Monorail access at BLT: a net positive, or a net negative?

[gkrykewy]

And now for your provocative thread of the day . This is probably a general discussion about monorail resorts, but since BLT is the first DVC property with monorail access, it seemed appropriate to discuss it here.

We recently returned from a stay at BLT which we enjoyed thoroughly. This was my first stay in the contemporary or any monorail resort for a very long time.

Obviously the monorail is a signature WDW element, and a very attractive component of BLT's appeal. The monorail, rather than the Magic Kingdom, is in BLT's logo. And frankly I love the monorail... I loved being in the contemporary atrium and seeing them whoosh by, or watching them from our lake view balcony. And like everyone else, I love riding them.

However, aesthetic and emotional elements of the monorail aside, this thread is about the transportation impacts of the monorail for our BLT stay.

Here are my observations:

1. The main benefits of the monorail from a transportation standpoint in comparison to other DVC resorts are: a) access to other monorail resorts [e.g., dinner at ohana] and b) access to the magic kingdom.

2. Given that the "resort loop" monorail only operates in one direction, we actually found that on average per-direction, it was faster and more convenient to walk from BLT to the MK than to take the monorail. Therefore, the BLT-MK monorail connection is of marginal or no benefit.

3. To my surprise, I found that it took us significantly longer to get to/from EPCOT and BLT by monorail than between EPCOT and AKV by bus. This is largely due to the lack of a one-seat ride: having to transfer monorails at the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) is inconvenient, and adds both wait time and travel time. In particular, the trip back to BLT from EPCOT can be *very* long, owing in part to having to take the resort loop monorail the "long way" around seven seas lagoon for the return trip. I clocked this trip at about 40 minutes from boarding a monorail at EPCOT to arriving at the contemporary, not counting wait time on the EPCOT side.

4. The bus service from Contemporary/BLT to *anywhere* (e.g., Hollywood Studios, AK park) is just dreadful. Buses are shared with the Poly and GF, and the contemporary is the first stop en route. The alternative is to take the monorail to the TTC and transfer to a bus, but this again adds significantly to travel times and reduces convenience.

In conclusion, aside from the resort/MK loop, my impression is that far from being a transportation amenity, the monorail actually serves in some ways as a liability for four-park visitors: it provides an excuse for lower transportation service quality to other parks and destinations (e.g., DTD) than any other resort I've ever experienced on-property. For BLT guests, the monorail is only meaningfully useful for trips between the monorail resorts, since it's faster and easier to walk to/from the MK, and EPCOT would be more conveniently accessible with direct bus service.

 

[Wigit12]

We were kind of thinking the same thing after visiting in July for lunch at The Wave. It seemed to take a long time to get there and back from SSR and DTD. We're staying in March and plan to utilize the monorail by planning meals around "the loop".
We'd already figured it was going to take us longer to get to Epcot and DHS. I never felt the monorail was the big pull for us. We want to try the new resort because we think the rooms are beautiful. But we tend to spend more time in Epcot.

 

[Muhlenberg]

It has always been faster to walk to the MK from the Contemporary, and vice versa, unless you stay in the tower, then it may be faster to take the monorail BACK from the MK to the tower. The resort monorail is a minimum 20 minutes, round trip. At BLT, walking will always be faster to/from the MK. For us, and how we travel, and who's with us, we've for the most part used the monorail to/from the MK. (It allows sitting for old people, since my parents are with us a lot of times.) The same sort of thing applies for going to Epcot.

I think the value of the monorail is ease of transpotration to the other monorail resorts for dining. It's also convenience, particularly with old people, or children in strollers. So it does add value to BLT. However, I think they've OVERDONE the value with the point chart. To me, BLT isn't really "worth" all those points, even though I plan on staying there occasionally. I also think they've overdone the furnishings in terms of how upscale they are, hence the need for a higher points chart.

Although I haven't stayed at AKV yet (3 more weeks!), I tend to agree with you about the transportation issue. The buses aren't shared, so it's a direct shot to wherever you're going. The other thing I've recently examined with AKV, is the ability to stay in a variety of accomodations for a variety of points.

That said...lately we've been driving. For a variety of reasons, mostly health issues.

