(CLOSED) Disney's BOARDWALK INN and VILLAS Information Thread ~2012~

[MoonFaerie]

Woo-hoo! Just booked BWI CL for the Princess Half Marathon weekend. Can't wait! I love the Boardwalk, and I've always wanted to stay club level.

 

[WDWKOOK]

The BoardWalk's Luna Pool will be closed January 28 through early March. Shuttles will take BoardWalk guests who want to swim over to Stormalong Bay at the Yacht and Beach Club. Check with the Front Desk for times and current details.




The BoardWalk Bakery will undergo renovations from January 6 - April 26, 2013. The renovation will include a new entrance, queue area, and refillable mug station. When the bakery reopens, the menu will include soups, sandwiches, and salads. During the closure, some bakery goodies will be sold from a temporary tent set up outside on the boardwalk. You'll find the tent located between the BoardWalk To Go kiosk and BoardWalk Joe's Margarita Bar. The temporary location will offer a limited selection of pastries, sandwiches, snacks, and drinks, and will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. The Belle Vue Lounge, off of the hotel's main lobby, will still be open for continental breakfast as usual. For guests who are using refillable mugs, you'll still be able to pick up the mugs at the temporary tent location, or at Seashore Sweets, located adjacent to the Bakery. Guests can refill their mugs at the temporary location from 6:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. daily. After 11 a.m., refills will be available at the Boardwalk Pizza Window until midnight. Guests can also refill their mugs during these hours at Belle Vue Lounge, Seashore Sweets, and Leaping Horse. (Note also that Leaping Horse will also be closed during a scheduled pool renovation from January 28 through early March.)

From: The latest AllEars Newsletter.

 

[gometros]

Awesome!!!

We're heading back to BWI in early May....just called and added another night on the front of our trip so we can fly down, settle in, then wake up in the World!

We do that too, I work half a day and then catch an afternoon flight. We're going in May too, which we do every year. Planning for a May trip gets me through the cold winter.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Shorter trip for us this time around, so we're just planning dinners at Bistro de Paris (now the silly named Monsieur Paul..just doesn't quite roll off the tongue...) Artist Point (where we have not eaten before) and Le Cellier. I'm torn right now on how to handle the night we arrive (flight lands at 7:15, town car service to resort) and don't really want to make an ADR, but I REALLY want to go to Raglan Road... so maybe a late dinner for the two of us.

Is May good? I'm torn... our last two trips were supposedly quiet times (Feb and Oct) but were more crowded than September the year before.... then again, I think that September trip spoiled us....

Our last trip (Oct for F&W) we stayed at BWI CL and had a very good experience. I'm going to give it another shot this time since we got such a good discount on the trip. While I adore SAB and won't go near the clown pool, I really like how much smaller BWI is... less of a hike to get to our room!

Did you have problems w/ CL? Is there a TR I could read up on to get that info? They really seem to be hit or miss anymore in WDW!

Let's 'acronymize' Monsieur Paul to MP - I agree with you, what were they thinking? Ratatouilles maybe, but not Monsieur Paul. We last dined at Artist Point in August and we weren't as happy with our meal and service as we were in the past, but I know many love it, so don't let our experience dissuade you.

If your flight doesn't even land till 7:15 and then you have to get out of the airport and drive to BWI, it could be after 8:30 before you even arrive. I'm not a late-night European style diner, so eating dinner after 9 wouldn't be so fun. Have you considered something on the BW or Epcot? Is it an Epcot PM EMH night?

Here's the link to my April 2012 BWI/CL review:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2908723

Woo-hoo! Just booked BWI CL for the Princess Half Marathon weekend. Can't wait! I love the Boardwalk, and I've always wanted to stay club level.

You're going to love it! Have fun planning

 

[Sandi]

A question on a different thread got me thinking about exits from the building. Are there exits from the building that are not the "main" entrance? I'm sure there are ways to get out of the building, but are they just fire exits? Like if you are in one of the wings away from the main entrance, can you get out and walk across the grounds or parking area to kind of short cut to the DHS walkway? I hope I'm making sense.

Thanks!

 

[dis-happy]

A question on a different thread got me thinking about exits from the building. Are there exits from the building that are not the "main" entrance? I'm sure there are ways to get out of the building, but are they just fire exits? Like if you are in one of the wings away from the main entrance, can you get out and walk across the grounds or parking area to kind of short cut to the DHS walkway? I hope I'm making sense.

Thanks!

Yes! The best thing booking BWV standard view is you can pop right out on the walkway that leads to DHS (just past the Community Hall). There are also doors that exit to the quiet pool and the Clown Pool. I'm not big on elevators anyway, and so find the many stairways at BW very convenient.

 

[nascargirl]

Heading to BWI CL 5/23-6/2 with SFBANK and family.

 

[jackemail]

Heading to BWI CL 5/23-6/2 with SFBANK and family.

Well, drat, nascargirl! Just missing you at BWI....we'll be there (finally) on June 4. Shame to just miss y'all by 2 days.

 

[Sandi]

Yes! The best thing booking BWV standard view is you can pop right out on the walkway that leads to DHS (just past the Community Hall). There are also doors that exit to the quiet pool and the Clown Pool. I'm not big on elevators anyway, and so find the many stairways at BW very convenient.

Thanks for the info. We are actually BWI standard for this trip. I'm glad to know we can find stairs and exits!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[juljas]

Does anyone know if you can not use the sofa bed and instead get a rollaway?

 

[nascargirl]

What a bummer Jackemail. I am glad to see that you are able to return. I know it has been a while for all of you.

 

[WDWKOOK]

On select dates between now and January 25th, the Boardwalk Resort is conducting a new guest experience, the BoardWalk Ballyhoo Guided Tour!

This free 35 minute guided tour explores the history of the original boardwalk in Atlantic City that inspired our Disney Imagineers and showcases the artifacts, distinct period artwork and architecture unique to Disneys BoardWalk Resort.

The tour is offered:
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday - December 26, 27 and 28,
Monday, Tuesday and Friday from January 07 through January 25.

The tour starts at 2PM and meets at the Belle Vue Lounge

This is a testing period for the tour to see if it might become a regular offering.

http://land.allears.net/blogs/debwills/2012/12/boardwalk_ballyhoo_guided_tour_1.html

 

[jenneth79]

We love the beginning of May. Although I've heard that September is the slowest time, so if you will be comparing it to that I'm not sure how busy it is.

We will be there April 29th-May 7th staying CL at BWI, what are you dates?

We will be there May 10-15th. Of all the times I've been to Disney, I've never done May, so this will be a fun experiment. I like the idea of longer days / more daylight - plus it pushes Wishes to later in the evening when we can catch them after a nice dinner!

We do that too, I work half a day and then catch an afternoon flight. We're going in May too, which we do every year. Planning for a May trip gets me through the cold winter.

Last week it was great planning the trip - though this week I can't believe how warm it has been! Winter is so confusing anymore.... half the time it's 20, the other half 60 outside!

Let's 'acronymize' Monsieur Paul to MP - I agree with you, what were they thinking? Ratatouilles maybe, but not Monsieur Paul. We last dined at Artist Point in August and we weren't as happy with our meal and service as we were in the past, but I know many love it, so don't let our experience dissuade you.

If your flight doesn't even land till 7:15 and then you have to get out of the airport and drive to BWI, it could be after 8:30 before you even arrive. I'm not a late-night European style diner, so eating dinner after 9 wouldn't be so fun. Have you considered something on the BW or Epcot? Is it an Epcot PM EMH night?

Here's the link to my April 2012 BWI/CL review:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2908723

Thanks for the link! I have to agree with you on the CL layout being my least favorite aspect of BWI. We were lucky enough to be within the doors (right across the hallway from the lounge, actually) and sound on the boardwalk itself was pretty light - but I wonder if that has more to do with F&W drawing all the crowds more than better window seals.

