Beach Club Resort
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Reviewer's Name:
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Brad |
Reviewer's Email Address:
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genapooh62@hotmail.com |
Rate / Night (for your stay):
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we stayed with friends on their DVC points |
Date(s) of Stay:
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September 15-21, 2001 |
Accommodation Used:
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Standard Room / Studio |
Accommodations Review:
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The Beach Club is a beautiful place to stay. The motif and surroundings
really capture the essence of a relaxing seaside resort. Stormalong
Bay is very nice with plenty of secluded areas to relax and explore.
The grounds are well manicured and very quiet. I especially liked
the close proximity to the Yacht Club and Boardwalk |
Why Did you Select This Resort for your Stay?
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- Location. Wanted to be close to Epcot, the Studios, and the
Boardwalk. The Beach Club is ideally situated if you like these
areas.
- The theme. While I think I like the Yacht Club theme a little
better, it's really a toss up between the two sister resorts.
It doesn't matter though, since they're connected, you can enjoy
both easily enough.
- Friendship launches. We knew that we would be using Disney transportation
during our entire stay and I wanted to use the bus as little as
possible. We ended up just walking over to Epcot, but rode the
Friendship Launches over to the Studios several times. This is
a lovely way to travel and see the sights. We sat out back in
the open area of the launch during one trip and, while the noise
from the engine is loud, this was a beautiful ride. The Boat Captains
were very nice as well.
- We'll be returning in 2 years with our kids and wanted to check
out as many resorts as possible for when we come back. The central
location provided by the Beach Club made this quite easy.
- Our alternative resort selection, the Boardwalk, was booked.
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Room # and Location Description:
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Room #5659. Top floor, just a short walk from the elevators. Perfect
room location for us. Nice big vanity with double sink and plenty
of mirrors, made getting ready in the morning a breeze. My favorite
part of the room was the balcony. It was about 7 feet long and 4 feet
wide with 2 chairs and a small table. The view from here was fantastic.
Looked right across the lake at the Boardwalk, with the Swan over
to the right. In the background, looming high in the distance, was
the Tower of Terror. Very cool to be able to see this from your hotel
room! |
Room Location Pros & Cons:
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Great room and perfect location. I would recommend the 5th floor
of the Beach Club to anyone. Close proximity to the elevators was
also a big plus, and the ice machine was only about 20 feet from our
door. I've stayed in big hotels in Las Vegas where your room seems
to be half a mile from the elevators, this was much, much nicer. |
Check-In / Check-Out Comments:
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An absolute breeze. We didn't check in on the 15th until 8pm, not
exactly a busy check-in time, but we had no wait at all and everything
was ready. Had connecting rooms with our friends all ready to go.
Check-out was even easier, just got up in the morning and looked at
our bill that had been slipped under our door. Everything was in order. |
WDW Transportation Comments:
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Very easy and convenient. On our last trip to WDW in 1998, we used
a rental car. It's much nicer and more relaxing to use the boats/buses.
No parking hassles, no trams, and you get dropped off right at the
entrances to the parks. This is definitely the way to go. The only
snag we ran into was when my wife tried to get back to the Beach Club
from the TTC. Our friends and I were taking the monorail over to Epcot,
and my wife thought she'd go back to the hotel by bus. Guess what?
No buses were going to the Beach Club from the TTC at that time so
she took the bus to the Studios, then caught a boat to the Beach Club.
Took her an hour and she just got back to our room when it was time
to meet us at World Showcase. Next time, we'll know to catch the bus
at the Magic Kingdom bus stop, not the TTC when we want to go back
to the hotel. |
Restaurant / Lounge Review:
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Ate twice at Beaches and Cream. No wait at all and excellent food.
Had ice cream, delicious of course, also had chicken sandwich and
fries, quite tasty. The atmosphere is fun and family oriented. The
prices are very low, too! Our friends had the character breakfast
at the Cape May Cafe three different mornings. They thoroughly enjoyed
it each time. |
Pool Description / Comments:
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Stormalong Bay is beautiful. We only had a couple of hours one afternoon
to enjoy it, but it was very relaxing. The pool winds around under
several bridges and has lots to see, including waterfalls and a windmill.
My favorite part was the sand bottom. After walking non-stop for 4
days, the slightly abrasive sand felt WONDERFUL on my feet! The pool
also has lots of shade and a very cool waterslide that starts from
the mast of a shipwreck out on the beach. |
What Suggestions Would you Give Anyone that is Considering This
Resort?
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The Beach Club is a great place to stay if you want to be in the
center of it all. The Boardwalk shops are only a 3-4 minutes walk
around the lake. The entrance to World Showcase is practically at
your door, only about a 5 minute walk (and it's a beautiful walk,
too!) And the Disney-MGM Studios can be reached by a 10-minute walk
or 10-minute boat ride. The rooms are very nice and the views are
great. If you think you will be spending more time at the Magic Kingdom
than at Epcot or the Studios, this hotel isn't in the best location
for you, but otherwise, don't hesitate to stay here. |
Other Comments:
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We had an absolutely wonderful time at the Beach Club. The 8 days
we had went by way too quickly and we hated to leave. The guest services
staff were very nice and did a great job making us feel at home. Next
time, we will probably stay at the Boardwalk, but I wouldn't hesitate
to stay at the Beach Club again. |
