Downtown Disney to Cape May--Best way?

[DancinMama]

Hey all-
We've never explored at any Disney resort other than Pop Century but for this trip we're staying at AoA and we have a dinner reservation for Cape May at the Beach Club Resort.

On our arrival day we don't have park tickets so we're planning to visit Downtown Disney, maybe the Boardwalk Bakery, take the kids on the monorail (DS loves it!) and have dinner at Cape May. What are the best ways to get around to these places. Can we take the monorail or a ferry to any of them. It's really our exploring day!

Thanks!

 

[Princess Jes]

A bus and get off at YC (first stop I believe) or BC.

 

[siskaren]

Taking a ride on the monorail is going to be a bit challenging, especially if you want to do it between DTD and Cape May Cafe. I think the best idea would probably be bus to the Contemporary, ride the monorail around to MK, then bus to Beach Club. I don't know how much time you would need to allow though. I would say leave DTD at least 2 hours before your ADR.

 

[bellazachmom]

I think that everything you want to do the first day is doable but you might need to re-think your order of things to avoid spending a huge amount of time on buses
The other issue will be getting back to your resort at the end of your evening since there are no resort-to-resort buses.

I think a good plan might be for you to head to DTD for the afternoon, then take a bus to YC/BC for dinner at Cape May, then walk over to Boardwalk Bakery for dessert (a nice stroll around Crescent Lake from the YC/BC to walk off dinner ) and then catch a bus from Boardwalk to MK to hop on the monorail for a loop. This way you can end up at a park and have a bus that will take you back to your resort.

 

[DancinMama]

I think that everything you want to do the first day is doable but you might need to re-think your order of things to avoid spending a huge amount of time on buses
The other issue will be getting back to your resort at the end of your evening since there are no resort-to-resort buses.

I think a good plan might be for you to head to DTD for the afternoon, then take a bus to YC/BC for dinner at Cape May, then walk over to Boardwalk Bakery for dessert (a nice stroll around Crescent Lake from the YC/BC to walk off dinner ) and then catch a bus from Boardwalk to MK to hop on the monorail for a loop. This way you can end up at a park and have a bus that will take you back to your resort.

We're totally open to doing things in any order (other than Cape May ADR of course) so your info is really helpful! Having never been to any of those other resorts, I couldn't visualize or figure out how the transportation would work. From your post I see that YC/BC are in walking distance to the Boardwalk...are they the same place really? (Sorry if that sounds like a dumb question!)

Do you know what locations have Monorail stops?

Thanks again for your info!

 

[bellazachmom]

There are NO dumb questions!!

The YC/BC resort is across a small "lake" from the Boardwalk resort. It is actually a waterway that connects Hollywood Studios with the back part of Epcot. The Swan & Dolphin hotel are located on this "lake" also. It is a nice stroll to get from one resort on one side to the resort on the other and it is possible to walk all the way around the "lake".

The monorail is really simple to understand once you figure it out or have it explained - there are two "lines" from the TTC (Transportation Ticket Center) to MK and one "line" from the TTC to Epcot.

One of the MK "lines" is the Resort Line that stops at the TTC, The Poly Hotel, The Grand Floridian, MK, The Contemporary and back to the TTC. The second is the Express Line that goes from the TTC to MK and back to the TTC without stopping at the resorts. You can board and disembark at any of the stops. The only location where there will be a direct bus back to your resort, however, is at the MK.

You can also hop on the monorail line from the TTC to Epcot and back. This is a fun one to do to experience the monorail because it is a significantly longer ride and actually loops through Epcot so you can see some of the park. Just stay on the monorail when it stops at Epcot and it will continue back to the TTC. Or you can disembark, walk down the ramp and head to the Epcot bus area and catch a bus back to your resort.

If you head back to the TTC you will need to change monorails to get to the MK where you can disembark and find a bus to your resort.


Does that help? Or have I just confused you?!?! Let me know if you have any other questions

 

[DancinMama]

Thank you so much! That was totally clear and so helpful! I really appreciate you taking the time to explain this to help us make our Disney trip even more MAGICAL!!

Many thanks!
Shelby

 

[bellazachmom]

Happy to help!

 

[bellazachmom]

OH! Just had a thought!

If things seem to take longer than planned with dinner or you end up spending more time in the YC/BC & Boardwalk resorts area (which is VERY easy to do because there is so much to see ) you might decide that there isn't time to head over and ride the monorail and then wonder how to get back to your resort.

If this happens, you have two options if you want to use Disney transportation: heading to DTD to catch a bus back to your resort (which can often take a very long time) or heading to a park from the resort. Your other option is taking a taxi.

I recommend heading to Hollywood Studios as it is the closest. (Technically Epcot is, but you would have to have park tickets to enter it at the International Gateway and then walk to the front of the park and exit to catch a bus) You can get to HS by boarding one of the "Friendships" that cruises along the waterway between Hollywood Studios and Epcot and taking it to Hollywood Studios where you can easily catch a bus back to your resort. Now, these boats make a "few stops" (HS to Swan&Dolphin to Boardwalk to YC/BC to Epcot and then reverses) so it can take a little while but your DS just might find another transportation option that he loves!

 

[Princess Jes]

OH! Just had a thought!

If things seem to take longer than planned with dinner or you end up spending more time in the YC/BC & Boardwalk resorts area (which is VERY easy to do because there is so much to see ) you might decide that there isn't time to head over and ride the monorail and then wonder how to get back to your resort.

If this happens, you have two options if you want to use Disney transportation: heading to DTD to catch a bus back to your resort (which can often take a very long time) or heading to a park from the resort. Your other option is taking a taxi.

I recommend heading to Hollywood Studios as it is the closest. (Technically Epcot is, but you would have to have park tickets to enter it at the International Gateway and then walk to the front of the park and exit to catch a bus) You can get to HS by boarding one of the "Friendships" that cruises along the waterway between Hollywood Studios and Epcot and taking it to Hollywood Studios where you can easily catch a bus back to your resort. Now, these boats make a "few stops" (HS to Swan&Dolphin to Boardwalk to YC/BC to Epcot and then reverses) so it can take a little while but your DS just might find another transportation option that he loves!

There are EPCOT busses from YC/BC too aren't there?

 

[bellazachmom]

There are EPCOT busses from YC/BC too aren't there?

I don't believe there are buses from YC/BC to Epcot since it is walkable and there are the Friendships, but I could very well be wrong.

It's been a few years since we stayed at our BCV, but at that time there were not buses to Epcot. There didn't used to be buses from the Boardwalk to Epcot, either, but that could have changes as well.

 

[bellazachmom]

Just confirmed with some other Dis-ers on the DVC boards - there are no buses from the Epcot resorts to Epcot

 

[Princess Jes]

Just confirmed with some other Dis-ers on the DVC boards - there are no buses from the Epcot resorts to Epcot

I understand that it's within walking distance, but it seems pretty crap that if you want to enter EPCOT from the front of the park, you'd have to go to another park or resort only to bus it back.

 

[MatzoBelle]

This is what I would do: In the early morning, catch a bus from your resort to MK. Hop on the monorail and ride to your hearts' content, perhaps disembarking at some of the resorts to look around. Then catch a bus to DTD from MK or any resort. (Even better: Take a lovely boat ride from CR or MK to WL, look around, and then take a bus from WL to DTD.) Hang out at DTD until no less than 90 minutes before your ADR. Catch a bus to the Epcot resorts. Eat at Cape May. Then walk around the Boardwalk. If DHS is still open when you are done, catch a boat to DHS and then a bus to your resort. If DHS is closed, take a taxi to your resort (or a bus to DTD followed by a bus to your resort).

 

[Hopefully]

There are no buses from DTD to the MK - resorts only
OP is this arrival day or your first full day? You have a long day planned if you want to experience much at any of your "stops".

 

[Princess Jes]

There are no buses from DTD to the MK - resorts only
OP is this arrival day or your first full day? You have a long day planned if you want to experience much at any of your "stops".

I'm 99% sure you're incorrect about resorts only. I believe they've added buses that go direct to each park from MK now

 

[joelkfla]

There are no buses from DTD to the MK - resorts only

I'm 99% sure you're incorrect about resorts only. I believe they've added buses that go direct to each park from MK now

It is a true statement that buses from DTD go to resorts only.

 

[Princess Jes]

My apologies, I misread that. It was around 6am when I read it :-/

 

[goofy4tink]

You've had a lot of great info here. Let me add another option to get back to AoA from YC/BC/BW area. You can take a cab back to AoA. It's a very short ride, and the fare isn't high. I did it a few years ago and the fare plus tip was $10.

If you're at an EPCOT resort and want to get back to your resort, just boat or walk to DHS. Get your resort bus there. The only time you will see buses between EPCOT and those resorts would be if the water was too choppy for the boats. Doesn't happen often.

 

[North of Mouse]

I understand that it's within walking distance, but it seems pretty crap that if you want to enter EPCOT from the front of the park, you'd have to go to another park or resort only to bus it back.

After your dinner at Cape May, you can catch a boat to DHS, then catch a bus back to your hotel.