Tweet
Just returned from 4 nights at DVC Boardwalk Villas. We got a 1BR exchange through RCI, but were only able to stay 4 nights of the 7. This got confusing for the resort when I called to confirm, and was told if I don't show up on the 1st (vs. the 4th), they would assume I was a no-show and I would lose the reservation. They kept telling me that I booked through a "3rd party" (RCI) and therefore any changes would have to go through them. RCI, of course, said that I had the whole week, whether I chose to go all 7 days or none, and that the resort should know that. Finally I contacted member services at DVC and the helpful gentleman told me that there was no problem arriving on Wednesday instead of Sunday. He arranged the Magical Express service for us to pick us up at the airport.
The location of the resort is great. We had a "garden view" which means FAR FAR from the elevator. There are only 2 elevators, one to each side of the lobby serving each side of the resort. The resort sprawls across the boardwalk and back away from it. It took us almost 10 minutes to walk to the room from the lobby. We were on the 3rd floor. We never had to wait for an elevator. We could have cut some of the walking by hiking up and down the stairs, but I have a bad knee and could not do that several times a day.
The resort's theme is an old time seaside boardwalk, and the theme is carried out throughout. Our 1BR unit had a full kitchen with a half wall dividing into the living room. There was a snack bar shelf on the living room side of the wall with 2 chairs. To the side there was a small table with 2 chairs also. There was a pull out couch and one chair, a dresser with a flat screen tv on top, a small coffee table and an end table that had a very cool lamp which was made of ceramic teacups stacked crookedly. There were little Disney touches throughout the unit that were fun to find.
The bedroom had a king sized bed with 4 pillows - 2 firm and 2 soft, 2 end tables/lamps, a chair with end table, a dresser with tv, and a small chest that we used to lay the suitcase. The radio was not a clock radio, it was an Ipod speaker/radio and I missed having the clock. But the wake up calls were interesting with Disney characters calling to wake us each morning. We got a kick out of that.
The bathroom was split into 2 rooms, with a walk in shower, toilet and pedestal sink in one room. The only complaint I had was that the exhaust fan went on every time you put the light on. It was very loud and there were times we did not need the fan to be on when we were in there. I would have liked to see 2 separate switches. The second room had a large jetted tub and a big vanity/sink with a big mirror. Off that room was a large walk in closet.
There were 2 pack and plays (porta-cribs) in the closets, which I thought was nice but I did see one of the big cribs they have and they look nice and sturdy.
There was a stackable washer/dryer. They gave you one starter pack of detergent. They also gave you 3 dishwasher detergent packets and 2 pots of coffee packets (DH said the coffee tasted terrible).
Both the bedroom and the living room had small balconies with 2 chairs each on them. You can sit outside but besides being pretty, there isn't much to look at.
They have a cool pool with a good-sized water slide that is a lot of fun, even for old folks like us. There were a lot of chairs and tables around the pool, and a bar/snack bar that looks like a carousel. There is also a quiet pool in another part of the resort.
There is a nice fitness center and an arcade, and a room where you can rent bikes and get dvd's. As with any Disney venture, the cast members are all very friendly and helpful.
The Wifi is free and worked well, giving us a strong signal.
The eating options are limited, and we didn't find a place to get a good sit down breakfast. There is a bakery that sells some breakfast stuff in addition to pastries, but there is no seating inside.
There is a boat to Epcot that boards right outside the front of the resort, but it is a short walk to the International Gateway. It is a longer walk to Hollywood Studios, but very doable. You can get a bus there also. Buses board on the other side of the hotel to the rest of Disneyworld. It was a quick shuttle to Downtown Disney, but coming back took over 40 minutes because we had a few stops to make.
