Disney’s BoardWalk Villas, a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) resort, combines studio and villa-style accommodations with an incredible location near EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. In this review, we’ll take a closer look at a 1-Bedroom Villa with a Garden/Pool View to see if the room, amenities, and overall experience make it worth considering for your next Disney vacation.
We’ve previously stayed at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, but this was our first visit to the Villas side of the resort. The Villas and the traditional resort rooms share amenities, so we’ll focus more on what makes the Villas rooms unique. And there’s a lot that makes them unique!
Quick verdict: We loved staying in a villa at Disney’s BoardWalk! Disney’s BoardWalk Villas are among the best deluxe villa options at Walt Disney World thanks to their unbeatable location near EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, spacious floorplans, and full kitchens. The lack of indoor quick service is frustrating, but the villas themselves are outstanding.
In this article we’ll talk about:
- Location of Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
- Review of the 1-Bedroom Villa
- Dining at Disney’s BoardWalk
- Pools, Recreation, & Nightlife
- Overall Thoughts – Would We Stay in a Villa Again?
Location of Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
Disney’s BoardWalk Villas are located within the same complex as Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. You can almost think of it as a hotel within a hotel, but both the Villas and regular resort guests utilize the same check-in area and amenities.
The Villas make up the portion of the resort outlined in red in the satellite photo below.
Note that two of the BoardWalk’s pools, including the feature Luna Park Pool, are on the Villas side of the resort. All of the pools on the BoardWalk’s property are open to regular and Villas guests. You’re just closer to the main pool if you’re staying in the Villas.
The physical location of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn & Villas is one of the best of any Walt Disney World resort. The resort is within walking distance of two theme parks – EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Guests can also easily walk to nearby resorts including Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club resorts, The Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin, and the Swan Reserve. Location, location, location.
Walking Times from Disney’s BoardWalk Inn’s Lobby:
- EPCOT’s International Gateway: ~10 minutes
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios ~15-20 minutes
- Disney’s Yacht Club lobby ~10 minutes
- Disney’s Beach Club lobby ~10 minutes
- Walt Disney World Swan or Dolphin: ~7 minutes
- Swan Reserve: ~11 minutes
These times will vary depending on your walking speed and the weather. Remember, the heat can really slow you down! There are also some rooms on the Villas side of the resort that are either closer or further away, so take that into account too.
Review of a 1-Bedroom Villa at Disney’s BoardWalk
One-Bedroom Villa Fast Facts:
- Sleeps up to 4 adults
- One king bed and one pull-down queen bed
- Full kitchen with dining table
- Washer and dryer
- Full balcony
There are several room categories on the Villas side of Disney’s BoardWalk. Guests can stay in studios, 1-bedroom villas, and even 3-bedroom villas. Some of the 3-bedroom accommodations are available as 2-story rooms if you really need a lot of space.
When we spotted a great discount on a 1-bedroom villa (the price was less than a standard BoardWalk room!), we knew we had to give it a try.
Living Room
The room opens to a small entryway that leads into the kitchen and living room. The couch in the living room pulls down and becomes the room’s second bed. This Murphy bed is similar to what’s used around many other Disney resorts. You might find the mattress itself to be a bit on the firm side, but we can’t personally confirm that. The surrounding built-ins offer plenty of shelf space.
Kitchen
Let’s move on to the kitchen. And when we say kitchen, we mean it’s an actual kitchen. It’s not a kitchenette. There’s a full-size refrigerator, range, microwave, sink, dishwasher, and coffee maker.
The cabinets are full of dishes (plates, glasses, silverware) and a small selection of pots and pans. There’s even a rectangular glass baking dish if you really want to put the kitchen to use. While you shouldn’t expect a ton of kitchen supplies, there’s enough included to throw some “homemade” meals together.
Full transparency – we didn’t cook during our stay. It’s one of the last things we want to do while on vacation. But, we can see where it’d be useful for longer stays or for groups trying to save some money. That said, we thoroughly enjoyed having a full refrigerator and freezer. It alone is a big upgrade over the usual beverage coolers found in standard rooms.
Bedroom
Shifting over to the bedroom itself, the 1-bedroom villa has a king bed and a ton of space. There are two nightstands, a dresser, an accent chair, and a small bench. The outlets near the bed have built-in USB plugs, which is always nice. The size of the bedroom might be the real star. It was easy to move around the room and access the balcony.
We really liked the warm colors in the bedroom area. Many Disney resorts have stripped out the color from their rooms, but thankfully that trend has been reversing. In the villas, the bedrooms still have full carpeting. That’s pretty rare in modern Disney resort rooms. The room has character and some theming, but nothing over the top. There’s several Disney touches, including in the art.
You’ll notice there isn’t a closet in any of the pictures so far. More on that later!
Bathroom
Moving to the bathroom, this is where things get interesting. The bathroom is split into two unique spaces. The layout almost feels like it was inspired by Disney Cruise Line.
The first area is right off of the bedroom and has a very large tub (maybe the best one we’ve seen on Disney property) and a sink with a large vanity.
The second area has the shower, toilet, and a sink with relatively small counterspace. This section is accessible by two doors – one that comes in off the kitchen and one that comes in off the bedroom. It’s a split bathroom setup that allows for privacy if you have a family or group staying in the villa. You don’t have to walk through the bedroom to get to the bathroom.
Layout
Confused? We don’t blame you. The floorplan is kind of hard to describe! This layout from Disney Vacation Club should help. Our layout was similar to the one below, but flipped and our balcony was fully connected and not split into two.
