Resort "Convenience Factor" Analysis

[CaptainAmerica]

I was surprised to see WL so high. Waiting for boat to MK… ok, but the bussing to Epcot and DHS…. Run if you see your bus because you won’t see another one for awhile, until it makes the trip back and forth is how it felt and also stopped at Contemporary and maybe Ft Wild. Of all my resort stays ( including values , AK and most mods) this was our worst transportation wise, although a beautiful resort.
I realize this was a math thing, just my opinion from staying there.

I considered that, because I had a similar experience with the boats at Fort Wilderness one trip, but I think I've seen enough horror stories about particular resorts on particular trips that a think a lot of those really bad experiences are just luck of the draw.

 

[Wood Nymph]

This is a great analysis. My only surprise is to see the Riviera on top, but it makes sense.

I agree with you that the Epcot resorts would be on the top, too. I also agree that the WL has much better transportation than the three monorail resorts. I hate trying to get to Epcot from one of the three monorail resorts. In fact, I don't like the monorail at all.

 

[mgarbowski]

If a resort offers a "special" mode of transportation, that transportation must be used. Contemporary to Epcot by bus is faster than Contemporary to Epcot by monorail, but monorail must be used in this analysis.

I'm curious why you made this choice. The rest of your rules and analysis is based on time efficiency (and very well done IMO), so why force your hypothetical guests to choose a less efficient mode of transport with respect to this one rule? I also wonder if this affects any resorts besides the Monorail ones in that you chose not to use the fastest transport available. My guess is the Skyliner is faster than buses, but I do not know that. I guess it might also affect some of the resorts with boats. But regardless, thanks for sharing your thought and work.

 

[Wood Nymph]

The rest of your rules and analysis is based on time efficiency (and very well done IMO), so why force your hypothetical guests to choose a less efficient mode of transport with respect to this one rule?

The only way to get to Epcot from a monorail resort is to take the monorail. Buses are not available unless the monorail is down.

 

[JenBush]

It would be interesting to add in a weather downtime factor for the skyliner. If the weather is great it’s awesome. But in the summer you can expect the skyliner to be down for some portion of the afternoon most days which would affect afternoon hotel breaks and possibly bump down the efficiency of the skyliner resorts.

 

[mgarbowski]

The only way to get to Epcot from a monorail resort is to take the monorail. Buses are not available unless the monorail is down.

That makes sense, but the rule was not presented as "transportation offered only in exigent circumstances is not considered." Wilderness Lodge, for example, has boats and buses to MK all the time AFAIK. Or they did when I stayed there 4 years ago. The two rules would play out differently.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

That makes sense, but the rule was not presented as "transportation offered only in exigent circumstances is not considered." Wilderness Lodge, for example, has boats and buses to MK all the time AFAIK. Or they did when I stayed there 4 years ago. The two rules would play out differently.

Alternative modes of transportation are spotty and inconsistent. For example, for Skyliner from Art of Animation, I've read "buses are always available for people who have a fear of heights," I've read "buses are available for people who have a fear of heights, but they run on a significantly reduced schedule," and I've read "buses will not run unless the Skyliner is down." I didn't want to wade through all of that.

Wilderness Lodge wouldn't be affected much FWIW. Bus and boat isn't significantly different. The resorts most affected are monorail resorts to and from Epcot.

 

[mgarbowski]

Alternative modes of transportation are spotty and inconsistent. For example, for Skyliner from Art of Animation, I've read "buses are always available for people who have a fear of heights," I've read "buses are available for people who have a fear of heights, but they run on a significantly reduced schedule," and I've read "buses will not run unless the Skyliner is down." I didn't want to wade through all of that.

Wilderness Lodge wouldn't be affected much FWIW. Bus and boat isn't significantly different. The resorts most affected are monorail resorts to and from Epcot.

Fair. Thanks for the explanation.

 

[MillauFr]

Now if you compared Rivera to the Grand Californian ... The Rivera would be a 3 and the Grand would be 100.

 

[MillauFr]

Check even the offsite hotels in Anaheim would score far higher than Rivera.

 

[DeeBee3]

I agree with the high ranking of WL. Unlike a previous poster, I have only had 1 long wait for a boat and it was at peak time at night. The bus there is also very efficient. I've never had to wait for the boat going MK -> WL.

However, I am definitely biased as we love WL!

The Boardwalk area definitely blew us away with convenience when we were there over the summer.

 

[lowlight]

This is pretty good, I haven't stayed at all of these, but for the ones I have it seems to match reality. It'd be subjective, but it'd be interesting to see this broadened to include hotel amenities such as dining, shops, character meals, spas, room service, etc. to see which has the all around most to offer from convenience to things to do.

 

[bbeagle]

Now if you compared Rivera to the Grand Californian ... The Rivera would be a 3 and the Grand would be 100.

Unless you compared Grand Californian to the WDW parks, then it would be a trainwreck!

Grand Californian would be:
Downtown Disney: 0 minutes
California Adventure: 0 minutes
Disneyland: 3 minutes

 

[Farro]

So I'm bored at work too...I'm having trouble understanding how Riv beats Boardwalk area resorts for convenience. It can literally take 3 minutes to walk to Epcot from Beach. And 20 minutes (if you walk like us) to walk to DHS. Or boat to either park.

How is being able to walk to two parks less convenient than having to use the Skyliner to same two parks? I think it's hard to say skyliner time would beat walking time. It all depends on what part of hotel you get (one entrance is soooo close to Epcot), how fast you walk, etc.

All resorts above have to use bus for MK and AK.

 

[sethschroeder]

For us AKL, SS, OKW, Fort Wilderness, CS, and certainly before the skyliner definitely CBR (now it's iffy depending on weather) would rank in the very bottom for us.

Weather is very easy to predict and pivot for if needed. An hour long wait for a bus from or to AKL is not something you can do anything for expect wait.

You know what happens when there is weather issues for RIV? They send busses.

This is a great analysis. My only surprise is to see the Riviera on top, but it makes sense.

Riviera is entirely dependent how often you will got to Epcot and HS as well. If you find yourself rarely in those parks then it won't be as great for you.

 

[sethschroeder]

Yes, going back to the resort during the day is something that people do on some resorts to some parks. But, for example, If I'm at a monorail resort, I've never gone to Animal Kingdom, taken an HOUR to go back and forth to the hotel room for a mid-day break then go back. Animal Kingdom closes earlier as well. So I'd think for THAT park you'd take into account only ONE trip there and back, not two.

I would never spend a full day in AK and plenty of families with little kids need a midday break as well. Now they might push through "because" but that's a choice based on the inconvenience of not being able to return to the resort.

I will say for AK we will do rope drop and be gone by 11am hoping to another park in the afternoon. Likely doing 2 seperate mornings during the trip.

Why include Disney Springs? And the MCO? Just include MK, EP, HS and AK.

Most people will take a trip to DS and most come from MCO. So its useful to include in the overall to try give out a rounded trip as the OP seemed to want to do. Sort of like what would the normal family do.

 

[gregskellington]

I don't live on a planet where AKL isn't anything but dumpster tier.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I don't live on a planet where AKL isn't anything but dumpster tier.

Cool, more rooms for me.

 

[gregskellington]

Cool, less of you taking rooms at the good resorts? Lol.

 

[Moliphino]

So I'm bored at work too...I'm having trouble understanding how Riv beats Boardwalk area resorts for convenience. It can literally take 3 minutes to walk to Epcot from Beach. And 20 minutes (if you walk like us) to walk to DHS. Or boat to either park.

How is being able to walk to two parks less convenient than having to use the Skyliner to same two parks? I think it's hard to say skyliner time would beat walking time. It all depends on what part of hotel you get (one entrance is soooo close to Epcot), how fast you walk, etc.

All resorts above have to use bus for MK and AK.

Plus with the Riviera skyliner station being mid-route, you're kind of at the mercy of traffic from the end stations. Will they send an empty car sometimes? Where is a party you can be squeezed in with?
Personally, I'd much rather be at a Boardwalk area resort and able to walk to both parks.