Disney's Boardwalk Inn and Villas Review

You can also take a Friendship to either park.  This is my favorite mode of Disney transportation.  Whether you decide to walk or ride a boat, if you love Epcot and/or Hollywood Studios, then Disney’s Boardwalk Inn & Villas cannot be beat.

To get to either Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom, you have to take the bus.

As with all things Disney, there is always a theme and a story behind everything.  Disney’s Boardwalk Inn & Villas takes you to Atlantic City, New Jersey at the turn of the 20th century.  It has a lively, coastal, Victorian feel.

Disney’s Boardwalk Inn & Villas has more dining options than any other Disney resort; by far.  For upscale dining in an elegant atmosphere, there is Flying Fish. Trattoria al Forno serves Italian food in a more laid back environment.  Do you want a sports bar to eat and watch your favorite team?  Then ESPN Club is for you.  Big River Grille and Brewing Works is a restaurant and brew pub with its own, onsite, microbrewery.

If you are looking for something to do away from the parks, then the Boardwalk again has you covered.  The only Disney property that can compare is Fort Wilderness Campground.  Disney’s Boardwalk Inn & Villas has all of the things that you find at other Disney Resorts.  You have three swimming pools from which to choose.  Two are quiet pools where you can relax.  The main pool has a Coney Island theme with roller coaster water slide that empties through a clown’s mouth.  Dumping out of clown’s mouth kind of creeps my out, though.   I do not like clowns.  You have tennis courts, night time movies on the lawn, and a nightly marshmallow roast.

You can rent a surrey bike and cruise around Crescent Lake.  Take a fishing expedition.  For free, you can cruise Crescent Lake and the Boardwalk canal from Epcot to Hollywood Studios aboard the Friendships.

Shopping is similar to other Disney deluxe resorts, except that the Boardwalk has a Wyland Gallery to browse.

Disney’s Boardwalk Inn & Villas has night life that none of the other resorts can match.  Jelly Rolls Dueling Piano Bar has live entertainment and audience sing-a-longs for adults.  Do you want to go dancing?  Then the Atlantic Dance Hall is the place to be.  It has also hosted ESPN’s Espy Awards.  The Belle Vue Lounge inside the Boardwalk Inn is a quiet place to relax, away from the crowds.  Boardwalk Joe’s Marvelous Margaritas and Leaping Horse Libations have you covered if you want to sit on or stroll the boardwalk and people watch.

In the evening, you will find street performers on the boardwalk.  The shows are similar to Streetmosphere at Hollywood Studios.  The juggler-comedian put on a particularly inspired and funny show.

The rooms follow the overall theming with a mid-Atlantic, Victorian motif.  They are relatively large, clean, and comfortable.  Disney resorts and cruise ships have some of the most comfortable beds that I have found.

Staff

Disney customer service is renowned.  You will find the same at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn & Villas.  From the front desk to the maid service, Disney hospitality shines, though.

Disney deluxe resorts are expensive.  We have stayed with Disney Vacation Club points and by attending a paid conference.  These options make it much more affordable.  I will be writing on the Disney Vacation Club in the future and will give details.

For a lot of families, Disney’s Boardwalk Inn & Villas is the preferred Disney resort.  With all that it has to offer, how can you argue?  Well, it is our third favorite.  We love it, but we love two others more.  Our favorite resorts remain the Contemporary Resort (and Bay Lake Tower) and the Beach Club.  Magic Kingdom is our family’s favorite park.  The Contemporary is the only resort from which you can walk directly to Magic Kingdom.  Again, on a Disney vacation, it is about the parks for us.  Beach Club ranks second due to being quieter, more laid back, prettier, and it is as close to Epcot as Boardwalk.  It also has the best Disney pool.

If you want night life, a myriad of dining options, and tons to do away from the parks, then Disney’s Boardwalk Inn & Villas is an excellent choice.  Adults can extend their nights even after park closing.  There is enough to do here to even skip the parks for a day if you wish.  If you are an Epcot and/or Hollywood Studios fan, then again, Boardwalk (or Beach Club) is your best choice.

The only downsides are cost (quite hefty), and requiring a bus to get to Magic Kingdom.