Does anybody NOT like Boardwalk??????

[pigletto]

Well we had a great stay at the Boardwalk! It's a lovely resort. Walking to Epcot? Awesome. All the entertainment and choices for food on the Boardwalk? Awesome. Pool? If you aren't afraid of clowns..(which we aren't) Awesome!

I would go back because my husband and kids loved it and loved being in the middle of all the action. Me? I enjoyed it, but to be honest I prefer to go back to a place like POR or OKW at the end of the night. Somewhere quiet and peaceful.

So even in our own family we have some that love it, and others that just like it.

 

[keishashadow]

This.

hey, that's my homie! One of our DVC home resorts is BWV, we wouldn't have bought there if we didn't like the resort ambiance and the fact that standard rooms can be had for a point advantage. It's really nice to be able to walk back from Epcot after illuminations too. We enjoy sitting poolside and looking at the architecture of Swan/Dolphin.

Cons: the bus stop is a long haul from DVC rooms and the BW does get very crowded on weekends with non-guests (as expected though). Parking used to be a problem but the guards must be cracking down and directing non-guests to the lot across the street unless valet.

 

[WDWMom]

I love the look and ambiance of the Boardwalk. I think it has a great theme and it has continuity throughout the resort.

That said, we have stayed once and had a bad experience. All that went wrong 14 years ago would not matter anymore since our children are no longer little. But we still have yet to go back even though we love to pool hop there (we own DVC). I think I would go back again, but my boys love OKW and hate it when we stay anywhere else.

The 2 things I do dislike are no quick service with decent food (well that is a problem everywhere at WDW but particularly bad here) and the buses. It is a pain that they share with so many other resorts for some places like DTD.

 

[OneLittleSpark7]

We stayed once and most likely only once. Really loved the decor of the rooms, the location and that's about it. I agree with all the above mentions (other than the clown thing), but my real turn-off to the resort came from the staff. I have stayed at most of the Disney resorts, other than the values and I found the CMs at the BW and BC to be the least friendly and least accommodating. I also found housekeeping wasn't the best. Just my experience...

We had a negative experience with housekeeping this year too. We were checking out the week between Christmas and New Years so the resort was packed. However, starting around 9:30 that morning we would get knocks on the door from housekeeping asking if we were leaving yet. Excuse me? Check out is at 11! If it had happened just once I wouldn't have thought twice of it. However, we got knocks on the door about every 15 minutes until we finally left around 10:45. Very unprofessional and another negative in my Boardwalk list.

 

[DizDaD7]

This.

Thats funny this clown kinda reminds me of Carrot top (the comedian).lol in an odd striking resemblance.

 

[PAcpl]

I suppose if we were there without kids, we'd be more likely to go listen to jazz at Jelly Rolls, but we're not really club/dancing kind of people, so Atlantic Dance Hall doesn't hold much appeal, we're not beer drinkers so Big River Brewing Works is not a big draw, and we're not huge sports fans so we just walked on by ESPN Club.

We try to stay at the Boardwalk primarily for Jellyrolls. You just described DW to a tee. She isn't a big drinker, is not into sports, and definitely is not into the club scene. That being said, she LOVES Jellyrolls. It is not a Jazz bar, but you can request a jazz song and if they know it they will play it. Jellyrolls is a dueling piano bar and sing-a-long. Lots of interaction between the piano players and the guests.

 

[goofy4tink]

We had a negative experience with housekeeping this year too. We were checking out the week between Christmas and New Years so the resort was packed. However, starting around 9:30 that morning we would get knocks on the door from housekeeping asking if we were leaving yet. Excuse me? Check out is at 11! If it had happened just once I wouldn't have thought twice of it. However, we got knocks on the door about every 15 minutes until we finally left around 10:45. Very unprofessional and another negative in my Boardwalk list.

They didn't start knocking until 9:30??? And you're complaining??? Man...I've had them start at 8am!!! Now??? I hang out the 'privacy please' hanger the night before. But..I've had the exact same experience at Pop, POR, Polynesian and BW..so it's not just BW.

I'm thrilled to see so many that don't care for BW. It's my home resort, and while I realize it isn't for everyone, it's 'home' to me, and we love it there. To each his own. The more that avoid it, means lesser crowds for us to deal with.

 

[DizDaD7]

Way to spin that into a positive Goofy4tink. Hopefully nothing that was previously posted will happen to me on my upcoming vacation. Im sure we'll love it. <~~~~not hard to please lol.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I was disappointed with the Boardwalk and BWI.

I didn't like the lack of CS which surprised me - I thought that wouldn't bother me at all.

