The $593 Disney World Hotel Room That “Totally Ruined My Vacation”

Not every Disney World hotel is going to be a winner for everyone.

Sometimes people prefer to pay as little as possible, still stay on property, but only plan to be in the room to eat and shower, so Moderate and Deluxe resorts wouldn’t be a great fit. Other families and guests want a beautiful resort with lots of amenities that are close to at least one of the theme parks, and in that case, a Value resort wouldn’t be the move. Other times it’s the theming that guests may not enjoy, but we have to be honest — we’ve seen some negative reviews recently for a hotel we weren’t expecting, so let’s see what’s going on here.

Disney’s BoardWalk Inn is a deluxe hotel in the EPCOT resort area, meaning you’re within walking distance to both EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, a major perk for many guests. However, there appear to be some major complaints about this hotel that some of our readers have had recently.

One reader left the following review to us in April 2024:

“The room was noisy late into the night with people
screaming on the lawn and movies playing. We did not have facecloths in the bath and the shower was awful. The faucets were difficult to work with. The room did not feel fresh and clean. We had refillable mugs that were useless and inconvenient. There were people yelling in the hallway all night. This resort totally ruined my vacation, and I will never stay in this Motel6 again.”

While we completely hear this person’s review, especially hearing that people were being noisy during Disney’s required quiet hours, there are some things here that can be easily solved! If you feel you need more towels or that some were forgotten, you can always call down to the front desk and ask for some to be delivered.

Resort refillable mugs are also not required for your vacation and are an additional perk you can purchase (unless you have the Disney Dining Plan, in which case you’ll get a complimentary one for each person staying at the hotel). We often say these are only worth it if you and your party drink lots of soda regularly and are expecting to spend lots of time at the hotel, because they cannot be refilled outside of your hotel. It’s certainly something to really think about the logistics of using before you purchase one!

 

If you feel your room is not clean, this is also absolutely something you can politely share with the front desk. Perhaps you can ask to move to a different room if it’s the first day of your vacation and you’ve just checked in, or ask if someone could come in and freshen up the room while you go out to explore the BoardWalk or Disney Springs.

A second negative review we’re like to share is from January 2024:

“While it certainly wasn’t as bad as the art of animation resort, the cons absolutely outweigh the pros especially when you factor in how exorbitantly expensive this place is.

I encountered one genuinely polite cast member.

The food at the restaurants on the boardwalk is worse than the food inside the parks and equally expensive. You cannot charge Michelin starred prices for convenience store quality food and propose it as a long term strategy.

For most people, a Disney world vacation is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It is sad to see what has happened with what is supposed to be the most magical place on Earth.”

Whew! There’s a lot going on here! Restaurants on the BoardWalk are certainly more expensive, that’s 100% true. We don’t know if this would have helped alleviate this guest’s issue, but we highly recommend looking up the menu for the restaurants your considering if you’re a pickier eater or you’re traveling with someone who is. Now, sometimes restaurants just have off days and you do get a strangely bad meal, and there’s little that can be done about that.

So, is the BoardWalk Inn somewhere you should consider staying if you’re planning a vacation? Well, if you’re looking for a hotel that’s in close proximity to two parks and you don’t mind paying the higher price tag for a hotel that doesn’t have a lot of Disney theming (and the general theming is very toned down), this could be a good fit if you’re planning to at least have one resort day. Another review from 2023 reads:

“I’ve heard some people say it is too noisy, but my experience couldn’t have been any better. Wonderful view of the lake and Epcot. The pool is nicely tucked away, with great bar service and is compact enough it’s easy to keep track of the kids. Location can’t be beat. Epcot is a short walk. HS can be accessed via the skyline, boat or walking path (my favorite).”

However, if you’re looking to save some money, you’re concerned about a higher level of noise, being close to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios isn’t really important to you, or you’re looking for more impressive/extravagant theming, this likely won’t be a good fit for you.

We’re always here to bring the latest honest reviews from both ourselves and our readers! We want to hear YOUR thoughts! Leave a review right here on AllEars for the restaurants you’ve been to so you can help out fellow Disney lovers planning their next trip!

As always, stay tuned to AllEars for the latest Disney World news!

AllEars TV: Is This $1200 Hotel Worth Leaving Disney World?

What are your thoughts on the BoardWalk Inn? Tell us in the comments!

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