Hi Wayne, and welcome back to planDisney! Sharing your love of Disney World with your friend will be such a special experience. Some of my favorite memories are from the trips where I got to introduce friends to my happy place.
Wilderness Lodge, where
Boulder Ridge Villas is located, holds a special place in my heart because it's one of my Disney Vacation Club home resorts. But, for a first visit, there’s nothing more magical than staying at the
Polynesian, seeing Cinderella Castle right from the resort grounds, and riding the
monorail to
Magic Kingdom!
It sounds like you’re looking at the original Polynesian DVC buildings, which I love because they have some of the only studios with two showers—perfect for when you’re sharing the room with friends. Those buildings are also a short walk to the
Transportation & Ticket Center where you can take the monorail directly to
EPCOT (instead of boarding at the Great Ceremonial House and transferring to the EPCOT monorail at the Transportation & Ticket Center).
Now let’s make sure your friend gets to experience as much as possible! Since you’re staying at a Deluxe Villa Resort, you get access to both
Early Theme Park Entry and
Extended Evening Theme Park Hours, which will help you get the most out of your three park days. You’ll also be able to book
Lightning Lane Passes up to seven days before your check-in date. The popular rides can go quickly, so this is a great perk for Disney Resort hotel guests. Less time waiting in line means you can fit in more rides, shows, and Mickey-shaped snacks!
To maximize your park hopping days even more, I’d recommend starting at least one day in
Animal Kingdom since it usually opens earlier than the other theme parks. While it’s tempting to run from ride to ride, don’t miss my favorite show there,
Festival of the Lion King!
I hope your friend has a pixie-dusted first trip to the Most Magical Place on Earth! Be sure to get him a First Visit button at the front desk. And if you have any more questions before your visit, we’d love to have you back at planDisney.
JoAnna