Category — q. Reviews

(For the first page of this review of Disney’s Beach Club Villas, see this.)

THE MASTER BEDROOM AND BATH OF ONE AND TWO BEDROOM VILLAS AT DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB VILLAS

The bath and master bedroom of One and Two Bedroom Villas are off a brief hall near the entry to the villa.

First you pass the laundry.

Next is the part of the bath accessible from this hall, where you’ll find a sink and shower…

…and in its own space, a toilet.

This bath connects to a second space, which is also directly accessible from the master bedroom, with a sink…

…and a soaking tub. In the 2016 renovation of these spaces, this soaking tub replaced the old whirlpool bath that used to be here. The louvered shutters that used to be on the wall between the bath and the master bedroom are also gone.

This tub felt short to me, so I measured the dimension at the base (where one would plant one’s delicate bottom) and got it as 39 inches. This is 6 inches or so shorter than a standard tub not designed for soaking, but only an inch shorter than the tub in the master bedroom at the Villas at the Grand Floridian.

In the back of this second bath space is the closet. Those who miss the voyeur opportunities from the now-gone louvered shutters can hang here instead.

You enter the bedroom proper from either the hall or the bath.

It has on one side a king bed and a desk.

This side from the back of the room.

A closer view of the king bed.

Between the bed and bath wall you’ll find this bedside table with storage.

On the other side of the bed is this desk, also with storage

Lots of new power points were added as part of the refurb, including this one on the desk.

There’s a similar power point on the bedside table, and two more at either end of the dresser, on the other side of the room.

The dresser side of the room from the back.

A closer view of the easy chair.

The dresser has a big new flat-screen TV above, and lots of storage…

…and there’s more storage in the bench right next to it.

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(For the first page of this review of Disney’s Beach Club Villas, see this.)

THE LIVING/DINING/KITCHEN AREA OF A BEACH CLUB VILLA

As in other Disney Vacation Club resorts, the living/dining/kitchen area of a Beach Club Villa is identical in both One and Two Bedroom Villas.

This area easily serves the four people a One Bedroom Villa (floor plan shown, a two bedroom floor plan is on the next page).

However, as with other DVC offerings of similar designs (Wilderness Lodge, BoardWalk Villas, and Saratoga Springs) the space is too small for the full eight or nine person capacity of Two Bedroom Villas–not enough dining or living seats.

At the entry you’ll find on one side this table…

…and on the other either a closet or (much more commonly) no closet but rather an entry door to a connecting Studio.

Past this entry area one side opens to this short hall to the bath and master bedroom…

…and the other side opens to the dining/living kitchen space.

A closer view of the table and sofa side of this room. Note the three bench seats.

There’s more chairs in the Villa you can move here (as I’ve done for this shot from the other side of the table), but the table barely will fit six.

Across is a fully-equipped small kitchen.

Another angle on the kitchen.

The refrigerator and stove.

The refrigerator, open. Every basic appliance, utensil and thingy you need to prep, cook and serve is here.

Deeper in the space is the living area.  One side has this couch…

…which folds out into a bed.  I measured this bed as 65 inches wide by 78 inches long, with a four inch cushion.

The coffee table in front of the couch has a couple of drawers…

…and a table between the couch and the balcony has a large but shallow drawer.

You’ll find a balcony or patio at the end of the space.

The other side of the room has a TV/dresser and easy chair.

This side from the back of the room. Between the couch and chair, this living room seats four, although of course you can turn the chairs around from the breakfast bar to add seating.

The dresser has plenty of storage for the two people this space is meant to sleep.

THE MASTER BEDROOM AND BATH OF ONE AND TWO BEDROOM VILLAS AT DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB VILLAS

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(For the first page of this review of Disney’s Beach Club Villas, see this.)

PHOTO TOUR OF A STUDIO AT DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB VILLAS

Studios at Disney’s Beach Club Villas, after their 2016 renovation, sleep five, on a queen bed, a fold-out sofa bed about the size of a full bed, and a flip-down bed about 75″ by 33″ that sleeps shorter than that.

You enter into a hall with the bath and closet on one side, and a kitchenette on the other.

The first item you’ll see is this hat rack. The door reflected in the mirror is the connecting door to a One Bedroom Villa.

The bath has this open sink area…

…tub and such in their own separate space…

…and, next to the sink, this closet.

A view inside the large closet–which, given the limited storage elsewhere in the room, would have benefited from shelving.

On the other side of the entry hall you’ll find this kitchenette. All Disney World deluxe rooms have a mini-fridge and coffee maker.  Studios add a toaster, microwave, and very basic utensils.

A closer view of these supplies…

…and of the mini-fridge.

Deeper in the room on one side you’ll find a queen bed and a couch.

The bed side from the back of the room.

A closer view of the queen bed.

Between the bed and sofa is this bedside table with two much-needed storage drawers.

As part of the 2016 refurb many power points were added–there’s some on the back of the bedside table.

Next on this side is a sofa and coffee table.

The coffee table has a couple of drawers, one on each long side.

Don’t load the drawers with anything heavy, though, as you need to move it to open the sofa bed. I measured the sofa bed as around full size–54″ by 78″, with a four inch cushion.

At the end on this side you’ll find your balcony or patio.

The other side of the room has a long object with a flat-screen TV above and a small table and chairs in front.

This side of the room from the back.

At either end of the long object is a set of two small drawers. That’s it for dresser storage, so many families will need to supplement these four drawers with the other drawers in the coffee table and bedside table noted above.

After you move the chairs, the third sleeping spot in the room folds down from the large object, disappearing the table.

When folded down, you find a bed I measured as 75″ by 33″ with a 3 inch cushion. It sleeps shorter than the 75 inches would imply, as wood framing makes toesies suffer on anyone much taller than 5′ 9″.

A closer view of the sleeping Donald revealed when the bed is folded down.

A shot from the entry hall with all the beds unfurled.

THE LIVING/DINING/KITCHEN AREA OF ONE AND TWO BEDROOM VILLAS AT DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB VILLAS

This review continues here.
 

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OVERVIEW: DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB VILLAS

Note: Guests at Disney’s Beach Club Villas are eligible for Disney World’s Early Entry program, and have the ability to pre-book as early as  seven days before check-in Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass rides. They are also eligible for its Extended Evening Hours.

Disney’s Beach Club Villas (a Disney Vacation Club (“DVC”) resort, and one of the Epcot resorts,) is a wonderful place for returning visitors to Walt Disney World to stay, and could easily become one of my personal favorites among the DVC resorts.

For typical first-time visitors, I don’t recommend the Disney Vacation Club resorts.

That said, these “DVC” resorts can be a great choice for first time visitors with large families, needing extra sleeping spaces, or looking for a more comfortable place to stay.

Among the Disney Vacation Club resorts, Disney’s Beach Club Villas ranks ninth overall for first-time visitors, and is particularly strong for charm, compactness, convenience to Epcot, and access to the great pool Stormalong Bay.

THE BEACH CLUB VILLAS AND THE DISNEY VACATION CLUB RESORTS

You can have a spectacular visit at any Walt Disney World resort.

However, this site recommends that typical first time visitors to Walt Disney World avoid the Disney Vacation Club resorts, while noting that these resorts are wonderful for visits after the first.

(You can find extensive detail on the DVC resorts here.)

The recommendation comes from the simple fact that the distinguishing features of these resorts–extra space and full kitchens–will not be of much value to first-time visitors following one of the itineraries on this site, as they won’t be used much.

However, the Disney Vacation Club resorts represent more than 10% of Walt Disney World’s total rooms, and are very appropriate for first time visitors with large families, needing extra sleeping spaces, or looking for a more comfortable place to stay.

