WDW resort site-seeing while staying off-property

[steamtrainwilly]

Hey all

We're in the Orlando area the last week of March, and I'd like to take my parents through some of the resorts at WDW to show them the magic that is Disney. They have never been.

I have 2 restrictions, one being time- I don't want to make an entire day out of it, and the second being that we will have a 6 month old in tow, which goes hand in hand with the time restraint.

I realize that we would be visiting during spring break, and that it will be crazy busy crowds, especially on Disney provided transport. Initially I was hoping to do the monorail loop, WL, and maybe dinner at AKL. Even with a rental car I worry that this may be a little too ambitious. Would the Epcot resorts plus AKL be more feasible? Or should we just avoid the theme park resorts(epcot and MK) altogether and just wow my parents with AKL and call it a day?

Any insight from the pros on this forum would be most welcome! thanks alot

 

[carly chloe]

That is a hard one. If you can do the momorail resorts they can Magic Kingdom from the train and the resorts are nice. Do they love animals better? There's so many animals to see at AKL. All the resorts are so wonderful it's hard to decide. Are you going to any of the parks when you're there? I think the monorail loop would be great- shouldn't take to long. Then off to AKL- which is an amazing resort for eating would be a great Disney experience for them.

 

[wdw4rfam]

I'd stick with the monorail resorts. Your 6 monh old can stay in the stroller on the monorail, no folding the stroller, etc. You can easily jump on and off and see three resorts without waiting for any buses.

 

[steamtrainwilly]

I've heard horror stories about the monorail during spring break, do you think that would be a concern? We are not visiting the resorts this trip, this is kind of a spur-of-the-moment day trip. I don't want it to be an all day affair with the little one, more a show-case of some of the Disney magic for my parents....

I'd love to do both monorail loop and the AKL, to show both the more "Disney" themed resorts, and to show them that you can go and get away from Disney and relax at a resort, a la AKL.

I'm not sure if its feasible with the crowds to take the monorail loop, boat to WL, then dinner at AKL with a rental car...... Am I just being overly pessimistic or is this feasible without wearing everyone out? Thoughts?

 

[Deb & Bill]

With Easter falling on March 31 this year, the resorts (especially those connected to a theme park) might not allow offsite guests to park at the resorts without an ADR. Just something to think about.

 

[steamtrainwilly]

bump

 

[shalom]

I'd park at Wilderness Lodge and take the boat to the Contemporary to do the Monorail resorts. If the boat is a nightmare, skip the monorail resorts. If the monorail looks to be a zoo when you get to the Contemporary, then just do those two resorts!

Then I'd do the AKL. And I'd do them in the middle of the day, if possible -- the crowds for breakfast and dinner are much worse than the lunch crowds at the resorts (the opposite of the park crowds).

 

[vikster1]

I've visited resorts via the monorail while in the MK. When visiting DTD we took the shuttle boats to visit the resorts with the boats. You hop on one then get off and go to another. You can also take the buses around from the resorts. It is time consuming. My kids had fun pin trading at the different locations.