Best route from MK to Contemporary

DisneyFanJen

DisneyFanJen

Member
Hiya,

I've finally managed to get the dates finalised and the vacation booked so we're of to WDW on the 25th for ten glorious days in the Animal Kingdom Lodge.

First stay on-site too. Well, if your going to do it, do it in style! :)

Anyway, for Stacey's Birthday I've managed to wangle a table for two at the California Grill for a 7:50pm seating (with wishes starting at 8pm).

Later today I'm going to ring them and see if they can arrange something special for dinner as being veggie tends to limit the options and I'd like something special. I've even got a B.Day cake arranged.


So everything's sorted except one thing, how to get there. We're going to be at MK that day and the last thing I want to do is screw up and miss our dining time. So what's the best/quickest way to get to the Contemporary from MK (we'll probably be using WDW transportation all the way that day so we can have a drink).

I honestly havent a clue how to get there, we usually just jump in the hire car apart from the run between MK and Epcot on the monorail.
 
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esauerh

New Member
The resort monorail leaves from MK and it's first stop is the Contemporary.

or...

You could walk from MK to the Contemporary; there is a guest walkway from the park to the resort.
 
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ErickainPA

ErickainPA

New Member
Was going to say, could take the boat, it's a nice little ride. When we stayed at the WL we took the boat all the time to MK and then would get the monorail, ferry or bus to wherever. We just loved to see the sites from the water.
 
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Magic Lover

New Member
Walking might almost be faster than taking the monorail. My wife and I did the same thing last sunday and the walk was only about 5-10 minutes from the exit of MK to the doors of the Contempo. The California Grill was spectacular. It was our honeymoon and they treated us soooo well! You'll have to let us know how it goes!
 
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octoberbarry

octoberbarry

Active Member
QUick thought though on your reservation time...
Is that an ADR for 7:50? You know, it doesn't guarantee that you'll be at your table right at 7:50...maybe not even by 8:00...if you want to make sure you're sitting up there when the fireworks happen, you may want a res, if you can wrangle it, for more like 7:30...just mho...
 
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mickeysgal

New Member
Yes, I agree with octoberbarry... with the dining plans being a big hit advanced reservations aren't as good as they used to be. We made a 8:00 ADR for dessert at Sci-Fi Dine in and by 8:40 we were still outside waiting. We were told that a we were guarenteed a table, but they could not guarentee the time. Luckily, it was only for dessert, so we left and got ice cream. But, because the California Grill is a signature meal, maybe most people won't go and you will have a better chance of getting a table closer to the time requested. I suggest calling and seeing if there are any seatings like a 1/2 an hour earlier. You can always take your time eating. Or call ahead and ask how long far off the reservations are. Maybe if you check in a little earlier, they can sit you closer to the time requested. Good luck, I'll keep my fingers crossed....but I have a feeling it will be a magical night anyway.
 
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Jekyll Baker

Jekyll Baker

New Member
I thought that it was always advised to check-in for a PS/ADR at least 15 minutes early anyway - many times I've been seated a little early. The only time I've had to wait a long time was at Jiko, and the beeper they gave me did not work.
 
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octoberbarry

octoberbarry

Active Member
yeah but even with 15 minutes early, they could still miss the fireworks. I've heard of waiting up to 45 minutes for a table...and folks ain't leaving their tables to quickly at California Grill at that time of night...
 
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Main Street Jim

New Member
Also, check-in for the CG is on the second floor, isn't it? I know we took the escalator up at least a floor when we wate there in October. That doesn't mean you'll get all the way up to the 15th floor by your ADR time...
 
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brkgnews

brkgnews

Well-Known Member
esauerh said:
The resort monorail leaves from MK and it's first stop is the Contemporary.

or...

You could walk from MK to the Contemporary; there is a guest walkway from the park to the resort.
Click to expand...
Eric -- is my brain on backwards today, or doesn't the resort monorail go the other way, headed from MK towards the Poly and Grand Flo before reaching the Tempo? By the way -- how've you been? My EPCOT pin is still sitting in a place of honor.
 
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DisneyFanJen

DisneyFanJen

Member
Original Poster
octoberbarry said:
QUick thought though on your reservation time...
Is that an ADR for 7:50? You know, it doesn't guarantee that you'll be at your table right at 7:50...maybe not even by 8:00...if you want to make sure you're sitting up there when the fireworks happen, you may want a res, if you can wrangle it, for more like 7:30...just mho...
Click to expand...

Unfortunately I didn't really have a choice. It was 7:50pm or 5pm or 9:20pm. Not surprising since the vacation was booked yesterday (so only 16 days till the ADR date)

I should imagine that unless there's a real problem, we'll see the majority of the fireworks and to help things along I'm going to get there extra early (say 7:15) and explain that it's her birthday, they might be able to hussle us in a bit earlier for the start. Might not make a difference but Disney usually bend over backwards to help if they can.

I think we're going to have to make our way there from AKL though, as thinking on it I imagine we'll want to freshen up and get changed first.

So It'll be bus to the TTC then from there to the contemp.
 
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T

Tinkershelly

Member
octoberbarry said:
Yes getting there REALLY early could actually do it for you. We did that a couple of times and actually got seated before our reserved time. GOOD LUCK!!!
Click to expand...

Last month we had 9:10pm reservations for LeCellier in EPCOT. This was the only reservatin that we could get for this restaurant for our 10 day vacation so we had to take it, even though it was a bit late for our preference. It was our last day and we had finished up most of what we had to do and so we checked in at the restaurant about 8:30. We said that we were a bit early, but the hostess said that they love people who are early and we were seated right away. The same thing happened at the Crystal Palace for lunch, checked in 45 minutes early and were seated right away. We usually check in 15-20 minutes early anyway, but this was a bit extreme even for us. Worked out last month for us, perhaps it will for you too if you can't change your reservation. I'd give it a try!

Tink
 
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colliera

colliera

Member
If you walk . . .

If you decide to walk when you reach the CR security gate walk through the Garden North parking lot and enter on ground level into the side of the CR which enters into the Quick Food and snack area. Continue through it and the gaming area to the main lobby to the elevators and go up to level 2 check-in. You will cut a few minutes off the walk instead of going past the bus stop to make the entrance into the front of the CR and also be inside out of the weather if it is cold/rainy.

I tried it both ways and walking can beat the monorail from MK to CR due to loading and wait times.

The resort monorail travels in a clock-wise direction: MK to CR to TTC to Poly to GF to MK if running normally. The express monorail runs counter clock-wise.
 
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