Spotlight on a Walt Disney World Resort: Boardwalk Inn and Villas

Welcome back to my new and very much improved Disney blog!

Slightly Askew Designs created a BRAND NEW blog design that I absolutely love!

The resort entrance.  Photo taken by my husband, Brian, as we were arriving!

Now onto today's blog:  Disney's Boardwalk Inn and Villas!

Disney's Boardwalk Resort opened in 1996 and is situated on Crescent Lake which is between the Epcot and Hollywood Studios Theme Parks. 

My personal pictures of my family's stay at the Boardwalk from a past vacation

Disney's Boardwalk Resort is also directly across from Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resort. 

The picture I took from the Boardwalk of our view of the Yacht and Beach Club Resort

CLICK HERE to visit my blog post on the Beach Club Resort!

Fun Facts about Disney's Boardwalk Resort:

-1/4-mile long authentic Boardwalk that is full of dining, shopping and fun!

-Boardwalk Resort Dining options:

Big River Grille-only Microbrewery located at Walt Disney World

Flying Fish Cafe-a must for seafood lovers in your travel party

Kouzzina by Celebrity Chef, Cat Cora-great options available for breakfast and dinner

ESPN Club-catch a burger, sandwich, salad and other favorites while watching your favorite sport on one of many big screens at the ESPN Club. 

Boardwalk Bakery-sweet treats and ice cream (yes, our family stopped her nightly!)

-Boardwalk Resort Entertainment and Recreation options:

Jelly Rolls-a MUST see Dueling Piano Bar for guests 21 and older.  This is one of my favorite spots at the Boardwalk Resort!

Go dancing at Atlantic Dance Hall

Rent a family bike and stroll around the Boardwalk and Yacht and Beach Club area!

Enjoy nightly boardwalk entertainment, games and street performers.

more of my personal pictures from our Boardwalk Stay

And what Resort isn't complete without an amazing pool and water area?  The Boardwalk Resort doesn't disappoint!  Their main pool area is very family friendly, fun and offers an adorable theme of being at an amusement park on the boardwalk!  And for travelers looking for a quieter pool experience, the Resort has a Quiet Pool which is nice and more secluded option.

The pool bar area and main swimming pool

Erin's review on The Boardwalk Resort:

Okay, first:  I'm not a reviewer that you will find on Trip Advisor that complains about every little thing.  I'm on vacation, I always enjoy myself and I never sweat the small stuff.  If my room isn't ready for early check-in, no problem.  We drop our stuff off and head to the pool or park.  If I have to wait longer than two minutes for an elevator, no worries...I'm on vacation time.  If there are crowds of people, NEWS flash, you're at Walt Disney World where crowds are a guarantee.   

I am a go with the flow, glass half full kind of girl so keep that in mind when reading my reviews! :)

I have stayed at all of the Disney Resorts except for a few.  Each resort has a great theme and something that makes that resort comfortable, unique and different.  We go to Disney World every two years and although we have our favorite Disney Resorts, we don't stay at the same resort every visit.  Each resort is a different experience so I encourage everyone to try them all out!  Even if you prefer a certain category (value, moderate, deluxe resorts), there are numerous options to choose from. 

My "likes" for Disney's Boardwalk Resort

-LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

You can walk to Epcot, take a boat to Epcot, take a boat to Hollywood and rely on the Disney buses for the other locations.  It is also a great feature that the Boardwalk Resort is right near the Yacht and Beach Club Resort as well as the Swan and Dolphin Resorts.  You have also have many great dining, recreation and entertainment options close by.  On evenings that you don't want to deal with traveling by bus, you can enjoy dinner and a nice evening right at the resort or nearby.  The convenience of the resort location, especially when traveling in a large group, is really a great feature.

-FAMILY FRIENDLY

We stayed at the Boardwalk with 12 family members ranging from age 6-early 50's.  There was always something to do for the young kids, teens and the older people in our party.  The actual boardwalk was full of entertainment, games, activities, shopping and dining.  We also loved the pool areas.  Our family definitely made the most out of resort days during our week long vacation.  

-GREAT RESORT IMPRESSION

We had family members in our group that were on their first Disney World vacation.  The Boardwalk Resort made that first great impression for their Disney trip and that lasted through our entire Disney vacation.  Everyone had a wonderful time.  There weren't any real negative points about the Boardwalk.  It was a great "Home Away From Home" for a week!   

Thanks for reading! 

Until next time...

Spotlight on a Walt Disney World Resort: Contemporary's Bay Lake Tower

Did you know that Walt Disney World offers over 25 resort hotels to choose from?

It's true...that is a large number to choose from but no matter which resort you choose, you have the added luxury of complimentary Magical Express transfers, Disney World transportation, Extra Magic hours and great amenities and services!

I will feature a different resort in my future blogs.  Today's blog will feature Disney's newest resort:

Disney's Contemporary Bay Lake Tower Resort

Bay Lake Tower with Sky Walk to the Contemporary

Watch an overview video about Disney's Bay Lake Tower!

This resort is connected to the original Contemporary Resort by a beautiful skywalk.  The resort offers Studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom villas.  The views offered are Bay Lake view or Magic Kingdom view. 