The night life is great right outside the resort's door. Street entertainers perform up and down the boardwalk. There is a nightclub and a dueling piano bar ($12.50 cover charge - no food), a micro brewery, and the ESPN club which is hopping after the parks close and was very reasonable. There is a lounge on the 2nd floor of the hotel that sells coffee and some continental breakfast items during the day but turns in to a cocktail lounge at night. It is a quiet place, but we took our drinks out on to the veranda and watched the boardwalk action.
Check out was easy, as was returning to the airport via Magical Express. We very much enjoyed our unit and our stay here.
The location of the resort is great. We had a "garden view" which means FAR FAR from the elevator. There are only 2 elevators, one to each side of the lobby serving each side of the resort. The resort sprawls across the boardwalk and back away from it. It took us almost 10 minutes to walk to the room from the lobby. We were on the 3rd floor. We never had to wait for an elevator. We could have cut some of the walking by hiking up and down the stairs, but I have a bad knee and could not do that several times a day.
The resort's theme is an old time seaside boardwalk, and the theme is carried out throughout. Our 1BR unit had a full kitchen with a half wall dividing into the living room. There was a snack bar shelf on the living room side of the wall with 2 chairs. To the side there was a small table with 2 chairs also. There was a pull out couch and one chair, a dresser with a flat screen tv on top, a small coffee table and an end table that had a very cool lamp which was made of ceramic teacups stacked crookedly. There were little Disney touches throughout the unit that were fun to find.
The bedroom had a king sized bed with 4 pillows - 2 firm and 2 soft, 2 end tables/lamps, a chair with end table, a dresser with tv, and a small chest that we used to lay the suitcase. The radio was not a clock radio, it was an Ipod speaker/radio and I missed having the clock. But the wake up calls were interesting with Disney characters calling to wake us each morning. We got a kick out of that.
The bathroom was split into 2 rooms, with a walk in shower, toilet and pedestal sink in one room. The only complaint I had was that the exhaust fan went on every time you put the light on. It was very loud and there were times we did not need the fan to be on when we were in there. I would have liked to see 2 separate switches. The second room had a large jetted tub and a big vanity/sink with a big mirror. Off that room was a large walk in closet.
There were 2 pack and plays (porta-cribs) in the closets, which I thought was nice but I did see one of the big cribs they have and they look nice and sturdy.
There was a stackable washer/dryer. They gave you one starter pack of detergent. They also gave you 3 dishwasher detergent packets and 2 pots of coffee packets (DH said the coffee tasted terrible).
Both the bedroom and the living room had small balconies with 2 chairs each on them. You can sit outside but besides being pretty, there isn't much to look at.
They have a cool pool with a good-sized water slide that is a lot of fun, even for old folks like us. There were a lot of chairs and tables around the pool, and a bar/snack bar that looks like a carousel. There is also a quiet pool in another part of the resort.
There is a nice fitness center and an arcade, and a room where you can rent bikes and get dvd's. As with any Disney venture, the cast members are all very friendly and helpful.
The Wifi is free and worked well, giving us a strong signal.
The eating options are limited, and we didn't find a place to get a good sit down breakfast. There is a bakery that sells some breakfast stuff in addition to pastries, but there is no seating inside.
There is a boat to Epcot that boards right outside the front of the resort, but it is a short walk to the International Gateway. It is a longer walk to Hollywood Studios, but very doable. You can get a bus there also. Buses board on the other side of the hotel to the rest of Disneyworld. It was a quick shuttle to Downtown Disney, but coming back took over 40 minutes because we had a few stops to make.
The night life is great right outside the resort's door. Street entertainers perform up and down the boardwalk. There is a nightclub and a dueling piano bar ($12.50 cover charge - no food), a micro brewery, and the ESPN club which is hopping after the parks close and was very reasonable. There is a lounge on the 2nd floor of the hotel that sells coffee and some continental breakfast items during the day but turns in to a cocktail lounge at night. It is a quiet place, but we took our drinks out on to the veranda and watched the boardwalk action.
Check out was easy, as was returning to the airport via Magical Express. We very much enjoyed our unit and our stay here.
Comment