Innkeeper’s Membership is the concierge lounge at Walt Disney World’s BoardWalk Inn, the closest lodge to EPCOT. We’ll evaluation whether or not this Membership Stage is well worth the cash and the way it compares to different choices, what’s included, in addition to photographs of the meals served for breakfast, lunch, dinner & dessert.
Word that this evaluation focuses solely on the BoardWalk Inn’s Membership Stage expertise. in case you’re in search of our ideas on the lodge as an entire, try our Disney’s BoardWalk Inn Evaluation. Spoiler: it’s one in all our favourite lodges in all of Walt Disney World. We love the placement, just like the redone rooms, and admire the eye to element and kooky themed design. However as with every resort, it’s not for everybody–in order that additionally covers the professionals & cons.
We’ll additionally largely gloss over the varied perks and advantages of staying Membership Stage, as an alternative specializing in what’s distinctive to the Innkeeper’s Membership. For those who’re in search of common information, our Information to Membership Stage & Concierge Lounges at Disney World gives overarching ideas on what you possibly can count on when it comes to service, the varied resort tiers, and an index of different particular Membership Stage lounge opinions from round Walt Disney World…
Upon arrival at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, you may be greeted by a Solid Member who escorts you as much as the Innkeeper’s Membership for check-in. “May” is the operative phrase right here, as we’ve discovered this occurs about half the time when checking into Membership Stage at Walt Disney World. It appears much less frequent in the previous couple of years.
This little bit of white glove service is good, however not crucial. That’s as a result of the Innkeeper’s Membership is just not its personal flooring at BoardWalk, that means you possibly can entry it through the elevator by urgent the “4” button (which, for the elevator newbies on the market, stands for the 4th flooring).
Innkeeper’s Membership takes up a portion of the 4th flooring, that means there are additionally common ole visitor rooms up right here. Observe the directional indicators to the Innkeeper’s Membership and also you’ll discover a desk. We advocate checking in right here versus the entrance desk on the primary flooring. Even in case you do on-line check-in, cease right here.
These desks are staffed by two concierge Solid Members from 7 am till 10 pm; along with serving to whilst you’re on the lodge, they are often contacted whilst you’re within the parks must you want any help.
At this desk or in your room, relying upon how/the place/while you check-in, you’ll obtain a welcome letter and numerous information about Innkeeper’s Membership, plus taffy. Good touches.
It’s good to cease by this desk to get a little bit of facetime with the concierge Solid Members. They’ll help in case you want help or planning (hopefully you don’t–it’s a bit late at this stage of the sport for that!).
In case your room isn’t prepared, they’ll additionally offer you handbook entry to the Innkeeper’s Membership. For that reason, we at all times arrive early when doing a Membership Stage keep. We’re frugal followers who take pleasure in Membership Stage because the occasional splurge (one in all our favorites at Walt Disney World!), and each hour of entry is price $X from our perspective. Time is cash!
I don’t care whether or not which means reserving a redeye flight and getting right here at 7:48 am or doing a break up keep and testing of our earlier lodge to reach right here for breakfast. The primary a kind of is a really particular time as a result of, as you would possibly guess, it’s an precise instance.
Above we talked about that you simply stroll down the corridor of the fourth flooring to get to the Innkeeper gatekeeper.
After you permit this desk and undergo the door, you stroll down one other hallway to get to the lounge itself. Usually, the desk is correct outdoors the lounge, streamlining issues a bit. My guess is that the Innkeeper’s Lounge was a retrofit, and this was the best method to do it? I don’t know.
Outdoors the Innkeeper’s Membership there’s an atrium with extra seating. It’s a nice house and the sofa is comfortable, however not notably sensible in case you’re severe about getting your eat on. Good for espresso and cocktails, although.
Inside, the Innkeeper’s lounge is principally one giant house with seats for just a few dozen folks. We’ve stayed right here a few instances now, and the house was redone in the course of the current reimagining of the BoardWalk. There are not any substantive variations because of this, simply aesthetic. It mirrors the brand new lodge rooms at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn.
