Complete Guide to Disney’s BoardWalk Inn (w/ review)

Disney’s BoardWalk Inn is a Deluxe waterfront hotel on Walt Disney World property that’s located in the Epcot Resort Area.

You’ll find theming that embodies the turn-of-century Atlantic City and the pastimes of Coney Island. Disney’s BoardWalk Villas, a Disney Vacation Club Resort, is also located on property.

As a Deluxe Resort at Disney World, BoardWalk is one of the more expensive hotels on property and offers different amenities compared to Value and Moderate Resorts.

The resort is also in the middle of much-needed upgrades that will mean dealing with construction and some outdated spaces until it is complete.

Overall, this is a resort with charm and amenities that will be even better when it’s done in the coming years. In the meantime, you may find nearby resorts a better option with comparable perks and at a similar price point.

That said, here’s everything you need to know about BoardWalk Inn.

Pros and Cons

Pros: 10-15 minute walk to Epcot, some rooms have views of Epcot and Hollywood Studios, can take a boat or walk to Hollywood Studios, gorgeous theming, Disney Skyliner station nearby

Cons: No restaurants inside the resort (have to walk out on the BoardWalk to get to them), shared buses can sometimes mean long commutes, can be long walks to rooms (especially Villas rooms)

Overview

One of the big perks of staying at BoardWalk Inn is it is within walking distance to both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Don’t worry, complimentary Disney transportation is available (including Skyliner access), but to be able to walk to to parks is a huge bonus.

There are also several high quality dining and entertainment options. 

Another positive of BoardWalk Inn is the boardwalk itself. You can walk up and down an actual boardwalk that not only offers stunning views, but has shops and dining readily available for guests.

On the con side, a lot of the resorts shopping and dining are outside so if it’s raining or super hot, you’ll have to walk out there in the elements for most everything. 

The buses are also sometimes shared which can make it take awhile coming and going. 

The long hallways often mean long walks to the rooms, so be sure to request to be near an elevator to help alleviate some of that.

The resort is on the pricier side compared to many other hotels featured on property, so keep that in mind. But, the theming, rooms, amenities, and more might be just enough to persuade you to book a stay.

Here’s what to expect.

Guest Rooms and Bathrooms

There are a variety of types of rooms to book at BoardWalk Inn. Depending on which room you reserve, you can sleep anywhere from 2 to 9 adults.

There’s even a selection of rooms that feature Club Level Service, which we go over in more detail below.

Standard amenities are featured in each room, including a hairdryer, TV, free WiFi, a Keurig coffee maker, telephone, in-room safe, and an iron and ironing board.

If you’re wondering about outlets and USB ports, there are both scattered about for whatever you may need to plug in or charge. Regarding storage, there is both closet, drawer, and counter space, including in most of the bathrooms.

Speaking of the bathrooms, some of the the vanity areas do not have a separate own door for privacy, but there is a door separating the shower and toilet from the vanity/sink area.

Also, the beds do not have space underneath to store luggage or other belongings. Here are the rooms available to book.

Rooms And Suites

• Water View: Views of Disney’s BoardWalk or Crescent Lake; 2 Queen Beds and 1 Day Bed or 2 Queen Beds or 1 King Bed
• Standard View: Views of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn Gardens, Leisure Pool or Parking Area; 2 Queen Beds and 1 Day Bed or 1 King Bed or 2 Queen Beds or 1 King Bed and 1 Day Bed

• Garden View: Views of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn Gardens; 1 Day Bed and 2 Queen Beds or 1 King Bed or 2 Queen Beds or 1 King Bed and 1 Day Bed
• Outer Building — Garden Room: Views of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn Gardens or Leisure Pool; 1 King Bed

• 2 Bedroom Suite: Views of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn Gardens or Leisure Pool; 2 Queen Beds and 1 King Bed and 1 Queen-Size Sleeper Sofa and 1 Day Bed or 1 Queen-Size Sleeper Sofa and 2 King Beds and 1 Twin-Size Sleeper Chair
• Sonora VP Suite: Views of Disney’s BoardWalk and Crescent Lake; 2 Queen Beds

Rooms And Suites With Club-Level Service

These rooms and suites have standard amenities, in addition to Club-Level Service perks. They include:

• Evening turndown
• Secured key access to the club-level lounge (serves refreshments 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily)
• Complimentary fax assistance
• Continental breakfast, midday snacks and evening wine, cheese, cordials and dessert
• Access to Concierge service at the Innkeeper’s Club
• Complimentary health club access
• Complimentary newspapers in Club Level lounge
• Personalized Front Desk and Guest Services

Guests also have access to a DVD Player and Disney Signature Services for personal assistance with your trip.

Here are the rooms:

• Standard Room — Club Level: Views of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn Courtyard Leisure Pool; 2 Queen Beds and 1 Day Bed or 1 King Bed or 2 Queen Beds
• Deluxe Room — Club Level: Views of Disney’s BoardWalk; Deluxe Room – Club Level is larger than Standard Room – Club Level; 2 Queen Beds and 1 Queen-Size Sleeper Sofa

Note: There are also both wheelchair and hearing accessible rooms available that include accessible bathrooms and visual alarms.

You can check out room layouts below.

BoardWalk Inn Resort Room Options

Room type(s)	Bed size	Max people per room	Floor plan
Standard View Views of the Gardens, Leisure Pool or Parking Area	1 King Bed and 1 Day Bed or 2 Queen Beds or 1 King Bed or 2 Queen Beds and 1 Day Bed	5
Water View Views of the BoardWalk or Crescent Lake	1 King Bed or 2 Queen Beds or 2 Queen Beds and 1 Day Bed	5
Garden View Views of Gardens	1 King Bed and 1 Day Bed or 2 Queen Beds or 1 King Bed or 2 Queen Beds and 1 Day Bed	5
Standard View – Club Level Views of the Leisure Pool	2 Queen Beds or 1 King Bed or 2 Queen Beds and 1 Day Bed	5
Deluxe Room – Club Level Views of the BoardWalk	2 Queen Beds and 1 Queen-Size Sleeper Sofa	6
Outer Bldg – Garden Room – Club Level Views of Gardens or Leisure Pool	1 King Bed	2
2 Bedroom Suite – Club Level Views of Gardens or Leisure Pool	2 King Beds and 1 Queen-Size Sleeper Sofa and 1 Twin-Size Sleeper Chair or 1 King Bed and 2 Queen Beds and 1 Day Bed and 1 Queen-Size Sleeper Sofa	9
Sonora VP Suite – Club Level Views of Crescent Lake and the BoardWalk	2 Queen Beds	6

VIDEO: Disney’s Boardwalk Inn Resort tour (rooms, pools, dining)

Checking In and Out

When it comes to checking in and out, you have a few options: at the front desk, online through the official Walt Disney World website, or via the My Disney Experience app.

The front desk is located in the main lobby. Even though the front desk is there to assist guests, especially with checking in and checking out, all Disney World Resort guests are encouraged to check-in online or by using MDE.

• Checking-In: After you check-in online or using the app, you’ll receive a room-ready notification via next. You can then use your MagicBand or MDE’s digital key feature to unlock your room door.
• Checking-Out: Currently, guests will automatically be checked out of their rooms. You can also check out directly in the MDE app. But, if you have unresolved charges to your hotel folio, you’ll need to visit the front desk.

Note: Guests also have the option of to chat virtually with resort Cast Members via MDE for any assistance. 

The lobby is perfectly themed. There is plenty of space to sit down and enjoy the sights, sounds, and smell. One of the many gift shops at the resort is also located near the lobby.

The pickup and dropoff location for Mears Connect (which is the replacement for Magical Express) is right outside in front of the lobby. You can find and luggage storage, aka Bell Services, inside the lobby near the front desk.

Note: Resort Airline Check-In and Magical Express are no longer available.

Package Delivery & Pick Up

You can have packages and groceries delivered to your Disney Resort hotel, along with shipping select items home.

Disney used to have a service where you were able to purchase items in the parks and then have them delivered to your resort’s gift shop. However, that service has been unavailable for several years now.

Parking

Although parking at Disney World resort hotels used to cost a nightly fee for resort guests, Disney has changed their policy so that parking is now free for all on-site resort guests. This change was implemented on January 10, 2023.

Valet parking is also available for $33 per night.

Complimentary standard self-parking is available for non-resort guests exploring dining, shopping, entertainment, and other experiences during the day.

We also have a complete Walt Disney World parking guide you can browse.

Important: Valet parking might not always be available.

Resort Map

BoardWalk Inn Building

BoardWalk Inn Resort rooms are located in one main building, which is also on one side of the resort — the opposite side of the BoardWalk Villas.

Once you enter the lobby (the main lobby for both BoardWalk Inn and the Villas), you walk right towards Belle Vue Lounge. There is a set of elevators here that will take you to the BoardWalk Inn rooms.

Amenities And Shops

From gift shops, to on-site laundry services, to spa and fitness, there are several amenities offered to guests at BoardWalk Inn.

Important note: Some of the following amenities might not be available at all times.

• Disney’s Character Carnival: Find apparel, accessories, pins, gifts, home goods, and other supplies.
• Dundy’s Sundries (now closed as work begins to turn it into a new coffee shop): A range of items can be purchased, including food, spirits, camera and media materials, and souvenirs.
• Screen Door General Store: The general store has your typical items, like food and beverages.

• Thimbles & Threads: Yet another shop to find apparel, accessories, pins, and other souvenirs.
• Wyland Galleries — BoardWalk: The gallery features art and other collectibles. 

• Laundry Services: There’s a 24-hour self-service laundry facility near the 3rd-floor elevator.
• Dry Cleaning Services: Dry cleaning and valet laundry services are also an option.

• Movies Under the Stars: Watch complimentary Disney movies in Community Hall.
• Muscles & Bustles Health Club: Full-service facility with workout equipment, massages, and more.
• Childcare Services: In-room babysitting for children 6 months to 12 years old.

• Atlantic Dance Hall: A dance club open in the evenings (there is a cover charge)
• Jellyrolls: A popular dueling piano bar for guests over 21 (there is a cover charge)

Pools And Recreation

BoardWalk Inn has one feature pool and two leisure pools. If you need a non-park day, we recommended spending the day at your hotel and enjoying a Disney Resort pool.

Important note: Some of the pools and recreation options might not be available at all times.

Feature Pool

• Luna Park Pool: This feature pool has a carnival theme, a 200-foot-long waterslide, grinning elephant statues that spout water from their trunks, and vintage posters lining the pool area. There’s a whirlpool spa for adults and also a kiddie pool. 

Leisure Pools

• You can one leisure pool in the Rose Garden Courtyard and the second next to the Community Hall building. Both pools have whirlpool spas.

Some other recreational options include:

• Side Show Games Arcade
• Playground at the Luna Park Crazy Play Area

• Jogging
• Fishing
• Tennis

• Surrey Bike Rentals
• Campfire to roast marshmallows
• Yoga on the Lawn (only select day of the week on the Village Green Lawn; all ages; space is limited to 20 guests staying at BoardWalk Inn and BoardWalk Villas; mats and towels provided)

• Ferris W. Eahlers Community Hall (complimentary games, arts, crafts, DVDs, and more)
• Fantasia Gardens and Fairways Miniature Golf (themed miniature golf course with two 18-hole courses; an additional cost for both adults and kids)

Restaurant & Dining Options

You can find both Quick Service and Table Service options here, along with lounges, bars, a pizza window, and a bakery.

Take note that BoardWalk Bakery and the Pizza Window both have Mobile Order.

Plus, Trattoria al Forno and Flying Fish has Mobile Dine Check-In, meaning you’ll check-in using the My Disney Experience app rather than going to the host stand. When your table is ready, you’ll be notified to proceed to a specific location.

You can read more about the dining options below.

Quick Service

BoardWalk has several Quick Service locations. You don’t need reservations to eat here, but Mobile Order is available, which is definitely handy during peak dining times.

BoardWalk Ice Cream (formerly Ample Hills)

BoardWalk Ice Cream serves a range of ice cream, including sundaes and milkshakes.

Food Trucks

Food Trucks are popular across the nation, and with the closing of Big River Grille, Disney has brought them in to the BoardWalk area for the lunch service. Who and what you’ll find can depend on the day, but we’ve never had a bad meal at one and like the quick dining options they provide.

Carousel Coffee

Who doesn’t love some good coffee first thing in the morning?! At Carousel Coffee you can find coffee, specialty coffees, and teas. Plus, they have snacks like muffins, scones, and brownies. They also have a select number of Grab-and-Go items (perfect for a quick Disney breakfast!).

Table Service

BoardWalk has a variety of Table Service restaurants. Reservations are recommended for the following. You can book up to 60 days in advance online or in the My Disney Experience app. Some may even have a walk-up list that you can join.

Flying Fish

Flying Fish is a more upscale restaurant (Disney calls it “Signature Dining”) that serves seafood and steaks, along with appetizers and desserts. The menu also has plant-based items.

Trattoria Al Forno

Trattoria al Forno is an Italian restaurant attached to Abracadabar. The servings here are large and the food is good.

In the past, breakfast was character dining known as the “Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast”; however, that is currently unavailable and Disney has not mentioned when – or if – it will return.

When it was operating as a character meal, this spot was extremely popular because it was the only character dining where you could meet couples together (Ariel & Prince Eric and Rapunzel & Flynn Rider).

Big River Grille & Brewing Works (PERMANENTLY CLOSED)

Big River Grille & Brewing Works was a family-friendly microbrewery and restaurant that served award beers and pub food.

It closed on January 21, 2024.

The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers (former ESPN Club; opening in 2024)

The Cake Bake Shop is both a Table Service restaurant and a bakery. The menu will feature savory and dessert menus, plus tea service.

Everything Else

If you want to grab a beverage to drink by the pool, while you’re hanging at the resort, or need something quicker to eat, you may want to try one of the following dining options.

Abracadabar

Abracadabar is a lounge attached to Trattoria al Forno with a fun atmosphere serving a range of drinks and lounge-style food. You can also grab quick bites here for breakfast.

Leaping Horse Libations

Leaping Horse Libations is the carousel-themed bar by the Luna Park Pool. Enjoy frozen cocktails, beer, wine, sangria, snacks, and more.

BoardWalk Joe’s Marvelous Margaritas

Find small snacks and frozen beverages, including margaritas, piña coladas, and the Captain’s Seaside Sensation — a pineapple smoothie with a shot of Captain Morgan Spiced Rum.

Blue Ribbon Corn Dog (formerly The To-Go Cart)

Opening sometime in 2024, the beloved Blue Ribbon Corn Dog will be housed in the former Boardwalk To Go space and will serve delicious hand-dipped corn dogs.

Belle Vue Lounge

Belle Vue Lounge is located inside the main building near the lobby. You can get a quick breakfast (like pastries), coffee, a light lunch, and order from the bar, as well, including alcoholic beverages.

How to get from BoardWalk Inn to anywhere at Disney World

There are several forms of transportation available, including buses, Friendship Boats (service to Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Yacht Club, Beach Club, and Swan and Dolphin), and the Disney Skyliner, which can be accessed at Epcot’s International Gateway.

As previously mentioned, guests can also walk to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios.

All of the different ways to get from the BoardWalk Inn to anywhere in Disney World is detailed below.

Scheduled Refurbishments

Name: BoardWalk Renovation
Description: In March 2022, Disney announced many changes that will be coming to the boardwalk area, including that the ESPN Club would be permanently closing and will be replaced by a table service restaurant called The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers. Changes will also be coming to the Boardwalk Bakery, Boardwalk resort lobby, lounge, and guest rooms.
From: 03/15/2022
To: 12/31/2024

Other Info

• BoardWalk Inn Resort Maps
• Pros and Cons of on-site Walt Disney World Resort hotels

Boardwalk Trip Reports