Monorail to Epcot?

[Bullseye]

How's that trip from CR to Epcot via monorail? How does that switching at TTC go? Is is mostly guests of the loop resorts that make that trip?
Just wondering now that we're going to be "moving on up to a deluxe apartment in the sky" . One of the selling points of BLT for us was the double park access so I'm hoping the Epcot commute isn't a pain in the neck.
Please advise, I'll sit down and wait for your answer

 

[vicki_c]

Well you get off the resorts / MK monorail to get on the Epcot monorail so it's definitely not just resort guests taking that route - it's anyone who arrives at the TTC, by car, by MK monorail, by resorts monorail that wants to go to Epcot.

That said, it's not hard or time-consuming to switch from one monorail to the other. And the TTC is the next stop after the CR, so you won't be on the monorail resorts line very long at all. Takes a lot longer going from the Poly, for example, but of course, from there, you can just walk to the TTC.

 

[hakepb]

I've heard others complain about the time the total trip takes, (and I think you have to walk all the way down, under the monorail and back up. I once thought there was an available monorail transfer without going down, but I do not see one anymore)

But, what a grand entrance! You fly into EPCOT, around Spaceship Earth, see the World Showcase, and you get dropped off much closer to the turnstyles much closer than any of the bus stops (all of which seem to be farther from the entrance than any other park)..

I can see how World Showcase junkies prefer the walk/back entrance via BCV and BWV as a quicker way of getting to their favorite places (walking to world showcase from the monorail stop is another good walk, and can add to "stress" if you are catching an ADR). But I still think BLT has the #2 method of getting to EPCOT (after BWV/BCV).

 

[The 4 "Quay"balleros]

We did it during spring break. We(10 of us) had breakfast at CM and
EPCOT was our park of the day. After a little confusion(always with big groups) we found the Monorail. We had to wait for the 3rd one, but other than that, it was great! No squishing like the buses and like a PP said you get a great look at Future World and get let off closer than the buses

 

[pmcpmc]

How's that trip from CR to Epcot via monorail? How does that switching at TTC go? Is is mostly guests of the loop resorts that make that trip?
Just wondering now that we're going to be "moving on up to a deluxe apartment in the sky" . One of the selling points of BLT for us was the double park access so I'm hoping the Epcot commute isn't a pain in the neck.
Please advise, I'll sit down and wait for your answer

when my children were younger it was always their favorite ride

 

[spiceycat]

the way that Disney wants to do it - really for me takes longer than just going the regular way.

there is a sign when you get off that says Epoct monrail - so if you go this way you are walking along the backside and up.

to me just going out the main way and going up the epcot resort (in front) is just as fast.

of course in the summer or christmas week - this may be much more crowded than the epcot backway.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

It isn't any faster than bus transportation from other hotels so you shouldn't be expecting that. But the trip itself isn't usually difficult. You can end up with a wait for the resort monorail and then a wait again for the Epcot monorail. And there's the walk down and then up again when you switch monorails.

 

[gkrykewy]

It's a very slow trip (particularly coming back to the contemporary, when you have to take the long way around the loop), but it's classic and fun.

 

[DenLo]

Some people really hate the time on traveling via the monorail as there are delays especially when it's raining. And it is Florida so just think there will be delays. And like it was posted earlier when switching from the resort monorail to the Epcot monorail you have get off and go down the ramp and back up the ramp for the Epcot monorail and vice versa when coming back. There are three monorail tracks at the TTC and there is just no way that the two outside tracks (the resort and Epcot monorails) can have passengers cross to each other up above. The middle track is the one that goes from the TTC to MK. When riding the TTC/MK monorail you can walk across to either the Epcot or the Resort monorail. I think it takes about 20 minutes to do the two monorails. However, there is just something about arriving at Epcot and traveling through the park before you disembark. I love it. You can get some great photos as well. But after a day at the park I could do without all of the ramps. But I feel the same about waiting in line for a bus when the park closes.

