Boardwalk and Epcot Hotels Walk

It's wonderful to walk the entire perimeter of Crescent Lake, on the old-style boardwalk, past Disney's deluxe hotels! This walk is especially brilliant at Christmastime when each hotel entrance and lobby is decked out in decorations. 

The hardest part of this walk is getting in. You need a Disney annual pass with free parking, otherwise you have to pay $25 for parking, which isn't really worth it. You can also make a dinner reservation at Boardwalk or one of the hotels, and then you can park. Big River is an affordable restaurant at Boardwalk, with huge meals you can share. During quiet times of year, they may let you in to park at a hotel or at Boardwalk, but that is a matter of luck. 
If you're a passholder, take this route: You park at Hollywood Studios, catch the tram or walk to the boat dock which is just outside the ticket area, on the lake. Catch the boat (you never have to wait long) to World Swan Resort. This is where the walk begins and ends.
World Swan Resort has tall impressive buildings but not in a style I really like. At Christmastime in the small entrance area, there is a santa exhibit made of chocolate, with a fireplace and all. Because it's so perfect though, you can hardly tell it's made of chocolate and not plastic. There are swan sculptures in the lobby and courtyard, and the pool is lovely with bridges and wide waterfalls. There is a playground and white sand on the water, with hammocks. World Dolphin Resort, next door, shares the same pool, but has a nicer lobby, with a huge chandelier of hanging clear crystals. 
Walk around the edge of World Dolphin along the water and you come to where the boardwalk begins! Now things improve! It feels like you're on an old New England beach boardwalk! You are now at the best hotel of all for Christmastime, Yacht Club Resort. In the lobby is a sweet mini train with tiny little moving scenes. A little man goes round and round with a snow plough; a little woman skates in circles. Frozen is depicted in a scene with Anna, Elsa, and Olaf. The Christmas trees too are so wonderful- with yachts incorporated in the decorations. Garlands and wreaths continue the theme. 
The pool is nice with bridges, a shipwreck, and a white sandy beach out front by the lake. Beach Club Resort shares this pool. It also has a fantastic lobby at Christmastime, with trees decorated with cute beachy accents such as tiny flip flops or beach bags, starfish, baby turtles, and sea horses! Truly mesmerizing is a lifesize mini carousel made of chocolate! The four horses go round and round and you could just watch them forever!
Enjoy the New England architecture in the bright Florida sun, and spend some time on the beach of fine white sand, swinging on the bench swings, or building in the sand. 
You next walk past the international gateway that leads into the French area of Epcot. Wow it's easy to get to Epcot from one of these ritzy hotels! You definitely get a French feeling from the lampposts along the water here as you cross the bridge. Voila! You're now at Disney's Boardwalk! What a sunny blissful place with red tables out by the water. Buy a pastry at Boardwalk Bakery, ice cream at Ample Hill Creamery, or a pizza slice at the window and sit by the lake pretending you're at a seaside destination! At night there are street performers such as jugglers, and adults can go to some cool bars such as Jelly Rolls, which has dueling pianos.
Pop into Boardwalk Resort. It has a large lawn at the entrance, a public space where couples and families hang out like in France. The pool, to the right, has a carousel-themed bar and a fairly plain pool. Straight and upstairs is the lobby, which has a gingerbread depiction of Boardwalk at Christmastime, and some beautiful candy-themed decorations on the trees. The tree out front at the lawn has the same candy-themed decorations and is just lovely sparkling in the sun. 
If you get tired, sit on one of the comfy chairs in one of the lobbies. If lines are too long at places like Boardwalk Bakery, you can also just get a chocolate milk at one of the emptier gift shops. This will sustain you for the rest of the walk.
Wyland, an artist from Hawaii, has a gallery near the lawn at Boardwalk Resort.
Next, head over the bright beautiful bridge with yellow and blue sails, to World Swan. There are two lines, so choose the one for Hollywood Studios. This boat takes you directly back to Hollywood Studios. The boat trip you took at the beginning and the boat trip back are both short and non-stop, which is good because the Disney ferries have quite a lot of uncomfortable vibrations and engine noise. I never had to wait in line either, despite it being a busy time of year.
Enjoy nature out the window as you head back on the boat to Hollywood Studios. Next catch the tram back to your parking, or if it's a cool day, walk! This concludes your adventure! This walk is about 1.5 miles, plus extra walking checking out the lobbies.
For another hotels walk, check out Grand Floridian and Polynesian Village Walk.
If you stay at a Disney hotel you get to enjoy extra magic hours in the parks, plus you can book your fastpass rides 60 days ahead rather than just 30 days ahead. 

Directions

This walk starts in the parking lot at Hollywood Studios, if you have an annual pass (otherwise parking costs $25 which is not worth it). You can also start it at any of the hotels discussed if you have a dinner reservation or are staying there. Sometimes you're allowed to park at Boardwalk or the hotels without a dinner reservation but it's really just a matter of luck if they don't turn you away. Less crowded times of year are the best times to try.

Click on map for interactive view