Hi Lisa, and welcome to planDisney! The
BoardWalk is one of my favorite places to spend a resort day, from riding Surrey bikes to singing at a dueling piano bar. So let’s talk about the parking situation!
Standard parking at Disney Resort hotels is complimentary for guests with a dining reservation but it's only meant for the few hours around your meal time. In my experience, the parking attendants are more strict at the resort hotels on the
monorail loop (Grand Floridian, Polynesian, and the Contemporary) and near EPCOT’s International Gateway (Yacht Club, Beach Club, and the BoardWalk Resort), so you may not be allowed to park at noon when you have an 8:00 PM dinner reservation. If you’re turned away, you could pay for parking at the
Dolphin Hotel, which is right by the BoardWalk. Or you could park at Disney Springs and take the Yacht Club, Beach Club, or BoardWalk Resort bus, as long as you're planning to head back to the car before Disney Springs closes that night.
To play it safe, you might consider using
Minnie Van Service or another rideshare service, like Uber, to get to and from the BoardWalk. If you’re at a Disney Resort hotel, you could take the complimentary bus to Hollywood Studios and walk or take a
FriendShip boat to the BoardWalk. Since your dinner reservation is at 8:00 PM, you’ll likely have to take rideshare service back to your resort hotel since the Hollywood Studios buses may not be running when you’re done. Last weekend I had to do just that since the complimentary Disney transportation wasn’t running when I left
Jellyrolls at 1:00 AM. Speaking of Jellyrolls, if you’re not quite ready for bed after dinner, this dueling piano bar is just a short walk from Ale & Compass. It's such a fun spot to dance and sing to your favorite songs, including some Disney tunes! Jellyrolls is moving locations this Spring, so it might be one of your last opportunities to visit while it’s still on the BoardWalk.
Some of my other must-dos in the area include renting a
Surrey bike to cycle around Crescent Lake, playing mini golf at the nearby
Fantasia Gardens, and watching the street performers on the BoardWalk at night. Since you’re planning to be there earlier in the day,
Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs recently opened across from
AbracadaBar and is a great place to get a quick lunch after that Surrey bike ride or mini golf! I love to grab a corn dog and sit at one of the shaded tables by the water.
I hope you enjoy a wonderful meal at Ale & Compass and have a fun day exploring the BoardWalk! If you have any other questions, we’d love to have you back at planDisney.
JoAnna