Boardwalk ~ We are first timers!

[mrsgoose8]

Hey All! We are staying in Boardwalk for the first time in January! Looking for room recommendations, tips, all the insider info. We have never even visited the Boardwalk area before. What are your favorite things to do / and where to eat ! We are coming with our 3 small kids: 6, 4, and almost 1. This is also our babies first trip to Disney in general! Can't wait!
Thanks!

 

[Geomom]

Boardwalk is our favorite! We love the location, being able to walk to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios. I would suggest strollers for the 4 and 1 yr. olds though so they're not worn out from the walk. My youngest was allowed to have a stroller at Disney until she turned 6...she got to have it on the trip she turned 6, next trip was 6 mths later, no stroller, and she was fine.

Make time to enjoy the community hall with your kids--they have some free crafts (as well as fee crafts), coloring sheets, toys, board and video games, free air hockey and Ms. Pac Man/Galaga arcade game. The community hall is by the 'quiet' pool. Also enjoy the free night-time entertainment on the Boardwalk--magicians, etc.

What type of room do you have--pool/garden, standard, boardwalk? When my kids were little, we preferred first floor with our stroller as there is only 1 elevator at Boardwalk. Now that the kids are teen/tween, we prefer 'high floor' to have more of a view.

 

[mrsgoose8]

Oh thank you that is so good to know about elevators. I will request a first floor room!! We are staying standard bc we are cheap

 

[Geomom]

Oh thank you that is so good to know about elevators. I will request a first floor room!! We are staying standard bc we are cheap

I meant to say, only 1 set of 3 elevators, off the lobby. I would suggest first floor as you'll be able to just get out of any door vs. having to head to the elevators first as that will be backtracking if you're going to Hollywood Studios!

We're staying standard for the 1st time next month. One thing I've heard is that you don't want to be near the elevator/lobby as that is near the resort airline check-in outside--lots of noise from carts.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Oh thank you that is so good to know about elevators. I will request a first floor room!! We are staying standard bc we are cheap

Is that standard using DVC points or standard paying cash to Disney Reservation Center? What size villa did you reserve? If you reserved standard on points, you will face the front of the building. You won't want to be too close to the front (near the elevator) because you'll get the noise from the luggage transfer for Magical Express during the night. You'll want to be closer to the end of the corridor or on a higher floor.

If you reserved standard for cash through DRC, you'll be in the equivalent preferred view (pool, garden, water). The view of the leisure pool (not Luna Park) would be quieter for afternoon naps if you need those and to put the kids to sleep at night.

 

[NoleFan]

Try Trattoria al Forno for breakfast. It's a favorite of ours.

 

[jimmytammy]

We are at BWV now. If you are staying standard view, we like to ask for near tennis courts, gets you close to parking area if you are using vehicle, puts you halfway between HS and Epcot if walking, and gets you away from noise at night of BW. ESPN is fun to eat at but go early, or even lunch before a night time game happens. Gets crowded and wild then. Heard good things about restaurant that NoleFan mentioned, actually eating there 1st time tonight! Beach Club has Beaches N Cream, very good. I know you have little ones in tow, bear in mind, you can use boats to parks, just takes a little longer than walking to either park.

 

[Woodview]

You can take the free Boat Transport to Epcot & Hollywood Studios

Also you can use the boat to take you to the Lighthouse beach area.

Also another swim area is at the Boardwalk Hotel

At evening time there are Magicians entertaining visitors .... children are asked to " Help Out "

There are bikes for hire & other stuff to buy.

Bus transport to resorts is there as well .

 

[zebsterama]

Subscribing to the thread - our family is trying out BWV for the first time next summer. Thanks to all for sharing their advice/experiences.

We've stayed at BCV, but really enjoyed the board-walk for night-time strolls & eating at the Flying Fish was always great. I've had some of my best steak dinners there.
Too bad FF is going to be closed while we are there (if I'm not mistaken).

