Thanks to the graciousness of a DIS community member and her family, I recently had the opportunity to stay in a Deluxe Studio at Disney’s BoardWalk Villas. Thanks so much, Tristan!
For those of you in the middle of Disney trip planning (or Disney trip wishlist-making), I thought it might be fun to take a tour of the room and go over a few of the details regarding staying at the BoardWalk these days. While the resort stay was gifted, I will be giving my honest thoughts as we take a look around. Ready? Here we go…
The BoardWalk’s porte cochere and entrance area is one of my favorites on Walt Disney World property. The arch and lighted sign lend a fancy, yet approachable air to things. You just know whatever’s inside is going to be fun.
The current safety measures have guests bypassing the front desk and checking in either online or via the My Disney Experience app. Cast members are available at the front desk if assistance is needed, and safety markers have been placed on the floor should a queue form.
As guests walk toward the Villas side of the resort, they’re greeted with two informational signs that help them to understand which food and beverage locations are currently available, and what recreation options are available to them. Keep in mind that facial coverings are currently required in all public spaces at the Disney resorts, except while eating or drinking while stationary and physically distanced, or while at the swimming pool.
The carpet and hall decor help to pave the way for what guests will see once inside the studio. Whimsical boardwalk-inspired spirals, wheels, and beach umbrella shapes are seen on the carpet, and wide shiplap is found on the walls.
The Villas were renovated in 2016, and during that renovation, the rooms gained a sleek, fresh, and comfortable vibe. The colors are muted and soft, and little touches throughout the space remind guests of the resort’s vintage boardwalk theme. The walls are clad in a seaglass-like greenish blue, and the trim work pops in a bright white.
A large closet will hold just about everything and anything that families might need it to. The closet extends all the way to the back wall of the vanity area, and an iron and ironing board hangs on the far wall. A safe is on the inside wall closest to the closet door.
The vanity area is spacious, and features a lighted magnifying mirror. I liked the addition of the coastal-style hobnail motif on the large mirror, one of the nods to the resort’s overall theme. The toilet and tub/shower are located behind a door on the right.
A kitchenette is located across from the vanity and bathroom area. Guests will find a mini fridge, a regular coffeemaker, a microwave, an ice bucket, and a toaster in this space. A small amount of disposable utensils, cups and plates, as well as dish soap, a sponge, and paper towels are included in the kitchenette as well.
I liked the incorporation of the elevated finishings used in the kitchen area. The gooseneck faucet and marbled paseo-shaped tile lend a luxurious feel to the space.
The Deluxe Studio sleeps up to 5 with a queen-size bed, a full-size sleeper sofa, and, as we’ll take a look at in just a bit, a single pull-down Murphy bed.
A small table in between the bed and the sleeper sofa acts as both an end table for the sofa and a bedside table. I found myself wanting another small table on the other side of the bed as well, but that’s a fairly minor thing.
The Atlantic City boardwalk vibe continues in the artwork placed above the sleeper sofa.
A dresser that opens to offer four drawers sits across from the foot of the bed. A large flat panel TV is located next to the dresser and above a table and two chairs.
If you decide to bring food back to the room or you have a bit of work to do while on vacation (gasp!), the room offers a table and a couple of chairs that will meet the need.
If you move the chairs away from the table and press the two wooden panels just below the TV, the table folds down to become an extra spot for sleeping.
I don’t know about you, but I love a room with a Murphy bed. There’s just something fun about a Murphy bed, and the fun is taken up a notch by the adorable artwork depicting a sleeping Dumbo and Timothy Mouse. So sweet.
A balcony is found on the other side of the Murphy bed, and features two chairs. Our balcony didn’t have a table on it as others might, and, in my mind, a table is needed so that guests have a surface on which to place their first cup of tea or coffee in the morning.
A quiet pool was just outside of my standard view studio, and I enjoyed having an incredibly uncrowded pool just a quick elevator ride away.
The BoardWalk Community Hall is located at this quiet (leisure) pool, and it offers arcade games, board games, and activities for guests.
If feature pools are more your speed, the Luna Park pool, complete with the Keister Coaster waterslide, is right in the middle of the BoardWalk Villas. Please note that the Keister Coaster waterslide will be unavailable October 5th-30th, 2020 as the pool area undergoes a refurbishment.
Pool chairs have been grouped and spread apart to allow for physical distancing, as is being done at all Walt Disney World resorts, as well as Disney’s Vero Beach Resort.
While the Deluxe Studio is technically a Disney Vacation Club offering, non-members like me can pay cash for it just as we would at any of the Disney resorts. For a non-DVC Disney World fan, knowing that those rooms are available to be booked is huge.
The Deluxe Studio was a lovely place to stay, and offered quick access to both the food and beverage options located on the Boardwalk, and EPCOT. The resort was quiet, clean, and simply lovely, and the cast members were incredibly helpful and kind.
Have you had a chance to stay at Disney’s BoardWalk Villas? If so, what did you think of your time at the resort?
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