Boardwalk Studio Villa Mini-Fridge--Act as Freezer??

[SDSorority]

Hi all- do the Boardwalk Studio mini-fridges act as a freezer if they're set low enough? I'm bringing along food that I would like to keep frozen, but the little freezer compartment isn't going to be big enough on its own. Has anyone tried this??

 

[carlbarry]

I bring a lot of my own food due to religious dietary restrictions.
Disney has been replacing the mini-fridges with freezers with mini-fridges without freezers.
That being said, with either unit, my experience is that if you turn down the thermostat low enough, everything will freeze. To reach a happy medium where my liquids stay liquid, what I do is push items I want frozen against the refrigeration panel in the back of the fridge.
And last time I was there, I experimented with placing a rolled up newspaper against the items I wanted frozen, to keep the cool in. I had mixed success with that.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Hi all- do the Boardwalk Studio mini-fridges act as a freezer if they're set low enough? I'm bringing along food that I would like to keep frozen, but the little freezer compartment isn't going to be big enough on its own. Has anyone tried this??

They replaced the fridges during the renovation and there isn't any freezer compartment anymore.

 

[jo-jo]

That being said, with either unit, my experience is that if you turn down the thermostat low enough, everything will freeze. To reach a happy medium where my liquids stay liquid, what I do is push items I want frozen against the refrigeration panel in the back of the fridge.
.

In May, I had the fridge pretty low and water bottles against the coils but it still took 2-3 days to freeze bottles of water. Next trip I'm thinking of throwing a few frozen bottles in my luggage (well wrapped), so we have a head start on bottles for the park.

 

[SDSorority]

I bring a lot of my own food due to religious dietary restrictions.
Disney has been replacing the mini-fridges with freezers with mini-fridges without freezers.
That being said, with either unit, my experience is that if you turn down the thermostat low enough, everything will freeze. To reach a happy medium where my liquids stay liquid, what I do is push items I want frozen against the refrigeration panel in the back of the fridge.
And last time I was there, I experimented with placing a rolled up newspaper against the items I wanted frozen, to keep the cool in. I had mixed success with that.

I didn't realize there wouldn't be a freezer compartment anymore. But it's good to know that there's a glimmer of hope that I can turn it low enough to keep my frozen things frozen. My plan is to bring the food already frozen in a cooler with ice packs, and at the store pick up things like frozen fruits and veggies. I shouldn't need to get anything that needs to just be refrigerated from the store, only frozen. So maybe this will work after all!

 

[SDSorority]

In May, I had the fridge pretty low and water bottles against the coils but it still took 2-3 days to freeze bottles of water. Next trip I'm thinking of throwing a few frozen bottles in my luggage (well wrapped), so we have a head start on bottles for the park.

Good to know about the water bottles- was the fridge set to normal temperature or lower?

 

[carlbarry]

Good to know about the water bottles- was the fridge set to normal temperature or lower?

I've had bottled liquids on the door--which I would assume would be the warmest area in the fridge--freeze overnight. So when I went for my milk and OJ in the morning, they were both frozen!
I have also placed soft, flexible freezer packs against the back coils, and they remain frozen or will re-freeze if melted.

 

[n2mm]

As mentioned, some don't even have freezers now and the ones that do, seldom work. I've had my water bottles in the freezer for the entire stay and they never froze. I've had the frig turned down to the lowest most times and I'm happy that my stuff in the frig stays cold. So the old ones with freezers are on their last leg. We don't buy any freezer food for this reason. Once many years ago I had frig stuff freeze and freezer stuff not free....obviously a malfuntioning freezer. OP, if the freezer is important to you, I would suggest you upgrade to a 1 bedroom if available.

 

[SDSorority]

I've had bottled liquids on the door--which I would assume would be the warmest area in the fridge--freeze overnight. So when I went for my milk and OJ in the morning, they were both frozen!
I have also placed soft, flexible freezer packs against the back coils, and they remain frozen or will re-freeze if melted.

 

[CarolMN]

We were in a Pool/Garden studio and a Boardwalk view studio this past April. Both mini-fridges had freezer compartments, but they were small.

 

[Anal Annie]

I have had mixed results with the freezing in these new non-freezer compartment fridges. I hate that they got rid of the freezers as we always used them too. When we were at the Poly in June I had things freeze that I didn't WANT to freeze (ie cream cheese & margarine, diet coke) but had mixed results with freezing water bottles. I had some things freeze on the middle shelf and parts of the door. Very inconsistent.

 

[SDSorority]

We were in a Pool/Garden studio and a Boardwalk view studio this past April. Both mini-fridges had freezer compartments, but they were small.

That's what I was thinking was the case as well.

 

[carlbarry]

I hate that they got rid of the freezers as we always used them too.

Just FYI: when I first encountered the missing freezer section I contacted member services and complained that I needed the freezer section, as I brought a lot of my own food for religious dietary reasons. I got a quick reply. The answer was that members requested the lack of freezer section so as to make more room in the mini fridge.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Just FYI: when I first encountered the missing freezer section I contacted member services and complained that I needed the freezer section, as I brought a lot of my own food for religious dietary reasons. I got a quick reply. The answer was that members requested the lack of freezer section so as to make more room in the mini fridge.

Everything is always done per requests.

Of course if true, and not just a line, they forget that people who like the freezer aren't requesting it because it's already there!

 

[Donna M]

I've been going for years, and no one every asks me what I would request. Where are all those people?

 

[Anal Annie]

Just FYI: when I first encountered the missing freezer section I contacted member services and complained that I needed the freezer section, as I brought a lot of my own food for religious dietary reasons. I got a quick reply. The answer was that members requested the lack of freezer section so as to make more room in the mini fridge.

Then I guess I should send in my request FOR a freezer!!

 

[carlbarry]

Then I guess I should send in my request FOR a freezer!!

Oh yeah. And also tell them that you found a mini fridge with freezer section that costs the same, and runs at the same wattage, as the ones without a freezer section.
Want another laugh? I first encountered the freezer less fridges at VGF, when VGF had just opened. I went to concierge and complained. I was told that THEY were told that the middle shelf was the freezer section!
Yes, the middle shelf, made from wire, with a wire shelf above, somehow magically (Disney pixie dust?) would hold in colder air, just like an enclosed freezer section!
So I pulled out the unit and found the model number. Looked it up on the Internet. Surprisingly, the manufacturer's specs made no mention of a freezer section.

 

[gracelrm]

Just a though - for those of you needing freezer space in a studio, what about purchasing a Yeti cooler or a knock off brand? IIRC, they will keep things frozen for quite a while. If you were to pack your already frozen foods, perhaps they would stay frozen for a while during your stay. I don't know what types of things you bring that are frozen, but if it's frozen solid in one of those coolers, maybe it would remain frozen. Those coolers are rather expensive and bulky, but maybe you could borrow one from a friend to try for a trip before investing in one. I don't know if these coolers are popular all over the country, but they are definitely found all over the South. I'm sure you couldn't freeze water bottles while there, but if you packed water bottles already frozen, I believe they'd stay frozen a while.

 

[DougEMG]

I was just in a renovated studio room at BWV in APR/MAY and while the mini-fridge had a freezer compartment, the ice cream I placed in it didn't stay a solid, but melted.

 

[SDSorority]

Great tips everyone! Thank you!