Racecation at Disney's Yacht Club Resort



Everyone knows that the best part of a "Racecation" is where you stay!  When we do Disney races, we of course have our favorite resorts, but we try to stay somewhere new every once in a while.  On our quest to stay at all the Disney Resorts we have 15 down and 6 more to go!   I never thought of this as being a challenge, but now that I see it in writing, it has now become a new goal...lol  


Since Wine and Dine weekend at Disney has come to an end, I thought it would be a perfect time to finally review the Yacht Club resort, where we stayed during Wine and Dine weekend the year we ran it.



The Yacht Club resort is a deluxe resort so it's not cheap, but it definitely has some perks! As you enter the lobby you can definitely see a nautical theme.


                The nautical theme is of course carried out in the guest rooms as well. 



                Check out how cute these beds are, and can you find the hidden Mickey's on it?



Because the Yacht Club is a deluxe resort, the guest rooms ( and bathroom areas) are larger than some other resorts.  This worked out well for us because we had three runners in the room getting ready and we all had enough space (because you know runners bring a lot of stuff)!




Of course it is always a plus when you get a great balcony! Our room overlooked the garden and lagoon!  We probably would have been able to see the Epcot Fireworks had we stayed up that late.


Probably the biggest perk of staying at the Yacht Club resort is it's location.  It not only is located right along the Disney boardwalk, but it is also within walking distance to Epcot and a short boat ride to Hollywood Studios!  HOWEVER, runners need to remember that if they are running a race that starts in Epcot, they CAN NOT walk there. The park gates will be closed so there will not be a way to enter. Runner's must still take a runner bus.


In addition to plenty of food options along the boardwalk, there are a few sit down restaurant at the Yacht club, including a steak house and The Cape May Buffet.  Cape May Buffet is a Character buffet for breakfast/brunch and a seafood buffet at dinner (no characters). We have done both and enjoyed both but if you want to treat yourself, I would spring for the seafood buffet!




Yachtsman Steakhouse is their signature/fine dining restaurant and you can read our blog post about that HERE.

As far as quick service options, I miss that there is not really a counter service  restaurant like there is at the moderate resorts.  We often enjoy going eating at  moderate or value resorts during race weekend when they have their pasta specials but unfortunately you won't find that here.


However, there was a great pool side cafe that my sister and I ate out one evening and we both agreed that it was really good (and we even talked about how good it was even the next day).  Either that or we were really hungry...haha If I remember correctly, I had a chicken sandwich and watermelon salad, and my sister had a lobster roll and another type of salad. It was scrumptious!



Oh, and speaking of pool, the Yacht club may have the best pool area of all the resorts. Which just might be perfect for runners staying for a racecation (but be prepared for it to be crowded)!  




I really appreciate the overall charm of the Yacht Club and it definitely has its perks (even if it's not a race weekend) but I'm not sure if I'm ready to call this one a favorite quite yet (but it's close)!  


What things do you consider when when selecting a hotel for a race weekend?  -M






24 comments:

  1. Yacht club looks awesome! Looks like you had a great time.

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  2. Looks like a lovely place to stay! WDW does it well.

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  3. I think a convenient location would be important, although for the Denver race no race hotels were really convenient to the start/finish, and all were convenient to the downtown shopping/dining area.

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    1. Yes, convenience is definitely key for a racecation. Unfortunately you can't walk to any of the start lines at Disney so everyone has to take some sort of transportation.

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  4. Unfortunately where we stay for a racecation usually isn't a top priority. Luckily I am not super picky -- of course I love a lovely hotel, but I have also stayed in some real dives because of the proximity to the start. And for me, a mini fridge is a must, and I really want a microwave, too.

    And then again it's often about Mr. Judy's points, which helps keep the cost of the racecation down. :)

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    1. Microwaves and mini fridges are a good thing to have for sure! I would probably be willing to give up some amenities too if I was super close to the start.

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  5. I have walked through that resort and always thought it looked charming. Love the theme. Good luck on the quest to stay at all the resorts. Thanks for the linkup

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    1. It's going to be hard to stay at them all because that would mean giving up a stay at some of my favorites...haha

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  6. I don't think my previous comment went through so here we go again. LOL I love the character dinner at that hotel. Last time I went to Disney with my family we did that and my sister was blown away! That is one of the only hotels I have not stayed in yet, I have done almost all of them as well. My favorite still remains the Animal Kingdom.

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    1. I think the food at Cape May buffet is really good too!
      Animal Kingdom Lodge is definitely a favorite for me too!

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  7. This looks like my kind of Disney resort! Looks like another fun trip!! I wonder if they'll build more by the time you get to 21!

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    1. You know what, you are probably right. I think they are actually working on that now!

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  8. What a nice place! We always stay at Shades of Green when we do Disney...my husband's military affiliation has its rewards ;-)

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    1. That makes perfect sense! I have only seen SOG from the outside while the bus I was on made a stop there. I'd like to get out and explore there sometime. I bet it is a nice resort.

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  9. It looks so beautiful. I could never afford that one - give me the budget friendly Disney places - haha - but I bet its worth the money - looks luxurious.
    & that's good to know you cant get to Epcot on race day, which is weird, isn't it - I mean, I'm sure some people use that resort since its close. Strange

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    1. Ya know what, even the budget resorts are nice too. Each resort actually has its own perks!
      I think some people purposely books resorts in this area because you can walk to Epcot (where most races start), but you can't do it when the park is closed...haha

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  10. My family stayed at the Yacht Club when we did Princess in 2012. My parents used to have a time share at the Boardwalk, so I know that area quite well. This time around we're staying at Coronado Springs, which I've never done. We chose it since it's a nice resort, with food available. My mom and I are going to have a relaxing afternoon before our 10k.

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    1. I believe they just updated Coronado Springs! I can't wait to check it out too.

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  11. It looks like a lovely place to stay! When I need a room for a race, it's always about location and check out time!

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    1. I feel like runners who are staying at a hotel to run a race should ALWAYS get late check out..haha. Too bad not all hotels/resorts agree!

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  12. Looks like such a fun place to stay! Send some of the weather north to Chicago, ok? :)

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    1. I always want to bring some Florida sunshine home with me!

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