The Tiki Room

Unveiling Disney Resort Secrets: Yacht Club and Beach Club Insights

• Elizabeth & Sarah

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Ready to turn your Disney family vacation into the ultimate magical experience? We've got you covered! Join us as we return from a six-month hiatus, bursting with tales of our unforgettable trip to Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resorts. You’ll learn how we strategically balanced deluxe resort amenities with our annual passes to maximize our Disney adventures, ensuring every moment was filled with magic and fun.

Curious about the subtle differences between the Yacht Club and Beach Club? We spill all the details on what makes each resort unique—from amenities and room locations to the logistics of managing the exclusive Stormalong Bay pool. Whether you're planning to stay at one of these deluxe resorts or just dreaming of your next Disney trip, our conversation is packed with valuable insights to help you make the most of your stay.

But that's not all! We also chat about the perfect summer activities, including a memorable evening at Epcot, tips for avoiding the midday heat, and the thrill of riding Tron at night. Our spontaneous adventures and practical tips offer a blueprint for a magical Disney family vacation.  So grab your Mickey ears and get ready for a lively, laughter-filled journey through the happiest place on Earth!

Speaker 1:

welcome back friends on today's episode of the tq that we were going to be gone for a while and we were we were gone for a while six months, six whole months and, to be clear, we're still losing our minds.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, yeah, but it didn't feel like six months no, but we did go to disney last week. Yeah, we did no, what happened was, you know, we took our break. We needed it. We both had a really busy spring beginning of school or beginning of 2024, and last week, while we were at disney, your son said to me miss graves, when are you guys gonna do the podcast again?

Speaker 1:

he says it, just so we're clear. He says it like he listens to it regularly. He he hasn't even listened to himself. I just told Sarah that I was just playing the podcast for Laura Ann to listen to.

Speaker 3:

Reed hasn't even heard it yet, which is amazing to me that when he hears himself he's going to be like you guys can never stop this.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, he's going to be like why did you take a break and why am I not a part of this every day? Bro?

Speaker 3:

But he knew he was like when are you guys going to do?

Speaker 1:

the podcast again.

Speaker 3:

I think he just wants to come over here and play I know, yeah well, but I was pretty much out until he said something to me and I was like, well, now I'm a hundred percent back in wow, sarah was like how invested are in this I was like, because your son is really he's working on me.

Speaker 1:

Anything for Reed.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, last week the quote of the week, can I?

Speaker 1:

tell them oh my gosh, I don't even know.

Speaker 3:

The quote of the week from Reed. When we were driving I think we were driving to Magic Kingdom in the evening he was making all kinds of jokes.

Speaker 1:

And you're like Reed, he's like Mom, I'm just trying to make people laugh and have a good time. I was like, let me live my life, let me live that kid. I'm like I don't know how many times I have to tell him you can make people laugh, but can we just like take potty jokes away, like actual potty jokes? Absolutely not.

Speaker 1:

Just take the bathroom conversation to just leave it in the bathroom. We did when he was little little. He could only talk about toilet things when he was standing in the bathroom it's, but now it's all in his head.

Speaker 3:

You know he probably stands there, thinks of a joke, laughs at himself and whatever is like the thorn in my side.

Speaker 1:

Yes, so, but we did so. Last week we did the Brannix. It was moms and kids only, which honestly sorry dads that was great, that was great, but it was I was me and my two were there Monday Monday check-in. Tuesday, wednesday, thursday check-out. Yep. Sarah was there with her three girls Tuesday check-in, thursday check-out. And then our other friend, lauren to be, was there with her three kids. Uh, monday check-in. Wednesday checkout and we all.

Speaker 3:

Sarah was staying at originally, all star no, I, originally I had pop century century and I love listen. I love pop century. It's on the skyliner, it's affordable, it's not super huge. It's a great place to go. If you have four people Right, that's the max you can have.

Speaker 1:

But then Elizabeth and then I came in so I told my kids were like, can we go to Disney, can we pick the hotel? And they both said the hotel with the pool, yeah.

Speaker 3:

And you know which one that is? We all know which one that is so.

Speaker 1:

Both said. The hotel with the pool yeah, and you know which one that is yeah. So I told scott I was going to substitute the whole month of may and he got no say in where we were staying. And so I did and we stayed and I was like, sarah, you can either pop over and she's like I'm just going to change my reservation.

