Family of 3 - myself, husband and our son…who will be 21 EEK! Last year - September 2015 - we planned a WDW in just about 7 weeks. Not something I would recommend, however it all worked out and we going back again next year. We are able to use the military salute offer, and I initially booked the Contemporary. Then I started looking into it - we were booked into the garden wing with 1 king and 1 daybed. The bed situation bothered me from go. But I was thinking it was in the A frame building and we’d deal. But it turns out it is in the Garden Wing. And, well, if I stay at the Contemporary, I want to be in the tower.
I called back and the poor reservation agent…she dissevers a medal. We looked at almost everything and in my price range it came down to the following:
Contemporary - Garden Wing - 1 king 1 daybed
Wilderness Lodge Club Level 2 Queens
Boardwalk water view (probably 2 queens)
Beach Club 2 queens pool view
Yacht Club Garden/Woods view 2 queens
I was very nearly tempted by the Wilderness Lodge - it is where we stayed last year and we LOVED it. But I REALLY want to experience something different. We didn’t spend much time in the hotel last visit - but this visit we will be there 10 days. We will probably do 6 or 7 days in the parks. And our visit ~might~ coincide with Food & Wine at Epcot. Dates haven’t been set for it, but following the pattern, we could be there for the start of that.
I’m just…I don’t know…commitmentphobic. I did like YC - I shied away from from BC because I work at a hotel on the beach. I know it’s different…but it was still a little too close to home.
And if we do keep YC, the garden/woods view, I saw a room that had like a view of fireworks 2123 and I’ve selected 3097 thinking I might catch some fireworks from there. Any thoughts?
Thanks Everyone!
~M
I am sure you will get a bunch of different answers on this one but regardless of the view I would go with the YC. You want to stay in the BW area if you plan on spending a lot of time in EP and there will be more activity in that area if you are not going to the pearls every day. I love have a balcony in my room and the extra space that allows and the YC is really the only resort on the BW that pretty much guarantees that. Some people do not like the BW because of the QS but did I read there is a breakfast now every morning?
Great choices!
Last time we didn’t even make it over to the BW area. It’s like we knew it was there - but never got there or couldn’t find it or didn’t have enough time or some combination of that.
I think the main thing I’m looking for in replies are any strong feelings against. You can’t please everyone - though Disney does sure try - but if there was an overwhelming response of AVOID AVOID AVOID then we’d change. And with the options we have available to us, if there was a pattern of why stay YC when you have XYZ well then I’d have to consider it.
I had an “oh-no” moment when I read about the lack of QS - then I remembered we’re not really breakfast people. Last visit I think we ate breakfast once at the hotel. And I also think I saw the same thing about breakfast every morning too. So just in case we decide to buck our usual trend we’d be covered.
For us, proximity to EP wasn’t really the thing. We stayed at Wilderness, so the only thing we know is the wait for the bus to get anywhere. However, I was thinking the BW would be a good - since you can go OUT without going too terribly FAR - as was the case at Wilderness.
Thanks so much for your reply! Any room suggestions?
I can’t think of a good reason not to stay at YC. For my family, it’s the best all around area. Love walking to EP & HS. Centrally located so buses to MK & AK are not long rides.
Re: quick service. You can go over to the Marketplace at BC. Nothing is really that far away at those resorts.
If you hadn’t stayed at WL, I would have leaned that way, for the club level. But I totally understand the desire to try other resorts. We stayed at Bay Lake last year. It just didn’t have the same appeal to us as the Epcot area resorts.
I guess you should consider if the club level amenities at WL would fit your needs better than the regular room at YC. That would be my only consideration in possibly changing.
I have always said that the walk from YC to the Marketplace is shorter than the walk to the food court at POR from most of the rooms but YC now offers breakfast. The menu is here.
I knew I read read about it but it took me a while to find it!
Beyond that- YC is my favorite boardwalk area resort- do it!`
I can’t really compare what we will do on this visit with what we did last visit since we will have so much more time. We didn’t take a break from the parks during the day last time. Not only because we were short on time, but because of proximity. If we are at WL, I still don’t think we would take a break because proximity is still an issue. So unless we plan a day to “stay home” I don’t think we will be there enough to enjoy the club level. At least not at the added expense necessarily. It was at the upper end of our budget where YC is actually lower than what we planned. So that is a strong deciding factor as well.
As time passes that itchy “did I make the right decision” feeling is waning. I think I’m picking at this so much because I’m feeling like I came so close to getting a room I think I would’ve been unhappy with at the Contemporary.
You’ll love the Yacht Club. And, since it’s at the lower end of the budget, so much the better!
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We love YC. We have breakfast in room. But it’s a short walk to Crews Cup or Hurricane Hannah’s or BC for faster/cheaper food. Great pool. Great location. Lovely sophisticated vibe. Rooms due for refurb, which is in process now.
I just want to thank everyone for their replies. My nerves have settled (for now) and I’m really looking forward to our stay at YC. Anyone have any room recommendations?
Oooh, we LOVE LOVE LOVE YC!!! When are you going?
We were last there Aug/Sept 2015. Then stayed at BC Spring 2016. Liked YC much better - less hectic lobby, quiet peaceful feeling, and closer to the sandbar pool for kids.
We booked a standard room with MVT. Our room fax said, “As close to lobby as possible, prefer first floor please. Prefer room with trundle bed.” And we were a 1 minute walk from the the lobby with a beautiful view of crescent lake, a patio, and a quick hop out a side door to get to the dock.
In talking to CMs, much easier for them to place you if you describe the kind of room you want rather than the exact room number - gives them some flexibility. (And lets them work some magic - we were definitely NOT in a “standard” room!)
Maps are here, I think we were in 1157: Yacht club room number map? | WDWMAGIC - Unofficial Walt Disney World discussion forums
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I recommend trying Beach Club. It really doesn’t have that much of a beachy feel. Obviously all the same amenities as YC, but the rooms at BC have been renovated recently and are just lovely. The new mattress was amazing - wanted to take it home. I agree that location of YC/BC can’t be beat. Since I don’t have kids, having evening entertainment (Jelly Rolls) is great to be walking distance from if you want to have a couple cocktails.
We will be there for 10 days just after Labor Day (September 2017). We had a somewhat cruddy view when we stayed at WL last time. But really - how much time do you spend in the room. However there’s nothing wrong with wanting to fully enjoy what time you do spend, ya know.
I think less hectic is right up our alley.
As for room, so then would something like (N,S,E,W) facing above the gazebo bla bla bla be what I would send - once we figure out what we want?
I’ve got no tots either - I mean yea, my son, but he will be -GASP- 21!! So I think the area will be good for us. There has been talk of AbracadaBar and Jelly Rolls <- which is just so WRONG of a name for a DISNEY Jazz Place. I mean I get it, probably all Jelly Roll Morton. BUT I mean, Jelly Roll COME ON!!! I think of him, but more along the lines of where he got the name from. OK the only reason I know this is I happen to be taking a Jazz History class and we JUST covered it. But I don’t think jelly rolls (like doughnuts) when I think Jelly Rolls. I think the other thing. Can’t help it.
lol I’m not sure why they named it Jelly Rolls, but it’s not a jazz place. Dueling piano bar yes, but it’s not jazz at all. The piano players/singers take requests and it’s mostly Top 40 music, older stuff and new. The audience sings along and makes requests (bring 1’s for the players tip jars if making requests.) It’s a lot of fun. The first time I went we intended to just go for an hour for a drink, but ended up staying there for hours.
Jelly Roll did get his start as a piano player (in brothels). So maybe…who knows. There are a couple of places (blogs) that claim that’s where the name came from. But, not everything on the internet is true. No, really, I swear, I read it on the internet. Sorry, bad joke. At any rate, I’m sure we will have a good time when we go.
Oh no wait, sing alongs? Dang it. I am forbidden to sing. I kid you not, my family has put a moratorium on my singing. My problem is I have great lungs and absolutely no tune. I am tone deaf - completely. I’ve been told to “just mouth the words” since I was a kid. Oh well, not like I’ll ever see anyone there again. And my family already knows how awful it is.
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I don’t know… I think I would try to be as non-specific as possible, which gives the CMs a little leeway. For example, if you want shorter, walks, ask to for first or second floor closer to the lobby. If you want less noise, ask for a room not overlooking the bus stop.
I think if I was the CM trying to place people into rooms based on request and I saw a “facing the gazebo” request, I might roll my eyes a little tiny bit and assume they’d be happy with any room facing the gazebo, even if it’s on the 4th floor with no balcony.