What is so great about the Monorail?

[fadedgirl]

Its been years since I've been to WDW and all I remember is Epcot.

An often-cited BLT benefit is that its a "monorail resort". As I understand it one still has to walk thru BLT to/thru CR to get to the monorail, and considering all things Disney are large-scale, would not that in itself to take up quite a bit of time?

I've also read that the monorail is often standing-room only. So does that mean that one has to wait for additional, less-full trains to come by? Or do people then take the buses or walk instead as a result?

I've checked the maps and the monorail only seems to run between MK, its cash resorts & Epcot, is this accurate? If so...and if people staying at BLT are walking to MK, then isn't the only reason to take the monorail from BLT to get to Epcot? Is it of no help in getting to DHS & AK?

I'm not in love with the BLT point chart, but could still buy there instead of AKV, and I'm just wondering about this aspect. Thanks!

 

[disneynutz]

Some people like the Monorail.

 

[Disney_Villain]

Worse: If you catch the monorail at the Contemporary Resort, after walking from Bay Lake Towers, it will take you to the Polynesian Resort then to the Grand Floridian and then finally to the MK. It is far quicker to WALK to the MK than to take the monorail from the CR.

You are right. The monorail lines only connect 3 hotels (GF, PR and CR), Epcot and MK. That's it.

Despite all this, we always take the time to ride the monorail - and the TTA in Tomorrowland. We love them. They are fun to ride, even if not very practical.

 

[stopher1]

It's just a cool form of transportation. Sure it's rather limited in not covering more of WDW - but just like all of the buzz out west because after a year + of waiting DL has finally gotten the new generation Mark VII trains up and running - the monorails are just cool. WDW ones can DEFINITELY be very crowded, but so are the buses at the end of the day. And BLT is the first stop back from the MK on the resort line, even if you have to then make a trek from the Contemporary tower over a bridge into it...but that's true of any resort you go to - you have typically have a hike from the bus stop back to whatever portion of the resort your room is located in.

 

[JaxDisneyFans]

For me it's an icon from my childhood. As a kid I always thought it was the coolest part of Disney. Finally there is a monorail DVC & I'm so excited. It's totally emotionally and not very practical, but I can't help, I must own there.

 

[DVC Mike]

An often-cited BLT benefit is that its a "monorail resort". As I understand it one still has to walk thru BLT to/thru CR to get to the monorail, and considering all things Disney are large-scale, would not that in itself to take up quite a bit of time?

BLT owners will probably walk to the MK, and use the monorail for easily-accessible dining at the Poly and Grand Floridian, as well as going to Epcot.

It's a lot more fun that taking a bus!

 

[hakepb]

BLT owners will probably walk to the MK, and use the monorail for easily-accessible dining at the Poly and Grand Floridian, as well as going to Epcot.

It's a lot more fun that taking a bus!

All busses, all the time is boring and utilitarian after a while. (Unless I could get that one driver that was telling jokes the whole time, that was fun!) Breaking up the trip with monorail and boat transportation is a wonderful change of pace.

I also believe I have heard that all of the resorts have monorail easements built into their plans. I do think that the monorails are the most eco-friendly of the 3 forms of transportation, so I'd be all for expanding the system.

 

[moredisneyplease]

i agree that 1) its nostalgic and 2) its better than the buses!

My guess is that BLT guests will take the short walk to MK and the Monorail to Epcot. Bus it to the rest.

 

[BCV23]

The monorail is fun!

The resort monorail is not always standing room only. In fact, we rarely have to stand. At closing I imagine it's full but why hang around for closing when the view of Wishes from your resort is beautiful.

We love dining around the monorail loop traveling via monorail.

The boats are fun too and I look forward to taking one to WL for dinner at AP.

 

[DebbieB]

The monorail is more reliable than busses. I don't think I've ever waited more than 5 or 10 minutes for a monorail.

 

[RweTHEREyet]

The monorail is fun!

The resort monorail is not always standing room only. In fact, we rarely have to stand. At closing I imagine it's full but why hang around for closing when the view of Wishes from your resort is beautiful.

We love dining around the monorail loop traveling via monorail.

The boats are fun too and I look forward to taking one to WL for dinner at AP.

You know, I had not even thought about the fact that I can now take a quick boat ride to my favorite breakfast location, Trails End Buffeteria.

Another perk that I am not sure has been mentioned so far, is won't we now have free valet parking at the Contemporary and be eligible for 25% off the Contemporary rooms now?

Going back to the monorail--on those occasions where you might encounter inclement weather, think of all the possibilities that are still available to you for shopping and dining where you don't have to actually get out in the rain or the rare surprise cold day.

 

[aurorafan]

It's also easier for families with small children and strollers than the busses . Shorter time to their resort and no collapsing/setting back up the stroller, not to mention lugging the kids and stuff from the stroller and the stroller itself on and off the bus!

