What time to leave to make 5:30pm ADR?

[kaze1sd]

Hello, first time WDW visitor here...

My wife and I have a 5:30pm ADR at California Grill at the Contemporary. We will be leaving from Pop Century and taking solely Disney transportation.

My plan is (unless a better suggestion comes up) is to take the bus from Pop Century to the Magic Kingdom. Then take the monorail from Magic Kingdom to the Contemporary.

Two questions...

1. Is the above plan sound or is there a better way (different park, boats, etc.)?

2. What time would we need to catch the bus in order to be at the Contemporary fifteen minutes early or 5:15 pm?

Thanks for all the advice in advance!

 

[shafke]

for question 2... I would figure on about 30 minutes for the bus and another 15 minutes to get to the CR so you would probably want to leave at around 4:30 to arrive around 5:15.

for question 1... you may want to consider taking the bus to the MK and walking to the CR. It may be quicker. The buses monorail station is all the way on the other side of the MK entrance and can take about 5 minutes to walk there and then you need to wait for a monorail if you just miss one. The walk from the buses is only about 10 minutes tops to the CR.

 

[ParrotBill]

Your plan is the same we would make, and here is how I would figure the times:

15 minutes for safety
30 min for bus wait and travel
15 min for monorail wait and travel and walk to restaurant

So we would leave an hour before.

We considered walking between the MK bus and Contemporary but it was HOT, and the monorail station is much closer than the Contemporary, and it's just one quick stop on the monorail.

 

[spiceycat]

the monrail station is on the other side of the MK - now the front door of the Cont is definitely further away than the Monrail - but the Cont property is not.

I would allow at least an hour. You should get there early - so you have time to look around the Cont. Gift shops!!!

however first go get your name on the list at Chef Mickey's - you might be seated earlier....

 

[MrsG]

The only variable really is the wait for a MK bus. They usually run every 20 mins or so, unless you just miss one. The monorails are more predictable. If you are early you can do what another poster said, walk around the Contemporary and look through the gift shops. At least you'll be in air conditioning!

 

[kaze1sd]

Thank you all for the advice!

See me being a newbie didn't even realize that the Contemporary was in walking distance of the MK. I envisioned it being miles away only to be reached by car, bus, or monorail.

That being said, I believe that I am going to leave earlier and take the monorail because it is AC'ed.

Thanks again!

 

[Lewisc]

The distance to walk isn't even twice the distance to walk to the monorail. Basically the end of the bus section is next to the Contemprary parking lot.

 

[kaytieeldr]

http://www.ourlaughingplace.com/asp/twiz.asp also suggests Pop Century > Blizzard Beach > Contemporary. That trip should take 39 minutes, plus 5 - 10 minutes at each "change" point waiting for the connection.
Pop Century bus > Magic Kingdom Resorts-monorail > Contemporary is, according to the site, 40 minutes plus transfer time. Also, depending on the weather there's a boat from in front of the Magic Kingdom (about half the distance from the bus area in relation to the monorail loading platform), but the boat lets you out at the Contemporary dock - while the monorail stops inside the hotel, a single escalator ride from the restaurant.