I could not discuss Disney’s Yacht Club and Beach Club, one without the other. In fact, these sister resorts are commonly referred to as Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort.
This article will be an overview of Disney’s Yacht Club and Beach Club, and include their theming & vibe, location & transportation. For entertainment, dining & shops, and Stormalong Bay, check out this other article! <Insert link to Part 2 after both have been published.>
Disney’s Yacht (YC) & Beach Club (BC) Resorts are Epcot area Disney Deluxe Resorts, cushioned perfectly in front of the picturesque Crescent Lake and its Bayside Marina, complete with white sandy beaches.
One continuous facility, together they share a conference center, more than 1,100 guest rooms, including 138 concierge-level (Club Level) rooms and 33 suites – the Disney Vacation Club (DVC) timeshare part of the resort. They also share Stormalong Bay, a 3-acre aquatic area, with the *coolest* shipwreck theming (more on this later).
They are within walking distance or a convenient boat ride to Disney’s Boardwalk area, Epcot’s International Gateway entrance, the Skyliner, and Hollywood Studios.
It’s important to note that Beach Club is arguably the more popular resort of the two, and gets a lot of love from Disney World Resort lovers. I, of course, have to go against the grain and my personal opinion is that Yacht Club is a better resort.
Theming & Vibe
“Beach” and “seafaring” are the words that come to mind when thinking of Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts collectively as a whole. When first asked to describe the difference in their theming, I had a tough time of it. It took a few visits to really get it.
Beach Club has a very relaxed, airy vibe, with calm sandy browns and pastel blues, aquas, pinks, and yellows. It reminds me of a bright vacation beach house. Think seashells, sandcastles, beach balls, umbrellas, and flip-flops. It is very family-friendly, while remaining classic at the same time.
Beach Club is arguably the more popular of the two resorts. The Beach Boys’ “Surfin’ USA” always plays in my mind every time I set foot on its grounds.
Yacht Club’s theme is described by Disney as having the “formal grace of a grand New England-style yacht club”, and is more moody, mysterious, and quiet, with dark hues of navy blue, deep woodsy browns, and brass hardware. Think compasses, nautical globes, and marine rope. While it remains family-friendly with Disney touches throughout, it feels elegant and unbusy.
I personally prefer the decor and overall vibe at Yacht Club. Of course, a lot of this comes down to personal taste.
Most of my kids are adults or young adults, but I do have one toddler. At my age, Yacht Club feels like a relaxing getaway after a day at the park, while Beach Club is almost always bustling during normal hours. In the summer, normal hours can easily run late into the evening.
Another reason I love Yacht Club: I have a son that serves in the U.S. Navy. When I’m there, my mind usually gravitates towards thoughts about him ~ Would he notice details about its displays or give me more context about of them? If you have a sailing or nautical enthusiast, this may be a better pick for them over Beach Club.
Both resorts smell scrumptious.
Location
One could argue that Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts’ location is *better* than being located at a monorail resort, which is only close to the Magic Kingdom. That being said, The Magic Kingdom is simply far from everything, except the Monorail resorts and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.
Beach Club and Yacht Club are literal footsteps away from Epcot and walking distance to Hollywood Studios. During my stay at Yacht Club two weeks ago, I was worried that our room assignment would be too far; it was almost the furthest building away from Epcot that a guest staying at Yacht Club can get (pictured below).
I timed the walk to Epcot twice. Once, it was a quick pace to grab the Skyliner on the way to Topolino’s Terrace (at Riviera Resort) for breakfast. Mind you, I was pushing a 40lb toddler in a Citi Mini stroller as quickly as I could go. It was 4 minutes, and I was slightly winded.
The second time I timed the same path was to the Epcot International Gateway entrance, and this was more leisurely. We admired the water and the beaches, Stormalong Bay, and took our time. This stroll was 6 minutes.
My worries were moot, even being assigned a room pretty far out, everything was still very easy and quick to get to.
Transportation
As I stated earlier in the article, one could argue that Beach & Yacht Club is in a better location than the Monorail resorts. Similarly, one could argue that their transportation options are better as well.
Bus transportation is available to all Disney theme parks, water parks, and Disney Springs. Because of all of the other transportation options available, guests only ever need to set foot on the buses when heading to Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom. My family opted to take a Minnie Van to the Magic Kingdom in November.
Friendship Boats are available from the Beach & Yacht Club docks to Epcot, Hollywood Studios, & Swan & Dolphin Resorts. This is my favorite way to get to Hollywood Studios.
Epcot, Disney’s Boardwalk, Swan & Dolphin, and Hollywood Studios are all walking-distance to Beach & Yacht Club. I will add that I’ve not attempted the walk to Hollywood Studios. The walk is said to be 1.2 miles, or approximately 20 minutes away. Ain’t nobody got time for that, *unless* you just feel like taking a leisurely 20 minute stroll at the beginning or end of your park day. The walk to Epcot, Boardwalk, and the Skyliner are no more than 6 minutes.
Although Beach & Yacht Club are not considered Disney’s Skyliner Resorts ~ I mean, they really are. The Skyliner is a two to six minute walk from most parts of the Beach & Yacht Club Resorts, at the foot of the International Gateway Entrance to Epcot. We took the Skyliner to our last Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera breakfast, and again as we headed out to Hollywood Studios that same day.
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