How to beat the CR transportation blues?

[MolonLabe]

How to beat the CR transportation blues?

When we stayed in Nov 2012 buses were awful.

The monorail was hit or miss due to either a down train (why is it the one that's always on the resort line?) or because it was shut down early.

We did MK several days that trip and wound up walking most of the time.

After the bus debacle for DHS and hearing every other guest at CR complaining we didn't even bother waiting on a bus for our early ADR at Tusker in AK, we took a cab instead.

I must say the transport situation there is pathetic.

We are going back in September with 3 days at MK and a MNSSHP night so worst case we'll be doing some extra walking. We are skipping AK this trip for a third say at Epcot and then one day at DHS. I pretty much already resigned myself to a cab ride to DHS that morning.

Anyone have any tricks for getting around when staying at CR?

 

[disd55]

There is also Monorail to TTC and a bus from there to DHS. There are buses to AK and DHS from the TTC. You could also walk to MK, take a bus to an Epcot resort, and take a boat from there to DHS. During MNSSHP, transportation to MK should be frequent. I remember it that way.

 

[OKW Lover]

IMHO, the transportation system at the Contemporary is no worse than any other resort. Some folks are fine with mass transportation, some not so much. I'd suggest that the latter group would be best served by renting a car.

 

[MolonLabe]

IMHO, the transportation system at the Contemporary is no worse than any other resort. Some folks are fine with mass transportation, some not so much. I'd suggest that the latter group would be best served by renting a car.

I don't mind mass transit in and of itself.

The bus service at POP a few years ago was fantastic. We spent a week there and waits for buses were short heading out every morning. *Yes they have dedicated buses, but so what, why shouldn't a Deluxe have the same level of service as a value?

Return trips to POP could see long waits but I don't expect miracles when leaving at closing time.

My problem is that you can wait 30-60 minutes for a bus at CR.

As to renting a car, cost and time wise a cab would be more efficient. Which is what we did. Even though I had a car, it was easier to call down for a cab walk out, hop in and get dropped off right in front.

The MK walk was a trek we made many times. I would have rather taken the monorail back at night but with the resort rail shutting down early that wasn't an option most nights.

If MK is open, the resort rail should be running IMO. Isn't that one of the major reasons for staying "on the monorail"?

 

[lmhall2000]

I don't mind mass transit in and of itself.

The bus service at POP a few years ago was fantastic. We spent a week there and waits for buses were short heading out every morning. *Yes they have dedicated buses, but so what, why shouldn't a Deluxe have the same level of service as a value?

Return trips to POP could see long waits but I don't expect miracles when leaving at closing time.

My problem is that you can wait 30-60 minutes for a bus at CR.

As to renting a car, cost and time wise a cab would be more efficient. Which is what we did. Even though I had a car, it was easier to call down for a cab walk out, hop in and get dropped off right in front.

The MK walk was a trek we made many times. I would have rather taken the monorail back at night but with the resort rail shutting down early that wasn't an option most nights.

If MK is open, the resort rail should be running IMO. Isn't that one of the major reasons for staying "on the monorail"?

I would say it was a bad week, when we were at CR we had no prolem, maybe less than 5 minute wait each time, but we were early park goers, maybe hey have more running in the am and at closing? I do remember using TTC at times, but maybe that was when we stayed at Poly...hope it is better!

 

[MolonLabe]

I would say it was a bad week, when we were at CR we had no prolem, maybe less than 5 minute wait each time, but we were early park goers, maybe hey have more running in the am and at closing? I do remember using TTC at times, but maybe that was when we stayed at Poly...hope it is better!

We were hitting the parks at opening each morning or pre RD. For example our DHS morning we had plans of hitting Jedi Training and then TSM... Thanks to the CR buses we made it into the last group of the day for Jedi Training.

Long talks with lots of fellow guests waiting on the bus that morning, that's when I knew that for our first thing ADR at Tusker we would be taking a cab. After conversing with guests on the trip back that night and on the monorail waits just reenforced what we were experiencing.

 

[Alexander]

IMHO, the transportation system at the Contemporary is no worse than any other resort. Some folks are fine with mass transportation, some not so much. I'd suggest that the latter group would be best served by renting a car.

Not necessarily true. When you spend all that extra money or points to stay at a monorail resort and the monorail is down 4 out of 6 times you try to take it, there is a real problem with the transportation system there. We hate the busses and thought what a great way to go without a car because we can monorail or walk to MK and monorail to Epcot. Yeah right! The freaking monorail was down more than it was up!

I ended up spending as much on cabs as I would have if I just rented a car.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Maybe try a split stay instead? We are doing BC in the first part of our trip and then switching to the CR. So we'll see DHS and Epcot from BC and then MK from the CR. (No AK this time) Then you can technically walk everywhere (although DHS is a bit far, but still doable in a pinch).

 

[MolonLabe]

Maybe try a split stay instead? We are doing BC in the first part of our trip and then switching to the CR. So we'll see DHS and Epcot from BC and then MK from the CR. (No AK this time) Then you can technically walk everywhere (although DHS is a bit far, but still doable in a pinch).

We always travel on Free Dining so split stay isn't economical for us.

I try and keep us running from open to close each day (since we only visit WDW once a year) and having to pack up and move mid trip isn't something I look forward to either.

We are focusing on MK and EP this trip, 3 days MK and a resort/MNSSHP day and then 3 EP days, so transport won't be as big of an issue this trip as it was on the last one... DHS is going to be a cab ride over in the morning unless something changes.

Assuming the resort rail is running long enough each day to make the single hop over to TTC on our way out each morning EP shouldn't be bad either. With 3 EP days, I'm not as worried about time and getting there at open.

