Beach Club Villas vs. Boardwalk Villas: Which Is Best For Your Next Trip?



Beach Club Villas vs. Boardwalk Villas

Deciding between visiting Beach Club Villas or Boardwalk Villas for your next Disney trip could be a difficult decision. Both resorts are in the EPCOT Resort Area and both are Deluxe resorts that offer the incredible vacation experience that Disney Resort Hotel guests have come to expect. Even though these resorts are surprisingly similar in many metrics, depending on what kind of experience you’re looking for, one of these resorts may serve as a better backdrop to your next Disney vacation than the other.

In this article, we’ll be exploring the similarities and differences between these two Deluxe resorts in great detail. First, we’ll provide you with a quick-glance comparison chart that hits all the highlights of the differences between Beach Club Villas and Boardwalk Villas for those of you who just want a quick overview of the major points, but then we will break down each of the most important criteria that could make all the difference to your next vacation. Let’s dive right in!

Quick Comparison Chart

We’ve added a comparison chart below that covers many of the main differences between these two DVC resorts, and provided some details for each comparison. Depending on the type of vacation you’re looking for, you may find these criteria make all the difference or no difference at all you. It’s completely up to you to decide how to value what each resort offers!

Quick Comparison Chart
Beach Club Villas BoardWalk Villas
Arcade
Beach
Bike Rentals
Children’s Center
Community Hall
Date Opened 2002 1996
Dining (Character Dining) Cape May Cafe
Dining (Counter Service) Beach Club Marketplace Pizza Window
Dining (Lounge) Ale & Compass Lounge & Crew’s Cup Lounge AbracadaBar
Dining (Table Service) Yachtsman Steakhouse Flying Fish Cafe
Fishing
Fitness Center
Jogging Path
Marina
Outdoor Movies
Playground Luna Park Crazy Play Area
Pools Stormalong Bay – larger Luna Park Pool – smaller
Pool Bar Hurricane Hanna’s Leaping Horse Libations
Self-Parking Closer Farther away
Room Cost More points Less points
Room Type 2 BR dedicated & lock-off options 2 BR lock-off only, but has 3 BR Grand Villa
Spa Services
Tennis
Transportation Boat, Bus Boat, Bus
Valet Parking
Views No Distinct View Types Standard (saves points) & Boardwalk View
Volleyball Court
Watersports
Water Play Area
Beach Club Villas

Beach Club Villas

Boardwalk Villas

Boardwalk Villas

Dining

Flying Fish Cafe Entree
Seared Scallops from Flying Fish Cafe

Both Beach Club Villas and Boardwalk Villas offer a dizzying amount of dining locations to choose from. While each resort has their particular highlights, keep in mind, they are so close together, that with a short walk, you can enjoy either resort’s restaurants. There really is no going wrong with either resort for dining options!

Beach Club Villas Dining Locations

Beach Club Villas Dining Locations

Cape May Cafe

Breakfast, Dinner
Start your day with a hearty buffet breakfast or visit later for signature seafood and turf dishes.

Beaches & Cream Soda Shop

Lunch, Dinner
Satisfy your sweet tooth with old-fashioned ice-cream favorites or savor delicious hot-off-the-grill items at this 50s-themed eatery.

Beach Club Marketplace

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Enjoy a hot, made-to-order meal, grab a quick bite or stock up on snacks before heading out for a day of fun in the parks.

Martha’s Vineyard

Lunch, Bar Service, Late Night
Gather for a glass—or bottle—of wine at this casual lounge reminiscent of a New England beach house.

Hurricane Hanna’s Waterside Bar and Grill

Bar Service
Brace for frosty beverages and beautiful bay views at this not-so-blustery walk-up bar.

Ale & Compass Restaurant

Set your sights on Yankee comfort food and seafood classics at this cozy gastropub-inspired eatery.

Ale & Compass Lounge

Bar Service
Navigate your way to a cozy lounge with a great wine list, light snacks and overstuffed chairs.

The Market at Ale & Compass

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Find hot and cold offerings with grab-and-go convenience for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Yachtsman Steakhouse

Dinner
Relish premium dry-aged beef, fresh seafood and signature drinks at this New England-style steakhouse.

Crew’s Cup Lounge

Bar Service
Ready all, row! Race to a place where refreshment awaits—serving beer, wine and cocktails.

