry room outside in a separate building on the other side of the quiet pool) and enjoyed another wonderful meal at Cape May Cafe located inside the lobby of the hotel. We really enjoyed the ice cream and Beaches and Cream which was probably one of the best uses of snack credits our entire stay. Highly recommend using the "to-go" window if they are busy (which they almost always are). Storm Along Bay is nearly a water park in itself and was the best part of our stay.
We were very happy with the size and cleanliness of the room. The included refrigerator was great for water and other drinks. We did not a large balcony but the layout of our room was able to accommodate a full size day bed which was great for our family of five. The staff was friendly and efficient just a bit more reserved than what we experienced at our value resort stays which was just fine. Not much Disney theming but kids and parents were happy and comfortable. The short walk to Epcot and short boat ride to HS were great and we were able to eat dinner in the World Showcase almost every night.
Really the only negatives were the counter service selections and the seating at the pool. We are used to large food courts at Pop and AoA, so to us the Marketplace is nice but WAY to small in size, staff and selection. Hanna's was great but closes two hours before the pool closed and had about 6 tables. There were more table nearer to the pool but they were not available to actually eat at because our fellow guests would throw their towels and sunblock on the tables and leave it there for hours while they enjoyed the pool and didn't actually eat anything. We found that if you were not at the pool the first two hours or the last two hours it was nearly impossible to find a table and almost as hard to find a couple of empty chairs together. The kids didn't mind because they were having a blast, but DW and I were annoyed a bit because sometimes it would have been nice to sit and watch the kids swim.
Overall the positives FAR outweigh any negatives. Our plan starting in 2009 when our kids were a bit younger was to visit every Disney resort before the last child moved out starting with the Values. We probably should not have "skipped ahead" to the Beach Club because we honestly cannot imagine staying anywhere else.
Pros:
Pool, Proximity to Epcot & HSCons:
Counter Service OptionsReviewed by wb17449 Review Date: 12/04/2013
Rating: (5) Not Recommended
We stayed here Thanksgiving week. Over all our many visits to WDW, we have almost always stayed at the BC. But this will be the last. Although the staff was friendly throughout the stay, we had issues this trip. The toilet overflowed the first time it was used. Maintenance came quickly and pronounced that all was well after plunging and snaking. But the thing never seemed to be right. Halfway into the trip, we noticed small ants around the sinks. As we had no food anywhere near the sink and no beverage cups with sugary drinks nearby, where the critters were coming from is a mystery. We were on the 3rd floor, room 3630. I reported it to the front desk. As for the Beach Club Marketplace, nice food options for lunch and dinner, but breakfast options are very small. We ended up heading to other hotels or to Epcot for breakfast. It just seemed to me that the BC is looking a bit tired.
Pros:
Location close to EpcotCons:
limited counter service breakfast options; ants; and overflowing toiletReviewed by JerseyShoregirl13 Review Date: 01/10/2014
Rating: (7) Recommended
Very nice resort, but prefer Contemporary. The slide had ridges in it which hurt my back. It was very hot mid-September and the pool was too warm to cool me.
