New Enhancements, Dining Options Coming to Disney’s BoardWalk

[castlecake2.0]

Took a tour of the carousel coffee place again yesterday and was once again dismayed by the lack of effort. I thought to myself, what could be the story here to make it feel like it belongs. Within 2 minutes I had it:

Carousel Coffee was once a work space for the hotel’s maintenance dept. They took care of the hotel along with the grand carousel out on the boardwalk. The people working here were known for the great coffee theyd brew on their breaks in their vintage coffee maker. This became an informal break room where they’d share their coffee with the other hotel staff. It became so popular they decided that the next step would be to share it with hotel guests. When you step inside you’ll see props on the walls of various “repair stuff”; old cans of paint and tools, colorful lightbulbs from the carousel etc. Framed blue prints of the hotel and boardwalk attractions would be hung up. The space would have a story and feel like it belonged. Literally took me minutes to come up with this. Instead we have a cheap and tacky outsider project with no story and no sense of belonging.

 

[Tha Realest]

Looks like they made the same reconfiguration to the refurbished Boardwalk rooms that they did in the Polynesian "Moana" refurb -- moving the closets over next to the entry door, and placing the coffee/fridge setup opposite the bathroom door (or rather, the entryway to the sink area). Personally, I love the change. It will make the rooms feel bigger and airier, while adding a nice piece of art, more lighting, and more storage for food and beverage items.

(Comparison photos below: the "sneak peak" of the new Boardwalk rooms, with what appears to be a lighted soffit, shelf and mural directly opposite the bathroom sink area, and a photo of the similarly-configured area in the new Polynesian Moana rooms.)

View attachment 698798View attachment 698799

Do we know when these rooms will come online? Are they starting with regular first then DVc, or vice versa?

 

[Weather_Lady]

Do we know when these rooms will come online? Are they starting with regular first then DVc, or vice versa?

I can only say what I've read on some other forums. Rumor is that the DVC refurb won't begin in earnest until September. The Boardwalk Inn (non-DVC) rooms, which are what was pictured in the housekeeping article, are currently being refurbished on one side (presumably this means, on one half of the resort), and are expected to be done in March. Then they'll do the other half, with an "expected" finish in June-July, although some alleged insiders are saying they're running ahead of schedule, and it might all be done in May-June instead.

Obviously, take all of that with a giant chunk of salt...

 

[Ayla]

Looks like they made the same reconfiguration to the refurbished Boardwalk rooms that they did in the Polynesian "Moana" refurb -- moving the closets over next to the entry door, and placing the coffee/fridge setup opposite the bathroom door (or rather, the entryway to the sink area). Personally, I love the change. It will make the rooms feel bigger and airier, while adding a nice piece of art, more lighting, and more storage for food and beverage items.

(Comparison photos below: the "sneak peak" of the new Boardwalk rooms, with what appears to be a lighted soffit, shelf and mural directly opposite the bathroom sink area, and a photo of the similarly-configured area in the new Polynesian Moana rooms.)

View attachment 698798View attachment 698799

Are these the DVC rooms? I don't remember the bathroom sink being in the middle of our room when we stayed at Boardwalk.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Are these the DVC rooms? I don't remember the bathroom sink being in the middle of our room when we stayed at Boardwalk.

No, they're the standard rooms. The sink locations haven't changed, but if you're standing facing the sinks (which are in, for lack of a better term, an "alcove" between the sleeping area and the enclosed tub/toilet room), your back used to be to the closet. Now it appears that your back would be to the coffeemaker/refrigerator, and the closet would be closer to the entry door.

Put more succinctly, the coffee/fridge stand and the closet (shown on this floor plan in their former locations) have now changed places.

"Old View" of Boardwalk standard room sinks with closet opposite

"New View" of Boardwalk standard room sinks, with presumed coffeemaker/fridge arrangement opposite (beside connecting door to adjoining room):

 

[Ayla]

No, they're the standard rooms. The sink locations haven't changed, but if you're standing facing the sinks (which are in, for lack of a better term, an "alcove" between the sleeping area and the enclosed tub/toilet room), your back used to be to the closet. Now it appears that your back would be to the coffeemaker/refrigerator, and the closet would be closer to the entry door.

Put more succinctly, the coffee/fridge stand and the closet (shown on this floor plan in their former locations) have now changed places.

