For the second part of our spring break, we made our second ever stay at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn & Villas. This is a deluxe resort with a prime location at Disney’s BoardWalk – right between Hollywood Studios and Epcot!
The waterfront resort embodies the charm and whimsy of turn-of-the-century Atlantic City. The resort is luxurious and inviting, with charming decor. Not only do you have immediate access to everything that the Boardwalk has to offer, but the resort is within easy walking distance (or a quick boat ride) to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios! This is a fantastic location for a trip with older kids where Magic Kingdom isn’t your main focus, and hopping into Epcot at night is appealing.
The beautiful verandah off of the main lobby is such a hidden gem for an afternoon of relaxing and people watching. In the late afternoons, cast members bring out lawn games and the kids can play below!
Accommodations
BoardWalk offers a variety of accommodations, from regular hotel rooms to concierge rooms to studios, 1-, 2- and 3- bedroom villas.
Deluxe Studio
The deluxe studio is similar to a regular hotel room, but my family prefers the set up of 1 queen bed, 1 sleeper sofa and 1 pull down twin over 2 queen beds. The price is usually comparable and we love the extra floor space.
The BoardWalk studios are tastefully decorated, with whimsical art and without wallpaper borders (lol).
The murphy bed pulls down from where the little table and chairs are to reveal a Dumbo theme. So darling!
The studios contain a basic kitchenette in addition to the standard mini fridge. We usually eat our breakfast in the room so it is a nice amenity.
The bathroom area had one sink and was nicely updated. The potty and shower were in a separate room.
1 Bedroom Villa
For longer stays, we love the 1 bedroom villas. These rooms have a full kitchen, bedroom with king bed, living room with sleeper sofa and a large, spacious bathroom. They also have in-room washer and dryer sets.
We absolutely love the BoardWalk view at this resort. The atmosphere out here was just fantastic, and we love sitting on our balcony and people watching. We were surprised at just how quiet the Boardwalk is during the day!
That’s Spaceship Earth peeking out over the trees!
We spent three nights at Boardwalk and watched the Epcot fireworks from our balcony two of them! You can also see Hollywood Studios fireworks in the other direction.
Activities
Like the other Disney resorts, Boardwalk had TONS of things to do. We were so happy that we had an entire day to enjoy them. There is a large green space overlooked by the Boardwalk Inn’s sweeping verandas. During the day we found cast members out with all sorts of balls and hula hoops.
At night it is home to Disney movies. We were lucky enough to catch Star Wars The Force Awakens!! They spread out sheets on the lawn and passed out bags of popcorn. It was a lovely evening!! We always stock our mini fridge with drinks, waters and wine so we carried that down as well.
Pools and Amenities
The Luna Park pool was a ton of fun and we spent plenty of time here on both BoardWalk stays! There is a main pool, water slide, baby pool, hot tub, playground and pool bar / dining right here.
My kids loved it at night even more than during the day. I mean, who doesn’t adore a creepy glow in the dark clown face?!
I lost count at how many times the littles went down the Keister Coaster slide. A hundred? Two hundred? Honey and I took a few turns as well and, I must admit, it’s a GOOD slide.
Just around the bend from Luna Park is a quiet pool. It is just off of the DVC Member Community Hall. There were video games, corn hole, board games, foosball, ping pong and more. It was a super fun respite from the sun a few times during our stay!
The BoardWalk
The Boardwalk Inn and Villas literally walk right out onto Disney’s Boardwalk! Its a great themed space with carnival games, dining, nightlife and entertainment.
Dining Around Disney’s BoardWalk
Belle Vue Lounge
Before dinner one night we kicked back at the Belle Vue Lounge. They serve a continental breakfast in the morning (we didn’t partake) and regular lounge menu in the afternoon. We sat outside on the veranda overlooking the lawn and played one of the fun board games available to guests!
BoardWalk Walk Up Options
Because of the easy access to dining and snacks on the Boardwalk there aren’t any restaurants inside of the resort itself (outside of the lounge and pool bar). But, just steps away are all sorts of options! We sat on the lake with a pizza from the take out windows and Joe’s margaritas after our long drive down Friday night.
Flying Fish
This signature dining location is absolutely delicious and a wonderful spot for guests staying in the BoardWalk area. The food is perfectly prepared and the inside is just beautiful. I highly recommend!
Trattoria al Forno
One of our best Disney breakfasts has been at Trattoria al Forno. Not only are there fun characters, but the food is amazing!
Trattoria al Forno also serves a delicious dinner. Everyone loved their meal and the ambiance was great!
Abracadabar
This charming, magic themed bar is another favorite. The lounge is tiny, but you can easily lose track of time exploring every nook and cranny filled with the props and memorabilia of the magicians and illusionists that once frequented the establishment. The menu is unique and we have enjoyed all of our visits here!
BoardWalk Bakery
We love the deli and dessert selections at BoardWalk Bakery. This is also where you fill the resort mugs that come with the dining plan. One of my favorites here is the grilled cheese and tomato soup! But, they have a nice selection of salads and sandwiches overall, and serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.
ESPN Club
To the delight of the boys in the family, we popped into ESPN Club for the basketball semi finals and made dinner of a table full of shared appetizers. It was a lot of fun – the boys were in heaven!
Ample Hills Creamery
Ample Hills Creamery is my #1 choice for ice cream at Disney! It’s ahhhh-mazing. You HAVE to try the ooey gooey ice cream. Next time I’d skip the chocolate chip cookie cone and go for a good old fashioned waffle cone though. If you are staying at any of the Boardwalk area resorts I implore you to visit :-)
Overall, we have really loved our stays at Boardwalk and will definitely be back!
There is still plenty of availability for resorts and dining in Walt Disney World this summer and for the rest of the year. As always, reach out today for my assistance in planning YOUR dream Disney vacation! I love working with my blog readers so much!!
As Premier Level Advisor with Glass Slipper Concierge, an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, I offer concierge travel planning for Walt Disney World® Resort, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland® Resort, Disney Aulani Hawaii, Universal, Sea World and to over 40 countries on 7 continents through Adventures by Disney® and National Geographic Expeditions.
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DIXIE DELIGHTS DELIVERED
Hi Amanda,
I’m wondering if there are better times of the year to go to Disney now? It seems that even the “slow times” of the year are now more crowded and I’m sure with all the new Star Wars stuff happening at Hollywood Studios that will be even more true. We are Star Wars fans around here and want to plan a trip in the future, but we want to try to plan it at a time when it’s not too crazy so we can enjoy it!!
Hi Dionne, There is really no “Slow” time any more. The ones that were have been filled with races, parties and events. Good times are usually late January, early February, early May, August, early September. I hope you call me when you’re ready!! xo