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Disney Transportation |
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While it is true that Walt Disney World has a transportation system that rivals some cities, not all forms of transportation are created equally. Some are most certainly better than others, though none is particularly speedy.
Monorail
The monorail system runs in a circuit to include the Contemporary Resort, the Polynesian Resort, the Grand Floridian, and the Magic Kingdom. It also runs to the Transportation and Ticket Center, where you can pick up the connecting monorail to Epcot. This is probably the most family-friendly of all the Disney transports, and it is certainly the fastest. Most single strollers can roll right on without having to fold them up and unpack your gear or your children. I have managed to get a double stroller on in the past; though it requires a bit of maneuvering (as well as some cooperative fellow passengers, all of which may be more difficult during peak times), it is not impossible. The monorail runs continuously throughout the day, as well as a few hours after park closing (usually about 2), allowing everyone plenty of time to exit in a leisurely fashion. The biggest and only real disappointment with the monorail is the limited service area that it covers.
The Best Seat in the House
You can request to ride in the front with the conductor if space allows. Kids especially will get a huge kick out of this experience. Just don’t make any promises ahead of time, as this is extremely popular and only a few people are allowed at any one time.
Motor Coach (okay – it’s really just a bus)
Personally, I truly dislike the bus system at Disney, but in many instances, it is the onl way to get around. I have to admit that most of my dislike stems from having to lug a stroller, gear, and all 5 kids on and off before reaching our destination. If you’re traveling lighter, however, you’re likely to fare far better. While ideally the busses run every 20 minutes or so, the wait can be longer during peak times. Even the ride itself can be lengthy, reaching up to 90 minutes or more. Generally the ride from the resorts to the parks or from park to park is approximately 30-45 minutes. If you are traveling from resort to resort, it can take substantially longer. If you have a stroller in tow, be prepared to take out all of your gear, fold up the stroller, and carry everything onto the bus, all while you are helping your children (and be prepared to do it all over again in the reverse when you arrive at your destination). The motor coaches service all of the Disney theme parks, as well as Downtown Disney and the Disney water parks. The resorts serviced solely by bus are the All-Star resorts, Pop Century, the Caribbean, Coronado Springs, Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter, Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa, Old Key West, and the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Port Orleans Riverside, Saratoga Springs, and Old Key West also have boat service but only to Downtown Disney.
By Boat
You can take a sail across the Seven Seas Lagoon or one of Disney’s many other waterways to reach several of the Disney resorts and parks. Most of the boats are much smaller than the motor coaches and therefore will carry fewer guests, but they can be an enjoyable way to get around. Again, you must be prepared to add in a bit of time to get from one place to another, but generally nowhere near the amount of time you may spend on the bus. Some of the boats are stroller-friendly, but it depends largely on how crowded they are. You may find yourself having to fold it up, though luckily I’ve never found it necessary in the many times I’ve been there. The boat service runs a route from Fort Wilderness, to the Wilderness Lodge and Villas, the Polynesian, the Grand Floridian, and the Magic Kingdom. The other boat service runs from the BoardWalk Inn and Villas, the Beach and Yacht Club Resorts, the Beach Club Villas, as well as the Swan and Dolphin Resorts, to both Epcot and MGM Studios.
The entire Disney transportation system is generally quite crowded during peak seasons, as well as peak times on any given day (at park opening and closing, for instance).
Making connections will take longer than usual as more guests will be getting on and off. This too can substantially increase the time it takes to get to the parks or to your resort. Even under normal circumstances, you may need to allow up to an hour to reach your destination, depending on where you are traveling from.
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