Resort Thread Disney's BOARDWALK INN Resort

[mouserrificmom]

We just got back from a great stay at the Boardwalk. We were able to have our mugs filled at the Luna pool bar and the Belle Vue lounge by the bartenders. There is a full self-serve refill station down on the Boardwalk in the bakery. There was also coffee in the mornings in the Belle Vue lounge. I don't recall if it was still there in the evenings. Our kids are older teens, so they went down to the bakery on their own quite often because there were more self-serve choices available than what you could get at the bars.

Perfect! My girls are 12 and 14, so I am sure they will make many visits on their own to the bakery as well This is great to hear! Thanks

 

[Sunset Cliffs]

I'm so happy that I found this thread! I've read through a lot of the info, but I'm still confused on a few things. My family usually stays off-property because we own a timeshare, but we have booked a trip for our 20th anniversary and we have added on 3 days to BWI as a special treat to ourselves. So, we are no rookies to Disneyworld, but we are rookies to staying on-property. We've stayed at POR a few years ago, but things have changed so much since then!

I started trying to figure out where to request our room and realized I have no idea about the layout of this hotel, other than when we visit to look at Christmas decorations, etc. We have booked a Standard View room and there are 3 of us going on the trip, my husband, myself and our 9 year old son. Two of the days we will be visiting Epcot or MK, and the day in between is spent enjoying the hotel and pool. All of that being said, does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should request for my room?

Also, this will be our first time using Magic Bands. Do you know when they ship these to you and will I be notified that they are shipped?

Last, is it best to do online check in? Our trip is at the end of this month, so I'm wondering when I should do this?

Thank you for any comments! I'm not used to feeling like I don't know what I'm doing when it comes to trip planning. Any insight is appreciated!!

 

[GoofyMitchell]

Thanks for sharing. And I too wondered like Hayden what those shutters into the bathroom are for!

I was like, oh no! I can't believe you said that on our video! LOL!

 

[Best Aunt]

Also, this will be our first time using Magic Bands. Do you know when they ship these to you and will I be notified that they are shipped? ... Our trip is at the end of this month...

For my trip which started 03/23/17, my Magic Bands were shipped on 02/23/17. I received an email on 02/24/17 telling me that they had shipped. The email included the tracking number for the package.

Did you go into My Disney Experience to customize your Magic Bands? Today is already April 10, so based on my experience it seems that they should have shipped your Magic Bands already, since your trip is this month. Unless you do not live in the U.S.; my understanding is that if you do not live in the U.S., you get your Magic Bands when you arrive at the hotel.

Edited to add: Check out this thread: https://www.disboards.com/threads/magic-bands-and-last-minute-trip.3595787/

 

[pbb&j]

I'm so happy that I found this thread! I've read through a lot of the info, but I'm still confused on a few things. My family usually stays off-property because we own a timeshare, but we have booked a trip for our 20th anniversary and we have added on 3 days to BWI as a special treat to ourselves. So, we are no rookies to Disneyworld, but we are rookies to staying on-property. We've stayed at POR a few years ago, but things have changed so much since then!

I started trying to figure out where to request our room and realized I have no idea about the layout of this hotel, other than when we visit to look at Christmas decorations, etc. We have booked a Standard View room and there are 3 of us going on the trip, my husband, myself and our 9 year old son. Two of the days we will be visiting Epcot or MK, and the day in between is spent enjoying the hotel and pool. All of that being said, does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should request for my room?

Also, this will be our first time using Magic Bands. Do you know when they ship these to you and will I be notified that they are shipped?

Last, is it best to do online check in? Our trip is at the end of this month, so I'm wondering when I should do this?

Thank you for any comments! I'm not used to feeling like I don't know what I'm doing when it comes to trip planning. Any insight is appreciated!!

We were at the Boardwalk Inn for the first time last week. We absolutely loved it! I also didn't know what to request for a standard room, so I think I asked for a high floor, close to the lobby. We were in room 2302, so not a high floor, but very close to the lobby. The room location was fantastic! The lobby is on the second floor, and our room was near the Belle Vue lounge where we could fill our mugs or get a drink, and also the stairs down to the Boardwalk. It truly was convenient to everything, but also very quiet and peaceful.

We looked out at a pretty courtyard, and just beyond the building in the courtyard was the quiet pool, which was also very nice. We never needed to use the elevators, which was just handy since we were in and out of our room often (our kids are teenagers). Our room also had a very large, private balcony, which was great with 5 people. We ended up never being in our room at fireworks times, so the second floor was better for us in the end. Almost every night we were down on the Boardwalk, and could see fireworks in the distance, including Wishes. It was really fun down there!

We have always done online check-in, because we like to get the text notifications with our room and can head right there, but I don't think that is a guarantee. We started our trip with a couple nights at the Contemporary, and we still had to go to the front desk to get our room number.
View attachment 230415

 

[FoodieFriend]

We have always done online check-in, because we like to get the text notifications with our room and can head right there, but I don't think that is a guarantee. We started our trip with a couple nights at the Contemporary, and we still had to go to the front desk to get our room number.
View attachment 230414 View attachment 230415

So here's what I noticed about getting notifications via text about your room #. I think it's tied to scanning your magic band. So when you check-in at ME, you scan your band & a little while later, you get the text. When I re-checked in to BWV after a stay at USO, since I didn't have an opportunity/reason to have my MB scanned prior to arriving, I had to go to the front desk to get my room number (this was at 6pm on check-in day so our room should've been ready at 4pm). When we moved from BWV to AKL, I didn't get my room text until my MB was scanned at CL desk. It must be a way to verify that you're nearby prior to sending your room number or something.... but I noticed the same thing. I didn't always get my text notification even tho I did online check in.

