Which Monorail Resort....

dreamscometrue47 · Mar 1, 2019

Hi there. It has come to the point where my husband cannot really walk much and we are looking to stay at one of the monorail resorts, mainly for convenience to Magic Kingdom and Epcot. We will be renting scooters from an outside company. What do you think would be the best place to stay? How are the Garden Rooms at the Contemporary? I have heard that, with a scooter, should be no issue getting to the monorail...Right now, looks like the Contemporary is the least expensive and I do like that we can get to the MK without the monorail...Any advice would be really appreciated!

AllieBoo · Mar 1, 2019

The garden rooms at the Contemporary are wonderful! Very quiet, and the rooms are spacious and nice. We had a ground floor room with a patio, that had a nice view of the lake and was very close to the pool. The Contemporary is our favorite out of all of the deluxe resorts we've stayed in so far.

DisneyWishes14 · Mar 1, 2019

The garden wing at CR is very nice. Particularly with scooters, it will be quite easy to get through the lobby and onto the path to MK without ever having to use the elevator. Taking the elevator to the monorail deck on the 4th floor of the Contemporary, however, is another story. There is only one, small elevator to accommodate everyone using a scooter, wheelchair or stroller to get up and down from the monorail deck. It's incredibly frustrating, IMHO. With a scooter, I, personally, would pick Poly and request a room in Rarotonga. It's right next to GCH and the elevators (2 of them) which lead up to the monorail to MK. Rarotonga is also very close to the path to TTC where you can get the monorail to EP. I would think that would be more convenient.

GADisneyDad14 · Mar 1, 2019

I was thinking something similar to @DisneyWishes14 about CR. We have not done it with scooters, but when we had strollers I used to really dislike getting to the monorail given the small elevator up/down to the monorail platform. Just always seemed congested/backed up.

Now granted, that only impacts going to/from Epcot and in some ways one could argue is offset by the major benefit of being able to go to MK via the path.

Poly provides easier access overall to Epcot as you don’t have to board the resort monorail and transfer.

Babsy · Mar 1, 2019

WE really like the CR garden wing rooms, especially on the ground floor. Would you be planning to go to Epcot often? The CR is great for the MK, but going to Epcot is the one destination where you have to use the monorail from the CR. Well, except if you walk to the MK bus stop and use the bus to BC and go in through the IG (which is what we often do going from CR as I am not a fan of the monorail). In the past I would have suggested a split stay but the new booking window issues for FP+ means you really have to stay in one resort (or so it looks for now).

WE have used the small elevator to go to/from the monorail platform at the CR and it can mean a few minutes wait on times. Getting to Epcot from the CR is its biggest transportation issue, IMO. The biggest positive, OTOH, is the walk (or scooter ride) to the MK. Which will have the biggest impact on your visit, the easy walk to the MK or the less ideal monorail to Epcot?

The Poly does have an easy walk to the TTC in order to take the Epcot monorail. The Poly would also require an elevator to get to the monorail stop. The difference is that it isn't just the one tiny elevator at the Poly. You would have to take a monorail from the Poly to both Epcot and the MK. NO, wait! Or you could walk to the TTC and take the large ferry over to the MK.

The GF has a single elevator to the monorail level as well, but it is larger and doesn't seem as congested as the one at the CR. The Gf would be the least convenient option for transportation, IMO, as you would need to take the monorail to both the MK and Epcot.

I would choose either the Poly or the CR. My first choice would be a CR GW room with a request for the ground floor. However, TBH, I would go to Epcot infrequently compared to the other theme parks. YMMV.

Good luck! These are all really nice resorts! The three MK resorts are our favourites!

rstevens333 · Mar 2, 2019

The Garden Wing is great. You might even luck out and get a great view of the water pageant.

Unless range is an issue, you could probably avoid the monorail altogether and ride that scooter straight to the MK.

kaytieeldr · Mar 2, 2019

How many total trips are you planning to make to each of the four parks? Not just days, but including rest trips back to your resort?

if you are genuinely planning on just Epcot and MK, Polynesian is your best option but CR is okay. But if your plans incude DHS, an Epcot resort might make more sense.

Mobbane · Mar 2, 2019

rstevens333 said:
The Garden Wing is great. You might even luck out and get a great view of the water pageant.

Unless range is an issue, you could probably avoid the monorail altogether and ride that scooter straight to the MK.

I love walking to the MK from Contemporary. I especially love walking back during the mad rush out at the end of the night.

Captainkidd76 · Mar 2, 2019

Never stayed at the Contemporary as I find it too business like. But if I did, I don't think I could stay outside of the tower.

DISNEY1975 · Mar 2, 2019

With a scooter, I would highly recommend Beach Club or Yacht Club. Easy, scooter accessible, ferry over to Epcot (ideal back entrance into world showcase) and DHS You can also get the boardwalk area via ferry, nice to visit at night. Both resorts have much more spacious Disney transportation options and great dining options.

The GF seems most spacious of all the monorail resorts. GW at the Contemp would have you going to another building, up an elevator, then a hairpin turn n the monorail line.
At the Poly, again a tiny elevator to the second floor, but once you are on the second floor, it gets very spacious and manageable for a scooter.
Keep in mind on the monorail loop, you need to get off at the TTC (or go directly there from the Poly), down a huge ramp, then up another to get to the Epcot monorail. The lines are extremely long inthe evening to get back to the resorts as every guest uses it as a shortcut to get back to the TTC rather than the longer lines of the express (now the lines are about even).

I walked back to the YC from Epcot and it took me 4 minutes. I imagine in a scooter its a little faster! Beach Club is even closer, but really just a minute. The accessible rooms at YC are on the second floor, extremely close to the common areas, pool, lobby, shops, dining but around a corner that you do not hear any noise (my mother stayed in one last trip). It was fabulous for her and for us that everything was so easy and convenient for her.

dreamscometrue47 · Mar 2, 2019

kaytieeldr said:
How many total trips are you planning to make to each of the four parks? Not just days, but including rest trips back to your resort?

if you are genuinely planning on just Epcot and MK, Polynesian is your best option but CR is okay. But if your plans incude DHS, an Epcot resort might make more sense.

We are planning one day to MK and 2 to Epcot....no rest trips...we have been so many times that once we are done for the day, that's it..Husband's stamina comes into play...Leaning towards the Polynesian right now....Thank you!!!

rchampagne · Mar 2, 2019

Babsy said:
. In the past I would have suggested a split stay but the new booking window issues for FP+ means you really have to stay in one resort (or so it looks for now).

Can you tell me more about this? I'm considering doing a split stay. I know I can't make ADRs for the 2nd half of our stay until 180 days from it begins, but I thought FP+ could be made 60 days from check-in of 1st resort, for entire stay.

dansdad · Mar 2, 2019

rchampagne said:
Can you tell me more about this? I'm considering doing a split stay. I know I can't make ADRs for the 2nd half of our stay until 180 days from it begins, but I thought FP+ could be made 60 days from check-in of 1st resort, for entire stay.

Not any longer. You will have to wait until 60 days from check in for resort #2 to make FP+ reservations for that part of the trip.

Babsy · Mar 2, 2019

rchampagne said:
Can you tell me more about this? I'm considering doing a split stay. I know I can't make ADRs for the 2nd half of our stay until 180 days from it begins, but I thought FP+ could be made 60 days from check-in of 1st resort, for entire stay.

As. dansdad said, now you will have to wait for a new booking window for each booking. That is a disadvantage for getting any desirable hard to get FP+. Effectively reduces the length of stay advantage.

I wouldn't book a split stay anymore unless staying longer than 10 days so that you can get at least 10 days at one resort.

Disneypro1 · Mar 2, 2019

Well, IMHO the Contemporary is THE monorail resorts to stay at.

MissionMouse · Mar 2, 2019

The Poly would be a good choice. Also, considering you have two days at Epcot, it would be easier in getting to Epcot if you stayed at one of the Epcot resorts...just a thought. Pretty easy to get back to your resort.

rchampagne · Mar 3, 2019

dansdad said:
Not any longer. You will have to wait until 60 days from check in for resort #2 to make FP+ reservations for that part of the trip.

Thanks for the confirmation. I was on the fence about split stay (wife never liked the idea), but this convinces me to definitely cancel it.

kaytieeldr · Mar 3, 2019

MissionMouse said:
The Poly would be a good choice. Also, considering you have two days at Epcot, it would be easier in getting to Epcot if you stayed at one of the Epcot resorts...just a thought. Pretty easy to get back to your resort.

Getting to Epcot isn't much of an isdue: either one monorail stop (CR) or a short stroll (Poly). Getting back is a serious difference. Same brief stroll, or one monorail stop, to Poly - but three stops from TTC before finally arriving back at CR.

JoJoGirl · Mar 3, 2019

dreamscometrue47 said:
We are planning one day to MK and 2 to Epcot....no rest trips...we have been so many times that once we are done for the day, that's it..Husband's stamina comes into play...Leaning towards the Polynesian right now....Thank you!!!

The Poly is an excellent choice when using a scooter. Be sure to request a ground floor rooom as your primary/only request. Because the Poly longhouses have only 3 floors (2 for Niue), you have a excellent chance of getting your request and avoiding elevators that way. We have always had our mobility needs noted on our reservation, and have luckily always received a ground floor room.

The walkway from the Poly to the TTC is SO convenient! It makes the Poly the only MK resort with direct Monorail service to Epcot.

Also, don’t overlook the Ferryboat from the TTC as an easy way to get to the MK. It requires no elevators and no CM assistance. You simply roll right up the wiiiiide boat dock ramp onto the broad ferry deck, then right back off again through the opposite side. No fancy maneuvering, backing up, or waiting for a CM with a ramp is required. Plus it is usually less cramped and a smoother ride than the monorail. We always use the ferry instead of the monorail when traveling with a scooter or wheelchair. It may take slightly longer (not much) but the ease more than makes up for it.

Hope you have a wonderful trip!

Edited to add: Two scooters will be able to ride together easily on the ferry, not so sure about the monorail, the cars are smaller and we’ve never tried that!

Micca · Mar 3, 2019

I don't have any experience with scooters yet, but another positive about CR is that you go through security for MK along the walkway. This is much easier than going through security at the main gate as there generally only a small number of people going through at any given time. Another plus of the CR is at closing time when most folks are waiting for monorails or buses, you get to exit the park and make your way back to CR via the walkway. You''ll be in your room before some folks can even board transportation. I also feel that CR and Poly are kind of the quintessential WDW resorts as they were there from the beginning.

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