Walt Disney World Resort: Boardwalk Inn is themed after seaside districts of the Northeastern United States in the 20th century. There is also an actual Boardwalk with restaurants and nightly entertainment.
The resort is decorated with vintage furnishings, replicas of carousels and roller coaster and antiques from the turn of the century.
Resort type: Deluxe
Price: $533 to $738 (and up!)
Room size: 434Â sq feet
Sleeps: 5 in a Standard Room. Each adult is an extra $25 (first 2 are free)
Room count: 378
Room features: 2 queen size bed or 1 king size bed with a daybed, refrigerator, ceiling fan, coffee maker, small table with 2 chairs, double vanity and separate tub and commode
Choose from a Standard View (gardens, leisure pool or parking area views) or Water View (boardwalk or Crescent Lake views)
Items Available: Bed rails or Pack N Play.
Club Level Rooms – Sleep up to 6 adults. Includes 2 Queen Beds and 1 Queen-Size Sleeper Sofa. Visit the lounge for a fancy continental breakfast in the morning and snacks throughout the day and desserts in the evening.
Garden Suites: There are 14 two story cottages that include a spacious living room, queen size sofa sleeper, kitchette and 1/2 bath on the first floor. The second floor has a loft bedroom with a king size bed and a Jacuzzi tub and separate shower. Club Level Access is included.
Villas: There are 383 villas including studios, 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom and Grand Villas.
Studio Villa – sleep up to four adults and an infant under the age of 3; queen size bed and double sleeper sofa; wet bar; under-counter fridge; microwave oven; coffeemaker; ceiling fan; color cable television; private balcony or porch
One Bedroom Villa – sleeps up to four adults plus an infant under the age of 3; master suite; living room; fully equipped kitchen; master bath with whirlpool tub; ceiling fan; washer and dryer; dvd player; queen-size sleeper sofa; king size bed; private balcony or porch.
Two Bedroom Villa – sleep up to 8 adults plus an infant under the age of 3; master bedroom has a king size bed; second bedroom has a queen size bed and a double sleeper sofa; living room has a sleeper sofa; fully equipped kitchen; master bath with whirlpool tub; ceiling fan; washer and dryer; dvd player.
Grand Villa – sleeps up to 12 adults plus an infant under the age of 3; has 3 bedrooms including a master bedroom with a king-sized bed and whirlpool tub in the private bath. The other 2 bedrooms each have 2 queen size beds and a private bathroom. There is also a living area with a queen size sleeper. There are one and two story units available.
Restaurants: Belle Vue Room serves spirits from 5pm to midnight and coffee/tea in the morning.
On the Boardwalk, you’ll find ESPN Club, BoardWalk Bakery, Trattoria al Forno, Pizza Take Out Window, Thimbles and Threads, Seashore Sweets, Wyland Galleries, Flying Fish Cafe and Big River Grill and Brewing Works.
Pools: The main pool is the Luna Park Pool. It features a Keister Coaster waterslide, grinning elephant statues that sprout water and a whirlpool spa. It also has a kiddie pool area.
There is a quiet pool at Inn’s Rose Garden Courtyard and another next to Community Hall in the villa area
Activities:Â Nightly movie at Boardwalk Village Green; Poolside Party at 3:30 pm, Poolside activities from 1-4:30 pm; Campfire and marshmallow roast at 6:30 pm; Health Club and Spa Services ($); Boat Rentals ($); Video games, arts and crafts (check the schedule), rentable sports equipment, board games and DVDs at Community Hall; Side Show Games Arcade ($); Guided Fishing Excursions ($); Tennis Lessons ($); Surrey Rentals ($)
Amenities
24-hour front desk
atm
business center with computers, printing, shipping and office supplies
check-in and guest service
childcare service
club level with lounge
complimentary wifi
daily mousekeeping
designated smoking area
dry cleaning
fridge
gift shop
hair dryers
handicap accessible rooms
health club
ice machine
ironing boards
irons
kiddie waiting area in lobby
laundry facilities
luggage service
Magical Express
mail services
merchandise delivery and pickup
online check-in
outdoor smoking areas
resort airline check-in
safe
tennis courts
valet and self parking
wake- up call service
Overnight parking is $24.
Transportation: Walk or take a boat to Epcot, boat to Hollywood Studios or take a bus to the other parks.Â
Distance from parks by bus:
- Animal Kingdom – 5 miles
- Hollywood Studios – 1 mile
- Epcot – 3 miles
- Magic Kingdom – 6 miles
When you complete online check in, you can choose from the following options:
- Ground Floor
- Second Floor
- Fourth Floor
- Fifth Floor
- Highest Floor
- Near Elevator
- Near Lobby
- Boardwalk View
I personally would choose near elevator and near lobby.
The Screen Door General Store, located on the Boardwalk, offers a variety of Disney themed merchandise, sundries and select grocery items. You’ll also find items with a specific Boardwalk theme.
Dundy’s Sundries, located off the lobby, Â offers a small selection of Disney souvenirs, resort specific merchandise and sundries.
Character Carnival carries plushes, character toys and more.
Address: 2101 N Epcot Resorts Blvd, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Phone: 407-939-6200
Featured Reviews:
This review comes from my reader Melissa…
We booked a 1BR Pool/Garden View, and were given just that. The room was
PLENTY big for just my husband and I. Our room looked right out to the
Luna Park Pool. We loved having the separate shower and jetted tub,
though I never got a chance to use the tub. Having our own washer and
dryer in the room was a big plus as well, as we ended up using it a few
times throughout our trip. Having the kitchen was another bonus as it
allowed us to save some money by eating breakfast in our room on several
days.
What were the amenities of the resort like? What was your favorite one?
The lack of an actual food court is the biggest drawback to this resort,
in my opinion. Though they do have the quick service pizza window along
with the BoardWalk Bakery, the convenience factor just isn’t the same.
What was the food court like? Any favorite foods?
As mentioned above, the BoardWalk Resort/Villas does not have an actual
food court. However, we did find that the pizza window was very good.
One night, after enjoying some time in the pool, we threw on our
swimsuit cover-ups and decided to grab a pizza for dinner. Not only was
the pizza very tasty, but being able to grab a table and sit out
overlooking the water while we ate turned out to be one of the most
memorable and relaxing experiences of our trip.
How were the resort buses? What was your walk to the bus stop like? How
were
the resorts bus stops at the parks? How far was the walk to the gates?
How
crowded were the buses at any given time?
The resort buses were just fine for us. However, because we were so
close to Epcot and Hollywood Studios, the only time we needed a bus was
when visiting the Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom. During the times that
we did use them, they were on time. The only downside is that we did
have to stop at the Swan & Dolphin as well as the Beach Club to pick-up
and drop off each time. Because of being on the same route with the S&D
and Beach Club, the bus stops at the parks could get a little crowded at
times, but usually only towards opening or closing times.
Would you stay at this resort again? If not, please provide a reason.
The BoardWalk is definitely one of our favorite resorts. We love the
relaxing feel and the overall ambiance of the resort! Not having a food
court was the only negative that we could find during our stay!
Also check out the Beach Club resort located across from Boardwalk.
Learn more about the Walt Disney World Resorts and contact Destinations in Florida to help you book your perfect resort.
I haven’t stayed at the Boardwalk yet. But it looks amazing so maybe one day…
We stayed at the Boardwalk the week of March 15th, 2011 and we really liked it! We stayed in the villa and we had gotten a really good AP rate for this resort and since we have never stayed there before we wanted to try it. The room was lovely and it is a beautiful resort. The boardwalk itself is very interesting and nice. We loved the boat ride over to Epcot! We did not like the fact that you could not get the mickey waffles any where there. The closest was Cape May at the BeachClub which was a character dining and we did that, but that was costly. We wish they had some value dining. Would be stay there again? Only if we got a really good rate. I can mark this resort off my list now and move on to the next~~~~
Stayed here about 6 years ago, I didn’t like it as much as Wilderness Lodge but probably because I was going through a bad break up at the time and my parents took me to get my mind off it (I was in college). The rooms are truly heavenly though, the decor was right out of a movie. If I hadn’t been so gloomy I would have loved it more but it was truly gorgeous and I would recommend! You can walk the Board Walk and even Walk to a few other the neighboring Resorts. I think we walked to Epcot from there too…there is an entrance from the hotel. I hated walking when people were renting those fun cars but it was great to have that close of access.
