Just back from Beach Club

[mmmom]

We're back from 4 nights at Beach Club as part of land/sea package. The pool was great but I did have some issues. The first 3 days I tried to get a vest for my 4 year old to swim with and kept being told they were all out b/c people keep them for their whole stay instead of returning each time. When I asked why they can't get more from another resort I was rudely told to talk to a lifeguard. I didn't want to bother a lifegurad who was on duty and couldn't find any roving ones. Luckily I had brought wings from home but I found this situation ridiculous and never had a problem 2 years ago at WL. Also, I don't understand why a parent can't be in the large slide area to help steer young ones once they are done slide. You have this enticing slide but most kids under5 can't use it. Even if my daughter was a better swimmer I would like to be close by as the water is deep and the swirling jets make it tricky. Lifeguards end up spending all their time telling kids and parents which way to go and what they can't do etc. AT WL parents could catch at bottom of slide. Also, pool closed too early. A lifegurad did walk us over to villas pool which was kind but WL pool and whirlpool opened past midnight on our last stay. Last issue is regarding food. I think HH should be open longer and BC definitely needs to be expanded. The mug deal is definitely not worth it as you have to wait in lines for up to half hour anyway just to have it filled. I much preferred the self-serve option at Roaring Forks at WL. Other than room being bigger than WL I was diappointed that BC didn't knock my socks off. I had faxed a room request for being close to lobby elevator as my dad is handicapped but if that is there idea of close I would have hated to be far. Just my opinion.

 

[Disney Panda]

Hope you enjoyed your Disney trip otherwise. We returned from the BC on 5/12. We also faxed a room request and our requests were met. I had read about how you had to wait in line to have your mug refilled so we didn't buy one this time. We stayed at WL our last trip. The room was right around the corner from Roaring Forks which was so convenient for refills. We also like the design on the WL mug more than the BC mug. WL has better theming but I love BC's proximity to my favorite park.

 

[gepetto]

Originally posted by mmmom
AT WL parents could catch at bottom of slide. Also, pool closed too early.

They don't let parents catch their kids at the bottom of the slide at Polynesian, Contemporary, or AKL either.

There's no self serve place for mugs at BC? eek.

 

[magicmouse2]

we loved the self serve for mug refills at POR. We were also able to catch at the bottom of the slide. How deep is the water where the slide drops you out at SOB ?

 

[fishinChip]

What were the hours of SAB? Was there only one slide? What would you suggest to be a good room location? I would appreciate any information as we will be there in october?
THANKS!!!

 

[hocksocmom]

These are some of the reasons we chose CBR . . .

 

[seallenz]

We just got back from AKL and GF, and both resorts let us catch our son at the bottom of the slide. I'm glad we didn't stay at Beach Club -- our three year old would have had a fit if we couldn't let him go on the slide for this reason!

 

[Mainebound]

Originally posted by gepetto
They don't let parents catch their kids at the bottom of the slide at Polynesian, Contemporary, or AKL either.

There's no self serve place for mugs at BC? eek.

Thank you for the info, mmmom. I think those are real trade-offs at BC/YC.

Also, just wanted to add that at AKL we were allowed to wait near the bottom of the slide for our DS3.

 

[wdwnutze]

We were allowed to wait for our daughter at the bottom of the slide at the Polynesian. They just make sure you don't linger there.

 

[TerriBelle]

When we have stayed at the BW they did not let you wait at the bottom. I think that the slide at SAB is longer than some of the other resorts.

 

[Bella2000]

Did you try the little slide which is in front of the climbing stairs to the large slide area? Last year at BC with my nephew (then 5 1/2 but tall as 7/8 yr old) and DD (2 1/2), he went on the Big SAB slide and she went on the little slide. It wasn't busy at all. In fact in all of the time I've stayed at BC I never realized the little slide was there until this trip. Some times I waited at the bottom to catch her just in case. DD is now 3 and will be 3 1/2 during our next trip and is a good swimmer and I would not have her do big SAB slide. It's so high with lots of older people hurrying to get up there, that I would not feel comfortable. You can not wear life jackets on the big slide however you can on the little one. The climb is high, the slide is long with an enclosed "shute" that you can spin in before you come through the other side. Initially I waited for my nephew to climb then hustled back over to the other side where it empties into the pool. At first I waited in the pool for his reentry, not to catch but for my comfort. If my nephew couldn't swim well I would not have allowed him in the pool. Your reentry is fast and you go under the water. He loved it by the way. You also can not really estimate when your kid is going to come out. I also remember signs at the Polynesian (we stayed at both resorts that trip) about using slide and swimming. The Polynesian volcano slide is also fun but the SAB slide is longer and bigger.

 

[AMcaptured]

Also, I don't understand why a parent can't be in the large slide area to help steer young ones once they are done slide. You have this enticing slide but most kids under5 can't use it.



