Grand Floridian VS. Yacht Club

[captainkidd]

As we all know, the GF is the flagship resort. However, in the majority of guide books, YC gets named best Deluxe Resort. Which do you prefer and why?

I'm not voting as this summer will be our 1st stay at the Yacht Club, but I am curious to hear what other people say.

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

Pool view from our balcony at the GF

 

[captainkidd]

I'm currently breaking it down like this:

Rooms - YC
Location - YC
Pool - YC
Convenience - GF
Food - Toss-up. GF has monorail resorts, but not much for kids at hotel itself. YC has a few, plus Boardwalk and Epcot.
Transportation - Toss-up. GF has monorail, but is 2nd on the bus line after WL, so there can be standing.
Atmosphere - GF. I like being close to the MK, though I'd love to be close to Epcot as well.
View - YC. For the same money of a standard view at GF, we have a water view at YC.

So, right now, it's 4-2 YC, but the 2 for the GF are really big.

 

[DisneyDozen]

I'm currently breaking it down like this:

Rooms - YC
Location - YC
Pool - YC
Convenience - GF
Food - Toss-up. GF has monorail resorts, but not much for kids at hotel itself. YC has a few, plus Boardwalk and Epcot.
Transportation - Toss-up. GF has monorail, but is 2nd on the bus line after WL, so there can be standing.
Atmosphere - GF. I like being close to the MK, though I'd love to be close to Epcot as well.
View - YC. For the same money of a standard view at GF, we have a water view at YC.

So, right now, it's 4-2 YC, but the 2 for the GF are really big.

I always stay concierge at the Grand, but the standard views are all lovely. The standard views at the YC are not......

As for kids at the Grand...OMG! It's amazing. My daughters love all the kids' activities....you can book the Alice in Wonderland Tea Party or the Pirate Cruise....and/or they have a whole afternoon of free kids' activites at the pool....they play fun music and games and then in the eves they have a campfire with activities and then a movie on the beach. They have really upped the GF's appeal to families in recent months.

I do agree the rates at the Grand are getting steep, though. It seems you have to really weigh the WANT to stay there ...if it's worth the cost now a days. There is a great GF website but not sure I can post it here. It is full of info dedicated to the Grand. Maybe you can PM me if you want that info.

Happy deciding and planning!
D

 

[captainkidd]

Yeah, I have seen that website. I did stay at the GF last month for a couple of nights, so I'm familiar with it. I agree - The standard view was very nice. When I said "not for kids", I was referring to the food options.

 

[DaGoof00]

This march will mark my third stay at the Grand, and I won't stay elsewhere again. It is absolutely amazing! We have visited the Yacht Club a few times, and have found it to feel congested and "busy". Sure it has the sand bottomed pool - but there is something so luxurious about the grand; and something so magical about the magic kingdom resort area

 

[captainkidd]

My wife thinks we should switch to the GF. She's been hesitant as she's afraid we'll be out of place with such little kids, especially 2 little boys who like to make so much noise. But the convenience factor really is huge for us. We'd love to stay close to Epcot, but maybe in a couple years. Here's what really is swaying us to GF:

Extra Magic Hour Nights - If we stay at Yacht Club, going to Epcot is no problem getting back. At Magic Kingdom, getting back, we have to rely on buses. If we stay at GF, we have the monorail back from both parks.

Mid day breaks - Same thing. Easy monorail ride back staying at the GF. Staying at the YC, from the MK, we'd be taking the bus back, or the monorail to Epcot, then walking all the way through. Either way, GF is more convenient.

 

[DaGoof00]

Despite popular belief, and my own personal belief the Grand is EXTREMELY kid oriented; even camp fires and roasted marshmellows on the beach at night!!! Pool games, a character breakfast, clear views of the fireworks from the marina, and EVEN more convenient about getting back to the hotel from MK is the boat. The grand is the first stop on the boat so you don't have to go around the entire monorail line!!! We always monorail to MK and boat back. The arcade and fast food eatery is the best of the deluxe resorts I've stayed at or visited (kid oriented food). There are also numerous other kid friendly activities.