 

[Chic]

I am a parent with a two year old and here is my opinion regarding the monorail access at BLT. If I'm going to the Magic Kingdom or EPCOT, I don't have to remove my child from her stroller to board the monorail. All strollers have to be broken down when riding a bus. This is an inconvenience and even more of an inconvenience when we have to wake the child and remove her from the stroller. If it's raining like it does very frequently in Orlando, we don't have to expose ourselves to the elements once we leave the Magic Kingdom or EPCOT. It's frustrating to get off a bus and step out into a downpour of rain before walking to our room. Going the other direction, it's a pain to walk out of your room heading to dinner in EPCOT and getting soaked only to find the sun is out by the time you arrive at the park. Therefore, you have to spend dinner and the rest of the evening soaking wet. Also, we visit the Magic Kingdom much more often during each trip as opposed to the other parks. For example, a one week trip typically consists of 7 visits to the Magic kingdom, one to Animal Kingdom, none or one to Hollywood Studios, and 4 to EPCOT. Our commute time is approximately 10 minutes to the Magic Kingdom whether we walk or take the monorail. With this in mind, the monorail access at BLT sounds very appealing.

 

[wdrl]

I understand the OP is considering the monorail only in terms of speed, or the time it takes to get from point A to point B. The OP makes some very good points about some of the limitations with the monorail system when considered in this manner. However, there is another perspective that should be considered when determining the value of the monorail system. If a guest is wheelchair-bound or has other mobility problems, BLT's access to the monorail system is a huge advantage. A party with a handicapped guest can use the monorail system to access MK and Epcot, which means they only have to rely on the bus system for access to AK and HS. The monorail system can accommodate far more wheelchairs than a bus, which can only hold two at a time. If there are three or more parties with wheelchairs waiting at a bus stop, then only two can board the bus and the others will have to wait. And waiting for a second bus sometimes adds 10 to 30 minutes to your commute.

My personal experience has me believe that I can usually find a seat on the monorail, but I might get on a bus that has standing-room only. And unfortunately, I have seen several times where seemingly able-bodied adults or teenagers don't offer their seats to little children or aged guests. This is another convenience of the monorail system.

I have made the walk from the Contemporary to the MK. Although it is a short walk, it can be a taxing walk to handicapped guests that are not wheelchair bound, not to mention to 3 year olds whose parents don't have strollers until they rent them inside a park. Although some people can make that walk faster than riding the monorail, others will find that the monorail lets them arrive a little bit more refreshed.

Some guests may measure the value of the monorail in terms of speed, others will view it in terms of convenience, and still others may consider it an attraction. But that is the beauty of Disney: It appeals to all of us for different reasons, and if we look for those reasons, we can usually find them.

 

[Granny]

In conclusion, aside from the resort/MK loop, my impression is that far from being a transportation amenity, the monorail actually serves in some ways as a liability for four-park visitors: it provides an excuse for lower transportation service quality to other parks and destinations (e.g., DTD) than any other resort I've ever experienced on-property. For BLT guests, the monorail is only meaningfully useful for trips between the monorail resorts, since it's faster and easier to walk to/from the MK, and EPCOT would be more conveniently accessible with direct bus service.

You make many good points, but frankly I think the situation is very similar to BCV/BWV substituting the monorail for a slow boat. My guess is that in general you can get to any monorail destination faster than using the boat from BWV or BCV to get to EPCOT or DHS.

And BWV bus service to other locations has always been problematic.

So the only thing I would disagree with is the claim that BLT has the worst overall transportation service. I'd say in general it's a push with BWV with the advantage to BLT because it does allow easy access to two other resorts on the loop.

 

[SoCalKDG]

We are going to be there in Feb. and chose BLT because we are only going to the MK (twice) and Epcot (once). We will walk to the MK in the mornings and take the monorail back in the evenings. I actually like the ride to Epcot by monorail. Might be slower, but great view.

 

[YourEveryDayAdam]

There are a few considerations about the monorail that must be kept in mind:

The monorails run continuously throughout the day. If I had to guess, it's about 5 minutes between monorail trains at each station. Vs "20 to 30 minutes" between each bus. They are consistent and they are reliable. I can't tell you how many times i've waited 40-60 minutes for the right bus to come to the bus stop. What you'll find with the monorail isn't so much a speed increase in travel time, but a consistent and reliable flow of transportation to where you want to go. No more waiting forever for the next bus to the MK.

With the monorail you don't HAVE to leave two hours before your dinner reservation at Epcot because of the unknowns with the busses. You could get away with leaving 30-45 minutes before.

With the monorail, you could also avoid the direct bus by taking the monorail to the TTC and catching a bus from there to DHS, AKV, TL or BB. On the way back, you could just grab whichever bus comes first...TTC or Resort bus.

 

[puntagordabob]

Other posters have hit it on the head but here is my thoughts on BLT some related to monorail an some not!

Being from Florida I know how the rains work here... Monorail helps you avoid the rain for the most part...

Secondly, the knowledge that a monorail is coming shortly is a good thing versus the "When will the bus arrive game" that we all hate so much.

