Epcot Resorts

[Melerella]

This July my family and I are going to be staying at the Beach Club in the Epcot area. But I am just a big fan of staying in Magic Kingdom, since that's the only place we've ever stayed (except off site one year), and I just feel at home near the Magic Kigdom (I know it sounds crazy..lol). Anyway, I was wondering if anyone can tell me a little bit more about Beach Club or staying in a Epcot resort. I am very excited, especially since I'll be there for my birthday( 19th!!) , but it's just so different to stay near another park.

Thanks = )!

 

[patricia27]

We have stayed at the Boardwalk a few times, it`s nice to be near everything. You can walk or get the boat to both Epcot and MGM studios, so if you suddenly decide to go see the firworks it`s on your doorstep. Also there are plenty of places to eat in The World Showcase. The Boardwalk is lively in the evening though I think you have to be 21 to go in some places.

 

[longfamily]

The Beach club is really nice. They have a 3 acre water playground that they share with their sister hotel, The Yacht Club. Both Epcot and MGM are in walking distance of the hotel which is a plus if you are like us and like to eat in a different country every night. The good news about the proximity to Epcot too, is that Epcot generally closes the lastest of all of the parks. So if you are done with say the MK and are still wanting something to do, Epcot is right there. I would also recommend using the monorail from epcot to the TTC to get to MK. This way tends to be faster than the bus system.

Across the lake at the Boardwalk area is alot of shoping, clubs, and restaurants too. Here you can rent Surrey bikes for you and your family or take in a night of swing dancing at Atlantic Dance.

I have found that the boats (recreational)in this area are not as fast as the other boats found at the MK hotels. But, we really enjoyed the Fireworks cruise from the Beach Club area better. This is an extra you may want to consider for your group.

Good Luck! Have a great trip

 

[polynesiangirl]

As you can see from my user name, I'm an MK resort type myself. That said, however, the Yacht/Beach are easy close seconds for me in terms of preference. You still get the awesome "deluxe resort" experience and while you can't just jump on the monorail and head over to MK as easily, MGM and Epcot are exceedingly close as I'm sure you already know.

I personally love the area of World Showcase that you come in through to get to Epcot from the BC, it always seems much, much quieter and calm than the Future World entrance. Plus it's not like it's all that much of a haul to get over to MK (since we are monorail fanatics, and we always have park hoppers, we just enter through Epcot and walk to the monorail to go to MK - it's kind of a fun little trip.)

I don't know if the Epcot resort area can ever really be the "same" as being able to see the castle from your resort at night, which I think is really pretty special. But your proximity to IllumiNations (which is my fave night show anyhow) is really awesome and you'll find yourself *really* enjoying Epcot when you're so close to it. The other thing I like about the Epcot area is that while it's not "way out there", it does seem to have a much more relaxed feeling to it than the one I get from the MK resorts.

I hope this helps - trust me, I'm usually a hard sell when it comes to convincing me to not stay in the MK area - and I am sure you will enjoy all the unique and exciting things the Epcot area has to offer.

 

[jordanyosh]

Ahh...the Epcot resorts. Location as everyone else says is the key factor. That and Stormalong Bay. Really it feels like you are staying at 7 resorts instead of one because you can move so freely from one resort to the next and have a different experience at each one.

Because you are so close to MGM and Epcot, you can go to MGM first thing;ride TOT and RockNRoller and then leave and head to another park for the rest of the day. We did that a few times on our last vacation....

You will have fun wherever you stay...it's Disney.

 

[Melerella]

Yea, I was wondering about IllumiNations. Is there a certain spot that's best for watching them if you're at the hotel?

 

[DigitalDisney]

Beach Club is awesome

It's within walking distance to the Boardwalk and Epcot, plus it's got a boat launch for service to the Swan/Dolphin, Epcot, and MGM

Of course, the pool is the best in all of WDW. That's a well known fact.

As far as watching Illuminations goes, there's no specific place at resort that I can think of to watch it from. However, there is a bridge that connects the Beach Club to the Boardwalk, and it will probably be your best bet.

