Resort Thread Disney's BOARDWALK INN Resort

[HBGdancermom]

Hi WDWkook and BWI peeps!

I am so excited to report that I just booked 2 trips back to the most wonderful place in the world!! I am doing a mother son trip and staying at the Contemporary this January but we are coming to BWI for our family Spring Break trip!
It will be our first stay at BWI and we are coming in Sunday March 27th and staying CL. So excited to read all about it for the next 5 months!!

 

[ninafeliz]

Hi everyone! I'm so excited, this morning a standard room at the BWI became available for our quick F&W weekend Nov 13-15 without the kids! I've been watching for a while and started at the CR, then changed to a Poly studio, but was hoping for an Epcot resort to open up and it finally did!!! But now I have to learn a new resort - I'm very familiar with all of the MK resorts but know nothing about the BWI except what you see as you walk around to check out the common areas. I do plan to try to read through this thread as fast as possible, but can people please take pity on me and tell me the quick and dirty about standard rooms . What to request, what not to request, what are the really bad views I would like to avoid, what are the good views to possibly request? Do all rooms have balconies? I know we won't see the lake, but I really would rather not look right at the parking lot or front entrance - are there a lot of those rooms? Since it's just my DH and I a king bed would be very nice - how many are there and should I make that my only request and not worry about view? Does anyone know where the king rooms are and how many there are? Are there any secrets I should know, or insider tips? I don't care about the walk from the lobby, a long walk with a better view or location is worth it. I know it will only be for 2 nights, but we get there early Friday and leave in the late afternoon Sunday, so we have some time and I'm loving that I get to check a new resort off of my list! We always gravitate to the MK resorts with 2 young kids in strollers, so this time we get to try a new resort and a new area! Any advice is welcomed, particularly about the standard view options

 

[VbChristy]

@ninafeliz we are doing the same thing- a parents only weekend for food and wine and in my case Osborne lights too! We arrive hat se weekend but Satuday and stay until later afternoon Monday. I don't know any of the tricks either as I haven't given this booking the care it deserves

 

[RobynPrincess]

Woohoo! Just booked a week staying in BWV 3-11th may just me and the hubby!

 

[trishadono]

Hi WDWkook and BWI peeps!

I am so excited to report that I just booked 2 trips back to the most wonderful place in the world!! I am doing a mother son trip and staying at the Contemporary this January but we are coming to BWI for our family Spring Break trip!
It will be our first stay at BWI and we are coming in Sunday March 27th and staying CL. So excited to read all about it for the next 5 months!!

I loved my trips alone with the kids! My dd20 still will go with me but ds18 stopped after his one at 13

As much as I love family trips I find I am way more relaxed with less people.

Happy planning

 

[trishadono]

@ninafeliz we are doing the same thing- a parents only weekend for food and wine and in my case Osborne lights too! We arrive hat se weekend but Satuday and stay until later afternoon Monday. I don't know any of the tricks either as I haven't given this booking the care it deserves

Me too! Did leaves Friday and dh arrives. I'll be at bwi one night that weekend then move to bc cl. I checked and the garden suite opened up for Saturday. Now I have to decide if I want to stay all at bwi or keep my split.

I have the dessert party at Osborne lights on the 12th. Have to say I'm pumped to have that extra magic for my last lights

 

[ninafeliz]

@ninafeliz we are doing the same thing- a parents only weekend for food and wine and in my case Osborne lights too! We arrive hat se weekend but Satuday and stay until later afternoon Monday. I don't know any of the tricks either as I haven't given this booking the care it deserves

Me too! Did leaves Friday and dh arrives. I'll be at bwi one night that weekend then move to bc cl. I checked and the garden suite opened up for Saturday. Now I have to decide if I want to stay all at bwi or keep my split.

I have the dessert party at Osborne lights on the 12th. Have to say I'm pumped to have that extra magic for my last lights

we are going to do Food and Wine Friday afternoon and then go over to DHS to ride and see the lights, then F&W Saturday late morning/afternoon, then to see the Zac Brown Band Concert Saturday night (my excuse for the trip - a b-day gift for my DH!), then whatever we feel like Sunday until we leave for the airport at around 4:30. I'm a little apprehensive about the crowds at F&W on a weekend, and the last weekend at that. We went on a Saturday night once a few years ago and swore never again! But since this is my only chance this year and we don't have the kids, we're just going to go for it. As long as I get some champagne, caramel corn, and can say I was there it will be good for me Any more is a bonus! I had kind of forgotten that the Osborne lights will already be on for this stay, we are going back over Christmas and have the dessert party booked for Dec 27th, so seeing the lights for a little while this trip is just another bonus.

