Tips from a BoardWalk Villas Owner

The BoardWalk is easily my favorite DVC resort.  From its charming seaside theming and entertainment to its wonderful location near EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, the BoardWalk has a lot to love.  If you’re planning a stay at the BoardWalk, here are some tips on booking, getting around, and enjoying the resort.

Know Which Rooms Book Up First

Room Type

Like many DVC resorts, the Deluxe Studios at the BoardWalk book up first, and the One Bedroom Villas tend to be easier to book.  However, it is worth noting that the BoardWalk does not have any Two Bedroom Dedicated Villas.  Instead, all of them are Two Bedroom Lock-Off Villas.  This means that the availability of Two Bedroom Villas will depend on the availability of the Deluxe Studios.  

Booking Category

There are 3 different booking categories at the BoardWalk: Resort View, Preferred View, and Boardwalk View.  The Boardwalk View rooms offer the best views in the resort and face the boardwalk.  The Preferred View rooms have views of the garden or pool areas or the waterway.  The Resort View rooms offer views of the resort grounds like the porte cochère or parking areas but are enticing to those who wish to save points as these are the lowest point value rooms.  Due to their popularity and small room inventory, Boardwalk View and Resort View rooms book up first and typically disappear at the 11-month mark.  Preferred View rooms are a good back-up option since they make up the majority of the room inventory.  

One Bedroom Villa at BoardWalk Villas

Make the Most of the Transportation Options

Modes of Transportation

The BoardWalk has such a great location between EPCOT and Hollywood Studios!  You can walk or take the Friendship boats to either park, and if you really love the Skyliner, you could also walk from the BoardWalk and take the Skyliner from International Gateway at EPCOT to Hollywood Studios.  

Helpful Tips

If you are returning to the BoardWalk from Hollywood Studios via Friendship boat, it’s faster to get out at the Swan and Dolphin dock and walk the rest of the way to the BoardWalk than to stay on the boat.  The Friendship boat goes from Hollywood Studios to the Swan and Dolphin and then Yacht and Beach Club before heading to the BoardWalk.      

Being so close to Hollywood Studios has another perk: an easy means to resort hop beyond the Crescent Lake resorts.  This is a big help if you want to dine at other resorts.  Just walk or take the boat to Hollywood Studios and then take a bus to whichever resort you would like.     

Navigate the Resort with Ease

Shortcuts

The BoardWalk is known for having some very long hallways.  The good news is that there are some shortcuts.  If you are leaving from the lobby to walk to Hollywood Studios, consider taking the elevator to the first floor and walking through the Luna Park pool area and to the walkway to Hollywood Studios.  This way, you can avoid walking all the way to the end of the boardwalk and around Jellyrolls to get to the walkway.  Depending on the location of your room, you can also take the stairs down to the ground level to get to the walkway to Hollywood Studios instead of walking to the lobby first.

Getting Around with Strollers and ECVs

If you are at the resort with a stroller or an ECV, there are two sets of elevators that can take you down to the boardwalk.  There are elevators by the Villas side as well as one by the Belle Vue Lounge.  ECVs and strollers are welcome on the Friendship boats.  You’ll just have to board from the back of the boat.

Friendship boat

Don’t Overlook the Dining

The BoardWalk doesn’t have the most dining options, and its quick service locations (BoardWalk Deli and Carousel Coffee) can feel limited, but don’t miss Flying Fish and Trattoria al Forno.  At the signature restaurant Flying Fish, the potato-wrapped red snapper and plancha-seared scallops are superb.  Even if you don’t enjoy seafood, the char-crusted New York strip is a standout entree. 

For more casual dining, Trattoria al Forno serves Italian fare with breakfast entrees like sunrise breakfast pizza and al forno eggs for breakfast and lasagna and parmigiana di pollo for dinner.  

If ambiance is important to you, The Cake Bake Shop is a must-do!  Take in the ornate and whimsical decor as you enjoy breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, or even afternoon tea.

Enjoy Fireworks Even Without the BoardWalk View Room

Even though the BoardWalk View rooms are the ones with the best views of the fireworks in EPCOT, you can still view them from a couple of other locations if you are staying in a Preferred or Resort View room.  Preferred View rooms over the Village Green have a partial view of the boardwalk and therefore can offer partial fireworks views.  You can also walk to the end of the boardwalk by Atlantic Dance Hall to get a great vantage point for the larger fireworks.  The same goes for the bridge between the BoardWalk and Swan and Dolphin Hotels.  

Find listings for the BoardWalk Villas and all other available Disney Vacation Club resale listings, or learn more about buying and selling with DVC Resale Market.