The long hallways reminded me of the Shining movie and I was very happy when I found a better way to the lobby from my room.

The bus rides were long because they stopped at so many resorts before going to the parks.

There was very little entertainment the week I was there. I saw one person out one night and that was it. That might have been because of the cold.

I did enjoy the boat ride to DHS and the walk to Epcot though.

 

[Mamato3Princes]

(1) You can't get to the restaurants without going outside and if it's raining, there is no covered walkway ... unlike the Y&B which are all accessible via covered walkways.
(3) Hate the pool and slide (clown).

Love the location and closeness to Epcot and Hollywood Studios though.

These are the only 2 things we disliked about Boardwalk. But we loved the location and we loved the hotel. We actually loved the long Shining-like hallways .

 

[Mamato3Princes]

This.

I hate that slide!!

 

[psac]

I'm thrilled to see so many that don't care for BW. It's my home resort, and while I realize it isn't for everyone, it's 'home' to me, and we love it there. To each his own. The more that avoid it, means lesser crowds for us to deal with.

Ditto to this. We stayed at the BWI and loved it so much that we bought DVC resale with BWV as our home so we can stay there every year. Sitting out on the boardwalk looking at Crescent Lake, with Spaceship Earth and the BC/YC lighthouse in the background... fantastic.

 

[sydneysmom]

sorry, double post

 

[sydneysmom]

We haven't stayed there, but in deciding which Epcot resort we're going to stay at for our next trip, we looked at all the pros and cons. Boardwalk (for us) wasn't even on the list after I saw the pool.

It's truly a beautiful resort...we ate at Flying Fish last trip and walked around and I loved it. The one thing that stuck though, was that clown...it freaked me out. The other thing was more personal, the area around the pool reminded me of the Jersey shore and Seaside Heights. So after spending summers at my cousins house there, I couldn't do it as an adult!

I also didn't like that it seemed so spread out and that there were no "internal" restaurants or counter service. ( a girl needs her Diet Coke!!) So if you got refillable mugs, it's not like you can readily fill them.

It seems like it's tailored towards adults without kids, which is great if you don't have a 6 year old! So for us, after MUCH debate and hanging out on the YC/BC Thread (which is a wealth of information, I might add!! Teena and Dee are AWESOME!!!) We're going with the Beach Club with very much excitement!!!

Personally, I think one of the best things to do is keep looking at the pictures, keep going out to the resort threads and just get a feel for what YOU like. Something will speak to you and tell you that "you're home". That's one of the things that drew me to the Beach Club. I'm from Cape Cod originally, so for me, it looks like a piece of home.

And whatever you choose, it's going to be wonderful.

 

[OKW Lover]

We had a negative experience with housekeeping this year too. We were checking out the week between Christmas and New Years so the resort was packed. However, starting around 9:30 that morning we would get knocks on the door from housekeeping asking if we were leaving yet. Excuse me? Check out is at 11! If it had happened just once I wouldn't have thought twice of it. However, we got knocks on the door about every 15 minutes until we finally left around 10:45. Very unprofessional and another negative in my Boardwalk list.

They didn't start knocking until 9:30??? And you're complaining??? Man...I've had them start at 8am!!! Now??? I hang out the 'privacy please' hanger the night before. But..I've had the exact same experience at Pop, POR, Polynesian and BW..so it's not just BW.

We have learned over the years (as has G4T) to put the do not disturb sign out on our door the last night of our stay. The problem is that housekeeping has no way of knowing if you have left the room because you don't actually go to the front desk when you checkout. So they knock. By putting the sign out, they know you are still there and won't bother you.

 

[toodycat]

I haven't stayed there and it isn't on the top of my "to do" list, but my impressions could be wrong, so I'll take this opportunity to see if the drawbacks we perceived are correct. BW fans, please correct me if I'm wrong.

1. Am I right that you have to leave your building to get to the concierge lounge? We had considered booking a cottage room at one point, but were discouraged by the fact that you would have to go outdoors to get to the club area.


2. You don't have restaurants within the resort, right? Flying Fish, which I found disappointing last time we ate there, is the closest place to dine, isn't it? Where do people eat a full breakfast? I didn't see any kind of quick service option.

3. Rooms can be over the bakery or other retailers. It would drive me crazy if I had to hear shopping all day or smell food---yes, even baked goods.

4. Can you hear the sounds of the boardwalk all night? I imagine that some people like the hustle and bustle, but we are more of the quiet retreat types.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I haven't stayed there and it isn't on the top of my "to do" list, but my impressions could be wrong, so I'll take this opportunity to see if the drawbacks we perceived are correct. BW fans, please correct me if I'm wrong.

