We’ve shared a lot about the Disney BoardWalk at Walt Disney World. Mainly because as a FREE Disney experience, we find it to be one of the best places across Walt Disney World Resort to relax, grab food, dip our toes in the sand, window shop, and watch the classic boardwalk entertainment. For us, heading to the BoardWalk makes any Disney trip feel more like a vacation and less like a giant checklist. That said, there’s no harm in making sure you don’t miss a thing. Here’s our Disney BoardWalk Checklist for you to peruse, so you can add a few things to your next Disney vacation.
Contents
Everything to Do at the Disney BoardWalk
No matter when your next visit to Walt Disney World is, get started with this list of attractions, restaurants, touring plans, and more. Everything you need to build the perfect Disney Vacation. Traveling Soon? Check out everything happening at Walt Disney World in the next few years.
- Disney BoardWalk Attractions, Resorts, and Restaurants
- What’s New at Walt Disney World in 2023? Everything to Know before you Go!
- Walt Disney World 2023 Calendar of Events
Can you go to the Disney Boardwalk for Free?
Yes. Disney’s Boardwalk just outside the gates of EPCOT Park is FREE to visit and includes a variety of resorts, restaurants, and attractions unique to that area! Themed to the early 20th-century Atlantic coastline you can expect to find all sorts of nods to Coney Island, NY, and the Jersey shore. From the crumb cake at the BoardWalk Deli to the carousel horses at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn to the beaches surrounding the lagoon, there is plenty to do, see and eat here.
What’s the Best Day to Visit Disney’s Boardwalk?
The best time to visit the Disney BoardWalk is during the week. While this area doesn’t get crowded, weekends and evenings are naturally busier. That said, if you’re planning on dining at a restaurant on the Disney Boardwalk, be sure to make Advance Dining Reservations. While these restaurants are some of the easiest to make Last Minute Disney Dining Reservations, at certain times of year find reservations harder to get.
How do you get to the Disney BoardWalk?
If Driving: Head to Disney Springs and Park for FREE at Disney Springs. Then grab a Disney Bus to any Disney BoardWalk Resort. This is by far the BEST method if you choose to drive. Otherwise, you may be turned away at the parking lot. Asked to park very far away, or get a ticket. Even with a dining reservation at a BoardWalk Restaurant, staff have been stringent about keeping resort parking for resort guests, and not BoardWalk visitors.
From EPCOT Park: If you’re visiting EPCOT Park you can leave through the back gate of the park, the International Gateway, and head to the Boardwalk, which loops the lagoon.
By Bus From Any Park: If you’re trying to get to the Disney BoardWalk from a Disney Park, you can simply take a bus going to any of the following resorts, which all open out onto the Boardwalk; Beach Club, Boardwalk Inn, Yacht Club.
By Skyliner: The Disney BoardWalk is accessible via the Skyliner stop at the International Gateway. Once you exit the Skyliner, simply turn right towards the BoardWalk, instead of left, towards EPCOT.
Disney BoardWalk Resorts
The BoardWalk area resorts all have one thing in common; they are Disney Resorts Within Walking Distance of EPCOT Park and Hollywood Studios. These resorts offer a great place to take a break at Walt Disney World, you can also find that each has its own theme, atmosphere, and restaurants.
▢Beach Club
▢Boardwalk Inn
▢Swan Reserve Hotel
▢Yacht Club
▢Swan Hotel
▢Dolphin Hotel
Disney’s BoardWalk Restaurants
The atmosphere of the BoardWalk lends to easy breezy, coastal dining options at the Beach and Yacht Club while honoring the American, Italian, and Jersey shore cultures you’d find in the northeast states. Check out all the Best Restaurants at Disney’s Boardwalk so you can find your new favorite place to eat. Note that, additional Restaurants are located inside the resorts that surround the BoardWalk. Read the Reviews: Disney Boardwalk Restaurants.
Disney BoardWalk Dining
GUIDE LEGEND: ( TS)= Table Service, Reservation Recommended (QS) = Quick Service, Walk-Up Counter. (S) = Snack
▢AbracadaBar (QS)
▢Big River Grille & Brewing Works (TS)
▢BoardWalk Deli (QS)
▢BoardWalk Ice Cream ( QS)
▢Joes Marvelous Margaritas ( S)
▢The Cake Bake Shop Bakery (QS)
▢The Cake Bake Shop Restaurant (TS)
▢Flying Fish (TS)
▢Funnel Cake Cart (S)
▢Pizza Window (QS)
▢Trattoria al Forno (TS)
Disney Boardwalk Resort Restaurants
In addition to all the restaurants on the Disney Boardwalk in Orlando, there are even more restaurants inside each Disney Resort. With some of the best Disney restaurants at Walt Disney World, here’s what you can find at each Boardwalk Resort.
Beach Club Restaurants
- Cape May Cafe: Cape May is a casual dining experience in a seaside-like atmosphere. You can get all three meals of the day here but be aware it is a seafood-heavy buffet dining experience. Check out the menu.
- Beaches and Cream Soda Shop: Beaches and Cream is one of those hidden gem restaurants that only the locals seem to know about. Hidden behind the pool at the Yacht Club this ice cream shop serves your typical burgers and fries lunch, and shakes and has a to-go option too. Check out the menu.
- Hurricane Hanna’s Waterside Bar and Grill: This is a fine option for a quick lunch on the go. As a quick-service restaurant, you can grab salads, sandwiches, and fries here. With views of the boardwalk. Check out the menu.
Yacht Club Restaurants
- Crew’s Cup Lounge: This place has a slightly more budget-friendly and kid-friendly atmosphere as a table service lounge and mock-tails to boot! You can grab rib sliders, cheese dip, and a “yacht dog”! Check out the menu to pick your favorites ahead of time.
- Yachtsman’s Steakhouse: Considered THE place to get a good steak at Walt Disney World, be prepared to pay a little more. This is your typical steak and fish-type table service restaurant. Not really a vegetarian option here. That said there are delectable sides, desserts, and drinks to add a little flair to your surf and turf meal. Choose your favorites on the menu.
- Ale and Compass: This is by far the poshest new bar we’ve found. The Lounge of Ale and Compass has an excellent atmosphere with gorgeous blue decor, consider this your grown-up escape. If you long for days gone past where you could sit in a velvet chair in front of a servant-cleaned fireplace and sip your favorite scotch, then you’ve found heaven. The menu is budget-friendly with options in the lowest price bracket of 14.99-34.99. You can grab salads, flatbreads and heartier dishes too. Read our review of Ale and Compass.
Boardwalk Inn Restaurants
- Belle Vue Lounge: Perfect for a quick breakfast, this little lounge is tucked on the second floor of the Boardwalk Inn. Complete with chess game tables, board games and a radio show in the background. You can grab breakfast sandwiches and coffee in the morning and drinks in the evening.
- The Boardwalk Inn lays claim by proximity to almost all of the restaurants on this side of the Boardwalk. Here, you can find a complete list of restaurants at Boardwalk Inn accessible from the boardwalk itself, not from inside the resort.
- Trattoria al Forno: If you need a Disney character fix, but aren’t going to Disney, you can grab a reservation for the Bon Voyage Breakfast to meet Ariel, Rapunzel, Prince Eric, and Flynn Ryder. We also love the regular breakfast, as it’s one of the best Disney breakfasts at Walt Disney World.
- Pizza Window: This pizza is by far some of the best we’ve had at Disney. It’s a large pie with tons of flavor at an OK cost. Note: You will not get eh same pizza at Trattoria al Forno if you go inside as those are mostly small flatbread/wood-fired pizzas. For the best stuff, in a to-go box, order from the Pizza Window and enjoy it on the boardwalk.
- Boardwalk Deli: This little deli offers up breakfast and coffee, deli sandwiches and desserts. Head to the Boardwalk Deli for an easy morning if you start your day on the boardwalk early. Or take a break here for lunch. Seating on the BoardWalk next to the water is the best!
