Living in Florida has its advantages. One of them is that we have a number of family vacation options within short driving distances. We love to spend extended weekends in Orlando. One of our favorite family trips is Disney World without any theme park plans. The Disney Word Resorts are an experience on their own that many do not get to fully take advantage of because of the busy days theme parks create. We recently took a 3 night trip to Disney’s Beach Club Resort. We arrived early Saturday morning and did not leave the resort area until Tuesday morning. All four of us had so much fun, there were tears involved as we left.
Disney’s Beach Club is located in the Epcot Resort area directly across from Disney’s Boardwalk. So if you were going to go to Epcot and/or Hollywood Studios then this resort is also a great option because you can walk or take a boat to the entrance of the park. We love this resort because of all the activities and restaurants around it. Here are the top five reasons we love staying at Disney’s Beach Club Resort:
The 4 reasons our family loves Disney’s Beach Club Resort at Walt Disney World
1. STORMALONG BAY
We love Disney’s Beach Club resort because of Stormalong Bay- the hotel pool! This is by far our favorite Disney pool. We spent about 20 hours in the pool over our three day stay-cation. One side of the pool is like a beach, but better. The water is very shallow, so perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. Our two year old loved being free to walk around. There are hills of sand for playing in. And the sand is special because it does not stick to you like normal sand. There is a lazy river, a large pirate water slide and an activity pool plus 2 hot tubs.
2. LOCATION
- BOARDWALK
There are carnival games, shops and fun eats available here. But our favorite- Surrey Bike rides at Disney’s Boardwalk are a cheap family activity. Take a quick ferry boat ride over and for $20 you can rent the single Surrey bike (holds 2 adults and 2 smalls kids) for 30 minutes. The double (holds 4 adults and 2 small children) is $22. This was so much fun. We have decided that it will be a tradition for our future Disney visits. You just ride around the loop, passing Beach Club, Yacht Club, over the Swan bridge and through the Boardwalk. We were able to make it 4 laps around in 30 minutes!Check out our Instagram Post for the video of our ride around. And read the detailed post Surrey Bikes is an Inexpensive Activity at WDW.
- PLAYGROUND NEARBY
The Swan Hotel, though not owned by Disney, is in the Epcot Resort area and a quick walk from the Beach Club. They have a wonderful playground that our kids love. Slides, monkey bars, climbing rocks and more. Plus, the pool bar called Splash, is nearby which makes some refreshing beverages for the entire family cool off after playing on the playground!
- FIREWORKS
The Fireworks from Epcot can be seen from certain locations on the resort property. No it is not the same experience as being up front and center for Illuminations but it still adds a little magic to the end of the day.
- PARK ACCESS
The proximity of this hotel to Epcot and Hollywood Studios is a wonderful benefit for those planning their days in the parks. You will save so much travel time by the sheer location of staying here. It is perfect for families who want to enjoy resort time while also spending some time in the park and allows for easy mid day breaks or naps for the little ones.
3. RESTAURANTS
Disney’s Beach Club Resort is surrounded by many great restaurants all within walking distance. From ESPN Club and Big River Grill and Brewing House at the Boardwalk to all the fabulous options at Epcot. But even more awesome is the great option on this resort property. Cape May Cafe offers a character breakfast called Minnie’s Beach Bash Breakfast where you get to meet Minnie, Goofy and Donald! And the buffet breakfast options are plentiful. The options include a custom crepe bar, mickey waffles, smoked salmon, eggs, bacon, potatoes, biscuits, gravy, baked goods and fruit. Cape May Cafe also offers a Seafood Buffet that is popular in the evenings because it has mussels, crab legs, shrimp, clam and more. You will definitely need to make reservations for Cape May Cafe.
The Pool Grill and Bar- Hurricane Hanna’s is a great spot for lunch poolside. The kids meals are served in sand buckets that can be used in the pool. Average price is $10 a meal. It is a full bar, so order anything your thirsty heart desires. I personally like to try mudslides on a sunny day! Beaches and Cream Soda Shop is casual dining with an old fashioned theme. They have a dining room for meals or you can use the right side entrance to order the yummy ice cream options to go.
4. ROOMS
The Disney Beach Club resort rooms are above average in size and comfort. They offer a number of room types from Villas to Suites but even the basic standard room is impressive. Each room includes at a minimum a mini bar area with a sink, coffee maker and mini-frig. The beds are extremely comfortable, even the pull out sofas lend you the ability for great night sleep. On this stay we were assigned a Standard room with a king bed, and pull our double sofa bed. It had a small patio with two chairs and table. Lots of storage, including two closets and a wall safe.
Do you have a favorite Disney Resort?