 

[BCV23]

You know, I had not even thought about the fact that I can now take a quick boat ride to my favorite breakfast location, Trails End Buffeteria.

Another perk that I am not sure has been mentioned so far, is won't we now have free valet parking at the Contemporary and be eligible for 25% off the Contemporary rooms now?

Going back to the monorail--on those occasions where you might encounter inclement weather, think of all the possibilities that are still available to you for shopping and dining where you don't have to actually get out in the rain or the rare surprise cold day.

I thought of Trail's End too. We haven't had a meal there in over 20 years since the last time we stayed at FW but I know it's a favorite of some DISsers. Now it will be easy to discover why.

Do they still serve the same great chicken as the Hoop?

It's also easier for families with small children and strollers than the busses . Shorter time to their resort and no collapsing/setting back up the stroller, not to mention lugging the kids and stuff from the stroller and the stroller itself on and off the bus!

Easier for those in wheelchairs too.

 

[twinklebug]

For me it's an icon from my childhood. As a kid I always thought it was the coolest part of Disney. Finally there is a monorail DVC & I'm so excited. It's totally emotionally and not very practical, but I can't help, I must own there.

You've hit it. For me the boats are part of what makes Disney magical, hence part of my attraction to both VWL and the campground. The monorail is OK - but seems a bit too much like taking the T to me to be 'magical' I do have great memories of being on it with my grandmother - going to the poly and coming home with a drum-like purse... LOL.

 

[CarolA]

Personally I don't get "great" about the monorail either. Once you get over the "it's cool" factor then you are faced with "it smells", parents think it's a playground and kids should be allowed to crawl over the center dividers and generally run wild, and it's SLOW. "Holding for clearance" should just be programmed into that pre recorded speil!

 

[RweTHEREyet]

I thought of Trail's End too. We haven't had a meal there in over 20 years since the last time we stayed at FW but I know it's a favorite of some DISsers. Now it will be easy to discover why.

Do they still serve the same great chicken as the Hoop?

We have never eaten dinner, can't comment on the chicken, but we had breakfast there right before our cruise a couple of weeks ago, and it was great, as usual. If you have the DDE or whatever it is called now, the breakfast is one of the best deals on Disney property.

 

[thelionqueen]

This thread made me ponder. And I can honestly say, me nor anyone with me has ever been made to stand in a monorail. We do travel off peak and take our time (hence not rushing in the am or pm). Maybe that's the reason we've "lucked out" but in any event, it's pure Disney magic to me.

The recordings pull my heartstrings, watching it overhead while eating breakfast-PRICELESS.

We will likely be walking to MK from BLT and taking the monorail to Epcot. That said, it opens up a variety of dining-Kona Cafe' my home sweet home, and Ohana.

Riding the monorail is simply a must do for us. Not riding it whenever possible is simply not an option. So yeah, I LOVE the monorail

 

[Pixie_Dust]

It's better than a bus! It's faster than walking!

I hope that the bridge/walkway they are building between the Contemporary and BLT will have some sort of "people mover" on it, if only a conveyor belt like at airports. Otherwise they will have to get lots bigger boats to shuttle all the guests who just want to take the ferry over.

We finally got to stay at the WLV for a few days on this recent trip, and loved taking the boat over to the MK!

I thought of Trail's End too. We haven't had a meal there in over 20 years since the last time we stayed at FW but I know it's a favorite of some DISsers. Now it will be easy to discover why.
Do they still serve the same great chicken as the Hoop?

We did use that boat to go over to TE for dinner (although the DVC discount is only for breakfast or lunch, we never made it there early for breakfast and did not like the thought of cold sandwiches for lunch.) It is a better way to travel imo, as it is a lovely ride that puts you out at the back of Fort Wilderness where all the restaurants etc. are, otherwise you have to park at the front and take a bus to the back. No buses for me, thank you!
I called Disney Dining and asked ahead of time if they had the stuff I had loved from the Hoop Dee Doo, and they said it was pretty much identical, as they share the same kitchen and are next door to each other! That said, my ribs were very tough and my chicken was not quite as great as I remembered, but hey, it is still the best dinner buffet price in the "World." They also had salmon, pasta, and lots of other stuff, not to mention those soft drinks in a jam jar.

 

[CraftyMouse]

While I love the monorail, and we make sure to ride at least once on each trip, I think it is vastly overrated as a transportation system. It is really very limited and often overcrowded.

I've never understood the huge longing for a DVC resort on the monorail. For us it's just as easy to catch a bus to wherever we want to go.
I think there will always be some who look down on the buses, simply because they are buses, but to us the WDW buses are still special and we enjoy them.

So I'm really happy for those who now have their monorail DVC resort. While we may stay there once or twice it won't be for the monorail component. It will simply be because we like to try out each of the properties.

 

[fadedgirl]

This is great everyone, major THANK YOUs to all. I would not have even known about the dining & shopping angles until I'd gotten there (and it would be too late then!).

And I definitely didn't even think about the boat, either!