Techtite TV reviews

When I first saw the Disney Boardwalk Resort being built, I must admit I was a bit apprehensive. For one thing, it was fit in between the Yacht&Beach Club and Swan&Dolphin pairs of resorts, and therefore took away much of those resorts' views of nearby parks. It also took away the former road/walkway that allowed private resort trams to take you to EPCOT, which meant you'd either have to get there slowly by boat...or even slower, by walking! Regardless of all this, The Boardwalk resort has proven to be a pleasant addition to the EPCOT resort area of DisneyWorld, with several features never offered before. What's even better, is that the neighboring resorts can enjoy in a lot of them.

Unlike other resorts on DisneyWorld property, The Boardwalk is actually a bayside plaza of sorts. Many rooms are overlooking the bayside, as well as being right above the plaza itself! The bayside plaza consists of a number of amusing shops, cafes, and attractions. Quick food stops include a pizza station and a fresh bakery, while fine dining includes a place with great fish food (enhancing the feel of a plaza "by the bay"). The large general store even includes items you'd find in a grocery store, like milk and cereal and even a few small TV dinners (while most of these groceries are for the pricey Vacation Club rooms --which offer in-room kitchens-- other rooms can use the cold grocery items just the same...including the fresh milk cartons, for families with young kids).

Resort rooms are typical of a DisneyWorld resort, which means they are typically great. There is the same outdoor patio, the same bed types, and the same decor, consisting most usually of a round table, a couch, a chair, and a chest of drawers with a TV. TV is of the same channels offered in all Disney resorts, if you can find the time to watch them at all (not likely; there's too much to be done here). The only minus of a room at this resort is this: room service is only so-so, and basically involves you having to go down to the plaza itself...and that's presuming your favorite plaza eatery is open at all. However, this is a small gripe, given the environment offered, and how rare it is for people to usually want room service, anyway.

Nighttime is when the resort truly shines; by then its plaza becomes, practically, a mini carnival park of its own! Why is this important? Timing: On odd times of the year, some DisneyWorld parks close as early as 7:00 P.M., leaving a vacationer to entertain their family with whatever their resort hotel offers as entertainment. At the Boardwalk, this should not be a problem, because nighttime opens up many attractions along the pier walkways. This is including

a few carnival games (while these may ask for an additional fee to play; yes, you can win some nice prizes), the Sports Arcade, and even a giant dance hall. There are the occasional performers along the bay, such as magicians and jugglers and men on stilts --depending on the season and availability-- enhancing the fair-type feel of the Boardwalk area. Best of all, the boardwalk at night is lit with enough lights to make it resemble a static Electrical Parade, and this enhances the view seen from nearby resorts, instead of detracting from it.

All this activity at night does have a downside; if you're the early-to-bed type, all the activity will likely keep you awake, unless you're not a light sleeper. Don't worry; you can't hear anything from a nearby resort, though from the Boardwalk's own second and third floors, the action can often be just below your outside window. On one occasion, there was a juggler/magician performing just underneath my room, which was cool for me, though perhaps not for anyone trying to get early sleep, for an early plane flight the next day. On the other hand, if you're a Spring Breaker looking for a nice resort for your college friends to enjoy, this may be just what you're looking for. The overall feel of being in a resort that resembles its own State Fair has its pluses.

	Final Rating : Large Crater. Aside from having one less way to get to Epcot, there's many reasons to like the addition of the Boardwalk. A nice resort for the younger set.
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Disney's Boardwalk Resort

A Review by Techtite