Dining at Resorts

[lola4795]

I'm very interested in dining at Chef Mickey's (Contemporary) or Boma (AKL). These are both at resorts instead of the theme parks. I would really like to try both of these restaurants, but I do not want to spend extra time in transit.

We're staying at ASMo & using busses only. Does it take a lot of extra time to get to these resorts from there? What about getting there from the parks? For example, we would go to MK, then travel to the Contemporary to dine at Chef Mickey's. Or go to AK, then travel to AKL to dine at Boma.

We are going to visit the theme parks for 6 days. I want to make the most out of our time there. We plan on using Disney Transportation exclusively. How much extra time will traveling to these resorts take? Is it worth it? Are we better off sticking with restaurants in the theme parks instead?

Thanks!

 

[Wendi2000]

It's very quick to jump on the monorail to get to Chef Mickey's and also very quick to get from AK to AKL on the bus.

I highly recommend Boma, it is sooooo yummy!

 

[crisi]

Boma you may spend extra time in transit - probably on the way back. Buses don't run straight from resort to resort, so to get to Boma, you'll want to leave whatever park you are doing for the day and go straight there on the AKL bus. On the way back, if you want to go back to your hotel, you'll need to transfer buses at DTD or a still open theme park, this means that the worst "billed" cases is buses come every twenty minutes - you wait twenty minutes at AKL to get to, say MGM, ten minutes on the bus to MGM, then another twenty waiting for the AS bus, and another ten on the bus. We budget for a cab for resort to resort transportation. I'm not a Boma fan and wouldn't go out of my way for it, but lots of people love it.

 

[jwfla422]

From our "many" experiences dining at the resort restaurants outside of the Epcot area (where we usually stay), you must allow A LOT of transit time. You could get lucky or it could take you 1-1 1/2 hours. I don't care what anyone says it's just the "luck of the draw".

We love Jiko at AKL, but our last experience will always send me driving over from now on. We picked up the bus from the park (AK) to AKL for dinner, no problem. We figured we'd head to MK after dinner and maybe get some dessert there or at a MK resort restaurant and then hop the bus back to our resort. We waited 45 MINUTES just for a bus to MK at 7:30 at night!! On a parade/fireworks night!! Finally 2 buses come at the same time, all the people rush the bus (very inconsiderate to those of us who were waiting the longest-however I've been finding more people to be this way at WDW these days which is most unfortunate)...it took us over an hour to get to MK from the time we sat to wait on the bus from AKL!!

This has happened to us before from there but it was in the middle of the day (to be expected) to DTD, but that night we saw so many of the other buses waiting, ugh!! I can't tell you, then by the time we got to MK the parade was ending and we decided it would be best to get in line for our resort bus so we weren't waiting another 2 hrs when the park let out, well it was another 45 minutes!! We were so disappointed as this was our last night and all's we did was stand around and wait on buses!!

I could have driven there, driven back to our resort and picked up a bus from there and we would have made it much sooner.

CR may be a little easier since you would take a bus to MK and then hop on the resort monorail for 1 stop (or you can even walk).

On another occasion, we visited some friends at POP and we're staying at the Swan (you can almost walk back). It took us well over an hr to get back that night. Had to take the bus to DTD (which took 40 min until it showed at POP) and then transfer buses at DTD, took us over an hr, could have walked quicker!!

Seems like we have more luck getting to where we want to go to, but when it comes time to getting back to our resort, forget it!! It wasn't this past a few years back. Maybe less buses, don't know??

 

[brat5063]

Have done it yet. But we are also staying at ASMo and have dinner reservations at Chef Mickey. We are planning to go back to the hotel for a little down time and then head to MK and hop on the Monorail to the Contemporary.

I wanted to try Bomas but was affraid of the travel time and didn't make a Ressie. We are traveling with a 1 and 2 year old. Eatting dinner there, you would have to take a bus back to a park or DTD that was still open and then another bus back to ASMo. It's do-able. Just didn't want to push the kids to much on their first trip.

 

[webray]

The quickest way to get to Contemporary from MK is to use the walkway. Very easy, spend time in the park, walk over for dinner, then walk back to finish off your day at MK.

For Boma, plan to eat at AKL on your AK day. Since AK closes fairly early anyway, make your dining reservation after AK closes. Enjoy your dinner at Boma. After that you could either take a cab (short ride) back to AS resort or take a bus from AKL to another park to enjoy the evening.

 

[Harvest02]

We stayed at AS Mo in June, and also ate at Chef Mickeys. We went for breakfast. We must have got lucky because we hopped on the bus to the MK and the bus ride was like 15 minutes. Once we got to the MK we hopped on the monorail and were there in just a few minutes. That is the way to go!!!

 

[johnsonet]

You do mention twice that you are using Disney transportation exclusively BUT I have many years of experience with this and I really recommend taking a cab in this situation. It will save you lots of time and keep you from getting stressed out - potentially GREATLY so

If you are only willing or able to go via WDW transportation, I would recommend allowing yourself AT LEAST an hour to get from your resort to the restaurant's podium (you'll notice this is what Disney Dining recommends when you make your ADRs). You have no control over when the MK bus pulls up to ASMo, for example, and therefore have no idea when you will arrive at MK. You then must wait for the monorail to arrive and then take the short ride to the Contemporary. You might get lucky or you might get unlucky... Just be sure to build in extra time
Good luck!

 

[Armandocme]

What about getting there from the parks? For example, we would go to MK, then travel to the Contemporary to dine at Chef Mickey's. Or go to AK, then travel to AKL to dine at Boma.

Getting to Contemporary from MK is just 1 stop away on the resort monorail. Chef Mickey's is one of our favorites.

Getting to AKL for Boma from AK is a short bus ride (it's pretty much right next door ro AK). Boma is well worth it.

 

[Mom24Princesses]

You do mention twice that you are using Disney transportation exclusively BUT I have many years of experience with this and I really recommend taking a cab in this situation. It will save you lots of time and keep you from getting stressed out - potentially GREATLY so

I have been tempted to take a cab back to a resort at park close at Epcot. (Such a walk to the bus, then the wait.) What are the fares like? There'd be 6 of us. I've seen the vans but how much $$$?
Thanks

 

[indsun]

Cab it! We dined at Boma last year and took a cab back to CSR. If i remember correctly it was about $10.00. Worth every penny because of the amount of time saved.

 

[crisi]

Cab it! We dined at Boma last year and took a cab back to CSR. If i remember correctly it was about $10.00. Worth every penny because of the amount of time saved.

Ours run more in the $15 range. We stay at BW and its $15 to the MK resorts or AKL. Vans are the same price as a cab, ask the bellhop to call a van if there isn't one waiting.

If you are at Epcot and want to take a cab, you may consider taking one from the Epcot resorts - where a bellhop can call one. There is a cab stand out the front of Epcot somewhere as well, but I think that you'd like heading out to the Epcot resorts (just walking through the Y&BC lobby is worth a peek).

 

[Albertan mom]

How much would it cost to take a cab from Bomas to ASMovies?

thanks!