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Is it worth the extra $ to stay at a monorail Disney resort?
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OrganicMama
So in love with my little man!
Member since 6/08 5172 total posts
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Mama
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Is it worth the extra $ to stay at a monorail Disney resort?
If we want to stay at a monorail resort, it is SO MUCH money. Is it really worth it? We are still considering renting DVC points through David's to make it more affordable, but the monorail is only available at Bay Lake for the timeshares, is that correct? Who knew planning a Disney vacation would be so stressful 
ETA, if we stay at POFQ or AK, is taking the bus that bad? I will have the stroller....
Message edited 2/12/2012 1:45:05 PM.
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Posted 2/12/12 1:43 PM  |
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Mill188
LIF Adult
Member since 3/09 3073 total posts
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Re: Is it worth the extra $ to stay at a monorail Disney resort?
The only DVC resort with access to the monorail at this time is Bay Lake Tower (until the finish building at the Grand Floridian).
The only park that you will truly benefit from being on the monorail line is the Magic Kingdom. You would still have to transfer to a different monorail to get to Epcot and take buses to AK and HS.
Honestly, I don't understand the difference between getting on a bus with a stroller or a monorail. I've never found the Disney buses to be too bad and don't understand what all the fuss is about.
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| Posted 2/12/12 3:38 PM |
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Lillykat
going along for the ride...
Member since 5/05 16253 total posts
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Re: Is it worth the extra $ to stay at a monorail Disney resort?
Posted by Mill188
The only park that you will truly benefit from being on the monorail line is the Magic Kingdom. You would still have to transfer to a different monorail to get to Epcot and take buses to AK and HS.
Honestly, I don't understand the difference between getting on a bus with a stroller or a monorail. I've never found the Disney buses to be too bad and don't understand what all the fuss is about.
I respectfully have to disagree with this.
We did the buses pre children and thought they were pretty easy from the AKL. It was a totally different ball game with 2 kids under 3.
Well the big difference is that you don't have to take your sleeping child out of the stroller, unpack it and then get onto an over crowded bus holding said sleeping child, bags, and stroller on a bus that might not have any seats. We saw many children being woken up screaming their heads off the whole bus ride back the one night we had to take the bus (and we left at 8pm not after the fireworks). Whereas with the monorail resorts you just wheel your stroller, sleeping child and all right onto the train, no fuss. So you can get to and from EPCOT and MK without waking a sleeping child (most people with young kids spend most nights at MK or EPCOT- more so than HS or AK). We only did mornings at AK and HS so the buses weren't a big deal. You only have to transfer monorails to get to EPCOT if you stay at GC, Contemp or BLTs. Even so - again you don't have to unpack just wheel your stroller right onto the monorail and go. You can walk to the TTC and hop the EPCOT monorail from the Poly (as well as the ferry to the MK where you also don't have to fold up your stroller) the ferry was a huge perk because everyone ran for the monorail but the ferry was pretty empty and again you don't have to fold up your stroller - then you just walk about 3-5 mins next door to your room at the poly.
Now is it really worth it? Honestly that is only something that you can really decide. I think it is much easier to handle the buses when you only have one child/one single stroller than it is if you are dealing with 2 young children and either a double or 2 strollers, and worse if they are not potty trained or still taking bottles because that is only more to physically drag with you. Will it make your commute to the parks and back MUCH easier yes, but it does come at a higher price. We were lucky to get 40% off the room rate when we stayed at the poly.
I think you need to weigh your pros and cons - do you really mind all that extra work, do you plan to go back to your room during the day - then you are dealing with 4 buses a day rather than only 2. Do you plan to come and go at the most crowded times (park opening? right after parades or fireworks/park closing?)?
