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disneydoug
08-05-2007, 01:56 PM
When you stay at BI, YC, or BC do you normally take the path to MGM or do you take the boats?

sassafras
08-05-2007, 02:50 PM
normally take the boat - it's quicker, although if you like to take long, leisurely walks you could walk to MGM.

playdead88
08-05-2007, 02:53 PM
we usually take the boat - the kids love the boat and sitting in the back outside - but the walk is very nice and it's lit in the evenings.

Maleficent's Dad
08-05-2007, 02:58 PM
From the Boardwalk, walking to MGM is definitely faster than the boat. I'm walking with two kids (6 & 8 yo), so we ain't speedwalking! :walk:

Even if you miss the boat from BW, you can still get it at the Swan/Dolphin - yes, walking there, you will have enough time to get on it.

While I'll admit that the boat is more relaxing...
1. It's very slow
2. I'd rather get the exercise

The walk is longer from the BC/YC and the Inn side of the BW, but it's really not that far!

Horizon93
08-05-2007, 03:59 PM
I agree. The walk is great, especially from BW. I have stayed at the Swan many times and we love the walk. If it is really, really hot, DW prefers the FriendShip. I agree with Frank that the boats are really slow. On time, some in our party took the boat back from MGM and we walked. At one point, we were walking along with the boat. We beat them back! (we were admittedly moving at a good clip in order to beat the boat.)

It is a nice walk.

disneymom2000
08-05-2007, 06:06 PM
When I stay at the BC/YC I take the boat. When we stay at the Boardwalk in December we are planning on walking since it seems to be a shorter walk. I think it will all depend on the weather.

serstar87
08-05-2007, 07:47 PM
I usually stay at the Swan and I walk more often than not. As others have said, the exercise is great and its fun to walk. We also walk to EPCOT. I only take the boat if im REALLY tired.

DizneyRox
08-05-2007, 08:59 PM
normally take the boat - it's quicker, although if you like to take long, leisurely walks you could walk to MGM.
I've never been beaten by the boat... Maybe from MGM to Swan/Dolphin (I've never done that) but definitely never to YC, BW or even Epcot.

I walk whenever possible. The only time I take the busses/boat is if walking isn't a choice. Getting a little exercise is always a good thing.

RALPH
08-06-2007, 07:15 AM
When we stay at the Beach Club we always take the boat. Here is my thinking.
First we go in August. WDW in Aug is hot and Humid. You need a break, from the heat even in the evening.
Second, your going to be putting a whole bunch of miles on your dogs while your there. Give em a break! Its not like your not doing any walking during your visit.
My boss who is an exercise nazi had me walk from MGM to the BC. It took us 18 minutes at a brisk pace. We beat the boat. That was in the month of May under overcast sky with the temp @ 79. Doable that way.

Just a thought. My pedometer(sp) duing a 6 day trip registered 41 miles. Adding another mile or so may not seem like a big deal but it can add to the wear and tear. And if you have kids...

Motto, If the weather is nice, you have the time, and yer feeling good...do it. It is nice walk along the canal with all the sights and sounds of WDW, the water, etc. Nightime would be nice after the sun drops, like after dinner to walk off a big meal. But in the heat and sun to beat the boat, it just does not sound relaxing to me.

Just my thoughts.

wdwfan
08-06-2007, 08:21 AM
What about the walk back after park closing Is the walkway well lit?

anneb
08-06-2007, 11:07 AM
Yes, the walk back is well lit, and there are usually other people walking back too. It's a nice walk at night. I've walked to MGM from the Swan/Dolphin stop twice after just missing the boat in the morning, and each time we arrived right around the same time as the next boat - and I walk pretty fast. I don't suggest walking from there or the Yacht/Beach Club in the morning - there's no need to tire your feet out before you even get started on your day. (In contrast, though, I always walk to and from Epcot - it's shorter than the walk to MGM and generally is much faster than waiting for the boat.)

Crow
08-07-2007, 11:01 PM
ive walked a lot from Epcot to MGM and like it.
depends on how you feel. if tired take the boats as i do that a lot too.
ive stayed at Swan/Dolphin...enjoy!
if you walk MGM/Epcot there is a little shortcut around the Boardwalk pool.

January-2007
08-08-2007, 11:58 AM
When we checked in at the BCV this past May the CM pretty much refused to tell us how to walk to MGM 'cause she said it was too hot. We still wanted to, but I digress, we took the boat every single time and it was lovely....

DisneyTwinsMommy
08-08-2007, 02:52 PM
One night we stayed at MGM and caught the late show of Fantasmic... Once we got to the boat dock there was a HUGE crowd of people... With some quick estimates, we decided we would get on the 5th or 6th boat that come through... When we started to walk, there was a boat at the MGM dock that was loading... It obviously passed us on the way, but we did not see another boat going towards MGM the entire time we were walking all the way to the Boardwalk!!!! I can not even imagine how long that crowd of people were standing there... What is an extra mile to walk when you have already walked 6 for the day...!! I say walk! :mickey:

disneymother
08-08-2007, 04:26 PM
We always take the boat from BC, why start the day with even MORE walking than you'll do in the parks? Plus, to me, the boats are kind of romantic, especially early in the morning when there are hardly any passengers.

DisneyDudet
08-08-2007, 10:11 PM
We always walk. The past times we've ridden the boat, its been hotter inside than out, and they wouldn't let us open the windows.

There have been MANY times where we've walked from MGM to Epcot and the other way. Sometimes we stop at Beaches N Cream (the long way eh?) and ate before going to the next park, or we'd walk right on through. To us, its not bad. We have done this when we've left MGM around 2 and when Soarin was just opened, we'd walk the walkway to Epcot and pick up a FP for when we were going to Epcot that night and ahve our FP for the evening right before they were all given out for the day.

If its raining/cold or we're in no big hurry, we'll ride the boat. But on a normal day for us, we'll walk.

Cozfamilyof6
08-10-2007, 03:22 PM
I've never been beaten by the boat... Maybe from MGM to Swan/Dolphin (I've never done that) but definitely never to YC, BW or even Epcot.
.


I've never been beaten by the boat either to/from BWV. The walk is great! :mickey:

stevelabny
08-12-2007, 11:05 AM
This is one of the things that killed me when I was at the Swan in 2003.

I was told by hotel staff that the walk to Epcot was "long but doable" and it took less than 5 minutes. I couldn't believe how close it was. I saw a path with a turn about "a block or two" away NYC-measurment and wondered how much more walking there would be after the turn...and the turn led right to the turnstiles.

Then when we went to MGM the next day, I didn't know where the walking path was. I guessed incorrectly and then had to stop and ask for directions. TWO staffers told me it couldn't be done, and the third told me it could be done, but I was better off on the boat because walking would just take too long.

So we wasted all that time asking and then took the boat and wound up getting to MGM at 9:15 and it made me sad.

When we left MGM at night there was a clear sign for the wakway back. So we took it and made the walk in probably about 10 minutes. Not only did we beat the boat that was loading when we left, we PASSED at least one other boat.

And the walk from Swan/Dolphin/Boardwalk/ Yacht and Beach is all the same. All 5 hotels sit around the same lagoon. The path meets at the edge of the Boardwalk for the trip to Epcot, and the walkway to MGM is right next to the other side of the Boardwalk (across a tiny bridge from Swan/Dolphin)

If someone is ASKING for the walking path, chances are they WANT to walk, so I don't understand why the staffers try to prevent it.