Waldorf Astoria vs Disney's Yacht Club

[DoubleDisney]

Having just got back from a stay at Disney's yacht club I felt it might be useful for people to see a comparison between it and the Waldorf Astoria. We were surprised to find that the yacht club gave the Waldorf Astoria a run for its money in terms of luxury. This was something that we felt we would be giving up staying in a Disney property, but we were wrong.

Wins for the Waldorf Astoria:

Transport:
The regular bus timetable meant that there was no waiting at the bus stop (this was something that got very tiresome when waiting for Disney busses). The motor-coach was very regular, luxurious, quiet , always on time, and always plenty of seats left. The door men always gave us bottles of Waldorf Astoria water to take on board with us.

Although the Waldorf Astoria bus drops you off at the TTC for the Magic Kingdom we would take this any time over the unreliable, uncomfortable and downright horrid Disney busses ! We found this disappointing as we booked the yacht club under the impression that the transportation would be better than the Waldorf, oh how wrong could we be?!

Seating areas/comfort:
There were lots of beautiful places to sit at the Waldorf. All with heavily padded, comfortable seating. Always a nice place to relax with a glass of wine both inside and out. We struggled to replicate this at the yacht club although I do know that an indoor bar is being built. Being on holiday we like to sit outside and there are numerous places to do this at the Waldorf.

Sunbathing:
The Waldorf Astoria is far superior for sunbathing than the yacht club. The pool boy set up loungers for you both in the sun and the shade so that you can move easily between them. He delivers water and drinks whenever needed and replenishes your towels regularly. It was a truly luxurious experience.

Overall luxury:
This is a small win for the Waldorf, but overall it was more luxurious. The bathrooms were lovely and much bigger, the bedrooms were luxurious and you just got a few more extra touches like robes, slippers, chocolates on the pillow, and high-end toiletries.

Wins for the yacht club:

Location:
Wow! The boardwalk was wonderful for walking around. The choice of food was excellent and it really added another aspect to the holiday. It was so nice to be able to stroll to Ample Hills creamery to get an ice cream or to the boardwalk bakery for lunch.

It was also wonderful being able to walk to the world showcase. We were less than impressed with Epcot so didn't find the proximity to it particularly useful, but we loved strolling to the world showcase to get something to eat or to watch the fireworks.

It was a short boat ride to Hollywood studios which made it very easy for popping to for a couple of rides or lunch. However we did always find that we had to wait about 20 minutes for the boat which got a little tiresome in the heat.

Disney:
It was lovely being surrounded by Disney at all times! From the products in the shower to the little touches in the room.
We really loved being able to use a magic band for much more when staying on property. Using it to pay for merchandise in the parks, or shopping at Disney springs and to get into my room was great!
Having the dining plan was another Disney perk!

In summary, I would be happy going back to either! I would really struggle to choose between them as they both have a lot going for them. Whilst it appears that the Waldorf Astoria is much cheaper than the yacht club, once food, airport transfer, and resort fee are added into the mix (assuming you got the free dining plan), there is very little difference.

[Bianca]

Wow, great comparison and review! Thanks for sharing it.

There are such benefits of both, that's why split stays are so appealing; though, I know Disney offers don't always allow it.

I have a long list of places I'd love to stay at WDW and now I've added the Waldorf (Yacht Club was already there)!

Are you thinking of another trip to Disney?

[DoubleDisney]

Definitely! Think we are set on The Four Seasons for next year possibly splitting it with a universal hotel. Having never been to universal before it's a whole new world to discover!

[Bianca]

The Four Seasons looks fabulous! I watched a full tour of the grounds (YouTube) not long after it opened and I want to stay there just for the pools, let alone all the rest. I'm guessing the transport ought to be good and they even do a character meal, I think.

[U2fan]

We've just got back from the Beach Club and weren't overly impressed to be honest. We're going to try the Four Seasons next year as well, ahead of our DCL cruise

[keith1973]

If you don’t mind sharing how much was the Waldorf and how long did you stay?

[DoubleDisney]

Originally Posted by keith1973

If you don’t mind sharing how much was the Waldorf and how long did you stay?

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It was back in 2016. It was around £4000 for flight (direct), hotel and Disney tickets for 2 adults staying 10 nights. Booked through Expedia

I haven’t found it for that this year though. Hope that helps.

[slaleyhall]

Originally Posted by U2fan

We've just got back from the Beach Club and weren't overly impressed to be honest. We're going to try the Four Seasons next year as well, ahead of our DCL cruise

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Aww really what weren't you impressed with. Staying at beach club in April so really interested x

[U2fan]

Originally Posted by slaleyhall

Aww really what weren't you impressed with. Staying at beach club in April so really interested x

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Hi slaleyhall - we had a wonderful holiday and the location/facilities at the Beach Club are great, but we found the service and housekeeping inconsistent and very poor at times. It was nothing major but just lots of small things that got annoying in the end. Please don't be put off by my comments though - the hotel gets great reviews so I think we were just unlucky. One tip if you're not already aware, you have to request the turndown service - it's not done automatically. You get chocolates left every night as part of this service. We didn't know about it until we got home!

[debs2028]

We are staying at Waldorf this year after staying 10 nights on Disney property . Great to see your report as sometimes mixed on tripadvisor . Any tips for Waldorf to make the most of it and save money . This holiday ( my fault) is costing arm and a leg ...