Personally I think there was a big difference between getting onto the buses and getting onto the monorail. Since we were going with 2 under 3 (12 month old and almost 3 year old) we had our city mini double - I had 2 children in diapers so we had a LOT more to carry than someone who has say a 3 and a 5 year old who are potty trained. We had snacks, diapers, changes of clothes. The days we took the buses we packed very differently and put less into our stroller. Most of the time we got on the bus it was standing room only so I was trying to hold one child, and my bag and DH has the other in his arms, the double stroller and his backpack. It was totally doable but not easy but much more of a pain - but we were lucky as it was the morning and the girls were awake etc. I could only imagine if we did more than the one night we had to take the bus and had cranky children. One night we were at EPCOT and the monorail was hit by lightening, and was shut down for the night. The lines to get back to the poly were crazy (we waited for 4 buses and ended up going to the TTC instead because we would have been waiting a lot longer if we tried to go back to the poly) - kids were screaming because parents were trying to wake them up and drag them onto the overcrowded buses. Since everyone had expected to get onto the monorail there were several parents asking Cast members for plastic bags because they had packed things into their stroller and had no where to put it when they folded up their strollers.
I think you can 100% do it at any resort and honestly you will be just fine. But it takes more planning and it IS more work. I think with one it is easier because you have one adult to hold a child and one to hold the other "stuff"- than the parents I saw trying to do it with 2,3 and 4 children. But it is all about what YOU want from your vacation. DH didn't want to feel like a pack mule and didn't want to fold and unfold the stroller all week long etc. I don't know if I would have done it though if we hadn't gotten such an amazing deal though 40% off the room rate was a huge chunk - esp since both girls were free so we also weren't paying for them.
I also think it depends on what parks you plan to spend your time at - if you want to go mainly to AK and HS then it is a waste - but if you plan to spend most of your time at MK and maybe nights at EPCOT (since that has the most dining options) then it is worth at least looking into.
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| Posted 2/12/12 4:33 PM |
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WNA01
my 2 boys
Member since 10/08 4240 total posts
Name:
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Re: Is it worth the extra $ to stay at a monorail Disney resort?
we have 2 little ones (2 and 11 month old) and we will only stay at resorts on the monorail or beach club villas or boardwalk villas (u can walk to epcot from those resorts) until they are older
we are staying 3 days at animal kingdom this time were going - JUST so i don't have to drag the kids on the bus to AK- we can relax enjoy the park and grounds (this park always gets neglected bc i hate taking the kids out of the stroller, throwing a diaper bag over my shoulder grabbing one baby and holding the other ones hand as dh folds the huge stroller and carries it on the bus..
after our 3 day stay there we're switching boardwalk villas and staying a week there which has great transportation
Message edited 2/12/2012 6:09:22 PM.
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| Posted 2/12/12 6:07 PM |
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Lillykat
going along for the ride...
Member since 5/05 16253 total posts
Name:
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Re: Is it worth the extra $ to stay at a monorail Disney resort?
Posted by WNA01
we have 2 little ones (2 and 11 month old) and we will only stay at resorts on the monorail or beach club villas or boardwalk villas (u can walk to epcot from those resorts) until they are older
we are staying 3 days at animal kingdom this time were going - JUST so i don't have to drag the kids on the bus to AK- we can relax enjoy the park and grounds (this park always gets neglected bc i hate taking the kids out of the stroller, throwing a diaper bag over my shoulder grabbing one baby and holding the other ones hand as dh folds the huge stroller and carries it on the bus..
after our 3 day stay there we're switching boardwalk villas and staying a week there which has great transportation
Wait you know that you still have to take the bus to get to the AK from the AKL? Sorry just the way I read it - it sounds like you are saying you can walk to the park.
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| Posted 2/12/12 7:27 PM |
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WNA01
my 2 boys
Member since 10/08 4240 total posts
Name:
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Re: Is it worth the extra $ to stay at a monorail Disney resort?
Posted by Lillykat
Posted by WNA01
we have 2 little ones (2 and 11 month old) and we will only stay at resorts on the monorail or beach club villas or boardwalk villas (u can walk to epcot from those resorts) until they are older
we are staying 3 days at animal kingdom this time were going - JUST so i don't have to drag the kids on the bus to AK- we can relax enjoy the park and grounds (this park always gets neglected bc i hate taking the kids out of the stroller, throwing a diaper bag over my shoulder grabbing one baby and holding the other ones hand as dh folds the huge stroller and carries it on the bus..
after our 3 day stay there we're switching boardwalk villas and staying a week there which has great transportation
Wait you know that you still have to take the bus to get to the AK from the AKL? Sorry just the way I read it - it sounds like you are saying you can walk to the park.
yes i know that but its a short ride and we can work around the kids sleeping schedules. We love AK but hate taking the long bus ride there from the other resorts so we are staying there for 3 days
Message edited 2/12/2012 9:19:56 PM.
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| Posted 2/12/12 9:18 PM |
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BargainMama
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 15657 total posts
Name:
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Re: Is it worth the extra $ to stay at a monorail Disney resort?
I hate the busses. You've got seemingly able bodied men sitting, while mothers and children are standing and trying to hold their babies, while trying to hold onto the handrails. Or even small kids taking up a seat, when the parent can hold them and let another parent and child sit. Then the people who have the ECVS and roll up with 8 in their party. Not to mention trying to fold a stroller, carry a bag, trying to store the stroller, etc. Then there are the sharp turns while going 40mph, with kids sitting on the seats that run along the windows facing in, and kids falling smack on their faces (happened to mine).
I just save myself the aggravation and rent a car now! 
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| Posted 2/13/12 9:46 AM |
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Christine
2nd verse same as the 1st
Member since 5/05 15287 total posts
Name:
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Re: Is it worth the extra $ to stay at a monorail Disney resort?
Posted by BargainMama
I just save myself the aggravation and rent a car now!
This is what I was going to suggest. You could probably rent a car & stay at a moderate for less than staying at a monorail resort. It will give you the freedom of going off sight for groceries and meals if you want. It makes it much easier to eat at other resorts. And...you will always have a seat!
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| Posted 2/13/12 9:58 AM |
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JenniferEver
The Disney Lady
Member since 5/05 18163 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: Is it worth the extra $ to stay at a monorail Disney resort?
It's really up to you. I think there's nothing like staying on the monorail. First of all, from the Contemporary you can WALK to MK. After a long day of touring you don't even need to brave any transportation lines at all. At GF and Poly you can take the monorail OR the boats. With little ones, you want a short commute so you can go back and forth for naps. The monorail makes a big difference because even though you have to transfer at EPCOT, as PP stated, you don't have to take sleeping children out of a stroller to go to those two parks. With little ones, you're going to spend a lot of time at MK. You'll also be able to hop on the monorail for all of the great character meals, like the amazing breakfast at 'Ohana at the poly, Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary, and 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian. Staying on the monorail, means you have easy access to things that are usually most important for families with young children. This quick commute, and letting your kids sleep while you travel can add HOURS back into your day which you would otherwise lose taking longer bus rides and having to calm cranky kids who have to be woken up to get on the bus, and then to get off the bus to go back into the stroller.
You can also have a great vacation at at Moderate resort, as you mentioned. The major difference (aside from the amenities of the rooms, pools, etc) is that you'd be taking the bus everywhere. I find the Disney buses to be pretty efficient. At night especially, coming home after fireworks, you can't count on getting on the first bus or getting a seat, so that's where a lot of the complaints come in, but I have used the buses on many many trips.
There are some good deals on the Deluxe resorts for this spring. When were you thinking of travelling? I can look up the rates for you if you'd like.
I would really think about the monorial, especially if you want to do those character meals i mentioned. Otherwise for example to go to dinner at 1900 Park Fare, or break fast at Ohana, you'd have to take the bus to Magic Kingdom, and then get on the monorail or boat to the Poly or Grand Floridian. It adds a step and it means you have to get up earlier to get home later. Like I said, staying on the monorail gives you back hours into your days when you have little ones.
Let me know how I can help!
Message edited 2/13/2012 10:11:47 AM.
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| Posted 2/13/12 10:07 AM |
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