Reviews of Boardwalk Villas (Disney Vacation Club)
Reviewed by Lisa B Review Date: 09/26/2018
Rating: (1) Recommended
Disney's Boardwalk Villas
Pros:
This resort is awesome! It has great proximity to EPCOT, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Fantasia Gardens! The Boardwalk is teeming with a lot of activities and has a number of great dining options!Cons:
No cons.Reviewed by MichiganSherry Review Date: 04/18/2024
Rating: (2) Not Recommended
I was really looking forward to my stay at the Boardwalk, but this hotel was a huge disappointment, especially coming from a split stay at the Wilderness Lodge. The refurbished rooms are very pretty, but if they were going to spend all of that money you would think they would at least put in a new shower head like they did at Wilderness, but the room had the old shower heads. There was a gap under the door to the room that a small animal could crawl under, and it let in all the light and noise from the hallway. We had to use the fancy throw pillows to block out the light at night. The room had extremely thin walls and was very noisy. We could hear every noise from the hallway and the room next door. The resort in general is a very noisy place. The worst thing was that in order to refill your coffee mug in the morning, you had to get dressed, walk to the center of the hotel, which was a very long walk for us, then go down to the first floor, go outside, then walk halfway down the boardwalk to the Boardwalk Deli. There was a nice coffee location in the lobby called Carousel Coffee, but they do not refill the mugs and you had to purchase the coffee. That is also the only place to get any type of food, which is a very limited selection of pastries, otherwise it is back out to the Boardwalk. The hotel lounge does not open until 4pm, and does not serve any type of food. I have stayed at both the Yacht and Beach Club, Port Orleans French Quarter, Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs and Wilderness Lodge, and the Boardwalk is far and away the most inconvenient resort to try and get anything to eat or drink. AND it is very expensive on top of that. I disliked the circus vibes out at the main pool, and it was very noisy and chaotic, even early in the morning. The quiet pool was nice, but very small, and no bar. I could not wait to leave, and I would never stay there again.
Pros:
It's pretty. Quiet pool is nice. Good location to walk to Epcot.Cons:
Expensive. Noisy. No quick service in the actual hotel.Reviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 12/25/2023
Rating: (2) Not Recommended
Not as bad as Art of Animation...
Pros:
The only thing good about this hotel is its proximity to the two parks.Cons:
As with all things WDW, the pricing of the product compared to the value of said product is wildly mismatched. Rooms that are no better than a regular hotel and they are 4 or 5 times the price. Convenience store quality food that has a Michelin star price attached. Requested room add ons that never happened... Patently ridiculous WDW continues to get away with this.Reviewed by travelwiseotown Review Date: 04/19/2013
Rating: (2) Not Recommended
When checking in, be sure to get keycard pins for all those in your room using the Disney Dining Plan, even your 5 year old. Not charging privileges for kids, just pins for their keycards. We were told teens pins did not work when they tried to use my pin at 3 eateries. These quick service locations should have called the Boardwalk in order to contact us. Took our entire stay to get it straight thanks to the CM who didn't tell us this at check-in. We even asked if it would be a problem with DDP with no charge privileges or pins-the CM replied "no". Should retrain. Concierge could not add park tickets to our key cards after we checked-in. She didn't ask for supervisor help either so we had 2 sets of cards instead of 1 card. Poor training.
Shower did not drain well and finally clogged leaving us in 2 inches of standing water. Fortunately maintenance arrived quickly and solved the problem at 10:30 at night. Maids could easily check showers during room clean-up. House keeping repeatedly referred to guest as "Mama". Very derogatory. Should retrain. Had to battle foreign speaking concierge just to get a supervisor. She couldn't understand the problem we described to her.
Bellman unpacking us cold and unfriendly on arrival. Lots of job seekers can at least force a smile. He should look for noninteracting position like grounds keeping, etc. but even the grounds keepers and maintenance employees tried harder to be friendly.They couldn't speak English well but they knew how to smile and be friendly to guests.
Elevator out several days, jacuzzi at main pool not working and Boardwalk Bakery closed for remodeling during Spring Break. Overnight "guests" either pay $15/day for valet parking or park at the lot closest to employee parking, quite a distance away from guest rooms. Poor Imagineering.
We are DVC members and will stay elsewhere next time, even though Boardwalk is our home resort. With the Downtown Disney remodel, more people may stay at SSR and the Boardwalk can concentrate on being the $600/night Disney resort it should be. Maybe they'll pay a little more to front desk employees who can properly perform their job, problem solve quickly and in a friendly manner. We did find one employee who could do this, so it is possible. If you're not happy with your experience, Disney or otherwise, the best way to bring about change is by saying so.
