Beach Club Villas and Boardwalk Villas both sit on Crescent Lake in the Epcot resort area. You can walk between them in about 5 minutes. Both have walking paths to Epcot's International Gateway entrance. Both have boat service to Hollywood Studios. They're so close that choosing between them can feel arbitrary.
It isn't. Here's how to think about it.
The Walk to Epcot
Both resorts are walking distance to Epcot's International Gateway, which is the back entrance between the France and United Kingdom pavilions in World Showcase. The walk from Beach Club takes about 5 minutes through the resort grounds. From Boardwalk, it's about 7-8 minutes along the promenade. Neither is far. The difference is negligible for most people.
What does differ is the walk back after an evening at Epcot. If you've had a long day and want to get back to your room as fast as possible, Beach Club's shorter path is a small but real convenience. If you want to stroll past the Boardwalk entertainment district on the way home, Boardwalk's route becomes part of the evening rather than just transit.
The Pool
This is where Beach Club wins decisively. Stormalong Bay is a 3-acre pool complex shared between Beach Club Villas and the adjacent Beach Club Resort. It has a sand-bottom lagoon, a lazy river, a waterslide built into a full-scale shipwreck replica, and multiple hot tubs. It's the best pool at any Disney resort by a significant margin. Families with kids who care about pool time should factor this heavily.
Boardwalk has a decent pool with a classic carousel theme, but it's a standard resort pool. Good, not great. If your family plans to spend meaningful time at the pool, Beach Club is the better choice.
The Evening Atmosphere
Boardwalk has an entertainment promenade along the waterfront with street performers most evenings, a piano bar (Jellyrolls, a dueling pianos venue), a sports bar (ESPN Club), a bakery, restaurants, and arcade games. Walking the Boardwalk after dinner is a legitimate entertainment option that doesn't require a park ticket.
Beach Club has a quieter, more residential feel. The resort is elegant and relaxed, without the built-in evening entertainment. If you want nightlife options steps from your room, Boardwalk delivers that. If you prefer a calm, low-key atmosphere after the parks, Beach Club suits that better.
Point Costs
Beach Club studios generally cost slightly more points per night than Boardwalk studios, reflecting higher demand. The difference is typically 2-5 points per night. Over a 7-night stay, that's 14-35 points, or $280-$700 at $20 per point.
For many families, that difference is meaningful. For others, the pool experience at Beach Club is worth it comfortably.
Which to Choose
Pool matters: Beach Club. Evening ambiance: Boardwalk. Slightly lower cost: Boardwalk. Best pool at Disney: Beach Club. Neither choice is wrong. Both give you an excellent Epcot-area resort at 40-45% below Disney rack rates.
Browse Epcot-area listings on our marketplace to compare current pricing from Beach Club and Boardwalk members.
Which is better for families with kids: Beach Club or Boardwalk?
Beach Club is the better choice for families prioritizing the pool. Stormalong Bay is the best pool complex at Disney World, with a sand-bottom lagoon, waterslide, and lazy river. Boardwalk's pool is solid but standard. For families who'll spend significant time at the pool, Beach Club is worth the slightly higher point cost.
How far is Boardwalk from Epcot?
The walk from Boardwalk Villas to Epcot's International Gateway entrance is about 7-8 minutes along the Boardwalk promenade. Beach Club is about 5 minutes. Both resorts also have boat service to Hollywood Studios, taking about 10 minutes.
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