Disney’s Boardwalk Villas Review

Disney’s Boardwalk Villas are part of the Disney Vacation Club Resort at Walt Disney World. Most of the deluxe resorts at Disney World have a DVC wing that makes up a separate portion of the hotel.

In this Boardwalk Villas review, we’ll look at the different villas, amenities, and benefits of staying in this portion of the resort. Additionally, we’ll preview a deluxe studio room and what it offers compared to a standard room at Boardwalk Inn.

The Boardwalk Villas have several things going for them. Staying at the Boardwalk, in general, has one huge factor that shouldn’t be overlooked, the location.

Like they say in real estate, location, location, location! The same goes for Disney World.

Disney’s Boardwalk Villas are within walking distance to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot. Being able to walk out of the resort and straight onto the walkway to a theme park is a huge advantage.

You don’t have to worry about waiting on a bus or other forms of transportation. Instead, you can simply walk over, which leaves you in control of your arrival.

Additionally, the Boardwalk Villas make up part of the Epcot Resorts Area. Therefore, you’ll have convenient access to shopping and dining at the surrounding hotels when staying in this area.

With that noted, let’s take a look at the other attributes you’ll find here.

This review was updated on February 24, 2022.

Boardwalk Villas Review

The Boardwalk Villas offer different amenities than you would find in a standard guest room. All of the Disney World Villa Resorts offer a few conveniences similar to what we might have at home.

For instance, a deluxe studio has a kitchenette, larger bathroom, and typically sleeps up to five guests. In comparison, a regular guest room will not have a kitchenette or any other extra amenities.

The different units available at the Boardwalk Villas are:

Deluxe Studio Villa
One Bedroom Villa
Two Bedroom Lock-Off Villa
Three Bedroom Grand Villa

The two-bedroom lock-off villa is a combination of a deluxe studio and a one-bedroom villa. This unit will have a door that’s locked off between the rooms. That way, if the resort needs more one-bedrooms or deluxe studios, they can rent them separately.

All the one-bedroom and larger villas offer a full kitchen and have a washer and dryer in the unit. As you can probably imagine, these amenities are convenient for a variety of different dynamics.

Additionally, the following room views are considered upgrades:

Garden or Pool View
Boardwalk View

Disney’s Boardwalk is one of the few resorts where I recommend considering a view upgrade. However, I would only upgrade if I planned to spend a decent amount of time in the room.

Usually, these villas are rented to the Disney Vacation Club members on a point system. However, while members are generally given first availability, Disney rents the villa rooms to regular guests.

So, you do not have to be a DVC member to rent one of the villa units.

Next, we’ll preview a deluxe studio villa so you can get a better idea of what to expect.

Boardwalk Villas Deluxe Studio

Below is a picture of the deluxe studio at Disney’s Boardwalk Villas. The villas have been refurbished in recent years.

I thought the subtle color palette was refreshing and calming. The sage wall color and the pops of red and pink undertones help make the room feel spacious.

Most studio rooms have a queen-size bed with a queen-size sleeper sofa. This studio was similar to the setup in our studio room at the Grand Floridian Villas.

However, the Grand Floridian Villas are undergoing a significant refurbishment in 2022. Those new rooms will have a pull-down bed instead of a queen-size sleeper sofa.

Related: Grand Floridian Villas Review

And after our stay in a deluxe studio at Disney’s Riviera Resort, I have to admit I prefer the pull-down Murphy bed over the sofa bed. The sofa beds are not very comfortable for a lengthy stay.

Related: Disney’s Riviera Resort Review

A king-size bed is only available in a one-bedroom villa, two-bedroom villa, or three-bedroom grand villa.

I thought the convertible table with chairs was a nice room amenity.

The table folds out, making this area the perfect place to enjoy a meal.

And a pull-down bed opens up, revealing a single trundle bed. These beds are usually recommended for children ages 12 and younger.

Dumbo and Timothy Mouse are snoozing on the artwork inside the trundle bed panel.

Here is a view of our room with the queen-size bed, queen-size sleeper, and trundle in use. The coffee table easily rolled out of the way, and I stacked the sofa cushions on top.

There was still plenty of walking space in the area, and the balcony was still accessible.

A large armoire sits in the corner with adequate storage space inside. The drawers were deep, and I liked that there wasn’t a lot of hidden storage in the room. I’m always afraid I’ll tuck something away and forget it when we leave.

A majority of the Boardwalk Villas have balconies.

We had a standard view room which ended up being a garden view. It was fun to watch the Disney Skyliner pass by our room in the distance.

Moving on, the guest bath is a nice size. In addition, the vanity area is separate from the water closet. That’s always a plus when multiple people are getting ready.

There was plenty of counter space and storage underneath the vanity. And there’s my favorite item, the built-in makeup mirror.

To the immediate right of the vanity area is a full-size closet providing additional storage. Inside you’ll find an in-room safe, extra pillows and blankets, a luggage rack, and an iron with an ironing board.

The actual bath has a standard shower with a tub combination. The deluxe studio baths are probably the largest item that varies significantly between the different villa resorts.

