Disney’s Yacht Club Resort at Walt Disney World is a deluxe hotel located in the EPCOT Resort Area. This nautical-themed resort offers modern rooms, one of the best pools on Disney property, and a great location near EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
As a deluxe hotel, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort is one of the more expensive places to stay at Walt Disney World. Is it worth the price? We’ve stayed at Disney’s Yacht Club multiple times, and we’ll walk through the pros and cons before evaluating how it compares to other resorts on Disney property.
Here’s what we’ll cover in our lengthy review. Click on a link to skip to a section below.
Location
Location, location, location. The location of Disney’s Yacht Club Resort is one of its best features. Conveniently positioned near both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort offers quick access to two of Walt Disney World’s theme parks.
Guests are able to walk to both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios if they desire. We simply can not overstate how nice it is to walk back to the resort after a long day in the parks. Waiting for a crowded bus isn’t the best way to come down from the high of a fireworks show.
The BoardWalk Resort area is also accessible on the other side of Crescent Lake. This opens up even more dining and entertainment options (we love Jellyrolls!). The entire area around Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and Crescent Lake is a peaceful bubble that we never want to leave.
Size and Layout
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort is apart of a larger complex that’s shared by its sister hotel Disney’s Beach Club Resort. The two share many amenities and can easily be viewed as a single entity.
You can see Disney’s Yacht Club as represented by the buildings with the gray roof on the left of the map below.
Convention buildings make up the northern most portion of Disney’s Yacht Club. Guest rooms, dining and more are within the larger structure that connects directly into Disney’s Beach Club.
All of the guest rooms at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort are accessible by inner hallways. That means even rooms that are the furthest from the lobby are air conditioned journeys protected from the elements. If you’re looking to shave some time off of your walk back to the lobby, there’s a number of stairwells and exits leading outside that can provide a more direct route.
Rooms
The rooms at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort were remodeled in 2017. The carpet was removed, the furniture was updated, and the bathrooms received some needed improvements. Some of the nautical theming was removed during the remodel, but the more modern design has been received well by guests.
The modern and clean design of the rooms at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort are becoming the staple of rooms at Walt Disney World. Other resort updates around Walt Disney World, including the Gran Destino Tower at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, have very similar styles. While very comfortable and inviting, the rooms themselves aren’t too different than some found at more affordable resorts.
Each room has a balcony or outdoor sitting area offering views of a parking lot, gardens, or Crescent Lake. We highly recommend the water views as they are some of the most scenic in all of Walt Disney World. The nighttime views of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn across the water are simply beautiful.
Transportation
We already mentioned that the location of Disney’s Yacht Club Resort is one of its best features. Transportation is a breeze to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios by guest walkways or by boat. There’s something truly special about being able to set your own schedule and walk to these theme parks. It’s particularly nice if you’re trying to make an early dining reservation.
Buses connect to Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. None of these bus rides are particularly lengthy as Disney’s Yacht Club sits in a fairly central area in Walt Disney World.
Looking to fly through the sky? The Disney Skyliner’s EPCOT station is a short walk past Disney’s Beach Club Resort. The Skyliner allows guests to visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Riviera Resorts, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort.
Realistically, guests staying at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort probably won’t use the Skyliner outside of riding it for fun due to the other transportation options.
Dining
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort has a variety of dining options that range from quick-service to more elegant table-service meals. Guests may also visit the dining locations at Disney’s Beach Club Resort that are a short walk away.
For quick meals, The Market at Ale & Compass is just off the Yacht Club’s main lobby and offers a variety of simple hot and cold items. This is also the grab-and-go location for the resort. Guests can also walk over to the Beach Club and stop by the Beach Club Marketplace, which offers a similar grab-and-go experience with a slightly different menu.
Beaches & Cream Soda Shop is down by the Beach Club Resort and is a great escape for burgers, fries, shakes, and everything ice cream. If character dining is what you’re after, the Cape May Cafe, which is just off the Beach Club Resort’s main lobby, should be your destination. Note that character dining is subject to change based on availability and regulations.
More elegant dining can be found at the Yachstman Steakhouse off the Yacht Club’s main lobby. This is one of the more underrated premium restaurants in Walt Disney World, offering tasty options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
As seen at other deluxe Disney resorts, a pool bar/grill and lounges can be found on Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club property.
Pools and Amenities
The best resort pool in Walt Disney World is shared between Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts. Stormalong Bay is a three-acre water paradise that has a sand-bottomed pool, lengthy water slide, miniature lazy river, and a sandy play area for kids. A family could easily spend an entire day enjoying Stormalong Bay if they wanted a break from the theme parks.
While a more peaceful swim can be found at one of the three quiet pools around the Yacht & Beach Club Resorts, we still recommend checking out Stormalong Bay. It’s pretty awesome.
In addition to the outstanding pool scene, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort also has boat rentals, outdoor movies, campfires, tennis, a jogging trail, volleyball, and more. Activities will vary depending on the weather.
Overall Thoughts
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort is one of our favorite places to stay at Walt Disney World. Its close proximity to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a huge perk if you’re planning on spending a lot of time in either theme park. Of course, staying at a deluxe Disney resort carries a large price tag. Is it worth it?
The answer to that question will vary depending on the goals of your vacation. Will you spend a lot of time at the resort? Does the theming resonate with you? Are EPCOT and Hollywood Studios priorities, or will more time be spent elsewhere? Does it make sense to stay on Walt Disney World property compared to more affordable options off property?
It’s difficult to recommend any deluxe resort at Walt Disney World if you’re only planning to sleep there. Why spend a bunch of money if you’re unconscious at the resort most of the time? If that’s the plan, accommodations at a value or moderate resort may make more sense. But, if you want a modern and clean resort in an amazing location, Disney’s Yacht Club is a great option. It’s hard to beat the Yacht Club’s location.
Ultimately, like many decisions at Walt Disney World, paying the premium charged at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort is easier or more difficult to justify depending on your trip’s objectives. Figure out what’s valuable to you (time, location, amenities) and then make your decision.
Personally, we love Disney’s Yacht Club Resort. It’s one of our favorite resorts at Walt Disney World. It has a peaceful and relaxing vibe, and it allows us to walk between to theme parks. We willingly pay the premium, but that might not be the case if we had different priorities.