"Old View" of Boardwalk standard room sinks with closet opposite

"New View" of Boardwalk standard room sinks, with presumed coffeemaker/fridge arrangement opposite (beside connecting door to adjoining room):
View attachment 698853

Thanks. Why don't I remember that? lol

 

[runnsally]

I can only say what I've read on some other forums. Rumor is that the DVC refurb won't begin in earnest until September. The Boardwalk Inn (non-DVC) rooms, which are what was pictured in the housekeeping article, are currently being refurbished on one side (presumably this means, on one half of the resort), and are expected to be done in March. Then they'll do the other half, with an "expected" finish in June-July, although some alleged insiders are saying they're running ahead of schedule, and it might all be done in May-June instead.

Obviously, take all of that with a giant chunk of salt...

I think the timeline for the Inn side is a bit sooner. Currently redoing the half of the rooms on the convention center side. I think this is supposed to be done by mid-March then the boardwalk side will be completed by early May.

 

[celluloid]

Took a tour of the carousel coffee place again yesterday and was once again dismayed by the lack of effort. I thought to myself, what could be the story here to make it feel like it belongs. Within 2 minutes I had it:

Carousel Coffee was once a work space for the hotel’s maintenance dept. They took care of the hotel along with the grand carousel out on the boardwalk. The people working here were known for the great coffee theyd brew on their breaks in their vintage coffee maker. This became an informal break room where they’d share their coffee with the other hotel staff. It became so popular they decided that the next step would be to share it with hotel guests. When you step inside you’ll see props on the walls of various “repair stuff”; old cans of paint and tools, colorful lightbulbs from the carousel etc. Framed blue prints of the hotel and boardwalk attractions would be hung up. The space would have a story and feel like it belonged. Literally took me minutes to come up with this. Instead we have a cheap and tacky outsider project with no story and no sense of belonging.View attachment 698806

This is what is/used to be great about Imagineering. Sometimes the problem is/are pen and paper ones.

If I may add onto your story, they could have used that and sweetened it with:

"Like their favorite work and pride, the stories shared around comfortable beverages can be merry and go round and round to come full circle. Just as it should be"

 

[ToTBellHop]

Lobby work seems to have finished for now. Thankfully, changes were minimal at check-in. A little opening for the Cast was created.

No additional succulents, so their invasion has been stopped.

 

[castlecake2.0]

Lobby work seems to have finished for now. Thankfully, changes were minimal at check-in. A little opening for the Cast was created.

No additional succulents, so their invasion has been stopped.

Any truth to the rumor that “the uppers” heard and are reacting to the backlash of the Marriott lobby coffee bar and have altered their plans for the lobby?

 

[ToTBellHop]

Any truth to the rumor that “the uppers” heard and are reacting to the backlash of the Marriott lobby coffee bar and have altered their plans for the lobby?

Yep. Not sure what they’ll alter to. Hopefully they change less than planned.

 

[Ayla]

Lobby work seems to have finished for now. Thankfully, changes were minimal at check-in. A little opening for the Cast was created.

No additional succulents, so their invasion has been stopped.

The plants may be a finishing touch that aren't finished, yet.

 

[FigmentFan82]

They're adding a permanent Bette Midler installation

 

[UNCgolf]

Yep. Not sure what they’ll alter to. Hopefully they change less than planned.

Can they go back and fix the Belle Vue Lounge while they're at it?

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Can they go back and fix the Belle Vue Lounge while they're at it?

What's wrong with the Belle Vue Lounge? Looked good the last time we were there last year.

 

[Eric Graham]

My wife is so thrilled and wants to be first in line when the Cake Bake place opens!

 

[UNCgolf]

What's wrong with the Belle Vue Lounge? Looked good the last time we were there last year.

The recent renovation screwed it up. It doesn't look remotely as good as it used to; it's kind of a weird mishmash of modern and themed.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

The recent renovation screwed it up. It doesn't look remotely as good as it used to; it's kind of a weird mishmash of modern and themed.

Do you have pictures? We haven't seen that yet.

 

[wdwmagic]

Do you have pictures? We haven't seen that yet.

Belle Vue Lounge at Disney's BoardWalk no longer serves breakfast

Belle Vue Lounge at Disney's BoardWalk no longer serves breakfast

www.wdwmagic.com

 

[Tha Realest]

No additional succulents, so their invasion has been stopped.

Invasion?

I, for one, welcome our Julie Andrews overlords.