 

[dansdad]

So here's what I noticed about getting notifications via text about your room #. I think it's tied to scanning your magic band.

It's not. Nobody knows how they determine who getsvto Bypass The Front Desk and who doesn't.

 

[pbb&j]

So here's what I noticed about getting notifications via text about your room #. I think it's tied to scanning your magic band. So when you check-in at ME, you scan your band & a little while later, you get the text. When I re-checked in to BWV after a stay at USO, since I didn't have an opportunity/reason to have my MB scanned prior to arriving, I had to go to the front desk to get my room number (this was at 6pm on check-in day so our room should've been ready at 4pm). When we moved from BWV to AKL, I didn't get my room text until my MB was scanned at CL desk. It must be a way to verify that you're nearby prior to sending your room number or something.... but I noticed the same thing. I didn't always get my text notification even tho I did online check in.

Our experience was actually the opposite of this. We always rent a car, and don't use ME, but on this trip one of our kids flew separately and did take ME and arrived at the Contemporary first, and it was the only time we didn't get to bypass the front desk. It does seem to be random. Other times we've gotten the text that our room was ready while we were still at our home airport.

 

[mouserrificmom]

What are the requests available when checking in online?

 

[bryana]

What are the requests available when checking in online?

Ground Floor
Highest Floor
Upper Floor
Near Lobby
Near Transportation
Near Elevator

 

[mouserrificmom]

Thanks!

 

[goofy78]

Hi everyone! We are staying at the BWV for the first time in October! Can't wait!!!! Quick question on DME. We will be landing at 3:15 pm on 10/6 and was wondering what our travel time would be like. I'm not sure if I should book a dinner reservation or not. And if I do any suggestions on a good time? Thanks!

 

[bryana]

Hi everyone! We are staying at the BWV for the first time in October! Can't wait!!!! Quick question on DME. We will be landing at 3:15 pm on 10/6 and was wondering what our travel time would be like. I'm not sure if I should book a dinner reservation or not. And if I do any suggestions on a good time? Thanks!

I think they usually say to try to budget 1.5-2 hours to get from your plane onto MDE and then to your resort. I've never had it take that long, and usually luck out with being able to get right onto one of the busses. I would think that depending on where you were planning on making a dinner reservation a 5 or 6 o'clock or so reservation would be more than doable. I would also say that I've never had much of an issue getting a last minute ADR (obviously not anything "must have") so you could wait to see what's available when you are on the bus to the resort to see what's available and if it works with your schedule.

 

[CarolynFH]

Hi everyone! We are staying at the BWV for the first time in October! Can't wait!!!! Quick question on DME. We will be landing at 3:15 pm on 10/6 and was wondering what our travel time would be like. I'm not sure if I should book a dinner reservation or not. And if I do any suggestions on a good time? Thanks!

IF there are no delays (flight or DME or other), you'll probably be at BWV around 5. So the earliest I'd make an ADR for one of the Boardwalk-area restaurants in the resorts or even Epcot would be at 6:30 or even later, giving time to get into your room and get settled. OTOH what I'd probably really do is plan CS dinner (we love Tangierine Cafe in the Morocco pavilion), make a reservation via Open Table for one of the restaurants at Disney Springs for 7:30 or later, or as bryana said, wait until we were on the DME bus and then check MDE for available ADRs.

 

[goofy78]

I think they usually say to try to budget 1.5-2 hours to get from your plane onto MDE and then to your resort. I've never had it take that long, and usually luck out with being able to get right onto one of the busses. I would think that depending on where you were planning on making a dinner reservation a 5 or 6 o'clock or so reservation would be more than doable. I would also say that I've never had much of an issue getting a last minute ADR (obviously not anything "must have") so you could wait to see what's available when you are on the bus to the resort to see what's available and if it works with your schedule.

Right now I have a 5:20 reservation for Le Cellier. I think I'll keep it and cross my fingers we make it on time. Thanks!

 

[CarolynFH]

Right now I have a 5:20 reservation for Le Cellier. I think I'll keep it and cross my fingers we make it on time. Thanks!

Good luck!

 

[goofy78]

Good luck!

I just saw your previous post. Maybe I'll see if I can change it to the 6:30 that was available a little while ago. Thanks!

 

[tsme]

Anyone there know what kind of premade sandwiches
Screen Door General Store on the Boardwalk has in the refrigeratated section? Or if they do have premade sandwiches. My DH says they do. I know they have food in there & I think I remember seeing sushi, but I don't remember much else. Thanks.

 

[LisaCM614]

Anyone there know what kind of premade sandwiches
Screen Door General Store on the Boardwalk has in the refrigeratated section? Or if they do have premade sandwiches. My DH says they do. I know they have food in there & I think I remember seeing sushi, but I don't remember much else. Thanks.

The only sandwiches I remember seeing are uncrustables . I like the sandwiches at the bakery

 

[tsme]

Thx!