We stayed at the Boardwalk Inn for a business conference.
The rooms were spacious. They comfortably accomodated our family of 4. They were elegantly decorated and well maintained. The walk from the parking lot to the room was rather long, especially for our 3 year old.
We loved the boardwalk. It really came alive at night. The street performers were great! It is a great atmosphere with a beautiful backdrop. It was a ton of fun!
There is no food court at Boardwalk. We ate at the parks and downtown Disney for our entire stay.
We did not use the resort buses because we have small children. We opted instead to rent a car.
We would definitely stay at this resort again! The front desk was a little rude, but I am sure they were swamped! There was a business conference being held there and it is one of the busiest weeks in the year to visit Disney. Other then that, great hotel. We enjoyed our stay, but when paying for ouselves, I would save the money and stay at a moderate resort. Catch a bus and visit the boardwalk :)
* Why did you choose this resort? Growing up every summer we would take our camper and head to Wildwood or Cape May, NJ. Adding to the fun were 8 other families in the neighborhood who toted their campers and kids with us to the New Jersey shores, beaches and boardwalk. Staying at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn reminded me of my childhood vacation but with the added Victorian Disney boardwalk flair. Every single one of our Disney vacations were unique. Disney’s BoardWalk Inn offered my family a chance to experience my best childhood memories of the New Jersey boardwalk while experiencing the excitement of Minnie and Mickey.
* What were the resort rooms like? Were they big enough for your family? Did you find them to be acceptable? Absolutely. The rooms were decorated with summer color in a beach flair motif. The ceiling fans in the rooms made you think of summer days at the beach and boardwalk.
* What were the amenities of the resort like? What was your favorite one?
I know this is going to sound odd but for me and my family our favorite amenitiy was watching a Disney movie at night by the water sitting in a beach lounge chair while eating popcorn. We got our son ready for bed and then went to the movies by the water. It was such a family friendly atmosphere. I enjoyed hearing the water gently lulling in the background as I reclined in my beach chair. I think it is one of the most relaxing moments I have ever experienced.
* What was the food court like? Any favorite foods? I can’t say much about the food court at the hotel because we like walking the boardwalk and grabbing items there to eat. However, if you are in the area you really should make reservations for Kouzzina by Cat Cora. I am sure many of you have seen her on TV. The cuisine and atmosphere will not disappoint you.
* How were the resort buses? What was your walk to the bus stop like? How were the resorts bus stops at the parks? How far was the walk to the gates? How crowded were the buses at any given time?
The water taxi to Epcot is the best. I have never waited long for a taxi and got immediately in to Epcot by taking the back entrance in the park.
* Would you stay at this resort again? If not, please provide a reason. Yes but it was very expensive. To stay here is a true splurge and will cut deep in your wallet; however, you will have special memories of Disney that will last a lifetime. So it all depends on what type of Disney vacation you and your family are searching for.
We didn’t stay here, but wanted to add in that this is the location of our FAVORITE dinner spot…The Flying Fish Cafe!! Best meal I have ever had in Disney!
* Why did you choose this resort? We choose this resort because of the proximity to Epcot and Hollywood Studios.
* What were the resort rooms like? Were they big enough for your family? Did you find them to be acceptable? We have stayed in a studio and a 2 bedroom Villa and LOVED them! The Villas are definitely the place to stay with extended family. We had my parents, my sister and her husband, my husband and myself and our 2 kids. It fit all of us (and our stuff!) and was perfect because we could eat some meals/snacks (we don’t usually do the dining plan since we eat breakfast in the room and usually pack a lunch for the parks, then all we are paying for is dinner in the parks) in the room.
* What were the amenities of the resort like? What was your favorite one? The amenities are endless! All the restaurants to choose from, the pool, the running paths, the tennis courts, the walkways around the lake. All of it is GREAT! I’ve head the nightclubs are neat but we are always too tired to check them out!
* What was the food court like? Any favorite foods? There is not a food court at Boardwalk. It is all individual restaurants and some food carts along the Boardwalk. We like the pizza and ice cream place. We have been to the ESPN Club many time (we always seem to be there during football playoffs and have watched at least 3 playoff games there…GO STEELERS :) The major drawback is that there is not a good “breakfast” place to eat. This isn’t usually a problem because we usually eat in our room but there have been a couple times I wanted breakfast out and there is just a small bakery to choose from.