Our Magic Kingdom view

each morning from our villa @ Bay Lake Tower

When my family and I traveled to Walt Disney World this past July, we stayed here.  We LOVED it!  Staying at a monorail resort offers a lot of convenience, especially when you are traveling with young children.  You have three resorts on the monorail to dine, shop and enjoy recreation at and the monorail is a short ride away to Magic Kingdom and Epcot.  It was so much EASIER traveling on the monorail with a baby and stroller compared to using the Disney buses. 

The Bay Lake Tower is also the closest resort to the Magic Kingdom entrance.  A nice 5 minute stroll and you are at the front gate to enter!

We stayed in a two-bedroom/Magic Kindgom view Villa and it was perfect for our group.  It was me, my husband, our 4 month old son, my parents and brother.  We had 2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, living room, dining room, kitchen and laundry area. 

Pictures from my family vacation

With a large family, opting for a villa is a great choice because it allows everyone to have their own space and still be able to spend the vacation together.  We usually stay in studios or standard resort rooms when we go with our individual families but when we have a larger group, we tend to opt for the larger villas.

Disney's Bay Lake Tower Resort facts:

• Opened in 2009
• 4th Monorail Resort
• Studio, 1/2/3 bedroom villas
• Special Magic Kingdom fireworks viewing area
• Zero entry pool and hot tub
• Pool Slide
• Pool bar
• Poolside activities
• Childrens activities and programs
• Outdoor movies under the stars
• Grill and pavillion area
• complimentary laundry facility (laundry in all 1/2/3 bedroom villas)
• Sharing privileges of Contemporary Resort amenities

Below are a few more pictures from our stay at Bay Lake Tower:

Nothing is beats waking up to Cinderella and Magic Kingdom views!

Around the resort at Disney's Contemporary Bay Lake Tower Resort

Our little boy, Cayden, during his 1st vacation to Walt Disney World

So this is my first of many spotlights on the great resort selection at Walt Disney World.

If you have been dreaming of a large family vacation to Walt Disney World, please feel free to contact me.  Our agency handles everything from air, your Disney package, booking group dinner reservations, special events, etc.  We can help find the perfect resort that best matches what you want for your family vacation.

Don't forget about our ongoing Disney Gift Card Promotion!

If you have booked your Disney World or Disney Cruise vacation online at disneyparks.com or by phone, you can take advantage of this special offer!  Transfer your booked vacation to our travel agency and get a FREE DISNEY GIFT CARD! 

We are your "local" Disney team that can help by booking your dining times, special events, activities and coordinating your vacation from start to finish.

My FIRST Disney blog!

So here it goes...

MY FIRST DISNEY BLOG!

First, a little about me.  My name is Erin and I am a travel consultant at a local travel agency, Expedia CruiseShipCenters, in State College, Pennsylvania.  The travel agency I work for has been in business locally for over 20 years and specializes in cruise, land, all-inclusive, group, Disney and destination wedding travel.  There are three (Sonia, Liz and myself) of us along with our boss in our office and I'm lucky to have such great co-workers that love what they do and are easy to work with! 

Sonia, the Penn State Nittany Lion & I @ business event

(I was pregnant w/ Cayden here)

Sonia, Liz and Friend during their visit to Europe for work

Steelers fans UNITE @ Steelers bar in Rome

I graduated in 2007 with my bachelors degree in marketing from Central Pennsylvania College in Harrisburg, PA.  I also graduated with an associates degree in travel and tourism. 

I interned through the Walt Disney College Program during my senior year in college. I interned in the vacation planning and marketing division at Walt Disney World.  I dealt with guests daily and helped with tickets, vacation planning and dining.  Working with Disney guests each day was a learning experience and very rewarding.  I also met and lived with the greatest roommates from New Jersey, New York, Arkansas and Pennsylvania.  We all came from different states but all shared the same love for Disney.  Some of the people I met while in Florida had such great stories that I will never forget!

When I graduated college I worked in advertising sales for our local newspaper and realized after two years, that it wasn't something I wanted to do long term, so I went with my gut and made the decision to start working for Expedia Nittany Valley.  I can honestly say it was the best decision that I've made professionally. If I'm taking time away from my family to work, I'm glad it is a career that is fulfilling and rewarding.

I can say that Disney has been a huge part of my life since I was three years old.  My Dad won our first family vacation to Walt Disney World from the company he works for.  I was three and my brother, Jared, was 6 months old when we experienced Disney World for the first time.  Since that first trip, my parents took us on a week long Disney vacation every two years.  We have made it a family tradition and getaway at times traveling with up to 18-20 family members!  To me, Disney World is my "happy place" and my getaway to leave work, modern day technology and schedules at home and really enjoy quality time with my family.  Over the years and many visits to Walt Disney World, I have been blessed with a lot of Disney knowledge from my experiences.  Now all grown up, married to my wonderful husband, Brian, and with a newborn baby boy of our own, I can't wait to keep the tradition of Disney going for our sweet baby boy, Cayden.

So combine my years of love for Disney with the internship that I had at Disney, I feel that I can help anyone plan the perfect Disney World or cruise vacation.

So this brings me to my blog.  I started this to go along with my job at the travel agency that I work for.  I will be posting tips, vacation ideas, promotions--basically ANYTHING Disney related!

Feel free to contact me with any questions!  estover@cruiseshipcenters.com

Click on the links below to visit our travel agency's website and LIKE us on Facebook!

Thank you to my Mom and Dad for the Disney traditions!
I love you both bunches! xo

@ Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort