Nautical décor with the elegance of a seaside resort in the early 1900s make this a fashionable place to hang your hat during your Walt Disney World vacation.
Smaller and frequently quieter than the Beach Club Resort and Beach Club Villas, the Yacht Club has a more exclusive feel than its neighbors. While the Beach Club area feels like a family seaside cottage, the Yacht Club has the air of a membership-only boating club or a yacht itself.
Dining at the Yacht Club and Crescent Lake Resorts
In addition to the two restaurants and single lounge on the Yacht Club Resort’s own property, guests may also choose to take advantage of the dining choices at the other resorts around the walk-able perimeter of Crescent Lake.
The beautifully appointed lobby at Disney’s Yacht Club.
The Beach Club and Beach Club Villas are directly adjacent to the Yacht Club, while Disney’s Boardwalk Inn is also a short distance away. In addition, the Swan and Dolphin – a pair of non-Disney owned luxury hotels – are also on the shore of the lake and easily reached by foot, bike, or water taxi. There are numerous dining options at these various resorts and hotels, so guests at the Yacht Club will never want for choice at mealtimes.
Yachtsman Steakhouse
This is the signature dining establishment at the Yacht Club Resort, open to guests for dinner. In addition to many excellent cuts of steak, the Steakhouse has fresh seafood options and other classic American food entrees on the menu. It also offers a carefully prepared children’s menu that features high quality, thoughtful meals that will appeal to younger taste buds.
Reservations are advisable for this elegant yet comfortable and family-oriented restaurant.
Captain’s Grille
The Captain’s Grille serves food throughout the day, including a self-service breakfast buffet where guests can fuel up before setting sail for the Disney World theme parks. This casual establishment does not require reservations.
Recreation at the Yacht Club
Although swimming is limited to the beautiful pools at the resort, Crescent Lake does feature stretches of beautiful white sand beaches perfect for sunbathing, volleyball, and admiring the grounds of the Yacht Club and nearby resorts.
Huge ship that is part of Stormalong Bay at
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort.
To cool down on a hot day, guests can enjoy a high seas adventure in Stormalong Bay, the signature pool of the Yacht and Beach Club resorts, or enjoy a quiet swim at one of the smaller quiet pools. Stormalong Bay boasts one of the highest hotel water slides at Disney World jutting from the half-sunken prow of a wooden ship.
Bikes are a great way to visit the nearby resorts or simply enjoy a circuit of Crescent Lake, and bike rentals are available to guest of the Yacht Club. The trail encircling the lake is also a great path for walking or going for a jog.
Yacht Club guests determined to maintain their exercise routine while on vacation can take advantage of the Ship Shape Health Club. This club has exercise equipment in addition to massage therapy, a hair salon, and luxurious steam rooms. It is open for guests to use 24 hours a day, every day of the week.
Other recreation choices include bass fishing trips, water craft rentals, the Lafferty Place Arcade, tennis courts, and open-air movies under the stars.
Sandcastle Club
Even during a family vacation, it can be nice for the adults to enjoy a special night out at a fancy restaurant, night club, or other venue. Fortunately, the Yacht Club Resort is home to the Sandcastle Club, and supervised children’s activity center open between 4:30pm and midnight. The club has games, crafts, and many other activities for children to enjoy, and will also provide young guests with snacks and dinner while the adults are away. Advance reservations are required to ensure that the Sandcastle Club can accommodate guests on the night in question.
Transportation Around Disney World
The Yacht Club’s location at the center of Disney World, with so many nearby resorts, is one of its main attractions. The Beach Club Resort, Beach Club Villas, Boardwalk Inn, Swan Hotel, and Dolphin Hotel can all be reached on foot or by a water taxi ride across Crescent Lake. In addition, nearby Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are also within walking distance and accessible via the many water ways that snake through the area.
Buses are available to take Yacht Club guests to all other resort hotels, to Disney Springs, or to the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom theme parks. Enterprising guests might also consider walking to Epcot and taking the monorail to the Magic Kingdom.
Pros and Cons
Even long-term stays at the Yacht Club Resort are rarely long enough for guests to exhaust all of the dining, shopping, and entertainment available at this and neighboring resort hotels. The proximity to additional resorts as well as two of the four Disney World theme parks is one of the principal attractions of the Yacht Club.
Main entrance to Disney’s Yacht Club Resort.
Families with very young children should keep in mind that the walking distance to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios may be tiring for young legs. It also may not be feasible for them to walk to the other resorts around Crescent Lake. Getting to the Magic Kingdom requires a bus ride or a walk to Epcot so families focusing on that resort may want to be closer. The large and adventurous pool complex makes swimming supervision challenging at times. Unlike many other lower-priced resorts, there is not a quick service food court here.
With so many options to explore on and around the Yacht Club Resort, this is a great deluxe option for adults and older children with the energy and speed to take advantage of their surroundings. Slower-moving groups with young children or vacationers with limited time may prefer simpler accommodations. However, if you want a wealth of options and a location that will allow you to explore as many of the as possible with whatever vacation time you have, the Yacht Club is ideal.
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