As for the parents... plenty for you too! Oh and you can't compare the standard rooms between the Grand and the Yacht club; it's like apples and oranges. The standard rooms at the Grand do NOT view parking lots; whereas, the Yacht Club does. In fact, the past 2 times I have stayed in "standard rooms" at the Grand I have had a view of "water", although it was a minimal view or obstructed by a tree. I highly recommend it! I think most guide books like the Yacht club for location. It is in the center of WDW with the entertainment of the boardwalk accross the lagoon and the ability to walt to 2 of the 4 parks. Keep in mind for the little ones, you'll be at the MK probably the most, and this is not 2 of the 4 walkable parks.

Happy vacationing!

2 weeks until I'm back in the World!:sohappy:

 

[yankspy]

My wife thinks we should switch to the GF. She's been hesitant as she's afraid we'll be out of place with such little kids, especially 2 little boys who like to make so much noise. But the convenience factor really is huge for us. We'd love to stay close to Epcot, but maybe in a couple years. Here's what really is swaying us to GF:

Extra Magic Hour Nights - If we stay at Yacht Club, going to Epcot is no problem getting back. At Magic Kingdom, getting back, we have to rely on buses. If we stay at GF, we have the monorail back from both parks.

Mid day breaks - Same thing. Easy monorail ride back staying at the GF. Staying at the YC, from the MK, we'd be taking the bus back, or the monorail to Epcot, then walking all the way through. Either way, GF is more convenient.

I have stayed at both and agree that both are very nice but I would give a slight edge to the GF. I think the restaurants and atmosphere give the GF that edge. As far as kid friendly, there are tons of kids at the GF. After all, it is still Disney. I would not worry about that.

 

[captainkidd]

! Oh and you can't compare the standard rooms between the Grand and the Yacht club; it's like apples and oranges. The standard rooms at the Grand do NOT view parking lots; whereas, the Yacht Club does. In fact, the past 2 times I have stayed in "standard rooms" at the Grand I have had a view of "water", although it was a minimal view or obstructed by a tree.

That's one of the things actually pushing me towards the YC. We booked a water view, so we should have a view of Crescent Lake. Plus, though I've only seen pics of the rooms, I think I'd give a slight edge to the newly refurbished YC rooms. Much more colorful.

 

[captainkidd]

The atmosphere is really the toughest choice.

YC:
-You've got the Boardwalk which is fun at night. You've got Crescent Lake. You've got Epcot and Illuminations at night.

GF:
-You've got the monorail. You've got the sounds of the boats and the WDW Railroad in the background, which I love. You've also got the Electrical Water Pageant at night.

It really is a very hard decision.

 

[LSonDubz]

my biggest complaint about the GF is having to walk outside to get to your rooms building, made it feel like a value/moderate resort to me.

 

[captainkidd]

my biggest complaint about the GF is having to walk outside to get to your rooms building, made it feel like a value/moderate resort to me.

I kind of like that. Makes it feel like more of a resort than a hotel.

I really want to stay at the YC, but the possibility of having to share a bus with 4 other resorts is very concerning, especially with 2 little kids and a double stroller.

 

[JimJam]

My personal favorite is the Wilderness Lodge too. I just wanted to hear opinions between these particular two. I know a lot of people like the Beach Club as well, but I'm just curious to hear between the GF and YC.

You are right because the beach club is the best.... but i would go with yacht club cause there is a great pool.... you can walk or take a boat to the boardwalk, Hollywood Studios, and Epcot.... Beach and Yacht are both great:king:

 

[captainkidd]

So the wife and I sat down last night and talked this out. We could put pros and cons down all day long for each, but we finally came to what I THINK is gonna be our decision - leaving reservation as is and staying at Yacht Club.

What we realize is, the whole reason for staying at GF was ease of getting to Magic Kingdom and being around the MK. But then we started going over some minor, but good points:

-Let's say we're relaxing back at the hotel one afternoon and are in the mood for an ice cream. At YC, we've got Beaches and Cream or Boardwalk. At GF, where do we go? We could go into the MK, but clearly, having a great place for ice cream right at your hotel is easier.

-We finish up Animal Kingdom and are back at the hotel around 6:00. Wouldn't it be great to stroll over to Epcot, have a pastry in France, maybe a Crepe, catch Off Kilter, hang around for Illuminations, then just stroll back to the hotel, without having to worry about fighting any crowds on the bus or monorail.

