We arrived to the resort early in the day, in hopes of being able to check in early, but with no expectation of being able to do so. As expected, our room was not available yet, but I had anticipated this and had a back-up plan in place. Manchester United were playing a pivotal match against rival Arsenal, and as luck would have it, the only place on Disney property to televise the match was located right at the Boardwalk...ESPN Club.
After having a bite of lunch at ESPN, and satisfied with my team's important win, we made our way to our room, as Disney's text message service had alerted me it was now ready. We reserved a "standard view studio," and while I had expected a lovely view of the parking lot, I was pleased to find our room had not only a nice view of the pool, but easy access to the walking path to Hollywood Studios as well.
As for the rooms, the studio happens to be the smallest room type at the resort, but the room is by no means small. They all feature a queen size bed and pull out sofa, as well as a wet bar area with fridge, microwave and toaster. For those needing more space, there are also one and two bedroom villas available, but given our trips are usually just the two of us, the studios prove to be plenty of space.
We spent the next four days lounging poolside with our favorite beverage, or lazily strolling Epcot's World Showcase. The nice thing about being local and visiting Disney as often as we do, is that we don't need much of an itinerary, and can instead just enjoy the resort and the time away.
There are many reasons for why I have come to love the Boardwalk. The first and foremost would have to be it's convenient location. Two of Disney's theme parks, Epcot and Hollywood Studios, are accessible either by boat or walking. We tend to spend most of our time in Epcot's World Showcase, and the ability to walk back to our room as opposed to taking a bus or driving is fantastic. While it seems that most take the boats as opposed to walking, my handy tip is to walk it. Trust me...You will arrive well before the boat does...
In addition to it's convenient location, there are many great options at the Boardwalk for dining and entertainment. There are four table service restaurants and a few counter service options available, and there is sure to be something to please even the pickiest of appetites. There are also 4 other resorts that surround Crescent Lake, which provide many more great options for dining, and are within a short walk. Wherever you choose to dine, however, skip dessert, as the Boardwalk Bakery serves up an array of sweets which can't be missed.
For those seeking a night out on the town, the Boardwalk also hosts two popular night spots. The first is Atlantic City Dance Hall, which features a DJ spinning dance favorites, in a nightclub style atmosphere. The other nightspot at the Boardwalk is Jellyrolls, which is a dueling piano bar featuring classic sing-a-long hits, and might possibly be my favorite place in all of Disney.
In a nutshell, the Boardwalk Villas has something for everyone, and in my opinion is the most well-rounded of all the Disney resorts. While this stay at the Boardwalk was our longest on record, it still went by way too fast and I'm ready to return. But that will have to wait for a while, given our many upcoming adventures over the summer.
Thankfully, the Epcot Food & Wine Festival will be here before we know it.
Enjoy Your Stay