* How were the resort buses? What was your walk to the bus stop like? How were the resorts bus stops at the parks? How far was the walk to the gates? How crowded were the buses at any given time? The absolutely, positively, best thing about the Boardwalk is the proximity to the parks! Being able to walk to BOTH Epcot AND Hollywood Studios and not have to wait for a bus (or even a boat) is the biggest advantage and worth paying extra for. Especially with strollers not having to take them on/off transportation is huge. And you can get back to the room quickly from those parks if a nap is needed immediately (without having a screaming baby/toddler on the bus) or a change of clothes. We had a few longer waits last time for the bus (especially to Magic Kingdom) but it wasn’t a big deal, especially since we weren’t waiting for a bus EVERY day. We also usually have Park Hopper passes and have been known to walk through Epcot and take the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. It takes a little longer than waiting for a bus (not as much as you would think, though) but the kids are entertained the whole time and the Monorail is a “ride” in itself. You can also walk to Hollywood Studios and get a bus from there to the other parks, which is sometimes less crowded, especially in the morning. You don’t have to go into Hollywood Studios to do this, either, so you don’t need a Park Hopper.
* Would you stay at this resort again? If not, please provide a reason. YES…we have stayed there at least 5 times since.
My parents took our whole family to Disney World in September 2006 to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. Because we were a group of 10 we were given the option of staying in some of the Disney Vacation Club units.
Why did you choose this resort? We chose the Boardwalk because we needed three different type of rooms for our party. My parents had a regular room, my brother and his family had a 2 bedroom suite and my family stayed in a one-bedroom suite. My kids were 2-1/2 years old and 19 months at the time, so we liked that the suite had a kitchen making meal time so much easier.
What were the resort rooms like? Were they big enough for your family? Did you find them to be acceptable? The rooms were beautiful and definitely big enough for our family. In fact, the bathroom was so big, we put the pack & play in the separate bathtub are of the bathroom for the baby to sleep in.
What were the amenities of the resort like? What was your favorite one?
We loved the Boardwalk area of the resort! There were great little shops and we epecially appreciated the General Store for those last-minute purchases that you always have with little kids in tow. There was a good selection in the store and we were able to buy a few staples to have on hand in our kitchenette in our room. Perfect for breakfast before we left for the parks or for snacks.
What was the food court like? Any favorite foods? Our family ate at the ESPN restaurant on-site and had mixed reviews – some of us loved it and others weren’t impressed. Personally, I found a chicken wrap that I thought was fabulous! The 4 kids in our group loved the bakery/candy store.
How were the resort buses? What was your walk to the bus stop like? How were the resorts bus stops at the parks? How far was the walk to the gates? How crowded were the buses at any given time?
The bus system was great! We didn’t have a long wait at any time and the stops were convenient both at the MK and at the resort. We never experienced a big crowd on the busses ( a plus for going in September!)
Would you stay at this resort again? If not, please provide a reason.
Although I like the idea of staying at a different resort everytime you visit Disney, in my mind it would be hard to beat the Boardwalk and I would definitely choose to stay there again. Now that our kids are older, they would really enjoy some of the activities and night-life on the Boardwalk (magicians, musicians, surreys for rent, arcade, etc.) I can’t wait to visit again!
Why did you choose this resort?
This is where Disney chose to put us during our stay for the Agent Education Program.
What were the resort rooms like? Were they big enough for your family?
Did you find them to be acceptable?
The rooms were great- we were on the bottom floor which went out to some gardens, very relaxing on the patio. My family didn’t come with me, but just fine for another agent and myself.
What were the amenities of the resort like? What was your favorite one?
Boardwalk locations were the best part and walking distance to EPCOT for even more food options.
What was the food court like? Any favorite foods?
No food court, but there are quite a few options on the boardwalk itself. ESPN Zone is even open pretty late.
How were the resort buses? What was your walk to the bus stop like? How
were the resorts bus stops at the parks? How far was the walk to the gates?
How crowded were the buses at any given time?
I had great timing that trip or something, cause I’d walk down to the stop and the bus I needed would be pulling in- it did make some stops before the actual destination and it was crowded after the Halloween Party even though we stayed back for a while to let the rush crowd leave, but it was fine.
