BoardWalk Inn is a Deluxe Resort lodge at Walt Disney World, positioned inside strolling distance of Epcot and Hollywood Studios on Crescent Lake, with Skyliner gondola, boat, and bus transportation. This assessment options room photographs, pool & restaurant data, professionals & cons, and far more. (Up to date February 3, 2024.)
We’ll begin with updates on the way forward for Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. The excellent news is that the lodge facet is now completed with its visitor room reimagining. There are photographs of the brand new rooms on this assessment, however if you’d like an intensive look, see Good & Unhealthy of BoardWalk Inn’s New Rooms. With regards to the lodge as a complete, the multi-year reimagining can be principally completed–however to be sincere, most of this isn’t noticeable.
The dangerous information is that the refresh of the DVC rooms should not fairly carried out, so it’s doable to listen to development on the BoardWalk. Furthermore, the Cake Bake Store nonetheless isn’t carried out and, at its present tempo, received’t be completed till Summer time 2024 on the earliest–perhaps even 2025. That challenge of changing ESPN Membership has been glacially sluggish.
One other more moderen improvement is the everlasting closure of Huge River Grille & Brewing Works, which abruptly went out of enterprise in 2024. Walt Disney World hasn’t introduced a substitute for this, and we wouldn’t count on any information on that till late this 12 months or 2025. They’ve had sufficient hassle filling the previous properties of ESPN Membership and Ample Hills (additionally now gone and changed by a generic ice cream store).
It might sound like there’s much more dangerous than good with BoardWalk proper now, however that truthfully isn’t the case. The brand new rooms are good and so they’re totally completed. The DVC facet isn’t fairly carried out, however ought to be quickly (and people rooms are additionally a large improve). It’s not supreme that development is ongoing at Cake Bake Store, nevertheless it’ll be a wonderful addition as soon as completed. Nothing of worth was misplaced with the closure of Huge River Grille.
Anyway, that’s the present standing of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn as of 2024. Keep watch over our Walt Disney World Resort Refurbishment & Building Tracker for normal updates.
By way of fundamentals, Disney’s BoardWalk Inn is positioned between Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. BoardWalk is technically two resorts–the lodge that’s reviewed right here and the BoardWalk Villas, that are the Disney Trip Membership lodging which might be below the identical roof.
Instantly throughout Crescent Lake from the BoardWalk are Disney’s Yacht & Seashore Membership Resorts; adjoining to BoardWalk are the Swan & Dolphin Resorts. All of those resorts type their very own little district, generally known as each the Crescent Lake Resort Space or Epcot Resort Space. Even when you don’t keep at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, it’s price strolling over right here from Epcot’s Worldwide Gateway entrance/exit in World Showcase between the UK and France.
Walt Disney World describes the resort as capturing, “the attraction, whimsy and class of Forties Atlantic Metropolis.” This isn’t simply advertising lingo–BoardWalk Inn is a very charming lodge, with turn-of-the-century theme all through the foyer, widespread areas, and even the visitor rooms. It does an ideal job of marrying a bygone period, timeless type, and fashionable facilities.
The Inn itself is positioned above a “working” Boardwalk leisure district full with eating places, night-time leisure, and recreation. This quarter-mile promenade alongside the water’s edge options enjoyable and wonderful eating, halfway video games, and night road performers. Disney’s BoardWalk evokes memorable boardwalks in coastal cities equivalent to Coney Island and Atlantic Metropolis.
We first stayed at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn throughout our Walt Disney World honeymoon. That was over a decade in the past, and since then we’ve stayed within the lodge or Disney Trip Membership villas a minimum of as soon as per 12 months. (We truly purchased into DVC for the aim of staying on the BoardWalk, however that’s a principally irrelevant tangent. If you wish to learn the complete story, see our Disney Trip Membership Shopping for Information.)
In our minds, Disney’s BoardWalk Inn is INNcredible! (Yeah, I’m that lame.) The e-book DisneyWar describes how former CEO Michael Eisner spent loads of time fussing over the small print of the Crescent Lake resorts as a result of they reminded him of summers in New England. Ostensibly, these resorts are all very related in theme. Nonetheless, when you look past the floor, there are substantial variations among the many three resorts.
