How convenient is the monorail really?

[hansel1]

So, I am a dvc owner but this is not a specific dvc question so I will ask this here. For those of you who stay at the poly, the GF or the Contemporary: how convenient is the monorail? I feel as though the thought of having the monorail convenience may not live up to the reality. How did the BLT dvc change things? Now they will add another DVC property to the monorail line.

 

[Master Yoda]

For going to MK it is incredibly convenient. For travel Epcot it will depend on where you are on the line but it is still pretty consistent. The only problem is when the resort line goes down.

 

[Polydweller]

Staying at the Poly, the monorail to Epcot is extremely convenient. Best way to get there. Don't use it much for MK, use the resort launch instead.

 

[karlbeau]

With regard to MK the convenience depends a lot on the time of day. Keep in mind that trying to board the monorail at the Contemporary can sometimes be nearly impossible if large crowds are leaving MK (after a parade or after fireworks) since the Contemporary is the first stop before the TTC.

I agree that the resort launch is a bit more practical (and pleasurable) from the Polynesian and/or the GF.

 

[tikiman]

Between the boats and the monorail I find transportation from the Polynesian to be quick and a ride of its own. Many times have I made a quick trip to Epcot from the Polynesian by walking over to the TTC and taken the 8 minute ride over. If I had to wait and get on a bus there are many times I would have not made those quick trips over to Epcot. Also it is one of the few times you can take Disney transportation to visit other resorts.

 

[Deadmanwalking]

It is good for the Contemporary, less so for the other resorts... From my experience it was always nice to be able to get to the resort from MK in the evening and was very quick since its the first stop... Not so good going to the MK because you have to stop alot before you get there, but you can easily walk if you want to or if the line is down.

GF was a pain sometimes going to the MK because it would be full by the time it got there and if you had a stroller it would be a pain when it was full... going from the park you are the last one on the stop so you have a lot of stops that get old quick.

 

[coltow]

For going to MK it is incredibly convenient. For travel Epcot it will depend on where you are on the line but it is still pretty consistent. The only problem is when the resort line goes down.

OR if you are at EPCOT and need to get to Poly and the EPCOT/TTC line is down. That happend to us. It totally sucked. You're talking after Illuminations and now needing to get buses to EP to take thousands of ppl to TTC. It was a nightmare, at least it was out last night and not our 1st.

 

[jmargarone27]

I absolutely LOVE the monorail. It's more reliable, faster, and more fun than the buses.

 

[rkelly42]

It is very convenient going to MK or to Epcot. I have not yet run into the problem with the resort lines being down so I guess I am lucky, right now. I do enjoy however taking the ferry over to the MK now and then to change it up a little.

 

[DisneyDebNJ]

So, I am a dvc owner but this is not a specific dvc question so I will ask this here. For those of you who stay at the poly, the GF or the Contemporary: how convenient is the monorail? I feel as though the thought of having the monorail convenience may not live up to the reality. How did the BLT dvc change things? Now they will add another DVC property to the monorail line.

We're Poly people (have stayed at all 3 on the monorail line in the past) and the Monorail is super convenient. I know it gets crowded when the parks close, so we hang back a bit and let, families with very tired children rush ahead (who we affectionately call the stroller brigade, having been a member myself in the past). We try to time our monorail trips, avoiding early mornings or close to park closing, so its never a hassle.

 

[PhilharMagician]

I absolutely LOVE the monorail. It's more reliable, faster, and more fun than the buses.

I guess you have never been near the monorail line when it has broke down (which happens somewhat fraquently). This could shut down a line for well ove an hour to clear the tracks. Then let's no forget about the switching of trains between tracks. You catch this just right and it can put an hour delay in a trip from one of the MK resorts to Epcot.

Unfortunately I have on a few too many occasions had a monorail trip that has taken me over an hour to get from the Contemporary to Epcot. That is very frustrating. I can say that I have never had a time where it has taken me an hour to get from any resort to any park or DTD.

The honestly love the WDW monorail and it is very cool and a great novelty, but it also has it's handicaps. It however is not more reliable and faster than bus service, but much more fun.

 

[surfsupdon]

Our experiences are opposite.

The monorail, like a bus, gets over crowded and full in the mornings and nights.

The monorail stops on the beam before each stop and "waits for clearance," just like a bus does at a stop light, when it is crowded (most MK days).

The monorail requires a transfer to get to Epcot, unlike direct bus service from your Resort.

The monorail can break down entirely for a night--or longer--unlike a bus fleet.


We find that it is BEST to try and eliminate as much Disney Transport as you can, and stay at a Deluxe Epcot Resort where walking is an option to 2 theme parks and 5 different Resorts.



Yes, I ride the busses and typically don't have a problem with them too often. But it seems like the monorail, although cool and neat and fun, is not as perfectly efficient as often expected to be. Yeah, I'll always ride monorails at least once per trip, but we find the convenience of an Epcot Deluxe Resort better than the convenience of a monorail Resort, having stayed in both areas several times. We actually prefer the water launches from Poly and Grand Flo over their monorail service.

 

[racefan]

The monorail is extremely convenient for the MK and to Epcot to a lesser degree. We only ever stay at the Poly mainly due to the convenience to the MK and Epcot. Honestly, the monorail is one of my favorite attractions at WDW. There are times when the monorail breaks down and slows things a bit but I've found the monorail to be much much more convenient overall to the WDW buses. I mean seriously...I can ride a bus in my own neighborhood. The monorail is uniquely Disney!

 

[hansel1]

Do you think adding the new grand floridian DVC to the resort line will make things worse for the monorail?

 

[BrittanyRose428]

I've stayed at the Grand Floridian and the Contemporary and the monorail was extremely convenient. Mostly for MK, but I enjoy riding it anyways so I love the ride to Epcot too. I think it was just nice (at the Contemporary anyways) to just take an elevator up to my room after a long day at the parks instead of walking from a bus stop. (Though this sounds really lazy, and this was only because we were in the main building) All the times I've stayed at the Grand Floridian our room has been far enough away from the monorail that it really wouldn't matter in that respect.

 

[Master Yoda]

Do you think adding the new grand floridian DVC to the resort line will make things worse for the monorail?

Any increase to the number of people using the monorail will "technically' make it worse. Whether you would notice the effect is debatable. Personally, I think the effect will be minimal and noticed only at peak times.

 

[PhilharMagician]

Do you think adding the new grand floridian DVC to the resort line will make things worse for the monorail?

No. The few added rooms will have almost no effect at all. The problem with the monorail exists because of it's inability to quickly react to a change in volumes and breakdowns. It is a victim of it's own track system, but fun to ride and watch.