Easier resort for transportation

[Disfamily55]

As the title states I want to book with the easiest access to parks. I am sold on Beach Club but with the uncertainty of SAB reopening I’m really nervous. The first week of July is our only option for that resort and that seems like pushing my luck.

We will have 7 day park hoppers and I want my husband and two oldest to easily be able to get around. They aren’t thrilled with the Boardwalk pool or else I would just book that. Poly is the next option but buses and Epcot situation don’t make it easy. Prefer to stick with Deluxe but I am looking for a unicorn?

 

[Dave006]

I would still vote to the YC or BC due to their location. I would also consider the BW as it has a great pool with a great Slide that does not require you to leave the pool area. Sure it does not have a lazy river but some sacrifices may be required to enjoy the location near 2 parks.

If you really need a another backup option, you might consider the Swan & Dolphin due to their location on Crescent lake.

Dave

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Certainly nothing is for sure, but I think I'd feel comfortable that SAB will be back open by the first week of July. With SAB open (assuming it is), it's our favorite option around Crescent Lake.

 

[fla4fun]

I would NOT recommend any of the Skyliner resorts for your trip, due to the fact that it often shuts down for weather in the summer. If you were going during our dry season, those resorts are great options.

I think for what you are looking for, one of the Crescent Lake resorts is your best bet. If looking at the Swan or Dolphin, make sure you read carefully so you know what extra fees you may need to pay (resort fee, parking fee, etc.). This will give you a more complete rate comparison to the other Disney owned resorts nearby.

How early in the day are you arriving? Perhaps using the free water park on check in day offer would mitigate some of the disappointment if SAB is not open and you only have access to the quiet pools.

 

[WinterSolider]

This will probably be an unpopular opinion but the easiest way to get around Walt Disney World is to rent your own car and drive everywhere yourself, except for the Magic Kingdom.

I would go so far as to say a typically "inconvenient" resort like Old Key West with a car is more convenient than something like Boardwalk without a car. Old Key West is particularly helpful because you can park literally right outside your front door.

I also have personal hatred for Beach Club, as the whole place smells like fish from the seafood buffet and the decorations remind me of my mother-in-law. Yacht Club has a much better vibe in my opinion.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I would NOT recommend any of the Skyliner resorts for your trip, due to the fact that it often shuts down for weather in the summer. If you were going during our dry season, those resorts are great options.

I think for what you are looking for, one of the Crescent Lake resorts is your best bet. If looking at the Swan or Dolphin, make sure you read carefully so you know what extra fees you may need to pay (resort fee, parking fee, etc.). This will give you a more complete rate comparison to the other Disney owned resorts nearby.

How early in the day are you arriving? Perhaps using the free water park on check in day offer would mitigate some of the disappointment if SAB is not open and you only have access to the quiet pools.

Skyliner stopping for weather did not happen often for us. We visit the ladt 2 weeks of August. (11 nights in 2023 and 10 nights in 2024). We used the Skyliner often and over the 21 nights we only experienced 4 closures.

YMMV but it was not as big of a problem as we anticipated it could be.

 

[fla4fun]

Skyliner stopping for weather did not happen often for us. We visit the ladt 2 weeks of August. (11 nights in 2023 and 10 nights in 2024). We used the Skyliner often and over the 21 nights we only experienced 4 closures.

YMMV but it was not as big of a problem as we anticipated it could be.

If the OP had not specifically asked about easy transportation I would not have been so emphatic. I am glad that you did not have many issues but my experience has been the opposite, with it closing every day at some point during my summer visits. Not all day, of course, but definitely afternoons and evenings. Perhaps I notice it more because I spend more time in Epcot than the other three parks combined. Being at Epcot and having the Skyliner close just as you reach International Gateway is the opposite of easy transportation. It is not quite as bad at the Studios since the buses and Skyliner are not so far apart. It is also bad to get stranded for a while at CBR because you made it onto the first leg of the Skyliner and then they closed it before you could make your connection.

I don’t let it keep me from staying at Pop, which is one of my favorites, but in the summer I don’t make any plans that could be affected by a Skyliner shutdown.

 

[WinterSolider]

Skyliner stopping for weather did not happen often for us. We visit the ladt 2 weeks of August. (11 nights in 2023 and 10 nights in 2024). We used the Skyliner often and over the 21 nights we only experienced 4 closures.

YMMV but it was not as big of a problem as we anticipated it could be.

What happens if you get to the back of Epcot and the Skyliner is closed? Do you have to walk all the way back through the park to get to the bus stop at the front?

 

[Brob2132]

I’m sure there’s actual data somewhere that shows how frequently it’s down. I suspect it’s not that often.