Speaker 3:

I was like great it's it was. It's such a dream over there with the pool and honestly we're going to do a good review, but the way that our family treats it is if we go in the summer, then we will treat it like it's a water park. Yes, so we are there to stay there. We're there to stay at that resort, use the pool, be there, live our life there and then maybe do the parks in the evenings, because we have an annual pass, like you all. So we're not really there for the parks when we go. And then it makes me feel better about staying there, because it's hard for me to pay for a deluxe if we're not going to really use the amenities and the stuff that's there.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and I, so I stayed at the beach club before twice. I stayed twice One was during COVID, one was before COVID and then the yacht club. This is the first time staying since COVID. Okay.

Speaker 1:

And I mean you can't go wrong staying on the boardwalk. The yacht club is like our room specifically, but the yacht club in and of itself is closer to the swan and dolphin, so like we could walk out of our exterior, the exterior door of our side of the building right see the swan and dolphin yep, yeah, so where our hotel room was. Yeah, that was how far over we were, which um was fine.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, like we're not princesses where we're like wow, we're so far away, but we're just giving you a context of how far.

Speaker 1:

It was a little bit longer than it would be at the beach club, but it wasn't, it was fine.

Speaker 3:

Right, it was very small, yeah, but noticeable the first time you're going to your room.

Speaker 1:

Yes.

Speaker 3:

The first time I was going to my room, so time you're going to your room. Yes, the first time I was going to my room. So I also stayed at the yacht club and we actually had friends who, like kind of the week or two before, said they live in orlando. You guys have heard them before. Um, um, our friends matthew and rachel and their two girls, they were like, oh, we'll come for a night too. Um, we stayed at yacht and beach club last year and they were also there and they actually stayed in a dvc like one bedroom at the beach club last year. And they were also there and they actually stayed in a DVC like one bedroom at the beach club last year. And we ate so many meals, like we had a bunch of food in their room and stuff.

Speaker 3:

But this year we did stay where you were also and stayed at the yacht club and I remember checking in you guys were at the, you were at Hollywood studios and I was walking with my girls.

Speaker 1:

Oh, yeah, cause we requested for all of our rooms to be. Yes. And we were the three of our rooms. Really close To be bringing graves were like a stone's throw.

Speaker 3:

Yep, and then I remember walking, even just to your. I was just walking to your room because we were going to change in your room while you guys were at the parks and I parks and I was like how far does? This go, yeah, this is so far away. I mean, I was like I was acting like a princess, but still it felt really far compared to last year when we were at the beach club.

Speaker 1:

It just didn't feel that far from the elevators well, and I will also say that if, if, if we had carried all of our stuff and I will. If you go into the check-in, like before you get to the resort, if they give you your number on the hotel room, I would see if you can look it up on the map because, to Sarah's point, it is a long drive. So I mean long walks.

Speaker 1:

So if you don't have rolling bags, and you've got like two over the shoulder bags and a cooler, and it's just you and the kids like you want a cart, but they only will give you a cart if you do bell service that's right so you have to be, so just keep that in mind if you're aware of where the room is. Um, but it was other than that it was they do a lot like every morning.

Speaker 1:

We went down and the kids went to find max the dog from the little mermaid oh so the first time you find them you get a little pin and then they move him to different spots, okay, and then they put a sticker yes on it. So that was good, okay. Um, in the mornings we did so monday to tuesday, lauren and I did um ale and compass to go for breakfast. That took a very it took it. It was a 45 minute wait which. I know that it was the same for dinner when, I did dinner to go there, but I it was.

Speaker 1:

if you're like in a hurry in the morning, I would just be, aware that that's a that's a real thing, yeah.

Speaker 3:

So, so let's talk. Let's talk about what are the benefits we want to talk about. What are the benefits of staying at Yacht and Beach Club? What are the differences between the two? Because I think some people don't think that there's a huge difference between the two, but there are some little tiny things, yeah. But what do we feel like were the benefits of staying at this deluxe resort in particular, versus what were the drawbacks or what were the things that were like, oh, people should be mindful of these things.

Speaker 1:

So, all right, I'm going to say it. Okay. This is the most Scott Brannick bougie thing ever.

Speaker 3:

Do it.

Speaker 1:

Here we are.

Speaker 3:

I'm here for it. Okay, we're back.

Speaker 1:

Scott Brannick. So when Laura Ann and I went last summer for's trip and we stayed at the Contemporary, I just did room service for breakfast.

Speaker 3:

Yes.

Speaker 1:

They did not offer room service.

Speaker 3:

I know I heard somebody asking about this. There was an older gentleman. No, no, there was an older gentleman when we were checking out and he just wanted dinner to be brought to his room.

Speaker 1:

I was like what is it? Is this a beach and yacht club thing, right, but. Thing. But so in my mind I was like okay, I can just have breakfast, I can just do that for breakfast, and then we can kind of take our time, lauren and I both kind of planned that, and I was really looking forward to having a fresh pot of coffee being delivered.

Speaker 3:

Even though there's a.

Speaker 1:

Keurig. I really was looking forward to that.

Speaker 3:

I don't think that that's too bougie. I think that if you are staying at a deluxe resort, you do have kind of an expectation of certain things you can do, and so you might even be building that into your trip right. You might even thinking like, oh, what a fun thing to do, like with the kids breakfast in bed, because you could do that on the cruise. Right, you can order some food and everything, and so I would definitely, I would have assumed yes, even though if we weren't going to do it, I would have assumed, if we thought that would be a fun treat to do that one one day, that we could do room service.

Speaker 1:

But they didn't offer your point. If you're planning your trip with the idea of a room service breakfast, it's not an option there, right? So, which again goes back to the ale and compass thing, we did that and again, that was. It just was not as convenient as I wanted it to be, but it was not anything that was unbearable, right? So there's that.

Speaker 3:

So you guys did Ale and Compass for breakfast. Yes To go, and did you bring it to your room or did you just eat? Okay?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, we brought it to the room. In fact, I left the kids in the room.

Speaker 3:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

I just said peace out children.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, they're watching Disney.

Speaker 1:

And they're older. Now, I told Sarah Lauren, has Hayes who is just finished. He just turned six. I kept saying he's five and he was like I'm six. Oh yeah, don't mess that up. I totally did. Hayes is just turned six, like literally a week before we went. Lillian is Westland's age, so they're both going into seventh grade and then Emma is going into fourth grade. Okay.

Speaker 1:

So I was just telling Sarah, if we had just gone with the big kids, if Hayes had been at home, I feel, like all of us, it would have been a little bit more of a um, a different experience of a trip with that resort, because you can wander and do a lot the slot to get on the slide, you know, you have to cross the boardwalk, yep, and there's just a lot to do in Rome that I think that the bigger kids would have been fine just doing it, Right. But with Hayes you couldn't, especially in the pool area, right, and you know, lauren and I felt like we needed to be with Hayes at all times, which kind of left the whole with the big kids.

Speaker 1:

we were like, okay, here's our seat, so when you go somewhere else, come back to our seat. Well, with Hayes we may not have been in the seat. So it kind of, if you're in the position where you have staggered kids or you're in the position where you have staggered kids or you're going on a trip with staggered kids. The pool is not easily accessible when you're on the pool deck. Right. There's like bridges.

Speaker 3:

So let's talk about the pool for a second. So, pool-wise, whether you're staying at Yacht and Beach Club, it's the same pool. It's called Stormalong Bay. You're going to get a wristband when you go in. I know I have some friends. They may even listen to this podcast. They do some pool hopping around Bad boys bad boys, what you gonna?

Speaker 3:

do Well, and I think that Disney honestly, I don't think that they even care, they don't even mind that much because they're not super busy at some of these pools that they go to. So it's fine, they're staying at a resort and so they might visit some other pools. Well, at Sremalong Bay you've got to have a wristband. You have to be a guest at the Yacht and Beach Club. Your name has to be on the reservation. They're going to scan your magic band or look at your reservation.

Speaker 3:

I didn't have my magic band with me when we first went down there and I just had my phone and they wanted to see how many people were in my room and asked my girl I think they asked my girls what are your names? And they said and so they matched it to the reservation. Now they're not, so they're not asking for proof, like for the kids magic bands or anything, but they want to see how many people are in the party and how many people are on your reservation, and then they'll give that many wristbands out. Okay, so you have to be staying there and it's one one big pool area, two pools separated.

Speaker 1:

Hold on one second.

Speaker 3:

Go ahead Y'all.

Speaker 1:

Sarah has the bird feeder that attaches to the window, which is amazing. I love it, and a blue Jace just came over here. I know.

Speaker 3:

I turned 39 this year, but in my heart I turned 63. And look there is again.

Speaker 1:

I have been receiving security.

Speaker 3:

It's the best I have in the office and I fill it. I'm I want to make sure my bird feeders filled, you know every week.

Speaker 1:

She names them too I know.

Speaker 3:

Um so the cardinal that comes, his name's jelly belly. The girls named him jelly belly. Um so the pool area there are a couple ways of getting in and getting out. Um, there it is separated by a lazy river, some bridges, but there are two pools, separate pools, and then there's a lazy river kind of in between. Um, it is and you can access it whether you're at Yacht or Beach Club, but not easy to sit in a chair and just watch your kids in a pool and then, if they want, to go over to that sand bottom pool.

Speaker 1:

That's what I'm saying.

Speaker 3:

So that was you know it was hard.

Speaker 1:

Like we had some kids that wanted to do some one thing and we were fine with them going by themselves because we were staying where we were, and so then Hayes was kind of in front of us. Well then, when Hayes wanted to do something else, we had to go find the big kids and say we're going somewhere else, right. So that is where, um, if you just be, if you've never been, and, like I said, you have a spread group of people. Who was I just talking to about this? I was talking to some somebody about it and they, um, adrian Harris. That was okay. She is taking her two boys there're. Her and her sister are going and they're staying at the grand floridian and I told her that we just went.

Speaker 1:

She was like that's next on my bucket list of places to stay and I was like I would wait. If you're going to go with your sister, wait, because her sister's kids are a little bit older. And I was telling her that and she was like I didn't even think about that I would have been. It would have been overwhelming. Yes for that so not saying it's not fun with little kids, because it's really fun.

Speaker 1:

Like she said there's a whole like I don't splash pad isn't the right word, but it is like a ankle deep beat, like you know, when you go to the beach and there's like a tide pool.

Speaker 3:

Yes, it is like a tide pool, and so I mean big kids and little kids love it.

Speaker 1:

The it's like a tide pool, and so I mean big kids and little kids love it. The pool itself, I mean it's pretty shallow.

Speaker 3:

It's shallow. So there are some deeper areas of that sand bottom pool but there are some really shallow fun areas and a little beach kind of sand area for them to dig in and play. Yeah, so if you, I found this is what we ended up doing last year was because the Robinsons and us we went, and our kids last year our youngest were seven we kind of found chairs near that pool every day because that's where our youngest wanted to be, so we were able to kind of watch them because they were really right there, and if the big kids wanted to go to the lazy river or that bigger pool, it was okay, we let them go, but we really just parked it in front of the sand bottom pool.

Speaker 1:

And you just told the littles that was where you were staying.

Speaker 3:

Right and that's where and that's really where they wanted to stay, because they couldn't reach the bottom of the other pool. It wasn't as fun and they were. They were having a blast just right in their area, so that worked well for us. So if you have, you know some kids that you are fine if they go to the other pools and you don't need to be with them the whole time. But you have some little ones, just park your stuff. You know it's kind of like if there's a splash pad, you're in, you have a little kid, you're parking your stuff where the splash pad is. The other kids can go to the pool.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, um, I also appreciated that they um went around. There's a hurricane hannas, is that what it's called? Hurricane hannas, um? And so they had wait staff coming around asking for your drinks.

Speaker 3:

Just an fyi, I definitely modified the pina colada on the rocks yeah, and the the bartender was oh sorry when he also, when he was excited um the bartender was oh sorry, winnie also loved it. Winnie was excited, the bartender was super excited about your modification so the first day Tuesday.

Speaker 3:

Tell the people about this, because some people it's like par for the course for me. Some people want a poolside drink, they're excited for the summer, they want a beach drink, but some of those drinks are too sweet for them, which is like you, so you should tell the people.

Speaker 1:

So I love a pina colada, I love a coconut and I love it in the summertime, but I did not want to add a pina colada slushy or whatever. Frozen, frozen, there's the normal words. So they have one on the menu on the rocks, and I ordered it and I was like I need something else. So our waitress whatever her name was I cannot remember her name which shocked me.

Speaker 3:

I know.

Speaker 1:

Jessie or something. So she brought the first round and I was like it was like two pineapple-y. So I asked her to put. I asked her to ask the waiter to put coconut in it, and so he just put I think it said coconut liqueur, but he just put the pina colada mix in there, Right, Like the kindens. Yes.

Speaker 1:

Whatever, just a little, just a teeny tiny splash. It was delicious. The next day I went to the bar and asked for it directly and he was like was that you yesterday ordering this? I was like, sure was my guy. He loved it.

Speaker 3:

He was like people were asking about it. And I was like.

Speaker 1:

Well, let me just tell you. When you change that menu, let me know. And I need four free drinks.

Speaker 3:

Because it was a little creamier. Yes, it was creamier rather than it wasn't like a cocktail. Right, it wasn't like a yeah, like the more pineapple-y cocktail syrup, there was some kind of cream creamier.

Speaker 1:

So there's a pro tip. I went as far as to find, but it's restaurant-grade. Pina colada mix. I should have taken a picture of the box. I have it right here in my head but I can't put that on Google.

Speaker 3:

Listen, you want to know what another really good drink is. Okay, I was at Carly's when we were getting ready to go to a concert and she made me a margarita. Usually I don't love margaritas everywhere, I'm usually just a vodka, soda, lime person, but if I want something, that's you know, I felt a little.

Speaker 1:

She's feeling it.

Speaker 3:

I felt like I put on like a Wild hair.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, like I didn't put on a black shirt that day, I put on like a blue one instead. Yes, a little jewelry. I will get a mixed drink like that, but I don't want it to be too sweet or anything, cause it'll just make it'll really just make me sick. Yeah, she had this margarita mix. That was by Natalie's, who is who makes like fresh squeezed orange juice. They make a river. Yes, they make a margarita mix and um it's I mean she said it's basically cane sugar and fresh lime juice. Um, it was delicious, it was fresh, it was still a little sweet, but it's the best margarita I've ever had was over at that at their house.

Speaker 1:

And they really Do. You know that, carly, you could have a margarita stand in your front yard.

Speaker 3:

She could, she knows, she knows she's from Texas. Listen to this.

Speaker 1:

This margarita mix that she's talking about. There's three ingredients, that's it. Right. So basically it's paleo.

Speaker 3:

It's a health food. This is actually. Vegan.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, vegan Vegan. Did Reed say that? Was that something that Reed said? Yeah, it's vegan.

Speaker 3:

I get it. But that's another. Since it's summer, go get that, Natalie. If you like a margarita, but you don't want a headache and you don't want it too sweet, go get that Natalie's.

Speaker 1:

I'm about to go get it Margarita mix, when this house, um that, so that pina colada was great, but but I okay. So monday, okay, let's go back to kind of what we did on a summer trip to disney. The problem is, if you're listening to this and you don't have an annual pass and you're going in the summer, you and you don't go all the time, you're going to go to the parks, but I will say and sarah correct me if I'm wrong we went first thing in the morning. Yep, came back around lunch, a little bit after lunchtime, did we, and then we did the pool, and then we stayed at the pool until seven o'clock at night, yeah, like six or seven, and then went back to the Magic Kingdom. Mm-hmm.

Speaker 1:

And Sarah did not stay for the fireworks. Everyone.

Speaker 3:

Listen it was.

Speaker 1:

I was proud of her.

Speaker 3:

I really had to process that afterwards.

Speaker 1:

But I didn't stay. What did he say? Did you hear me? Did you hear what Reed said? What did he say why can't I speak today? So we went just for Tron. We had passes for Tron yeah, and to day. So we went just for tron we had passes for tron and to write it at nighttime and um so, uh, cindy and chambers and I did the people mover, which was great and fan. What's that called? What's a show called phantasm? Phantasma, what's it called fantasy? What's it?

Speaker 3:

called oh my gosh, are you talking about the fireworks? Yeah, what's it called?

Speaker 1:

happily ever after, wow, wow, unbelievable but believable okay, so sorry, so, um, okay, so we are on the people mover when it starts and I literally was like girls. This is a dream. Do y'all wanna um, I said y'all wanna take that son, if your mom, if your mom's gonna make a stay and they're like, oh, she loves fireworks. I'm like I know, girl, I know, so they come out.

Speaker 3:

It's like 9, 30, yeah, come out well, it was 9, 20 because, or no, it was it was before that the show started, I think at like 9 or 9 0 5 that night, because I started at 9 20, it started at 9 20 then, oh yes, because it was going to be open until 11. We looked at this before. We were like when does it start? Yes, so we came off about 9.30. The fireworks had already started. Happily Ever After was going on.

Speaker 1:

Sarah was like doing the whole song and dance. Oh my gosh, but I used my rational brain and thought if we want to get out of here, we're gonna, we're gonna need to go right now. Yeah, so, because we parked at the contemporary, which was very nice, and, um, we did, we had a, we were able. They gave us a stroller at the front. Do you remember that? Yes, he was whining and the guy with the strollers was like you can just have this, just take it literally, we checked.

Speaker 1:

We walked into the park at nine o'clock yes so um he was like about to check out.

Speaker 3:

He was like, just honestly he was clocked.

Speaker 1:

I'm pretty sure he was actually clocked out yeah, I don't care anymore. So, um, people were lying, I mean, people had been lining up as we were walking through the park and um, they do the ride we go to leave and reed is like mom, why don't you like the fireworks and I'm like I literally go to, I go to miss graves, pay you to say that he goes? No, I just want to know why don't you like fireworks?

Speaker 3:

I'm like, listen, my guy people, he liked it he, he loves the firework show. He loves the firework show it's also because he is a firework yeah, and he's gonna be the kind of teenager who is going to go and buy fire like he's gonna go buy the of teenager who is going to go and buy pyre, like he's gonna go buy the fireworks and set them off do you know that was me?

Speaker 3:

yeah, I know that was the thing is. The thing is I came home and I told lot in all of my read stories, oh geez. And I said you know, elizabeth, you know she, she wants to correct him, but she knows that she, he's really just like you it's the exact same person. It's terrifying he's just like you, terrifying um, I mean, but I'm funnier, yes, yes, I mean you're not you're, sometimes you're funnier, but he's pretty funny yeah, he's pretty as he gets older, like he's.

Speaker 3:

You're still out the way that you and your dad are. It's going to be flip-flop like that.

Speaker 1:

I can't it's going to be a journey um, but we did do that.

Speaker 3:

we. So, to your point, if you are staying, if you have a, if you're coming from out of town, you're staying for a week and you're going to stay at the yacht and beach club, um, I do still think it's worth it, because if you could go, if you are okay with going at rope drop, getting there, doing a things, coming back for the pool, I thought that what you did was great, because you went, you did some things, you came back to the pool, you guys swam, oh yeah.

Speaker 1:

That's what I was going to say. Yeah, I'm going to interrupt you for a second.

Speaker 3:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

So Lauren and I got there on Monday at like three. We got there right as our rooms were ready. It was great. We immediately went down to the pool and we did. We had Allen Compass dinner reservations at like 645. So, we got out of the pool at like six, took the kids up to the room, changed, went to dinner, changed went to dinner and then after that we walked on the boardwalk and we went to the ice cream place over by the boardwalk resort over by.

Speaker 3:

Abracadabra, yes, abracadabra, abracadabra, which I'm kind of disappointed we didn't do that, but I know Ashley wasn't with us so it was weird it was, I wouldn't have wanted to do it.

Speaker 1:

And also, you didn't need a drink when we have the pina colada right there, that's true. Um, so we walked over there and did ice cream there. There was like street performers. Um, I will send you. I will send you pictures yes I'm posting that oh geez, there were street performers, so the kids sat and watched that for 30 minutes um the boardwalk had moana, that was their movie that was playing so we sat and watched the tomotoa scene where obviously I sang the song man, that's a good song.

Speaker 3:

It's a good song.

Speaker 1:

And then we finished the boardwalk and walked back towards. If you can see my finger, you know what I'm saying towards swan and dolphin yep, and then just look at them out. So we did that. That was Monday night. Tuesday morning we woke up and we did. We took the Skyliner to Hollywood Studios, did that, came back again around lunchtime, did the pool, and I mean we met y'all at the pool at like what? One or two o'clock.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, it was perfect. We all did the pool and then we went back to our room for like an hour to rest.

Speaker 1:

Yes, that's when we did dinner to go at Ale and Compass and we ate in the bar area, which they probably frowned upon, but whatever.

Speaker 3:

And then we went to Epcot. We all went to Epcot that night and it was beautiful, it was so nice. It was actually 96, 95 degrees during the day, so hot, so perfect time to be in the pool, be under an umbrella, and then by the time we went to our room, got showered, rested for a bit and walked out to Epcot and ate dinner. The sun had set, it was beautiful outside.

Speaker 1:

It was so nice, In fact, Lauren had that she had on like a sun shirt but a little bit thicker one.

Speaker 3:

She wore it right because there was a breeze, yeah it was.

Speaker 1:

It was so nice. It was nice and we did guardians, we did um spaceship earth, the golf ball. And then that's when we parted ways. Yep, they went into soren we went to do ratatouille. I didn't realize the park closed at nine, so we went back to that pastry bar. Oh yes, and because we were like, oh, we'll get them treats and then we'll walk to do Ratatouille and we go to leave and it's nine o'clock and everything's closed, so there's that.

Speaker 3:

Well, let me tell you a hot tip on watching the nighttime show at Epcot Okay. Nighttime show at Epcot Okay. So when we parted from you all, we went and did the Nemo ride and then we walked through Moana. I never walked through Moana in the evening, and so that was really nice. We walked through that and then we went to the I think it's called like sunshine suites or sunshine swirls or something where they have some soft serve right over there by the bathrooms.

Speaker 3:

Yes, so we walked over there, got some ice cream and the the nighttime show was starting. We just we were the last people because it was nine o'clock. We're the last people to get some of that. We leave the line, we just go on the side of the building, right there, and leaned up against the building and had a perfect view. There's a little bit of a tree. We had a perfect view of the nighttime show. Nobody was around us. The kids all sat on the ground, leaned up against the wall. I was like this is 100% where I'm going to watch this show from now on. I'm going to just get some ice cream. And just because I don't think they minded, we were sitting right there because we had just gotten, we just ordered ice cream and it was closed.

Speaker 1:

It was closed, so not over in Italy. You don't need to. We don't need to take a nap on the bench and bench in Italy to say listen yeah, that was rookie, that was, that was a prime spot for you.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, that was great. I did love that we found a new location Found a new spot everyone.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, we did not stay for the fireworks.

Speaker 3:

No, I wouldn't have assumed you did.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, duh Hobby. We walked back, went to bed, woke up the next morning did magic. Was that Tuesday? No, that was Tuesday. That was Wednesday. Wednesday morning we woke up. Did Magic Kingdom for a hot minute? No, did magic kingdom for a hot minute? No, I take it back.

Speaker 1:

We went to contemporary and did breakfast at steakhouse 71 with oh, that's right, yep, and then the debbies left, and then we did magic kingdom, so we were able to park there, yep and um, and then we did that and then you know, pick up. Then we just talked about that. Yeah, yeah. But to sarah's point if you're staying, just utilize that resort.

Speaker 3:

Yes, there's just so much, so much at that resort especially, but really all of the moderate to deluxe resorts. I think that they are great places to go back and rest and use the amenities and have some downtime, especially because the deluxe resorts are so close to the parks. Yes, so it's really easy to get back and just take a rest and then go back. The moderate ones are a little bit harder. It just feels far to have to go back to a moderate resort and take time. But yeah, but in the summer you have to take a break. Yeah, you have to take a break. Yeah, so let's really quick, let's do. What are the pros and cons? Oh, that's the first question you asked.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that's the answer.

Speaker 3:

Just tell me a couple of things about Yacht Club versus Beach Club. What do you like more about one or the other, and what were you surprised?

Speaker 1:

I feel like Beach Club has more that stands out.

Speaker 2:

Okay, and what were you surprised? I feel like Beach Club has more that stands out.

Speaker 1:

Okay, does that make sense? Tell me how so I feel like their rooms are. I mean, I've stayed in two different rooms at the Beach. Club and I feel like I think one was a DVC, one was not, but I feel like the rooms are maybe a little bit bigger, mm-hmm, ours. I mean, there was nothing wrong with the room. No, there was nothing wrong with the room, no, I just I feel like the beach club is a little bit more convenient.

Speaker 3:

Yes Than the yacht club.

Speaker 1:

Yep, if I, it was quieter at the yacht club. Mm-hmm. I will say that, yep, we had a resort view room so we overlooked one of the inner pools and it was quiet, I mean we didn't hear the firework shows which was nice. So I would say that I don't know if I just think that Beach Club has a little bit more opportunity from the room standpoint has a little bit more opportunity from the room standpoint.

Speaker 3:

Now, if you're staying at Yacht Club, so Beach Club is going to be your DVC, okay. So if you want a kitchenette, if you want anything, if you want a one bedroom, two bedroom, you need to go to Beach Club. That's where you're going to be. The.

Speaker 3:

Yacht Club is going to be more of just the hotel style rooms. So if you want more space, you need to go to beach club. If you're fine with the hotel style, go to yacht club. Um, yacht club is your Lily Pulitzer vibe. Beach club is going to be your straw hat vibe.

Speaker 1:

Okay, yeah, I was going to say that the yacht club was almost a little bit. I don't want to say darker, but it was. It was almost like it was. The colors were a rich, dark mahogany.

Speaker 3:

Yes, Well, and like navy blues and that kind of stuff, it's a little bougier. Aileen Compass is at the Yacht Club, while Beaches and Cream is at the Beach Club.

Speaker 1:

But you can access both.

Speaker 3:

You can access both, but just in terms of like if you're walking and stuff that's what you're close to.

Speaker 1:

I'm sorry, do it my key Listen. Okay. So yacht, club room options are rooms and suites and that's it. So the resort room, water view, and then you know club level, and then a two bedroom so what you said, whereas the one I know that that's through the DVC. You have the studio, like you can stay in a studio, right, but I I Sarah had an option with a fifth sleeper in her room which is what I was hoping that I would have.