Because of this, I’m providing a series of up-to-date reviews. We’ve stayed in the Beach Club Villas four times, and this review is based on those stays.

It includes the following material:

• The page you are reading, an overview of Disney’s Beach Club Villas
• Theming and accommodations at Disney’s Beach Club Villas
• Photo tour of a Studio at Disney’s Beach Club Villas
• Photo tour of the living/dining/kitchen space in One and Two Bedroom Villas at Disney’s Beach Club Villas
• Photo tour of the bath and master bedroom in One and Two Bedroom Villas at Disney’s Beach Club Villas

THE 2016 REFURB AT DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB VILLAS

The Beach Club Villas came out of a refurb in September 2016.  The most material changes:

Studios now sleep five–the fifth on a fold-down bed.

Studios have also lost drawer space.

One and Two Bedroom Villas have had much carpet replaced with wooden flooring.

The master bath in One and Two Bedroom Villas is simplified, with the whirlpool tub being replaced with a soaking tub, and the window between the bath and the master bedroom now gone.

In all villas and studios, the refurbed spaces have a more austere and less playful color palette than the former decor.

Compare the above from an old Studio…

…with this from a new one.

A photo tour of all these newly refurbed spaces begins here.

DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB VILLAS

Resorts are ranked on this site for first time visitors based first on their kid appeal, and then on their convenience.

On this basis, Disney’s Beach Club Villas comes in ninth overall of the Disney Vacation Club resorts. (See this for resort rankings.)

Beach Club Villas Kid Appeal.

The kid appeal of the Beach Club Villas, such as it is, comes from largely the pool it shares with its parent resort the Beach Club, and not its design, architecture, or theme.

Kids will love the Stormalong Bay pool, the best pool at a Disney-owned resort, but otherwise find the Villas a yawn compared to resorts with higher kid appeal.

Beach Club Villas Convenience.

Disney’s Beach Club Villas is the sixth-most convenient of all the Walt Disney World resorts in carrying out the Magic Kingdom-focused itineraries for first-time family visitors on this site.

All of the Epcot resorts are convenient to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Epcot is a short walk away, and the Studios are a longer walk or boat ride away. The Disney Skyliner is also an option for getting to the Studios–after a change at Caribbean Beach.

The other two parks are accessed by buses from the main Beach Club resort, which are shared with some of the other Epcot resorts.

BEST AND WORST ROOMS AT DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB VILLAS

On the map, the Beach Club Villas are the dark brown building in the upper right corner. On the map, these Villas kinda looks like a cat with its tail raised, seen from the side. (Well, it does to me…) The cat’s head faces the center of the map.

The Beach Club itself is the brown building below the Villas, and the Villas share its amenities, dining, and pools. In the Villas, there’s two elevator areas–one at the cat’s neck, and the other about halfway along its tail.

The Beach Club Villas is very compact, so room location matters less than at some other resorts.  The best views are of its little quiet pool, as other views can be so-so. First floor rooms have patios.

All guest services–check in, dining, etc.–are available in the Beach Club itself. There is also a little check in/concierge desk in the Villas themselves, not open all the time.

Parking is available where the top of the Villas crosses the canal at the top of the map–at the top of the cat’s tail.

The pathway to Epcot is in the middle of the right side of the map–the white path that is cut off by the map’s key.

The boats to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are reached from the pier that juts out into the lake (in front of the Yacht Club).  From the Villas, it’s faster and almost shorter to walk to Epcot than to walk to the boat dock.

Buses to the other two parks and Downtown Disney are at the Beach Club’s bus stop, which is at the top center of the map, near but to the left of the cat’s head.

All things considered, the pool-view rooms on the second and higher floors of the cat’s head are the best choices–these are even numbered rooms 202-210, 302-316, and 402-412.  These rooms are close to the elevators, have a stair at the end close to the bus stop, and are close to the main Beach Club services.

