Review of Disney's Beach Club Resort (September 2007 visit)
The sand-bottom pool at Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resorts is the highlight of these two resorts. The Stormalong Bay pool complex stretches on for a long distance and has separate areas, each with its own unique character. There's an area with a river current, a sand-beach area, the pool-slide area, an area where games are played, and an area in the shadow of a windmill. The Pirate Ship Slide is the longest pool slide at any Disney World resort. Disney's Boardwalk is directly across the lake (and just a short walk) from Disney's Beach Club Resort. Epcot and Disney Hollywood Studios are also within walking distance (or you can catch a boat ride at the lighthouse to either theme park).
While at the Beach Club, we dined at the Cape May Cafe, which had an "all you can eat" buffet; the food and desserts were delicious. Twice we had dinner at the poolside Beaches & Cream Restaurant, a restaurant with a 1950s' malt shop motif. If you are dining with children, they'll likely love Beaches & Cream as they serve food which kids typically like, as well as tremendous ice cream offerings, including the infamous "Kitchen Sink," a sundae which is served in a replica sink, and can feed a large family.
Our guest room at Disney's Beach Club Resort was not large, but it was nicely decorated and had a balcony. Our balcony faced Epcot but only one Epcot landmark could be seen beyond the tall trees next to the resort, the minaret in the Morocco are of Epcot's World Showcase. Our first night at the Beach Club we watched Epcot's illumiNATIONS fireworks presentation from our balcony, but this was not the ideal way to view this impressive presentation. The subsequent two nights we ventured into Epcot to enjoy the illumiNATIONS experience up close, a much better way to watch!
July 2023 update:
In the time since posting the review of our 2007 stay at Disney's Beach Club Resort, we stayed at this resort again in 2009 and 2013. In 2009, our room looked out on the Stormalong Bay pool complex. That room had a very small balcony. In 2013, our room was directly above the beach volleyball area and had views of both the the Swan Resort and the Dolphin Resort, as well as Disney's Yacht Club Resort, the beach, the lighthouse and the top of the Pirate Ship Slide. That guest room had a large balcony. At both the 2009 and 2013 visits to Disney's Beach Club Resort, we again dined at Cape May Cafe and in 2013 we again dined at Beaches & Cream. (Note: Beaches & Cream expanded in 2022. In expanding, they changed the look of the restaurant dramatically.)
