Walking from Contemporary Resort to Wilderness lodge. possible??

[alice99]

I'd like to know if there is a walkway from the Contemporary to Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness Campground.

I know everyone likes to be helpful and suggest the boat.... I know about that..... but, the reason I am asking for this info is that I am an early riser and like to get up and jog 6-7 miles per day. I LOVE doing my run in the Wilderness campground, but could not get a reservation the Lodge for Christmas week.

Just trying to find the easiest way to get from one to the other ON FOOT.

Thanks.

 

[tsme]

No. Sorry. You can only walk to MK from Contemporary.

 

[cookieswithangel]

There is not a path from the Contemporary to WL, your only option is the boat, which I believe starts running at 6am, or around then. To my knowledge, there is a path to Fort Wilderness from WL.
I know that's not what you want to hear, but the boat ride from CR to WL is short, and will put you where you want to be early in the morning.

 

[Mousemommy1]

The walk would be extremely dangerous on busy roads, through a tight tunnel (that doesn't have sidewalks) and into a busy intersection. Not a good idea.

 

[mickeynut1]

I'd like to know if there is a walkway from the Contemporary to Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness Campground.

I know everyone likes to be helpful and suggest the boat.... I know about that..... but, the reason I am asking for this info is that I am an early riser and like to get up and jog 6-7 miles per day. I LOVE doing my run in the Wilderness campground, but could not get a reservation the Lodge for Christmas week.

Just trying to find the easiest way to get from one to the other ON FOOT.

Thanks.

Unfortunately, there is not.

 

[DPCummerbund]

OP, I haven't done this walk, but I'm going to be a contrarian here and say that maybe you should just try it. At worst, you have to turn around and go back to the Contemporary. It's a very low-risk situation.

I love walking, and I've read about several routes that sound "unwalkable" here on the boards, but when I look at them on Google Earth, they appear to work just fine. I think most people just don't try these walks, or aren't used to walking.

If you haven't used Google Earth, it's great for WDW. You can follow most roads and see them in "street view" as they actually are.

The part I was most concerned about is passing between Bay Lake and the Seven Seas Lagoon. The road actually goes under the water through a tunnel at that point - if there's a problem anywhere along that route, I figured it would be there. But I actually followed it in Google Earth, and there's an enormous, 10-foot wide sidewalk along the road there the entire time! Here's a Google Earth "Street View" photo from there:

The only problem is that the sidewalk ends a little bit AFTER the tunnel, and you'd just be walking /running along a 2-lane road for a while. However, it looks like the place Where the Sidewalk Ends is just opposite the Wilderness Lodge - it appears that you can just cross the two-lane road, walk through a few trees, and be in the WL parking lot - all within maybe 100 yards or less. From there, you'll find a path to Fort Wilderness.

Here's a photo of that spot:

You can see the place Where the Sidewalk Ends on the right. You'd have to cross the road here, and maybe walk through that hole in the trees to the WL - it looks like there's a break in the trees, a little bit to the left of the lamppost in the image. Otherwise, you'll have to keep walking along the side of the road until you get to the actual road entrance to WL.

I hope that explains it. Let me know if you try it!

 

[Mousemommy1]

OP, I haven't done this walk, but I'm going to be a contrarian here and say that maybe you should just try it. At worst, you have to turn around and go back to the Contemporary. It's a very low-risk situation.

I love walking, and I've read about several routes that sound "unwalkable" here on the boards, but when I look at them on Google Earth, they appear to work just fine. I think most people just don't try these walks, or aren't used to walking.

If you haven't used Google Earth, it's great for WDW. You can follow most roads and see them in "street view" as they actually are.

The part I was most concerned about is passing between Bay Lake and the Seven Seas Lagoon. The road actually goes under the water through a tunnel at that point - if there's a problem anywhere along that route, I figured it would be there. But I actually followed it in Google Earth, and there's an enormous, 10-foot wide sidewalk along the road there the entire time! Here's a Google Earth "Street View" photo from there:

The only problem is that the sidewalk ends a little bit AFTER the tunnel, and you'd just be walking /running along a 2-lane road for a while. However, it looks like the place Where the Sidewalk Ends is just opposite the Wilderness Lodge - it appears that you can just cross the two-lane road, walk through a few trees, and be in the WL parking lot - all within maybe 100 yards or less. From there, you'll find a path to Fort Wilderness.

Here's a photo of that spot:

You can see the place Where the Sidewalk Ends on the right. You'd have to cross the road here, and maybe walk through that hole in the trees to the WL - it looks like there's a break in the trees, a little bit to the left of the lamppost in the image. Otherwise, you'll have to keep walking along the side of the road until you get to the actual road entrance to WL.

I hope that explains it. Let me know if you try it!

Most people do not do it because Disney does not want it to happen. I do believe that if Disney security sees you walking on main roadways, they will pick you up. It's a safety hazard.

 

[DPCummerbund]

Most people do not do it because Disney does not want it to happen. I do believe that if Disney security sees you walking on main roadways, they will pick you up. It's a safety hazard.

