Top 3, Bottom 3: Reasons to Stay in the Crescent Lake Area

on March 13, 2021

Each week, two members of the Crescent Lake Club tackle the best and worst offerings at theme parks and resorts. This week, it’s just Ryan to rank the top and bottom reasons for staying in the Epcot or Crescent Lake resort area!

The Epcot resort area or as we like to call it the Crescent Lake Club headquarters has several resort offerings all at the deluxe level. That doesn’t mean it routinely has to break the bank though. The resorts in this area consist of: Beach Club, Yacht Club, Boardwalk, The Swan and Dolphin, and then soon to be Swan Reserve.

Top 3 Reasons to Stay in the Epcot Resort Area

My first reason for staying in this area is proximity to the parks. All of these resorts are within walking distance not only to Epcot but also to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. If you don’t feel like walking you can also take a boat from each of these resorts and even the Disney Skyliner over to Hollywood Studios. You don’t realize how convenient being able to walk to the parks is until you experience it. Not having to deal with buses to two parks is a big perk. Now you do still have to get to two other parks which we will talk about more later.

Reason number two for staying in the Epcot resort area is the resorts themselves. All of these resorts are deluxes and offer fantastic amenities. Yacht and Beach share what is arguably the best pool on Disney property. The Boardwalk also has an amazing pool and the Swan and Dolphin are no slackers in the pool category either. The rooms at these resorts are some of the best on property as well. Both Boardwalk and Beach Club are also Disney Vacation Club properties which offer large villas for all sorts of travel needs. Now in pandemic times some of the amenities are limited or not offered but there is so much to do in this area when they are all up and running. The Boardwalk in itself is sort of like it’s own entertainment district with live entertainment, dueling pianos, Boardwalk games, etc. The resorts will also offer daily activities like tie dying or games by the pool.

The final reason you should stay in the Epcot resort area is dining. There is so much in this area. Not only can you just walk into Epcot for a bite but you have amazing restaurants at all of these hotels. The Beach Club has the fan favorite Beaches and Cream where you can get a kitchen sink sundae that’s actually served in a kitchen sink! The Yacht Club has the Yachtsman Steakhouse a signature dining experience as well as a Crescent Lake Club favorite in the Ale and Compass Lounge. Over at the Boardwalk you have options to watch a game at the ESPN Club or enjoy more signature dining at Flying Fish. The Swan and Dolphin is a haven for dining as well. Todd English’s Blue Zoo to Shula’s Steakhouse and of course some of the best Italian on property at Il Mulino. This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to dining at these resorts.

Bottom 3 Reasons to Stay in the Epcot Resort Area

The first reason not to stay in this area is probably the biggest one, cost. These resorts are all deluxe level accommodations like I said which means they are not cheap. Given the proximity to the two theme parks that also makes the cost increase. I will say though that the Swan and Dolphin are known to offer some great discounts and if you have Marriott points you can use theme there! I can definitely see why it may be hard for a family to include resorts like this in their budget but if you can it’s a must.

The next reason to maybe not stay in this resort area is travel to the other two theme parks. If you have a car it won’t be much of a big deal. However if you are relying on buses that can be a hassle. Buses at these resorts will often share with each other. So you may not be the first stop when getting picked up or dropped off at the parks. This can also lead to longer bus waits. Over at the Swan and Dolphin those two resorts contract with Mears for shuttle services to the parks. This also can be problematic as you’ll be dropped off at the Transportation and Ticket Center instead of at the Magic Kingdom bus stop like other resorts. I personally think the walking distance to two parks outweighs the transportation woes of the others but it is something to consider.

The last reason to possibly look elsewhere is noise levels and traffic. With the parks being so close and the transportation methods available these resorts can have some noise. The boats are known to sound their loud horns at the early morning hours which can be problematic if you need your beauty sleep. You also have special events throughout the year like runDisney which operate out of Epcot. Guests are sure to hear the announcers at 4AM giving race instructions. Then at night in normal times you have fireworks nightly at Epcot which can also present a noise issue to some. With these resorts having so much dining, and their proximity to the parks they are always VERY busy. Many guests who are not staying at these resorts are visiting just to check them out, see entertainment, or head to dinner. None of these resorts are for someone who wants a very quiet and relaxed stay.

So there you have it! My top 3, bottom 3 reasons to stay or not to stay in the Epcot resort area. For me I will always jump at the opportunity when I can. These resorts are my favorite on Walt Disney World property. Even if I am not staying there I have to visit whether it’s for a meal or just to walk around.