Million $ Question - Monorail or Bus

[howtrace]

I can't decide between staying on a Monorail hotel, e.g. GF, or CR vs. the Beach Club or Dolphin. I'm going off-season (2nd week of November) (first Disney trip w/kids) and will have a 5 and 7 yr. with us. I plan on going back to the hotel for breaks.

I'm hearing different stories about how long the bus takes from the Dolphin/BC/YC area to the MK or EPCOT- some say its only a 15 min. ride and others say avoid the bus and drive, since the bus makes many stops and could take 30 min. or more to get to the MK., no matter when you go. I prefer not to rent a car, but if im going to have to wait for a bus with 2 kids every day i dont mind spending the extra $ to stay on a monorail resort or rent a car.

Also hearing conflicting stories about parking your car at the various resorts - long walks from parking lots, etc.

I'd like to hear your opinions, suggestions base don experiences.
Thanks!

 

[safetymom]

I suggest you post your transporation questions on the transportation board. You will get more answers. Welcome to the DIS.

 

[sunkissed212]

I'd pick any monorial resort first! but that's just my own opinion. I happen to like them better than any other resorts.

 

[MinnieMe67]

howtrace,

I would think that you may have answered your own question here. Given the fact that you're going to have younger children with you, and you mention taking breaks from the park, and you mention MK...I would say that a monorail resort would be for you.

Personally...the last three times we've been down we have rented a car just for the express purpose of not being tied down to a set transportation schedule. Yes...it is extra $$$, but in the scheme of the cost of the entire trip it's not all that bad.

The YC/BC/D/S area is great if you plan on doing Epcot and or MGM multiple times. You can walk/boat to Epcot or MGM from any of the Epcot area hotels. However, you must be aware that the busses from these resorts get filled up pretty fast, or at least they used to because they make the rounds to all of the Epcot hotels.

Whatever you decide have a great trip!!!

Brian

 

[PolyAddict]

I can't decide between staying on a Monorail hotel, e.g. GF, or CR vs. the Beach Club or Dolphin. I'm going off-season (2nd week of November) (first Disney trip w/kids) and will have a 5 and 7 yr. with us. I plan on going back to the hotel for breaks.

I'm hearing different stories about how long the bus takes from the Dolphin/BC/YC area to the MK or EPCOT- some say its only a 15 min. ride and others say avoid the bus and drive, since the bus makes many stops and could take 30 min. or more to get to the MK., no matter when you go. I prefer not to rent a car, but if im going to have to wait for a bus with 2 kids every day i dont mind spending the extra $ to stay on a monorail resort or rent a car.

Also hearing conflicting stories about parking your car at the various resorts - long walks from parking lots, etc.

I'd like to hear your opinions, suggestions base don experiences.
Thanks!

When we stayed Poly, I hate, hate, hated the bus!!!! Maybe it is better at other resorts. We loved, loved, loved the monorail. Never had to squeeze in or fold up the stroller!!! Try getting on a bus with three girls bags and a stoller yuk!!! WE will drive to the other parks from now on. I hated waiting on the bus then squeezing on only to have others get on before you that came after you. No organization at all. Survival of the fittest only on those busses!!

Michele

 

[maxiesmom]

I would definately choose a monorail resort. We stayed at the CR in October, and you just can't beat it. We were in the north wing, and it was only a 5 minute walk to the Magic Kingdom. Wonderful if you want to take breaks. And it is only a short monorail ride to whatever park you want to go.

 

[jimmiej]

We've done both areas. AT CR, we had our niece & nephew, ages 8 & 11. Also stayed at Swan. We overwhelmingly prefer the Boardwalk area. I know I'm in the minority here. What I didn't like about the monorail from CR was, 1) You still have to make three stops (TTC, Poly, & GF) on the way to the MK. The walk from our south wing room to MK was taxing with kids in the Florida heat; 2) switching monorails at the TTC to get to Epcot. Again a real pain in the heat & you still have to wait in line for another monorail train.

The bus from the Swan was very efficient. Yes, we did make stops at Y & BC sometimes, but the overall trip times were not a problem as I remember it. We decided we prefer the straight shot of bus service.

I would definately choose a monorail resort. We stayed at the CR in October, and you just can't beat it. We were in the north wing, and it was only a 5 minute walk to the Magic Kingdom. Wonderful if you want to take breaks. And it is only a short monorail ride to whatever park you want to go.

The last sentence here is confusing. The monorail only services MK & Epcot.

 

[eeyore0062]

With young children, I would suggest a monorail resort. There you will have the option of either taking a the monorail or a boat launch, both of which your kids will love!

I feel either the Contemporary or Polynesian are best suited for kids. At the Polynesian, you will find the Neverland Club, so if you and your husband need a night out, the kids can stay there, and it won't be such a long way back to your room. The kids will also love the white sandy beachs with bench swings, and hammocks, and the volcano pool with the slide. As for the Contemporary, they now have a pool with a slide, as well. We call the Contemporary "Mickey's Resort", because there are so many references to Mickey. Also, the kids love the idea that the monorail goes straight through the building. It also has the added convenience of being within walking distance to the MK, so you can bypass long lines for the monorail or boat when returning to your room. Also, when coming back from the MK, it is the 1st stop on the monorail.

Whatever you choose, I am sure you will have a Magical time!

 

[pumpkinboy]

FYI, they have seperated YC/BC from the Epcot loop, so this resort has its own bus now, pretty much alleviating the bus transportation difficulties that had been troublesome in the past.

