Getting to Restaurants

[sbsmommy]

I'm a Disney novice...not sure if this is a restaurant or transportation question - but will try here.
If we stay at a moderate resort like CSR, with no car, and have the dining plan, are we going to have to plan our meals around what park we are in? I read that it is difficult to do meals at other resorts when you have no car. Would really like to do the Hoop-Dee-Doo or Polynesian Luau, but am wondering if that will be possible.
We haven't booked a trip yet, but am trying to figure out where we want to stay.

 

[B-Ride]

For restaurants that are in a park the best plan is to be in that park. Going to another park just for a meal doesn't make a lot of sense unless you are going from MK to Epcot or vice versa as you can easily use the monorail. However, this kind of strategy also requires the Park Hopper option which doesn't make as much sense to me if you are not getting a car.

The Lua and any other monrail resort meals are real easy to get to from MK via the resort monorail and to some extent from Epcot via the Epcot monorail and the resort monorail. Anything at the Polynesian is even easier from Epcot because you can walk to the Poly in under 10 minutes from the TTC.

All other resorts would require a bus from the park except those at the Wilderness Lodge which you can get to from MK with a ferry.

The problem is where you go afterwards as there are no buses from resort to resort.

For example, if you eat at the Polynesian after spending the day at MK you would jump on the resort monorail and go back to MK for fireworks and then get back to your resort using the bus.

However, if you spent the day at Epcot and took a bus to AKL for Boma then when you left going to CSR would not be as easy. I guess you would need a bus to AK (if they were still open) and then a bus to CSR.

This is one of the reasons we always rent a car. Opens up dining options everywhere and in your case where you aren't on the Dining Plan you can even go offsite.

Perhaps someone who doesn't rent a car can give you more ideas on dining at resorts and Downtown Disney.

 

[chocolateMinnie]

We have been three times now and never had a car. We are international visitors and the thought of driving on the 'wrong' side of the road fills me with dread.

We have eaten everywhere we wanted to staying three times at CSR and once at GF.

We have only taken taxis about three times from CSR to Boma which is really close and costs about $12. From there we go to a park for the evening by taking the AKL bus to the park we want to go in.

We always have hopper tickets. We go to a park in the morning. Back to CSR early afternoon to enjoy the Florida sun and have a swim. Change for dinner back out to whichever park we fancy that night.

Obviously the park restaurants are very easy as are those at Contemporary, Poly and GF. (Just get on the monorail). Hoop de Doo then go by bus to MK and over on the boat to the campground.

DTD restaurants are only a bus away.

We found CSR more convenient for park/resort hopping than GF because although GF has the boats and monorail its bus service is awful and CSR is outstanding. Only ever had a problem with the bus at CSR once which was on the monday morning of Presidents Day in February when we wanted to get to AK for early opening and all the buses were full.

Book where you fancy, we do and nothing will stop us.

 

[RMulieri]

If you have a park hopper you can dine where you want, otherwise you are limited to the park you are in for the day or a resort restaurant.We NEVER rent a car anymore, and always get Park hoppers.We schedule our meals wherever we feel like.Just have to budget enough travel time to get there using Disney transportation.

 

[Nadjalu]

"However, if you spent the day at Epcot and took a bus to AKL for Boma then when you left going to CSR would not be as easy. I guess you would need a bus to AK (if they were still open) and then a bus to CSR."

You would not have to catch a bus to AK, you can catch a bus going to the TTC (transportation and ticket center).

Yes moving between resorts can be a challenge but it is possible with a little planning. If they is no bus going directly to where you need you can always go to the TTC and catch a bus there. This helps when the parks close early like AK. It just adds time to your travel. Not unlike New York when taking the subway, transfering to get to where you need to go. Not convienient but possible.
Another way is to go to DTD and catch a bus there back to your home resort if you didn't want to go to the TTC. Just depends on which is closer.

I do try and plan my meals around which park I will be at, and then which resort is close to the park I will be at. Example, on my MK days I will eat in MK at Crystal Palace, then another night head to WL to eat at WCC. It is easy and quick.

It may be a good idea to get (or print) an overall map of DW property and look at what is close to what. (I still am not sure) That way you could see which resorts are close to which parks.

The only 2 parks to move easily thru the monorail is MK and Epcot.

Good luck planning, it is tedious but fun!

 

[Luv2Roam]

Without a vehicle, getting from resort to resort can be done. Just allow extra time. Figure very minimum of an hour, more like up to 1.5 hours. Otherwise take a taxi.
That's why many do not do this. It's either extra time or $.
However, the resorts have some very good restaurants.