Deluxe Resort Transportation

[poeticeclipse]

My husband and I are planning our anniversary trip for May of '08. We would like to stay at a deluxe if we can afford it. If we do end up with a deluxe, a big thing for us is transportation. We've both only stayed at Pop before and have found that the transportation there is hit and miss.

In terms of deluxe resorts, which one has the best transportation overall? Obviously, monorail resorts are most likely the best choice but other than monorail resorts, what is the best?

[Goofeygal]

Wilderness Lodge has a boat that goes right to MK. We loved staying there. Also the Yacht and Beach clubs you can walk to Epcot or take a boat and also you can takea boat to Disney studios. Have fun.

[TammiMcMan]

On the monorail side, I'd say that the Poly probably provides the most options. You can take the monorail or resort boat to the MK and you're within a few minutes walk of the TTC for the Epcot monorail.

Over on the Epcot side, you have BC, YC and BWI which are within walking distance of 2 parks.

With Disney transportation, I think regardless of where you stay, it can be hit or miss. It really depends on the time of year and how many resorts are sharing one bus.

[MidnTPK]

I'd like to think that part of what you are paying for at a deluxe is more frequent busses, but I'm not sure that's true. In general, busses to/from deluxes are a bit less crowded. And rarely do you encounter the full winding queues that are the norm at the Pop and All-Star bus stops at the parks (sometimes those look so scary).

The big benefit to the deluxes (with the exception of the AKL) is that they are very close to at least one park. And the Epcot resorts are close to two (Epcot and DHS)...you can even walk if you want.

Make sure you keep the Swan & Dolphin on your list when doing research.....they are deluxe quality places at a lower price, and they are a similar distance to both Epcot and DHS as the BWI/YC/BC/BWV (and share some of the same bus routes).

[laprana]

I can only speak for the Poly since it's the only WDW resort I've stayed at so far...It has great transportation options! There's of course the monorail to MK, and the TTC is only a short walk away to catch the monorail to Epcot (the walk can be longer depending on what building you're in, though). You can also take the monorail to the TTC if you didn't want to walk.

Then there is a boat that takes you to MK. It's a really nice, realxing ride and the boats usually aren't that crowded. They do stop at GF first on the way back from MK, but I think it's a direct route from the Poly to MK going there (if I'm remembering correctly!).

We didn't have any problems at all with the bus transportation to or from the Poly either. They were always effecient and didn't ever seem super crowded. I don't think we've ever had to stand on a bus ride to or from the Poly. The Poly does share buses with the GF and Contemporary, but we never found that to be a problem at all. There was only one time we had a bus issue, and it was during our trip last June...we were waiting for a bus to DTD and it was taking a looooong time to get to the Poly. We waited for about 20 minutes and then decided just to get the rental car and drive. No biggie. Plus, as we were pulling out of the parking lot, we passed the bus to DTD pulling in! I guess we were too impatient that day! :D

[WishingStar2006]

We have stayed at all of the monorail deluxes and find that the bus and monorail transportation can get very crowded at the GF, as it is the last stop on the resort monorail going to the MK and it is the last stop on the buses to other parks...usually shares with WL, I think. So, keep that in mind. We found that it was the most convenient to take the boat that goes to Poly and then MK.

We really like WL because of the boat to MK and the lesser deluxe price for a wonderful resort.

We have not tried any of the Epcot resorts...we always figures that if we were paying the deluxe price we'd like to be at the MK.

Enjoy!

[LibertyTreeGal]

I've done both Poly and WL and I thought the bus service was better at WL, but I am not sure it wasn't just the luck of the draw. both were great, never waited long enough for it to bother me either way :)

[Maleficent's Dad]

On the monorail side, I'd say that the Poly probably provides the most options. You can take the monorail or resort boat to the MK and you're within a few minutes walk of the TTC for the Epcot monorail.

Over on the Epcot side, you have BC, YC and BWI which are within walking distance of 2 parks.

With Disney transportation, I think regardless of where you stay, it can be hit or miss. It really depends on the time of year and how many resorts are sharing one bus.

:yes: :exactly:
I'm in full agreement with Tammi's post. We've stayed at just about all the resorts in WDW, and the POLY has the best options as it's so close to the TTC. In fact we would walk to the TTC to get the 'express monorail' to the MK, not just EPCOT (eliminates the stop at the GF by doing so). We'd also take the express back from the MK. Plus, being so close to the direct EPCOT monrail was a huge perk. No changing monrails was nice!

We now primarily stay close to EPCOT. The BC is closest to the Int'l Gateway - this is really nice when having dinner in EPCOT at night. The BWV are closest to MGM (DHS, now). BW in general has a good location to both parks over there.

As far as deluxes having better transport? That's debatable. We've had good and bad at all the resorts; it really is hit or miss wherever you go. Just consider yourself lucky when you're on the 'hit' side! :mickey:

[poeticeclipse]

I'm very familiar with the transportation options available. I'm just not sure which deluxe is more efficient. Regarding more busses and less stops. We once waited 35 minutes at AKL for a bus so we could connect and get on a bus bakc to Pop. Ugh!

[offwego]

I'm very familiar with the transportation options available. I'm just not sure which deluxe is more efficient. Regarding more busses and less stops. We once waited 35 minutes at AKL for a bus so we could connect and get on a bus bakc to Pop. Ugh!

Well...that's a toughy. The Monorail resorts often share (meaining multiple stops instead of direct routes). AKL doesn't so should be more efficent but it is farther meaning longer travel times decrease that.

The epcot resorts also share which decreases efficency too.

It's a matter of which one has the best transportation to the areas that are most important to you I think...is the parks or DTD or specific parks?

The bus system is always on a aprox 20-25 minute idea no matter how much your room is..& I'm sure many of us would pay $$ to speed that up at least once or twice a trip!

[Maleficent's Dad]

I'm very familiar with the transportation options available. I'm just not sure which deluxe is more efficient. Regarding more busses and less stops. We once waited 35 minutes at AKL for a bus so we could connect and get on a bus bakc to Pop. Ugh!
These are my personal experiences with deluxe resorts; please keep in mind, that bus routes do change! So what I've experienced may not be what others have gone through. :mickey:


GF - can be second stop of a shared bus with WL.
Poly - same as GF
CR - never shared a bus here, but have heard that others have at times shared a bus w/ another monorail resort
WL - have shared buses with FW, Poly, & GF
BC & YC - share buses together; sometimes w/ BW & Swan/Dolphin
BW - always shares w/ Swan/Dolphin, sometimes w/ BC/YC
AKL - no sharing of buses

[bleukarma]

There was only one time we had a bus issue, and it was during our trip last June...we were waiting for a bus to DTD and it was taking a looooong time to get to the Poly. We waited for about 20 minutes and then decided just to get the rental car and drive. No biggie. Plus, as we were pulling out of the parking lot, we passed the bus to DTD pulling in! I guess we were too impatient that day! :D

I think we were there on the same day! I took a bus from MGM (or DHS) to TTC and walked to the Poly to catch a bus to DTD. We waited at least 30 minutes before a bus came, any bus! I have never stayed at the Poly, but I hope that was just a fluke thing. So if you saw 3 woman and one looked rather grumpy, it was me and my mom and aunt!

The only deluxe I stayed at was the Yacht Club and since Epcot is my favorite park I really enjoyed being able to walk to the International Gateway. I did take a boat from YC (they share a dock with BC) to MGM and it stopped by Boardwalk and Swan and Dolphin which was annoying, but to be expected. We just drove to AK so I didn’t experience their bus transportation, sorry. But as far as the boats go, Boardwalk will always be dropped off/picked up second before/after Swan & Dolphin and BC/YC since they are in the middle. They were never first or last like BC/YC and Swan/Dolphin was. Good luck planning!! :mickey:

[TammiMcMan]

I'd like to think that part of what you are paying for at a deluxe is more frequent busses, but I'm not sure that's true.No, not the case. The added charge covers location, larger rooms, interior hallways, usually a balcony of some sort and room service. Basic amenities, like bus service, lobby concierge, bell services are the same irregardless of what you are paying per night.

[wedway76]

The only Deluxe we have experience with is the Contemporary. Of course the monorail makes it easy to get to the MK, but we found the bus transportation to be a little disappointing. While the busses were a LOT less crowded than the Value resorts, it seemed like you waited forever for them. That is probably because the number of riders going to the Values requires more busses in order to keep the queues manageable. Standing in front of the Pop, it seems like there is a bus to some park pulling in every couple of minutes, at the Contemporary it SEEMED like you wouldn’t see a bus for 15 or 20 minutes at a time… ANY bus.

[crazykids]

We were just at the Poly last month & I thought their transportation was fantastic! We spent most of our time in either MK or Epcot & it was a breeze with the monorail. The busses were running very frequent for the other parks as well. Never waited more than 10 minutes for any mode of transportation.

[diz_girl]

For monorail resorts, the most convenient is the Poly. I stayed there over the winter and it was great.

For non-monorail resorts, your best bets are the WL, because of the boat to the MK and decent bus service both times that I've stayed there and the BC/YC and BW resorts, because of their proximity (by either foot or boat) to both EPCOT and MGM (or whatever it's called now).

Although at least at AK you don't share a bus with any other resort.

[SBETigg]

We had a recent stay (August) in the Grand Floridian and it was the best experience we've had with buses in years of WDW travel, above our stay at the Polynesian not for all transportation but definitely for buses. Yes, we shared with the WL. Yes, we were the last pick up and last drop off. But the bus stop is lovely with so many benches. The buses were rarely standing room only (we did stand twice out of 8 bus trips). We never had to wait long for a bus or wait for a second bus. Plus, there's the boat launches to the MK/Poly and the monorail to MK and to TTA/Epcot.

We also had no problems when we stayed at the Poly, however, the bus area was less well organized and we never had a seat to wait for buses. But also a good experience, never a full bus, never a long wait.

Once you have tried a monorail deluxe, it makes a huge difference in the way you view WDW transportation. You may never want to go back to Value, and even Moderate will feel somehow diminished. It is the proximity to the MK and the efficient, stress-free transportation that makes it worth the cost for us. The pools, restaurants, larger rooms, bigger beds, all icing on the cake next to the location and transportation. If you prefer Epcot/MGM, it may be the same for the Beach/Yacht Clubs and Boardwalk-- but I don't know how well their buses run.

[garymacd]

We waited about 40 minutes for a bus to MGM from Contemporary once. They swore the bus would be along any minute, they just didn't say which minute.

I have also found that it seems all the Deluxe Resorts have bus stops closer to the main gates than any of the moderate or value resorts...maybe the expense is worth it!

[DizneyRox]

I have always thought that AKL had the best transportation overall. I've never had to wiat more than a few minutes, which backfired a few times when I forgot something int he room and missed the bus, but that's my fault.

I don't like the Grand, it's the last stop usually. WL has been awful outside of the boat to MK. I do like the BW area, as it's close to two of the parks and has fairly decent transportation options overall.

I can't imagine waiting in the value lines again.

[JuicyMoose17]

I like the EPCOT area resorts because u can walk to the COT or boat to the COT and MGM. Busses everywhere else... but u cant avoid them no matter where you stay..

[LudwigVonDrake]

Polynesian!!!! :tikki: :tikki:

[wdwfansince75]

One of the reasons we love the CR so much is the convenience of park access. Love the monorail, but frequently, we walk to MK.....use the resort monorail, and switch to EPCOT monorail for EPCOT....rarely had bus problems for AK and Studios....yes, we share buses, but CR is usually first stop......did drive to AK ...no problem there....

When we stay at SoG, we often walk to Poly for the monorail, or the boats....

Spent much of my life commuting in the DC area....never bothered by a few minutes extra on transportation while on vacation...just anticipate the delays, and build it into the schedule. Relax, you're at Walt Disney World!

[bkfree]

Epcot resorts are also our favorite and YC being tops among them for us. Not only can nothing beat being able to walk to Epcot and MGM but you also have the added luxery of the Boardwalk area around Crescent Lake as well as 5 resorts all within walking distance. For us, having so many options that we can walk to without having to use any transportation is a HUGE bonus. When we did use the buses from YC, we never had to wait more than 5 minutes, the bus was never even close to full and the same way when leaving a park and going back to the resort. In fact the transportation options are so stellar there, that we do not even take a car anymore. We fly in, take ME to YC and leave the driving to them and the walking to our feet the entire stay.:thumbsup: