Just Back From Boardwalk Inn Resorts & Accomodations Discuss Just Back From Boardwalk Inn in the Vacation Planning forums; We just got back from a week long stay at the Boardwalk. It was a clean, beautiful hotel. I was pleased with just about everything with a few exceptions: The ...

[Tim]

We just got back from a week long stay at the Boardwalk. It was a clean, beautiful hotel. I was pleased with just about everything with a few exceptions: The first is the parking. Finding a spot is tough! I know valet is available but for the high prices you pay for the room, a spot should be guaranteed. When things were busy, I would drop off the family at the doors and search for a spot for a good 20 minutes. Didn't like that. Second was the large amount of people swimming at the pool that weren't staying at the hotel at all. I'd hear them talking about how they were staying off property and how great the pool was. For someone paying close to 400 dollars per night, it was a little annoying. Not big issues but still ones that could be fixed. Would I stay there again? Without a doubt! But this will be my last trip in mid-June. It was just too hot!

[mini-V]

I thought you had to have a wrist-band to swim there! That IS annoying. The gall of people staying elsewhere and think they have the right to use facilities at a hotel where they are not registered. I'm afraid I would have mentioned this to management at some point.
I'm guessing that a lot of people are using the Boardwalk Inn parking lot to access the boardwalk. Had I not just found the over-flow lot a bit further down the road, I would have been parking in the hotel lot the last two times I was in that area.

[Tim]

What people do is park at the Boardwalk for free, then go to Epcot via the "Back Door." You get free parking! It's a good trick if you think about it. As far as wristbands, no. There are none. It's just not in my nature to complain I guess. The pool wasn't packed anyways because the water slide was closed for refurbishment so Boardwalk guests were given access to Yach and Beach Club's pool. They all flocked there.

[Spodie]

Yes, people do access the Boardwalk and even Epcot by parking at the Boardwalk - kind of annoying, but I believe that you can only park there if you have your Key to the World card. If you have that, then you wouldn't need to pay for parking anyway since WDW Resort guests park free. I think what people do is park at the Boardwalk since the walk back to their cars are about the same as the walk from the World Showcase Lagoon to their car as it is from WSL to the bus parking lot. Then, they can just drive back to their resort instead of waiting for a bus. I could definatley see how annoying that would be, but I guess that's why leaving your car behind and taking the bus is the best way to get around if you stay at the Boardwalk. That, or make sure that you arrive back before 4:00 or 5:00 or after 10:00.

[Tim]

Actually you do not need a key card. There are two separate entrance lanes. One is the guard house, the other is by key card. The key card entrance requires your key to the world card. You can simply pull up to the guard house, show a photo i.d. and proceed to free parking. I've done it myself when visiting the Boardwalk. This allows people staying off property to avoid the parking fee at Epcot. And I don't think it's a horrible thing, if you can save a few bucks, great! But it does make for a parking nightmare sometimes. I just experienced it last week.

[DarGoku368]

Yeah all you have to do is go up to the guard and say that your there to eat at the ESPN club or visit JellyRolls or something like that and your in.