Boardwalk Villas Tips and Tricks!

[BroadwayHermione5]

Hi all-hope you are all safe!
Thank you for all your help so far-my family and I appreciate it!

We are officially heading back to Orlando later this year and we booked the Boardwalk Villas-we are very excited as we have always wanted to stay at the Boardwalk, especially since it is close to EPCOT. While we will miss POR very much, we are ecstatic to stay someplace new!

So does anyone have any tips and tricks for the Boardwalk Villas. We know breakfast is a little hard to find but we do have the Bakery and trattoria al forno and I recall there being somewhere in the hotel. Where are the shops-I know we can send stuff home via the shop but where are they? Basically any info you all have we would greatly appreciate it!

Thank you and stay safe!

BroadwayHermione5

 

[toodycat]

Hi! We've only stayed at the BWV once. It was really fun. There are no restaurants on property. They used to have a continental breakfast in the Bellvue Lounge, but that isn't available during the pandemic. You can get some items at the Screen Door General Store on the Boardwalk, but I would definitely bring some food.

 

[Chuck S]

What? A Deluxe Resort with no restaurants? That seems odd. Google says the bakery and Trattoria al Forno are open, as well as the resort store are open for breakfast.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Hi! We've only stayed at the BWV once. It was really fun. There are no restaurants on property. They used to have a continental breakfast in the Bellvue Lounge, but that isn't available during the pandemic. You can get some items at the Screen Door General Store on the Boardwalk, but I would definitely bring some food.

I believe i read somewhere that Bellevue is reopening sometime in the summer so there is hope but thank you for this! We have heard great things about garden grocers, and as long as we have some breakfast and access to small containers of milk and juice to drink before we start our day (we have some habits we cant break lol) we are good!

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

What? A Deluxe Resort with no restaurants? That seems odd. Google says the bakery and Trattoria al Forno are open, as well as the resort store.

Yes and I read somewhere another restaurant and Bellevue are reopening but I think thats like in June! And yay resort store! May I ask where that is-we have eaten at Trattoria before and walked around but no more than to eat breakfast and enjoy a nice walk prior to mini golf at Fantasia Gardens.

 

[Chuck S]

I don't know, I've never stayed at BWV, and it has been a few years since I've met some other moderators there.

 

[Marionnette]

What? A Deluxe Resort with no restaurants? That seems odd. Google says the bakery and Trattoria al Forno are open, as well as the resort store are open for breakfast.

Technically, those locations are not inside the Boardwalk building. You have to go outside to the boardwalk to get to either of them.

I believe Big River Grille has also opened but it's not a breakfast restaurant. Breakfast can also be gotten at the Swan or Dolphin restaurants or YC & BC locations. It just depends on how far you want to walk for food.

 

[JWG]

We own at BWV and it's a favorite. Slowly the Boardwalk is coming back to life, though until the Inn side reopens everything may not. Food is coming back online slowly but they do have two TS restaurants open now (Big River Grille and Trattoria al Forno). We had Trattoria for the first time this last visit and it was great. We love Big River as well - it's like bar/grill.

The bakery is also outstanding (and has the refillable drink mugs) and you can get some quick serve items there.

They also have a walk-up pizza window to get take-out pies (not slices) which is unique and fun.

After that, it's an easy walk to Beach & Yacht if you want food there (Beaches and Cream) or to Swan and Dolphin.

When open we love the surrey bikes and the various little food and entertainment stands along the boardwalk.

And, I know everyone goes gaga for Stormalong Bay, but I like the pool at Boardwalk better. We don't have small kids so the beachy sand bottom kiddie pool isn't a thing for us and I think the Boardwalk slide is just as good.

 

[JWG]

Side note, my daughter and I walked over to the Boardwalk Inn during our last visit while walking around crescent lake. It was all sorts of "The Shining" vibe.
The hallways were roped off, everything was closed, but the background music was playing (and very audible since no people making noise over it).

It was a bit creepy.

 

[Shellyred8]

Hi all-hope you are all safe!
Thank you for all your help so far-my family and I appreciate it!

We are officially heading back to Orlando later this year and we booked the Boardwalk Villas-we are very excited as we have always wanted to stay at the Boardwalk, especially since it is close to EPCOT. While we will miss POR very much, we are ecstatic to stay someplace new!

So does anyone have any tips and tricks for the Boardwalk Villas. We know breakfast is a little hard to find but we do have the Bakery and trattoria al forno and I recall there being somewhere in the hotel. Where are the shops-I know we can send stuff home via the shop but where are they? Basically any info you all have we would greatly appreciate it!

Thank you and stay safe!

BroadwayHermione5

Trattoria al Forno has an excellent breakfast. I would recommend making an ADR for it if you want to go there. Yacht and Beach club also have some options for breakfast if you want to walk over there.