 

[imaginiff]

I would ask for "ground floor". You can push your stroller out by the "quiet pool" and head for Hollywood Studios. Or push it towards the Clown Pool area and either grab the boat to Epcot or take the "I can walk faster to Epcot" challenge. When you "beat the boat" to the back entrance to Epcot the line for "bag check" is quicker. However....make sure to keep the doors closed to the patio if you are on the ground floor. After all, you are in Florida. No matter how tempting it may be to "bring the outside in"....don't do that. I have seen all kinds of critters around the BWV. It is a good idea to keep ground floor patio doors closed.

If you have plans for Magic Kingdom...make sure your stroller will fold up easily and fit on the bus. Don't plan on dragging along all sorts of junk. OP, you said your youngest will be 1....it might be a better idea (if you plan on visiting MK) to use a taxi service if you need lots of baby things. But you will still have to pass thru the MK security check....can be a lengthy process.

The other option is to walk thru Epcot's back entrance and then walk to the front of Epcot and take the Monorail to the TTC (transportation and ticket center) and take the monorail to MK. Easier to get strollers on to the monorail.....but keep in mind different schedules for the monorails.

 

[Geomom]

However....make sure to keep the doors closed to the patio if you are on the ground floor. After all, you are in Florida. No matter how tempting it may be to "bring the outside in"....don't do that. I have seen all kinds of critters around the BWV. It is a good idea to keep ground floor patio doors closed.
.

I second that! The second we opened our patio door at BWV a small lizard ran in and hid under the sleeper sofa that my kids would be sleeping in that night. We never saw it again...so not sure 'where' it spent the rest of our vacation.

 

[mrsgoose8]

thnaks for the advise! we have brought a 1 uear old before (and he's now 4!) so we know about small strolelrs and packig light! I am an expert on that part bc i hate dealing with the stroller!!
Ground floor, Near Tennis courts sounds like a good thing to ask for so I will try that thank you!
We love beaches and cream and i hope to make it there this time as well! Thanks for the other recommendations as well!
We are staying on points with a standard view

 

[ParrotBill]

Welcome Home! We own most of our points at BWV and have been staying here for years. Our favorite room request is first floor facing quiet pool (don't spread that around or it will be harder to get it!) With little kids always speak with member services and request first floor for safety of young children. We did this until our daughter was 7 and we judged she was old enough not to climb the balcony rail or go out without telling us. If in a one bedroom with toddlers block off access to the stove and fridge if that's a concern.

There is a little kids shallow pool off to the back right of the main (clown) pool - not obvious to first timers. The leisure pool (formerly known as the quiet pool) is our favorite but it is over the head for little kids as is the main pool. But you can keep an eye on little ones more easily and contain them to the steps at the leisure pool more easily than at the main pool.

Buy stuff for breakfast and it makes mornings with little ones easier. Send someone to the Bakery for coffee and pastries is another good option. If you are not familiar with Garden Grocer, read up on the boards here, it's a great way to get some groceries delivered if you don't have a car.

When our daughter was little, we hired Fairy Godmothers to babysit once in a while. Our daughter (and niece and nephew when they went) loved them.

There is a 24 hour cafeteria over at The Dolphin if you have any needs. There are pharmacies that deliver if the kids (or dad) get sick on vacation (Moms never get sick, do they?)

If you want to rent a car for a day to go to the beach (Honeymoon State Park is wonderful with little kids), or get groceries, or eat cheap, I suggest Dollar (located across the street from Marketplace) or any area rental that has a shuttle to pick you up and drop you off.

Make sure you understand what you are supposed to have in your villa, and how housekeeping works when staying on points. These are often expectation problem areas for new owners.

Any questions, just ask!

 

[Julylady]

Our girls loved spending time in the Community Building doing crafts, drawing pictures, and just hanging out -- so you might want to give that a try. They also liked to walk along the Boardwalk at night and watch the street performers. They actually preferred that to going back to a theme park at night. Have a great trip!