5 Reasons Why Disney’s Beach Club Resort Is My Favorite Disney Vacation Club Resort

Disney’s Beach Club Resort is the smallest Disney Vacation Club property at Walt Disney World Resort, but it packs a mighty punch. Right near EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, this resort boasts a fantastic location and is super popular with members.

As a Disney Vacation Club owner myself, I’ve had the opportunity to stay here several times, even though it isn’t my home resort, and have thoroughly enjoyed each experience. Before you visit, you should know a few things about this Disney fan favorite.

1. Walkability to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios Is Unbeatable

Disney’s Beach Club Resort is by far the most walkable resort on Disney World property, which is why these rooms are at a premium during popular EPCOT festivals, such as the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival in the spring or the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival in the fall.

When you come out of the resort’s back entrance (or through the side entrance if you’re coming from the Disney Vacation Club Villas), you walk out onto the main boardwalk that circles around to Disney’s BoardWalk Inn and the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin. Make a left on this path, and just a couple hundred feet ahead, you’ll see the International Gateway entrance to EPCOT. This entrance is open during all EPCOT operating hours, and there’s a small ticket window area here if you need to purchase a ticket or speak with customer service.

Assuming you’ve got your ticket, there’s a small security walk-through, and then the ticket check podiums are right ahead. You can be out of your hotel room or villa at Disney’s Beach Club Resort and be inside EPCOT within 5 minutes, which is simply unbeatable. This is especially useful if you want to pop over to EPCOT to walk around the various food stalls and then want to come back to your room, or if you want to book an evening dinner reservation at one of the many restaurants in EPCOT, where you can walk over for your meal without having to worry about a bus or other transit.

2. Easy To Access Transit by Air, Water, and Land

Disney’s Beach Club Resort is in a fabulous location for accessing Disney’s world-class transportation systems. Outside the front door of the resort, you’ve got several ways to get around:

• You can take the Disney Skyliner, which goes to Disney’s Riviera Resort, with a transfer to Hollywood Studios. You can access the Skyliner by going out the resort’s back door (toward the lake) and then making a left. You’ll find it a couple of hundred feet up on the left, just before you get to the International Gateway entrance to EPCOT.
• If you’re in the mood for a boat ride, you’re in luck! Just across from the Skyliner entrance are the Disney Friendship boats that can take you to Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, Disney’s Beach Club Resort, Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, and then Hollywood Studios. It takes a little more than half an hour to go all the way to the end to Hollywood Studios, so it’s certainly not a quick means of transport, but it’s definitely relaxing!
• Disney’s signature buses are outside the resort’s front entrance, and they serve all theme parks and Disney Springs. Buses pull in every few minutes, and signage tells you how far away the next bus is.

While not immediately next to Disney’s Beach Club Resort, the monorail is not too far away. If you walk through World Showcase of EPCOT and then toward Spaceship Earth and out the front entrance of EPCOT, you’ll find the monorail that will take you to the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC), where you can transfer to the Magic Kingdom or head to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, or Disney’s Contemporary Resort. While you may find it more convenient to take a bus to Magic Kingdom, depending on how fast you walk and the bus’s timing, you may get there faster by walking to the front of EPCOT and catching the monorail.

Having access to the monorail is also great for visiting the resorts near Magic Kingdom, where there are many great dining options.

Here’s how you can get to each theme park from Disney’s Beach Club Resort:

• EPCOT: Walk to the World Showcase entrance or take the bus to the front.
• Hollywood Studios: Walk approximately 20 minutes on a paved path, take the Skyliner, or take a bus.
• Magic Kingdom: Take the bus or walk to the front of EPCOT and catch the monorail.
• Animal Kingdom: The only option is to take a bus.

It’s possible to visit all 4 theme parks in 1 day, if you’re really adventurous!

3. Dining Within Walking Distance

If you’re looking for a lot of places to eat within walking distance, Disney’s Beach Club Resort is a great place to stay. To start off, you’ve got all of World Showcase at EPCOT literally out the back door of the resort. You need a park ticket to enter, but once you’re inside, there are tons of sit-down and quick-service places satisfying literally every palate and cultural taste. If you’re looking for a great steak, try Le Cellier Steakhouse in the Canada section, just inside the entrance.

