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DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: JULY 19 TO JULY 27, 2014

The material below details operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.

The same stuff is in the image, but organized by park, not by topic.

For more on July 2014 at Walt Disney World, see this.

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(For the first page of this review of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, click here.)

PHOTO TOUR OF A ROOM AT DISNEY’S BOARDWALK INN

Standard rooms at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn have similar layouts to those at fellow Epcot Resorts the Yacht Club and Beach Club, and like those come in four person and five person variants–both with two queens, the five person model adding a couch that converts into a bed for one.

Most of the images below are from my December 2018 stay at the BoardWalk Inn, but some are from my five earlier stays–in cases where my most recent shots were too bad even by my low standards.

The entry is typical of hotel rooms accessed from an interior corridor–a bath on one side, closets on the other, separated by a hall that opens into the living/sleeping space beyond.

On the closet side you will find this thingy with a coffee service above and a mini-fridge below.

The supplies are in the small drawer beneath the coffee-maker.

Below that drawer is the mini-fridge.

Aso on this side is this large closet, equipped as usual with a luggage rack, ironing board and iron, and a safe.

I did not measure the safe, but my book is 6 inches by 9 inches–so as you can tell the safe is quite large.

The other side of the closet. Note the ron and ironing board, and above is bedding for the fifth sleeping spot (if it is present in your room).

Across the hall you’ll find the divided bath.  Here’s the sinks. The make-up mirror at the right is a recent addition.

Bath toiletries. Standard rooms likely won’t have quite this pile…

The toilet and tub/shower are in their own space.

More toiletries can be found in the corner shelving.

Deeper in the room you’ll find the two beds and a desk on one side. Like most Disney World rooms, these rooms have lost their multi-colored bed runner, diminishing a bit of their charm. In my most recent stay I was upgraded to a club-level room, hence the robes and slippers. Regular rooms don’t get the robes or slippers.

Here’s the bed side from the back of the room…

…and a closer view of one of the queen beds.

Between the beds is a bedside table with a storage shelf under…

…and a drawer large enough for your important books.

The desk includes a rolling table underneath which can serve for typing, dining, or playing games with the kids–I’ve pulled it out a bit here so you can see it better.

There’s some charming detail–Mickey and Minnie here on the back of the desk chair…

…and Minnie in the lamp base.

The other side of the room has a TV/dresser thingy, and a couch that converts into a bed. Rooms with a connecting door put it on the left where the coat rack is, and the coat rack moves to the closet wall at the far left.

The TV side from the back corner.

A closer view of the dresser/TV thingy. The 54 inch TV is a recent addition–these rooms used to have a smaller TV, encased by an upper extension to the dresser.

With six drawers and two cupboards, there’s plenty of storage room for the five people this room will hold.

The small thingy you see at top center is our “welcome back” gift of Ganachery chocolate and a note. Disney World is getting better at tracking and acknowledging repeat visits. With my more than 160 stays, they oughta name a room after me…

I should also note that there’s lots of power points in these rooms, both plug and USB. There’s two sets of them on the dresser, more on the desk, and another set on the bedside table.

Next to the dresser is this couch.

…which flips down into a bed. Bed-belts (I don’t know what else to call them) keep the bedding organized while it flips down.

I measured the cushion as 72 inches long, with two or three more inches of toe-wiggling room. Mattress width is 32 inches, and the cushion is 4 inches+ deep. I had no trouble sleeping on it except that it’s a little short for my height.

There’s some fun wall art that picks up the light carnival theme of the rest of the BoardWalk Inn–this carousel…

…and this boardwalk scene.

Beyond the couch is this balcony.

The view from the balcony on one of our stays.

Some higher courtyard-view rooms have views of the higher parts of the Epcot fireworks. The image above is from one of our rooms with such a view. These are not a separately bookable category, but you can request them over the phone.

These rooms are nicely proportioned and nicely decorated. They fit a family of five perfectly well.

AMENITIES AT DISNEY’S BOARDWALK INN

This review continues here!

PAGES IN THIS REVIEW OF DISNEY’S BOARDWALK INN

• Summary and overview of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
• Theming and Accommodations at the BoardWalk Inn
• A Photo-Tour of a Standard Room at the Boardwalk Inn
• Amenities at the BoardWalk Inn
• The Luna Park Pool at the BoardWalk Inn
• Dining at the Boardwalk Inn

OTHER KEY PAGES FOR WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

• Where to stay–the Basics
• Where first-timers should stay
• Reviews of all the Disney World resorts, based on my 160+ stays in them

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OVERVIEW: DISNEY’S BOARDWALK INN

Note: guests at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn 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.

Our most recent stay (in December, our sixth at the BoardWalk Inn since I started this site) confirms that Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, one of the Epcot resorts, is the eighth best deluxe resort at Walt Disney World for first time family visitors.

(It can be a great choice for returning visitors, especially for a trip focused on Epcot and/or Disney’s Hollywood Studios.)

