WDWParrothead
06-21-2013, 06:08 PM
Prior to this particular stay, the Boardwalk had always been a part of the scenery for me, albeit an extremely nice part of the scenery. In fact, the Boardwalk Resort Area is one of my absolute favorite areas in all of WDW, particularly at night when everything is lit up and festive. Despite all of this, I never felt inclined to actually stay at the Boardwalk, instead staying at almost every other resort around the lake. (I'm a bit of a Disney purist, so I've always left out the Swan and Dolphin). Admittedly, the YC is my favorite and usually got my vote.
I think I assumed the Boardwalk was going to be noisy, crowded, and the rest of the resort would take a backseat to all of the activity on the Boardwalk itself. Wow, was I ever wrong.
Even if you aren't staying here, it is worth taking a walk around the grounds. Everything is immaculate and much more expansive than you probably expect, especially if you are like me and never ventured past the lobby. The areas around the quiet pools are beautifully landscaped and very quiet, despite being on the other side of the Boardwalk. The grounds in this area (on the Inn side) remind me of a grand Southern Manor, which I never expected.
The pool area has some really beautiful and established trees that have some of the best shade you could ask for. I did not expect this and had a great time lounging by the pool.
The Belle Vue Lounge is one of the best themed hotel bars/lounges at WDW. They really nailed this one, with the period pieces and the furniture. Great place to relax and unwind, especially on the balcony.
The rooms are extremely nice and have a cozy feel to them. Might seem silly, but I can see why they chose to call it the Boardwalk "Inn" and not "Resort" after seeing the rooms (hopefully that made sense). The beds are especially nice.
The CMs at the BW kept the place beautiful. Nothing was out of place or dirty the whole time we were there.
There are only a few negative things I discovered about staying here. First, a lot of folks have said the hallways are very long. They are. And then some. For most people, it ends up becoming pretty funny about how far you have to walk to get to your room from the lobby. Not a deal breaker though, especially since there will be a very nice room waiting for you at the end. However, a word of caution for anyone with mobility issues- it would really benefit you to request a room close to the lobby if you think you'll need it.
Second, if it is raining it becomes almost impossible to grab food and/or drink without getting wet because you have to go outside to access any of the restaurants. The Belle Vue Lounge is the only food area that is totally accessible from indoors. Having everything outside makes for a great fit with the Boardwalk theme, just make sure you have a umbrella handy (or ponchos).
Third, and this one may be trivial for some or downright terrifying for others. And that is the infamous clown slide. (Disclaimer: I hate clowns). My issue isn't with the person who came up with the idea for the clown slide, my issue is with the person who went the extra step and decided to have the clown's eyes light up at night. That's right...THE EYES LIGHT UP AT NIGHT! So just a friendly heads up- especially if it's your first night there, you decide to have a few drinks watching Illuminations and then expect to have a calm walk back to your room and you hate clowns- you're in for a rude awakening (like me!). More funny than a true complaint about the place. It's just perplexing to me that the themed slides at WDW Deluxe Pools include a volcano (cool), a pirate ship (even cooler), and a clown's mouth. Oh well, I'm guessing they kept that one from Eisner when the Boardwalk was built.
All in all, I felt I've overlooked a really cool resort for a long time. It is definitely worth considering, especially if you're like me and always go the YC/BC route. (Don't get me wrong, the YC is still my favorite). Hope you enjoyed, just felt sharing after a long work week!
I think I assumed the Boardwalk was going to be noisy, crowded, and the rest of the resort would take a backseat to all of the activity on the Boardwalk itself. Wow, was I ever wrong.
Even if you aren't staying here, it is worth taking a walk around the grounds. Everything is immaculate and much more expansive than you probably expect, especially if you are like me and never ventured past the lobby. The areas around the quiet pools are beautifully landscaped and very quiet, despite being on the other side of the Boardwalk. The grounds in this area (on the Inn side) remind me of a grand Southern Manor, which I never expected.
The pool area has some really beautiful and established trees that have some of the best shade you could ask for. I did not expect this and had a great time lounging by the pool.
The Belle Vue Lounge is one of the best themed hotel bars/lounges at WDW. They really nailed this one, with the period pieces and the furniture. Great place to relax and unwind, especially on the balcony.
The rooms are extremely nice and have a cozy feel to them. Might seem silly, but I can see why they chose to call it the Boardwalk "Inn" and not "Resort" after seeing the rooms (hopefully that made sense). The beds are especially nice.
The CMs at the BW kept the place beautiful. Nothing was out of place or dirty the whole time we were there.
There are only a few negative things I discovered about staying here. First, a lot of folks have said the hallways are very long. They are. And then some. For most people, it ends up becoming pretty funny about how far you have to walk to get to your room from the lobby. Not a deal breaker though, especially since there will be a very nice room waiting for you at the end. However, a word of caution for anyone with mobility issues- it would really benefit you to request a room close to the lobby if you think you'll need it.
Second, if it is raining it becomes almost impossible to grab food and/or drink without getting wet because you have to go outside to access any of the restaurants. The Belle Vue Lounge is the only food area that is totally accessible from indoors. Having everything outside makes for a great fit with the Boardwalk theme, just make sure you have a umbrella handy (or ponchos).
Third, and this one may be trivial for some or downright terrifying for others. And that is the infamous clown slide. (Disclaimer: I hate clowns). My issue isn't with the person who came up with the idea for the clown slide, my issue is with the person who went the extra step and decided to have the clown's eyes light up at night. That's right...THE EYES LIGHT UP AT NIGHT! So just a friendly heads up- especially if it's your first night there, you decide to have a few drinks watching Illuminations and then expect to have a calm walk back to your room and you hate clowns- you're in for a rude awakening (like me!). More funny than a true complaint about the place. It's just perplexing to me that the themed slides at WDW Deluxe Pools include a volcano (cool), a pirate ship (even cooler), and a clown's mouth. Oh well, I'm guessing they kept that one from Eisner when the Boardwalk was built.
All in all, I felt I've overlooked a really cool resort for a long time. It is definitely worth considering, especially if you're like me and always go the YC/BC route. (Don't get me wrong, the YC is still my favorite). Hope you enjoyed, just felt sharing after a long work week!