 

[ArwenMarie]

We always travel on Free Dining so split stay isn't economical for us.

I try and keep us running from open to close each day (since we only visit WDW once a year) and having to pack up and move mid trip isn't something I look forward to either.

We are focusing on MK and EP this trip, 3 days MK and a resort/MNSSHP day and then 3 EP days, so transport won't be as big of an issue this trip as it was on the last one... DHS is going to be a cab ride over in the morning unless something changes.

Assuming the resort rail is running long enough each day to make the single hop over to TTC on our way out each morning EP shouldn't be bad either. With 3 EP days, I'm not as worried about time and getting there at open.

3 EP days will be awesome! Have a great trip!

 

[MolonLabe]

3 EP days will be awesome! Have a great trip!

Thank you. I'm a little worried about what we are going to do for 3 EP days. My wife and girls can waste a lot time in the shops though, so at least this trip I won't feel pressured about time.

 

[buzzrelly]

We just spent 8 nights at CR in April and never had a problem or delay with the monorail or busses. I was worried because I've heard reports of the monorail breaking down, but it didn't even break down once while we were there. And we did a LOT of park hopping from MK to EP and used it MANY times. We also never had a very long wait for any of the busses. I think the longest we waited for any bus was to Typhoon Lagoon, but I think that's because it goes other place too. But even then, it wasn't more than a 15 minute wait. I would say you had some bad luck before but I certainly wouldn't worry about it. I think you'll have a wonderful stay at the CR!

And by the way, I'm not sure of your girl's ages, but my kids LOVED Agent P's adventure in EPCOT! We went back a few times and did all of the different countries. They had a blast!

 

[MolonLabe]

We just spent 8 nights at CR in April and never had a problem or delay with the monorail or busses. I was worried because I've heard reports of the monorail breaking down, but it didn't even break down once while we were there. And we did a LOT of park hopping from MK to EP and used it MANY times. We also never had a very long wait for any of the busses. I think the longest we waited for any bus was to Typhoon Lagoon, but I think that's because it goes other place too. But even then, it wasn't more than a 15 minute wait. I would say you had some bad luck before but I certainly wouldn't worry about it. I think you'll have a wonderful stay at the CR!

And by the way, I'm not sure of your girl's ages, but my kids LOVED Agent P's adventure in EPCOT! We went back a few times and did all of the different countries. They had a blast!

That's good to hear, I'm glad thins went well for you. Maybe we will risk the bus on our DHS morning.

Agent P... my girls will be 7 and 9. I'm thinking about doing it this trip. Might as well, lol.

I need to look in to how it works.

 

[Momoftwins+1]

We just spent 8 nights at CR in April and never had a problem or delay with the monorail or busses. I was worried because I've heard reports of the monorail breaking down, but it didn't even break down once while we were there. And we did a LOT of park hopping from MK to EP and used it MANY times. We also never had a very long wait for any of the busses. I think the longest we waited for any bus was to Typhoon Lagoon, but I think that's because it goes other place too. But even then, it wasn't more than a 15 minute wait. I would say you had some bad luck before but I certainly wouldn't worry about it. I think you'll have a wonderful stay at the CR!

And by the way, I'm not sure of your girl's ages, but my kids LOVED Agent P's adventure in EPCOT! We went back a few times and did all of the different countries. They had a blast!

We never had a problem either with transportation from the CR (and DH was in a wheel chair due to a broken foot a month prior so we HAD to take transportation everywhere pretty much). I will say I loved that we could walk to and from MK...we loved watching all the crowds and closing and bypassing them and walking back in 5 mins on our own...it was a lovely perk! (even when pushing a wheelchair)

I agree, my three LOVED the Agent P adventure. If we had more time they would have done them all. They were 8, 6 and 6 at the time. All you do is go up to the area in the park you want to do the adventure and talk to the people set up to give you the phone thing that gives the messages etc. They sign you up and hand you the device and off you go...all...over haha. Then when its complete there is a drop box for the device. Great idea for kids in a not so kid exciting place at times.

 

[spiceycat]

yes all the deluxe resorts have horrible transportation expect to their parks.

then it is pretty good - either walking, boating or monorail.

would hardily ever take the monorail to or from the MK - if staying at BLT. You can walk faster..... old and walk fairly slow. plus if you come out of the mk to the left - away from the monorails - where the buses are - you are really closer to BLT than you think.

the walk is easier for me than going up the ramp to the monorail.

 

[disneynanacat]

I'm hoping for stress free transportation at the CR too.

 

[TJA]

Well all I have to say is good luck! We love both CR and Poly, but oh my gosh the bus transportation has always been BAD for us. I will say catching a bus to HS at TTC was much better than the resort bus. No matter what time we go to the resort bus stop -- rope drop, early morning, late morning, early afternoon, etc., it just doesn't matter -- we always have to wait, wait, wait and then when the bus finally does come it's stuffed full before we even get on it. I just don't understand it ~ we pay so much to stay at these beautiful deluxe resorts and the bus transportation is usually not good. We visit Pop and AoA so the kids can play in the fun arcades and those buses are A+ awesome. Very efficient. One bus practically comes right after one just leaves for the same park.

Anyway, OP, you have a good plan for park days and you should be fine. When our kids were younger, we used to totally skip AK due to buses. Now we go to AK and every single trip we say "never again..." It's too bad, really....cause it's such a cute park.

 

[spiceycat]

when you do complaint to management - you get told that there are more people in the value resorts - so wdw would receive more complaints

that say when you talk to transportation - since the hotels are paying for it - it is up to the hotels.