And here is a NON-Monorail bonus to the CR (BLT is part of the CR of course) that no one has mentioned.... Want to go directly to a resort or directly back (for the most part)?????? Walk the five minutes over to the MK bus parking lot and pick your pleasure!!!!!! Want to get back to the CR??? No problem, hop a bus from whatever resort you at that goes to the MK and you are Home!

Also, thanks to the Contempo Cafe, IMHO you have the best CS burgers on property Not that THAT is really pertinent to this thread lol but couldn resist.

I *LOVE* the CR and that includes BLT where we own.... if nothing else...I have always loved the CR since I was a little boy (saw it for the 1st time when we were there in the fall of 1971) and have been fascinated ever since....

 

[dizfan]

After 35 years of WDW, the monorail is still one of my favorite rides.

Not sure if DW and I will ever be able to do this again, but in May a CM asked if we wanted to ride in front on the monorail (DW's b-day). It was night time and truly an incredible experience to see the monorail pull up to MK with all the lights on. By the time we got through security, the fireworks were starting. We were able to go up top the train platform and watch the fireworks from there.

That was the last night of our May vacation.

Monorail during the day is nice, but the monorail at night is great. Something about seeing all the lights makes it feel like Christmas.

 

[Anthony1971]

I have stayed at all the monorail resorts all except GF 4+ times each. The transportation at all is bad period. you will not save any time going to any park as compared to the other resorts and most likely it will be longer for non monorail parks. The reason to stay at these resorts is the view and you like the resort....
When Epcot or MK closes the monorail is SLOW because of the wait so if you are not willing to walk at closing time from MK I would rather be at a bus only resort. I Never had to wait for a bus to OKW when EPCOT or MK closed.
Just my opinion I love staying at the POLY and do pay $$$$ every so often but I know going in the transportation is better at a moderate and sometimes a value.
Does the monorail add value to these resorts ofcourse anyone can ride a bus....

 

[Chic]

I love the Contemporary too! It's unlike any other resort in the world. It was also the first "on property" Disney hotel we stayed at so it holds a special place in our hearts.

 

[tmgandolph]

I think the monorail is a great asset. While it might not get you there the fastest and I am not sure any ever thought it did...riding it gives you that Disney experience. Kids love the monorail and treat it like any of the rides at the park. We have skipped our hotel stop just because they wanted to continue riding. Plus they can ride in the front car and help conduct the train and earn that monorail drivers license. Pure kid enjoyment.

As for BLT, during our hotel hopping hotel decoration tour, using the monorail or as well as having access to the MK or TTC bus depots will make it much easier!

 

[Tara]

The monorail access to other resorts for dinner is the best part for me - no walking outside required and if we both want to have a couple of drinks at dinner, no worrying about driving. We always take the monorail to Epcot at least once per trip, so that won't change. We drive most of the time to all parks anyway, so the bus service doesn't concern me. (And seeing monorail to MK as a negative is kind of like seeing boat from BC to Epcot as a negative - walking is of course faster and the other transportation option in both cases is better only if you're looking for an experience, not expedience, or if you have mobility issues that come into play.)

All that said, I don't think you can discount the convenience of getting to other resorts by walking over to the MK bus stop, either.

I didn't buy BLT because it's on the monorail and I equate that with better transportation. I bought because it's next to MK and is a unique offering that best suits our travel wishes. (Just like I didn't cancel my AKV contract immediately after buying in because AKV is IMO more remote - I canceled because it wasn't the right home resort for us.)

 

[gkrykewy]

Thanks for all the interesting comments so far! I agree that the monorail has great benefits for parents with strollers and for those with wheelchairs, and I should have given greater kudos to its weather-protection aspects in my OP. Good tip on walking to the MK bus stop for transportation to the other parks - we will definitely do that if/when we stay at BLT again.

I am a big BLT fan - bought the t-shirt and everything, and I made the sig image that everyone (with taste) is using these days for BLT.

(Just like I didn't cancel my AKV contract immediately after buying in because AKV is IMO more remote - I canceled because it wasn't the right home resort for us.)

This is not supposed to be the AKV is too remote thread - we already have a bunch of those. Since you brought it up, however, I will say that (again, aside from monorail resorts and MK) we felt BLT to be more remote than AKV-Kidani, perhaps since the MK is not the center of The World for us... geographically, it's about as much at the edge of WDW property as AK/AKL.

The monorails run continuously throughout the day. If I had to guess, it's about 5 minutes between monorail trains at each station. Vs "20 to 30 minutes" between each bus. They are consistent and they are reliable. I can't tell you how many times i've waited 40-60 minutes for the right bus to come to the bus stop. What you'll find with the monorail isn't so much a speed increase in travel time, but a consistent and reliable flow of transportation to where you want to go. No more waiting forever for the next bus to the MK.

With the monorail you don't HAVE to leave two hours before your dinner reservation at Epcot because of the unknowns with the busses. You could get away with leaving 30-45 minutes before.

See, I think that -- particularly the part I bolded -- is more perception than reality. I know, for example, that we waited at least 10 minutes for a monorail to Epcot at the TTC this past trip. Further, where on earth were you waiting 40-60 minutes for a bus anywhere on WDW property? That is insane. We've been staying all over property for 25 years, and I don't think I've ever had to wait more than 20 minutes for a bus. I took special note this past trip, and honestly anything longer than a 5 minute wait at Kidani was unusual.

Further, you could *not* get away with only allowing 30 minutes for monorail transportation from BLT to World Showcase for a dinner reservation at EPCOT. As I said in the OP, it's much faster to get there by bus, even from all the way over at AKL, and even including wait times.

You make many good points, but frankly I think the situation is very similar to BCV/BWV substituting the monorail for a slow boat. My guess is that in general you can get to any monorail destination faster than using the boat from BWV or BCV to get to EPCOT or DHS.

And BWV bus service to other locations has always been problematic.

So the only thing I would disagree with is the claim that BLT has the worst overall transportation service. I'd say in general it's a push with BWV with the advantage to BLT because it does allow easy access to two other resorts on the loop.

Thanks, Granny -- that's an interesting comparison, as those boats are definitely slower than walking. However, I thought that BWV also had bus service to DHS - is this not true?

 

[Tigger031266]

Yes but monorails and boats are just cooler than a stinky bus. It is ariving in style!

Does anyone else out there notice how rubbery the buses smell.

 

[gkrykewy]

Yes but monorails and boats are just cooler than a stinky bus. It is ariving in style!

Does anyone else out there notice how rubbery the buses smell.

However, aesthetic and emotional elements of the monorail aside, this thread is about the transportation impacts of the monorail for our BLT stay.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Thanks for all the interesting comments so far! I agree that the monorail has great benefits for parents with strollers and for those with wheelchairs, and I should have given greater kudos to its weather-protection aspects in my OP. Good tip on walking to the MK bus stop for transportation to the other parks - we will definitely do that if/when we stay at BLT again.

I am a big BLT fan - bought the t-shirt and everything, and I made the sig image that everyone (with taste) is using these days for BLT.



This is not supposed to be the AKV is too remote thread - we already have a bunch of those. Since you brought it up, however, I will say that (again, aside from monorail resorts and MK) we felt BLT to be more remote than AKV-Kidani, perhaps since the MK is not the center of The World for us... geographically, it's about as much at the edge of WDW property as AK/AKL.



See, I think that -- particularly the part I bolded -- is more perception than reality. I know, for example, that we waited at least 10 minutes for a monorail to Epcot at the TTC this past trip. Further, where on earth were you waiting 40-60 minutes for a bus anywhere on WDW property? That is insane. We've been staying all over property for 25 years, and I don't think I've ever had to wait more than 20 minutes for a bus. I took special note this past trip, and honestly anything longer than a 5 minute wait at Kidani was unusual.

Further, you could *not* get away with only allowing 30 minutes for monorail transportation from BLT to World Showcase for a dinner reservation at EPCOT. As I said in the OP, it's much faster to get there by bus, even from all the way over at AKL, and even including wait times.



Thanks, Granny -- that's an interesting comparison, as those boats are definitely slower than walking. However, I thought that BWV also had bus service to DHS - is this not true?

No bus service from BWV to DHS...you get there by walking or taking the boat.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

In May, we rode the Monorail around the resort loop from the Contemporary and back. There was nothing speedy about the monorail at all. If we wanted to get to Epcot, we would have to get off at TTS, back on the other monorail over to Epcot, which by the way, was at the end of the resort loop. Much rather take a bus to Epcot. I don't see it being any faster taking the monorail.

 

[Sammie]

I agree that the monorail is asthetically pleasing and has emotional value to many, but I have never considered it a reliable or quick method of transportation.

It is outdated, tends to breakdown more and more lately, Yes I have been stuck on it for more than 30 minutes which was very frustrating, and at times it really stinks.

At least with a bus if it breaks, getting off for another bus is an easy thing to do.

The best way to MK from the Contemporary is to walk, same at BC and BW to Epcot and Studios. Which is why I never understand the comments about OKW and SSR being so far removed from the parks, they are a short bus ride from everything.

As to the weather protection, if it is raining when one boards the monorail more than likely it will still be raining when you get off of it.

To me what is best about BLT is walking to MK and the views, I see no advantage in transportation.