Why We Love Disney’s Boardwalk

I (happily, and luckily) married into a family of Disney-World-goers close to 15 years ago and have mostly stayed at one resort: Disney’s Boardwalk Resort. But why?? Here’s a quick Boardwalk review and why we keep coming back.

01. Being able to use the International Gateway

Staying at the Boardwalk or any of the Crescent Lake resorts means you’re able to walk to the back entrance of EPCOT called the International Gateway.

This puts you steps away from “France”, home to Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure — the ride with the longest waits in EPCOT, making it an easy ride to hit during Early Entry or as your first Lightning Lane of the day.

Another bonus of using the International Gateway is sneaking out right after the nighttime fireworks show, avoiding a crowded bus or Skyliner station.

02. WE DON’T HAVE TO TAKE THE BUS AS OFTEN

The buses in Disney World are wonderful…sometimes.

Other times it can take up to an hour just to get to your destination. And even when it is wonderful, you still have to collapse your stroller and if you have a sleeping baby…well, you get the idea.

Staying at the Boardwalk means we can walk or take a boat ride to EPCOT or Hollywood Studios. That’s half the parks that I don’t have to take the bus for!

Here’s another bus-dodger: being able to walk to the Skyliner station, connecting to the Riviera Resort and other resorts.

03. IT HAS ONE OF THE BEST RESTAURANTS IN DISNEY WORLD

On the Boardwalk you’ll find Trattoria al Forno, the best (in my opinion) Italian food on property.

Pre 2020, there was a character meal breakfast called “Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast” with Rapunzel, Flynn Rider, Ariel, and Prince Eric.

It was a 2 min walk from our room and major points for the fact that it’s the only character breakfast where you can meet princes. Hoping this comes back very soon!

You could also walk across to my niece’s favorite spot, Cape May Cafe at the Beach Club to have breakfast with Minnie and her friends in their cute beach gear.

04. We can rent DVC Points

Since the Boardwalk is a resort with a section for Disney Vacation Club members, that means we can rent points from these owners when they’re not using them.

When the stars align we can save a LOT of money by renting points vs. booking through Disney.

The first thing I do when we’re looking to book another trip is head to the Confirmed Reservations tab under DVC Rental Shop to see if there are any dates around when we want to go.

05. The Boardwalk at Night

When I asked my husband what he loved about the Boardwalk (because of course I texted him about this), he said: “Night-time festivities like the jugglers + magicians. The lights! And I love when they show movies on the lawn.”

He’s right, guys.

Remember: even if you don’t stay at the Boardwalk, you can always come and hang out on the boards at no cost.

So grab a slice of pizza, let the kids run around the green — or grab a drink from AbracaBAR — and see what we’re talking about.

Disney’s Boardwalk Review: Why We Keep Coming Back

I can’t give a Boardwalk Review without listing the things I don’t like:

1. No splash pad
   Pretty much every deluxe resort in Disney World has a main pool with a fun slide and a splash pad for younger kids, but not at the Boardwalk. It drives me crazy!
   
2. Needs more easy food options
   The Boardwalk Deli has some pretty ok sandwiches (the tomato soup is REALLY good), and there’s a pizza window, sure. But man…I wish there was an easy spot to grab some chicken fingies.

There’s so much magic at the Boardwalk, and my NJ-shore heart has become attached to it over the years.

Even if we don’t stay here, we love staying in the EPCOT resort area itself, which includes: Beach + Yacht Club, Swan, Dolphin + the new Swan Reserve.

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