Best route from contemporary to wilderness lodge

[StirlingSilver83]

Hey everyone so I've heard a lot of good reviews for whispering canon cafe. I decided to switch out my ADR for Sanaa to whispering canyon cafe bc I don't think my ds8 will like the food at Sanaa. Anyways we are staying at the contemporary so I thought the best route would be to take the monorail to magic kingdom and then jump on the boat for wilderness lodge. I do have to add that I will be using an ecv and I read that I need to wait for the cruiser? How long would you say would be the max amount of time that I would have to wait for that. Also how long is the actual boat ride from magic kingdom to wilderness lodge. TIA!

 

[MinnieGirl33]

Do yourself a favor & take a taxi.

It will take you at least an hour to do what you are suggesting. A taxi will be less than 10 minutes.

 

[smcabee]

Just take the boat from the Contemporary.

 

[Hundred Acre Woods]

There is a boat that runs starting at 6:45 a.m. that goes from Ft. Wilderness Campground to the Contemporary to Wilderness Lodge. It runs that route continually throughout the day. The boat ride probably takes 20 minutes to make the whole loop.

We stayed at Ft.Wilderness campground a few weeks ago and visited Whispering Canyon one evening. We really enjoyed our meal.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

There is a boat that goes straight to WL from the contemporary. However, they use those small boats usually and they can't take an ECV. So you might end up having to wait for a boat that can.

 

[Dr Gevil]

Yep. Take the boat. Head out the back of CR towards the pool area and down to the dock. Boat will take you right to WL. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy.

 

[StirlingSilver83]

Yep. Take the boat. Head out the back of CR towards the pool area and down to the dock. Boat will take you right to WL. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy.

Awesome thanks! Is there a long walk from the dock to whispering canyon cafe? If the walk isn't too bad I could leave the ecv in our room and just walk if that's the easiest route.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

BAY LAKE & SEVEN SEAS LAGOON RESORT BOATS to/from WL-FW-CR-MK:

Wilderness Lodge, Magic Kingdom: (RED FLAG)
Two Motor Cruisers run each day at 0830-hrs (0730-hrs for EMH) and terminate operations about
one hour after the MK closes. These boats run only between MK-WL.

Fort Wilderness, Magic Kingdom: (GREEN FLAG)
One motor launch (GREEN FLAG) runs each from 0830-hrs (0730-hrs for EMH) until about 1-hour
after the MK closes. These boats run only between the MK and the FW.

Fort Wilderness, Wilderness Lodge, Contemporary: (BLUE FLAG)
Two Motor Launches run at 0645-hrs daily. Both run clockwise (FW>WL>CR>FW) until about 1500-hrs
and then reverse direction (CR>WL>FW>CR) at 1500-hrs. Launches terminate at 2330-hrs.

FW-WL-CR, Polynesian, Grand Floridian:
If you want to go to the GF/Poly from the WL, CR or FW by boat, you will have to go to the MK and
then get the Gold flag launch. In addition, there is no boat that goes directly from the CR to the MK,
GF or Poly. Additional boats may be added to the Gold, Green, Red and Blue routes during periods of
exceptionally high demand, like at heavy MK closings, to alleviate guest lines at the docks.

Strollers, ECV's:
Additionally for all motor launches, strollers must be folded prior to boarding and ECVs cannot be
accommodated on motor launches under any circumstances. Cruisers do accommodate ECV's unless
the lake water level is too low.

 

[mgentry210]

Awesome thanks! Is there a long walk from the dock to whispering canyon cafe? If the walk isn't too bad I could leave the ecv in our room and just walk if that's the easiest route.

Probably about a quarter of a mile. Plus there is a ramp with an incline that's fairly long if you have problems walking. There is a rail to help.

You will walk down a long wooded deck pathway, then past the pool, then up the ramp and to the front of the lobby. Healthy, it would take less than 5 minutes.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

On our trip last October, we had dinner one night at the Contemporary, and then planned to take the boat back to the WL. It was a total disaster. We waited FOREVER in a swarm of bugs for the boat, and when it finally arrived, the dozens of other people also waiting rushed past us (one even pushed over my then seven year old!) and filled the boat before we were able to board.

Instead of waiting for another boat and having more rude people bum rush the boat like the first time, we walked over to the MK, hopped on the WL bus, and were back in our room in under 15 minutes from the time we left the dock. In your situation, that's what I would do...walk/ride your ECV to MK and then get on the bus. The walk is under 10 minutes and the bus ride is about 5 minutes long, max. We waited almost an hour for that stupid boat that we didn't even get on. Grrr.

 

[NicoleLarson]

Per Rusty's quote and from my experience, CAN NOT take your ECV on the boat that goes directly from the WL to the CR or vice versa. You will have to take the monorail to MK unless you are comfortable "wheeling" across a very busy street over to the MK. Then either take the cruiser boat or the bus to MK. It will be obvious what boat is the crusier...it's in closed. As opposed to the smaller boat that is completely open and you have to step down. We usually take the boat to WL and got lucky to get the crusier each time but they do rotate, so if you just missed a cruiser you will have to wait for 2 boats

 

[StirlingSilver83]

Probably about a quarter of a mile. Plus there is a ramp with an incline that's fairly long if you have problems walking. There is a rail to help. You will walk down a long wooded deck pathway, then past the pool, then up the ramp and to the front of the lobby. Healthy, it would take less than 5 minutes.

Ok thanks! I have a really bad ankle and hills are a killer for me. I am thinking that it might just be easier to take the car. We will have our car but I just thought taking the boat might be more fun for my ds8. But he can get a tad impatient so maybe just driving would be better lol

 

[NicoleLarson]

If you have a car, then 1000% just drive! The boat isn't that exciting to go through all of that!

 

[katieam1]

If you have a car then I would suggest driving. We love to take the boats we used them a lot last trip when staying at WL for meals at the contemporary but we did not have our car. When we have a car we always take that no matter what just faster.