Stormalong Bay and Shipwreck Pool at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resort closing for maintenance in January 2025

[DCBaker]

Here's the notice on the Walt Disney World website.

Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts Refurbishment

From January 2025 through May 2025, Stormalong Bay and Shipwreck Pool at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts will be closed for routine maintenance. Guests may see or hear construction work during daytime hours. During this time, Guests are welcome to swim at the Tidal, Admiral and Dunes Cove leisure pools.

 

[wdwmagic]

Plenty of advance notice for this one!

 

[WorldExplorer]

Is it actually 2025 or is that a typo?

I was just missing Stormalong Bay and dreaming of a birthday trip in this time frame. I'm also sitting in Gasprilla Island Grill right this second and was just moments ago thinking I can't imagine paying for a deluxe with obstructing construction.

But if it's over a year from now then that's a lot less plan ruining.

 

[surfsupdon]

If they drop the price I’d go! Discount baby!!

 

[DCBaker]

Is it actually 2025 or is that a typo?

I was just missing Stormalong Bay and dreaming of a birthday trip in this time frame. I'm also sitting in Gasprilla Island Grill right this second and was just moments ago thinking I can't imagine paying for a deluxe with obstructing construction.

But if it's over a year from now then that's a lot less plan ruining.

2025 is the correct year!

 

[Horizons '83]

Good on them for the heads up since 2024 bookings are already live.

 

[Biff215]

Hopefully they completely replace the slide. That thing has been punishing riders’ backs for more than a decade now. You feel every seam, particularly on the long straight section that crosses the path.

 

[mf1972]

we’re staying at the yacht club for the 1st time this october. initially my heart dropped when i saw the story but breathed a sigh of relief once i noticed when it’s actually happening.

 

[Disone]

2025?!?! Dang. Now that is advanced notice. But it also is going to give their engineering department almost 18 months to just defer everything until the refurbishment. Also, dang! What a long refurbishment. I wonder what kind of changes will happen.

 

[Jumping Fountains]

Brief tangent: has Stormalong Bay always been fenced all around or as robustly as it is now? I first stayed there in 1992 and then 1993 and 2001…haven’t stayed there in decades, but did return to Disney last year and walked by and it just felt more enclosed than I recall. It’s not a strong memory or anything though, just an impression!

 

[Tuvalu]

Brief tangent: has Stormalong Bay always been fenced all around or as robustly as it is now? I first stayed there in 1992 and then 1993 and 2001…haven’t stayed there in decades, but did return to Disney last year and walked by and it just felt more enclosed than I recall. It’s not a strong memory or anything though, just an impression!

Disney began installing fences around all pools about 10 years ago. Your memory is correct.

 

[Epcotfan21]

Guarantee that people still complain about it being closed during their stay there. Even with this super advanced notice.

 

[NelsonRD]

Hopefully they will add a sky bridge to the entrance to the Shipwreck slide and pool from inside Stormalong Bay. During our stay, it was uncomfortable leaving the pool area to cross over International Gateway to get on the slide.

 

[surfsupdon]

Brief tangent: has Stormalong Bay always been fenced all around or as robustly as it is now? I first stayed there in 1992 and then 1993 and 2001…haven’t stayed there in decades, but did return to Disney last year and walked by and it just felt more enclosed than I recall. It’s not a strong memory or anything though, just an impression!

Even before Disney added fences, the pool quickly had its multiple entrances blocked off to funnel Guests through two entrances to check room keys/bracelet distribution.

I’m its original form, that pool was terrific!

I am worried that this refurbishment will fill in the deep section of the pool, which would stink! Disney has systematically filled in their deep ends unfortunately.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Hopefully they will add a sky bridge to the entrance to the Shipwreck slide and pool from inside Stormalong Bay. During our stay, it was uncomfortable leaving the pool area to cross over International Gateway to get on the slide.

International Gateway? It’s a 45-second walk from the main pool to the Shipwreck Pool. What was uncomfortable about it?

 

[Kamikaze]

Disney began installing fences around all pools about 10 years ago. Your memory is correct.

Stormalong was gated before the other pools. Its been longer than 10 years.
Edit: It was enclosed by a fence in 1997.

International Gateway? It’s a 45-second walk from the main pool to the Shipwreck Pool. What was uncomfortable about it?

You have to leave the pool area and then go through the gate for the slide. If they build an elevated walkway next to the slide you could use the slide without exiting the pool area, crossing the walkway, entering the slide area, and then going up the stairs to the slide. It was built before the pool was fenced in and therefore not as big of a deal. I think that other poster just used the wrong word 'uncomfortable'. It's just a PITA. Building an entrance from within the complex would also allow them to cut/relocate at least 1 CM who checks wristbands at the slide gate.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Stormalong was gated before the other pools. Its been longer than 10 years.
Edit: It was enclosed by a fence in 1997.

You have to leave the pool area and then go through the gate for the slide. If they build an elevated walkway next to the slide you could use the slide without exiting the pool area, crossing the walkway, entering the slide area, and then going up the stairs to the slide. It was built before the pool was fenced in and therefore not as big of a deal. I think that other poster just used the wrong word 'uncomfortable'. It's just a PITA. Building an entrance from within the complex would also allow them to cut/relocate at least 1 CM who checks wristbands at the slide gate.

I just didn’t think it was a huge deal. A bridge would look hideous. I’d rather walk 100 feet and enjoy views of the rock work and shipwreck.

 

[surfsupdon]

It’s a common complaint. Many are uncomfortable and embarrassed with being in a bathing suit on a main thoroughfare where others are covered up.

 

[SplashJacket]

Not the end of the world, but still not ideal without an ideal solution, which probably means nothing will change.

 

[Kamikaze]

I just didn’t think it was a huge deal. A bridge would look hideous. I’d rather walk 100 feet and enjoy views of the rock work and shipwreck.

Not sure how you can possibly make this statement without ever seeing any idea of how it would be done.

I know for a fact that it cuts down on the usage of the slide because of the PITA it is, and that leads to the pool being slightly more crowded than it should be.