Ever been at Epcot at closing and you find yourself deep in World Showcase and thought, "Gee, I would love to not have to walk all the way to the front of the park to get back to my hotel?" Well, your wish can be granted if you stay at one of these two sister resorts. Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts sit on the shores of Crescent Lake next to World Showcase’s own entrance, the International Gateway.
Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts are themed to transport you to the shores of New England in the early 1900’s. Each resort has its own unique and complimentary style. Beach Club is one of my favorites. Its relaxing beach theme makes you feel right at ease with relaxing blue, green, and cream hues, and fun highlights of croquet mallets, and beach umbrellas as décor pieces. Yacht Club, in contrast, is made up of dark wood moldings, grey, navy, and red throughout the resort, with many more nautical art pieces throughout. This gives it a more upscale feel in general. Accommodations at either resort do vary from Standard Rooms that sleep up to 5 adults, to Suites, rooms with club-level access, and even Studio, 1 and 2-bedroom Villas. So, there are lots of options for a variety of needs and budgets. They are well-appointed, sleek, and comfortable, having been refurbished just a few years ago.
These two resorts are connected by a common feature pool, Stormalong Bay. Stormalong Bay is no ordinary pool. It is a series of sand bottom pools; a lazy river, a beach pool for the little ones, whirlpools, sinking sands, and a giant water slide that begins atop a mast of a shipwreck. This pool is also locked down like Fort Knox. If you are not staying at this resort, you are not allowed to enjoy Stormalong Bay, which gives it a sense of exclusivity. There is also a kiddie pool area inside the shipwreck facing the Crescent Lake beach area complete with a kiddie slide and seating area. (Please note that as of publishing Stormalong Bay will be down for a lengthy refurbishment from January-June 2025. During that time you can utilize one of the 3 other quiet pools at the resorts, 1 at Yacht Club, and 2 at Beach Club.)
Dining at these two resorts falls into two main categories, fun, or fancy. On the Beach Club side, you have Cape May Café, known for its character-filled buffet breakfasts with Minnie and friends, and its seafood buffet dinner. You also have Beaches & Cream, a vintage-style soda shop, complete with some of the biggest and best sundaes around! I recommend the “No Way Jose”, so very yummy. There are also two quick service locations, Hurricane Hanna's which serves as the pool bar to Stormalong Bay, and an internal location that is part of The Marketplace to serve your grab-and-go style needs.
Over at Yacht Club, the dining is a bit more upscale. Yachtsman Steakhouse is known for its premium steaks, and Ale & Compass offers some delicious seafood and landlubber options at a more reasonable price, yet still a refined setting. This resort also offers a quick service, The Market at Ale & Compass, and a bar, The Crew Cup Lounge, an option for those wanting a little something different than a standard sit-down experience. Still not enough dining options? You’re just steps away from Disney’s Boardwalk, the Swan and Dolphin Resorts, and of course Epcot’s World Showcase with more options than you can taste in one vacation.
Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts are great options for those looking to easily access Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios by walkway, Friendship Boats or even utilizing the Skyliner station at EPCOT's International Gateway. I would also say that these resorts are a great option for those wanting a staycation at the resort to enjoy the waterpark-style pool and the bountiful food options in and around the resort.
Whatever destination you choose, we at Part of That World Vacations are here to help you when you are ready to travel again. So, what Part of That World would you like to travel to?
Contact Dana Birch at: danabirch@partofthatworld.com
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