7 Reasons You Will Love Staying at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort

Walt Disney World guests looking for a place on the water should look no further than Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, a nautically-themed New England-style yacht club tucked away on Disney’s BoardWalk. The resort shares many amenities with its sister hotel, Disney’s Beach Club Resort, so guests can take advantage of everything the two resorts have to offer. Here are seven reasons guests love staying at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort.

7. The Nautical Theme

Disney-goers love the Yacht Club for it’s inviting, plush lobby complete with nautical accents like model ships, and the rooms are decorated with white furniture, jewel tones, and touches like wheel motifs on the headboards and miniature anchors embroidered onto the upholstery. The hotel’s décor is sophisticated and understated, with accents like dark hardwood floors, antique chandeliers, and brass fixtures, and the outside of the stately resort is marked by gray and white clapboard.

6. The Architecture

The Yacht Club was designed to make guests feel as though they just stepped back in time to a turn-of-the-century seaside town in the Mid-Atlantic or New England (think Cape May or Coney Island). Renowned architect Robert A.M. Stern envisioned Disney’s BoardWalk as a “village across the water,” a place for tourists who wanted some time away from the hustle and bustle of the theme parks, and today that’s exactly what the Yacht Club has become for many Disney-goers. Stern was known for his designs of East Coast seaside homes, and his expertise of the New England seashore hotels of the late 1800s is strongly present in his design and architecture of the sophisticated and opulent Yacht Club.

5. The Views

The BoardWalk is possibly one of the most beautiful places on the Walt Disney World property, and a stay at this lakeside hotel guarantees gorgeous views throughout your visit, such as the lighthouse at the end of the Yacht and Beach Club docks. Home to a few of Disney’s most popular resorts, the BoardWalk also has plenty of shopping, dining, and entertainment options that are just a stone’s throw from your room at the Yacht Club. Though the pace is relaxed and tranquil during the day, the BoardWalk comes alive at night with street performers and free shows to delight guests of all ages along with nightlife options like popular piano bar Jellyrolls.

4. The Proximity to Epcot

Deluxe Resorts like the Polynesian, Contemporary, and Grand Floridian may get bonus points for being connected to the Magic Kingdom via monorail, but the Yacht Club is the perfect place to stay if your theme park of choice is Epcot or Hollywood Studios. The resort is within a 20-minute walk or quick boat ride to Epcot, or you can also catch a boat over to Hollywood Studios. Even better, jump on the Disney Skyliner for a quick and beautiful ride.

3. The Recreational Activities

Want to do a bit more than just admire the water? Guests of the Yacht Club have easy access to the Bayside Marina, where a variety of watercraft is available for rent. The loop around the 25-acre Crescent Lake is a great place for a leisurely morning jog, or you and your family can rent surrey bikes to enjoy the scenery.

2. The Dining Options

For steak and seafood lovers looking to unwind after a fast-paced day in the parks, the Yacht Club is home to a range of both casual and signature dining options. Ale & Compass Restaurant has replaced the Captain’s Grille but is still a very (if not better) seaworthy spot for American seafood classics and grilled favorites in a nautical setting. The Yachtsman Steakhouse offers premium steaks, fresh seafood, and more in an airy, upscale dining room!

1. The Waterpark

It may not technically be considered a waterpark, but the Yacht Club is home to Stormalong Bay, a three-acre water wonderland complete with a life-size shipwreck. Kids can fly down one of the tallest hotel waterslides at the Walt Disney World Resort or play in the kiddie pool (complete with a miniature waterslide), while adults float the day away in the lazy circular river, relax in one of three whirlpool spas, or catch some rays on the elevated tanning deck. The resort also boasts three “quiet” pools for all ages, each with its own whirlpool spa, located throughout both Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club resorts.