Cape May Cafe at Disney’s Beach Club Resort serves breakfast and dinner. The breakfast is a character breakfast where you can dine with your favorite Disney friends, and the dinner is a seafood buffet. Just a short walk away is Beaches and Cream Soda Shop, reminiscent of an old-fashioned soda shop serving burgers and sandwiches. The real treat here is the ice cream, where you can order anything from a single scoop all the way up to the Kitchen Sink, which comes with every single topping, perfect for sharing.

If you walk over to Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, you’ll find the Ale & Compass Restaurant, an upper-end restaurant serving seafood, steaks, and sandwiches. It also has a lounge and a to-go market.

Heading over to Disney’s BoardWalk, about a 10-minute walk from Disney’s Beach Club Resort, you’ll find Flying Fish, a seafood restaurant; Trattoria al Forno, serving Italian fare; BoardWalk Deli, which has sandwiches and salads; Pizza Window with late-night slices; and finally, The Cake Bake Shop Restaurant by Gwendolyn Rogers, a third-party restaurant in the resort with overpriced, ginormous slices of cake and a sit-down menu.

There’s no shortage of food nearby, and because everything is walkable, it’s extremely easy to head out for a meal without much advance planning or notice. However, some Disney dining venues can easily sell out weeks in advance, so be sure to book early to avoid disappointment!

4. Shared Benefits With Disney’s Yacht Club Resort

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort is the sister property of Disney’s Beach Club Resort. When you stay at one resort, you have access to the benefits of both resorts, but you’ll find a few important shared perks.

Several pools are in front of the resorts, though these are currently closed for construction during spring 2025. The pools, commonly known as Stormalong Bay, are rated as one of the best aquatic experiences anywhere across the entire property. There are waterslides, a lazy river, and plenty of places to get wet! Guests of both resorts enjoy these shared pools. You’re welcome to use the fitness club and tennis courts at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, too.

When it comes to dining, you can access Ale & Compass, Cape May Cafe, and Beaches and Cream Soda Shop without having to leave a covered area. This is perfect for days when it’s raining outside and you just want to stay inside the resort.

If you’re in the mood for a boat rental, both resorts share a rental pier that’s right in front of Disney’s Yacht Club Resort. When you rent a boat, you can basically sail toward Hollywood Studios and back.

For activities, there are s’mores nights, movies under the stars, and other activities put on by cast members. You’re welcome to attend any activities, no matter which hotel they’re in.

5. Disney’s Beach Club Resort Has Hotel Rooms and Villas

If you’re staying at Disney’s Beach Club Resort, there are actually 2 different wings to the property. One houses Disney’s Beach Club Villas, and the other is simply Disney’s Beach Club Resort. The villas are in the Disney Vacation Club wing, while the other wing is traditional hotel rooms that you can book as a Deluxe Resort. These rooms come with different layouts than the villas, including 2-bed rooms, rooms without kitchens, suites, and more.

If you’re looking for a more hotel-like experience and aren’t using Disney Vacation Club points, consider staying in the hotel wing (you can use a Disney credit card to purchase your room). If you’re looking for more room to spread out and want to stay in a studio, 1-bedroom villa, 2-bedroom villa, or 3-bedroom grand villa, book Disney’s Beach Club Villas. Even if you’re not a member, you can always rent DVC points.

You can access both wings without leaving a covered walkway, which is nice in case it rains.

Final Thoughts

Disney’s Beach Club Resort has become my favorite Disney Vacation Club Resort at Walt Disney World. With its walkability to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, there’s a convenience factor that just can’t be beaten. With world-class restaurants nearby, it’s the perfect place to stay if you’re looking for a foodie adventure around World Showcase in EPCOT. Because Disney’s Beach Club Resort is one of the smaller resorts on property, be sure to book early to grab your preferred room!