Thursday, December 31, 2015

Monorails and boats and buses- oh my!

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 Magic Kingdom monorail station)

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  

(My beautiful family taking the monorail to the Contemporary Resort for breakfast)

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

(My nephew and son looking out over Crescent Lake from Disney's Boardwalk Resort)

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)

(My son and I taking the boat from Disney's Port Orleans Resort to Disney Springs for lunch)

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!

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