Pros:
Epcot Resort LocationCons:
Cast Member Training and AttitudeReviewed by Lou28 Review Date: 01/13/2013
Rating: (2) Recommended
BW is one of my favorite resorts. This time I stayed in a standard studio at BWV. My room was very far from elevator and lobby, felt like 1/4 mile. Before going I received a letter saying Luna Pool would be closed. Surprisingly pool was open, but Boardwalk Bakery was closed, which was disappointing. I checked in later in the evening and had an Epcot tour the next morning prior to park opening. I asked concierge if I could enter this early at International Gateway. Her response was that I would have to walk over to EP that evening and ask. She kept telling me she had no way of finding the answer. Huge fail for concierge. The worst part of this stay was how dirty the room was. Every surface was covered in dust and dirt (vents, ceiling fan, lights, bureau, light switches, phone, clock, etc). The carpet had popcorn on the floor; hairdryer had hairs all over it; lightbulb dead over vanity; bathroom door had toothpaste on it; dark red smears on wall, which I hope wasn't dried blood. I complained to manager who told me room would be thoroughly cleaned the next morning at 9 am. Returned at 7:30 pm the next day to find room being cleaned. I was ready to turn in for the night, but headed back out to give them time to clean. Room was still not thoroughly cleaned. A manager did follow up and was very sincere with apology. Despite this terrible room, I am recommending this resort because I love the location, namely being able to walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. I also enjoy the nightly entertainment. The feature pool is nice with a good slide. I hope the next time I stay here my room will be clean(er). I also think it's time for this resort to have room renovations, particularly when compared with the great remodels at many of the less expensive moderate resorts.
Pros:
Walk to HS & EP; BW activitiesCons:
Dirty, dated rooms; Distance of rooms to lobby/boardwalkReviewed by crazystamperjill Review Date: 09/13/2014
Rating: (3) Not Recommended
Before I start my review I'd like to make clear that we are HUGE Disney fans -- we visit at least once a year. Two years ago we actually stayed 4 times in 11 months. We truly love all things DISNEY, so to place this review breaks my heart, but I feel I have to share.
As always, the Magic Express was a pleasure to use and the cast members we encountered during our week stay were all lovely to deal with.
My significant other and I stayed in a one-bedroom villa at the Boardwalk on a timeshare trade in late August/early September. The villa was our best view yet -- front and center of the fabulous Luna Park Pool area. We had a large balcony, which you could access from the bedroom or living room. Awesome, right?
Upon check-in we noticed some small issues but nothing serious enough to warrant a call to the front desk. (broken bi-fold door to the laundry closet and a broken seal on the refrigerator door).
The location of the Boardwalk Inn/Villas is second to none with the beautiful oldtime look of the Boardwalk, restaurants, entertainment, etc., it really is just great. Sadly, our last 2 visits to the Villas were not up to our (or Disney's) standards. Perhaps it's a property management issue? My complaint is with the bathroom. This time their was MOLD everywhere in the tile shower. If you've stayed there you're familiar with the corner shower set up and how there's a partial wall/half glass window in the shower -- well this is where I first encountered the mold -- where the glass window meets the the ledge -- both inside and outside the shower. After bending down to retrieve the shower gel I dropped, I then saw more mold splotches all over the tile/grout near the shower door.
Understand that this truly would be unacceptable to me at any hotel chain, but I really feel like I shouldn't even have to think about cleanliness while staying at a DELUXE Disney property. And my biggest problem is, if the shower is outwardly moldly, what else hasn't been cleaned/sanitized appropriately before my checking in? Scary thought, huh?
I can't express how unhappy we were with this -- a moldy shower -- again. I kept seeing the young families at the pool thinking I could NEVER bathe my small children in that bathroom!
After seeing the quarter size mold spots in the shower early that first morning, I did stop by the front desk to see what they could do about it and they assured me housekeeping would be in asap to take care of it. Well, Housekeeping did come in -- they left fresh soaps/shampoo products, refilled our towels and took our trash (none of this was needed as we had been there less than 24 hours at this point) and did nothing to rectify the mold situation in the shower. The second disappointment came when no one from the Villas staff followed up with us to see if the problem had been rectified. As this was our second stay at the Villas in 2 years and the second time we had a mold issue in the shower I have to imagine they knew it wasn't taken care of and didn't want to deal with an unhappy guest. Our arrival was at the beginning of Labor Day weekend and they seemed to be at capacity, so perhaps they didn't have the option of moving us elsewhere.
Do we LOVE the location of the Boardalk and all the entertainmenet, etc., is has to offer? You bet we do! But sadly I think this was the last time we'll be staying at the Boardwalk Inn/Villas.
