Disney’s Yacht Club Resort is a 630-room deluxe hotel on Crescent Lake in the EPCOT Resort Area of Walt Disney World, designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern to evoke a New England shingle-style seaside hotel of the 1880s, the kind you’d find on Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket. It opened November 5, 1990, and sits right next to its nautical-cousin sister resort, Disney’s Beach Club Resort, with which it shares staff, a convention center, and the resort’s signature pool.
The reason to book Yacht Club over almost any other Disney World hotel is proximity: EPCOT’s International Gateway entrance is roughly a five-minute walk along the lake, and Hollywood Studios is a walkable 15-20 minutes or a short Friendship boat ride away. For families who want to duck back to the room for a midday break during an EPCOT or Studios day without burning an hour on transportation, few Disney resorts beat this location.
Stats at a Glance
- Resort: Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
- Location: EPCOT Resort Area, Bay Lake, Florida
- Opened: November 5, 1990
- Rooms: 630
- Price tier: Deluxe (rack rates for standard rooms start around $636/night, higher for view categories and suites)
- Park transport: Walk to EPCOT International Gateway (~5 min); walk or Friendship boat to Hollywood Studios (~15-20 min)
- Perks: Early theme park entry and extended evening hours as a Disney-owned deluxe resort; club-level/concierge service on the 5th floor
- Theme: New England nautical / shingle-style seaside hotel
Rooms, Theming and Dining
Yacht Club leans into a crisp, navy-and-white nautical theme with hardwood-look floors, ship’s-wheel and rope details, and views over Crescent Lake, the courtyard, or the pool depending on room category. Standard rooms run about 400 square feet and sleep up to five, and the resort also has larger club-level rooms plus 71 concierge and 20 traditional suites, including two-bedroom Presidential and Admiral suites. Guests wanting a studio with a kitchenette and Disney Vacation Club points should look next door at Disney’s Beach Club Villas, which sit on the same lake but are a separate, DVC-only building.
The resort shares its dining and recreation with Beach Club next door, most notably Stormalong Bay, a roughly three-acre sand-bottom pool complex with a shipwreck waterslide that’s one of the most requested pool experiences on Disney property. On the dining side, Yacht Club is home to Yachtsman Steakhouse, a table-service steak restaurant, while additional counter-service and lounge options are a short walk away at Beach Club and the BoardWalk.
Getting to the Parks and Perks
Because Yacht Club sits directly on the EPCOT side of Crescent Lake, walking is usually the fastest way into EPCOT through the International Gateway, avoiding the main entrance crowds entirely. Friendship boats also run from a dock behind the lobby to EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, the BoardWalk, and the Swan and Dolphin resorts, with Hollywood Studios reachable by boat, an 18-22 minute walk, or Disney Skyliner via a connection.
As a Disney-owned deluxe resort, staying here qualifies guests for early theme park entry 30 minutes before official opening at any park, plus access to extended evening hours on nights they’re offered at select parks — both useful for beating crowds at EPCOT and Hollywood Studios without needing a park-specific line pass.
Who Should Stay Here
Yacht Club suits families and couples prioritizing EPCOT and Hollywood Studios over Magic Kingdom, especially anyone who wants to walk to World Showcase for dinner or catch EPCOT fireworks from the resort’s lakeside paths. It’s also a strong pick for guests planning to spend real time at Stormalong Bay or attending a conference at the shared convention center.
It’s a pricier option and Magic Kingdom access requires bus transportation with no direct boat or monorail link, so guests centering their trip on Magic Kingdom may prefer a monorail-loop resort instead. Travelers who specifically want a studio with a kitchenette should book Beach Club Villas rather than Yacht Club itself.
Explore more: More Disney World resort guides, EPCOT guide, Hollywood Studios guide.
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort FAQs
Does staying at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort include early park entry?
Yes. As a Disney-owned deluxe resort, Yacht Club guests get theme park entry 30 minutes before official park opening every day, plus access to extended evening hours at select parks on nights they’re offered.
Is Disney’s Yacht Club Resort worth the price?
It’s a deluxe-tier resort with rack rates starting around $636/night for standard rooms, among the pricier options at Walt Disney World. The value is mainly the walk-to-EPCOT location and Stormalong Bay pool, so it suits guests who’ll actually use both rather than those centered on Magic Kingdom.
Does Disney’s Yacht Club Resort have Deluxe Studios?
No. Yacht Club’s lineup is standard rooms, club-level rooms, and suites. Kitchenette-equipped Deluxe Studios are located next door at Disney’s Beach Club Villas, a separate Disney Vacation Club building that shares the same lake and pool.
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Photo: Rhys A. / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.