Animal Kingdom Lodge vs. Yacht Club (Suprise We're Going to Beach Club)

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FamilyCallsMeWalt

Member
Original Poster
We are going to be taking a two person vacation in April 2020, it will be a 5 day. We are down to two hotels at the moment: Yacht and Animal Kingdom Lodge.

I have stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge about 6 times now, meanwhile I have never stayed at the Yacht Club. I have stayed at Beach Club once and loved it. If we are going to be doing a 5 day what do you think is best, being that I have not stayed at Yacht Club I would love to hear your experiences as well!
 
zurgandfriend

zurgandfriend

Well-Known Member
We stayed at AKL once, it was nice with a good pool and some great restaurants, but it seemed a little distant from everything else. We stayed at the Yacht Club last fall and loved it. It has a great pool the rooms were a little bigger than AKL or WL. YC is close to the restaurants around Crescent Lake and the World Showcase. If you have stayed at AKL several times, then I say try something different. My goal is to stay at every deluxe resort at WDW. I have two left, Boardwalk and Beach Club.
 
F

FamilyCallsMeWalt

Member
Original Poster
zurgandfriend said:
We stayed at AKL once, it was nice with a good pool and some great restaurants, but it seemed a little distant from everything else. We stayed at the Yacht Club last fall and loved it. It has a great pool the rooms were a little bigger than AKL or WL. YC is close to the restaurants around Crescent Lake and the World Showcase. If you have stayed at AKL several times, then I say try something different. My goal is to stay at every deluxe resort at WDW. I have two left, Boardwalk and Beach Club.
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I have to tell you that you'll love Beach Club. I loved the rooms and lobby. Thank you for the advice on the YC, you are making me lean towards it more.
 
Think Tink

Think Tink

Premium Member
In the Parks
No
I’ve stayed both and from my personal experience, I prefer the Yacht Club. I will be back there next month. AKL is more immersive with the theme but the YC is a bit quieter and the pool at the YC is the best I’ve seen! I also love being able to walk the boardwalk at night and having the Friendship Boats for HS and Epcot is a huge bonus though I typically walk to Epcot. The rooms were just updated last year and I think look much nicer than before. I use the space under the bed for storage which is nice. If you ever stay Club Level their staff is amazing as well!
 
Think Tink

Think Tink

Premium Member
In the Parks
No
CLEtoWDW said:
Disney couldn’t pay me to stay at AKL. It’s in the middle of no where next to my least favorite park. It was a neat concept but I deem AKL to be a failure.
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While I agree that is out in the boondocks of Disney, I think that it almost had to be a bit removed due to the savannahs. I had a great stay, but I have only been there, YC, BC, and ASMusic, so I still have way more to try :)
 
F

FamilyCallsMeWalt

Member
Original Poster
mouse_luv said:
How about a split stay?
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We would do that if it were more than a 4-5 day trip. At the moment we probably couldn't afford a 6+ day trip at the moment, eventually we will get there!

It would seem that you get more bang for your buck if you actually stay at the Yacht club. Seems to be slightly cheaper than Beach and far cheaper than AKL Savannah rooms I have seen.
 
larryz

larryz

I'm Just A Tourist!
Premium Member
helenabear said:
Not sure why people keep thinking it is sooooo far away. It's more centrally located than the MK resorts are...
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Not really.
AKL to MK: 4.7 miles
to Epcot: 3.2 miles
to DHS: 2.7 miles
to DAK: < 1 mile.
AVG to a park: 2.875

Poly to MK: < 1 mile
to Epcot: 3.1 miles
to DHS: 3.5 miles
to DAK: 3.1 miles
AVG to a park: 2.65

CR to MK: < 1 mile
to Epcot: 3.2 miles
to DHS: 4.1 miles
to DAK: 3.7 miles.
AVG to a park: 2.875

GF to MK: < 1 mile
to Epcot: 3.4 miles
to DHS: 4.1 miles
to DAK: 3.5 miles
AVG to a park: 2.9
 