 

[vilegirl]

I absolutely love Beach Club - and I am a tried and true MK resort fan. Like everyone has said, the location is wonderful. Also, Cape May Cafe and Beaches and Cream are great. Especially Beaches and Cream! :slurp: I haven't stayed at the BC since 2003, but I liked it so much that I'm going back. In July as well!! Maybe we'll see you there. :wave:

Have fun! You'll love it. :sohappy:

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Question: My sister and hubby are planning to take their 1 yr old to disney and they want to stay at the beach club so they won't have to pay extra for the water parks. She figures there is a slide and a lazy river at the beach club and they don't need much more than that since someone will have to be watching the baby. Is that a good plan? Just wondering. Thanks!

 

[vilegirl]

Question: My sister and hubby are planning to take their 1 yr old to disney and they want to stay at the beach club so they won't have to pay extra for the water parks. She figures there is a slide and a lazy river at the beach club and they don't need much more than that since someone will have to be watching the baby. Is that a good plan? Just wondering. Thanks!

Sounds like a good plan to me. The pool at the BC, StormAlong Bay, is incredible!!

 

[stitch001]

The Epcot Area is my favorite place to stay. And like everyone has said, you can walk to epcot and MGM. and both have there pirks. With MGM, we always walked, even though they have a fery that gose to all the reasorts there. walking was so much faster. and it was fun. In the moring there were always ducks around, and I do have a thing for ducks. but thats a differnt story. Its also a nice walk. (a bit easier if your at Boardwalk casue it starts right around there) and Epcots walk is like walking from your car to the door of a mall its so quick, and almost no one uses that entracnce, cuase there no parking lot there. (or maybe there is and Ive never seen it,) but theres never a wait for the bag check, and your in, really quickly. Other pirck is that your so close, so after the fireworks, or whenever you leave. instead of haveing to walk through all of feauter world, then to the bus. and then off the bus, blah blah blah. your in bed so quick. And yes the Pool at B/Y club is freeking sweet. We haven't stayed there sence I was five, but when we were there in nov. we went and took a walk around the grounds and man my mom went down memory lane. It was kinda funny. And the veiw from eather side of the lagoon is nice. All in all though I do like the boardwalk better. That place just felt more like home for me. ( and my home is no where near that nice)

For your fireworks, Id go with the bridge conecting Boardwalk to B/Y club. but if your the room durring Illuminations. it almost sounds like a war is going on out side, thats how loud they get. Its kinda funny.

And about the kids. well I was one of those kids when I stayed in at the Beach club. and while that was very early 90s it was fun. they had tons of games and we got dinner one night when my parents went to the world Showcase to eat. It was like being at a freinds house, but they had really cool stuff. (or thats how my mom said I describe it to her when she picked me up that night) and she reminded me when we walked around last time.

But there nice places to stay. You will totaly fall in love with them.

 

[mike29]

Really!!!!! So is mine

 

[longfamily]

Question: My sister and hubby are planning to take their 1 yr old to disney and they want to stay at the beach club so they won't have to pay extra for the water parks. She figures there is a slide and a lazy river at the beach club and they don't need much more than that since someone will have to be watching the baby. Is that a good plan? Just wondering. Thanks!

There is no lazy river. The pool pretty much consists of one long slide (25-30 feet), a sandy bottem, various *small areas with eddies (the water kind of swirls in small places), and 3 acers worth of pool. It does not compare to a water park by any stretch of the imagination. If a slide is all that they are looking for, any Deluxe or Moderate hotel will do.
However, if they want the lazy river and slides and what not, a water park is better Plus both water parks have extensive areas just for the infant/toddler set. It may be worth it for them to trade off with the baby in these areas while the other plays on the slides for a while. We did this with our son when he was younger and it worked out great. There are few attractions that you can ride with more than one person anyway.

 

[Fantasmic!329]

There is no lazy river. The pool pretty much consists of one long slide (25-30 feet), a sandy bottem, various *small areas with eddies (the water kind of swirls in small places), and 3 acers worth of pool. It does not compare to a water park by any stretch of the imagination. If a slide is all that they are looking for, any Deluxe or Moderate hotel will do.
However, if they want the lazy river and slides and what not, a water park is better Plus both water parks have extensive areas just for the infant/toddler set. It may be worth it for them to trade off with the baby in these areas while the other plays on the slides for a while. We did this with our son when he was younger and it worked out great. There are few attractions that you can ride with more than one person anyway.

And there is not much sand left in the sand-bottomed pool! lol :lol: