Wilderness Lodge or Beach Club

[g1rbw]

Hi all,

need your help, having not stayed in either before what do you reckon is best. We are going as a relatively large family, 9 of us, (4 rooms, 8 adults 1 infant), 3 adults not been to WDW before either. So trying to work out which to stay at. The WL is obviously slightly cheaper, so we could get a nicer room, but the BC location is great. We are AP holders so should get discounts.

Just done GF this Nov which was amazing.

What are people's view or experiences of either resort. Not really into changing resorts either as planning on 10 day stay.

Thanks

Giles

[PaulaK]

Beach Club, purely for location and convenience :D

[OKWTink]

Beach Club! Beach Club! :excited:

Paula says it with location and convenience! The rooms are larger too.

You are close to the boardwalk too, which is a nice place to stroll and while away some evening hours.

The pool is like a mini water park!

Cape May Buffet is scrumptious! Something for anyone on their menu of selections.

There is a great Character Breakfast there too.

Beaches and Cream makes the BEST cheeseburgers going. The chocolate malts are pretty darn good too. :yes:

The decor is wonderful, light and airy and the CMs are just plain nice!

Beach Club! Beach Club! :blush:

[Tammi]

Haven't stayed at the Beach Club but we just got back from WL about a month ago so I will give you my take on it. It was wonderful. We were torn between the BC and WL as well but chose the WL due to the time of year we were going, Christmastime. Couldn't relate Christmas to the beach. Needed something warm and woodsy. The rooms were a tad small for 2 adults and 2 children, unless you are one to keep everything in it's place. For us, clothes, toys, etc just laid everywhere, but if you can keep things put away you should be good. We were able to have a queen bed and a bunk bed, which worked out good for the kids. I must also say that we had a connecting room with my parents, which made it seem like we had even more room because we kept the door open and could go back and forth.

We only ate at the resort once, Whispering Canyon. The food was good and you have to be able to let your inhibitions down and have a good time. Our server wasn't as "obnoxious" as some of the others so our table was pretty tame. But for a group your size I could see some shenanigans going on. Artiste Pointe is also at the WL for finer dining. Supposed to have very good food but we didn't try it. We had a fridge and ate breakfast in our room everyday.

My concern about staying at the WL was the transportation...having to bus or boat everywhere, but let me tell you that it was excellent. We took the boat to/from MK, Contemporary Resort and Ft. Wilderness (for the Hoop Dee Doo ReVue which was a blast, highly recommend) and never had to wait more than 10-15 mins. We never did make it over there for the campfire singalong. To get everywhere else we took the bus and again only a short wait. In the evening we could walk out to the boat launch and watch the fireworks from the MK.

We did visit the Yacht/Beach Club area when we took our Illuminations Cruise and it did look like a wonderful place to stay as well, mainly for the activities along the boardwalk, as the other posters said. Hopefully that will be our next resort that we stay at.

Good luck deciding. Whichever you choose, you won't go wrong.:)

[g1rbw]

my word, no more confused. We were in WDW in Nov and loved look of WL but that could have been decorations as you pointed out. Thanks for comment on transportation as that is what worried us. Having stayed at boardwalk twice, we thought WL might be a nice change. However as the BC voters say, it is a lovely hotel, great location, great pool. Oh so confused. I would really appreciate anymore views

Thanks

[SorcererMickey]

I like them both so much...

WL :unsure: BC

But for it's location, BC is much more convenient.

Here are some photos I've taken of BC...

Disney's Beach Club Resort (http://disneyguest.com/images/beach_club/beach_club-0001.html)

[Mickeymac]

I'm not going to be much help. It's like asking which is your favorite child...

I would like to point out that it depends on where you plan on spending the most time, and what you plan on doing the most of. With 8 adults in the mix, I'm apt to assume you're going to want some nighttime activities and pool time, which leads me to the Beach Club. However, a goodly number of you have never been, which leads one usually to think you might be at the Magic Kingdom mostly, and the Wilderness is in a great spot.

Flip a coin? :shrug:

[Ilovetink]

I was just about to post exactly what MM said. We stayed in WL in August and LOVED it. We have small ones and found the boat ride to MK very easy. The grounds are beautiful and you feel removed from the hustle and bustle.
Next week we are going and staying at the Boardwalk. The location there if so convenient for Epcot and MGM, but maybe not as convenient for MK. I think it feels a little more 'in the thick of it'. The pool at BC outshines the WL pool. My vote would probably go for Beach club, based on adults spending more time wandering Epcot and the boardwalk area.

[PaulaK]

You might want to check availability too. We couldn't get in the BC or YC for October except for concierge.

[BigThunder]

Those are two of my favorite resorts also with BC winning out by a bit. Both resorts are absolutely gorgous but are extremely different in their style/decor. You had said a few members of your party had never been before to WDW. One problem I did have with the WL on my first visit was the darkness of it all. I know that might sound crazy but I had come from dark & dreary cold winter of home & I was in sunny, warm Florida. Yet inside the WL it didn't feel like sunny warm FL & the rooms were so dark. For some reason that really bothered me at first. The BC is definitly brighter & such. But if you've done BW already then you have already stayed in a place w/similar decorating style so maybe something different would be nice. One thing the WL has over the BC is being able to go to the boat dock & watch the water pageant. My kids always enjoyed that. But of course Illuminations is a short stroll away from BC everynight. Decisions, decisions!

[PaulaK]

You might want to check availability too. We couldn't get in the BC or YC for October except for concierge.

.......we're now in at the Beach Club! :excited: Thank you Cinderella. :D :D

[dcfromva]

Stay at the Wilderness Club. No, I mean the Beach Lodge!
(it's too hard of a decision to make! )

To me, it kind of depends on a couple of factors:
1. What I plan to do while at WDW (ex. if there is some type of event at EPCOT, then I want to stay at BCV..but, if there is something special going on at the MK, then VWL ) and
2. What kind of room availaibilty is there? and
3. If all things are equal and I am using a cash reservation, which resort has the best discount.... :D

-DC :ears:

[MystikPiglit]

I too had been considering both of these (and AKL) but having seen SM's fabulous photos I think I've fallen for the Beach Club. :)

If anyone could give me more reasons for staying there to help me convince DH I would be very grateful.