A lot of the variations can be clear in studying our separate critiques of Seashore Membership, Yacht Membership, and even the Swan & Dolphin. When deciding the place to remain, we wouldn’t put a lot emphasis on eating or transportation, as these are fairly comparable amongst all the Crescent Lake resorts, and you’ll at all times stroll from one property to a different for a meal in ~10 minutes or much less.
Nonetheless, swimming pools are a special story, as are visitor rooms, theme, and worth. For a head-to-head comparability, see Disney’s BoardWalk Inn v. Seashore Membership. For those who’re taking a look at Crescent Lake as a complete, different related entries in our Walt Disney World Lodge Comparability Collection are Yacht v. Seashore Membership and Swan & Dolphin v. Seashore Membership. A number of Seashore Membership comparisons in there, however you’ll perceive why as soon as studying all of them.
One in every of my favourite areas of the BoardWalk Inn is the foyer itself. Whereas it doesn’t have a grand foyer like Wilderness Lodge or another Deluxes, it has a ton of element. From the miniature Boardwalk full with rollercoaster to the attractive lighting fixtures to the elephant statues and extra.
BoardWalk Inn’s foyer is extraordinarily well-appointed, and an ideal place to simply sit and loosen up within the morning. It’s particularly beautiful at Christmas.
Regardless of having a comparatively small footprint, resort itself truly has loads of stress-free areas to flee the hustle and bustle of the BoardWalk leisure space itself (not that there’s that a lot hustle and bustle within the first place).
Stunning gardens and out of the best way benches can present a soothing reprieve for stress-free. Even the waterfront promenade affords some quiet spots.
Talking of this promenade, it circles Crescent Lake and results in the parks and different resorts. Disney’s BoardWalk Inn is located only a brief stroll from Epcot’s Worldwide Gateway entrance on Crescent Lake. Though it varies based mostly on room location, BoardWalk Inn is a couple of 10 minute stroll from Epcot.
Strolling from BoardWalk Inn to Disney’s Hollywood Studios takes round quarter-hour. Nonetheless, you even have the choice of utilizing the Disney Skyliner gondolas. That can take about the identical period of time, however the aerial gondolas are a way more nice approach of getting there. You may as well use the Skyliner to entry Pop Century, Artwork of Animation, Caribbean Seashore, and Riviera Resorts. That opens up much more handy eating choices, all accessible with out convoluted bus transportation, renting a automotive, or utilizing Uber/Lyft.
Sadly, the draw back of that is that bus transportation to Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom from BoardWalk Inn typically disappoints. There’s typically shared bus service working, which means {that a} bus selecting up friends at BoardWalk will cease at one other close by lodge earlier than heading to Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom. This could make these routes take longer and imply extra friends aboard every bus.
Now we have had higher bus service when staying at Pop Century for lower than one-third the nightly charges of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. It’s disappointing that these Crescent Lake Deluxe Resorts don’t provide higher service on this regard than a Worth Resort.
A lot ado is made about Walt Disney World swimming pools, and BoardWalk’s Luna Park Pool is a enjoyable one. Themed to an old-time Atlantic carnival, the pool is cool, and its water slide, themed to appear to be a picket rollercoaster is sort of a hoot. (Though RIP Creepy Clown.)
With that mentioned, Luna Park Pool doesn’t maintain a candle to Stormalong Bay at Yacht & Seashore Membership. In truth, this function pool doesn’t crack our Record of the High 10 Swimming pools at Walt Disney World. Most Deluxe and even a number of Average and Worth Resorts are represented there, so that is arguably a weak spot of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. With that mentioned, when you’re simply fascinating in lounging, Luna Park Pool is nice–its bar is enjoyable and the seating space is nice–and there are leisure swimming pools which might be additionally good.
The rooms are additionally glorious. Conserving with the Atlantic Boardwalk theme, the rooms use a subdued and nearly pastel shade scheme.
In addition they function lovely work and fixtures to convey the sense that you just’re staying in a trip room simply minutes from an precise turn-of-the-century boardwalk. Aside from the turn-of-the-century half, you might be!
As talked about above, Disney’s BoardWalk Inn has all-new rooms. For reference, the brand new room is pictured above, whereas the outdated one is under as an example the earlier than/after. (And so you realize what’s gone, in case you learn one other outdated assessment elsewhere with conflicting inside photos.)