I was so excited to see the BWI open up. I could have booked CL or the garden cottage, and believe me I would have loved to, but since we'll hardly be in the room this trip and it's supposed to be a "little extra trip" I didn't feel I could justify doubling the cost. I was tempted, though. It's actually a little less money for us in a standard room at the BWI than the standard Poly studio, which was nice (not that much less, though). I am so looking forward to being able to walk to Epcot and DHS - if we don't go to the MK we may never have to get onto Disney transportation this trip at all!!!

 

[ninafeliz]

I thought of another question. I saw on the website that there is a parking warning, and that self parking may not be available? Does anyone know if this has actually been an issue? we have to rent a car, because we're going to the Amway center Sat night for a concert, so taking the ME isn't an option this trip and we'll have to park. It would be quite inconvenient to not be able to self park at our resort!

 

[VbChristy]

Me too! Did leaves Friday and dh arrives. I'll be at bwi one night that weekend then move to bc cl. I checked and the garden suite opened up for Saturday. Now I have to decide if I want to stay all at bwi or keep my split.

I have the dessert party at Osborne lights on the 12th. Have to say I'm pumped to have that extra magic for my last lights

We are doing the dessert party on the 14th. Would you please post your thoughts. I like the idea of being able to sit and watch the lights. We actually designed this whole trip around it being the last year of the lights- without it even officially being stated yet.
So exciting!

@ninafeliz that sounds like a great trip. We were at the BWI for dinner on a Friday in January. We parked a good distance across the street but there were still a lot of spaces. Worst case you can always valet park....

 

[JoeyEmmaMomma]

Hi everyone! I'm so excited, this morning a standard room at the BWI became available for our quick F&W weekend Nov 13-15 without the kids! I've been watching for a while and started at the CR, then changed to a Poly studio, but was hoping for an Epcot resort to open up and it finally did!!! But now I have to learn a new resort - I'm very familiar with all of the MK resorts but know nothing about the BWI except what you see as you walk around to check out the common areas. I do plan to try to read through this thread as fast as possible, but can people please take pity on me and tell me the quick and dirty about standard rooms . What to request, what not to request, what are the really bad views I would like to avoid, what are the good views to possibly request? Do all rooms have balconies? I know we won't see the lake, but I really would rather not look right at the parking lot or front entrance - are there a lot of those rooms? Since it's just my DH and I a king bed would be very nice - how many are there and should I make that my only request and not worry about view? Does anyone know where the king rooms are and how many there are? Are there any secrets I should know, or insider tips? I don't care about the walk from the lobby, a long walk with a better view or location is worth it. I know it will only be for 2 nights, but we get there early Friday and leave in the late afternoon Sunday, so we have some time and I'm loving that I get to check a new resort off of my list! We always gravitate to the MK resorts with 2 young kids in strollers, so this time we get to try a new resort and a new area! Any advice is welcomed, particularly about the standard view options

DH and I did this last month. It was magical, lo.

We booked a standard room. I checked fourth floor and near the elevator. I called and asked for a king bed and we did get it. We really enjoyed the quiet pool and hot tub. It's open until 11 and we were able to stay later then that. Really nice after a day of walking! We also grabbed some later food and a drink at the ESPN zone.
Enjoy your stay! It's such an awesome location. We loved everything about this resort. We used to stay at the Poly, but have fallen in love with this location. We are going back with the kids next month.

 

[elgerber]

I can't help with BWI room info, I only stay on the BWV side, but we will also be there that weekend in November. Arriving very late on the 13th, and flying home on the 18th. We are bringing my 22 year old son, for the first time that he's been legal to enjoy food and wine.
I also have the dessert party on the 14th, but still haven't decided if I am going to actually keep it or not. I know you can't see all of the lights just sitting down there, so I am hesitant to keep it, but it comes with a blanket LOL, and I love blankets!

 

[trishadono]

I can't help with BWI room info, I only stay on the BWV side, but we will also be there that weekend in November. Arriving very late on the 13th, and flying home on the 18th. We are bringing my 22 year old son, for the first time that he's been legal to enjoy food and wine.
I also have the dessert party on the 14th, but still haven't decided if I am going to actually keep it or not. I know you can't see all of the lights just sitting down there, so I am hesitant to keep it, but it comes with a blanket LOL, and I love blankets!

I am hoping its a commemorative blanket!

This is my first trip without club level with my daughter in a while and since we have an 8 hr class that day i thought this would be fun. It is overpriced but for us it is just what we need.

Sounds like fun with your son! Enjoy

 

[trishadono]

We are doing the dessert party on the 14th. Would you please post your thoughts. I like the idea of being able to sit and watch the lights. We actually designed this whole trip around it being the last year of the lights- without it even officially being stated yet.
So exciting!

Sure! If you are comfortable, pm me your phone number and i can send picture texts. If you look on the GF thread you will see i post pix for others often/ a trustworthy disney addict.

If not i will just post here

 

[ninafeliz]

We are doing the dessert party on the 14th. Would you please post your thoughts. I like the idea of being able to sit and watch the lights. We actually designed this whole trip around it being the last year of the lights- without it even officially being stated yet.
So exciting!

@ninafeliz that sounds like a great trip. We were at the BWI for dinner on a Friday in January. We parked a good distance across the street but there were still a lot of spaces. Worst case you can always valet park....

Yes, I guess we could valet. I have no idea why, because when we stay in a city we always valet park, but when we go to WDW even though we are spending hundreds a night on our room I want to be cheap and not valet! I guess it's old habit, plus possibly that its free to self park and $20 to valet - mentally I can take it when its more to valet, but its annoying when it's free vs $$? But it would be a very good option this time if we can't self park.

 

[elgerber]

I am hoping its a commemorative blanket!

For the price of the party, it sure as heck better be!

 

[ninafeliz]

I am hoping its a commemorative blanket!

Enjoy

I agree. I'm looking forward to trying the party regardless, but I would love it if its a commemorative last Osborne Lights blanket instead of just another WDW or Mickey fleece blanket. I have tons of those already. Plus, we should get 4 since there are 4 of us going to the party (pr maybe 3, since one is under 3).

 

[JoeyEmmaMomma]

It's $25 to valet now! It went up last month.
We did do the valet for our trip, but are hoping to self park next month. We'll see!

 

[ninafeliz]

It's $25 to valet now! It went up last month.
We did do the valet for our trip, but are hoping to self park next month. We'll see!

Wow, that seems high for parking at WDW where land isn't hard to come by like it is in Manhattan or somewhere similar. Do you still get free valet at other resorts for the day, or did they do away with that also? Obviously we'll still valet if there isn't self parking available sometime when we come back to the resort, but it just irritates me to pay $25 instead of parking for free. Like I said, I have no idea why I will spend so much on rooms, drinks, etc at WDW but I just draw the line at paying for valet . it makes no sense even to me.

 

[FencerGirl]

I thought of another question. I saw on the website that there is a parking warning, and that self parking may not be available? Does anyone know if this has actually been an issue? we have to rent a car, because we're going to the Amway center Sat night for a concert, so taking the ME isn't an option this trip and we'll have to park. It would be quite inconvenient to not be able to self park at our resort!

Could you rent from National/Alamo at the Dolphin, pick up the car just before 4, then return it when you get back? They have after hours drop off. You'd have to head to the Amway Center early, but you could grab dinner offsite, etc.

 

[JoeyEmmaMomma]

Wow, that seems high for parking at WDW where land isn't hard to come by like it is in Manhattan or somewhere similar. Do you still get free valet at other resorts for the day, or did they do away with that also? Obviously we'll still valet if there isn't self parking available sometime when we come back to the resort, but it just irritates me to pay $25 instead of parking for free. Like I said, I have no idea why I will spend so much on rooms, drinks, etc at WDW but I just draw the line at paying for valet . it makes no sense even to me.

I was surprised by the increase too. $5 seems like a big jump!
I believe you can still valet other hotels in the same day, but don't quote me!

DH is on car duty, so I'll let him wrestle with the $25 and decide if it's worth it, lol.