Boardwalk Villas Dining Locations

Boardwalk Villas Dining Locations

Flying Fish

Dinner
Experience soaring spirits once you see the excellent menu offerings at this sustainable seafood eatery.

Trattoria al Forno

Breakfast, Dinner
Enjoy a charming Italian eatery featuring Italy’s culinary classics.

Big River Grille & Brewing Works

Lunch, Dinner
Try the handcrafted beer sampler—along with soups, salads and entrees—at this working microbrewery.

BoardWalk Deli

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Delight in the timeless charm of the Disney BoardWalk while you dine on overstuffed sandwiches and deli favorites.

BoardWalk Ice Cream

Snacks
Cool down with an ice cream or sundae and indulge in the many classic and delectable flavors at BoardWalk Ice Cream.

Carousel Coffee

Snacks
Put a little pep in your step with delicious coffee drinks, teas and pastries from this charming shop at Disney’s BoardWalk.

Pizza Window

Lunch, Dinner
Order a hot slice at the window and dine alfresco-style on the patio alongside the BoardWalk.

AbracadaBar

Bar Service
Conjure up a cocktail at a reopened lounge that harkens back to the heyday of master magicians and illusionists.

Leaping Horse Libations

Snacks
Horse around with old and new friends and feel like a kid again at this colorful, carousel-themed bar.

BoardWalk Joe’s Marvelous Margaritas

Snacks
Craving a refreshing frozen cocktail? BoardWalk Joe’s has a marvelous margarita with your name on it!

Belle Vue Lounge

Bar Service
Step into this quaint 1930s-style sitting room where radios play programs from the era. In the evening, enjoy a cocktail in a comfy chair or on the verandah.

Funnel Cake Cart

Snacks
Get your sugar-fix—piled high with all the toppings, of course—by way of a fresh, hot funnel cake!

Pools

Beach Club Villas

Stormalong Bay Water Line
Stormalong Bay is one of the best pools for families in any of the DVC Resorts

Stormalong Bay, is one of the highlights of staying at Beach Club Villas. This massive pool area has been compared to a bite-sized water park, just steps away from your private villa! From the lazy river and 230-foot-long water slide to the life-sized shipwreck replica and kiddie pool, Stormalong Bay features something for everyone.

You can snacks, drinks and refreshments at the nearby Hurricane Hanna’s so you can spend your whole day at the pool if you wish!

Boardwalk Villas

The recently redesigned Keister waterslide now features Mickey & Minnie
The recently redesigned Keister waterslide now features Mickey & Minnie and is a ton of fun!

Luna Park Pool is the signature pool at Disney’s Boardwalk Villas. This family-friendly pool features the keister waterslide and kiddie splash area. Guests can also enjoy complimentary activities such as pool parties, dive-in movies, hula hoop competitions and more. Luna Park Pool also features cabanas for rent that offer a private retreat to take in the stunning views of Crescent Lake.

Nearby you can treat yourself to some delicious drinks at the Leaping Horse Libations pool bar.

Resort Amenities

To the Boardwalk sign - showplace of the short

Depending on what amenities you’re looking for, each resort has their own merits. Both resorts offer arcades, bike rentals, fitness centers, outdoor movies, playgrounds, tennis courts and water play areas.

Boardwalk Villas features a very nice community hall that offers some affordable arts & crafts projects, pool table, and much more which makes it a great way to bring the whole family together, while Beach Club Villas does not.

Beach Club also offers watersports, volleyball courts, and fishing, where as Boardwalk Villas does not.

Either way you can’t go wrong, but each resort does have some special features that the other does not.

Resort Maps

Beach Club Villas Resort Map

Beach-Club-Resort-Map-logo

View Beach Club Resort Map PDF

Boardwalk Villas Resort Map

Boardwalk-Resort-Map-logo-1

View Boardwalk Villas Resort Map PDF

Room Types & Sizes

One difference between these two resorts would be the rooms types that are offered. Beach Club Villas offers both a dedicated and lock-off 2 bedroom, while Boardwalk Villas offers a 2 bedroom lock-off and a 3 bedroom Grand Villa. The room sizes for each room type that the resorts share in common are nearly identical in size, so you won’t notice much of a difference in that aspect.

Beach Club Villas

Room Sizes:

  • Deluxe Studio
  • 1 Bedroom
  • 2 Bedroom
  • 2 Bedroom Lockoff

Boardwalk Villas

Room Sizes:

  • Deluxe Studio
  • 1 Bedroom
  • 2 Bedroom Lockoff
  • 3 Bedroom Grand Villa
Resort Room Type Villa Size (Square Feet) Sleeps Beds
Beach Club Studio 356 5 1 Queen, 1 Double Sofa, 1 Single Pull Down
Boardwalk Villas Studio 359 5 1 Queen, 1 Full Sofa, 1 Single Pull Down
Boardwalk Villas 1 Bedroom 712 5 1 King, 1 Queen Sofa
Beach Club 1 Bedroom 719 5 1 King, 1 Queen Sofa
Boardwalk Villas 2 Bedroom 1071 9 1 King, 1 Queen, 1 Full Sofa, 1 Queen Sofa, 1 Single Pull Down
Beach Club 2 Bedroom 1075 8 1 King, 2 Queens, 1 Queen Sofa -or-
1 King, 1 Queen, 1 Queen Sofa, 1 Double Sofa, 1 Single Pull Down
Boardwalk Villas  3 Bedroom Grand Villa 2142 12 1 King, 4 Queens, 1 Queen Sofa

Transportation & Parking

Both of these resorts are considered to be in the EPCOT resort area, so both are quite close to EPCOT. So close in fact, that you can simply walk to the park from your resort, although Boardwalk Villas is a bit of a shorter walk to EPCOT.

Friendship boats at Beach Club Villas
The Friendship boats at Beach Club & Boardwalk Villas are a great way to pop over to Epcot from the resort!

Both resorts offer friendship boats that can take you to either EPCOT or Hollywood Studios, and both resorts feature bus stops that can take you pretty much wherever you wish to go within Disney World, either directly or with a connection.

disney-skyliner-map

Additionally, if you’d like to walk over to EPCOT, there is a Skyliner station that can take you to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Art of Animation/Pop Century Resort, Caribbean Beach Resort, and Riviera Resort.

Views

For the views that can be seen from the rooms, Boardwalk Villas offers both a standard and Boardwalk view type. The standard view type is a great way to save some cash / DVC points by getting a cheaper room if you’re not worried about views. The Boardwalk view for each unit type at Boardwalk Villas is roughly the same, really just a few points cheaper, than each comparable unit type that is offered at Beach Club Villas, so you’re not paying a premium for that view type when compared to Beach Club.

While the Boardwalk view is definitely a sight to behold, these rooms can be a little noisy at night, as there is quite a bit of nightlife on Disney’s Boardwalk, so be sure to plan accordingly.

Beach Club Villas does not offer any distinct view types for each of their unit types, and the views range from roads to pools, but the resort itself carries a much quieter feeling, with very little nightlife happening around the rooms.

Experience These Resorts For Yourself!

Regardless of which one you choose, there’s no doubt that Beach Club Villas and Boardwalk Villas both have a special place in many Disney fan’s hearts. Both experiences provide a unique way to enjoy the Disney magic and create memories that will last a lifetime. So why not try both? That way, you can get the best of both worlds!

Between the incredible dining, the impeccable service, and unmatched magic, you don’t ever need to second guess planning a trip to either of these resorts. If you’d like to view confirmed reservations for rent at Beach Club Villas or confirmed reservations for rent at Boardwalk villas, you can experience Disney’s Deluxe resorts for less, even without being a DVC member! If you’re interested in becoming a member, and joining the DVC family, you can save thousands by shopping from our current Beach Club Villas resale listings or Boardwalk Villas resale listings.

Are there any of your favorite parts of these resorts that we missed? What are some of your favorite things to do at these resorts? Let us know in the comments! As always, stay tuned to the DVC Shop blog for all the latest developments for Disney theme parks and all the information you could ever need about the Disney Vacation Club resorts.

Beach Club Villas

Beach Club Villas

Boardwalk Villas

Boardwalk Villas

Written by

Rachel Van Norman


Contributing Writer

Rachel fell deeply in love with all things Disney as a little girl. Now as a wife and a mother herself, she shares this Disney obsession with her son and everyone around her. From her love of princesses to eating all the Disney food, Rachel spends her time radiating Disney magic and keeping everyone up to date on Disney news.

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