Speaker 3:

Yes.

Speaker 1:

But you don't get to pick that Right.

Speaker 3:

So it's just wherever they put you wherever they put you.

Speaker 1:

So we had two queen beds and no daybed. Sarah had two queen beds and a daybed. Lauren DeBee had two queen beds and no daybed.

Speaker 3:

And the Robinsons had a daybed too. Oh, they did. They were just around the corner from us and they also had a fifth sleeper.

Speaker 1:

So they assign that to you. That is not something that you get to pick. Versus the moderate resorts, you can select.

Speaker 3:

That Right it's a little bit of an upcharge, but it's worth it if you have five people and the kids are older. Yeah, Like Westland is taller than me.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and so it's tough for her you know Well, and I mean my kids were like oh yes, we'll get the fifth sleeper. And then I mean they were already talking about who got to sleep on it, whereas with the two queens it was just who's sleeping with mom tonight, right Now.

Speaker 3:

I think that if you, if I was staying with, if Lawton was coming with us, we would have five people and they would have automatically put us in a room with a fifth sleeper. Now it would have probably cost more. If I'm putting in five people, it would have cost more. That is true I didn't think about that, and so that would have worked itself out. You know, room wise, but it would have cost more. I will say but like here, here, I'm sorry.

Speaker 1:

No go ahead here on the at the beach club you have your standard room, which is what we just said two queen beds, a king. You know, standard room, day bed option. The deluxe room is two queen beds and a queen sleeper sofa. It's larger than a standard room. The Waterview room has same two or one. There's a king bed room where it's just a king bed and then it goes into the club level and then it goes into the this, the club level and then it goes into like the studio level.

Speaker 1:

So I do feel like there's more. Yeah, I was not impressed with the kitchenette area.

Speaker 3:

I was like of the yacht club?

Speaker 1:

yes, does this get any colder?

Speaker 3:

I need this to get colder yeah, the refrigerator was not that cold and I did feel for you because you are kind of like you would like that really cold. But yeah, I mean I, I think I agree with you, I like, I. I do like the yacht club a lot, but I like the proximity of the beach club and I like the size of the rooms that I can get and I like the vibe of the beach a little bit more. Lawton would have liked the yacht club more because you know, yeah, he's from Ortega.

Speaker 1:

So he likes the dark colored. Yeah, Dark stain. Yeah, I think that Scott would like the beach club. I think that he would enjoy staying at the club, but I think that he would like. He does not love a dark stain. And it was like a, but I don't know I could be wrong. And it was like a, but I don't know I could be wrong.

Speaker 3:

I'd probably say that I don't even know it is like bougier at the Yacht Club, so he might like that, but it is more of like a beachy vibe. Yeah, the Beach Club, obviously. Yeah, okay, well, it was great. Yeah, beach Club, it's still I think it's my favorite. It's still my favorite too, and so it's so close and it's wonderful to be so close to Epcot, and during the summer you really can treat it like it is a water park. It has a huge slide, it has a lazy river, it has two pools. There's plenty to do. They have games that the lifeguards are doing.

Speaker 3:

So if you're trying to kind of figure out like, oh, is it worth it to do Yacht and Beach Club, let me just tell you it is. It is worth it. In the summertime it is definitely worth it. I totally feel you on. If you're thinking like, oh, I'm going to be at the resort, if you're not going to be at the resort, then you know, don't spend your money on the resort, do a moderate or something or do pop century, like I usually do. But if you're going to be at the resort because it's hot in the summer and you want to pool, yacht and Beach Club.

Speaker 1:

I'm trying to find the text with me, you and Lauren on it, to see if I can find the bartender's name. That's what I was just looking for.

Speaker 3:

Oh man, sorry, we're going to do a shout out. You need to do a cast member compliment. I can't believe it. I know, wow, all right. Well, this was a great welcome back. I know this was great Welcome back.

Speaker 1:

I just really hope that y'all enjoy this too here. It is Sorry, I knew I could find it, mr Tony. I knew his name was Tony. Oh my gosh, I can't believe.

Speaker 3:

Oh, that was the bartender. Yes, I thought you were looking for the server's name.

Speaker 1:

Oh, yeah, just ordered a pina colada on the rocks from Mr Tony at the bar and he said were you the? One making these yesterday. Yes, that was a good trip, that was awesome. Invite us, oh, please.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, all right, bye, we'll check you next time. Bye.