Don’t ask your reservationist for a cat’s head room or they may hang up–instead ask for a pool-view room on the second floor or higher in the wing that’s closest to the bus stop.

There really aren’t any bad rooms, but a first floor room on the non-pool side at the tip of the cat’s tail has little to recommend it other than being close to parking.

BEST FOR:

First time family visitors looking for extra or more comfortable space, and prefer its theme or location to DVC resort with more kid appeal, such as The Villas at the Wilderness Lodge.

WORST FOR:

Families on a budget; families looking for the highest degree of kid appeal.

THEMING AND ACCOMMODATIONS AT DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB VILLAS

This review continues here.

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(For the first page of this review of Disney’s BoardWalk Villas, see this.)

GRAND VILLAS AT DISNEY’S BOARDWALK VILLAS

GRAND VILLAS AT DISNEY’S BOARDWALK VILLAS

Grand Villas at Disney’s BoardWalk Villas sleep 12.

They have three bedrooms (one with a king, and two with two queens) plus a sleeper sofa.

They also have a kitchen, dining room, living room, balconies, and 3 baths.

There are seven Grand Villas at the BoardWalk. Five of them have the single-story layout shown in the above floor plan, and those five are what this review discusses.

Going right to left, the first two spaces are bedrooms, each with a private bath, two queen beds and balcony access.  Each of these rooms is about the size of a “normal” hotel room–though note that the hall to the right-most room means the other bedroom is smaller.

Note also in this hall the additional door to the hotel hallway.

Next comes the kitchen and dining space, and after, a living space almost twice as large as that found in two-story Grand Villas, with a stately entry hall.

Off of the living room space you’ll find a small hallway with a door to the laundry room, another to the master bath, and a third door to the master bedroom.

The master bath serves both the master bedroom and those who may be sleeping on the living room couch, or visiting, and can be entered from the master bedroom as well as the hallway.

The master bedroom includes a king bed and an expansive divided bath, with a large whirlpool tub.

These single story Grand Villas at the BoardWalk Villas have the second-best floor plan of any Disney World Grand Villa, bettered only by those in the Villas at the Grand Floridian. (For an extensive discussion of Grand Villa design choices, see this.)

This is because the BoardWalk single story Grand Villas are unique in offering a single living room space large enough to seat all the guests they will sleep.

(To the capacity of 12, you can add one more kid under 3 at time of check in who sleeps in a crib.)

THE THEMING OF DISNEY’S BOARDWALK VILLAS

Disney’s BoardWalk Villas are described on Walt Disney World’s website as capturing

“…the charm, whimsy and elegance of turn-of-the-century Atlantic City. These Villas, along with adjacent hotel Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, put Guests in a prime location to enjoy the carnival sights and ragtime sounds of the BoardWalk, along with the glittering waters and recreation of Crescent Lake.”

This “Atlantic City” claim is a bit of a crock.

The BoardWalk complex has multiple theming points, unified by the concept of “eastern resort town.”

The BoardWalk entertainment area perfectly matches the Atlantic City theme.

But the BoardWalk Inn, according to its architect Robert A. M. Stern, “takes its architectural cue from rambling colonial revival-style hotels of New England.”

And the Villas, again per Stern, bring to the “resort town” concept the Bungalow Style:

“The Disney Vacation Club [BoardWalk Villas], in keeping with the sense of the BoardWalk as a resort town, consists of a series of interconnected small scale buildings facing the [BoardWalk] lakefront.

Beyond the lakefront, where the vacation club faces a canal, the building takes on a larger scale with wide roof overhangs and bold horizontals reflecting the early 20th century American tradition that combined classicism with vernacular cottage architecture to create the Bungalow Style.

Here the historical timeline of the resort town’s development is brought to its conclusion by an architecture that suggests the incipient modernism of the early twentieth century.”

The overall theming of the BoardWalk complex as a “resort town” is a tour de force, with fun on the BoardWalk itself, and true loveliness in the BoardWalk Inn.

The theming and architecture of the Villas are neither so fun nor so lovely, but work well enough.

The BoardWalk Villas opened in July 1996 as the second of the Disney Vacation Club (“DVC”) resorts. Its floor plans set the basic pattern for the group of DVC offerings that followed–the Villas at the Wilderness Lodge, Beach Club Villas, and Saratoga Springs.

Much smaller than the spaces at Disney’s Old Key West Resort, its floor plans are still larger than most of the next group of DVC resorts.

The BoardWalk Villas share the lobby, shops, and services and amenities of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn; you can find more about the BoardWalk Inn here.

Disney’s BoardWalk Villas strengths for first time visitors are this livability (which carries over into all of its room types), and its convenience to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Disney’s BoardWalk Villas principal negative is the absence of any real kid appeal compared to alternatives like The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas–Jambo House.

EXTERNAL LINKS FOR DISNEY’S BOARDWALK VILLAS:

• Official BoardWalk Villas web page

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MORE ON WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

• For where to stay, see this
  • For your next best choices, in order, see this
  • For picking your resort based on appeal to kids, see this
  • For picking your resort based on convenience, see this
  • For where not to stay, see this

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• For what you get in each resort price category, see this
  • For Walt Disney World resort price seasons, see this
  • For resort reviews, see this
  • For the value resorts, see this
  • For the moderate resorts, see this
  • For thedeluxe resorts, see this
  • For suites at the deluxe resorts, see this
  • For the Disney Vacation Club (“DVC”) Resorts, see this

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• For a (geeky) overview of comparative room size, see this

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• Large families should look at this, and also at
  • Large Families Looking for Value Pricing at Walt Disney World
  • Large Families Looking for Deluxe Accommodations at Disney World
  • Beds and Sleeping Spaces at the Walt Disney World Resorts
  • Renting Disney Vacation Club Points
  • Suites at Walt Disney World

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• Military/DOD families should look at this

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• Tightwads should look at this

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• Families seeking the most comfortable place to stay should see this

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(For the first page of this review of Disney’s BoardWalk Villas, see this.)

ACCOMMODATIONS AT DISNEY’S BOARDWALK VILLAS

Disney’s BoardWalk Villas is one of many Disney Vacation Club options at Walt Disney World. These resorts are available not only to DVC members, but also to everyone else, just like any other Disney World offering, through the regular Walt Disney World website or resort reservations phone number at 407-939-7675.

Kelly, the long-time travel agent partner of this site, can also book them for you. See the form near the bottom of this page for how to contact her.

They also are sometimes available to the general public at a discount through renting points from a Disney Vacation Club member or point broker.

Because the two sets of options at the Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge and Saratoga Springs are so different, for review purposes I count thirteen options among the Disney Vacation Club resorts at Walt Disney World.

The overall ranking among them for first time family visitors is as follows:

1. Disney’s Polynesian Villas and Bungalows (studios only)
2. Copper Creek Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
3. Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
4. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas–Jambo House
5. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas–Kidani Village
6. Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
7. The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
8. Disney’s Riviera Resort
9. Disney’s Beach Club Villas
10. Disney’s Boardwalk Villas
11. Disney’s Old Key West Resort
12. Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa, main resort
13. Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort, Treehouse Villas

The next DVC offering to open will be Reflections, located on grounds that were formerly part of Fort Wilderness.

THE THEMING OF DISNEY’S BOARDWALK VILLAS

Disney’s BoardWalk Villas are described on Walt Disney World’s website as capturing

“…the charm, whimsy and elegance of turn-of-the-century Atlantic City. These Villas, along with adjacent hotel Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, put Guests in a prime location to enjoy the carnival sights and ragtime sounds of the BoardWalk, along with the glittering waters and recreation of Crescent Lake.”

This “Atlantic City” claim is a bit of a crock.

