Many of Walt Disney World’s deluxe resorts have loyal followings, and Disney’s Beach Club Resort is no exception. This Robert A.M. Stern-designed resort, inspired by the seaside resorts of the early 1900s, invites guests to revisit a calmer, less-hurried era of graciousness and hospitality. With its light blue siding—alongside the light green siding of the nearby Villas—this resort appears far less stuffy than its neighbor, Disney’s Yacht Club, with its more austere gray siding. In fact, one of the distinguishing features of this deluxe resort is its casual elegance. The Beach Club is beautiful and classy, but never off-putting. Thanks to the graciousness of our dear friends, who happen to be Disney Vacation Club members, my family and I visited the Beach Club for several weeks this past summer. It is among our favorite of the Walt Disney World Resorts, and here’s why.
Public Spaces
The lobby of the Beach Club is bright and open. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Disney’s Beach Club Resort is first-class, there’s no doubt about that. The stunning lobby is spacious, yet cozy. The colors, fresh flowers, and clusters of inviting seating practically demand that guests linger in this bright open space. Oversized vases of fresh flowers adorn marble-topped tables, huge planters with shining greenery flank the many large glass doors, and colorfully patterned oriental rugs cover the tile floor. The check-in desks, housed beneath low-ceilinged enclaves reminiscent of captain’s quarters, are tucked unobtrusively to the side. The view of the open windows is the focal point here. The walls and ceilings are covered in richly detailed woodwork, most of it painted a gleaming Victorian white. Soft hues of green, blue, yellow, and rose cover the walls and accent the woodwork. The lighting is subdued, augmented by table lamps at eye level that create the look of a particularly well-decorated living room. The staircase continues the nautical theme; it would not look out of place aboard a particularly well-appointed ship. Even though there is a grandeur about this resort, the Beach Club lacks the pretense of some of the other deluxe resorts, like the nearby Yacht Club or the Boardwalk across the lake. It’s a most pleasant place to be and captures the ever-elusive “vacation feeling” perfectly.
The Breezeway is a quiet seating area in the Beach Club Villas portion of the resort. Photo by Brian Bennett.
The outdoor spaces of the Beach Club are also lovely. From the wide open porch that flanks the resort’s water view to the many quiet benches and open grassy lawns, the carefully constructed feeling of welcome established in the lobby extends to the grounds as well.
Recreation
Disney’s Beach Club also happens to have one of the very best pools on property: Stormalong Bay. This spectacular sand-bottomed pool is practically a water park located in the backyard of your resort. There’s a sandy area for children to build castles, there are bridges and windmills, and winding turns to explore. There’s a lazy river, complete with inner tubes for sunbathing, and there’s also the wreck of a sailing ship with water slides for young children and more adventuresome older kids (and grown-ups, too). All in all, Stormalong Bay’s three acres of water activities are not to be missed.
Stormalong Bay is an extensive water complex shared by the Beach Club and Yacht Club resorts. Photo by Brian Bennett.
For those who seek less adventurous water activities, there is a quiet pool located in a courtyard surrounded by greenery. The resort also offers a marina with boat rental, a health club, and an arcade.
The Dunes Cove pool at the Beach Club Villas offers a quiet respite from the more boisterous crowds at Stormalong Bay. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Dining
There are several places to eat at the resort itself: the Beach Club Marketplace for counter service, Beaches and Cream Soda Shop for burgers and ice cream, Hurricane Hanna’s Waterside Bar and Grill for poolside snacks and drinks, and Cape May Café for breakfast or dinner. We grabbed one breakfast and one lunch at the Beach Club Marketplace. The food was good, reasonably priced (at least by Disney standards), and the portions ample. We enjoyed sitting at the little tables in the inviting alcove that links the resort to the Vacation Villas. The green lawn and the bronze statue of everyone’s favorite mermaid, Ariel, made for lovely views. Our only complaint about the Marketplace is the incredibly slow service. The Beach Club Marketplace was crammed into the existing gift shop when the Beach Club Villas were added; as a result, the space is much too small for such a large resort.
The entrance to the Cape May Cafe features items related to the seafood served inside. Photo by Brian Bennett.
Our favorite meal at the resort, however, was at the charming Cape May Café. The kids still enjoy character meals, so we took advantage of the one offered at our resort. This breakfast is hosted by Goofy, Donald, and Minnie in their beach clothes. The buffet itself is just as ample as the one offered at the much pricier Chef Mickey’s, and the atmosphere is much less hectic, crowded, and frantic. Even though the main Mouse wasn’t among the characters featured here, it was a wonderful time and a lovely meal. Cape May Café is charmingly painted in pastel beach colors and decorated with colorful beach umbrellas and other turn-of-the-century accents.
With a plethora of dining options located within walking distance—at the nearby Yacht Club, Boardwalk Resort, and, of course, Epcot’s World Showcase—Disney’s Beach Club offers endless opportunities for varied dining experiences for the entire family.
Guest Rooms
Like other two-bedroom Disney Vacation Club accommodations, the Beach Club Villas offer plenty of room to spread out and relax. The pastel décor of the resort, with whimsical nods to Ariel and her underwater friends, compliment the late-Victorian look of the rooms. One guest complained that the rooms look like “his grandmother’s cottage,” and in my opinion, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The coziness is appropriate for the theme and takes guests to another time and place.
A statue of Ariel is located outside of the Beach Club Villas. Photo by Brian Bennett.
There were a few minor drawbacks to our room. Unlike other vacation club resorts, the views from the Beach Club are not all especially appealing. Ours overlooked Future World with a less than picturesque view of the backside of the huge Soarin’ show building. It wasn’t much to look at during the day, but it was nice to look at Future World aglow after dark. Another point, albeit somewhat minor, was the state of the appliances. The dishwasher, the washer, and the dryer have to be the lowest end Home Depot versions ever made. The washer sounded like the rocket in Mission Space, the dryer took hours to dry towels, and the dishwasher rattled and clanked like the old Mission to Mars at the Magic Kingdom. These are minor complaints, though, as the room was lovely, clean, and roomy.
Location
One of the Beach Club’s main draws is its location. With walking paths directly to Epcot’s World Showcase and to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, this resort is wonderfully convenient. There are also boats to both Epcot and the Studios; For those of us who dislike the “magic” of those crowded Disney buses, this is a definite plus. Speaking of buses, there are buses to the Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Be warned: sometimes these buses also stop at the Yacht Club and the Boardwalk. This might not sound like a big inconvenience, but when you’ve got two little ones who are tired from a day at the Animal Kingdom, and the bus stops at Blizzard Beach and several resorts, it’s a long, long hour on the bus.
The Friendship boats transport guests to Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios. Photo by Brian Bennett.
The only other drawback is a personal one, I suppose. From some parts of the resort, the looming specter of the Swan and the Dolphin tower like twin sea monsters. I know that these monstrosities have their fans, but I am not one of them.
Final Thoughts
Our stay at Disney’s Beach Club was a very pleasant one. With the very recent announcement that this resort is scheduled for a twenty-month renovation, we are especially happy that we stayed before changes were made. If the horrid carpet samples on the first floor of the villas are any indication of the impending changes, I am not too optimistic about future renovations. Let’s hope that the redecorating plans will not diminish the charm, quaintness, and originality of one of the best resorts at the Vacation Kingdom of the World.
