Innkeeper’s Membership Stage at Disney’s BoardWalk Resort Assessment & Photographs

Innkeeper’s Membership is the concierge lounge at Walt Disney World’s BoardWalk Inn, the closest resort to EPCOT. We’ll evaluation whether or not this Membership Stage is definitely worth the cash and the way it compares to different choices, what’s included, in addition to pictures of the meals served for breakfast, lunch, dinner & dessert.

Observe that this evaluation focuses solely on the BoardWalk Inn’s Membership Stage expertise. in case you’re in search of our ideas on the resort as a complete, take a look at our Disney’s BoardWalk Inn Assessment. Spoiler: it’s one in every of our favourite lodges in all of Walt Disney World. We love the placement, just like the redone rooms, and respect the eye to element and eccentric themed design. However as with all resort, it’s not for everybody–in order that additionally covers the professionals & cons.

We’ll additionally largely gloss over the varied perks and advantages of staying Membership Stage, as an alternative specializing in what’s distinctive to the Innkeeper’s Membership. In case you’re in search of normal information, our Information to Membership Stage & Concierge Lounges at Disney World provides overarching ideas on what you’ll be able to anticipate when it comes to service, the varied resort tiers, and an index of different particular Membership Stage lounge opinions from round Walt Disney World…

Upon arrival at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, you may be greeted by a Forged Member who escorts you as much as the Innkeeper’s Membership for check-in. “Would possibly” is the operative phrase right here, as we’ve discovered this occurs about half the time when checking into Membership Stage at Walt Disney World. It appears much less widespread in the previous few years.

This little bit of white glove service is good, however not crucial. That’s as a result of the Innkeeper’s Membership is just not its personal ground at BoardWalk, that means you’ll be able to entry it through the elevator by urgent the “4” button (which, for the elevator newbies on the market, stands for the 4th ground).

Innkeeper’s Membership takes up a portion of the 4th ground, that means there are additionally common ole visitor rooms up right here. Observe the directional indicators to the Innkeeper’s Membership and also you’ll discover a desk. We advocate checking in right here versus the entrance desk on the primary ground. Even in case you do on-line check-in, cease right here.

These desks are staffed by two concierge Forged Members from 7 am till 10 pm; along with serving to when you’re on the resort, they are often contacted when you’re within the parks do you have to want any help.

At this desk or in your room, relying upon how/the place/while you check-in, you’ll obtain a welcome letter and varied information about Innkeeper’s Membership, plus taffy. Good touches.

It’s good to cease by this desk to get a little bit of facetime with the concierge Forged Members. They will help in case you want help or planning (hopefully you don’t–it’s a bit late at this stage of the sport for that!).

In case your room isn’t prepared, they will additionally provide you with guide entry to the Innkeeper’s Membership. Because of this, we at all times arrive early when doing a Membership Stage keep. We’re frugal followers who take pleasure in Membership Stage because the occasional splurge (one in every of our favorites at Walt Disney World!), and each hour of entry is price $X from our perspective. Time is cash!

I don’t care whether or not meaning reserving a redeye flight and getting right here at 7:48 am or doing a break up keep and trying out of our earlier resort to reach right here for breakfast. The primary a type of is a really particular time as a result of, as you would possibly guess, it’s an precise instance.

Above we talked about that you just stroll down the corridor of the fourth ground to get to the Innkeeper gatekeeper.

After you allow this desk and undergo the door, you stroll down one other hallway to get to the lounge itself. Usually, the desk is true exterior the lounge, streamlining issues a bit. My guess is that the Innkeeper’s Lounge was a retrofit, and this was the simplest solution to do it? I don’t know.

Outdoors the Innkeeper’s Membership there’s an atrium with further seating. It’s a pleasing house and the sofa is cozy, however not notably sensible in case you’re severe about getting your eat on. Good for espresso and cocktails, although.

Inside, the Innkeeper’s lounge is mainly one massive house with seats for just a few dozen folks. We’ve stayed right here a few instances now, and the house was redone throughout the latest reimagining of the BoardWalk. There are not any substantive variations because of this, simply aesthetic. It mirrors the brand new resort rooms at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn.

The design pretty humdrum, and the spotlight is arguably the tv. Not precisely excessive reward, except you’re a bigtime TV fan (your room can even have one, don’t fear). There are just a few home windows within the Innkeeper’s Membership, however these don’t supply BoardWalk views.

That is the largest draw back. If the Innkeeper’s Membership afforded BoardWalk views, one “hack” to reserving Membership Stage could be that you might downgrade to a normal room from a BoardWalk view and put that cash in direction of Membership Stage.

The lounge as an alternative has a view of a quiet pool and half of Spaceship Earth. Which means it additionally has an EPCOT fireworks view, which I assume is best than nothing. Beats a bus cease view.

However, there’s nothing distinctive concerning the view provided by the Innkeeper’s Lounge.

Personally, this can be a kinda-big factor for me–I really like overlooking the foyer at Animal Kingdom Lodge or Wilderness Lodge, or having theme park views as is the case at a number of the Magic Kingdom resorts. I wouldn’t name this a dealbreaker, however view is good in case you’re going to spend a good period of time within the lounge.

All through the day, the Innkeeper’s Membership lounge serves the next:

• Early Riser Espresso: 6:30-7 a.m.
• Drinks: 7-10 a.m.
• Continental breakfast: 7-10:30 a.m.
• Gentle snacks and refreshments: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Hors D’oeuvres and drinks: 5-7 p.m.
• Desserts & cordials: 8-10 p.m.

Listed here are meals pictures and glimpses on the spreads for every of those meal providers:

According to different Membership Stage lounges round Walt Disney World, we discovered the 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. unfold to be greatest of those.

Walt Disney World refrains from calling this dinner, as a result of they don’t wish to encourage visitors to make a full meal of it, however no encouragement is important for me. Or, presumably, anybody inclined to squeeze probably the most bang for his or her buck out of Membership Stage.

Additionally as is typical, breakfast was the time when the lounge was busiest, adopted carefully by fireworks/dessert time and dinner. The center of the day is least busy–it’s additionally the worst of the spreads. Not simply on the Innkeeper’s Lounge, however at each single Membership Stage at Walt Disney World. (I’d say this parallels most actual world lodges, as nicely.)

We even discovered don’t-call-it-dinner disappointing. Prior to now, we’ve encountered cooks getting ready small plates of meats or different formidable dishes within the Membership Ranges on the Crescent Lake (and different) resorts. Not so right here.

There have been no good little touches, ingenious dishes, or something of the kind. I had hoped that we’d be handled to a sampling of chef’s decisions from Flying Fish, the Signature Restaurant alongside the promenade. That was not the case.

There have been a few respectable objects blended in there, however most of it was a far cry from the scrumptious delicacies we loved at Previous Trustworthy Membership Stage in Disney’s Wilderness Lodge or Chronos Membership Stage in Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs Resort.

Truthfully, my favourite meal at Innkeeper’s Membership ended up being breakfast.

The smoked salmon was scrumptious, there have been eggs and fruit, and I used to be in a position to take plates again to my room and benefit from the meal on my balcony. When you have a room with a BoardWalk view, I’d positively advocate this over consuming within the lounge itself.

This isn’t a lot a ringing endorsement of breakfast as it’s an indictment of the night spreads. Maybe I simply bought unfortunate, however I used to be underwhelmed by the delicacies high quality. With that stated, I used to be stunned to see so few folks within the lounge from 5 to 7 p.m., so maybe this isn’t a prime precedence for many Innkeeper’s Membership visitors?

Beer, wine, and champagne is accessible all through the day at Innkeeper’s Lounge. Throughout my keep, it was open entry at some instances and upon request at others.

Alcohol is probably outcome-determinative for Membership Stage for adults doing Walt Disney World. I do know that if we had our honeymoon to do over immediately as really-for-real adults as an alternative of fresh-out-of-college-and-broke twentysomethings, we’d completely be doing Membership Stage. And doubtless right here or over at Seashore Membership, since these would put us closest to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT!

Or maybe not. We don’t drink like we did popping out of faculty, so booze doesn’t transfer the needle a lot (or in any respect) for us anymore. What I do know is that we now have pals who love and rave about Innkeeper’s Membership as a result of create your individual Bloody Mary station. In the meantime, I’d’ve not seen it in any respect if Sarah didn’t draw my consideration to it.

When it comes to value, you’re taking a look at rack charges starting from round $950 to $1,500 night time for normal Membership Stage rooms, relying upon your view.

Suites or multi-bedroom models value much more. Even with Annual Move or Florida Resident low cost, you’re seemingly taking a look at $600 per night time to remain Innkeeper’s Membership Stage at minimal. And the perfect reductions aren’t at all times obtainable, as demand is excessive for Membership Stage and room stock (provide) is commonly low.

Against this, normal rooms at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn begin at round $675. This quantities to a minimal unfold of round $275 per night time earlier than reductions. I’d add that, anecdotally, reductions are extra ample and simpler to guide for normal rooms than Membership Stage at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. So when you may cut back the distinction in concept, it’s unlikely in truth exterior of the low season, which is not-so-coincidentally after we booked the Innkeeper’s Membership.

More often than not, we give a cop out “it relies upon” reply in relation to questions of worth for cash. Whereas we loved Innkeeper’s Membership, I simply can not say there are various situations the place I’d advocate it.

I do assume there’s a powerful case to be made for staying Membership Stage within the Crescent Lake Resort Space, but when that had been the most suitable choice for me, I’d go for Stone Harbor Membership Stage at Seashore Membership or perhaps Regatta Membership Stage at Yacht Membership. These get the sting partly for the lounges and meals however, extra importantly, as a result of I personally assume that Stormalong Bay is a good praise to Membership Stage.

With that stated, there’s no one-size-fits-all reply to “which Membership Stage at Walt Disney World is greatest?” What I’ve discovered through the years is that every of those has its diehard followers. Friends who’ve been staying at a sure Membership Stage–and solely that Membership Stage–for years, perhaps even many years. They’re on a first-time foundation with Forged Members and have compelling causes for favoring every.

What I can say is that, on an goal stage (meals, view, worth proposition) and subjective stage (vibes, ambiance, my random preferences), Innkeeper’s Lounge is amongst my least favourite Membership Ranges at Walt Disney World.

With that stated, there are a number of distinctive and novel room sorts at BoardWalk Inn and we’re big followers of the resort as a complete. It’s a good suggestion to seek the advice of a journey agent earlier than reserving–they will supply customized recommendation and make an professional suggestion primarily based in your distinctive wants and preferences.

As at all times, we extremely advocate requesting a quote from Be Our Visitor Holidays, a no-fee Approved Disney Trip Planner. The brokers there won’t solely help you with planning and resort suggestions (as crucial), but in addition guide your trip with the best-available particular supply, and monitor your bundle for future reductions that may be utilized retroactively.

Finally, we loved our keep at Innkeeper’s Membership. I don’t wish to make this sound like a unfavourable expertise, because it definitely was not. However “not dangerous” isn’t the bar when grading a Membership Stage–an add-on that prices nearly $300 per night time further. Considered by the lens of the added value, I don’t actually assume it was price it–and was underwhelmed as in comparison with different Membership Stage stays we’ve executed at Walt Disney World, together with Innkeeper’s Membership previously.

For us, one thing feels wanting about Innkeeper’s Membership–it doesn’t have that X issue that actually elevates a number of the different lounges. There’s nothing distinct or particular concerning the lounge itself, there’s no spectacular view or different characteristic, and the meals is simply nice. After all, others are prone to disagree; the advantage of Walt Disney World is that there’s one thing for everybody–Innkeeper’s Membership merely isn’t the correct match for us. Your mileage could differ.

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Your Ideas

What do you consider Innkeeper’s Membership Stage at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn? Are you a fan of this, or do you favor different concierge lounges at Walt Disney World? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!