The BoardWalk complex has multiple theming points, unified by the concept of “eastern resort town.”

The BoardWalk entertainment area perfectly matches the Atlantic City theme.

But the BoardWalk Inn, according to its architect Robert A. M. Stern, “takes its architectural cue from rambling colonial revival-style hotels of New England.”

And the Villas, again per Stern, bring to the “resort town” concept the Bungalow Style:

“The Disney Vacation Club [BoardWalk Villas], in keeping with the sense of the BoardWalk as a resort town, consists of a series of interconnected small scale buildings facing the [BoardWalk] lakefront.

Beyond the lakefront, where the vacation club faces a canal, the building takes on a larger scale with wide roof overhangs and bold horizontals reflecting the early 20th century American tradition that combined classicism with vernacular cottage architecture to create the Bungalow Style.

Here the historical timeline of the resort town’s development is brought to its conclusion by an architecture that suggests the incipient modernism of the early twentieth century.”

The overall theming of the BoardWalk complex as a “resort town” is a tour de force, with fun on the BoardWalk itself, and true loveliness in the BoardWalk Inn.

The theming and architecture of the Villas are neither so fun nor so lovely, but work well enough.

The BoardWalk Villas opened in July 1996 as the second of the Disney Vacation Club (“DVC”) resorts. Its floor plans set the basic pattern for the group of DVC offerings that followed–the Villas at the Wilderness Lodge, Beach Club Villas, and Saratoga Springs.

Much smaller than the spaces at Disney’s Old Key West Resort, its floor plans are still a little  larger than most of the next group of DVC resorts to be built.

The BoardWalk Villas share the lobby, shops, and services and amenities of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn; you can find more about the BoardWalk Inn here.

Disney’s BoardWalk Villas’ strengths for first time visitors are livability (which carries over into all of its room types except Two Bedroom Villas with more than six people), and its convenience to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Disney’s BoardWalk Villas principal negative is the absence of any real kid appeal compared to alternatives like The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas–Jambo House.

ACCOMMODATIONS AT DISNEY’S BOARDWALK VILLAS

STUDIOS AT DISNEY’S BOARDWALK VILLAS

At Disney’s BoardWalk Villas, Studios sleep five and have a microwave and mini fridge. See the Studio photo tour here.

The microwave is one of several ways Studios are different from regular rooms at the BoardWalk Inn.

• A second distinction is that the second bed is a full fold-out couch, rather than a queen. This couch isn’t as suitable for adults as the queens at the Inn.
• A third distinction is that when the fifth sleeping spot is down you lose the dining table, while in the Inn the fifth sleeping spot loses the couch
• The studios have about 40 more square feet than standard rooms at the BoardWalk Inn, but most of this extra space comes in the entryway and bath area (because of the choice of where to put the closet, which lengthens this area by a couple of feet), not the bedroom.

These studios go for the same price or a even few dollars less than regular standard view BoardWalk Inn rooms, but even at those prices, I’d prefer the rooms at the Inn, unless you really need the microwave. The increased comfort of the second queen bed, and the greater charm of the Inn, outweigh the microwave.

ONE-BEDROOM VILLAS AT DISNEY’S BOARDWALK VILLAS

One-Bedroom Villas at the BoardWalk have a master bedroom with a king bed. See the photo tour of a One Bedroom Villa that begins here.

They have as well a full kitchen/dining/ living space, a washer/dryer, and sleep 4 in about twice the space of a studio.

The two additional sleeping spots are on a fold-out queen-sized couch in the living room space.

The bath is shared, with access to it from both sleeping spaces. The kids don’t need to enter the master bedroom to get to this bath.

One-Bedroom Villas are among the most comfortable ways to stay at Walt Disney World.

The additional space, full kitchens, and living and dining furniture are hard to beat, even though if you are following one of this site’s itineraries you won’t be in your room much to enjoy them!

Depending on the price season, these villas are only 25-40% more expensive than a standard BoardWalk Inn room, for twice the space.

