Getting from MK to Chef Mickey's?

[looseends]

Not sure if this belongs on the restaurant board, theme park board, or transportation board, so….picking a board name out of a hat….and the winner is….Transportation!

We have a reservation at Chef Mickey’s at 11:20 am (on Nov 10). This is our first trip to WDW, and Nov 10 will be the first day of our trip, so we’ll still be getting adjusted to getting around MK and WDW. Our plan is to be at MK at rope drop, spend a couple hours in the park, then go for our late breakfast at CM.

My basic questions are, what is the best way to get to CM from MK, and how much time will it take to get there? Related to these questions are several other questions:

This is probably one of the more stupid questions asked on these boards, but ….I know the Contemporary is on the monorail, but how many monorail stations are there in MK, and where are they? If taking the monorail is the way to go, I’ll have to plan our morning activities so that we end up at the monorail station on time.

Another stupid monorail question – are there monorail “trains” that go in both directions, or do they only go in one direction (i.e., are trains always running clockwise around the Seven Seas Lagoon, or always counterclockwise, or always both ways)? How often do they run?

Continuing with the stupid questions, I’ve seen some discussions here saying you can walk from MK to the Contemporary – is the only way to do this by exiting the main entrance of MK? How long is the walk from the MK entrance to CM?

Is it OK if we’re a few minutes late for our ADR? How late is too late?

Thank you very much for your help!

 

[Jestocost]

The resort monorail runs in a clockwise loop around the Seven Seas Lagoon. The CR is the first stop after you leave the MK, followed by the TTC, Poly and GF, then back to the MK.

While you can take the monorail to the CR to get to your lunch at CM, I actually would recommend just walking. There's a path that takes you past the bus depot and across the road to the CR. Should take about 10 minutes at a moderate pace.

Of course you can take the monorail, but the station is about a five minute walk from the MK exit and is in the direction away from the CR. So, in the end, the monorail winds up taking longer than just walking.

 

[goofy4tink]

When you exit the MK, you can see the monorail station, up the ramp to your right. This station serves both the resort and the express monorail lines. The order, if using the resort line from MK, would be...MK, CR, TTC, Polynesian, GF, MK. If using the express line, it leaves MK and goes directly to the TTC, no other stops. The resort line runs clockwise, the express runs counterclockwise....on two different tracks.

If you took the monorail from MK to CR, it would take about 15-20 mins...depending on wait times for the monorail to arrive and the time to walk up there. They run about every 15 mins or so.

You can walk to the CR in about 8 mins from MK. When you exit the MK, stay to the far left, with the monorail track overhead. You will follow the sidewalk that runs between the actual park and the bus driveway..again, monorail right over you. Follow this sidewalk to the CR. You will cross one street..there is a pedestrian light there....continue to the CR. As I said, it takes less than 10 mins total time.

As far as how late you can be....you are asked to arrive at the podium, to check in for your ADR, about 10-15 mins prior to the ADR time. So...I wouldn't plan on arriving past your ADR time itself. They will most likely seat you but you will lose your place in line.

 

[ccgirl]

We walked. It was definitely quicker than taking the monorail. In fact, we go to the Contemporary before a monorail even arrived at MK.

 

[nemofans]

Walk it.
We were running late to an ADR on our last trip & DH asked the CM what the rule is for being late. He was told by the CM that if you don't show up by 15 min after your ADR, then they will give your table away.

 

[dudspizza]

I have done both (walk and monorail). If you have little kids, the monorail is the way to go. If you have older kids or adults, then the walk is very easy. The monorail doesn't take long and everyone loves to ride the monorail!

 

[skelooch]

Probably a 20 minute walk from MK exit to Chef Mickeys.
I would take the resort monorail, much less walking.
There are 2 ramps leading to the monorail station, take the one to the left that says "Resort Monorail". Contemporary resort will be the first stop. Exit there an take the escalator down to the concourse level. CM is a short walk.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

You really can't go wrong no matter if you take the Resort Monorail or walkway to the Contemporary. Now if the Resort Monorail is already at the station once you exit the Magic Kingdom I would say to take it because the Contemporary is the next stop, plus once you arrive there all you do is take the esclator to the 4th floor and Chef Mickey's is located on the other side of their Monorail station. However if it's not there then I would recommend walking because the 5 minutes or so you could be waiting for another one to arrive, you could have already been half way or more to the Contemporary had you decided to walk there.

 

[joelkfla]

Now if the Resort Monorail is already at the station once you exit the Magic Kingdom I would say to take it because the Contemporary is the next stop, plus once you arrive there all you do is take the esclator to the 4th floor and Chef Mickey's is located on the other side of their Monorail station.

If the resort monorail is already at the station when you exit the MK, it will most likely be gone before you can make it up the ramp!

To the OP: to board the resort monorail, you must exit the secured area at the center (between the 2 bag checks,) and then walk right to the ramp. You also usually need to exit there to walk left to the CR, but sometimes they open an additional exit off to the left as you exit the park.

(Whereas the express monorail to the TTC & Parking has it's entrance inside the secured area, to the right as you exit the park.)

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

If the resort monorail is already at the station when you exit the MK, it will most likely be gone before you can make it up the ramp!

Sometimes when I have left the Magic Kingdom and saw the Resort Monorail sitting I have been able to get on just before it left, so that's not always true.

 

[goofy4tink]

Probably a 20 minute walk from MK exit to Chef Mickeys.
I would take the resort monorail, much less walking.
There are 2 ramps leading to the monorail station, take the one to the left that says "Resort Monorail". Contemporary resort will be the first stop. Exit there an take the escalator down to the concourse level. CM is a short walk.

I really hate to disagree, but it isn't even close to a 20 min walk from MK to CM's. If you choose to look at it as 'from the turnstiles to CM's' then you may be looking at 13 mins. I have never taken longer than 12 mins to get from the entrance to MK to the CR gift shop area, which is right beside CM's. If walking at a normal pace, then less than 15 mins including the stop to cross the street if the light doesn't go your way right away.

Sometimes when I have left the Magic Kingdom and saw the Resort Monorail sitting I have been able to get on just before it left, so that's not always true.

Then you lucked out. If you see the resort monorail pulling into the station, then you have to fly up there, from MK turnstiles, in order to make it in time. You might make it if there is no one in your way, walking up to the platform. The pilots usually don't spend all that much time standing and waiting...they have to be out in a set amount of time..they aren't like the buses. They aren't going to hold the monorail if they see you charging up the walkway.