We far favor the lodge rooms at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn to the DVC villas by way of type and theme.
The visitor rooms at BoardWalk Inn have much more persona and character than the rooms at Seashore Membership and, to a lesser diploma, Yacht Membership. (The brand new rooms at Yacht Membership do the perfect job of merging fashionable facilities, luxurious, and themed design.)
There are character touches across the room, nods to Atlantic Metropolis, lovely art work, and extra.
The loos in visitor rooms at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn are on the common facet. The bathe and bathroom in a special room than the double sinks, which is good, however different Deluxes definitely have nicer/bigger restroom-areas.
There’s definitely nothing improper with the set-up on the BoardWalk Inn, although. It’s simply not praise-worthy.
These new rooms aren’t good, however do a very good job of balancing fashionable lodging with themed design.
Moreover, the resort is exceptionally clear and upkeep is impeccable. On events once we’ve dragged ourselves residence late after closing out Magic Kingdom or Epcot, we now have seen Solid Members portray hand rails and endeavor different enhancements to the resort.
It’s this sort of upkeep that establishes the BoardWalk as one of many premiere Walt Disney World resorts. It’s additionally good to remain on the BoardWalk throughout Epcot’s Meals & Wine Competition or once you wish to rope drop Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios, as a result of the lodge is only a brief stroll from these parks!
The ultimate promoting level of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn is its room views. This lodge is already costly simply for the standard view room, however when you’re splurging, we’d advocate going all out and doing a water view, which overlooks the BoardWalk itself. That is nice for people-watching and views of the fireworks at Epcot. It’s an enormous benefit BoardWalk Inn affords over Yacht or Seashore Membership.
With that mentioned, BoardWalk view rooms aren’t low-cost. For those who’re already splurging to remain right here, take into account a cut up keep (see our Learn how to Do a Break up Keep at Walt Disney World Resorts put up). For one more splurge, take into account Concierge or Membership Stage, which is obtainable at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn.
We talked about it above, nevertheless it bears repeating. BoardWalk’s location is superior. It might have been one of many worst resorts at which we’d ever stayed (it’s not–it’s among the many greatest!), and that location would have nonetheless been wholly redeeming.
Solely 5 minutes from Epcot. Just a few minutes to BoardWalk Deli, Flying Fish or Trattoria al Forno (one of the vital underrated eating places at Walt Disney World). Solely 10 minutes from Seashores & Cream and Cape Could Cafe. Though I really like the monorail resorts, the Epcot resorts might need them beat!
Finally, we love Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. Its ambiance, leisure choices, restaurant lineup, and proximity to Epcot and Hollywood Studios are all big promoting factors. Boats and the Skyliner present handy transportation to different close by resorts (and people parks). The rooms are well-themed, combining good lodging with a way of design that’s distinctly Disney, however not excessive or garish.
By way of negatives, the most important is BoardWalk Inn’s excessive nightly price. One other potential one is counter service eating, which is so-so at greatest throughout Crescent Lake. Then there’s Luna Park Pool, which isn’t almost as spectacular as Stormalong Bay over at Yacht & Seashore Membership. Lastly, commuting to the 2 “Kingdom” parks is one other draw back; friends who can be spending loads of time at Magic Kingdom would possibly wish to assume twice about any Crescent Lake resort. Those that benefit from the charming turn-of-the-century boardwalk, good eating, and Epcot or Hollywood Studios will possible agree with us that Disney’s BoardWalk Inn is among the greatest resorts at Walt Disney World!
Undecided which Walt Disney World lodge is best for you? Let an expert enable you free of charge. Click on right here to get a quote from a advisable, no-fee Licensed Disney Trip Planner. They get their fee from Disney, so there isn’t any cost to you for them to e-book your journey and enable you plan!
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Study resorts on our Walt Disney World Resorts Evaluations web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Evaluations. To save cash on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys put up takes a novel take a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Journey Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the perfect place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for all the pieces it’s essential know!
Your Ideas
For those who’ve stayed at BoardWalk, what do you consider it? Do you favor its location to the monorail resorts? Are you a fan of Luna Park Pool or do you agree that it doesn’t maintain a candle to Stormalong Bay? Do the views and ambiance of the BoardWalk make up for this? Agree or disagree with our assessment of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