Unfortunately, this is because of liability issues. Blame greedy lawyers for suing over every little accident that happens in life that doesn't warrant a cash settlement for the strict rules they have at SAB. Disney has no desire to ruin your vacation. Nothing they do out at SAB necessarily makes sense, it is just how they have to do things to avoid lawsuits. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[TerriBelle]

I have a quick comment on parents catching their young kids. I have seen this be a problem at the BW & SAB. We have been there when parents were trying to do this and it created problems for other children. For example, my daughter was a good swimmer at 6 and went down both slides but she has always been small. She was able to swim but not if parents are at the bottom waiting for their kids. There were times when the parents crowded the bottom of the slide waiting for their kids making it difficult for her to swim around them. This was more of a problem at SAB because the area is small at the slide end and you can not see who is coming out. We have always seen the lifeguards ask the parents to stop doing this which we thought was reasonable. When we were at SAB in Nov., we saw the lifeguards making some of the younger children take a test to go down the slide.

My twins were 4 during our last trip and they enjoyed the small slide on the back. They pretended to be pirates!

 

[Colexi's Mom]

We just got back from WL/BC for 9 nights. I agree that BC had to do something about the mug refills. It was so convenient at WL, so we decided to buy 2 at BC, and it was a nightmare trying to get them refilled (forget about doing it after Epcot closes, you'll wait in line for an hour). They need a self serve option like at RF. I understand about not letting parents wait at the end of the SAB slide. You can't tell who is coming out. Frankly, I went on the slide, and I think it is a little rough for little ones (you get tossed and turned a lot). We found the little slide at the bottom of the stairs of the big slide with 2 days to go, and DD (4) loved it. She didn't like the slide at WL either (but we were able to catch here there as well). We didn't put any requests on our ressie, and had a beautiful standard room overlooking the courtyard into some trees (we were supposed to have a room that was standard but actually look out on the lake, but DH got impatient and wanted a room earlier). The rooms are so much bigger than WL, for me it was worth it with 2 little ones. And being able to walk into Epcot and/or MGM was worth it as well. While the kids were napping, DH or I would run over to Epcot and do things we each wanted to do. I love BC and am going to stay there again, I just wish they'd get the kinks worked out of the mug refills. We won't do that again there.

 

[SAWYERMAW1]

We were at the BC for our first visit 5/7-5/12. I had a few issues with this resort as well. Trying to refill your mug was crazy. Also, I could not believe how small Beaches and Cream was for a resort of that size. We had to wait 45 minutes one night. There was no place to eat breakfst unless you wanted the Character Breakfast at Cape May or a limited Continental breakfast. There was nothing in between. I was quite disappointed that the pool closed so early. Also, on our first day my daughter took my 4 year old grandson the the slide. She went down first and told him she would wait for him at the bottom. The lifeguard was standing there when she told him this. The lifegurard then decided he was too small to go down the waterslide and made him go back down the steps. He ended up unaccompanied on the Board Walk side of the pool while his mother was waiting for him in the water. She was quite upset. We really enjoyed the pool but not sure I would stay there again.

 

[bryantslovedisney]

Thanks for all of your comments!!!
I was seriously considering moving from Ft. Wilderness
cabins to BC for the last couple of days of our trip...mainly
for the cool pool and closeness to Epcot and MGM. But
after hearing all of this, I think I'll stay put! For those kind
of prices(can't get AP rates) I would think everything should
be absolutely PERFECT! The Mug issue sounds ridiculous
(we stayed at POR and had coffee or sodas refilled at their
self-serve in seconds!! You wait in enough lines at WDW!!)
and the pool issues...I understand about the parents standing
at the bottom of the slide getting crowded, but
there is no way, no how I'm not going to be close enough
to grab my child if something bads happens...and my
youngest is 8!!! It's not that way even at Blizzard or Typhoon!!
I'll just go there more often and skip Stormalong!
Major Thank Yous!!! Mind finally made up!!!

Jill

 

[Bella2000]

Originally posted by TerriBelle
She was able to swim but not if parents are at the bottom waiting for their kids. There were times when the parents crowded the bottom of the slide waiting for their kids making it difficult for her to swim around them. This was more of a problem at SAB because the area is small at the slide end and you can not see who is coming out.

This happened to my nephew a couple of times and the lifeguard had to ask people nicely to not crowd the area. When I waited for him on his first trip down I stayed on the non-rentry section against the wall or just on the other side of the rope. I'd also really recommend that if possible an adult w. younger ones go on SAB prior to your child to experience it. I've seen some not great swimmers come plunging down frightened. Frankly that climb and the reentry location alone should give everyone an idea how large the slide is.

Can't give any insight on the mugs, my last one purchased was PO when it was PO and Dixie Landings and I use daily at home LOL. As far as food - I'm sorry people experienced issues - we've always have had great success with BC. There isn't a food court area like the moderates or WL - it's primarily restaurants (room service also), however the Boardwalk is within a convenient distance with a lot of selections and if you are going into the park who can beat Epcot World Showcase! We do breakfast in our rooms a lot (even prior to DVC) and that is another option. We've been very pleased. Good Luck on your next trips.

 

[erikthewise]

The water depth at the bottom of the slide is marked on the side of the pool as 1.2 meters/4 feet. (http://www.yourmagicaljourneys.com/images/sab2.jpg)
If you're not a good swimmer, you'd have to be at least 54 inches to be comfortable with this depth at the end of the slide. Most children under 10 (and many over 10) are not this tall. There is also a "baby slide" over by the ship, but young children who are not good swimmers are mostly out of luck at SAB as far as a slide goes.

If you just want to buy a normal breakfast, your best bet is the Dolphin. Sad but true.