I’m not going to lie… I did not want to leave the Grand Floridian. Every so often, you come across a room during your Disney Vacation Club trips that make you want to capture that moment in time forever. That was the case with the Grand Floridian, but alas, we had four more resorts to try, and our trip felt as it was still only beginning. Lucky for us, we were headed back ‘home’ to the resort we have spent the most time at as Disney Vacation Club owners – Disney’s BoardWalk Villas!
We will be continuing our review using the template The DIS follows for Walt Disney World Resort Reviews. Don’t forget to head to the site to leave your own resort reviews!
Check-In Process
Here’s the thing – I will not fault BoardWalk for the general check-in process we experienced. However, with the bar for perfection now set so high from the Grand Floridian, our experience just wasn’t as ‘magical.’ Whereas the Cast Members at both Copper Creek and Grand Floridian seemed to go out of their way to welcome us and answer any questions as we arrived at the resort, our front desk experience at the BoardWalk was let’s just say, a little less welcoming. Nevertheless, we checked our luggage and ventured to Hollywood Studios for some fun. By the time we returned later in the afternoon, our room was ready, and the Mobile Check-In process worked like a charm.
Rating: Satisfied
Service and Cast Members
I hinted at this a little bit in with our Check-In process, but overall I felt that our Cast Member experiences at BoardWalk paled in comparison to what we had seen at the other Disney Vacation Club Resorts we had already visited this trip. In looking back on it, I wonder if this may have been due to this resort only being partially open? With the BoardWalk Inn still closed, you could really feel the emptiness of this resort as compared to the others, and it just rubbed off on both your feelings and that of the other guests and Cast Members. We hope that this was just an off day for the resort, as we have had many wonderful Cast Member experiences at BoardWalk over the years.
Rating: Satisfied
Lobby/ Common Areas
Nothing beats the character and charm that is present throughout the BoardWalk. The whimsical Atlantic City theming quickly transports Amy and me back to the New Jersey Shore, where we have vacationed for many years. Whether it be Paul The Nanny Chair or the carnival and amusement artifacts that are scattered throughout the resort, we absolutely love the overall feel and decor of this forgotten in time property.
Rating: Very Satisfied
Hotel Condition/Cleanliness
As has been the theme with all of our resorts this trip, the hotel’s efforts towards increased cleanliness were very noticeable. We did not encounter anything that made us question how diligent they were with these measures throughout the property.
Rating: Very Satisfied
Room Cleanliness
For this trip, we opted for a BoardWalk View Deluxe Studio. Our room was located in the Crest O’ The Wave section of the resort, which means smaller balconies, but an amazing EPCOT view! We felt that overall the room was very clean, but this time more than ever, we started to notice some of the wear and tear on the villas carpeting and furniture. The rooms are about 4-5 years out from their last hard good refurbishment and getting very close to being due for what DVC calls a soft goods “refresh.” Looking at both the room and some of the hallways, I can’t help but wonder if the resort’s age is beginning to catch up with it.
Rating: Satisfied
Room Decor
Truthfully, the room decor is part of what made us fall in love with the BoardWalk, to begin with. We love the bright and cheery colors and the amusement park artwork. The color palette and decor of our own bedroom at home was inspired by these very rooms. As I touched on before, the fixtures are beginning to show their wear, but it’s not enough to detract from the rooms’ beautiful theming.
Rating: Very Satisfied
Dining Options
Although Amy and I did not enjoy a meal on the BoardWalk this trip, our past experiences have proven that this is one place where you will never go hungry. That being said, we have heard the cries of many and agree that a dining option connected to the main interior of the resort, or even a simple drink refill station is something that would elevate this property even further. While there are several standout dining options located at Disney’s BoardWalk Villas, several are in desperate need of a refresh, and it would be nice to see some new life injected into this place.
Rating: Satisfied
Flying Fish – Disney’s Boardwalk 
Trattoria al Forno – Disney’s Boardwalk
Pools and Recreation
I’m all for a wild and crazy pool, and BoardWalk’s Luna Park Pool is arguably one of the best on Disney property (unless you are scared of clowns). My personal favorite here is the leisure pool located near the Community Hall. Here you can relax and have a little bit of a quieter experience. I would also dub this area an unofficial Disney Vacation Club Member hangout area, as we have had many wonderful discussions with fellow members during our visits to this pool.
Rating: Very Satisfied
Transportation
One thing that will never get old about Disney’s BoardWalk Villas is the many transportation options available. A personal favorite of ours is that you are a short walk away from both EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. This resort’s “walkability” was a prominent selling feature for us when we decided to purchase and continues to be one of our favorite parts of BoardWalk to this day. No matter what rating system we use for transportation, we can all agree that relying on Disney Transportation is never a good thing. So when you have an option to avoid it, that’s a win in my book! A bonus these days at the BoardWalk is the nearby Disney Skyliner. We could hop aboard when leaving Hollywood Studios late one evening and have a quiet and relaxing flight back to the International Gateway.
Rating: Very Satisfied
Value for the Points
Having ventured over from staying at the Grand Floridan, the points to stay at Disney’s BoardWalk Villas feel like a steal. BoardWalk is truly an amazing point value. A BoardWalk view on weekdays during Magic Season (the second highest) was 18 a night. In comparison, Grand Floridan was 23 a night. When you start adding additional days, those extra points add up fast. Since we are BoardWalk owners, we have had the opportunity to book a standard view as well, which is an even bigger value. For a resort that you can walk to two parks from, have easy Skyliner access from, and the fact that had EPCOT Forever been running, we could have watched it from our room, the value for the points is amazing.
Rating: Very Satisfied
Overall Impression
Disney’s BoardWalk Villas is the only DVC property Amy, and I bought off of emotion. We absolutely love this resort and are proud to call it one of our homes. Despite some flaws, our decision to purchase an add-on contract here becomes more and more validated with each visit. I personally can’t wait to have them welcome me back home again!
Be sure to check out our next stop on our six resort split-stay, as we head to the original Disney Vacation Club property – Disney’s Old Key West Resort!
*Please note that this resort review was conducted during Walt Disney World’s initial reopening period. We ask that you take into consideration that any negative impacts may be a result of situations surrounding the ongoing pandemic, and may not accurately represent the resort once it has fully reopened.
Well done
I’m enjoying your journey and I sympathize with you about the move from VGF to BWV. They are very different resorts! We’ve come to believe that Disney selects only experienced staff for VGF (in keeping with its flagship status) and uses the Boardwalk to train newer cast members, which can result in inconsistent cast member/guest interactions. We’ve unfortunately also had inconsistent service at the Boardwalk as a result. I’m glad you overcame your initial hiccups and had a good stay. Looking forward to where you’re headed next!