We spent January 7-11 in an one bedroom villa at the Boardwalk Villas. We were there to celebrate our anniversary.
We arrived late in the afternoon after a long drive up from Key West. Check-in was very smooth and the cast members were extremely helpful and friendly. We were assigned room 1100 on the first floor and at first I was disappointed since I usually prefer upper floor rooms. As things turned out this was a great location. We were able to access the pool, Boardwalk and walkway to Hollywood Studios very easily without having to bother with the elevators which were quite a way from the room.
WDW wasn't our only destination and we had a great deal of luggage with us. Bell Services was prompt and efficient in delivering our pile of stuff.
The room itself was quite large by Disney standards and the decor was light and pretty. French doors opened out to a small patio with a view of the quiet pool and Community Hall. The kitchen was compact but well stocked with dishes, cutlery and appliances, including a blender. Dishsoap and paper towels were also provided. We were on the Dining Plan and didn't use the kitchen much but it was nice for keeping drinks cold and re-heating leftovers.
The washer dryer unit, located in a closet, was quite small but adequate for our needs. A one-use size box of Tide was provided but I found that, due to the small size of the washer, I could stretch it to cover two loads. Unlike the hotel rooms, no drying line is provided over the Jacuzzi tub.
Our living area was very light and decorated in a pretty floral motif. The sleeper-sofa was comfortable for sitting. My husband made it out and slept on it one night after I became ill. He said it was quite comfortable and didn't have that uncomfortable sleeper sofa bar across the middle that most do.
The bedroom had a king bed with a comfortable mattress and a second television. The bedside lamps can be operated from the switch at the door. The room is separated from the bath by a set of shutters.
The bath is divided into two sections. Adjacent to the bedroom is the Jacuzzi and a sink with a large countertop. This became "my" sink since there was plenty of room for my make-up and hair stuff. The toilet and shower are located in a separate room. This room also has a free-standing sink. Both the shower and Jacuzzi were roomy and had excellent water pressure.
I wasn't feeling well one night so we canceled our dinner reservations and ordered room service. Room service at the Boardwalk is provided by Spoodles and we were very satisfied with our meal. I ordered dinner for 7:30 and it arrived at 7:30 on the dot. We received a call to let us know it was on the way which I thought was nice.
My main complaint would have to be with the casual dining options here. We received mugs with our package but there was no self-service drinks station at the Boardwalk. You could only get your drinks served in a disposable cup yet had to cart your mug to either the Belvue Room or the Boardwalk Bakery for coffee. This ended up being a lot of things to juggle if you wanted to bring drinks back to the room. Of the two options I vastly preferred the Belvue Room. We used our snack credits at breakfast and it was a very pleasant place to sit (either inside or out on the balcony) and have a pastry.
All in all we enjoyed our stay at the Boardwalk. The kitchen and Jacuzzi were definite plusses as was the location. For the price, however, I think I prefer either the Polynesian or Beach Club Resorts. I love Stormalong Bay and the theming at the Polynesian.
(I have pictures but don't know how to post them!)
Jennifer