Category — w. Most Recent Stuff

We’d noted earlier that those who purchased the paperback version of The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit during June could get the Kindle version free as part of Amazon’s “Matchbook” program.

Since we plan to keep the Kindle version updated–the next revision to the Kindle should come out shortly–this is a really good deal, as you will have both a hardcopy where you can scribble, circle stuff, make notes in the margin, have Anna sign, etc., while also having access to the most up-to-date stuff as well.

Disney changes all the time…plus we have some typos…and updating the Kindle lets us keep up.

Well, we’ve decided to continue that policy.

So any people who bought, or will buy, the paperback will get free access to the Kindle version and its updates until further notice! (Once you have the Kindle, you’ll always be able to get our updates on it–what we’ve changed is the end of June deadline for getting access to it for free.)

There’s a full list of our updates and typos here. Also on that page are links to the large color versions of our charts, graphs and maps–larger, more readable, printable.

Note that on the changes page, all the updates from June 11th have already been made not only in the Kindle version but also the paperback version.  Changes from July 6 (and future updates as needed) will show up only in the Kindle version.

Finally, below is a cool bit of artwork, suitable for pinning, sharing, or posting on your own site!

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(For the first page of the review of Disney’s Beach Club Resort, click here, and for the first page of the review of the Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, click here)

STORMALONG BAY AT DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB RESORT

Stormalong Bay is the pool complex shared by Disney’s Yacht Club and Beach Club Resorts. It’s the best pool at any Disney-owned hotel, and the crown jewel among the amenities at these two interconnected hotels.

Stormalong Bay is commonly referred to as a “mini water park.”  That’s an almost comic stretch.

Yet even so, it does begin to mark the difference between this pool and the other pools at the Disney World resorts.

There’s no theming in particular, nor any lush setting–although the setting is fine, especially on the Beach Club end, with the pretty facades of the Beach Club on one side, and Crescent Lake on the other.

Rather, what Stormalong Bay offers is fun and flexibility–it has everything you could reasonably ask of a resort hotel pool–and then even more! (The photos that follow are from three stays–the Beach Club Villas in March, the Beach Club in April and the Yacht Club in May 2014–thus the different skies…)

There’s five basic areas to Stormalong Bay–three large pools, each with its own distinctive offering, a great bar and grille, and a remarkable slide.

Let’s begin with the shipwreck on the beach, lower right on the map–which many casual passers-by don’t even realize is part of the pool complex.

The shipwreck is actually the starting point of the two water slides at Stormalong Bay. In the image you can see people going up the spiral staircase to the slides.

A smaller slide for youngsters splashes down to this small pool near the beach.

The longer slide goes through what seems at first to be a dismasted mast and splashes down into Stormalong Bay proper. On the map, the slide entry is into the pool labeled “Play Pool,” at the far right side–hidden in the trees.

Despite the slide landing, the play pool is a favorite of both adults and families. It has a whirlpool area (top right, cordoned off with float lines in the image)…

…an area to play something like pool volleyball…

…and lotsa plain old swimming and sunbathing space, including two hot tubs on the upper left near the Beach Club, one of which you can see in the image.

Here’s the same hot tub at night.

Also near the Play Pool is a two story structure on whose upper deck you’ll find a shady place to relax…

…but also a few sunny spots places to sunbathe. This structure, a bit of a respite from the rest of Stormalong Bay, tends to attract adults and older teens.

Next is the pool bar and grill Hurricane Hanna’s–the only part of Stormalong Bay accessible to those not staying at the Yacht or Beach Clubs (or Beach Club Villas).

Hurricane Hanna’s has a more extensive menu than most deluxe pool bars–very helpful given the limited counter service among the Epcot resorts (although its capacity is low and lines can thus be long).

Another view of Hurricane Hanna’s and its seating area.

The next pool is the Lazy River pool.

Here it is at night. A constant current flows through the pool. You can either grab a tube or noodle and float dreamily in circles, or, if you are a better person than I am–and I think we both know that you are–get some great exercise by swimming against the current.

