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Disney’s Boardwalk at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida is one of my family’s favorite hotels – and I know your family will love it, too. So I urge you to book a stay here – but first, read these tips to help you plan your stay at the Boardwalk!
1Book a DVC Villa
The Boardwalk Resort has two sections: the Boardwalk Inn and a Disney Vacation Club Section. Even if you are not a Disney Vacation Club member, you can still book a room in the Disney Vacation Club Section – and I encourage you to do this when you stay there. You can do this by booking through David’s Vacation Club Rentals. Your prices will be so much lower than if you book a stay at Boardwalk through Disney’s website. And you’ll actually be in closer walking distance to Hollywood Studios. Another advantage of staying in the DVC section of the Boardwalk is that your room will have a full kitchen: we’re talking microwave, eating utensils, refrigerator, etc. You can save money by having a meal or two in your room and even if you’re flying into Orlando, you could order your food and have it delivered to the hotel through Amazon.
2Walk to EPCOT & Hollywood Studios
A great thing about staying at the Boardwalk is you can walk to EPCOT and enter through the entrance that takes you to the World Showcase and you can walk to Hollywood Studios as well. Make sure you walk there at least once because it is a really neat feeling to be able to walk to a Disney park.
3Take a boat to EPCOT & Hollywood Studios
The other neat transportation to the parks offered by Boardwalk is boat transportation. I definitely recommend using this transportation at least once, because it is a really neat feeling to use a boat to get to the Disney parks.
4Watch the Street Performers
A neat thing about staying at the Boardwalk hotel at Disney World is you are right there at the Boardwalk. If you are not already familiar with the Boardwalk, it is set up like a classic Boardwalk with shops and restaurants, and there are street performers throughout the Boardwalk you can catch from time to time, like magicians, jugglers, etc. Make sure you take the time to watch these performers because it is very entertaining, no matter what your age is!
5Watch the fireworks from the Boardwalk
Another fun thing you can do at the Boardwalk is you can watch the fireworks from EPCOT. This is a neat way to watch them with a neat backdrop, and it’s nice to not have to wait around at the parks waiting for them!
6Watch the Movies Under the Stars
Disney hotels have movies under the stars at night where you can watch a Disney movie on a big screen. There’s a great spot at Boardwalk to watch the movies where you can not only enjoy the movie but also you can see out at the performers at the Boardwalk and the beautiful water beyond the Boardwalk.
7Participate in the Campfire
Included in your hotel admission is a campfire, which is a neat, fun way your family can spend time together.
8Rent a Surrey Bike
You can rent a surrey bike and ride around the Boardwalk plus the area in front of Disney’s Beach Club and Yacht Club. It’s a lot of fun and your family will enjoy it!
9Enjoy the Nearby Restaurants
There are some great restaurants for you to enjoy on the Boardwalk. If you love sports, then you’ll enjoy the ESPN Club which has lots of TVs. If there’s a game you’re not sure you can get in your hotel room, you can come here for the game (I did this for an NFL game when I was here in November once). For delicious, affordable breakfast foods, check out the Boardwalk Bakery, which you can also go to take advantage of Disney’s Rapid Refill Program where you buy a mug once and then you can get unlimited refills during your stay. And if you love character breakfasts, you can get that at Trattoria al Forno, where they have a Bon Voyage Character Breakfast featuring Rapunzel, Flynn Rider, Ariel and Prince Eric (and the restaurant has delicious Italian food for lunch & dinner). These are just some of the great restaurants at Disney’s Boardwalk – and you can also enjoy delicious restaurants at the nearby World Showcase, too, which is where you can get some of the best dining in all of Walt Disney World. My personal favorite is the Rose & Crown British Pub. You’ll be able to afford all this great dining if you take our advice on how to save on Disney dining.
10Save Money By Preparing Ahead of Time
Another way you can save money on this trip is to buy things ahead of time to avoid having to pay extra once you get to Walt Disney World Resort (trust me, everything is more expensive at Walt Disney World). Here’s a list of items we think you should buy ahead of time to save money.
