Breakfast Plans: Transportation Issue

[rodserling27]

I'll be in WDW shortly, but in the meantime I've an issue that need to turn to the experts of WDWMagic for.

Long story short, I'm taking my sister to WDW for a vacation, but my parents decided they would take my little brother there as well at the same time, and want to do a breakfast with us. I reserved us a table at the Kona Cafe at the Polynesian at 7:45a, with the idea that my parents would be renting a car down there (as they always do) and could easily get my sister and I at All-Star Music before breakfast. My parents and little brother will be at Port Orleans.

My father called to tell me today they will NOT be renting a car, and he says we should just take the bus to the Polynesian from our respected hotels. One problem: The buses don't run directly from resort to resort. We would all have to catch a bus to Downtown Disney and THEN transfer to a bus to the Polynesian. I don't want to change the reservation times and my sister and I are trying to get the Animal Kingdom as early as possible after breakfast that morning. So I turn to you guys.

My theory is that I might POTENTIALLY be able to catch a bus to MK at 7am (they start running at 7am) and then somehow, by the grace of Walt, catch the Monorail to the Polynesian from MK Transportation Center. Is this feasible in the least bit? What do you guys recommend? A cab? Give up? Hitch-hike?

Thanks!!

 

[CleveRocks]

I'll be in WDW shortly, but in the meantime I've an issue that need to turn to the experts of WDWMagic for.

Long story short, I'm taking my sister to WDW for a vacation, but my parents decided they would take my little brother there as well at the same time, and want to do a breakfast with us. I reserved us a table at the Kona Cafe at the Polynesian at 7:45a, with the idea that my parents would be renting a car down there (as they always do) and could easily get my sister and I at All-Star Music before breakfast. My parents and little brother will be at Port Orleans.

My father called to tell me today they will NOT be renting a car, and he says we should just take the bus to the Polynesian from our respected hotels. One problem: The buses don't run directly from resort to resort. We would all have to catch a bus to Downtown Disney and THEN transfer to a bus to the Polynesian. I don't want to change the reservation times and my sister and I are trying to get the Animal Kingdom as early as possible after breakfast that morning. So I turn to you guys.

My theory is that I might POTENTIALLY be able to catch a bus to MK at 7am (they start running at 7am) and then somehow, by the grace of Walt, catch the Monorail to the Polynesian from MK Transportation Center. Is this feasible in the least bit? What do you guys recommend? A cab? Give up? Hitch-hike?

Thanks!!

It's very very much simpler than you think.

Buses start running from every resort to the parks around 6:30 a.m. Simply take a MAGIC KINGDOM bus from your resort. It will drop you off at the Magic Kingdom bus area. From there, you walk to the Magic KIngdom resort monorail platform, and take the monorail directly to the Polynesian. It will stop at Contemporary Resort, then the Transportation & Ticket Center, and then Polynesian.

The Poly monorail platform connects to the second floor of the Great Ceremonial House. Kona Cafe is also on the second floor of the GCH.

It really couldn't be much easier.

But wait! It might possibly get a little easier ... it totally depends on the bus driver. For those early morning buses, it can't hurt to tell the driver that you have an ADR at Polynesian. He/she can choose to drop you off directly at the Polynesian. They don't have to do this, but some will offer to do it at those early hours.

NO NEED to mess with Downtown Disney. That would be WAAAAY out of the way.

 

[rodserling27]

It's very very much simpler than you think.

Buses start running from every resort to the parks around 6:30 a.m. Simply take a MAGIC KINGDOM bus from your resort. It will drop you off at the Magic Kingdom bus area. From there, you walk to the Magic KIngdom resort monorail platform, and take the monorail directly to the Polynesian. It will stop at Contemporary Resort, then the Transportation & Ticket Center, and then Polynesian.

The Poly monorail platform connects to the second floor of the Great Ceremonial House. Kona Cafe is also on the second floor of the GCH.

It really couldn't be much easier.

But wait! It might possibly get a little easier ... it totally depends on the bus driver. For those early morning buses, it can't hurt to tell the driver that you have an ADR at Polynesian. He/she can choose to drop you off directly at the Polynesian. They don't have to do this, but some will offer to do it at those early hours.

NO NEED to mess with Downtown Disney. That would be WAAAAY out of the way.

This is all very helpful!!!! Thank you so much, but I have one concern. Everywhere I look, it says the buses start running at 7:00a. This is fine, but I'm only concerned that if this is the case, we won't make our reservation in time at 7:45a. How sure are you that we all could catch a 6:30a bus?

Again, thank you for the plethora of information; though my visits to WDW are well into double digits these days, I've never really worked out the transportation system...

 

[MSU Jafar]

I think that going to the MK and catching the monorail to the Polynesian is your best bet and you will be there easily by 7:30. Enjoy Kona, it is the best!!

 

[TinkerChelli]

The easiest way is to take a bus from your hotel to MK then catch a monorail from MK to the Poly. Make sure that the Monorail you take is to the resorts and not to Epcot ok. There are two seperate Monorails. This will be the easiest and quickest way to get there. Generally buses and all transportation run at least 1 hour before parks open. I myself have taken buses from AKL to Epcot and MK and to the restaurants in the AM with no issues. Just make sure to leave enough time to wait at the bus stop.
Have fun you will be fine.
Also just so you know if you miss your reservation at the Poly I have done this myself they will still take you don't worry. This is Disney. They will find a place for you all.

 

[stlbobby]

The previous posters are all correct. The buses start early and move quickly in the early morning, and if for some reason you a few minutes late the Kona will still seat you. If you are still worried you can try one of three things.

1. Get the Kona's direct line and call them if you are running behind, this will ensure you get a table when you arrive.

2. Call your concierge the day before and tell them when and where your ADR is and ask what is the best way to ensure you'll make breakfast? They will have access to the transport schedules and will be able to check them to ensure you get there, or in some rare instances they will schedule a van or special breakfast bus for you and any other guests with early ADR's. I haven't heard of them needing the breakfast buses in a long time, they start general bus service earlier now, but it has been done in the past.

3. Book a cab the night before.

 

[rodserling27]

You guys are THE BEST. Thank you so much!!!!

 

[CleveRocks]

The easiest way is to take a bus from your hotel to MK then catch a monorail from MK to the Poly. Make sure that the Monorail you take is to the resorts and not to Epcot ok. There are two seperate Monorails.

The only reason I'm commenting here is so that the OP doesn't get too scared about getting on the wrong monorail.

When catching the monorail at Magic Kingdom, it is 100% IMPOSSIBLE to accidentally board an Epcot monorail.

There are two monorail platforms outside MK: the resort monorail and the express monorail. The resort monorail goes to the three monorail resorts and the TTC ... this monorail has no chance of going to Epcot. The express monorail stops only at MK and the TTC ... again, this monorail has no chance of going to Epcot.

The only way to take a monorail to Epcot is to walk onto the Epcot monorail platform at the TTC.

 

[slappy magoo]

I also don't think you'll have any problems making your reservations. But if you're concerned, here are a few more options. Not necessarily BETTER options, but options.

Make meal reservations at a restaurant in the park you're planning to visit that morning. They often will be serving breakfast even before park opening. For example, if you're planning on going to MK that day, you may be able to get breakfast ADRs at Crystal Palace or the Castle (though either would be pricier than the Kona). Going to Epcot? There's a Princess breakfast in the Norway pavilion. Hollywood& Vine at Studios or Donald's Breakfastosaurus in AK. Buses start running about 2 hours before park opening and if you have ADRs they'll let you into the park early to make them.

Make ADRs at Chef Mickey's at Contemporary. You'll still be taking a bus to MK first, but instead of running the risk of waiting for the resort monorail to loop around to you, you could just walk over to the Contemporary.

Plan to meet for breakfast somewhere at DTD, since the buses run directly there. Wolfgang Puck Express makes awesome breakfast (on the Marketplace side; to my knowledge the Express on the West Side does not serve breakfast).

Enjoy your trip.

Oh, and one more thing, if you keep your reservations at Kona, but by accident you get on the monorail that goes only to the TTC and then back to the MK, the TTC is walking distance to the Poly, so don't fret, just get out and walk the rest of the way.

 

[website.site124]

My father called to tell me today they will NOT be renting a car the Polynesian from our respected hotels.The platform connects to the second floor of the Great Ceremonial House.I've never really worked out the transportation system.

 

[joel_maxwell]

We have a 7:30am at Boma and we are staying at PORS. Luckily, I have done this similar thing before during my last visit with the family.

We will head over to AK around 6:45. At AK, we get off that bus and get onto a bus that loops from AK and AKL. After breakfast, we repeat to get to AK.

Yea for bus riding.