They aren’t for everyone…but the value is there if you can afford it.

TWO-BEDROOM VILLAS AT DISNEY’S BOARDWALK VILLAS

Two-Bedroom Villas add a second bedroom with a queen, a full sleeper sofa, and a fold-down bed, and another balcony–in other words, a Studio–to the amenities of a One-Bedroom, and sleep 8-9.

Two-Bedroom Villas can be either cramped or comfortable, depending both on how you use them and what you are comparing them to.

Like many DVC Two-Bedroom Villas, in Disney’s BoardWalk Villas Two-Bedrooms there isn’t enough seating space in either the living room or in the dining spaces for all the people these rooms will fit.

(Old Key West Resort, Kidani Village, Bay Lake Tower, Riviera, Copper Creek, the Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian, and the Treehouse Villas are exceptions.)

The living room chairs will seat four to five people, with two more chairs available at the dining table, and two more at the kitchen’s breakfast bar.

The dining table will seat at most four, taking the two chairs from the breakfast bar and adding them to the two chairs the table comes with.

So if you are filling a two bedroom with 8 or 9 people, things can get awkward, especially compared to the ease with which One-Bedroom Villas fit the people they can sleep.

Moreover, these two bedroom villas at the BoardWalk share a design problem with the same room type in The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.

The connecting door between the four-person bedroom and the central shared space is deep in the living room.  This can create some awkwardness for people leaving and entering the bedroom if others are sleeping on the fold-out couch.  More recent DVC villas have corrected this flaw, and moved the connecting door to the other end of the kitchen space., near the room entry.

These space and circulation issues are part of the reason why these rooms are only about 40-75% more expensive than One Bedroom Villas, even though they have double the sleeping capacity.

On the other hand, depending on the price season, a Two-Bedroom is between the same price and $170 more than two standard BoardWalk Inn rooms, but provides 50% more space, and, compared to those rooms, all that extra kitchen/dining/living space and furniture.

If your family’s sleeping needs will fit in the bedrooms–that is, if you don’t need to use the fold-out bed in the living space–Two-Bedrooms are a particularly comfortable option.

(To each of the capacity figures above, you can add one more kid under 3 at time of check in who sleeps in a crib.)

GRAND VILLAS AT DISNEY’S BOARDWALK VILLAS

Grand Villas at Disney’s BoardWalk Villas sleep 12.

They have three bedrooms (one with a king, and two with two queens) plus a sleeper sofa.

They also have a kitchen, dining room, living room, balconies, and 3 baths.

There are seven Grand Villas at the BoardWalk. Five of them have the single-story layout shown in the above floor plan, and those five are what this review discusses.

Going right to left, the first two spaces are bedrooms, each with a private bath, two queen beds and balcony access.  Each of these rooms is about the size of a “normal” hotel room–though note that the hall to the right-most room means the other bedroom is smaller.

Note also in this hall the additional door to the hotel hallway.

Next comes the kitchen and dining space, and after, a living space almost twice as large as that found in two-story Grand Villas, with a stately entry hall.

Off of the living room space you’ll find a small hallway with a door to the laundry room, another to the master bath, and a third door to the master bedroom.

The master bath serves both the master bedroom and those who may be sleeping on the living room couch, or visiting, and can be entered from the master bedroom as well as the hallway.

The master bedroom includes a king bed and an expansive divided bath, with a large whirlpool tub.

These single story Grand Villas at the BoardWalk Villas among the best floor plans of any Disney World Grand Villa, bettered only by those in the Villas at the Grand Floridian, Riviera, and Copper Creek. (For an extensive discussion of Grand Villa design choices, see this.)

(To the capacity of 12, you can add one more kid under 3 at time of check in who sleeps in a crib.)

PHOTO TOUR OF A STUDIO AT DISNEY’S BOARDWALK VILLAS

This review continues here.
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