The design pretty humdrum, and the spotlight is arguably the tv. Not precisely excessive reward, until you’re a bigtime TV fan (your room may also have one, don’t fear). There are just a few home windows within the Innkeeper’s Membership, however these don’t provide BoardWalk views.
That is the most important draw back. If the Innkeeper’s Membership afforded BoardWalk views, one “hack” to reserving Membership Stage can be that you may downgrade to a normal room from a BoardWalk view and put that cash in direction of Membership Stage.
The lounge as an alternative has a view of a quiet pool and half of Spaceship Earth. Because of this it additionally has an EPCOT fireworks view, which I assume is healthier than nothing. Beats a bus cease view.
Nonetheless, there’s nothing distinctive in regards to the view provided by the Innkeeper’s Lounge.
Personally, it is a kinda-big factor for me–I really like overlooking the foyer at Animal Kingdom Lodge or Wilderness Lodge, or having theme park views as is the case at among the Magic Kingdom resorts. I wouldn’t name this a dealbreaker, however a superb view is good in case you’re going to spend an honest period of time within the lounge.
All through the day, the Innkeeper’s Membership lounge serves the next:
- Early Riser Espresso: 6:30-7 a.m.
- Drinks: 7-10 a.m.
- Continental breakfast: 7-10:30 a.m.
- Mild snacks and refreshments: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Hors D’oeuvres and drinks: 5-7 p.m.
- Desserts & cordials: 8-10 p.m.
Listed here are meals photographs and glimpses on the spreads for every of those meal companies:
In line with different Membership Stage lounges round Walt Disney World, we discovered the 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. unfold to be greatest of those.
Walt Disney World refrains from calling this dinner, as a result of they don’t need to encourage company to make a full meal of it, however no encouragement is critical for me. Or, presumably, anybody inclined to squeeze probably the most bang for his or her buck out of Membership Stage.
Additionally as is typical, breakfast was the time when the lounge was busiest, adopted carefully by fireworks/dessert time and dinner. The center of the day is least busy–it’s additionally the worst of the spreads. Not simply on the Innkeeper’s Lounge, however at each single Membership Stage at Walt Disney World. (I’d say this parallels most actual world lodges, as effectively.)
We even discovered don’t-call-it-dinner disappointing. Prior to now, we’ve encountered cooks making ready small plates of meats or different formidable dishes within the Membership Ranges on the Crescent Lake (and different) resorts. Not so right here.
There have been no good little touches, creative dishes, or something of the kind. I had hoped that we’d be handled to a sampling of chef’s decisions from Flying Fish, the Signature Restaurant alongside the promenade. That was not the case.
There have been a few respectable gadgets blended in there, however most of it was a far cry from the scrumptious delicacies we loved at Previous Devoted Membership Stage in Disney’s Wilderness Lodge or Chronos Membership Stage in Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs Resort.
Truthfully, my favourite meal at Innkeeper’s Membership ended up being breakfast.
The smoked salmon was scrumptious, there have been eggs and fruit, and I used to be in a position to take plates again to my room and benefit from the meal on my balcony. You probably have a room with a BoardWalk view, I’d positively advocate this over consuming within the lounge itself.
This isn’t a lot a ringing endorsement of breakfast as it’s an indictment of the night spreads. Maybe I simply received unfortunate, however I used to be underwhelmed by the delicacies high quality. With that mentioned, I used to be shocked to see so few folks within the lounge from 5 to 7 p.m., so maybe this isn’t a prime precedence for many Innkeeper’s Membership company?
Beer, wine, and champagne is on the market all through the day at Innkeeper’s Lounge. Throughout my keep, it was open entry at some instances and upon request at others.
Alcohol is doubtlessly outcome-determinative for Membership Stage for adults doing Walt Disney World. I do know that if we had our honeymoon to do over at the moment as really-for-real adults as an alternative of fresh-out-of-college-and-broke twentysomethings, we’d completely be doing Membership Stage. And possibly right here or over at Seaside Membership, since these would put us closest to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT!
