HELP!!! Lost in the maze.

[julznjess]

I have been trying to learn the layout of the resorts in order to pick the best for our 2005 (1st timers) trip. With a 4 yr old, I want the waiting to be at a minimum.

I am thinking of five nights, split between 2 resorts. I definately want to do the last 2-3 nights at BC for the pool and have read that the trip to Epcot and MGM should be fun and painless from there. Is that correct?

Then, for the first 2-3 nights am thinking the poly for a walk to MK. What resorts are on the monorail to MK and would be quick transport? How long is the bus ride from the AS? My dd is fascinated with buses, so that might be an option. But not if we are spending the whole day en route to the MK.

Thanks DIS experts!!!

 

[tar heel]

You are correct that getting to Epcot and MGM from the BC (as well as YC, BW, Swan and Dolphin) is painless. You cannot, however, walk from the Poly to MK. You can walk from CR and take the monorail from the Poly and GF. The bus ride from All Stars is not real long (10-15 minutes), but we had the unfortunate experience of having a 45 minute wait for the MK bus last summer -- others have reported much better luck. If you can afford the deluxe resorts, then let your daughter enjoy the bus ride to and from AK!

 

[ead79]

Hi! I think the idea of splitting your stay to maximize the transportation convenience is a great choice. We often do the same thing, and it has worked very well for us. The Beach Club sounds like an excellent choice for your Epcot resort (kids love Stormalong Bay), and you are right about the convenience there. It's a very short walk to Epcot (like less than 5 minutes) or you can take a boat and you can either walk (approx. 20 minutes but a nice flat path) or take a boat to Disney-MGM Studios.

As far as the monorail resorts go, your choices would be the Contemporary, the Polynesian, or the Grand Floridian. The Wilderness Lodge is also a Magic Kingdom area resort, but you must travel to the Magic Kingdom by either boat or bus from the Wilderness Lodge. The only resort that has a walking path to the Magic Kingdom is the Contemporary. Riding on the monorail is a very fun, efficient way to travel to the theme parks, and I love riding it. The way the resorts are layed out means that the first resort to drop guests off at the Magic Kingdom is the Grand Floridian, then the Polynesian, then the Contemporary. Then on the way back from the park the order is reversed (Contemporary gets dropped off first and so forth). It's not a long ride around the loop though, so which monorail resort isn't a huge deal maker or breaker.

I have found the All Star busses to be efficient, but the ride itself is longer to the parks then some of the other resorts. I think if you are looking to maximize your convenience I would stick with the Beach Club and one of the monorail resorts (I would just pick which one of those based on which theming you like the best). Your DS can always get a chance to ride the bus to the theme parks that aren't served by the monorail or boats at the resort you're at at the time.

Another good recommendation to save time is to pick up a copy of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World by Bob Sehlinger. It has detailed descriptions of the attractions (and mentions which ones might be frightening to small children so there aren't any surprises) and offers excellent time saving touring plans of the various parks. If the parks are a little too "commando style" for your vacation style, then they also offer customized touring plans to help minimize your wait in line based on when you plan to arrive and depart the parks and building in any needed nap times.

Enjoy your first trip!