Fun Travel Tips within Disneyworld Please

[meredithR]

Hi Everyone,
I am new to DIS and am looking for any help you can give. My family is planning our first trip to Disneyworld in July. We have two children DS age 4 and DD age 6. We will be staying at the Yachtclub, but have ADRs at many restaurants at other resorts. I have been warned by friends and by this forum that travelling around Disneyworld can be somewhat difficult. Therefore, my goal is to try to make the travel as much a part of the "fun experience" as I can.
My general plan for the trip is to get up early, take the bus to the parks, return to the hotel at around 1:00-2:00 pm, rest and relax for a couple hours and then head out for our dinner reservations (Most of which I have made for about 5:30) I am looking for any tips that you can provide. For example, I have read that the kids can sit in the front of the monorail. So, I am thinking the night of our ADR at Citrico's we will take the hotel bus to the MK and then take the monorail to the GF. I also want to use some of the boats, but don't know enough about them yet.
Our Dinner ADRs are at

Jiko
Artist Point
Citrico
Le Cellier
Yachtsman Steakhouse
Flying Fish
California Grill
Chef Mickey's Buffet

Most nights, after dinner, I am planning on us taking a cab back to the Yachtclub, so that we can quickly get our tired darlings into bed.
Any input at all that you could give would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much in advance,
Meredith

 

[goofy4tink]

Hi and Welcome to the DIS boards. So glad you are here asking questions!!! So, lets get to them...

You're right...it can be hard getting from resort to resort. You should be fine for those ADRs that are in a park....like LeCellier. For those within a resort, it takes a bit more planning. For each resort, you should take the bus to the park that is the closest to the resort. For example...Artist Point is at WL, so take the bus to MK and then the boat from MK to WL. For Chef Mickeys, go to MK and then walk, via the pathway, to the CR. Same for California Grill. Also, for Citrico's...MK and then the monorail or the boat to GF.
For Jiko, take the AK bus and then switch over to the AKL bus. For Flying Fish and Yachtsman, you'll be at the YC already so those are no problem. Just walk over to the boardwalk area for FF.

Just reverse is to get back to your resort. The other thing you can do is to take a Friendship boat to MGM and then take the appropriate resort bus from there. If it's late and there are no parks open, then take a cab. Or, just plan on a cab with the little ones. It really is quicker to do it that way, especially if you need to get them to bed.

The only time I would not head to the park that was the closest is if you are already in a park. Say you're in MK and you need to go to Jiko...obviously you won't need to go to AK, you would just take the AKL bus right from MK.
Hope this is somewhat clear and is of some help. If not, just ask again. Sometimes I know what I want to say but it gets all mudged up!!

As far as riding up front in the monorail, just be aware that only 4 people will be allowed up there. You have to ask the Monorail platform attendent if there is space available. If you want, they will most likely let you wait for a car that has an opening.