Disney's Boardwalk: Showplace of the Shore

Maggie Ballantyne3.28.19Disney’s Boardwalk: The Showplace of the Shore is a must visit during your stay at the Walt Disney World Resort. The Boardwalk Resort has activities, restaurants, and shops for all ages - not to mention there is a variety of entertainment and easy access to both Hollywood Studios and Epcot. The best part? You do not have to be staying at the Boardwalk to enjoy all of its special offerings… anyone can visit!Dining at the Boardwalk can be casual or upscale. The Bakery, which is on the Quick Service meal plan, offers fresh baked goods and breakfast sandwiches each morning, and sandwiches and salads each afternoon/evening. My personal favorites are the warm slices of crumb cake in the morning, the multigrain croissant, the carrot cake, the key lime tart, a mickey brownie, or a chocolate peanut butter bar. There are so many choices! Make sure to always stop by throughout different times of the year as seasonal cupcakes rotate and surprise guests with new flavors regularly! When I was a Cast Member at this location, one day I walked in and we were selling autumn maple cupcakes and the next day we had cookies and cream… both delicious and a great surprise!At Christmas time, the Bakery also sets up a popup show in the Boardwalk Resort lobby selling gingerbread cookies, hot chocolate, and more! The Bakery also produces a large gingerbread house village that goes on display in the lobby. Guests can walk through the display and try to find all the hidden Mickeys. This is the perfect activity to get in the holiday spirit!Trattoria al Forno is one of the most sought after breakfast experiences because of the opportunity to meet Rapunzel with Flynn Rider and Ariel with Prince Eric. While dining is available for lunch and dinner, characters only appear at breakfast and reservations are a must. I recently ate at Trattoria al Forno for dinner and had the best lasagna with a delicious Italian margarita!Anyone who knows me knows I cannot say “no” to ice cream. The best ice cream can be found at Ample Hills Creamery. ATTENTION ICE CREAM LOVERS: at Ample Hills Creamery, you can order A FLIGHT OF ICE CREAM… that is 6 flavors you get to try! With 16 unique flavors on the menu (including my favorite, the Peppermint Pattie ice cream), you don’t have to make a decision and pick just one flavor to try!My favorite spot on the entire Boardwalk is Joe’s Marvelous Margarita Stand. This is where I spent most of my time as a Cast Member and I absolutely loved my time at Joe’s and getting to know the guests. My favorite drinks include the Captain’s Seaside Sensation (pineapple Dole Whip smoothie with Captain Morgan), the Marvelous Watermelon Margarita, the Magical Star Cocktail (with a glow cube!), and the Frozen Grand Margarita. If the drinks don’t catch your eye, the unavoidable smells of roasted pecans, or almonds and a Mickey pretzel will catch your attention for sure. Stick around Joe’s and grab a drink at sunset. It is a view you do not want to miss and will surely never forget.Magicians and performers walk the Boardwalk each night in between carnival games, bringing to life the Coney Island-style theming of the boardwalk. My favorite places to visit for entertainment is Jellyrolls, a dueling piano bar. There is great music inside with a fun atmosphere, delicious drinks, and AMAZING talent!Crossing over into the parks is easy as the entrance to Epcot near France is about a five-minute walk from the Boardwalk Resort lobby/parking. I love this entrance because the line is typically much shorter than the main entrance. If you want to enjoy Epcot’s fireworks display, there is a bridge for viewing before the entrance to the park to avoid the crowds. Guests can also take a 20-minute scenic walk around the lake to get to Hollywood Studios. Walking may not be for everyone, so there are also options to take boats or buses to each location.Every time you visit the Boardwalk, you will be greeted with “Welcome Home.” I really do consider this my home away from home on the Disney property and look forward to going back and visiting during each of my stays at Walt Disney World!If you would like more recommendations for activities outside the Disney theme parks, contact me at maggie@wishesfamilytravel.com or follow my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/wishesfamilytravelmaggie