-We decide to have a whole day at the resort. The GF is beautiful, but how much time will the kids want to spend in one of those pools? They'll be like fish at Stormalong Bay. Plus, maybe they'll feel like playing some mini-golf. Cool - Let's walk over to Fantasia Gardens. Or maybe we'll go grab a surrey bike over at the Boardwalk.

-Again, let's say we decide to spend a day at the resort relaxing. One thing we've never cared for at GF is all the weddings. Sure, they're beautiful, but we always feel out of place walking around in t-shirts and shorts with the kids while there is a wedding photo shoot in the lobby.

-I like to have a drink at night. All the GF lounges are very pristine and fancy. I'd just like to throw on a hat, t-shirt and shorts and head down for a beer. There are bars at both Yacht and Beach where this is acceptable. Plus, the ESPN Club is right across the way. Or, maybe I could just stroll over to Epcot and have a beer at Rose and Crown. True, at GF I could walk over to the Poly and have a drink at the Tambu Louonge, but at dinner time, that place is a zoo with Ohana.

I could go on, but I'm sure you get the point. We love being close to the MK, but when looking at all the conveniences of both and what there is to do and how we'd like to spend some nights, the Yacht Club really is the best choice for us on this vacation.

 

[coltow]

My cousin & her family was supposed to stay at BC last year. Due to a booking error she ended up at GF. Normally people would have been happy about it. They weren't. They whole point of booking BC was so that her 4 yo could enjoy the pool. He wasn't thrilled at all with what GF had to offer as far as the pools go. She has booked BC again this year and is paranoid about getting "bumped" again. So to me it sounds like you made the best choice for your family especially if you have kids that like to swim.

 

[surfsupdon]

This is why we choose Yacht Club....it is like an entire Resort experience. So muc to do in wlaking distance--Yacht/Beach/BoardWalk/Swan/Dolphin/World Showcase/Fantasia Gardens, and all the entertainment they have to offer.


Sure, GF is on the monorail with other Resorts, but they don't have a layout like the Deluxe Epcot Resorts. Popping into World Showcase for a quick snack is real cool.

Often find ourselves laying poolside, and decide to go into Epcot for a quick lunch. Throw on clothes over the bathing suit and walk in. It's great.

And ice cream at night is always a fun treat!!

 

[Dwarful]

We can't wait for July to get here. That is when we arrive at the Yacht Club. We were going for that last year, but ended up at Boardwalk, which was nice, but, when the girls saw the pool area at Yacht we knew we had to get there sooner vs. later.

Spring trip we are at Pop Century, which will be a bit 'hard' after being at the deluxe resorts. But at least we won't be sharing a bus anywhere.

 

[KaliSplash]

I went with GF. Admittedly, have not stayed at YC, but for me, it's location, location, location. Yes, I realize the YC is close to many wonderful things.

GF is closest to the most wonderful thing (MK). period.

Actually, we're more likely to be at WL than either of these, though we have stayed at GF and loved it!

 

[worldfanatic]

I like to have a drink at night. All the GF lounges are very pristine and fancy. I'd just like to throw on a hat, t-shirt and shorts and head down for a beer. There are bars at both Yacht and Beach where this is acceptable. Plus, the ESPN Club is right across the way. Or, maybe I could just stroll over to Epcot and have a beer at Rose and Crown. True, at GF I could walk over to the Poly and have a drink at the Tambu Louonge, but at dinner time, that place is a zoo with Ohana.

As a Disney World lounge lizard, I have to say, you nailed these points.:sohappy:

 

[marcriss]

We love the YC for all of the reasons that have been stated. They also have movies and campfires on the beach. We always go for the waterview and most of the time have been able to see Illuminations from the room which is really nice on those nights when the kids need to not be out late. It's also great to be able to walk into Epcot just to see Illumiantions while DH hangs with the kids .

Cape May at the BC has a great character breakfast. B&C is great anytime. We also love the Crew's Cup Lounge.

We're not big fans of eating at DHS so this time we walked back and ordered room service. They were very accommodating and let us order anything off the menu (even stuff that wasn't "officially" offered at that time period).

The refurb rooms are really beautiful and we've never had any problem with the perceived "stuffiness" of the YC. It's always been very kid friendly.

I don't know if you're getting park hoppers, but with Epcot so close I think it's a "must have". Enjoy!