By Jeff Moeller, Guest columnist

It’s early March and you’re looking for a place for a low-key, three-day junket to basically relax and avoid the typical vacation hustle and bustle.

You would like to hit the beach, but need a different look? Try Disney World’s Beach Club.

From the greater Richmond Hill area, you can avoid a plane ride, and take a roughly four-plus hour ride or an approximately full tank of gas - down to the renowned “Happiest Place on Earth.” March is a great time for a short vacation there.

Yes, any Disney trip is usually somewhat costly, but in the end, it is usually worth it. If you need a getaway and have some “rainy day” dollars stashed away, Disney can be a good getaway. And it can be easier with you and your significant other without any children involved.

If you need a quick junket for mostly relaxation and a few thrills, Disney can still be an option. You don’t always need a day at Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom to be fulfilled racing around and feeling like you walked a half marathon.

Disney’s Beach Club, one of their more sought-after sites, is one of 22 options for any family’s budget, whether you’re a family of two or a family of three or more. It is our favorite resort, and timing is everything when you are trying to make your reservation.

The Beach Club is set in a relaxed atmosphere without the sand, but there are enough amenities that create the mood and conjure some of your favorite surfside memories. There are three pools on the property, featuring a three-acre wet wonderland with a white sand-bottom pool and a lazy river.

Disney is always known for its fine dining -you rarely encounter a bad meal on any level - and the Beach Club offers a dining experience one would expect.

Cape May Cafe is highlighted by its daily breakfast buffet with Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Pluto, and Donald and Daisy Duck making their way to the tables. Dinner is also served.

Beaches and Cream is a great place for a burger and , and of course, ice cream. ‘The Kitchen Sink” is an oversized banana split served in a replica of its name sake and it is a challenge.

In addition, the Marketplace is a convenient and reasonable alternative for breakfast or lunch with full plates and sandwiches to keep your palate happy. There’s also typical food items you would find in a supermarket such as cereals, frozen entries, cereals, toothpaste and the usual ones you would try in your cart on your weekly supermarket visit.

The neighboring Yacht Club offers fine dining and lounges with the New England- based Yachtsman Steakhouse as its centerpiece, especially if you are in the mood for a good steak.

Just outside the Beach Club is Disney’s BoardWalk, which is a recreation of a 1900 mid-Atlantic boardwalk based on the charm from an Atlantic City or Coney Island version.

At the BoardWalk, We dined at the Trattoria al Forno, a charming Italian restaurant with a backdrop of brick and wall scones. The menu is dotted with pasta and other traditional dishes that can satisfy your palate for an authentic Italian dish.

There’s also other options can appease nearly any shoreline hankering such as The Flyin’ Fish, BoardWalk Deli, BoardWalk Ice Cream, Carousel Coffee, Boardwalk Joe’s Marvelous Margaritas, Funnel Cake Cart, and the Cake Bake Bakery, the latter which is pricey, but it is worthwhile. The bakery had large deluxe cakes selling in the $150 range for that special occasion.

At this time and before mid-May, crowds tend to be lower before the traditional spring breaks for elementary, high school, and college students. Families tend to flock to the Magic Kingdom in late May once the elementary and high school years end and before the summer heats up.

Since we have been married and even before that, my wife and I have been Disney regulars, and we eventually became members of Disney’s Vacation Club.

The Vacation Club can be one avenue to reduce your anticipated costs in a way that is similar to a monthly car payment, and it provides you with a choice of resorts through a points system. The Disney Dining Plan can be a good outlet for families to help lower costs.

Some other ways you can save are buying each park ticket individually instead of a park hopper, buying Disney gift cards, and purchasing the “Lightning Lane” passes formally “Fast Passes” - strategically instead of buying them every day. There is always a chance you can get on a ride in reasonable time with the special pass.

Dining on any level can be costly, but you can find plenty of choices around the parks and resorts by shopping around to fit your budget.

Need a break? Hop into the car and take a low-prolife trip to Disney, doing a few rides, enjoying the atmosphere, and avoiding the big -ticket items.

Do your homework, and it might be easier than you think.

Jeff Moeller is a sports correspondent for the Bryan County News. Reach him at phillyjets.jm@gmail.com

mailto:jm@gmail.com