boardwalk pro and cons

[emmababy]

We bought into boardwalk, but next March will be our first trip there. I had a couple of questions

1) Is there only one pool?
2) Are all the rooms accessed only by the inside, like a hotel?
3) How are the beds? We just got back from OKW, and the beds were HORRIBLE!
4) Are there no quick service places? We like to hang out by the pool and grab a quick bite.
5) Are they closing ESPN?

Thanks!!!

 

[starbox]

We bought into boardwalk, but next March will be our first trip there. I had a couple of questions

1) Is there only one pool?
2) Are all the rooms accessed only by the inside, like a hotel?
3) How are the beds? We just got back from OKW, and the beds were HORRIBLE!
4) Are there no quick service places? We like to hang out by the pool and grab a quick bite.
5) Are they closing ESPN?

Thanks!!!

1. I believe there are quiet pools, but we only used the main one.
2. Yes.
3. I thought the beds were okay.
4. There are not quick service places with indoor seating, but Spoodles has a pizza window, there are carts that sell food, and there's a bakery that sells food. It's not inconvenient to get to the fod from the pool, but you do have to walk along the boardwalk.
5.

We were in a BW-view studio at BWV and thought the pros and cons were as follows:

Pros: Great, great, great views. Friendly, happy resort. The atmosphere made you feel like you were inside a themepark at all times. Boardwalk entertainment was really neat - the whole atmosphere at night was great. Easy walk into the WS at EPCOT for dining.

Cons: It was loud late at night (we were close to Atlantic Dance Hall and they partied!), small rooms/balconies/tvs/no dvd players, main pool lacks adequate seating around the pool for parents than need to watch their kids.
Inconvenient bus service to and from AK.

The fact that WS is so close made the lack of a CS with indoor-seating a non-issue with us.

 

[jekjones1558]

There are 2 quiet pools, one on the BW Inn side, one along the canal, kind of behind the main pool.
I remember reading something about ESPN moving to DTD West Side, I think, but don't know the timeline or whether this is for certain. Hopefully someone else with a better memory will post.

 

[emmababy]

Do the quick service food vendors, or Spoodles window, accept DDP? That will decide whether we do DDP or not for our next trip? Any suggestions on rooms or floors to stay? We are doing a standard view and need quiet for the little one for sleep?
Thanks!

 

[starbox]

Do the quick service food vendors, or Spoodles window, accept DDP? That will decide whether we do DDP or not for our next trip? Any suggestions on rooms or floors to stay? We are doing a standard view and need quiet for the little one for sleep?
Thanks!

I'm pretty sure the Spoodles pizza window and bakery accept DDP - I don't think the free-standing carts did.

I'd request away from Atlantic Dance Hall - that was the only real source of late-night noise. When I was getting DD8's hairwrapped on the boardwalk around 10pm, the hairwrapping girl asked where the noise was coming from because it sounded like a bar. I told her that jellyrolls and Atlantic Dance Hall were both age-restricted bars. I was not even paying attention to the music at the time, but when I stopped to pay attention, they were playing AC/DC "You Shook Me All Night Long" and I said her "yikes - those are not very Dinsey magical lyrics!" We both started laughing. There's something about Disney and AC/DC that just does not quite fit.

 

[goofy4tink]

We bought into boardwalk, but next March will be our first trip there. I had a couple of questions

1) Is there only one pool?
2) Are all the rooms accessed only by the inside, like a hotel?
3) How are the beds? We just got back from OKW, and the beds were HORRIBLE!
4) Are there no quick service places? We like to hang out by the pool and grab a quick bite.
5) Are they closing ESPN?

Thanks!!!

I love BWV, that's where we own all our points.

1) There are two quiet pools. I've never been to the one on the Inn side, but I love the one over by the Community Hall.

2) Yes, the rooms are accessed along the hallways. I would imagine that if you have ground level room you could go out that way, but it would be impossible to lock the door behind you.

3) I have found the beds to be wonderful. The new sofa beds are incredibly comfy!!

4) The lack a 'grab and go' area is the only thing I don't like about BW. They put in one such area at BCV and it's wonderful. You can grab a sandwich, ice cream, soda, coffee, desserts. But at BW we don't have that type facility. The pool snack bar used to have more to eat but they stopped that awhile ago. Sure wish they would do something along that line.

5) I have heard they are moving ESPN but not in the immediate future. I'm not sure when.

 

[goofy4tink]

Do the quick service food vendors, or Spoodles window, accept DDP? That will decide whether we do DDP or not for our next trip? Any suggestions on rooms or floors to stay? We are doing a standard view and need quiet for the little one for sleep?
Thanks!

Ooops, sorry...forgot to answer that one.
I don't believe any of the 'window' areas qualify for DDP, but I could be wrong. I don't use them, so have no experience with that. You can use DDP inside Spoodles and at the Bakery.
I'm not at all familier with the standard villas, but I like to be on a higher floor, towards the end of a hallway....it's much quieter. I know most people like to be by the elevators, but there is then a lot of foot traffic going past your door and it can get noisy.

 

[Pete W.]

4) The lack a 'grab and go' area is the only thing I don't like about BW. They put in one such area at BCV and it's wonderful. You can grab a sandwich, ice cream, soda, coffee, desserts. But at BW we don't have that type facility. The pool snack bar used to have more to eat but they stopped that awhile ago. Sure wish they would do something along that line.

The Boardwalk Bakery does have some 'grab and go' items including sandwiches, salads, fruit platters and of course cookies and other baked goods: http://www.allears.net/menu/menu_bb.htm.

 

[jekjones1558]

According to this link about the Dining Plan:
http://www.wdwig.com./pl/packages07a.htm#rest
the Boardwalk Bakery and Boardwalk Joe's are the only 2 BWV counter service options. BW Joe's is kind of a coffee bar but we like the selection at the bakery (not as many options as BCV Marketplace, but good nonetheless).

 

[Mtnman44]

Aren't there outside stairways along the building which could be used for coming and going?

 

[crisi]

Yes, there are stairways - stairwells inside the building that exit by the pools. I haven't found any that exit onto the Boardwalk or the drive myself - just the "back" of the resort.

My husband doesn't like the beds - but he is a picky bed person. I've been fine.

The pool over on the Inn side is tucked into the gardens. Its really beautiful over there and often very peaceful as well. Its one of those "secret spots." The main BW pool is about as different from that as it gets and the DVC side community pool is sort of in between.

 

[MissMet]

From what I understand the ESPN zone moving to DTD is nothing but a rumor & not official. So if it is true I think it will be a while.

The rumor I heard was that they are closing Disney Quest & moving the ESPN Zone into the existing DQ building.

 

[disneydiz]

We were at BWV last Easter and they had just put in the new foam mattress on the sleeper sofa -- very, very comfy! The king-size bed also had a new mattress. The main pool area leaves a lot to be desired...not enough chairs.
We usually book a Std 1-bedroom and quite often have been assigned lower-level...the door to go outside is right by the bridge of the valet parking lot. Its nice and close to the bus stop and the parking -- no need to go thru the lobby. BWV needs a quick-service food place just like they have at BCV.

 

[sorul82?]

I didn't like the lack of a food court or at least a grab and go of some sort. The bakery offered two sandwiches I think, and dessert. Not exactly grab n go.

 

[Magic4Four]

Just got back from our first trip to BWV.

The main pool was very busy but there were plenty of chairs. The quiet pool near Community Hall was just that - quiet. Very few kids except for my own.

The lack of food was a bit of an issue. Leaping Libations at the main pool sells two premade sandwiches that are not on the DDP. If you want something to eat while at the pool, best bet is to go onto the boardwalk, get it and bring it with you to the pool. Once your at either pool, it is quite a walk to get a "quick bite." I also remember some of the carts not being open during the day. You can get a few frozen items and drinks at the gift shop on the boardwalk and some sandwiches at the bakery too.

We were in the absolute last room on the ground floor - 1002. The distance from the room to the elevator is almost comical. And just when you think you have reached the end - yet another turn into another long hallway! If you make any room request, make it near the elevator if that could be an issue for you. You need to get to the elevator if you want to go out through the lobby for anything. You really can't go out through your patio doors either because there is no way to lock them behind you. Ours had bushes in front of it anyway.

Don't know about the ESPN club. The noise from the boardwalk clubs at night was a non-issue. The only thing we actually heard were some people in the room next to us at night talking quite loudly.

Mom and DD4 slept on the sofa and said that it wasn't too bad. There are no bars that come across the mattress. The foam pullout at SSR was much more comfortable however - sort of like a TempurPedic.

The resort is very pretty and everyone there was pleasant and helpful. Our wing seemed to have gone under recent refurbishment as the room looked brand new, smelled like fresh paint in the hallway too. We stayed in a 1 bedroom and it was just wonderful.

Hope this helped. Have a great trip.

 

[kimpossible]

Love the turkey panini (sp) from the boardwalk bakery. It is rather large, comes with a drink, choice of chips or cucumber salad (at least when we were there is May) and a dessert if you are on the DDP. You can't beat the Bakery's desserts. I recommend the tiramasu. On most days, DH and I split the sandwhich and chips and saved the dessert for later.

They also had at least on or 2 other sandwhiches and a chicken ceasar salad. I know they had uncrustables for the kids as well.

A good value on the DDP. Pick it up before heading to the pool and then eat it there.

Kim

 

[Parkhopper13]

From what I understand the ESPN zone moving to DTD is nothing but a rumor & not official. So if it is true I think it will be a while.

The rumor I heard was that they are closing Disney Quest & moving the ESPN Zone into the existing DQ building.

I hope they don't close DQ...it is one of my favorite places in the whole world!!! Do you hear that Iger...I love Disney Quest!!!

 

[luvthattink]

We too are heading to the BWV in Sept. for our first DVC stay. We own at SSP and of course toured those villas, but have only seen and gathered info on BWV via this great site!!! Thanks to everyone for their opinions, its so helpful to us newbies!!! We love visiting the boardwalk and do so everytime we're down, so we're anxious to see how it is to stay there!!!

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

We took our 1st trip home to BWV in April.

Absolute best location in Disney World!

Question:

When I peeked in at the Belle Vue lounge one evening, there were a lot of people in there, it looked really lively and I wasn't in the mood. After seeing photos on allears, I somehow thought it would be empty.

Does anybody have any experience with the Belle Vue Lounge. What is it like? Does the atmosphere change at some point during the day?

 

[crisi]

We took our 1st trip home to BWV in April.

Absolute best location in Disney World!

Question:

When I peeked in at the Belle Vue lounge one evening, there were a lot of people in there, it looked really lively and I wasn't in the mood. After seeing photos on allears, I somehow thought it would be empty.

Does anybody have any experience with the Belle Vue Lounge. What is it like? Does the atmosphere change at some point during the day?

I've never seen it lively, usually I stop in for drinks to go and its me and the bartender, maybe a couple other people sitting around - and this is usually in the evening.