Innkeeper’s Membership is the concierge lounge at Walt Disney World’s BoardWalk Inn, the closest resort to EPCOT. We’ll assessment whether or not this Membership Stage is well worth the cash and the way it compares to different choices, what’s included, in addition to photographs of the meals served for breakfast, lunch, dinner & dessert.
Be aware that this assessment focuses solely on the BoardWalk Inn’s Membership Stage expertise. should you’re on the lookout for our ideas on the resort as an entire, try our Disney’s BoardWalk Inn Evaluate. Spoiler: it’s one among our favourite motels in all of Walt Disney World. We love the situation, just like the redone rooms, and recognize 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 a substitute specializing in what’s distinctive to the Innkeeper’s Membership. Should you’re on the lookout for normal data, our Information to Membership Stage & Concierge Lounges at Disney World affords overarching ideas on what you’ll be able to count on by way of 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 is perhaps greeted by a Solid 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 frequent in the previous couple of years.
This little bit of white glove service is sweet, however not needed. That’s as a result of the Innkeeper’s Membership isn’t its personal flooring 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 flooring).
Innkeeper’s Membership takes up a portion of the 4th flooring, that means there are additionally common ole visitor rooms up right here. Comply with 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 principle flooring. Even should you do on-line check-in, cease right here.
These desks are staffed by two concierge Solid Members from 7 am till 10 pm; along with serving to whilst you’re on the resort, they are often contacted whilst you’re within the parks must you want any help.
At this desk or in your room, relying upon how/the place/once you check-in, you’ll obtain a welcome letter and varied data 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 Solid Members. They will help should 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’ll additionally provide you with handbook 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 get pleasure from Membership Stage because the occasional splurge (one among 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 which means reserving a redeye flight and getting right here at 7:48 am or doing a break up keep and testing 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 may guess, it’s an precise instance.
Above we talked about that you just stroll down the corridor of the fourth flooring 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 correct exterior the lounge, streamlining issues a bit. My guess is that the Innkeeper’s Lounge was a retrofit, and this was the best approach 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 significantly sensible should you’re critical about getting your eat on. Good for espresso and cocktails, although.
Inside, the Innkeeper’s lounge is principally one giant house with seats for a number of dozen folks. We’ve stayed right here a few occasions now, and the house was redone through the current reimagining of the BoardWalk. There aren’t any substantive variations in consequence, 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, until you’re a bigtime TV fan (your room can even have one, don’t fear). There are a number of 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 could possibly downgrade to a typical room from a BoardWalk view and put that cash in the direction of Membership Stage.
The lounge as a substitute has a view of a quiet pool and half of Spaceship Earth. Because of this 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 supplied by the Innkeeper’s Lounge.
Personally, this can be a kinda-big factor for me–I like overlooking the foyer at Animal Kingdom Lodge or Wilderness Lodge, or having theme park views as is the case at among the Magic Kingdom resorts. I wouldn’t name this a dealbreaker, however a superb view is sweet should 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.
- Mild 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 below are meals photographs and glimpses on the spreads for every of those meal providers:
Per 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 need to encourage friends 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 intently 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 motels, as nicely.)
We even discovered don’t-call-it-dinner disappointing. Previously, we’ve encountered cooks getting ready small plates of meats or different bold dishes within the Membership Ranges on the Crescent Lake (and different) resorts. Not so right here.
There have been no good little touches, creative dishes, or something of the type. I had hoped that we’d be handled to a sampling of chef’s selections from Flying Fish, the Signature Restaurant alongside the promenade. That was not the case.
There have been a few first rate gadgets 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.
Actually, 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 mentioned, I used to be shocked to see so few folks within the lounge from 5 to 7 p.m., so maybe this isn’t a high precedence for many Innkeeper’s Membership friends?
Beer, wine, and champagne is accessible all through the day at Innkeeper’s Lounge. Throughout my keep, it was open entry at some occasions 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 right this moment as really-for-real adults as a substitute of fresh-out-of-college-and-broke twentysomethings, we’d completely be doing Membership Stage. And possibly right here or over at Seaside 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 associates who love and rave about Innkeeper’s Membership as a result of create your personal Bloody Mary station. In the meantime, I would’ve not seen it in any respect if Sarah didn’t draw my consideration to it.
By way of value, you’re rack charges starting from round $950 to $1,500 night time for traditional Membership Stage rooms, relying upon your view.
Suites or multi-bedroom models value much more. Even with a superb Annual Cross or Florida Resident low cost, you’re possible $600 per night time to remain Innkeeper’s Membership Stage at minimal. And the most effective reductions aren’t at all times out there, as demand is excessive for Membership Stage and room stock (provide) is commonly low.
In contrast, commonplace 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 ebook for traditional rooms than Membership Stage at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. So whilst you might scale back the distinction in idea, it’s unlikely if truth be told exterior of the low season, which is not-so-coincidentally once we booked the Innkeeper’s Membership.
More often than not, we give a cop out “it relies upon” reply relating to questions of worth for cash. Whereas we loved Innkeeper’s Membership, I simply can’t say there are numerous eventualities 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 have been the best choice for me, I’d go for Stone Harbor Membership Stage at Seaside Membership or perhaps Regatta Membership Stage at Yacht Membership. These get the sting partially 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 mentioned, there’s no one-size-fits-all reply to “which Membership Stage at Walt Disney World is greatest?” What I’ve discovered over time is that every of those has its diehard followers. Company 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 Solid Members and have compelling causes for favoring every.
What I can say is that, on an goal degree (meals, view, worth proposition) and subjective degree (vibes, ambiance, my random preferences), Innkeeper’s Lounge is amongst my least favourite Membership Ranges at Walt Disney World.
With that mentioned, there are a variety of distinctive and novel room sorts at BoardWalk Inn and we’re enormous followers of the resort as an entire. It’s a good suggestion to seek the advice of a journey agent earlier than reserving–they’ll supply customized recommendation and make an knowledgeable 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 Licensed Disney Trip Planner. The brokers there won’t solely help you with planning and resort suggestions (as needed), but additionally ebook your trip with the best-available particular supply, and monitor your package deal for future reductions that may be utilized retroactively.
Finally, we loved our keep at Innkeeper’s Membership. I don’t need to make this sound like a unfavourable expertise, because it actually was not. However “not dangerous” isn’t the bar when grading a Membership Stage–an add-on that prices virtually $300 per night time additional. Seen by way of 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 among 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 just positive. After all, others are prone to disagree; the benefit 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 range.
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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 like different concierge lounges at Walt Disney World? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions we can assist you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