 

[Shamus]

It cracks me up when I hear people list "Needing to Walk Outside for Restaurants" as being a negative for BWV when the same holds true for all the other WDW DVC Resorts with the exception of Riviera, Wilderness, and the non-cabin rooms at Cooper Creek.

Unfortunately, Breakfast Variety has never been a strong suit at the Boardwalk.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

We own at BWV and love it. Not a lot of food options at the resort but within walking distance to 4 other resorts that do have lots of restaurants to offer, and so close to Epcot restaurants as well. You can’t beat the location. The boardwalk view is beautiful at night and we’ve had many villas with views of ToT. It’s a beautiful resort, I’m sure you’ll love it.

 

[heidijanesmith]

We stay at BWV every time we go. We love the hustle and bustle of the BW. We have not been since Covid, so I am not sure how the hustle and bustle is right now.
The location can not be beat. We love the ability to walk and enjoy all of the EPCOT resorts.
EPCOT is our favorite park, so being able to walk there in 5-8 min is wonderful!
We don't mind the walk to DS either, it's faster than taking the boat. The boat is easier on your feet!

We do not particularly care the the breakfast items, so we order groceries from gardengrocer.com. We have for years and have always had perfect service. There are breakfast items at the General Store and you can walk to the Speedway gas station. DH always goes there when we run out of beer

 

[skshain1020]

When we are in this area we will pick up some pastries at Boardwalk Bakery the night before and make coffee in the room. It gets us going. You can get milk and juice from the general store "screendoor" it's on the boardwalk and is easy to get in and out of.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Trattoria al Forno has an excellent breakfast. I would recommend making an ADR for it if you want to go there. Yacht and Beach club also have some options for breakfast if you want to walk over there.

We have been to Trattoria for breakfast and loved it-our window isn't open yet but we most likely will be trying to get there!

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

We stay at BWV every time we go. We love the hustle and bustle of the BW. We have not been since Covid, so I am not sure how the hustle and bustle is right now.
The location can not be beat. We love the ability to walk and enjoy all of the EPCOT resorts.
EPCOT is our favorite park, so being able to walk there in 5-8 min is wonderful!
We don't mind the walk to DS either, it's faster than taking the boat. The boat is easier on your feet!

We do not particularly care the the breakfast items, so we order groceries from gardengrocer.com. We have for years and have always had perfect service. There are breakfast items at the General Store and you can walk to the Speedway gas station. DH always goes there when we run out of beer

We love EPCOT too and boat transportation is a favorite of ours! We really aren't beer people but that is good to know haha! We might have to make a gardengrocer order but Im sure that is fine! Fingers crossed bellevue lounge might be open by then!

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

We own at BWV and love it. Not a lot of food options at the resort but within walking distance to 4 other resorts that do have lots of restaurants to offer, and so close to Epcot restaurants as well. You can’t beat the location. The boardwalk view is beautiful at night and we’ve had many villas with views of ToT. It’s a beautiful resort, I’m sure you’ll love it.

If we get a ToT view forget it my dad is just going to have pictures of that and only that haha!

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

It cracks me up when I hear people list "Needing to Walk Outside for Restaurants" as being a negative for BWV when the same holds true for all the other WDW DVC Resorts with the exception of Riviera, Wilderness, and the non-cabin rooms at Cooper Creek.

Unfortunately, Breakfast Variety has never been a strong suit at the Boardwalk.

Yeah our biggest issue is needing juice and milk to drink with medications- i've eaten the minnie animal crackers for breakfast before but then again I am used to not eating breakfast due to certain things with my job but we should be good!

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

We own at BWV and it's a favorite. Slowly the Boardwalk is coming back to life, though until the Inn side reopens everything may not. Food is coming back online slowly but they do have two TS restaurants open now (Big River Grille and Trattoria al Forno). We had Trattoria for the first time this last visit and it was great. We love Big River as well - it's like bar/grill.

The bakery is also outstanding (and has the refillable drink mugs) and you can get some quick serve items there.

They also have a walk-up pizza window to get take-out pies (not slices) which is unique and fun.

After that, it's an easy walk to Beach & Yacht if you want food there (Beaches and Cream) or to Swan and Dolphin.

When open we love the surrey bikes and the various little food and entertainment stands along the boardwalk.

And, I know everyone goes gaga for Stormalong Bay, but I like the pool at Boardwalk better. We don't have small kids so the beachy sand bottom kiddie pool isn't a thing for us and I think the Boardwalk slide is just as good.

I cannot wait to use the Boardwalk pool and get a drink from the Carousel bar! We know this trip is going to be different and we much prefer dinner at EPCOT or Disney Springs during this trip due to the location and our love for Homecomin". We have visited the resort a couple times prior to covid so we know what it can be like! Thank you so much!

 

[gatordoc]

Unfortunately, Breakfast Variety has never been a strong suit at the Boardwalk.

Well, I wouldn’t say never. The Spoodles breakfast buffet had amazing variety, and IMO was the best breakfast buffet ever offered on property. I miss it so...