That’s the difficulty with relying on anecdotal evidence around the skyliner. One person never experiences it, while another may have had it on 50% of their four day trip.

 

[Dave006]

If you really need a another backup option, you might consider the Swan & Dolphin due to their location on Crescent lake.

@Disfamily55 I will add one additional feature available at the Swan, Swan Reserve, and the Dolphin all (3) offer in-room dining. Disney is still limited personal dining to only a Grand Floridian offering.

Dave

 

[fla4fun]

What happens if you get to the back of Epcot and the Skyliner is closed? Do you have to walk all the way back through the park to get to the bus stop at the front?

Yes, that has been our experience. Many times we have gone to the BC and called for a rideshare instead of making that long walk in bad weather, but that can bust your budget fast if it happens often. Also, they will only run the buses while it is down so you could get to the front and find no bus because the Skyliner is open.

When they first opened the Skyliner they would send the buses to one of the IG hotels (some people reported BC, some BW) but we have always been sent back to the front of the park. It’s too bad they can’t put up a permanent bus stop behind the scenes at IG to use when this happens. It would make transitioning from open to closed to open so much easier, for both guests and CMs.

 

[Disfamily55]

@Disfamily55 I will add one additional feature available at the Swan, Swan Reserve, and the Dolphin all (3) offer in-room dining. Disney is still limited personal dining to only a Grand Floridian offering.

Dave

I am going to review these options with my family tonight. We’ve never considered them before but for this trip they might be good options!

 

[Debbie Jean]

Just wanted to point out that the walkway from the Poly to the Epcot monorail is dead easy… or hop on the boat to MK. Makes transport to those parks very efficient.

 

[WinterSolider]

Yes, that has been our experience. Many times we have gone to the BC and called for a rideshare instead of making that long walk in bad weather, but that can bust your budget fast if it happens often. Also, they will only run the buses while it is down so you could get to the front and find no bus because the Skyliner is open.

When they first opened the Skyliner they would send the buses to one of the IG hotels (some people reported BC, some BW) but we have always been sent back to the front of the park. It’s too bad they can’t put up a permanent bus stop behind the scenes at IG to use when this happens. It would make transitioning from open to closed to open so much easier, for both guests and CMs.

Sounds awful. We've stayed at Caribbean Beach, Art of Animation, and Riviera but we've been super lucky in that we've never had a Skyliner closure due to weather.

 

[Dave006]

When they first opened the Skyliner they would send the buses to one of the IG hotels (some people reported BC, some BW) but we have always been sent back to the front of the park.

Yes and that was really hit or miss as to if the extra buses would be dispatched to the the BC or BW. The official answer is the bus option when the Skyliner is down is to redirect guests to the front of Epcot and the Resort bus loop. It can take the dispatch of these bus between Epcot and Skyliner resort to take quite a bit of time.

It’s too bad they can’t put up a permanent bus stop behind the scenes at IG to use when this happens.

They used to have a cool bus loop for special situations right where they built the IG Skyliner station.

Dave

 

[Lou'sMommy]

Just wanted to point out that the walkway from the Poly to the Epcot monorail is dead easy… or hop on the boat to MK. Makes transport to those parks very efficient.

I agree. We love the Beach Club, but without SAB, I wouldn't book there. When we stayed at the Poly last year, we were in Morea which was a very, very short walk to the TTC so I felt we had easy access to Epcot, as well as the Magic Kingdom.

We also have had several very nice stays at the Swan. The pool area is nice and it's very easy to get to the Studios or Epcot. It's a lot more cost effect than Beach Club too.

 

[DizneyFamof4]

Personally, especially in June's heat, I do not consider walking to HS as a benefit. LOL That's almost another mile of walking on a hot and humid day. POLY is great because it is a shorter walk to TCC for Epcot and you can use the monorail to MK. We also like BW over BC-YC.

 

[Mouse Tracker]

easiest access to parks

Hard to understand exactly what you mean as easy. Just getting on a bus and heading to a park is pretty easy transportation.

Easy park access is just walking from resort to park. Boardwalk resorts come mind for 2 parks, Poly is walkable for 1.

Wanting to stay Deluxe, I'll throw out Wilderness Lodge, nice pool and food options. Walk to a bus for park access, simple enough.

 

[Mouse Tracker]

buses and Epcot situation don’t make it easy

Please elaborate

Are you flying to Orlando? That, plus getting to the resort are way more difficult than anything you'll encounter in the bubble.

 

[elvispursley]

I’d seriously consider Sean/Dolphin if you want a nice pool. The pools at the resorts are very lovely and never felt crowded. Lots of shade for those of us who need it.