For example, some Copper Creek Villas have a walk-in shower instead of a tub and shower combination.

Related: Copper Creek Villas Review

And many of the newer deluxe studios have a split bath where one side of the bathroom has a tub and shower combination. Meanwhile, the other side of the bath has a walk-in shower and a vanity area.

We’ve recently saw this setup at the new deluxe studios at the Polynesian.

The Boardwalk Villas deluxe studio’s kitchenette is tucked in the hallway between the foyer and the main living space.

The design of the kitchenette is practical, given the smaller space. While it’s not a fully equipped kitchen, the area is very efficient.

It’s nice to have a sink in your room.

Our room had a standard coffee maker.

Complimentary coffee and accompaniments are provided. In addition, there was a roll of paper towels, dish liquid, and a kitchen towel.

On the shelf above sits a microwave and toaster oven. I’ve always assumed that most people in these rooms prepare breakfast here to save money. And potentially a few other meals as well.

Underneath the counter is a decent size refrigerator. These are a little larger than you would find in a standard hotel room. The top of the fridge has a freezer shelf.

Typically, these rooms have ceramic dishes. You can use the sink to wash them and reuse them as needed throughout your trip.

Below the sink is an area for the garbage and recycling bin. Having the ability to store these items out of the way is another thing I like about the room.

Overall, I thought the room elements were well thought out. And I wouldn’t hesitate to reserve this room type again in the future.

While I don’t want to delve deep into covering the entire hotel in this post, I do want to mention a few of the resort’s amenities.

Below is a picture of the elevator lobbies. All the colors used in the resort are bright and charming. But I especially like the villas portion of the Boardwalk.

Here’s a look at the updated Luna Park pool, the resort’s feature pool.

There is a separate kiddie pool available in this area and a playground. If you are a pool person, you might prefer a stay at Disney’s Beach Club to use their Stormalong Bay pool area. They have the nicest pool on the property, and it’s shared with Disney’s Yacht Club.

Related: Best Pools at Disney World

Back at the Boardwalk Villas, a separate quiet pool sits in front of Community Hall. DVC members are privy to some of the things inside Community Hall.

All of the villas resorts offer a separate grill area for their guests.

And Boardwalk Villa guests can use Muscles and Bustles gym. The resort’s gym provides an excellent place to maintain a workout schedule on vacation.

Additionally, Boardwalk Inn is home to several dining venues.

If you enjoy Disney signature dining, you are in luck. Some of the choices include Flying Fish, Yachtsman Steakhouse, and Shula’s Steakhouse.

Related: Yachtsman Steakhouse Review

Other dining options include Boardwalk Bakery, the resort’s quick-service dining location.

A few other items on the Boardwalk include a pizza window, and there’s a stand that sells fast food-type items. Table service restaurants include Big River Grille, Trattoria al Forno, and the ESPN Bar and Grill.

And the Boardwalk is home to two lounge options, Abracadabar and Belle Vue Lounge.

Related: Boardwalk Restaurants Guide

With the addition of the Disney Skyliner, you might like to take it over to the Riviera or Caribbean Beach to enjoy a meal.

If you visit the Riviera, I recommend eating at Primo Piatto, an elevated counter service dining option. And, of course, Topolino’s Terrace has a charming character breakfast.

The Boardwalk Inn provides bus transportation to the following locations:

Magic Kingdom
Animal Kingdom
Disney Springs
Blizzard Beach
Typhoon Lagoon

Additionally, the resort’s Friendship Boat Service will take you to the following locations if you prefer not to walk:

Make sure to check out the entire resort review to learn specifics about the resort.

Related: Disney’s Boardwalk Inn Review

Final Thoughts on Disney’s Boardwalk Villas

As you can see, a stay at the Boardwalk Villas has quite a lot to offer. It is also pleasant to take in these kinds of views on your walk home from Disney’s Hollywood Studios or Epcot.

I highly recommend trying out a stay here if it meets your budget. Some things to think about

This part of Disney World is a place that resonates home for me. So it’s not uncommon to find me taking a leisurely walk around Crescent Lake.

If you’re considering a stay at Disney’s Boardwalk Villas, here are some things to think about:

Which type of villa would work best for my travel party and budget?
Will we save money on meal costs by preparing food in the room? Or do we prefer not to cook on vacation?
Will we take advantage of an upgraded room view of the Boardwalk and other amenities?

For more information about the Boardwalk, all of our articles for the resort are listed here. Or you might enjoy browsing our entire list of Disney World Resort Reviews.

These are a few favorites:

Additionally, some of our more popular posts for those planning a Disney vacation include our Disney World Character Dining Guide and Best Restaurants at Disney Springs list. You might also enjoy browsing all of our Disney Restaurant Reviews we’ve completed to date.

Hopefully, this Boardwalk Villas review provided you with the information needed to decide whether or not a stay here was right for your next vacation.

In the comments: What are your thoughts about the Boardwalk Villas? Can you justify staying in an upgraded villa?

Pin6

6 Shares

Boardwalk Villas Review

Boardwalk Villas Deluxe Studio

Final Thoughts on Disney’s Boardwalk Villas

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Follow Us: