POR or Boardwalk

[ljsmom]

My family of 5 (DH, and 3 DS (11,15,18) will be heading to WDS in September and cannot decide where to stay. We have stayed at POR before and it was great, but for about $1000 additional can stay at the Boardwalk. Any thoughts on if BW is worth the additional $?

Thanks for your help!

 

[DisneyGuy]

Worth is subjective, however, in my opinion, YES it's worth it. I've never stayed at POR, or any moderate, but Boardwalk Inn is a beautiful resort in a beautiful area of Disney World. The biggest benefit of staying at the Boardwalk is being able to walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios (or taking a boat if you want) and I would imagine the atmosphere is livelier at Boardwalk Inn compared to POR. If the $1000.00 is something you can/want to spend, I'd say go for it.

 

[Dano13]

Nothing compares to the boardwalk in my opinion. My favorite resort in the best location. If you can swing the price I would.

 

[DizDaD7]

POR is very nice, But I believe BW is excellent...Location and all and amenities..The only drawback was the bus to MK, which to me was HORRIBLE.. POR has a great feel/vibe though, & a nice setup, and Lounge too. Also a great boatride too DTD...If you can get by for the extra $1000, then go for it, but to me I'd spend that 1,000 elsewhere.... Either way Good luck w/ your choice.

 

[goofy4tink]

Depends. I love both those resorts. With BW you can walk to both DHS and EPCOT. That's a big plus. There are many great table service spots to eat at. And the main pool is terrific.
But...no food court at BW. With boys, having a food court might be a huge plus. The pools are nice enough at POR, but you already know that.
With those boys, I would be very tempted to just stay at POR, and have that food court!!!

 

[Kricketnp]

I haven't had the chance to stay at the Boardwalk yet, but it looks magical. I have stayed at POR and it was just meh to us...so I'd definitely say Boardwalk.

 

[LisaCM614]

We love BWI. Being able to walk to International Gateway and walk through a quiet UK and Canada at Rope Drop. Arriving at IG at 8:30 and maybe having a few families in front of you - that is pretty awesome. There are plenty of quick places for boys to eat - there is the pizza window, the Boardwalk to Go kiosk (hot dogs, mac n cheese bites, et al), Boardwalk Bakery, Seashore Sweets and don't forget ESPN!

I have not had horrible bus service to MK at any of the Epcot resorts.

 

[JennyDrake]

POR is very nice, But I believe BW is excellent...Location and all and amenities..The only drawback was the bus to MK, which to me was HORRIBLE.. POR has a great feel/vibe though, & a nice setup, and Lounge too. Also a great boatride too DTD...If you can get by for the extra $1000, then go for it, but to me I'd spend that 1,000 elsewhere.... Either way Good luck w/ your choice.

DITTO here. BW is GREAT, but I'd have a hard time justifying $1000.

 

[Fantabulously Cherry]

DITTO here. BW is GREAT, but I'd have a hard time justifying $1000.

My thoughts exactly! I love POR! I would love to stay at BW if $ were no object. But it is... But if it's not for you, I say go for it!

 

[Babsy]

I would stay at the BWI. It is a fantastic location! The rooms are much larger. You get a balcony. The dining options are numerous. The BW area is fun.

It is just a fabulous resort well worth the upcharge of $1000.00 over POR, IMO. DH and I stayed there again last Jan. It is one of our all time favourite resorts! If the money is doable without sacrifice, then go for it!

 

[mexi]

My family and I love the BWI. We have stayed there 5 times and are going back again this July with a split with GF. You can't beat the location and the ability to walk to 4 other resorts and epcot for breakfast or dinner. Also walking to epcot and not having to wait for transportation is a huge plus to us. The boat ride to HS is very quick or you can walk there too depending on the heat.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[LiveToTravelNicely]

If you can afford to do it, then I definitely recommend it. I've not stayed at POR, but have stayed at CSR/moderate. I think the deluxes are nicer not only in location but in quality of rooms. BWI right now is my favorite resort we've stayed at WDW so far. We actually liked it a little better than the Poly. Some people comment that BWI has excessive long hallways; however, I respectfully disagree. If you google satellite view the hotels, BWI is the smallest of all WDW hotels. However, with all that said.....if it's a real budget stretch, I'd go with POR. Better to be able to afford another trip to WDW soon, yes?

Regarding location of BWI: Only bus to 2 parks at most, both of which aren't too far away because BWI is centrally located on WDW property. If you want to avoid the busses even more (and if you have park hoppers), you can leisurely stroll through Epcot (stop to get some Club Cool free soda and for a quick ride on Figment or Spaceship Earth) and monorail to Magic Kingdom. This takes considerably more time, but it's a more fun experience than sitting on the bus. The walk to DHS is a little lengthy, but it's considerably faster than riding the boats. If you do ride the boats back from DHS, get off at Swan/Dolphin and walk to BWI from there. It's only a few minutes from Swan to BWI, but since the boat has to stop at YC/BC before BWI, it takes 15 minutes or longer to get from Swan to BWI by boat.

 

[Magic Band Defender]

Is walking and/or taking a boat to EPCOT and DHS a big plus for your family? If you'll be spending the majority of your time at MK or DAK, the location may matter less to you.

 

[jmillertime]

Have you looked into David's DVC rental for the BW. Big cost savings that make it worthwhile. I do love POR though.

 

[Violet Parr]

SO WORTH IT. I'm at POR now and while it is charming, I'd pay $1000 right now to switch to a deluxe.