Or maybe not. We don’t drink like we did popping out of faculty, so booze doesn’t transfer the needle a lot (or in any respect) for us anymore. What I do know is that we’ve got mates who love and rave about Innkeeper’s Membership as a result of create your individual Bloody Mary station. In the meantime, I’d’ve not seen it in any respect if Sarah didn’t draw my consideration to it.
By way of value, you’re taking a look at rack charges starting from round $950 to $1,500 evening for traditional Membership Stage rooms, relying upon your view.
Suites or multi-bedroom items value much more. Even with a superb Annual Move or Florida Resident low cost, you’re possible taking a look at $600 per evening to remain Innkeeper’s Membership Stage at minimal. And the most effective reductions aren’t at all times out there, as demand is excessive for Membership Stage and room stock (provide) is usually low.
Against this, normal rooms at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn begin at round $675. This quantities to a minimal unfold of round $275 per evening earlier than reductions. I’d add that, anecdotally, reductions are extra ample and simpler to ebook for traditional rooms than Membership Stage at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. So whilst you might cut back the distinction in principle, it’s unlikely surely outdoors of the low season, which is not-so-coincidentally once we booked the Innkeeper’s Membership.
More often than not, we give a cop out “it relies upon” reply relating to questions of worth for cash. Whereas we loved Innkeeper’s Membership, I simply can’t say there are lots of situations the place I’d advocate it.
I do assume there’s a robust case to be made for staying Membership Stage within the Crescent Lake Resort Space, but when that had been the most suitable choice for me, I’d go for Stone Harbor Membership Stage at Seaside Membership or possibly Regatta Membership Stage at Yacht Membership. These get the sting partly for the lounges and meals however, extra importantly, as a result of I personally assume that Stormalong Bay is a good praise to Membership Stage.
With that mentioned, there’s no one-size-fits-all reply to “which Membership Stage at Walt Disney World is greatest?” What I’ve realized through the years is that every of those has its diehard followers. Company who’ve been staying at a sure Membership Stage–and solely that Membership Stage–for years, possibly even a long time. They’re on a first-time foundation with Solid Members and have compelling causes for favoring every.
What I can say is that, on an goal stage (meals, view, worth proposition) and subjective stage (vibes, environment, my random preferences), Innkeeper’s Lounge is amongst my least favourite Membership Ranges at Walt Disney World.
With that mentioned, there are a whole lot of distinctive and novel room varieties at BoardWalk Inn and we’re big followers of the lodge as an entire. It’s a good suggestion to seek the advice of a journey agent earlier than reserving–they’ll provide personalised recommendation and make an professional advice primarily based in your distinctive wants and preferences.
As at all times, we extremely advocate requesting a quote from Be Our Visitor Holidays, a no-fee Licensed Disney Trip Planner. The brokers there is not going to solely help you with planning and resort suggestions (as crucial), but additionally ebook your trip with the best-available particular provide, and monitor your package deal for future reductions that may be utilized retroactively.
In the end, we loved our keep at Innkeeper’s Membership. I don’t need to make this sound like a unfavorable expertise, because it definitely was not. However “not dangerous” isn’t the bar when grading a Membership Stage–an add-on that prices nearly $300 per evening additional. Seen by way of the lens of the added value, I don’t actually assume it was price it–and was underwhelmed as in comparison with different Membership Stage stays we’ve carried out at Walt Disney World, together with Innkeeper’s Membership prior to now.
For us, one thing feels wanting about Innkeeper’s Membership–it doesn’t have that X issue that basically elevates among the different lounges. There’s nothing distinct or particular in regards to the lounge itself, there’s no spectacular view or different function, and the meals is barely nice. In fact, others are prone to disagree; the benefit of Walt Disney World is that there’s one thing for everybody–Innkeeper’s Membership merely isn’t the appropriate match for us. Your mileage might range.
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Your Ideas
What do you consider Innkeeper’s Membership Stage at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn? Are you a fan of this, or do you like different concierge lounges at Walt Disney World? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we can assist you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