Would you stay at this resort again? If not, please provide a reason.
I would love to stay there again, but want to try something different next time. Hard to narrow it down!
We have stayed at the Boardwalk twice however when we where in Florida in May we rented a house. We asked the kids at night what we should do and they wanted to go to the Boardwalk!! They love the magician, the candy shop and the ESPN club is always a must for sports fans!! The times we stayed at the Broadwalk we had a wonderful time. The waterslide at the pool kept the kids busy on those warm days and it was always very peaceful, would deffinately recommend to others!!!
We stayed once, many years ago, before we had the kids.
It was a cute theme. The pool was fun and unique. The room was a DVC and a bit smaller than some others. We loved the proximity to Epcot and MGM (thats what it was then). But we always rent a car and drive the other parks. The parking lot was a hike in itself. When you also include the hallways… those were freakishly LONG! That was our number one complaint. Overall we were very happy. It is close (walking or boat ride) to great food, drinks and fun. I probably would not stay there again. Been there done that. But it is worth a go if you never have. Also, its hard to be so close to The Beach Club and not be able to use their amazing pool! Still wanting to do that… hoping we can make it happen for January!
The Boardwalk is an AMAZING place to stay. We stayed in the studio
Villa and it was beautiful! Not only is it a short walk to EPCOT but there is lots to do on the boardwalk at night. There are a few games, there is hair braiding, and there are dance clubs. This is also one of the few resorts that has multiple dining options (but not all of them are on the dining plan).
It is also beautifully decorated in the 1920’s Atlantic City style so if you enjoy the classic style of the twenties this is the place to stay.
Why did you choose this resort?
We liked the theming.
What were the resort rooms like? Were they big enough for your family?
Did you find them to be acceptable?
We liked the rooms a lot. We had three adults and two toddlers and seemed to fit fine.
What were the amenities of the resort like? What was your favorite one?
closeness to Epcot – priceless
What was the food court like? Any favorite foods?
no food court – The quick service food was the biggest downfall of this resort. Refillable mugs had to be handed to someone over a counter, which meant you often had to wait long in the morning rush line at the Bakery. Limited options for quick service lunch, but the closeness to Epcot meant you could just walk there for lunch.
How were the resort buses? What was your walk to the bus stop like? How
were the resorts bus stops at the parks? How far was the walk to the gates?
How crowded were the buses at any given time?
Buses were fine – only needed to use them for AK and DTD and MK.
Most buses going were fine, except that you had to stop at other resorts, which tacked on a lot of time.
Would you stay at this resort again? If not, please provide a reason.
We really liked this resort and would definitely stay again. It was a great atmosphere, especially at night. And the ability to walk to Epcot and take a boat to Hollywood Studios was so convenient. Don’t think we’d buy the mugs here again though – simply because of the inconvenience.
Why did you choose this resort? We chose this resort based on the proximity to Epcot & Disney Studios. I always wanted to stay here since I saw it being built in 1995. I stayed at BW twice, both times in 2008.
What were the resort rooms like? Were they big enough for your family? Did you find them to be acceptable? We actually stayed in the DVC villas. The first time was in a 2 bedroom villa, which was more than comfortable! Very roomy, the decor needed some updating, but it’s my understanding the rooms have since been refurbished. The master bedroom and bathroom is incredibly large! I wish the dining table was bigger- for a villa meant for up to 8 people, the table seats 3-4 people at the most. The second time I stayed at a studio, which was comparable in size to their resort inn rooms. It was nicely appointed and large enough for our party (2 adults and a preschooler).
What were the amenities of the resort like? What was your favorite one? We enjoyed the quiet pool on the DVC side more than the Luna Park pool. The Luna Park pool can get VERY crowded. The slide is fun though, for kids and adults alike. The elephants surrounding the pool are cute. The pool bar makes some awesome adult drinks. I love the shopping at the Boardwalk- the main shop has a good selection of souvenirs, as well as a good food assortment if you’re staying in the villas and want to cook simple meals. the Boardwalk has a killer candy shop that has a huge assortment of sweets and also serves ice cream.
