We talk quite a bit about Resort Hopping here on DFB… but today, we’re talking about “Resort Shopping!” Choosing which Disney World Resort hotel to stay at during your Walt Disney World vacation is one of the most fun parts of planning! That said…

…it can simultaneously be one of the most overwhelming factors when you’re dealing with such a wide array of options. To that end, we’re hoping to help you out by doing a little of the comparison work for you. Today, we’re talking about TWO Deluxe Resorts: Disney’s Beach Club Resort versus Disney’s BoardWalk Inn!

We’re tackling this topic by breaking things down into a few chosen categories: Common Ground, Theme, Pools, Food, and Transportation. Let’s go!

Common Ground

So, what do Beach Club Resort and BoardWalk Inn share in common? For starters, they both fall into the highest category of Disney Resort hotels. Categories are Value, Moderate, and Deluxe, and both of these are Deluxe Resorts, so room sizes and guest perks are fairly comparable. (For instance, both are eligible for Extended Evening Hours held at select theme parks on select nights, as this perk is exclusive to Deluxe Resort guests.)

AND, as it just so happens, they are also both Deluxe Villa Resorts! The Disney Vacation Club Villas that each offers may be booked by Disney Vacation Club members or cash-paying guests.

Both BoardWalk Inn and Beach Club Resort share an incredibly cool perk: they are both within walking distance of EPCOT! And therefore… they’re also both within walking distance of each other ;).

So, no matter which you choose, you’ve got easy access to all of the restaurants at both hotels! And we’ll dive a little deeper into the transportations options that these Resorts share underneath that topic below.

Prices for both of these Resorts are, as you might anticipate, in a similar range:

For the Beach Club, for the cheapest room at the cheapest time to visit, you can expect to pay around $534 per night (not accounting for any tax or current discounts), and it goes up to $4,763 per night (not accounting for any tax or current discounts) for the most expensive rooms at the most expensive time to visit. (Based on 2023 rates.)

For the BoardWalk Inn, for the cheapest room at the cheapest time to visit, you can expect to pay around $597 per night (not accounting for any tax or current discounts), and it goes up to $4,455 per night (not accounting for any tax or current discounts) for the most expensive rooms at the most expensive time to visit. (Based on 2023 rates.)

One more thing these Resorts share in common, as you’ve likely already surmised by their names 😉 , is that both BoardWalk Inn and the Beach Club play upon similar coastal beach themes. But the way they do that is where the differences begin…

Theme/Rooms

Disney’s Beach Club Resort

Seaside New England serves as the inspiration for Disney’s Beach Club Resort!

The Beach Club is the sister to Disney’s Yacht Club. However, the Beach Club distinguishes itself with its more laid-back and breezy beach vibe.

That light and airy feel extends, of course, to the guest rooms throughout the hotel.

Disney’s Beach Club features standard guest rooms with either 1 King Bed or 1 King Bed and 1 Day Bed OR 2 Queen Beds or 2 Queen Beds and 1 Day Bed, as well as Club Level Rooms (up to a Presidential Suite which sleeps up to 7 adults). For standard rooms, guests may choose a Standard View, a Resort View, a Water View, or a Deluxe Room.

Beach Club Villas have villa-type accommodations with studio (sleep up to five), 1-bedroom (sleep up to four), and 2-bedroom (sleep up to eight) layouts. (Be aware, though, that Villas are currently being refreshed with a planned completion estimated for late 2023.)

Disney’s BoardWalk Inn

Disney’s Boardwalk Inn and Villas transports visitors back to the turn-of-the-century with a whimsical East Coast-style boardwalk atmosphere.

Much like a classic boardwalk experience, entertainment and eateries ABOUND at this Deluxe Resort!

The BoardWalk does a terrific job balancing the fun of the theme with the luxury of a deluxe resort.

Disney’s BoardWalk Inn features standard guest rooms with either 1 King Bed or 1 King Bed and 1 Day Bed OR 2 Queen Beds or 2 Queen Beds and 1 Day Bed, as well as Club Level Rooms (up to a 2 Bedroom Suite which sleeps up to 9 adults). For standard rooms, guests may choose a Standard View, a Resort View, or a Water View.

BoardWalk Villas offers studio (sleep up to five), 1-bedroom (sleep up to four), and 2-bedroom (sleep up to nine), and 3-bedroom (sleep up to 12) layouts.

Results

More than perhaps any other category, this one comes down purely to preference. If you’re looking for more Disney whimsy, the BoardWalk Inn fits that vibe best. If you’re looking for a bright and clear yet classic feel, the Beach Club may deliver more of what you’re looking for.

Pools

Beach Club Resort

Oh, boy… pools are a GREAT topic when it comes to the Beach Club, thanks to Stormalong Bay! This 3-acre water recreation area is available exclusively to both Yacht and Beach Club guests.

Seriously, Stormalong Bay is a destination all its own. This pool complex is practically its own mini-water park, with sand at the bottom, a lazy river, 3 whirlpool spas, and a tanning deck!

Kiddos (and adults) can take on the 230-footlong ‘shipwrecked’ themed water slide, while Shipwreck pool with its own mini waterslide is available just for the little ones.

Oh, and guests who prefer a little more quiet can take advantage of any of the 3 additional leisure pools.

BoardWalk Inn

The primary pool at the BoardWalk Inn is the Luna Park Pool. This huge pool holds nearly 185,000 gallons of water!

The Luna Park pool boasts a 200-foot long slide known as the Keister Coaster! 

A whirlpool spa and kiddie pool complete the offerings of this water play area. And two leisure pools are available offering calm and relaxing respites.

Results

As much as I love the Keister Coaster, a solid WIN goes to the Beach Club for Stormalong Bay in this category. In fact, not only does Stormalong Bay win this competition against BoardWalk Inn… it pretty much beats out EVERY SINGLE Disney World Resort for the BEST hotel pool of all!

Food

Beach Club Dining

Guests at The Beach Club have an array of dining options to enjoy, from Disney Character Dining to Quick Service restaurants to a relaxing lounge, and beyond!

Cape May Cafe features an all-you-care-to-enjoy breakfast buffet with Disney pals! Minnie’s Beach Bash Breakfast is one of the best places to see some of the most beloved Disney characters outside of the parks.

Though Disney characters are not present during Dinner, the evening buffet meal serves up something unique, too, as all-you-can-eat surf-and-turf gets the spotlight with plenty for landlubbers and seafood fans to enjoy!

Ah, Beaches and Cream… THIS is the place to go for classic diner eats and GIGANTIC ice cream sundaes in Walt Disney World!

Tucked between the Yacht Club and Beach Club Resorts, this authentic soda counter restaurant is decked out in pastels and is complete with a jukebox. And it’s possibly best known for being home to the famous Kitchen Sink: an eight-scoop ice cream sundae (made for sharing with the whole group) served up with EVERY TOPPING in the house!

Beach Club Marketplace is the quick service location AND gift shop at the Beach Club.

Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the Beach Club Marketplace has a limited menu of hot meals along with some stellar grab-and-go and pastry options.

Martha’s Vineyard is a relaxing spot to get a bite and a drink in the evening hours.

Specialty cocktails, craft drafts, wines, and a full bar menu are available. The cuisine (a small selection of appetizers) is inspired by a Northeastern clambake, with comforting seafood favorites like clam chowder served alongside a few pub classics like chicken wings.

Hurricane Hanna’s Waterside Bar and Grill is the Pool Bar for Stormalong Bay!

Thankfully a few substantial entrees (like burgers and chicken nuggets) are on the menu along with the drinks, because you won’t want to leave this amazing pool area!

And remember, all of the restaurants at the Yacht Club Resort are easily accessible to Beach Club guests! These include:

• Yachtsman Steakhouse (Signature Dining)
• Ale & Compass Restaurant (Casual Table Service)
• The Market at Ale & Compass (Quick Service)
• Ale & Compass Lounge
• Crew’s Cup Lounge

BoardWalk Inn

What could beat all the options you see above? Well, let’s take a look at the whopping array of restaurants along Disney’s BoardWalk (along with those tucked inside the Resort)!

Flying Fish is a signature restaurant that serves gourmet seafood. Many tout both the sea and land dishes here. (The Char-Crusted New York Strip is a favorite among landlubbers.)

The location — complete with a lovely glass school of fish “swimming” above the main dining room — has an emphasized focus on seasonal, sustainable fare.

Trattoria al Forno features regional Italian specialties with classic preparations.

Many ingredients are crafted in-house, including hand-crafted mozzarella and handmade cavatelli. Trattoria al Forno also features seasonal risotto and serves only Italian wines. A lovely a la carte breakfast is also served; however, we are hoping that the Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast (a character meal featuring Disney couples such as Rapunzel and Flynn Rider and Ariel with Prince Eric) makes its return soon.

Head to a real brewing factory at Big River Grille & Brewing Works! Here you can sample many different kinds of beers, along with great burgers, steaks, nachos, and more.

The floor-to-ceiling glass walls in the Big River Grille & Brewing Works restaurant provide a glimpse into the beer-making process. Watch while an on-site brew master crafts the establishment’s beers. Or sit outside and enjoy the BoardWalk atmosphere and water views.

The BoardWalk Deli serves up breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and guests enjoy items like house-baked bagels, an “overstuffed warm pastrami Reuben” or a hand-piped cannoli.

In Disney’s words, the menu takes us on “a road trip of classic sweet and savory flavors from New York to the Jersey Shore,” and you can check it out here. 

According to the story of AbracadaBar, you can still feel the magic in the air at this former secret haunt of boardwalk magicians and entertainers… a group that mysteriously vanished over 70 years ago.

Guests can experience their lingering magic in the sights, sounds, and even tastes (through the signature “Curious Cocktails”) in this enchanted lounge!

The Belle Vue Lounge is what many call a “rare find.” Modeled after a 1930s sitting room, it has lovely hidden touches like board games and working radios playing shows from eras past.

Tucked right off the main lobby, this lounge is a great place to relax and enjoy a drink after a long day at the parks, or even to take a quick snooze in a comfy chair to recharge in late afternoon. (Not that I’ve done that or anything…)

Craving a cool treat? Then stop by BoardWalk Ice Cream! This ice cream to-go store scoops up sundaes and cones made with Edy’s brand ice cream.

The treats here are inspired by the beloved Beaches & Cream Soda Shop that we mentioned earlier, but they are served in portable portions.

BoardWalk Joe’s is a stand that is known for ONE thing: “Marvelous Margaritas!” For a relatively small kiosk, there is a surprising variety of flavorful margaritas available — and sometimes you’ll happen upon a seasonal concoction!

A selection of snacks such as pretzels and roasted nuts is also available. Non-alcoholic smoothies (including one made with Dole Whip!) are also on offer.

Stop by the Pizza Window for a piping hot pizza pie!

They serve up whole pizza pies and pizza by the slice (and Sangria to go with it, for of-age guests, along with fountain drinks). Grab one of the cafe tables outside or bring your pizza feast back to your room and relax.

Welcome to Leaping Horse Libations! Out by the Luna Park Pool, you’ll find this poolside bar with all the basics you need for an afternoon in the sun — cold drinks, snacks, and even a few lunch items to get you through your Florida sun-and-pool afternoon!

Look for fun carnival-themed drinks like the Tilt-A-Whirl, and The Roller Coaster Meltdown served along with the standard Disney pool bar menu.

You can find Carousel Coffee inside the BoardWalk Inn. This spot is located right off the Resort’s lobby, making it a perfectly convenient spot for your pick-me-up cup!

Coffee, tea, and pastries (including options by Joffrey’s Coffee) are on offer.

Do you love music from the 70′s, 80′s, and 90′s? Do you love dueling piano improv? Then Jellyrolls Dueling Piano Bar is the place for you! The raucous bar brings you non-stop dueling pianos and a drink special each night (the “Jellyroll of the Day”).

So be thinking of your favorite Billy Joel, Mariah Carey or Elton John song to request! There is a cover charge of $18.00 to enter. Jellyrolls is typically open nightly from 7PM to 1:45AM. Doors open at 7PM, and entertainment starts at 8PM — it helps to be early to grab a seat!

Atlantic Dance Hall is another bar on the BoardWalk. Looking for a place to get your groove on? Boogie down to music from the 80s through today at Atlantic Dance Hall!

You can request your favorite music videos, and dance along as they play on the large screens above. Shake your groove thang, and get your dance on with a group of friends! Please note that Atlantic Dance Hall is limited to guests 21 and older and typically open Thursday through Sunday nights from 8PM to 1AM.

More to Come along the BoardWalk…

We’re not done yet! The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers is coming to Disney World’s BoardWalk this year! This new Table Service restaurant will serve items for brunch, lunch, and dinner featuring both sweet and savory menus. Afternoon tea service will be offered as well!

Disney notes that the new eatery will present a “whimsical atmosphere that complements the magic of the idyllic charm of Disney’s BoardWalk that guests know and love.” And guess what? Guest will also be able to pop in for a quick treat by grabbing something to-go from the bakery case!

And there’s STILL one more new spot on the way to the BoardWalk later this year… Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs!

Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs currently serves Hand-dipped Corn Dogs and other unique Corn Dog creations over in Disneyland at the Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs kiosk in Downtown Disney. And let me tell you… these are NOT you average Corn Dogs. A few that we’ve tried at the Downtown Disney location are the Mexican Street Corn Dog, a Christmas Corn Dog, and even a Golden Dragon Corn Dog!

Results

We’re giving this round to the BoardWalk Inn. With so many eateries, it’s a true dining destination where even the simplest of snack are far above par. But here’s the great thing: no matter whether you choose BoardWalk Inn or Beach Club, you have incredibly easy access to ALL of the dining options for both Resorts… PLUS those at the Yacht Club, too! Considering these options are all steps away from EPCOT and its own fantastic food, it’s an embarrassment of riches in the EPCOT Resort area when it comes to dining.

Transportation

SPOILER ALERT! 😉 Being just steps away from each other, the Beach Club and BoardWalk Inn share the same free Disney World Resort transportation options. And fortunately, the transportation perks at these EPCOT area Resorts are pretty great!

A very rare perk is that, from both the Beach Club and BoardWalk Inn, guests have a very short walk to get to EPCOT’s International Gateway entrance (between the park’s United Kingdom and France pavilions).

Folks can also walk to the connected Yacht Club Resort and to the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels.

The International Gateway also hosts EPCOT’S Disney Skyliner Station. From EPCOT, the Skyliner has a stop at Disney’s Riviera Resort and continues directly to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort (which serves as the Skyliner Hub).

From Caribbean Beach, it’s a simple transfer to Disney’s Hollywood Studios (or to Disney’s Pop Century and Art of Animation Resorts).

Guests at both Resorts can also walk along Crescent Lake to Disney’s Hollywood Studios; however, due to the longer distance to Hollywood Studios, other forms of transportation to Hollywood Studios are provided. For instance, you can take a Friendship Boat down Crescent Lake to Disney’s Hollywood Studios!

The Friendship Boat also makes stops at EPCOT and the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels.

And, of course, there is complimentary access to Disney Bus Transportation to and from Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, the water parks (Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon), and Disney Springs.

Results

No surprise here that this category is a DRAW!

The Winner!

“Aaaand the winner is”... whichever Resort YOU think it is for your group’s needs and desires. We do want to give a special nod to the spectacular Stormalong Bay at the Beach Club; and if soaking up rays and splashing around your Resort’s pool is a major vacation goal for you… well, that could certainly be the clincher. On the other hand, if you are more drawn to immersive Disney theming, the BoardWalk Inn, with its charm and sense of fun, might be the better fit for you. The lovely thing about the EPCOT Resorts in particular is that you can easily soak up the atmosphere of all of them simply by taking a stroll around the area! When you include the Yacht Club in the mix, it’s practically a three-fer!

Still, have a Resort decision to make? If you’d like to check out some more Resort comparisons, feel free to click on any of the links below:

• Contemporary vs. Yacht Club Resort Guide
• Grand Floridian vs. Wilderness Lodge Resort Guide
• Polynesian Village vs. Contemporary Resort Guide
• Saratoga Springs vs. Coronado Springs Resort Guide 
• Wilderness Lodge vs. Riviera Resort Guide
• Old Key West vs. Saratoga Springs Resort Guide
• Art of Animation vs. Pop Century Resort Guide
• Coronado Springs vs. Port Orleans Resort Guide 
• Caribbean Beach vs. Coronado Springs Resort Guide