BWI/BC- walking to parks with little kids?

[JJsmama]

I am considering trying BWI or BC for our next trip. My older two boys will be teens but my youngest will be 5. Since the main way to/ from Epcot from these resorts is walking through WS, Is it too much walking for little legs? He will be at that stage where he will be too big for stroller/ but easily tired.

Does anyone have experience with kids this age and the walking to/from Epcot and HS? Would you recommend it?

 

[PHLtoMCO]

Yes, we stayed at BWV with my DD when she was 5 and it was absolutely fine. I wouldn't recommend the walk to HS with a 5-year old but Epcot is super close.

 

[mickeynut1]

I agree with the pp. For DHS I would take the boat as the walk is about 15-20 minutes depending on your pace, but Epcot is super close and the walk is only about 5 minutes .

 

[TaraPA]

Ditto on the above. You know your child's threshold for walking - it's farther to DHS than it is to Epcot. Also the walk to Epcot has lots to stop & see & do on the way, the walk to DHS once you're out of BWI is just a concrete sidewalk along the water - my kids are alway bored on that walk & complaining til we get to DHS! Also I wouldn't recommend the walk to DHS if it's hot out - we did that once - never again!

 

[Mousemommy1]

I am considering trying BWI or BC for our next trip. My older two boys will be teens but my youngest will be 5. Since the main way to/ from Epcot from these resorts is walking through WS, Is it too much walking for little legs? He will be at that stage where he will be too big for stroller/ but easily tired.

Does anyone have experience with kids this age and the walking to/from Epcot and HS? Would you recommend it?

We haven't stayed at an Epcot resort...yet...but our 5 year old (who is 42 inches and all of 33 lbs) was fine walking from BC to DHS after we boated over there to check it out, and this was in the heat of July.

But, you know your child best. We made it through our 11 day trip with no strollers.

 

[Dizzytime]

I think it's a great idea.
No matter where you stay you still have to get to the parks, and compared to driving, parking then walking, or even taking the bus and then walking, I think you're much better off with that very short walk to WS and boat ride to HS.
Besides less time on your feet, you'll have the opportunity to go back to the room and and rest more easily and more frequently. It's so convenient, and so beautiful to stay at the Epcot resorts!

 

[FantasiaMagic]

The walk to EPCOT is amazing!!! The walk is less than 5 mins!!!!! The EPCOT resorts are great for that reason. The HS walk I hear is like 25 mins. Your little ones might get tired. You can also take a boat to HS. I think it takes less time then walking - all I know is that it is very slow.

 

[Marthasor]

If your DS can walk around EP, he will certainly be able to walk from BC or BWI into EP. Walking from those resorts is pretty much the equivalent of walking from the buses into AK or from the monorail/buses to MK. Yes, take the boat to DHS!

 

[pixarmom]

I am considering trying BWI or BC for our next trip. My older two boys will be teens but my youngest will be 5. Since the main way to/ from Epcot from these resorts is walking through WS, Is it too much walking for little legs? He will be at that stage where he will be too big for stroller/ but easily tired.

Does anyone have experience with kids this age and the walking to/from Epcot and HS? Would you recommend it?

Our boys are ages 5, 12 and 13 and we LOVE BC and BWI. We have APs and we've been going to WDW at least twice a year in recent years. We usually stay in the Epcot resort area, and we have lots of experience walking to both Epcot and DHS from both BC/YC and BWI. As you can see from my signature, we'll return to BC with our boys next month and then we'll stay at BWI in January - we prefer BC overall, but think both are really convenient.

We always walk to/from Epcot without a problem. For DHS, I love to walk, but we usually just do the walk in the morning and then I have to compromise and take the boat on the way back in the afternoon. I let our 5-year-old decide in April of this year, and he chose the walk. As others have said, kids are different (and ours have lots of energy), but we find walking to/from DHS and Epcot much easier than walking to the bus or monorail, waiting for it, riding it and then walking to our room from the bus or monorail stop.

 

[JJsmama]

Thanks everyone!

 

[figment_jii]

My family usually stays at the BW, but we've stayed at the BC as well. In both cases, the walk to Epcot is really easy.

Boardwalk dock to the International Gateway is 0.36 miles (640 yards), while the Beach Club main entrance to the International Gateway is 0.23 miles (400 yards).

From the Boardwalk dock to DHS' main entrance is 0.8 miles (1,400 yards), while the Beach Club another 0.4 miles (so about 1.2 miles (2,100 yards) in total).

For reference, it's about 0.8 miles from Epcot's main entrance to the American pavilion at the back of the WS.

If you're staying at the BW, it's very convenient for either walking or the boat. You're the last stop before going to Epcot and the first stop to be picked up on the way to DHS. The boat ride takes about 35 minutes (from Epcot to DHS) and runs until one hour after park closing (if DHS closes earlier than Epcot, they stop going to DHS one after DHS closes). The boat goes from Epcot -> BW/BWV -> BC/YC -> S/D -> DHS -> S/D -> BC/YC -> BW/BWV -> Epcot.

For the Beach Club it's actually easier to walk to Epcot than try and take the boat. The dock is over by the Yacht Club, so you actually have to walk away from Epcot to the dock to catch the boat. It's not a long walk, but it feels like it because you're heading away from your destination!