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

However, this site recommends that first time visitors to Walt Disney World who can afford it should stay at Disney’s Polynesian Resort, a deluxe resort, and that those who can’t should stay at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, a value resort.

(It also suggests that first time visitors should avoid the moderate resorts, while noting that these resorts are wonderful for visits after the first. See this for why.)

Compared to other Walt Disney World owned and operated resorts, the deluxe resorts are distinguished by having (on average) the most amenities, nicest views, best dining options, best transport options, largest rooms, best service, and highest prices.

Many are also paired with Disney Vacation Club (DVC) resorts.  For a review of the BoardWalk Inn’s sister DVC resort, Disney’s BoardWalk Villas, click here.

Among the deluxe resorts, Disney’s BoardWalk Inn has a lot of positives.

• It has a fun pool, though not nearly as good as the one its Epcot neighbors the Yacht Club and Beach Club share
• It shares with the Yacht Club and the Beach Club Inn convenient access to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and
• It shares with these resorts a short walk to dozens of table service dining options located in these resorts, at the Swan and Dolphin, on the BoardWalk, and in Epcot.

It also has a couple of negatives, also largely shared with the Yacht and Beach Clubs. It’s thin on kid appeal compared to other options, is not as convenient for this site’s itineraries as some alternative resorts (although it is very well located for visits focused on Epcot and/or Disney’s Hollywood Studios), and has limited counter service in general and especially limited breakfast options.

The breakfast issue is better than it has been in the past…see the image…but it’s still not as good as many guests would expect.

(See this for much more on resort distinctions by price class–value, moderate, deluxe, etc.)

In total this review  of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn covers six pages:

• Summary Review of the BoardWalk Inn–where you are right now
• Theming and Accommodations at the BoardWalk Inn
• A Photo-Tour of a Standard Room at the Boardwalk Inn
• Amenities at the BoardWalk Inn
• The Luna Park Pool at the BoardWalk Inn
• Dining at the Boardwalk Inn

The summary review continues below.

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Since we didn’t do anything as sophisticated as sending out review copies of The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit prior to publication, reviews have been a little slow to come in.

But they are now showing up!!

Today Heidi Strawser at (in?) Heidi’s Head published this review, and last week Janice Brady at The Adult Side of Disney published this one.

More are coming, I’ve heard, later this week and on through July.

Moreover, Josh did a call-in show on WDW News Today (no archive that I can find), Josh and I did an interview about the book on National Public Radio available here, and I recorded a podcast last night with Kathy Kelly for the Special Mouse podcast which should be released next week.

Meanwhile the reviews on Amazon are starting to build, too–we hit 50 reviews yesterday, 48 with five-star rankings.

Want to see what all the fuss is about?  Then get your own copy by clicking the link: The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit!!

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OVERVIEW: FEBRUARY 2015 AT DISNEY WORLD

This page reviews February 2015 Walt Disney World crowds, prices, deals and discounts, weather, and operating hours; adds a few other notes; and ends with week by week summaries.

Early February 2015 will have some of the lowest crowds and prices of the year, but also the risk of ride closures.

The end of the month brings slightly higher prices and crowds, but better weather and few closures.

In between–the period from Thursday the 12th through Sunday the 22nd–we will see high crowds and high prices.

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

ACCOMMODATIONS AT DISNEY’S YACHT CLUB RESORT

All Disney deluxe resorts have standard rooms; concierge rooms, which Disney calls “club” rooms; and suites. (See this for more on suites at Walt Disney World.)

At Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, standard and club/concierge rooms sleep either four or five, in two queen beds, or two queens and a day bed. Standard rooms are covered in detail earlier in this review. King bed rooms that sleep two or three (the third on the day bed) are also available.

CONCIERGE ROOMS, DELUXE ROOMS, AND SUITES AT DISNEY’S YACHT CLUB RESORT

I generally advise against special room types for first-time visitors, as they won’t be spending much time in their rooms. However, they may be well worth it for families intending to spend more time at the Yacht Club Resort than implied by this site’s itineraries.

TikimanPages.com has a great discussion of the value of concierge rooms here. Though focused on the Polynesian, it applies to any deluxe resort.

Most Yacht Club concierge rooms (Disney calls them “club” rooms) are the same size as the rest of the resort’s rooms.  However, there’s also an option called a “Deluxe” rooms, and several types of two-bedroom suites.

Deluxe rooms don’t offer any more sleeping capacity–they just give you more space, and more separate spaces, for your family to live in. Deluxe rooms (which used to be called junior suites) are about 60% larger than standard rooms, and include two queens and a semi-private sitting area.

The two-bedroom Turret Suites have an unusual shape and layout–with one of the bedrooms connecting the other spaces.

There’s also two-bedroom Presidential and Admiral suites, each with ~2000 square feet and the two-bedroom Captain’s Deck Suite, with ~2400 square feet.

For more on suites, see this, and for more on larger families seeking deluxe options, see this.

Note that to all the capacity figures above you can add a child under three in a crib. A crib fits nicely between the dresser/TV and the closet.

THE THEMING OF DISNEY’S YACHT CLUB RESORT

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort opened in November 1990, and in 2009 completed a major renovation. Word is that a badly-needed refurb is coming soon.

According to Disney World’s website, the Yacht Club

“…[features] lush landscaping and the formal grace of a grand New England yacht club.

Designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern—known for his East Coast beach houses—this splendid 5-story Resort transports Guests to the summertime Shingle Style hotels of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. (Sister resort Disney’s Beach Club Resort is a more relaxed, pastel-toned edifice next door; the 2 share many amenities.)

Public areas, guest rooms and suites are adorned in dark wood and wicker furniture, portholes and simulated captain’s wheels. Cast Members are decked out in ship’s crew regalia, including navy blazers and captain’s hats.”

The architect (and former Disney board member) Stern on his own website also talks about the Yacht Club in its context with the Beach Club:

“While both hotels draw their inspiration from America’s architectural past, each has a unique identity.

The Yacht Club is reminiscent of the rambling, shingle-covered seaside resorts that were built toward the end of the last century in New England towns such as Newport, Marblehead, and Bar Harbor.

The Beach Club is lighter, more airy in expression. It is modeled on the many Stick Style cottages and resorts that could be found in towns like Cape May, New Jersey.”

(For more on Stern’s role in Walt Disney World, see this.)

Well, I have a couple of issues with this.

First–and yes, do laugh at me for arguing with Stern, the master, about his signature Shingle Style–vernacular Shingle Style has a few more curves than the Yacht Club. Rounded turrets and eyebrow dormers are common elements missing in the Yacht Club.

But more to the point–these two resorts just aren’t that different.

Yes, the Yacht Club (above) is a tad more formal, and yes, the Beach Club (below) is a hint lighter. …but some of the discussions about these two resorts make it sound as though they were comparing the Grand Floridian and the Wilderness Lodge.

In fact, the Yacht and Beach Clubs are more like one another in theme, style, decor, layout, and rooms than are any other pair of deluxe resorts at Walt Disney World.

And this makes a bit of sense, considering that they are really just one building with mirror-image hotel wings.

See the map.

The Yacht Club rooms and lobby are on the left, the Beach Club rooms and lobby on the right, and in between is shared space used for restaurants, kitchens, and other shared support activities.

Above this central shared space on the map is the shared convention center, and below it the shared spectacular pool, Stormalong Bay.

Note that the room wings are essentially mirror images of each other, and of course the room layouts themselves are identical.

What’s different between the two resorts in terms of theme is a set of small choices of decoration and decor, which do establish a difference but just don’t add up to much.

Here’s what we say about this in our book:

So yes, the Beach Club is the better choice for most families.  But if you need Stormalong Bay or the easy access to Epcot, but can’t get into the Beach Club, don’t let the talk of formality keep you from bringing your kids to the Yacht Club. Yes, there is a tiny difference, and yes the Beach Club is preferable–but the Yacht Club is just fine for families!

MORE ON DISNEY’S YACHT CLUB RESORT

The Yacht Club Resort is one of 5 (or 7, if you count the Disney Vacation Club resorts separately) resorts within walking distance of Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

(Boats also go to the both; most take the boat to the Studios–no faster than walking, but easier.)

These resorts–the Beach Club, Yacht Club, BoardWalk Inn, Swan, Dolphin, and the DVC Boardwalk Villas and Beach Club Villas–share a number of strengths thanks to their location.

The biggest strength for first time family visitors with kids is the ease of access to Epcot and (to a lesser extent) the Studios. The other theme parks are served by buses with multiple stops.

Another great strength is their pools. All these resorts have fun, kid-friendly pools. The pool shared by the Beach and Yacht Club, Stormalong Bay, is the most kid-appealing among the Disney owned and operated resorts.

A strength they share for adults is their easy access to table-service dining options. These include the restaurants within the nearby resorts as well as those along the BoardWalk, and for those with tickets and/or park hoppers, the dining venues in Epcot itself.

Another strength for adults is a convenience store with normal, not Disney, prices within walking distance.

Dining options for kids, and counter service in particular, are more of a problem.

The three Disney resorts have exactly one counter service location among them–a thin set of offerings in the Beach Club’s gift shop.

Of the table-service restaurants, only Beaches and Cream, a soda, ice cream and burger shop near the Beach Club part of Stormalong Bay, has delightful kid appeal, but it is tiny hard to reserve, and commonly packed.

(Character dining is available in the Beach Club for breakfast, but is uninteresting compared to most other character meals.)

The Yacht Club Resort’s strengths for first time family visitors are Stormalong Bay and its easy access to Epcot.

The Yacht Club Resort’s principal negatives for first time family visitors are its relative lack of kid appeal and its poor access to counter-service dining options.

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