 

[cvjw]

We stayed at BLT in Sept and only took the monorail to EPCOT one time. It took us an hour to get back to BLT from EPCOT on the monorail. We drove our car every other time we visited EPCOT. We were disappointed at how much time was involved with riding the monorail to EPCOT, and all of the walking that was involved - walk to the Contemporary, walk up and down the ramps to switch monorails, and the walk into EPCOT was pretty long. We had DH's parents with us, and it was hard on them. I wish they had a bus alternative to EPCOT from BLT, that would be much quicker.

 

[DenLo]

We stayed at BLT in Sept and only took the monorail to EPCOT one time. It took us an hour to get back to BLT from EPCOT on the monorail. We drove our car every other time we visited EPCOT. We were disappointed at how much time was involved with riding the monorail to EPCOT, and all of the walking that was involved - walk to the Contemporary, walk up and down the ramps to switch monorails, and the walk into EPCOT was pretty long. We had DH's parents with us, and it was hard on them. I wish they had a bus alternative to EPCOT from BLT, that would be much quicker.

Was it raining? An hour sounds like a really lengthy delay. I guess we have been lucky and have not had to wait that long on our two stays at BLT (in March and October). It sounds like the resort doesn't have a bus to Epcot, but you could walk to the MK buses and take a bus from there. But of course, that's about 8 minutes walk from the BLT entrance.

 

[gkrykewy]

Was it raining? An hour sounds like a really lengthy delay. I guess we have been lucky and have not had to wait that long on our two stays at BLT (in March and October). It sounds like the resort doesn't have a bus to Epcot, but you could walk to the MK buses and take a bus from there. But of course, that's about 8 minutes walk from the BLT entrance.

The trip back is just long and circuitous. It would be miraculous to make it in less than 30 minutes.

 

[CarolMN]

The trip from EPCOT to BLT can take a long time. (Going to EPCOT wasn't bad - no worse than a bus from the other resorts, but definitely not as convenient as walking from BCV or BWV).

Going back to BLT from EPCOT, you have to transfer at the TTC, and you have to ride the resort monorail around the entire loop, stopping at the GF, the Poly and the MK before getting to the Contemporary.

We enjoyed our stay at BLT, but IMO, the monorail is not an advantage. (Walking to the MK certainly is, though). Going to EPCOT usually isn't bad, but the trip back can take 90 minutes or more. Happened to us twice during our last stay and we weren't there at a busy time for the parks (week after Thanksgiving last year).

 

[gkrykewy]

90 minutes! Wow. I think our worst was 60.

 

[cvjw]

Was it raining? An hour sounds like a really lengthy delay. I guess we have been lucky and have not had to wait that long on our two stays at BLT (in March and October). It sounds like the resort doesn't have a bus to Epcot, but you could walk to the MK buses and take a bus from there. But of course, that's about 8 minutes walk from the BLT entrance.

It wasn't raining - it was a beautiful Sept day! We had to wait for monorails at both EPCOT and at the TTC, and then had to stop at all of the MK hotels before we reached the Contemporary. It just seemed to take forever - that is why we just decided to drive every other time we visited EPCOT from BLT.

 

[Bullseye]

Thanks for your replies all! That's kind of a bummer from what I'm hearing I was expecting like a 1/2 hour trip on average. I'm sure we'll give it a shot to see how it goes. But, if it's an hour or longer, that won't last long with me. I always have a car, so I'll just drive to Epcot if I have to.

 

[Sammie]

Hopefully the monorail won't break down on you, we got stuck twice on our recent trip.

BLT and VWL is fantastic for going to MK.

BWV and BCV great for Epcot and Studios.

AKL and Kidani for AK.

But for all parks, give me OKW and SSR anytime.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Going from the Contemporay to Epcot via the Resort Monorail and then the Epcot Monorail has never been a problem. Once you leave the Contemporary the Resort Monorail will take you to the TTC which is where you would exit and right away you will see an overhead sign saying to go on the right side ramp, which will then take you to the Epcot Monorail station. Now when returning the ride is a bit longer since you have to back on the Resort Monorail at the TTC and it will stop at the Polynesian, Grand Floridian and Magic Kingdom, however I personally think it's better then taking the Disney buses.