Pros:
Location!Cons:
Age/Condition of accommodationsReviewed by mv9393 Review Date: 08/04/2016
Rating: (4) Not Recommended
First, the couple reviews that I have posted I like to put some thought into and give a detailed review. This post is strictly a WARNING to anyone contimplating staying here.....DO NOT.
I have stayed at 75% of the current disney resorts both hotels and DVC. This was without a doubt the WORST customer service experience I have EVER encountered at Disney. When have you ever passed a Disney employee in the halls and they ignore you? Well that happens here. How about asking the front desk where the locations are to fill up your refillable mug and being told, when you buy it at store ask them because I do not know. How about the only place to fill your refillable mug after 11 is a bar that the bartender pours your drink into a plastic cup and makes YOU pour it into your mug. How about asking for a couple more washcloths only to be told to go and wash the ones you were supplied. Or how about asking for toilet paper and it not get delivered for over 12 hours.
What an atrosity we experienced here!!!! That's not to mention the fact of being placed in room 4136 which is a .35 mile walk from the lobby.
I am a DVC member but I use the parks, I do not visit to hang at the resort like some. And after expressing that I was told that no other studio was available during my stay.
Why did I give it a 4? Because you cannot argue with the location, even if each day coming and going I had to walk over half a mile to and from the bus.
Never again will I stay at the Boardwalk....
Pros:
LocationCons:
EVERYTHING ELSEReviewed by sparky Review Date: 02/08/2014
Rating: (4) Not Recommended
We have in the past stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge, Wilderness Lodge Villa's, Saratoga Springs Villa's and Beach Club Villa's. Comparing Beach Club (since so close) to Boardwalk we would stay at Beach Club again and not Boardwalk. Rooms were nicer, mug refill's very close to rooms, Pools nicer and working order. The parking lot at Beach Club was a lot more user friendly vs Boardwalk which appears more oriented to valet parking instead of regular parking and it was quite a walk to your car if you needed it. We stayed 9 days at the end of January the private pool heater was broke the entire stay. And the heated pool closed to early to use it. Very disappointing for as many trips we have taken and this resort was not up to our expectations. Also if you go to Downtown Disney from this resort you will stop at Swan, Dolphin, Beach Club and Yacht Club and are on the bus forever. It is a major plus being able to walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studio's and that is why we booked in this location. We asked for a pool view and we had a huge tree that was directly in front of the pool. Since we have been to other resorts that is why we are stating this one was a disappointment since we know there are better places to stay.
Pros:
location to Epcot and Hollywood StudioCons:
lots of ware /long walk to fill mug/no heat in pool/dirty stairwellsReviewed by Disneydreamers3 Review Date: 03/28/2013
Rating: (5) Recommended
We'd been wanting to stay at BWV for the longest time and finally was able to this past week,unfortunately it was with big diasappointment. It started with our room not being ready and them telling us it would only be a few minutes longer and that they would text us when ready. After more than an hour and a half waiting and no text we finally asked and was told it HAD been ready for quite awhile!
We had a great room overlooking the main courtyard and side view of the boardwalk/lake, too bad our room was not as clean as it should have been. Food particles on the rug, dust on furniture and a pair of socks from a previous guest under the chair. Our 4th day housecleaning service proved worse, new washcloths placed but all the dirty ones left where they were last used! Although our room view was beautiful it was extremely noisy with everyone on the boardwalk, the bars, restaurants and hanging in the courtyard to all hours and at around 6am and earlier you can hear workers rolling carts on the walkway and making all kinds of noise to get things prepared for the day. If you decide to rent a car beware that the parking lot is as far away as walking to a theme park and you'll have more luck hitting the lotto than actually finding a spot!( I assume due to the convention center).Another big disappointment to us was the inconveinence of getting any form of quick service food/beverage.You had to go out onto the boardwalk or to the pool area(during open hours)to get anything. On a positive note, the boadwalk entertainers are FANTASTIC!!!! We enjoyed each of them night after night. Watching the EP fireworks from our room was great too. And, of course, the biggest positive of this resort is the conveinence of walking to Epcot(it's a nice walk too) and the boat ride to Hollywood Studios.
I reccommend this resort only for the close proximity to EP and HS however, I don't think we'll stay here again.
Pros:
Location, Boardwalk EntertainersCons:
HOUSEKEEPING, noise level, parking lotReviewed by ProfM Review Date: 01/20/2021
Rating: (6) Not Recommended
We stayed in a studio overlooking the boardwalk for two nights. We were not impressed with the check-in staff. They were rude and assumed we had stayed there in the past. When I asked where the pool was, I was told, \"it hasn't moved, it's over there!\" Helpful for a first-time guest?!
Don't even get me started on the walk back to the lobby from the car, it was at least a fifteen-minute walk. One and done for us...