With kids 5 and 7 (my kids' ages too) the awesome and enormous themed pool at YC/BC is really worth considering. The monorail resorts are great for visiting MK, but we love the ability to walk to both Epcot and MGM from the Epcot area resorts (S/D/YC/BC/BW). Also, the dining both at Epcot and at the Epcot resorts can;t be beat.

Have fun deciding.

 

[PlutoPony]

For kids that age, a monorail resort would be easiest if you think you'll be spending most of your time at MK and Epcot. If you opt for the Poly, you have the added benefit of being able to walk to the TTC to catch the Epcot mono, so those 2 parks are very easy to get to in a straight shot. We may be in a minority here, but found bus service to be pretty good. But when we're on vacation we're pretty low key, and even 9 yo DS was mostly content to hang out 10 minutes waiting for a bus. Cars ARE very beneficial if you're doing a lot of resort to resort transferring IMHO. That can be time consuming via WDW transport.

Have fun!

 

[DisneyMomx7]

With kids your age definitely go for the monorail resorts. They usually want to go to MK more and it's soooooo convenient. Plus you get to see the fireworks from those resorts so you don't have to wait with the crowds.

 

[ILoveWDW2003]

I'm going off-season (2nd week of November)

Early November is getting more crowded than it used to be - I am not sure if you could call it off-season anymore. There is the Jersey week crowds, Super Soap Weekend, Food and Wine Festival, Festival of the Masters, etc....

 

[swilphil]

I would probably do a split stay--4 days at a monorail resort and 3 days at the Dolphin. We've stayed at the Dolphin and loved it. The monorail resorts tend to be a little pricey for us, so we can only afford to stay there for 3 nights. The Dolphin offers some great rates for a deluxe resort. You can do MK during the first part of your trip, and Epcot/MGM during the last part. That way you never have to get on a bus! If you do decide to take a bus from the Dolphin, we found the service this summer to be much improved over a year ago. The bus picked up at the Swan, the Dolphin and then headed to the parks!

 

[webray]

Well, EPCOT from the Dolphin is a very short walk. The Dolphin is fantastic, tubbi's for the kids (a 24/7 restaurant with wonderful food). Speaking of food..staying at the Dolphin..puts you very close to a lot of food options.

Staying at GF..not very many great food options. Staying at CR..well, their fast food place is ok. The pool/slide are nice. Walking to MK is the only great thing really. You can walk faster than the monorail can get you there.
If you aren't going to be spending every single day in MK..I would go with an EPCOT resort. Our choice..definately the dolphin. We have stayed many times and we love it.

 

[jarestel]

Monorail hotels are pretty good if you plan to mainly visit the MK, though the cost of having monorail access can be substantially more than the price of a rental car for a week. Epcot and MGM access is very easy from the main Epcot Resort area via boat or just walking, probably as easy if not easier than monorail access to the MK, though busses to MK, as you indicated, can be iffy. Actually, the monorails can be quite crowded during peak times, so you don't really escape that sardine feeling when using them at those times. We like staying at the "monorail" hotels, but wouldn't do so just to have a few monorail rides since if you break down the cost of those rides, they can be pretty expensive. If you like the resorts, by all means stay there and enjoy monorail access to the MK, but I wouldn't make a decision to stay just because of the monorail.

 

[princess-rn]

I would go monorail all the way. It's faster and more fun!

 

[micmacmissy]

We just went with two small kids (2, 4) and NO rental car. We stayed at the GF and it was easy to ride the monorail to Epcot and MK--no problem and only minutes each way.

We took the bus from the GF to the Animal Kingdom, and it was very easy and fast on the way there. The way home it was more crowded, but still pretty easy. I think the bus service from GF is better than bus service elsewhere; we were always the last resort picked up and the first dropped off--we didn't have to spend 45 minutes on the bus stopping at other hotels.

We didn't need a rental car at all--GF was very convenient!

One last piece of advice: Avoid the Contemporary Resort! I couldn't believe what an absolute dump it was--it shocked me that people pay top dollar for that resort. It was dark and gloomy, all cement and low ceilings, it looked like a prison. Compared to the GF it looked like a sewer. Honestly--it was that bad. So if you choose this hotel, I'd look at photos of it first so you aren't disappointed--I couldn't believe how old, ugly, and depressing it was!

 

[maxiesmom]

The post calling the Contemporary dark and gloomy made me laugh out loud! The hallways may be a little blah, but no one who has ever stayed there would call the guest rooms dark and gloomy!

 

[micmacmissy]

You may be right--I've never been inside a guest room at the Contemporary--but who makes it that far, the lobby is so scary!!!?

I'm sorry to all those CR lovers, but aside from the California Grill, which we loved, the CR was a dump! Why don't they just renovate the lobby interiors? You cannot even compare that hotel on the same scale as the Poly or GF!

 

[TDC Nala]

If what you want to do is spend most of your time at Epcot and MK, consider the Polynesian. There is the added attraction there of being able to walk to the TTC and take the monorail to Epcot. If you want multiple visits to MK and very little in the way of other parks, go for the MK resort area.

If you're planning on visits to all theme parks and MK will be a part of your plans only and not your major target, the Epcot resorts are within walking distance of both Epcot and the Studios (it's a long walk to the studios if you don't take the boat) and has buses to other parks. It's sometimes easier to take the bus to MK than to drive there, since the buses drop off right at the entrance plaza and not at the TTC.

You cannot take a bus to Epcot from any of the Epcot resorts. Their transportation to Epcot is by boat. These boats travel from Epcot to the Studios and back, stopping at all Epcot resorts. The entire circuit takes about a half hour.