As my husband and I anxiously await our first time staying
at a resort on the monorail line for our upcoming early 2016 trip, I can’t help
but think that for those who are unfamiliar with the transportation options at
Walt Disney World, that it must be very daunting to try to figure out how to
get to where you are going using Disney’s complimentary transportation. But
have no fear- I am here to try to make this seemingly daunting task just a bit
easier to figure out!
If you arrive via airplane to Orlando International Airport,
then you may take advantage of Disney’s Magical Express, a complimentary
shuttle service which will take you to your Walt Disney World resort hotel, and
back to the airport at the end of your trip. Besides being free, another great perk to using the Magical
Express service is that they will drop your luggage off in your room for you (several hours
after you arrive). Let me explain- a few weeks before your trip, you are mailed
several yellow luggage tags with your name and resort hotel name printed on
them. You place these tags on your luggage at home before you leave for the
airport, and once you drop them off with the airline at your home airport, you
do not see these bags again until you are checked in and settled at your
resort. There are a few exceptions to watch out for (namely, if you have a
late-arriving flight, or are taking one of the few airlines that the Magical
Express does not work with), but otherwise, I would highly recommend using the free
luggage service. Before we had our son, my husband and I did not take advantage
of this service, as we didn’t want to wait the several hours for our luggage to
be delivered to us; however, now that we are traveling with a toddler, and
therefore a stroller, diaper bag, etc, it is VERY nice to be able to worry
about a few less bags as we travel to our Disney resort. We do take a carry-on
suitcase with a pair of pajamas for each of us, our bottle warmer and bottles, and
a swimsuit and one casual outfit for each of us just in case our luggage
happened to be delayed for an extended period of time, but we have never had a
problem with this service to date.
If you have received a copy of Disney’s free vacation
planning video from www.disneyworld.com,
as recommended in the post ‘Disney for the Novice Traveler’ (http://danasmousetails.blogspot.com/2015/11/disney-for-novice-traveler.html),
then you know that there are 3 types of transportation to get you to and from
the resorts, Disney Springs, and the theme parks. These 3 types of
transportation include buses, boats, and the monorail.
The monorail is, in my opinion, the most exciting of the 3
transportation options mentioned above. And for those of us with children in
strollers, a big perk to being on the monorail is that you may leave your child
in his stroller on the monorail- this is the only method of transportation
which allows a child to remain in his stroller! I have listed the three resorts
on the Walt Disney World Monorail System below (also keep in mind that Epcot is accessible by monorail, via the Transportation & Ticket Center):
-Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
-Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
-Disney’s Contemporary Resort
The Contemporary Resort is the only resort on Disney property
within walking distance of the Magic Kingdom- a big perk to those parents who
have children who still nap during the afternoon. My family has never been the
type to leave the parks in the afternoon for a break, but with our resort being
so close on this next trip, I think this time we may!
For guests staying at the following resorts, boats travel
frequently to the Magic Kingdom from the pier outside their resort:
-Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort
-Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
-Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
-Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Now- on to the Epcot resorts! If you are going to be
visiting Walt Disney World in the fall during the International Food and Wine
Festival, and/ or are a childless couple, then may I suggest an Epcot resort if
your budget allows? Before our son came along, my husband and I spent many fun
moments at Epcot in World Showcase, sampling food and beverages from different
regions of the world. We still enjoy World Showcase and all that it has to
offer, but we now focus more on the food than the beverages! A great perk to
staying at the Epcot resorts along Crescent Lake is that you are able to
stumble back to your resort directly from World Showcase when the night is
over. The Crescent Lake resorts include:
-Disney’s Boardwalk Inn Resort and Villas
-Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts
-The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts
From the 5 resorts listed above, boats are available to both
Epcot and Hollywood Studios theme parks, or you may walk to these parks
instead. Remember that if you take the boat or walk to Epcot, you will not
arrive at the front of the park where the monorail is, but you will arrive at the
back of the park, inside World Showcase, at what is called the International
Gateway (next to the France and United Kingdom pavilions).
The final resorts offering modes of transportation other
than the bus are the Disney Springs area resorts. From any of these resorts,
boats will whisk you away to Disney Springs, and back to your resort at the end
of your day. Additionally, the option to walk to Saratoga Springs from Disney Springs is available,
and depending on which area of the resort you are staying in, may be quicker
than the boat (this resort is huge!). Disney Springs area resorts include:
-Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
-Disney’s Old Key West Resort
-Disney’s Port Orleans Resorts (which are comprised of Port
Orleans Riverside, and Port Orleans French Quarter)
Please note that many people think that the option to walk
to Animal Kingdom theme park from Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge resort is a
possibility, but it is not. While the resort is on the savannah where live
animals roam, a bus is needed to get to the theme park from this resort.
Please also note that to get from resort to resort (for
dining reservations at a resort other than where you are staying, for
instance), Disney recommends one-and-a-half hours travel time, as multiple
modes of transportation may be needed. If you happen to arrive early to a
restaurant reservation, then have no fear- the resorts are all beautifully
themed, and a great way to pass the time is to check out the décor in and
around the resort!
If you suddenly find yourself on Disney property with no
clear direction of how to get to where you are going, then please find a Disney
cast member, and they will be happy to direct you to your destination. With
about 40 square miles of land, the Walt Disney World resort is huge, and it’s
easy to feel lost once on property- but the nearest cast member shouldn’t be
too far, and will point you in the right direction quickly and efficiently.
As always, please feel free to email me at dana_aimee@hotmail.com with ANY
travel-related questions. Happy New Year, and thank you so much for checking
out Dana’s Mouse Tails! Happy travels!