Next is the Sand Pool, with another hot tub between it and the Lazy River Pool.

The Sand Pool has sandy shores and a sandy bottom, and is much loved by toddlers. Red play buckets are available from Hurricane Hanna’s.

The Sand Pool from another angle.

Stormalong Bay is a great pool, worth exploring over multiple days. But don’t forget your MagicBands. Only confirmed guests of the Yacht Club and the Beach Club and Villas are allowed in, except at Hurricane Hanna’s.

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(For the first page of this review of Disney’s Beach Club Resort, click here.)

AMENITIES AT DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB RESORT

There are currently 8 official Disney owned and operated deluxe resorts at Walt Disney World.
In their recommended order for first time family visitors, they are

1. Polynesian
2. Wilderness Lodge
3. Animal Kingdom Lodge
4. Contemporary
5. Grand Floridian
6. Beach Club
7. Yacht Club
8. BoardWalk Inn

Many of these also offer Disney Vacation Club (“DVC”) studios and villas, all for rent to the general public–see this for more on the Disney Vacation Club resorts. At the Beach Club, the offering is the Beach Club Villas.

You enter the Beach Club into a two story lobby where you’ll find check-in and concierge services.

It has a small area where you can try to distract the kids from their small devices to a larger one.

While there is nothing special about this lobby, it does have some charming touches.

Further down by the elevators is the gift shop.

…with even nicer window displays.

In this gift shop is also what passes for the only counter-service at the Beach Club (although the pool bar has a more varied menu than most, including burgers)–too small, with too thin a menu.

At least the cold food section of the gift shop is better stocked than that of most other Disney World gift shops.

There’s more on dining at the Beach Club here.

Seating is outside the gift shop, between it and the Beach Club Villas…

…and also in an area right next to it known as the Solarium.

There’s some nice art along the hall to the Solarium.

The Solarium has a coffee shop that operates from quite early to 12.30p.

Next to the gift shop is a space with some kids activities.

Outside the lobby you’ll find a woody-style memento of olden day beach transport…

…and then further on the left you’ll find some of the actual transport, a bus stop with shared buses to the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom.

Boat service near the Yacht Club will take you to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Because of how far the dock is, most Beach Club guests walk to Epcot but take the boat to the Hollywood Studios.

The marina is also in this area…

…and lovely beaches front the lake these resorts circle, Crescent Lake.

The beach at night.

On the beach you’ll also find a firepit for early evening s’mores.

Several wings of the Epcot side of the Beach Club are set back from Crescent Lake, and have large areas in front of them where play is welcome–although you don’t see such play nearly as much as on the BoardWalk Inn’s green.

There’s also three quiet pools in the complex. One is a hike–at the far end of the Yacht Club–and not worth the walk. There’s a tennis court near it.

Another is on the Epcot end of the Beach Club…

…and the third–and best–is back by the Beach Club Villas.

But most people, when they think of pools at the Beach Club, think of Stormalong Bay.

STORMALONG BAY AT DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB RESORT

This review continues here!

PAGES IN THIS REVIEW OF DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB RESORT

• Overview and summary of Disney’s Beach Club Resort
• Theming and accommodations at the Beach Club
• A photo tour of a Beach Club room
• Dining at the Beach Club
• Amenities at the Beach Club
• Stormalong Bay, the Beach Club’s main pool

OTHER KEY PAGES FOR WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

• Where to stay–the Basics
• Where first-timers should stay
• Reviews of all the Disney World resorts, based on my 160+ stays in them

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DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: JULY 5 TO JULY 13, 2014

The material below details operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.

The same stuff is in the image, but organized by park, not by topic.

For more on June 2014 at Walt Disney World, see this, and more on July, see this.

[Read more →]

Josh, co-author of The easy Guide, will be on the WDW News Today Radio show tonight about 9p–when you really should be outside chasing fireflies or illegal fireworks.