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Think Tink

Think Tink

Premium Member
In the Parks
No
helenabear said:
Not sure why people keep thinking it is sooooo far away. It's more centrally located than the MK resorts are...
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I think it depends on what people’s park preferences are too. I love MK and Epcot and spend most my time there so it can be a long bus ride. At least with the MK resorts there’s the Monorail for Epcot and the close proximity to MK. Since AK is the park I frequent the least it does feel a bit removed. I’ve only stayed there once though, as I prefer staying at the Epcot resorts and being able to walk to HS and Epcot. I haven’t stayed at a MK resort yet but hoping to next year! :)
 
F

FamilyCallsMeWalt

Member
Original Poster
larryz said:
Not really.
AKL to MK: 4.7 miles
to Epcot: 3.2 miles
to DHS: 2.7 miles
to DAK: < 1 mile.
AVG to a park: 2.875

Poly to MK: < 1 mile
to Epcot: 3.1 miles
to DHS: 3.5 miles
to DAK: 3.1 miles
AVG to a park: 2.65

CR to MK: < 1 mile
to Epcot: 3.2 miles
to DHS: 4.1 miles
to DAK: 3.7 miles.
AVG to a park: 2.875

GF to MK: < 1 mile
to Epcot: 3.4 miles
to DHS: 4.1 miles
to DAK: 3.5 miles
AVG to a park: 2.9
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It all depends on what you want I suppose but when you look at it I suppose it is clear that AKL is clearly closer to 2 parks than 3 of the hotels. If you want to play the distance game Poly seems to be the one that is "closest" to everything overall. But they don't necessarily have the benefits of Yacht or Beach Club to two/3 of the parks. In terms of AKL certainly, but not the 5 behind Epcot.
 
F

FamilyCallsMeWalt

Member
Original Poster
Think Tink said:
I think it depends on what people’s park preferences are too. I love MK and Epcot and spend most my time there so it can be a long bus ride. At least with the MK resorts there’s the Monorail for Epcot and the close proximity to MK. Since AK is the park I frequent the least it does feel a bit removed. I’ve only stayed there once though, as I prefer staying at the Epcot resorts and being able to walk to HS and Epcot. I haven’t stayed at a MK resort yet but hoping to next year! :)
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Exactly I love Epcot and Hollywood Studios so Yacht seems to be where I am leaning.
 
correcaminos

correcaminos

Well-Known Member
larryz said:
Not really.
AKL to MK: 4.7 miles
to Epcot: 3.2 miles
to DHS: 2.7 miles
to DAK: < 1 mile.
AVG to a park: 2.875

Poly to MK: < 1 mile
to Epcot: 3.1 miles
to DHS: 3.5 miles
to DAK: 3.1 miles
AVG to a park: 2.65

CR to MK: < 1 mile
to Epcot: 3.2 miles
to DHS: 4.1 miles
to DAK: 3.7 miles.
AVG to a park: 2.875

GF to MK: < 1 mile
to Epcot: 3.4 miles
to DHS: 4.1 miles
to DAK: 3.5 miles
AVG to a park: 2.9
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Where do you get those distances? I have significantly different mileage than this. Not to mention travel time.

Edit: I think you did as the crow flies which is not helpful really. The distance via roads are significantly different.
 
Thingamabob

Thingamabob

Active Member
My favorite Resort is the AK and it seems like you enjoy it there as well since you have stayed 6 times which is more times than I have been to WDW in my entire 18 years of m life. I would always recommend the AK, but I am always up for something new as well so I would say go for the YC.
 
K

KaliSplash

Well-Known Member
AKL IS isolated at the end of the property. Yes, it's only X miles to various places, but there are so many better hotels where you will feel more "In the middle" of all the action. Yacht Club or Beach Club are excellent choices to be in the middle. They are literally in the middle of Epcot and the Studios. But hey, you'll be at WDW, How bad could any it be? :)
 
Thebolt

Thebolt

Active Member
AKL is a great hotel, has the Disney feel but is very relaxed being a little further away from the hustle and bustle of the parks.
It is a completely different setup being at the Epcot resorts. You are able to walk, get a boat (or Gondola?) to the parks, have shops and restaurants on the doorstep. The pace tends to stay similar both at the resorts and in the parks.

We did a 3 resort split stay last time starting at AKL and ending at YBC...and my kids still preferred AKL overall. Personally, I'd go for the new experience. AKL will still be there next time.
 

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