On-site veterans needs off-site help

[DisneyJen]

DH and I are on-site veterans and we are embarking on our first off-site stay in December. We are staying at the Marriott Grande Vista and I am really sort of clueless about getting the most out of this trip. We own at BWV so I am use to all the perks of staying on-site and hopping around from park to park to resort.

For instance, if we want to go to MK then have dinner at the GF how do we get from the GF to the TTC if MK is closed?

Or if we want to go to MGM and then want to have dinner at the Boardwalk after MGM closes?

Any help or tips will be greatly appreciate.

Thanks!

 

[Belle1962]

The hopper passes entitle you to use of all Disney transportation. You will still be able to use the monorails, buses, boats, etc.

If you have a car and have dinner ressies at a particular resort--you can drive and park there also.

 

[Letsbgoofy]

I assume from your questions that you won't have a car? Last year when we stayed at the GF the monorail ran about 1 1/2 hours after the MK closed. After that to get to the TTC you needed to take a bus. You could walk from MGM to the Boardwalk, or the boats will run for at least an hour after closing. With all the cut backs I'm not sure of the transportation timing though.

How late will the bus to your resort run?

 

[DisneyJen]

We are renting a car ... we always do even when we are on-site since we like to come and go pretty much as we please.

We won't arrive in Orlando until 2 p.m. our first day. We'll want to check into the resort and then head over to Magic Kingdom around 4 or so then stay until it closes, probably 6 ish but who knows and then head to Citrico's at the GF or AP at WL. Normally we would go to the park, back to the room and then dinner but since we are staying offsite it is a little more time consuming.

Thanks!

 

[Pluto4President]

Your DVC perks are only available to you when staying on site using your points. You will not be able to pool hop.

 

[DisneyJen]

Pluto ... I wouldn't have ever dreamed of using the pools at Disney since I am not staying on site on my DVC points.

Dh wants to check Marriott out (why, I don't know) while I want to add more DVC points. All I know is that I have to sit through a 90 minute presentation and in return I get to do my Christmas shopping at my favorite place in the world I hope to be able to talk DH into adding more points after the Marriott presentation.

I hope all the hassles of shuttling back and forth will help in the decision making process

 

[Pluto4President]

sorry I read the post wrong, it said you are "use to" not will use. I apologize

 

[leebee]

If you're going to Citrico's at the GF for dinner, why don't you just park at the GF? Take the monorail to MK for a few hours, then back to the GF for dinner? I don't know if they are limiting parking time at the resorts or not, but last Jan. we did this sort of thing- AK in the morning, parked at GF around 5, went to MK for a bit then back to GF for 8pm PS at 1900 Park Faire. Or, since you have a car, just drive over from the TTC to the GF. The monorail will take you from MK thru the TTc before you get to the GF. If you're arriving at the MKin the late afternoon, it shouldn't be too hard to get a parking space fairly close to the front of the lot, so it shouldn't take too much time to drive to the GF. And this would be the thing to do if you are going to AP for dinner, of course. Much less stressful than trying to make bus connections back and forth! Actually, I don't understand why folks love Disney transportation so much. I think having to wait in crowds for crowded busses, where you might even have to stand while travelling, is far more stressful than taking the tram to the rental car and then driving "home". Even when stuck in traffic, this, to me at least, is far easier than hassling with the busses!

 

[DisneyJen]

Thanks Leebee ... that was my gameplan before Sept. 11 ... I guess I was starting to worry if they would tow the car since I was reading about how security is checking and asking for PS numbers and that there is 3 hour dining limit. I guess we'll just have to wing it.

We always use the car when we stay on property. I agree that the buses are a hassle. We tried taking the bus from BWV to MK on an EE last August and it was a disaster We were better off driving to TTC or even doing EPCOT in the a.m. then monorail it over to MK in the afternoon and monorail back to EPCOT.

I made my priority seatings this morning at Citrico's, Flying Fish and Artist Point.

We are meeting friends at California Grill our last night. I suspect that will be the biggest hassle with parking. It was before Sept. 11

Thanks for the help!