I agree with you that Disney probably doesn't want it to happen. I can't agree that it's a "safety hazard", or that people don't do it because Disney doesn't want them to.

I would bet that Disney runs the risk of a lawsuit if a pedestrian gets hit by a car while on their property. And in general, Disney would also like to control its guests' movements - for a variety of reasons.

And I think that people don't do walks like that because people in general don't want to walk places, not because Disney doesn't want them to. How would you know that Disney doesn't want you to do this? Are there signs? I haven't seen any. I have seen plenty of signs (at WDW and elsewhere) that people regularly ignore if they feel like it.

I think the real issue is that most people just don't want to walk. People would rather drive, or take a boat/bus/monorail/anything except walk. It's why we have suburbs. It's especially true at WDW, where people spend all day walking, and probably don't want to add to the walk if they don't have to.

And as for security - if I wanted to walk somewhere at WDW and there were no signs or rules telling me not to, I'd walk there. If security wants to pick me up along the way, then hey - I get a free ride to my destination, and I'll know better next time. Until then, I'm not going to assume that I need to take motorized transportation everywhere.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...And as for security - if I wanted to walk somewhere at WDW and there were no signs or rules telling me not to, I'd walk there. If security wants to pick me up along the way, then hey - I get a free ride to my destination, and I'll know better next time. Until then, I'm not going to assume that I need to take motorized transportation everywhere.

So this is documentation for Disney should your family file a lawsuit against them for your death.

 

[Mousemommy1]

I agree with you that Disney probably doesn't want it to happen. I can't agree that it's a "safety hazard", or that people don't do it because Disney doesn't want them to.

I would bet that Disney runs the risk of a lawsuit if a pedestrian gets hit by a car while on their property. And in general, Disney would also like to control its guests' movements - for a variety of reasons.

And I think that people don't do walks like that because people in general don't want to walk places, not because Disney doesn't want them to. How would you know that Disney doesn't want you to do this? Are there signs? I haven't seen any. I have seen plenty of signs (at WDW and elsewhere) that people regularly ignore if they feel like it.

I think the real issue is that most people just don't want to walk. People would rather drive, or take a boat/bus/monorail/anything except walk. It's why we have suburbs. It's especially true at WDW, where people spend all day walking, and probably don't want to add to the walk if they don't have to.

And as for security - if I wanted to walk somewhere at WDW and there were no signs or rules telling me not to, I'd walk there. If security wants to pick me up along the way, then hey - I get a free ride to my destination, and I'll know better next time. Until then, I'm not going to assume that I need to take motorized transportation everywhere.

The OP asked whether there was a walkway. The answer is no. We can agree to disagree, but there is a reason for that.

I love the walk from the Epcot resorts to DHS. It is well lit, marked, and clearly for walking on. Or the walk from Poly to GF, awesome! I have no problems with walking.

I cringe when the bus goes through that tunnel, it's just so tight, I can't imagine putting my body in there with the vehicles, or risking that with my family. But that's just me. I always think "thank goodness nobody walks through here, especially with the speed that vehicles go through there"

To each their own, I guess. Good luck!

 

[DPCummerbund]

The OP asked whether there was a walkway. The answer is no. We can agree to disagree, but there is a reason for that.

I love the walk from the Epcot resorts to DHS. It is well lit, marked, and clearly for walking on. Or the walk from Poly to GF, awesome! I have no problems with walking.

I cringe when the bus goes through that tunnel, it's just so tight, I can't imagine putting my body in there with the vehicles, or risking that with my family. But that's just me. I always think "thank goodness nobody walks through here, especially with the speed that vehicles go through there"

To each their own, I guess. Good luck!

I'm not sure I follow you. I posted a photo above- there's a sidewalk all the way through the tunnel. It must be at least 8-10 feet wide. It goes almost all the way to WL.

 

[kapoof]

I'm not sure I follow you. I posted a photo above- there's a sidewalk all the way through the tunnel. It must be at least 8-10 feet wide. It goes almost all the way to WL.

The sidewalk would be for disney workers..,I have never ever seen guests walking around on the roads.

 

[Wood Nymph]

We ran through that tunnel when my sister and I ran the half-marathon back in 2004.

It would have been really nice if Disney had laid out walking paths when they initially planned the MK. Many people wished that there was a walkway for the WL people to get to the TTC. And a lot of people have wanted a walkway to the GF to/from the MK, especially when the monorail breaks down.

Back when we first started staying at the Beach Club, there wasn't a walking path to MGM, now called HS. The path ended at a bridge on the Boardwalk side, and there was a chain link fence blocking people from walking under the bridge. There were so many people who wanted to walk to MGM, including us, that they had worn a path up the side of the embankment where all you had to do was cross the road to get to the parking lot. Eventually Disney decided to finish the walking path to MGM. I don't know if it had always been their intention to complete the path, or if the determined walkers forced them to act before someone got hurt. But the popularity of the path between EPCOT and DHS proves that there people who would walk to a park if there were walking paths.

 

[Mousemommy1]

I'm not sure I follow you. I posted a photo above- there's a sidewalk all the way through the tunnel. It must be at least 8-10 feet wide. It goes almost all the way to WL.