What was the food court like? Any favorite foods? There is not a food court at Boardwalk, which is a bummer. Another ‘dislike’ as far as their food carts on the Boardwalk go, is that a lot, if not most of them did NOT participate in the Disney Dining Plan and I believe some were cash only. So be prepared if you are craving corn dogs or funnel cakes to double check what form of payment they accept. The Boardwalk Bakery is wonderful for breakfast pastries and sandwiches. They do accept the dining plan here and I made a meal out of a huge fruit platter, a drink and a pastry for dessert. Yum! The line gets LONG though. This is where you can refill your refillable mugs if you stay at the Boardwalk; you may also be able to refill at the pool bar/snack shack. Not a convenient resort for the refillable mugs in my opinion. Jellyrolls is a must do for the 21 and over set! So much fun- the piano players will blow your mind with their talent and humor.
How were the resort buses? What was your walk to the bus stop like? How were the resorts bus stops at the parks? How far was the walk to the gates? How crowded were the buses at any given time? We mostly just used the busses for Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. They were mostly on time, as I recall, however, be prepared to make stops at the Swan and the Dolphin. Make time in your planning for some extra stops; sometimes they might share with Yacht Club/Beach Club instead of Swan Dolphin. From the DVC side, the bus stop was on the opposite side of the resort, however it really wasn’t a long walk. I will say that some of the hallways in the Boardwalk seem endless, depending where your room location is! Our room on the DVC side actually made a walk to Disney Studios doable. We skipped the boat on the way to Studios and walked instead most of the time. We also usually walked to Epcot, although if you’re tired, the boat is a better option.
Would you stay at this resort again? If not, please provide a reason. Yes, I would definitely stay at this resort again. Its location is prime, especially if you love Epcot’s World Showcase for evening entertainment. The charm of the Boardwalk is fun and I found all of the cast members we encountered to be very friendly.
The Boardwalk is a very nice hotel! Wonderful proximity to 2 parks and entertainment galore right out the back door. A beautiful view if you stay water side. We were surprised with an upgrade and were placed in the Presedential suite! It was amazing!!!! The concierge staff was also amazing! We were greeted by name coming of ME and treated like royalty! Beautiful hotel. One downside is they don’t have a full kitchen so room service is a little limited. The pool was nice as well!
We stayed at this resort as a last minute add-on to a stay. We resort-hopped and were so glad that we did. In fact, we tried to add on two more nights, but were unable. The rooms felt a little smaller than the other DVC resorts we had stayed at before. We had a view of one of the pools (not the main pool), but it was still quiet. We were on the lobby level, actually just down the hall. I loved this because I felt close to everything. Our family consists of 2 adults and 2 little ones and the studio fit us just fine, but we did end up trying to squeeze the stroller into the closer. The room was perfectly clean, comfortable and had all the comforts of the DVC rooms we have come to expect.
This resort has some of the best amenities in my opinion. You have the boardwalk that has the arcade, a great mix of food options, fun pools, some of the best DVC merchandise we have seen in any of the DVC resorts, and a very “welcoming” feeling. Our favorite amenity was actually something a little boring, but it was the big grassy area right in the middle of the boardwalk behind where they rent the multi-person bikes (forget what they are called). At night, there were so many kids running around and playing on the grass, my 2 kids included.
The only quick service restaurant I visited was the little coffee bar in the morning and it had enough of a selection of cereals, danishes and fruits for those on the run to the parks. It was quiet back there and not too busy, but it was very small so if it had been busy, it might have been difficult to get in and out in a decent time. The restaurants on the Boardwalk itself are great!! We love the ESPN restaurant. Bar food is a win for us and Kouzzina is great for ours and our kids’ foodie side. We did not use the resort buses, but we did use the boat to hop over to the Beach Club for an Everything but the Kitchen Sink and we enjoyed being able to walk to Epcot!
We would definitely stay here again, mainly because of the atmosphere. We were there during Halloween last year and the staff pumpkin carving contest entries being in the lobby were a true highlight for us. Overall, it is a really welcoming and homey resort..
I’ve never stayed at the Boardwalk Inn, only the Boardwalk Villas (DVC). I’d be happy to post a review, but didn’t know if that’s what you’re looking for.