One odd design choice is how the tub area shares a door with the bedroom. The toilet and shower area has two doors that can be closed for full privacy, but the tub and its nearby sink can’t be closed off from the bedroom. It’s a minor complaint that didn’t bother us, but it’s something to keep in mind. It’s also worth pointing out that Disney sealed up the wall that used to open up over the tub into the bedroom ages ago.
Speaking of unique elements, here’s something you won’t find in a traditional Disney resort room – a washer and dryer!
Like cooking, we’re not about to do laundry while on vacation if we can help it. But, it was nice knowing that it was there if we needed it. Did a Florida storm pop up and soak your clothes? Toss them in the dryer.
Finally, behind a pocket door in the bathroom was another unexpected feature – a walk-in closet! We literally gasped. We didn’t see the layout when we booked this room, so this was a total surprise. This is also where you’ll find the room’s safe.
We stored our largest luggage in here, which was great because it freed up even more space.
Balcony and View
Wrapping up our room tour, let’s talk about the balcony. The balcony stretches almost the full length of the room and is accessible from both the bedroom and the living room. You’ll find four basic metal chairs (not the most comfortable) and a couple small tables.
While the outdoor furniture left a lot to be desired in terms of comfort, we really lucked out with our view.
Our room looked out on the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin, as well as the waterway that runs from Crescent Lake to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Beautiful views! We have heard that many of the one bedroom villas with a water view overlook one of the resort’s quiet pools, so this type of view isn’t guaranteed, unfortunately.
We also had a nice view of a spooky hotel with a broken elevator. Maybe one day they’ll fix that thing! Seeing the Tower of Terror so close (it’s the building in the background in the photo above if you missed it) really puts the location of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn in perspective. It’s hard to beat if you prioritize Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT.
You’re probably guessing that we a) loved the room and b) would stay in a BoardWalk Inn villa again in a heartbeat. Read on to our overall thoughts at the bottom of this article to see if you’re correct!
Dining at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
The dining options at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn are a bit of a mixed bag. That’s not exactly a hot take.
The Good
The BoardWalk is home to multiple table service restaurants. Between Flying Fish, Trattoria al Forno, and The Cake Bake Shop, you can find something for just about anyone. All three of these restaurants are on the pricier side (you’ve probably seen the discourse around the pricing at The Cake Bake Shop), so keep that in mind.
The lounges – AbracadaBar and Belle Vue Lounge – are great for a drink or two. If you’re a snacker, you’ll love that the BoardWalk has easily-accessible and very good ice cream, pizza, nachos, corn dogs, and more out on the BoardWalk itself.
If the dining at the BoardWalk itself doesn’t strike your fancy, there’s a ton of options at the other nearby resorts (Yacht & Beach Club, Swan and Dolphin).
The Bad
Unlike most Disney resorts, the BoardWalk Inn lacks a large indoor quick service spot that serves up full hot meals. There is a small coffee shop off the resort’s lobby, but its offerings and hours are extremely limited. The other quick service locations are all located outside on the BoardWalk – the BoardWalk Deli, Pizza Window, BoardWalk Ice Cream, BoardWalk Joe’s Margaritas, and Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs – and have pretty limited menus.
We’re not saying any of the quick food options at the BoardWalk are bad. They’re actually quite good! But, it’s the lack of options and the lack of dedicated space (think of the Mara at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge) that makes this an issue. It’s hard to imagine there isn’t a single spot for a grab-and-go Mickey waffle, but that’s the harsh reality of the BoardWalk. Thankfully, Disney has finally recognized the quick service is majorly lacking and is adding a new quick service space in the future.
Pools, Recreation, & Nightlife
As we mentioned earlier, guests staying in the villas at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn can enjoy all the amenities of the resort. That includes the very good Luna Park Pool (and its 200-foot slide) as well as the two quiet pools. Beyond the pools, the resort also has a playground, tennis court, movies under the stars, an arcade, and more.
Disney’s BoardWalk Inn hosts many of the same activities and events you’ll find at other deluxe Disney resorts. There’s always something to do or participate in each day if you so choose.
In terms of nightlife, Disney’s BoardWalk is among the best options at Walt Disney World. We’re still sad Jellyrolls closed, but there’s still nice lounges (AbracadaBar, Belle Vue Lounge) and the Atlantic Dance Hall. The Atlantic Dance Hall is only open on weekends, but it’s a great place to dance to a DJ on a large dance floor. It’s a blast with friends! Disney also has a new live music lounge planned for the old Jellyrolls spot.
Overall Thoughts on the Villas at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
So, would we stay at Disney’s BoardWalk Villas again? Short answer – Yes! We absolutely would stay in a villa again at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. The one-bedroom villa we were in was beautiful and extremely comfortable. The amenities and location of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn are outstanding, though we’re glad Disney is addressing the glaring weakness that is the quick service scene.
You’d expect a one-bedroom villa at Walt Disney World to be great, and the BoardWalk thankfully delivers. The layout of the one-bedroom villas does take a little time to get used to (mainly the split bathroom), but we don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing. The space is hard to beat. We think this is a top option for families because you can spread out or make a quick meal.
We’d recommend keeping an eye out for discounts if you’re hoping to stay in one of the larger villas at the BoardWalk. The villas side of the resort will sometimes pop up in seasonal discounts, and those discounts are often pretty good. We ended up paying a little bit less than we would’ve for a regular resort room. You definitely won’t regret it if you’re able to snag a similar deal.