My DH and I are pretty good about late dinners, we're thinking this might be the perfect opportunity to finally spend some time at Raglan Road. I was also considering Epcot, but it's not worth paying another park ticket day just to have dinner in the park. Flying Fish was not a great experience for us last time, and while I love Yachtsman, I'm thinking something "more simple" will work for us.

Then again, the reality will probably be me getting to the hotel room exhausted and ordering a pizza!!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Does anyone know if you can not use the sofa bed and instead get a rollaway?

DVC will not provide any rollaways. They don't have any.

 

[JessiBelle22]

The sofa beds, are they comfortable? Someone mentioned, I read somewhere, that it wasn't comfortable at all, and very small.

I haven't seen a picture of the sofa bed pulled out as a bed. Would anyone happen to have a photo of it? Just wondering what the room space looks like when it's pulled out, and how in general what the "bed" would look like. Haven't stayed in a room with a sofa bed.

September 2013 WDW!

 

[elgerber]

The sofa beds, are they comfortable? Someone mentioned, I read somewhere, that it wasn't comfortable at all, and very small.

I haven't seen a picture of the sofa bed pulled out as a bed. Would anyone happen to have a photo of it? Just wondering what the room space looks like when it's pulled out, and how in general what the "bed" would look like. Haven't stayed in a room with a sofa bed.

September 2013 WDW!

I do not have any pics, but the Villa sofa beds are very comfortable, they are not your typical sofa beds at all. They are queen size.

 

[Missyrose]

I do not have any pics, but the Villa sofa beds are very comfortable, they are not your typical sofa beds at all. They are queen size.

If you're staying in a studio, the sofa bed will be a full, not a queen (I believe).

 

[JessiBelle22]

I do not have any pics, but the Villa sofa beds are very comfortable, they are not your typical sofa beds at all. They are queen size.

We're staying in a standard room, with a sofa bed. I'm guessing, maybe not much of a difference between the villas sofa beds, and standard rooms?? But thank you, for your response!

September 2013 WDW!

 

[Kerrio929]

We're staying in a standard room, with a sofa bed. I'm guessing, maybe not much of a difference between the villas sofa beds, and standard rooms?? But thank you, for your response!

September 2013 WDW!

We stayed in a standard inn side room and the sofa bed was more twin looking. The back of the sofa rolled forward to make the bed instead of the traditional folded up full size bed. We never slept on it but it seemed comfy when we checked it out

 

[HARASW]

On select dates between now and January 25th, the Boardwalk Resort is conducting a new guest experience, the BoardWalk Ballyhoo Guided Tour!

This free 35 minute guided tour explores the history of the original boardwalk in Atlantic City that inspired our Disney Imagineers and showcases the artifacts, distinct period artwork and architecture unique to Disneys BoardWalk Resort.

The tour is offered:
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday - December 26, 27 and 28,
Monday, Tuesday and Friday from January 07 through January 25.

The tour starts at 2PM and meets at the Belle Vue Lounge

This is a testing period for the tour to see if it might become a regular offering.

http://land.allears.net/blogs/debwills/2012/12/boardwalk_ballyhoo_guided_tour_1.html

I just got back a few hours ago, and I wanted to share some information about the tour. I was glad to see that a post was already here.

This tour will only be given, for now, in January and will resume in March. Anyone who is interested, should check at the front desk to be sure that the tour will be given on the planned days of the week. This week, the days were changed. No notice was given and the flyers still had the original days listed. It was only by chance, that I was speaking with a cast member and she mentioned the change to me.

My group was made up of 15 guests, which seemed to be the largest group, yet. It was a fun, curious group and we enjoyed each other's company and questions. The tour was given by a CL CM who is sweet and spoke making sure that everyone could hear her. I won't give too many details. I will say that it was a nice, 25 minute tour. I did learn a few things that I didn't know. But, for those like me, who are very familiar with the hotel, I don't know if I would recommend it, the way it is given now.

At the end of the tour, we were given some ice cream samples at the sweet shop on the Boardwalk. We were also given a survey to fill out, which will help them decide the best time to give the tour and what information needs to be changed to make the tour better.

All in all, if you have some free time, take the tour.