Since others have posted about the Boardwalk Villas, I’ll join the fray. We’ve stayed on 2 occasions, the latest being December, 2010. We love its proximity to EPCOT & the boat to both EPCOT & Disney Hollywood. We usually rent a car anyway (we have a special needs child who needs equipment toted around), so our experience with buses is fairly limited, but as previously mentioned, they do fill up fairly quickly due to the number of resorts they frequent. We like the walkway to EPCOT, especially when staying to watch “Illuminations” – no worries about getting a spot on the boats. The lack of quick service, on-site food is a bit of a pain, but if you plan for it, it’s workable. As Lisa mentioned, the long corridors can be a drawback – we often request a room closer to the entrance due to our son’s issues, & it’s usually granted with no problem. The other drawback about this is that there’s really only one access point both to the front entrance & to the Boardwalk with a small elevator between floors – it can be a hassle if you’ve got a wheelchair/scooter. It can also be a bit noisy if you’re on the Boardwalk side, particularly on busy weekend evenings – the upside: you can often see the fireworks from your upper level balcony; the downside: you can hear the fireworks which can be a problem if you’re turning in early. Since we’ve never stayed there during temperate weather, we have no experience with the pool. When we stayed there in December, however, Mickey & Minnie did Christmas portrait sessions in the lobby – that was an incredible bonus! If you’re willing to overlook a few issues (we are!), then it’s a terrific resort – we’ll most definitely be back!
Stayed there as a DVC member in January 2010. Loved the convienence of Epcot and Hollywood Studios. Atmosphere was fun! Boardwalk bakery is fabulous, as are the other venues on the realistic boardwalk. Downside was the endless bus rides (no dedicated bus like Several other DVC resorts offer) and long seemingly endless corridors to your room.
This past January, my sister & I spent a week @ the Boardwalk Inn. It was our first stay @ BWI. We loved it! The cast members were wonderful and so helpful, the location can not be beat, the lobby is gorgeous…I could go on. I loved the choices of food except, it would be nice for a nice breakfast place to be right inside hotel.
As I stated, location was top choice, a quick walk or boat ride,you could get the the Beach Club Resort (Cape May breakfast is really good..so is Beaches & Cream!) Hollywood Studios or Epcot!
As I said I went with my sister and I feel that is was trendy enough for adults and fun for the kids! The Boardwalk @ night is fabulous! I would stay here again :)
I took my granddauhter for her 8th grade graduation and that is where we stayed. We loved it. We were on the meal plan and loved the options it gave us. We at breakfast at the hotel one day. We loved going to the Boardwalk and going to the bakery or the pizza place for quick snacks. It was great to walk to Epcot. We took the ferry some and the buses. The pick up at the hotel was nice. The room was bigger and more than the standard room I ordered. It was a garden view. It had a couch and a small refrig I would stay there again.
We stayed here in 2003, so I am sure there have been some updates since then, but I will tell you that I LOVE this hotel! The rooms are decorated in a very cute nautical theme, and our room had two queen size beds, and then a daybed We also had a little balcony that had two chairs on it overlooking the boardwalk. I loved that you could walk to EPCOT or take the boat over. Every night after coming back from the parks my sister and I would get ice cream at the palor on the boardwalk and just stroll and chat. There is also a really yummy place that sells pizza and awesome meatball subs! There is also a fry stand. We didn’t do a dining plan so we ate often here. We also enjoyed a meal at the ESPN Zone which is also on the boardwalk. I didn’t do this while with my family, but when I did the Disney College Program, we would go to Jelly Rolls which is at the Boardwalk. It’s a dualing piano bar and LOADS of fun!!! Overall I give the Boardwalk 10 stars! I loved it so much and it really reminded me of my childhood growing up on the Jersey Shore. There have cute little bikes that you can rent and go up and down the boardwalk, there are street like type vendors and the pool area is very nice as well. We are planning a trip to Disney in 2012 and I am hoping we can afford to stay here!
We LOVED the theme, but not the dining options. I know shocking! Our daughter was 15 months old and it was July 4th week. IT IS HOT July 4th week in Orlando! It’s hard to do a quick breakfast that wasn’t a danish AND we had to go down to the boardwalk to do it! Not something we enjoyed!
Other than that we LOVED it! I think with older children or with a parents only trip it’s the perfect choice. We like it better than the Contemporary even with the Monorail, but Epcot is our favorite (pre-children) park!!
I think cape may cafe is at the beach club, not boardwalk