Visiting other resorts

C

CluelessDad

Earning My Ears

Joined

Mar 6, 2005

• Feb 3, 2016

• #1

I am taking the family, mom, dd(16), ds(13), mid April and staying at POR Riverside. All first timers at staying on property!

I am thinking of taking them on a tour of the other resorts. What are some must see places that we should visit and the best times to visit them?

I hear that visiting the Boardwalk at night is awesome, boating to DS.


Thank You for your help and ideas,

Clueless Dad

 

_auroraborealis_

I like marshmallows. And adult beverages.

Joined

Oct 18, 2015

• Feb 3, 2016

• #2

You can't boat to Disney Springs from the Boardwalk. The Epcot-area boats go to Hollywood Studios.

Boating to Disney Springs is Old Key West and the Port Orleans resorts.

 

MakiraMarlena

It's a big black fish to you

Joined

Mar 28, 2005

• Feb 3, 2016

• #3

Part of the Boardwalk is currently under renovation. Not sure how awesome that would be. It includes the closure of Flying Fish restaurant, the Seashore Sweets candy shop, and the ESPN arcade (the restaurant will be back, the candy shop won't, no idea what will happen to the arcade)

 

GrandCalifornian

Can't Wait To Go Back

Joined

Mar 16, 2012

• Feb 3, 2016

• #4

We love touring different resorts. From POR (one of our favorites) you can ride the boat to DS, where you can ride a different boat to OKW or take a boat or walk over to SSR.
As far as must sees, we love the monorail resorts plus Fort Wilderness, which you can access by boat from MK, Wilderness Lodge, or the Contemporary. There is a boat loop that connects WL, CR, and FW on Bay lake which is nice to check out. Then you can hop back over to MK or the CR to catch the monorail to see the Poly and Grand Floridian. If you have resort refillable mugs you can bring them with you and fill them at the QS locations at the different resorts you visit.
We also like visiting AKL because it is so different, and you can see the animals and get nice food and more mug refills at Mara, their QS location. Try the Zebra Domes, which are chocolate covered desserts only available at AKL.
Going out the IG side of Epcot lets you check out Yacht Club, Beach Club, and the Boardwalk, which we enjoy too. You are also free to ride the Disney buses to check out any other Value or Moderate that interests you. We have taken a PoP bus to visit there then walked over to AoA to catch a bus elsewhere from there. Enjoy!

 

MakiraMarlena

It's a big black fish to you

Joined

Mar 28, 2005

• Feb 3, 2016

• #5

the above statement by the OP regarding the boat depends on whether he meant "DS" to mean Disney Springs or Disney Studios. Disney Springs, no, you can't boat there from Boardwalk. Disney Studios, you can. it's not that fascinating a ride if you are just going for the ride.

At this point, with the renovation of the Polynesian almost complete, I'd prefer a tour of the monorail resorts. I think the only thing Boardwalk has going for it now as far as visitors is that they have a few carnival games, and a juggler working at night.

 

D

disnut8

DIS Veteran

Joined

Jan 21, 2005

• Feb 4, 2016

• #6

Two tours -

Take your resort bus to the Magic Kingdom. Step off the bus, go to the monorail station and board the resort monorail. This will take you around to the Contemporary first so you can get off and walk around. Then reboard and continue to the Transportation and Ticket Center. Disembark here and walk to the Polynesian (you can stay on the monorail but walking is more fun). Explore and then walk over past the Wedding Pavilion (take notice of Magic Kingdom across the lagoon) and then continue on to Grand Floridian. Reboard the monorail and continue on to Magic Kingdom (you cannot walk from the Grand Floridian to the Magic Kingdom). Once back at Magic Kingdom, take the boat to either Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness and see those.

On your Epcot day, exit out of the International Gateway and take a long walk around Crescent Lake - there are five resorts to see - Boardwalk, Swan, Dolphin, Yacht Club, Beach Club. Or, on any other park day, just take the bus back to one of the resorts and do that same. Or, on your Disney Studios day, take the boat to any of the resorts or take the walk. Or, at night, drive to the Boardwalk, park in the overflow lot and walk the Lake. You can even cross the street at the Swan and play Fantasia miniature golf.

 

C

CluelessDad

Earning My Ears

Joined

Mar 6, 2005

• Feb 13, 2016

• #7

Thank you all for your replies!!
It is much appreciated.

As for the DS, I meant Disney Springs. Still learning the abbreviations oah:

Clueless

 

katt789

DIS Veteran

Joined

Mar 14, 2010

• Feb 14, 2016

• #8

CluelessDad said:

I am taking the family, mom, dd(16), ds(13), mid April and staying at POR Riverside. All first timers at staying on property!

I am thinking of taking them on a tour of the other resorts. What are some must see places that we should visit and the best times to visit them?

I hear that visiting the Boardwalk at night is awesome, boating to DS.


Thank You for your help and ideas,

Clueless Dad

Click to expand...

My favorite resorts to tour are usually the magic kingdom area resorts, bus to MK, then do the monorail loop though the Contemporary, Grand Floridian, and the Poly, take some time to explore, grab a drink/snack (dole whip at the Poly). Sometimes we'll leave the Contemporary for last and then boat over to Wilderness Lodge as well to include it.

Animal Kingdom Lodge is another one that I absolutely love, the lobby takes my breath away every time! I find the best times to do these are during the day, when there's not a lot of people around the resorts!

Boardwalk is certainly pretty at night! I'm not sure how it looks with the construction though.

If you're at Riverside, then take the boat over to French Quarter too to explore, its' one of my favorites!

 

Disney127

DIS Veteran

Joined

Apr 17, 2009

• Feb 14, 2016

• #9

disnut8 said:

Two tours -

Take your resort bus to the Magic Kingdom. Step off the bus, go to the monorail station and board the resort monorail. This will take you around to the Contemporary first so you can get off and walk around. Then reboard and continue to the Transportation and Ticket Center. Disembark here and walk to the Polynesian (you can stay on the monorail but walking is more fun). Explore and then walk over past the Wedding Pavilion (take notice of Magic Kingdom across the lagoon) and then continue on to Grand Floridian. Reboard the monorail and continue on to Magic Kingdom (you cannot walk from the Grand Floridian to the Magic Kingdom). Once back at Magic Kingdom, take the boat to either Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness and see those.

Click to expand...

We are hoping to take a break from one of our MK days and do this little tour, thanks for the advice!

 

MichiganScott

Passholder = hated by Disney

Joined

Jan 5, 2016

• Feb 14, 2016

• #10

Touring resorts take a LOT more time than it may appear.

First you need to figure out what you want in the "tour." I.e. visit the gift shop, peek in the restaurants, look at the pool, check out the landscaping and surrounding paths, etc. Doing these seemingly minor things at each of the monorail resorts could take 2 hours easy. Boardwalk+BC+YC+Swan+Dolphin could also be another 2 hours (plus lots of walking). Add in another resort or two, 1/2 hour minimum bus trips and eating, and you're creeping up on the entire day being taken up.

 

ols386

I want to live at Disney World!!

Joined

Jan 29, 2008

• Feb 14, 2016

• #11

Grand Floridian is fun to tour. So is the Poly.