Epcot Monorail when staying at Dolphin

[KIS]

Does anyone know how long it takes to get to the Epcot monorail from the dolphin hotel?

I was thinking that using the monorail from Epcot might be a fine alternative to the bus to certain locations.

Has anyone tried this method? For which other places was it convenient?

KIS

 

[cherylp3]

Well you would need to the epcot Monorail and then walk to the Back of the Park then you need to Walk or take the boat to the hotel.

Also remember you need to change monorails at TTC if you are planning on MK.

 

[erikthewise]

By the time you have walked from the Dolphin to the Epcot monorail, you could have likely been on a bus to your destination.

The Epcot monorail is at the extreme far end of Epcot from the Dolphin, roughly a mile away. It's about a 10 minute walk from the Dolphin to the International gate to Epcot, and another 10+ minutes to the monorail. Then you may have to wait another 5-10 minutes for the monorail. At the other end you arrive at the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) near the Polynesian resort.

I would only recommend this for the following, and only if you enjoy walking.
-- Dolphin to Polynesian (e.g. for dining). Just walk from the TTC to the Polynesian; it's only 5 minutes. There's a good chance you can beat a bus this way as you would have to transfer somewhere. Even if there is a bus Dolphin-TTC, it probably makes other stops.
-- This may also be a reasonable way to get to the other MK resorts by taking a monorail or bus (to WL) from TTC.
-- An adventure when you don't care about taking the fastest route.

 

[Lewisc]

The other reason to cut through EPCOT is if you wanted to try an attraction (Test Track, Mission Space) in the early AM on your way through.

 

[KIS]

Thanks. I guess that's all there is to it, huh? KIS

 

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by KIS
Does anyone know how long it takes to get to the Epcot monorail from the dolphin hotel?

I was thinking that using the monorail from Epcot might be a fine alternative to the bus to certain locations.

Has anyone tried this method? For which other places was it convenient?

KIS

I would not do this. The buse from the Dolphin to the MK is not bad ride at all. By the time you walked from the Dolphin to the International Gateway and all of the way to the front of EC you might have already caught the bus and be on your way or at the MK.

I my view this method is not convenient at all.

 

[KIS]

I'm asking because I've never been to WDW and wanted to know well in advance while I'm planning. KIS

 

[erikthewise]

Another issue here is that you will not be allowed to walk through Epcot just to ride the monorail; you must somehow pay for park admission. If you are using a park hopper pass, it will cost a day on your pass. If you are going to other parks on that same day, this doesn't matter, but you should be aware of it.

 

[KIS]

I had been thinking of this as a possible mode of transportation on the days we would be using the parks, but it sounds like the majority of folks think it's ill-advised for MK daytime, at least.

KIS

 

[poohbear7]

Kis

It's about a 15 min. bus ride to the Magic Kingdom.

 

[KIS]

I've heard so many different stories about that. Is that the concensus 15 minutes travel time to MK from Dolphin by bus?

KIS

 

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by KIS
I've heard so many different stories about that. Is that the concensus 15 minutes travel time to MK from Dolphin by bus?

KIS

Yes. We stayed at the Dolphin in Aug of 2002 and the buses to the MK and the AK are very quick.

From the Dolphin you can either walk or take a boat to EC and MGM.

To AK, MK and DTD you take a bus. The bus stop it right out front of the Dolphin.

 

[Kitty 34]

I've stayed at the Dolphin twice. The only time we used the Epcot monorail to MK was after we had visited attractions in Epcot. It was quicker to jump on the monorail to MK, then going all the way back to the Dolphin and catching the bus.

 

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by Kitty 34
I've stayed at the Dolphin twice. The only time we used the Epcot monorail to MK was after we had visited attractions in Epcot. It was quicker to jump on the monorail to MK, then going all the way back to the Dolphin and catching the bus.

I would agree with this plan. If someone was planning on hopping between EC and MK then doing the morning at EC and grabbing the monoril to the MK for the afternoon is a good idea. I would then take the bus back to the Dolphin when you were done for the day.

I would not reconmend walking from the Dolphin through EC just to ride the monorail to the MK which is what the OP was thinking of doing.

 

[KIS]

Dear Tiffany and Kitty34,

Thank you for your further explanation. That makes good sense to me.

It's good to hear that the bus stops right in front of the Dolphin.

Do you know how often they tend to run at the end of April? We are booked at 4/24 - 5/02,2004.

KIS

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Buses run every 15-20 minutes.

 

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by KIS
Dear Tiffany and Kitty34,

Thank you for your further explanation. That makes good sense to me.

It's good to hear that the bus stops right in front of the Dolphin.

Do you know how often they tend to run at the end of April? We are booked at 4/24 - 5/02,2004.

KIS

Officially they tell you that they run about every 20min. So when we arrive at a bus stop I will usually check my watch and in all of our trips there have been every few times when a bus did not arrive with in 20min of us arriving at a stop. When we stayed at the Dolphin in Aug of 2002 the buses were great. Not even 10min waits.