Swan Hotel Restaurants
- Garden Grove: This restaurant is in a New York City Central Park garden setting and offers a buffet-style budget-friendly meal, complete with characters. The buffet menu focuses mostly on seafood, but there are other options offered as individual dishes as well like chicken and steak. Note: Garden Grove doesn’t take the Disney Dining Plan or accept magic bands as payment.
- il Mulino: Another of Disney’s many Italian restaurants il Mulino offers traditional Italian fare; think complex pasta dishes, risotto, meats and cheeses. This place is a little pricier than most but you can also grab the family-style option here to sample a bit of everything. Check out the menu here.
- Kimonos: Classic Sushi, voted the best in Orlando, is the main feature here. At less than 35 bucks a place if sushi is your preference you can get it both cooked and raw here. Take a look at the menu.
Dolphin Hotel Restaurants
- Rosa Mexicana: ” Take your senses on a culinary adventure to Mexico! Indulge in classic Mexican fare, as well as elevated cuisine that showcases the bold flavors of Mexico—but uniquely reimagined. Each delectable dish is crafted with care to celebrate Mexican heritage—and honor the culinary techniques, global explorations and inspirations of Chef Josefina Howard, who founded the original Rosa Mexicano restaurant in New York City in 1984.” Check out the Rosa Mexicana Menu.
- Todd English Blue Zoo Lounge: For an extra grown-up bar experience, check out this very classy watering hole. Award-winning, this restaurant features coastal cuisine. While kids are allowed, if you need a break from the little ones, they can head to Camp Dolphin during your dining experience.
- Shula’s Steak House: Another of Walt Disney World’s award-winning restaurants, Shula’s is your basic steak house with surf, turf and a few chicken dishes. Much pricier with steak over 100 bucks, you’re going to want to check the menu first if you decide to make your free day on the Disney Boardwalk a little more expensive.
- Fuel: Complete with handcrafted coffees, bakery goods, and snacks this little market shop is a great place to stop for breakfast or lunch. Or even if you just need a little something to sip as you meander through the boardwalk.
For a complete list check out all the Swan and Dolphin Restaurants.
Where to Find the Best Snacks on Disney’s BoardWalk?
Disney’s BoardWalk is filled with places to find snacks at Walt Disney World. The BoardWalk Deli has a New Jersey crumb cake that is to die for, Beaches and Cream has a plethora of elaborate milkshakes, and the shops inside the resorts often feature season cupcakes, cookies and more. Check out our New Snacks at Disney post for even more snacks to try. And if you’re up for savory snacks, we’ve pulled together the Best Non-Dessert Snacks at Disney too.
Disney BoardWalk Attractions and Shows
▢Street Performers
▢Midway Games
▢Surrey Bikes
▢Movies Under the Stars
▢Fantasia Gardens and Fairways Mini Golf
▢Campfire Activities
▢Friendship Boat Rides
▢Atlantic City Dance Hall
▢Jellyrolls Dueling Piano Bar
Disney BoardWalk Shopping
Shopping on the Disney Boardwalk is clumped into one area just near the Disney BoardWalk Inn. Shops here include apparel, accessories, snacks and more.
▢Disney’s Character Carnival
▢Screen Door General Store
▢Thimbles & Threads
▢Wyland Galleries of Florida
Disney BoardWalk Disney World Map
Disney BoardWalk Details
While we think you could spend days getting to it all if you’re more pressed for time you can tackle our Top 10 Things to Do on the Disney BoardWalk. Looking for your next Disney photo op? For Up to Date Hours and Event Schedules check out the Disney BoardWalk Hours and Calendar.
READ MORE on the Disney BoardWalk page.
Rochelle Mariah is a writer, designer and photographer with an MLIS in Information Science and a B.S. in Arch and Design. Determined to make Planning a DIY Disney Vacation easier she makes lots of lists and drinks lots of coffee. When not designing apparel at Polka Dot Pixie Shop, she's watching old movies and planning the holidays. She has been traveling to Disney destinations since 2010.
You must be logged in to post a comment.