Besides answering questions (mostly about me I expect) he’ll have also some great giveaways–check out his post here for more on both the giveaways and how to listen to the show!

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OVERVIEW: DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB RESORT

Note: guests at Disney’s Beach Club Resort are eligible for Disney World’s Early Entry program, and have the ability to pre-book as early as  seven days before check-in Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass rides. They are also eligible for its Extended Evening Hours.

Our most recent stay (our fifth, in January) confirms that Disney’s Beach Club Resort, one of the Epcot resorts, is the sixth best deluxe resort at Walt Disney World for first time family visitors.

For returning visitors, it would be ranked higher, especially for visits focused on Epcot and/or Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

You can have a wonderful visit at any Walt Disney World resort hotel.

However, this site recommends that first time visitors to Walt Disney World who can afford it should stay at Disney’s Polynesian Resort, a deluxe resort, and that those who can’t should stay at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, a value resort.

(It also suggests that first time visitors should avoid the moderate resorts, while noting that these resorts are wonderful for visits after the first. See this for why.)

Compared to other Walt Disney World owned and operated resorts, the deluxe resorts are distinguished by having (on average) the most amenities, nicest views, best dining options, best transport options, largest rooms, best service, and highest prices.

Among the deluxe resorts, Disney’s Beach Club Resort has a lot of positives.

It stands out for sharing with the Yacht Club Resort the best pool among the Disney-owned resorts, sharing with the Yacht Club and the BoardWalk Inn convenient access to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and also sharing with these resorts a short walk to dozens of table service dining options located in these resorts, at the Swan and Dolphin, on the BoardWalk, and in Epcot.

(For Disney’s Beach Club Villas, which share services and their location with the Beach Club, see this.)

The principal negatives of the Beach Club are inconvenience to the Magic Kingdom, weak counter-service dining, and a few too many so-small-as-to-be-useless balconies.

This review has 6 pages

• The Beach Club overview you are currently viewing
• Theming and Accommodations at the Beach Club
• A photo tour of a Beach Club room
• Dining at the Beach Club
• Amenities at the Beach Club
• Stormalong Bay, the Beach Club’s main pool

ACCOMMODATIONS AT DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB RESORT

Standard rooms at Disney’s Beach Club Resort, last refurbed in 2015, are sized in the middle of the deluxe resorts.

They are larger than those at the Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge, but smaller than those at Disney’s Polynesian Resort and the other monorail resorts.

Most of these rooms sleep five–two each in two queens, and another in convertible sofa. Some rooms have just the two queens, and rooms with one king bed are also available.

You can add to this capacity a child younger than three who sleeps in a crib.

For a photo tour of one of these Beach Club rooms, see this, and for more on accommodations at the Beach Club, see this.

DINING AT DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB RESORT

The Beach Club has two table service restaurants. Beaches and Cream is a popular burger and ice cream shop, but far too small for the demand for it. The Cape May Cafe has Minnie and other characters, but not Mickey, at breakfast, and an OK seafood buffet at dinner.

More dining is within walking distance at the Yacht Club and BoardWalk but none except breakfast at Trattoria al Forno has great kid or family appeal.

Quick service dining is quite limited, with just small venues at the back of the Beach Club gift shop, in the Yacht Club gift shop, and by the main pool.

For more on dining at the Beach Club, see this.

THE POOLS AT DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB RESORT

The Beach Club and Yacht Club share the best pool complex at any Disney-owned resort (the Four Seasons has the best overall pool complex on property).

Known as Stormalong Bay, there’s actually three pools in the complex, plus a stunning water slide. This pool complex vies with the Beach Club’s nearness to Epcot for being the reason so many families love this resort.

There’s also two smaller pools at the Beach Club, and a third small pool at the far end of the Yacht Club.

For more on Stormalong Bay, see this.

KID APPEAL AND CONVENIENCE AT DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB RESORT

Resorts are ranked on this site for first time visitors based first on their kid appeal, and then on their convenience.

On this basis, Disney’s Beach Club Resort is the sixth-best deluxe resort for first time family visitors to Walt Disney World.

Kid Appeal.

• Three of the deluxe resorts–the Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and Polynesian Resort, in that order–have spectacular kid appeal. The Beach Club has comparatively little architectural  kid appeal
• None of the moderates do.
• All of the value resorts–Disney’s All-Star Sports, All-Star Music, and All-Star Movies, its Pop Century Resort, and its Art of Animation Resort–have strong kid appeal.

The kid appeal of the Beach Club Resort, such as it is, comes from its pool, not its design, architecture, or theme.

Stormalong Bay, the pool that the Beach Club and Yacht Club share, is the most fun and kid-appealing pool at Walt Disney World.

Otherwise, nothing about the design or architecture of the Beach Club shouts out that it was built for kids.

Convenience. Disney’s Beach Club Resort is the sixth-most convenient of all the Walt Disney World resorts in carrying out the itineraries for first-time family visitors on this site.

All of the Epcot resorts are convenient to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Epcot is a short walk from the Beach Club, and the Studios are a longer walk or a boat ride away.  (Epcot can also be accessed by boat, but the boat dock is almost as long a walk from the Beach Club as is Epcot itself.)

The other two parks are accessed by buses, which are shared with some of the other Epcot resorts.

BEST PLACES TO STAY AT DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB RESORT

This site suggests that first time visitors stay in standard rooms, not preferred rooms.

This is because they won’t be spending much time in their rooms.

The single exception is visitors to the Animal Kingdom Lodge, who should always pay for savanna views.

On the map (click it to enlarge it), the Yacht Club Resort is on the left, the Beach Club Resort is center-right, and the Beach Club Villas are at the top right.  The walkway to Epcot is at the far right, and the boat dock shared by the Beach and Yacht Clubs is at the center in the lake.

The room areas of the Beach Club–at the right in the map–are in a long, narrow building with only two elevator banks, one central, and one on the (right) Epcot side.

As a result, rooms on the Yacht Club side of the Beach Club–center left on the map–can be a hike away from the elevators.

Epcot-side rooms are not only better served with elevators, but also have the shortest walk to Epcot.

The other issue with the Beach Club is that many of its rooms have tiny and largely useless balconies, with room only for a couple of people to stand, and no seating space.

See the image above, where the first and second floors have full width patios/decks, the third floor rooms show the tiny small balconies, and the fourth floor room have small balconies.

This results in a charming, nicely modulated facade, especially compared to that of sister resort the Yacht Club. (See the Yacht Club image below.)

That said, I’d take a full balcony over charming design any day of the week. In fact, diminishing livability to improve looks is almost the definition of bad architecture.

Full balconies give you another space–and hence a place to separate and retreat–which can be critical to keeping the peace in your family.

So you should ask for a room with a large balcony, as close to Epcot as possible.

BEST FOR:

Any first time family visitors who can afford it, but can’t get into or don’t want to stay at Disney’s Polynesian Resort.

WORST FOR:

Families seeking the highest degree of kid appeal. Families too large to fit its 5 person rooms. See this for more on large families at Walt Disney World.

The long-time travel agent partner of this site, Kelly, can book you into Disney’s Beach Club Resort–or any other Disney World hotel! Contact her using the form below.

THEMING AND ACCOMMODATIONS AT DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB RESORT

This review continues here.

PAGES IN THIS REVIEW OF DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB RESORT

• Overview and summary of Disney’s Beach Club Resort
• Theming and accommodations at the Beach Club
• A photo tour of a Beach Club room
• Dining at the Beach Club
• Amenities at the Beach Club
• Stormalong Bay, the Beach Club’s main pool

OTHER KEY PAGES FOR WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

• Where to stay–the Basics
• Where first-timers should stay
• Reviews of all the Disney World resorts, based on my 160+ stays in them

Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest!!