WL or AoA? Long waits for boat ride to MK?

[cmsnyder77]

I am going with DD3 (almost 4) and DD13 April 1-8. I know that it will be a very busy time no matter where we stay. I booked AoA LM rooms for both the theming and the price. Now I am worried about the bus transportation. The last time we stayed value, at POP, we had to stand on the bus a large portion of the time and had long waits for buses. I am considering a switch to WL, with a $2000 increase in price. I have a feeling we will spend the majority of our park time at MK, so I'm thinking this would make WL a good choice. I am sure that at park opening and after fireworks, the boats might have long waits, but is this typical?

If I make the switch and pay more $$, I really want it to be worth it.

 

[holbie18]

If its a $2000 price difference could you instead just take taxis to and from the parks? Or rent a car?

 

[grimley1968]

It's up to you whether WL is worth a $2,000 difference. For me, it is in the times we can afford that. We have waited up to 20 minutes for a boat before, but usually less than that. And once on the boat it's a little slower trip than the bus, which is still an option at WL. But we love the boat ride. The boat is shared with FW, but from WL it goes straight to MK.

Keep in mind that for the price difference you're getting other "deluxe" features, such as a balcony or patio on all rooms, more elaborate theming in the lobby and restaurant areas, a very nice pool, etc.

There's a small chance we might come on the same week (spring break for a lot of schools). The discounts, especially for WL, aren't what I like to see, though, and that's making me lean away from going then. At slower times of year, there are usually better discounts.

 

[scrappinginontario]

$2000 is a TON of money to most people here!!

I second the taxi option and believe you'd still come out waaaay ahead!

 

[cjsm&d]

I would consider a mod.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

We love WL, and there are a number of great reasons to stay there, but I probably wouldn't recommend upgrading based upon transportation time alone.

When we were there during a low crowd time last September, we had dinner at POP and walked over to AOA. We called my parents (who were in the room at WL) when we went out to the busses, and they headed down to the boat. We ended up beating them to MK by 5-10 minutes. Granted, they had a much more beautiful trip, but when it comes to speed, busses aren't always bad. Even from WL, the bus seemed to be a quicker option, but we tended to prefer the boat because it was nicer and something different.

We love to stay at WL because of the great atmosphere, the fact it is all under one roof, and the location on Bay Lake. We love walking to Fort Wilderness and are amazed at how secluded it feels while being so close to MK. Leaving MK at peak times we did have waits for a boat, but nothing too bad compared to waits for all the other modes of transportation. Since WL is the least expensive of the Deluxe resorts it allows us to stay at a very nice resort at a slightly lower cost. Also you'll get bigger beds at a Deluxe or Moderate compared to a Value, which is a big plus for some.

Overall, if transportation is the only justification it is hard to spend the extra $2000, but there are a lot of other benefits that might make it worth it. Good luck planning and enjoy your trip!