Disney World’s Boardwalk Inn

When choosing a Disney World resort, there are three things that are always at the top of my list: location, the pool and dining experiences!

Choosing a Disney World resort is one of the most difficult decisions for most people when planning their vacations. Deciding between the pros and cons of staying off-property or on-property; figuring out where you will be located compared to where you will be spending the majority of your time; and the different forms of transportation available to you based on where you are staying are all important factors.

#1: It Has One of the BEST Disney Resort Locations

Disney World’s Boardwalk Inn is located in the “Epcot Circle.” It’s just a short walk to the back entrance of Epcot, which enters the park just before the beginning of the World Showcase.

It’s a beautiful and peaceful walk, perfect for early mornings. We like to get our coffee to go and walk over in the mornings when the park opens without having to wait for any transportation, and there’s not much of a line to get in either

The Boardwalk Inn is also in a good location to walk to Hollywood Studios. The walk is a little further, but it’s still a really nice walk on a pretty path that many people take their early morning jogs on.

If you don’t want to make the walk to Hollywood Studios, there is always bus transportation or a boat ride. I always enjoy the boat rides, sometimes they feel like they take a little longer but I think they’re more fun.

The Skyliner is also available to ride from Epcot to Hollywood Studios, if that’s something you are excited to try!

And as always there is bus transportation that will take you to the other parks. There is a bus stop that has the bus times posted and the times can also be accessed from your resort room’s TV.

#2 It’s Home to a Carnival-Themed Pool

We will often spend at least one full day of our Disney vacations lounging around the pool – and even after a really long day in the parks my kids are always asking for a night time dip in the pool, no matter how tired they are.

The main swimming pool at The Boardwalk Inn is really cute! The Luna Park Pool is designed to look like a carnival, complete with a 200ft-long waterslide. There are adorable elephants spouting water from their trunks for the kids to play under and there is even a kiddie pool for smaller children and a whirlpool spa for adults.

This is the perfect place to take the kids after a hot day in the parks or if you are like me and take a day in the middle of your trip to just relax. We often take a day in the middle of our trip to do some shopping in the morning. Then we go back to the resort and spend the rest of the day by the pool. It’s a nice way to keep relaxed on an otherwise busy trip.

Boardwalk Inn Activities

If pools aren’t your thing, there are plenty of other activities around this resort you may be interested in.

The Resort sits on Disney’s Boardwalk, a wonderful place to go and eat, shop, rent a bike or just sit and watch the view over the lake. There are also swan paddle boats for rent over at the Swan Resort and morning yoga on the Village Green.

There are several character meals within walking distance, including Rapunzel and friends at Trattoria al Forno, Mickey and Friends at Disney’s Beach Club Resort, and Chip, Dale, Pluto and Goofy over at the Swan Resort.

The resort also offers movies at night and campfire activities. The campfire activities are so fun!  The staff does an amazing job making sure every kid has a chance at roasting their own marshmallows.

#3 Boardwalk Inn is Home to some Creepy Curiosities

I don’t want to spoil any of the fun surprises for you, but take your time when exploring the lobby and various lounge spaces around the hotel. You just might find some interesting things that seem better suited to a Carnival attraction than a Disney hotel!

#4 Guests Can Access an Exclusive Club

Boardwalk’s Concierge Service is called the Innkeepr’s Club. The concierge service offers guests of those rooms plush robes, DVD players, nightly turn-down service, special food offerings and more… but best of all, concierge level guests have access to their own private lounge.

The lounge features several complimentary dining options throughout the day, starting with continental breakfast, then afternoon refreshments, “Tea and Sweets” in the late afternoon, Wine and Cheese just before supper and “Cordials and Desserts” in the evening.

The Concierge Lounge’s balcony is also one of the best spots to watch Epcot’s nightly fireworks.

#5 The Boardwalk Travels Back in Time Every Evening

Okay, maybe not literally, but the Boardwalk you see during the day is very different to the Boardwalk at night.

There are several old-fashioned carnival games set up to play, a 1940s-style dance hall (Atlantic Dance Hall, 21+), a duelling piano bar (Jellyrolls, 21+) along with plenty of carnival food for purchase and street performances and caricature artists.

Boardwalk Inn Dining

The most important aspect of any Disney vacation for me is the food!

Over at The Boardwalk Inn, there is a signature dining experience, Flying Fish. As a signature restaurant it does have a dress code and if you are on the Disney Dining Plan it will cost you two credits per meal, but I have heard many great things about this dining experience.

If signature dining isn’t your thing then don’t worry, The Boardwalk Inn has plenty of other options. There is a pizza window that people rave about, a poolside carousel-themed bar, and the Belle Vue Lounge which offers a continental breakfast and evening cocktails.

And let’s not forget there are many other restaurants located on The Boardwalk including:

• Trattoria al Forno
• Big River Grille and Brewing Works
• Boardwalk Bakery
• Ample Hills Creamy (try the butter cake ice cream)
• A Funnel Cake Cart
• a To-Go Cart
• ESPN Club

And we cannot forget to mention Boardwalk Joe’s Marvelous Margaritas, which also sell the famous Mickey pretzels. If you like margaritas I highly recommend stopping!

You are also steps away from all of the amazing dining options available at the Swan and Dolphin, Yacht Club and Beach Club Resorts.

Did you know all of these things about the Boardwalk Inn? I’d love to hear your experiences staying here if you’ve been!

And don’t forget to stop by WALT EXPRESS for more great tips and tricks on your upcoming vacations! Looking for ideas on how to enjoy a date night while in Disney? Check out this blog on Romantic Date Nights At Disney World.

A special THANKS to our friend Greg for some of the great pics featured in this post!

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