1. Am I right that you have to leave your building to get to the concierge lounge? We had considered booking a cottage room at one point, but were discouraged by the fact that you would have to go outdoors to get to the club area.


2. You don't have restaurants within the resort, right? Flying Fish, which I found disappointing last time we ate there, is the closest place to dine, isn't it? Where do people eat a full breakfast? I didn't see any kind of quick service option.

3. Rooms can be over the bakery or other retailers. It would drive me crazy if I had to hear shopping all day or smell food---yes, even baked goods.

4. Can you hear the sounds of the boardwalk all night? I imagine that some people like the hustle and bustle, but we are more of the quiet retreat types.

1) That's only true if you reserved their Garden Suites. However if you reserved a Standard Club Level Room, Deluxe Club Level Room, 2 Bedroom Suite, Sonora VP Suite & Steeplechase Presidental Suite, then you will be staying in their main building.

2) Besides Flying Fish their other Table Service Restaunts is Kouzzina, ESPN Club and Big River Grille & Brewing Works. Among those locations Kouzzina serves Breakfast. Plus if you wanted Quick Service Breakfast there is the Boardwalk Bakery, Boardwalk Joes and Belle Vue Lounge. Plus in my opinion going outside to their restaurants is no different compared to the Polynesian where all their guests walk outside from the Longhouses into the Great Ceremonial House.

3) Each time I stayed at the Boardwalk Inn my room has always been over the Boardwalk Bakery and I didn't have a problem with that and I didn't smell any food being made.

4) Honestly in my opinion I have not had a problem with any sounds coming from the Boardwalk and by 10:00 PM it's virtually quiet. The only thing you would hear is the horns from the Friendship Boats, however those staying at the Yacht Club or Beach Club with a Lagoon View also hear them. So that doesn't just effect the Boardwalk guests and personally hearing that is not a problem for me.

 

[hakepb]

We haven't stayed there, but in deciding which Epcot resort we're going to stay at for our next trip, we looked at all the pros and cons. Boardwalk (for us) wasn't even on the list after I saw the pool.

It's truly a beautiful resort...we ate at Flying Fish last trip and walked around and I loved it. The one thing that stuck though, was that clown...it freaked me out. The other thing was more personal, the area around the pool reminded me of the Jersey shore and Seaside Heights. So after spending summers at my cousins house there, I couldn't do it as an adult!

I also didn't like that it seemed so spread out and that there were no "internal" restaurants or counter service. ( a girl needs her Diet Coke!!) So if you got refillable mugs, it's not like you can readily fill them.

It seems like it's tailored towards adults without kids, which is great if you don't have a 6 year old! So for us, after MUCH debate and hanging out on the YC/BC Thread (which is a wealth of information, I might add!! Teena and Dee are AWESOME!!!) We're going with the Beach Club with very much excitement!!!

Personally, I think one of the best things to do is keep looking at the pictures, keep going out to the resort threads and just get a feel for what YOU like. Something will speak to you and tell you that "you're home". That's one of the things that drew me to the Beach Club. I'm from Cape Cod originally, so for me, it looks like a piece of home.

And whatever you choose, it's going to be wonderful.

For drink refils you show your mug to the person at the bakery (or pool bar?) and they hand you a cup of soda that you can pour into your mug. (food service CM's cannot touch your mug and the machines are behind the counter.)

 

[Sammie]

This.

I think they are related

 

[OneLittleSpark7]

They didn't start knocking until 9:30??? And you're complaining??? Man...I've had them start at 8am!!! Now??? I hang out the 'privacy please' hanger the night before. But..I've had the exact same experience at Pop, POR, Polynesian and BW..so it's not just BW.

I'm thrilled to see so many that don't care for BW. It's my home resort, and while I realize it isn't for everyone, it's 'home' to me, and we love it there. To each his own. The more that avoid it, means lesser crowds for us to deal with.

We have learned over the years (as has G4T) to put the do not disturb sign out on our door the last night of our stay. The problem is that housekeeping has no way of knowing if you have left the room because you don't actually go to the front desk when you checkout. So they knock. By putting the sign out, they know you are still there and won't bother you.

Our "Do Not Disturb" sign was out. I always put it out when we go to bed. And of course I'm complaining. We're entitled to our room until 11 am. I understand wanting to clean rooms as quickly as possible to have them available for other guests but if our sign is out, and we've explained we aren't ready to leave, it'd be nice if they'd wait until the "Do Not Disturb" sign disappeared. It's disappointing to hear this is a common occurrence throughout the park. And 8 am? Wow!