Hello Michele and welcome to planDisney! My family had a recent stay at
Disney’s BoardWalk Villas and we had such a great time at the Resort, especially checking out all the nightly activities on the
BoardWalk. Now let’s talk about how you can recreate that fun and visit the BoardWalk on your next trip!
If you don’t have a dining reservation at any of the EPCOT area Resorts such as Disney’s BoardWalk Inn or
Disney’s Beach or
Yacht Club Resorts, you can still certainly visit the BoardWalk! For the most time-efficient option, I recommend parking at
Disney’s Hollywood Studios and taking the boat to the BoardWalk. Alternatively, there is a walking path just past the restrooms near the bus stops at Hollywood Studios that can take you straight to the BoardWalk. It should take about 15 to 20 minutes to get to the BoardWalk on this path. If you’re a guest of a Disney Resort or an Annual Passholder you won’t have to pay for parking, otherwise you’ll have to pay the normal standard parking rates.
Another option would be to park at one of the parking lots or garages at Disney Springs and use the Disney bus to get to Disney’s BoardWalk. Currently,
parking at Disney Springs is free, however, during busier times of the year Disney may restrict use of the bus transportation at Disney Springs to guests of Disney Resort Collection hotels, so just be aware of that.
Just as a reminder, if you do decide to snag an advance dining reservation at one of the Resorts near the BoardWalk you’ll be able to park at that Resort free of charge for up to 3 hours after your reservation time. You’ll also be able to arrive 1 hour prior to your reservation. If you are considering grabbing a reservation, I suggest
Beaches & Cream Soda Shop over at Beach Club. Treating you and your family with The Kitchen Sink would be quite a way to wrap up a visit to the Boardwalk!
Michele, I hope this gives you some insight into getting to the BoardWalk. If you have any further questions about your upcoming Disney vacation, please feel free to
contact me and my fellow panelists here at planDisney!
Your pal,
Sean