As the poster after you said, it's for Disney workers. And then after that there is no sidewalk for the rest of the way to the WL.

I think it would be awesome if you could walk back and forth between WL and CR (and MK!)

No biggie, if you want to walk it, great. I still don't believe that it's safe to do so, or that it is condoned...so I won't. Again, to each their own.

 

[kaytieeldr]

And I think that people don't do walks like that because people in general don't want to walk places, not because Disney doesn't want them to. How would you know that Disney doesn't want you to do this?

Simple. Lack of a sidewalk or designate pathway.

 

[alice99]

OP, I haven't done this walk, but I'm going to be a contrarian here and say that maybe you should just try it. At worst, you have to turn around and go back to the Contemporary. It's a very low-risk situation.

I love walking, and I've read about several routes that sound "unwalkable" here on the boards, but when I look at them on Google Earth, they appear to work just fine. I think most people just don't try these walks, or aren't used to walking.

If you haven't used Google Earth, it's great for WDW. You can follow most roads and see them in "street view" as they actually are.

The part I was most concerned about is passing between Bay Lake and the Seven Seas Lagoon. The road actually goes under the water through a tunnel at that point - if there's a problem anywhere along that route, I figured it would be there. But I actually followed it in Google Earth, and there's an enormous, 10-foot wide sidewalk along the road there the entire time! Here's a Google Earth "Street View" photo from there:

The only problem is that the sidewalk ends a little bit AFTER the tunnel, and you'd just be walking /running along a 2-lane road for a while. However, it looks like the place Where the Sidewalk Ends is just opposite the Wilderness Lodge - it appears that you can just cross the two-lane road, walk through a few trees, and be in the WL parking lot - all within maybe 100 yards or less. From there, you'll find a path to Fort Wilderness.

Here's a photo of that spot:

You can see the place Where the Sidewalk Ends on the right. You'd have to cross the road here, and maybe walk through that hole in the trees to the WL - it looks like there's a break in the trees, a little bit to the left of the lamppost in the image. Otherwise, you'll have to keep walking along the side of the road until you get to the actual road entrance to WL.

I hope that explains it. Let me know if you try it!

Thanks so much for the great information. I will probably try it and if I am unsuccessful will turn back.
I am going to look at Google Earth and try to figure the distance from one to the other.
Seeing that break in the trees is very helpful, I know that is the "alternate", or back, entrance to the Wilderness lodge parking lot. My GPS has sometimes tried to send me in or out of the Wilderness Lodge, via this other entrance.

Today is the first day I've been able to come back online and see everyone's responses.

Thanks to all whom responded.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Thanks so much for the great information. I will probably try it and if I am unsuccessful will turn back.
I am going to look at Google Earth and try to figure the distance from one to the other.
Seeing that break in the trees is very helpful, I know that is the "alternate", or back, entrance to the Wilderness lodge parking lot. My GPS has sometimes tried to send me in or out of the Wilderness Lodge, via this other entrance.

Today is the first day I've been able to come back online and see everyone's responses.

Thanks to all whom responded.

You would have to cross the road twice to take the "sidewalk" under the water bridge. With all the buses and other vehicles on that road, I wouldn't risk my life doing that.

 

[Ofinn]

As long as there is a sidewalk security won't care. I have run on many of the WDW roads that have the sidewalks.

 

[Deb & Bill]

As long as there is a sidewalk security won't care. I have run on many of the WDW roads that have the sidewalks.

If you look at the photo, there isn't any "sidewalk" once you exit the water bridge tunnel. I think that "sidewalk" is really maintenance work area to do any necessary maintenance under the bridge.

That would be an extremely dangerous area to walk/run.

 

[DPCummerbund]

That would be an extremely dangerous area to walk/run.

One's perception of danger is relative.

To someone who grew up in Chicago or NYC, streets like this don't look dangerous at all. Not even remotely.

Personally, I didn't. I grew up walking and riding a bike around a lot of two-lane roads just like this one. I've driven this particular route before, and it does not feel dangerous to me relative to the roads I'm used to.

Imagine a road like that with semis going 60+ MPH in both directions. Then imagine riding a bicycle along that road - with no shoulder or maintained berm anywhere, let alone a sidewalk along most of the route. Semis whipping by just inches from you. That, to me, feels dangerous! And yet cyclists do that all the time, every day. I've quit because I'm a chicken, but I still see cyclists on roads like that all the time.

Most sidewalks that I'm familiar with are 3-5' wide. I'd walk along a 5' sidewalk on this WDW road without a care in the world. The sidewalk in the photos is 8-10 feet wide, and runs along 90% of this route. The remaining 10% will be through well-maintained lawns, where you can walk/run as far away from the road as you want.

I don't bike any more (as I said, I chickened out, at least until we move somewhere with actual bike paths), but I walk all the time, on roads just like this (with less of a grass shoulder, and many more semis). It just isn't dangerous relative to what I do every day. For you, maybe that isn't true.

That's why I posted photos, and not just a recommendation one way or the other. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and everyone will feel a different comfort level with this situation. There's no right or wrong answer.