Just back from a conference in Orlando..stayed off site and went to the conference every day, but two nights went "on property" for dinner, shopping, etc and of course-ambience.
Took a convention transport to the Poly the first day and enjoyed a watermouse ride about the lake...Took the monorail to the MK and changed to a bus to the YC where I tried unsuccessfully to hook up with a friend there. Maybe 20 minutes to get from the Poly to the YC. Took the boat from the YC to MGM and then a bus to AKL for dinner. This took an hour...about 20 minutes on the boat, 20 minutes waiting for an AKL bus to show up and 20 minutes going to BB then finally the AKL...Ate at Boma- overate- it was great! The AKL is nice but pales in comparison to my favorite WL! Next stop was back to YC, to try to find my friend...same route in reverse to MGM then the boat was faster as I caught the bus and the boat perfectly, maybe 35 minutes...No luck finding my friend, it started to pour and as I waited for a DD bus At the YC I gave up as several buses came by saying they were down and not sure if or when any were coming to go to DD... took the boat across to BW where I waited another 10 to 15 minutes and then caught the bus to DD...Shopped and easily found a cab back to my hotel.
Another night I took a convention bus to the Swan from whihc I walked to the BW-where I toured the BCV models... from there I enjoyed some of the acts on the walk, window shopped, and then had no wait for an MK bus ride time (maybe 10 minutes tops)...took the boat to the WL (my favorite) and wondered about...caught the boat to the Contemp and then the monorail to the TTC to take the Epcot monorail....from WL dock to Epcot took maybe 30 minutes---place looked empty... took the first bus there-CBR and jumped off at Jamaica and almost immediately onto a DD bus where I would have dinner....longest part of that trip is the endless ride around CBR...25 minutes to Pleasure Island stop....Dinner at the PYC and then shopping and a cab ride to my hotel....
Ah, boats, monorails, and Disney atmosphere....It was fun and yes, a little hard not going into the parks...but I learned more about maneuvering around WDW on their transportation- AND I noted as I have not before that no matter how you get there you still have a LOT of walking to do even if you don't enter the parks...from bus boat and monorail stations it is a long walk towards the gates or other transport areas--especially when you know you aren't headinginto the parks. If you have people with you unaccustomed to walks- be forewarned....
have a Disney day!
Paul
Took a convention transport to the Poly the first day and enjoyed a watermouse ride about the lake...Took the monorail to the MK and changed to a bus to the YC where I tried unsuccessfully to hook up with a friend there. Maybe 20 minutes to get from the Poly to the YC. Took the boat from the YC to MGM and then a bus to AKL for dinner. This took an hour...about 20 minutes on the boat, 20 minutes waiting for an AKL bus to show up and 20 minutes going to BB then finally the AKL...Ate at Boma- overate- it was great! The AKL is nice but pales in comparison to my favorite WL! Next stop was back to YC, to try to find my friend...same route in reverse to MGM then the boat was faster as I caught the bus and the boat perfectly, maybe 35 minutes...No luck finding my friend, it started to pour and as I waited for a DD bus At the YC I gave up as several buses came by saying they were down and not sure if or when any were coming to go to DD... took the boat across to BW where I waited another 10 to 15 minutes and then caught the bus to DD...Shopped and easily found a cab back to my hotel.
Another night I took a convention bus to the Swan from whihc I walked to the BW-where I toured the BCV models... from there I enjoyed some of the acts on the walk, window shopped, and then had no wait for an MK bus ride time (maybe 10 minutes tops)...took the boat to the WL (my favorite) and wondered about...caught the boat to the Contemp and then the monorail to the TTC to take the Epcot monorail....from WL dock to Epcot took maybe 30 minutes---place looked empty... took the first bus there-CBR and jumped off at Jamaica and almost immediately onto a DD bus where I would have dinner....longest part of that trip is the endless ride around CBR...25 minutes to Pleasure Island stop....Dinner at the PYC and then shopping and a cab ride to my hotel....
Ah, boats, monorails, and Disney atmosphere....It was fun and yes, a little hard not going into the parks...but I learned more about maneuvering around WDW on their transportation- AND I noted as I have not before that no matter how you get there you still have a LOT of walking to do even if you don't enter the parks...from bus boat and monorail stations it is a long walk towards the gates or other transport areas--especially when you know you aren't headinginto the parks. If you have people with you unaccustomed to walks- be forewarned....
have a Disney day!
Paul
