Epcot Resort Hotels

Near Epcot, you will also have the opportunity to stay inside some really nice resort hotels and villas.  They are all quite different and unique in their own way, and if you’re willing to splurge a little, you can stay in a room that feels almost as if you never left home in the first place.

1) Disney’s Beach Club ResortDisney’s Beach Club has a Resort side and a Villas location.  We’ll talk about both and how they differ, but let’s first begin with the Beach Club Resort.

Here, guests will feel as if they just walked into a resort hotel somewhere in New England.  Only here, you get breathtaking views with warm sun instead of snow.

This is particularly a fantastic resort choice if you love water.  Here, guests can enjoy pools, spas and even lagoons.  And, if you head over to Stormalong Bay, you’ll see a life-sized ship-wreck up close and in person. Kids will get an opportunity to splash around in the kiddie pool, and there are even waterslides for the tweens and teens too.

As for rooms, you can choose from garden, lagoon or standard (rooftop, parking lot, etc) views from your window.  And for those with a little bit more disposable income, you can opt for Suites that have Club Level Service.  Club Level Services entails, amongst many things, the following: evening turndown, free health club access, free newspapers, secured access to the club level lounge, free faxing assistance and more.

Type: Deluxe Resort

2) Disney’s Beach Club Villas:  There are so many wonderful perks to staying at the Beach Club Villas, it’s hard to know where to start.

Earlier, I mentioned that if you stay in the villas, it’ll feel like you never quite left home due to the room amenities provided to guests.  And that couldn’t be any more true.

Guests don’t just get a typical room with one or two beds and a TV.  Here, you can stay in a deluxe studio room, or a one or two bedroom villa.  That means that, based on the room you purchase, you’ll have a fully equipped kitchen, laundry unit, and even a private porch or balcony for you to relax.

It’s like staying in a fantastic apartment or condo—all on Disney grounds!

On top of that, you can hop aboard an enchanting boat ride that will take you to Hollywood Studios, too.  The Beach Club Villas is also in walking distance to Epcot, as well.

Type: Deluxe Villa Resort


(Video by iThemePark)

3) Disney’s BoardWalk Inn: The BoardWalk Inn is just overflowing with charm.  Inspired by old school Atlantic City, this is a waterfront resort hotel that is certainly one of the most visually stunning resorts in all of Disney.

Not only do you have a fantastic resort hotel to stay in, but once you exit your room, you’re engulfed in carnival games and thrilling nightlife activities.  If you’ve been to New York before, you’ll appreciate the Coney Island inspiration that’s dripping off of the BoardWalk Inn.

And if you haven’t been to Coney Island before, then this might just surprise you ten-fold because the resort will feel all the more fresh and innovative.

Type: Deluxe Resort

4) Disney’s BoardWalk Villas: Here, guests can delight in all the wonderful charm and beauty of the BoardWalk Inn, but actually get the high-end in-room treatment that the Villas provide.

In fact, guests can avoid a small, simplistic room in lieu of a villa that will have a fully equipped kitchen, a washing machine and dryer, a safe to keep one’s belongings, and even a patio or balcony.  It’ll feel like you went on a fantastic Disney vacation and took along the creature comforts from home.

On top of that, staying in the Villas allows guests the opportunity to literally walk to either Epcot or Hollywood Studios, which is always a plus when it comes to convenience.

Type: Deluxe Villa Resort

5) Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort: Now, who doesn’t want to stay on a beautiful resort that is, quite literally, built around the 45-acre Barefoot Bay?

This resort consists of six villages–Trinidad North, Trinidad South, Aruba, Jamiaca, Barbdos and Martinique—where guests will stay inside very colorful rooms—some that are actually pirate themed and feature beds constructed to look like old ships.

As you can tell, the Caribbean Beach Resort wants to bring the island to your doorstep, which is why you’ll love the amazing palm trees and beaches filled with white-sand as far as the eye can see.  This is an absolutely perfect compromise for any family that is fractured between taking a trip to Disney World and heading to the Caribbean.  If you stay at the Caribbean Beach Resort, you literally get the best of both worlds.

Type: Moderate Resort

6) Disney’s Yacht Club Resort: Want a Disney vacation that has a bit of a nautical touch?  If so, the Yacht Club Resort is likely your ideal spot.

We can talk about the Yachtmans Steakhouse restaurant here, or the fact that this New England-style resort features a health club where you can either hit the treadmill or lie horizontal and get a massage.

But what makes a resort inspired by the love of water so great is, of course, it’s embrace of water-based activities.  Yes, this resort has pools, but you can also go fishing and even rent a motorboat at the Bayside Marina.  What’s great about it is that no experience is required—only your love of the water (and a driver that’s at least 18 years old, of course).

The Yacht Club Resort is in walking distance to Epcot, but you can also take a relaxing boat ride to the Hollywood Studios, as well.

Type: Deluxe Resort

7) Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel: This is that hotel that perhaps you’ve researched online or maybe even driven by in person, saw the dolphin statues on top and thought, “Whoa, what is that all about over there?”

The Dolphin Hotel is pretty unique, because on the outside it doesn’t appear to be much to look at when compared to other options like the Yacht Club or the Caribbean Beach Resort.

But it ultimately doesn’t take too long for guests to realize that you’re looking at some impressive Renaissance touches that are cleverly intertwined with a more modern aesthetic in architecture.

Here, guests enjoy a pool (with a waterslide), as well as a white sand beach.  For those hungry, you don’t have to leave the resort to find a good restaurant, as you can dine at Shula’s Steakhouse.

It should be noted that unlike other hotels we’ve discussed today, you will not be able to get a free ride to and from the airport.  So you will need to arrange other services to get to and from the Dolphin.  You do receive, however, free transportation to and from Disney theme and water parks.

Type: Deluxe Resort

8) Walt Disney World Swan HotelYou’ll notice that the Swan Hotel is very similar to the design of the Dolphin.  In fact, instead of two dolphins on top of the hotel, it’s two swans sitting back to back.

The Swan Hotel offers you about the same amenities as the Dolphin Hotel.  These are sister hotels, and are actually connected to one another.  These are two hotels that, while on Disney property, are not actually owned by Disney.

Because of this, you get some Disney resort hotel perks–but not all of them.  For example, while you may receive free transportation to and from the theme and water parks, or benefit from Extra Magic Hours, you will not receive free parking at the Swan or the Dolphin.  You also won’t be able to count on Disney’s Magical Express bus to take you to and from the airport.

Due to these kind of losses, guests usually get the benefit of booking a room that’s cheaper than the typical Disney resort hotel, as well as acquiring a room that’s a bit more spacious.

In short, staying at the Swan or Dolphin are great options for families or parties that want to have an enjoyable stay on Disney property and appreciate some of the Disney guest perks—without having to feel obligated to pay the typical Disney resort prices.

Ultimately, you have to weigh the pros and cons of what you might lose in order to save some money.

Type: Deluxe Resort


(Video by iThemePark)

Hopefully you enjoyed reading this article and found it valuable.  If you did, please feel free to share it with someone you know.

You Also Might Like:

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *