Disney World resorts question

[NewJeffCT]

When I was a kid back in the Dark Ages, there were two or three Disney resorts where you could take the monorail directly from the hotel to the Magic Kingdom. One was the Polynesian, and the other was the Contemporary. I think there may have been one other, but I can’t recall. I remember we stayed at the Polynesian back in the late 70s and liked it quite a bit because of the convenience.

Are there any others where you can do that now, or are those two still the ones? Have those resorts held up well over time?

The last time we went, we stayed at a hotel that had a shuttle service that brought you to the monorail, which was not bad, but not quite as good.

Thanks

[fizzgig]

1. i don't know about new ones

but i'm pretty sure the the third one is the grand floridian. beautiful, beautiful hotel.

[ScreamingMeemie]

2. The Grand Floridian, but that one is EXPENSIVE...

We went in September and stayed in the Wilderness Resort Cabins. There was boat service from the dock to either the Contemporary (monorail) or directly to the Magic Kingdom. I highly suggest it, especially with children. It's cheaper, you have your own (non Mickeyfied as badly) space and really nice peaceful atmosphere...with all hotel amenities.

[AlCzervik]

3. We stayed at The Wilderness resort lodge and we liked it.

the boat service was handy.

[NewJeffCT]

7. I bet if you stay there

You get a free bowl of soup, too!

Sorry, couldn't resist the Rodney joke after I saw your new user name.

[WCIL]

4. We stayed at the Polynesian a few years ago

and it is still quite nice. The Grand Floridian is also on the monorail, but when we went is was significantly more expensive than the Polynesian.

[LSK]

5. I think there are some ones by Epcot now that are connected

Swan I think one of them is called.

[MorningGlow]

6. Yes!

When I was 10 years old, my aunt and uncle took me to DisneyWorld and we stayed at the third place--this was before they built the Grand Floridian. It's gone now. I don't remember the name, but it was decorated like a Swiss chalet (Switzerland type, not the chicken restaurant)--open-cut woodwork, blue and white tiles, etc. If I think of the name I'll post again.

Right now the three closest hotels are the Polynesian, Contemporary, and Grand Floridian, although the literally DOZENS of others that have sprung up on ye olde swampland also take you to DW very quickly and easily by bus. :hi:

[lizerdbits]

8. I stayed at the Coronado Springs resort last summer

They had a gym which was nice. There were several bus stops around the resort to take you to various parks. I don't think I waited more than 15 minutes for one.

ETA: The outdoor bar was great since I was in a group including my mother and nephews. ;-)

[MorningGlow]

9. We stayed there in November '07

It was pretty nice, and I was highly amused by the fake Mayan ruins and the fake beaches. MG Jr. loved the playground especially--I don't think he would have even cared if we never got to Disney. (Then again, he had no idea what Disney World was at the time...) The cafeteria-style restaurant got old pretty quick, though. (The middle-$ restaurant was undergoing renovation at the time.)

[The empressof all]

10. We recently stayed at Riverside

We were there at Christmas and booked late so our pickings were slim when it came to hotel choice. We had some of our group in wheel chairs so I was concerned about using the Disney Bus system. We were pleasantly surprised and buses ran quite efficiently and with great frequency.

Honestly, being on the monorail line is a great convenience especially if you have kids because you can get back to your room quickly in the middle of the day. But if you are cost conscious and don't mind spending 10 or 15 minutes more getting back to your hotel then there are many great mid priced resorts.

The restaurant at the Riverside BTW was one of our better meals at Disneyworld...But we don't go there for the food do we? Make sure you make your dinner reservations ahead of your trip if you want to get into any of the better sit down restaurants or character meals. Cinderella's table is a must do if you have kids and can get in.

[NewJeffCT]

11. thanks

our daughter will be 6 or 6 1/2 when we go. We may put off till after school is over.

[The empressof all]

12. You really have to plan ahead

Especially if you are going at a peak time you really must be very organized in your planning. I'm a last minute kind of gal but our trip was sooooo much better because we had a game plan and some organization about us. We wound up using the Disney Meal Plan which had it's benefits and draw backs. Look for coupons and deals before you book. A friend of mine was able to get free meals with their booking for March.

The Disney pilgrimage was a great event in my daughters life when she was about your little ones age. Don't listen to the Scrooges about the Disney....Embrace the mouse...you too will be assimilated. Our Disney vacations have always been terrific!

[Nye Bevan]

13. The Grand Floridian is *beautiful*

Two pools, a beach, excellent service, and 1 stop from the Magic Kingdom on the Monorail. Expensive, but the best hotel if you can afford it.

Contemporary is a close second. Also on the monorail, and within *walking* distance of the Magic Kingdom (about 10 minutes). Also contains Chef Mickeys which is about the most fun restaurant in the entire resort (great all-you-can-eat buffet plus the "Big 5" characters- Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pluto and Goofy- visiting your table. Much better than waiting 30 minutes in line to see each of these characters).

Have a good trip!

[NewJeffCT]

14. Thanks

sounds great, but we'd have to find a package deal that gives us a discount, as my wife would have a heart attack if she spent more than $100/night for any hotel.

[LibertyLover]

15. The 3 monorail resorts are

the Contemporary, the Polynesian and the Grand Floridian. None of the EPCOT resorts are on the monorail unfortunately. The Grand Floridian is WDW's signature resort and lovely, but a bit more expensive than the Poly or the Contemporary. Right across from the GF on the other side of the monorail, but not connected, is a resort reserved for the military. I like the Contemporary while my husband prefers the Poly. Truth be told, my favorite resort is Animal Kingdom Lodge. It's on the bus system however, not the monorail.

[MajorChode]

16. If convienience is your goal, the Contemporary resort is the one

It's been a few years since I've been, but at that time the Contemporary was the cheapest resort on the monorail.

Since all of the monorail resorts share the exact same convenience, you might as well go with the cheapest one. While it is true that some of the others have more to offer, there's nothing that says you have to room there to take advantage of that. The monorail makes it a breeze to move between the various resorts.

Generally I don't like to spend much time at the hotel unless I'm sleeping or showering anyway. Go to the parks early, eat breakfast in the park, take the kids back to the hotel for a nap when the crowds get bad, return in the afternoon and shut down the park.