Resort transportation??

[jozzmenia]

OK, here are our next trips: 8/30/06 to 9/5/06, and 12/8/06 to 12/12/06. :sohappy: OK, my birthday is December 11th. I want to go to MVMCP that day. I was reading the thread about Christmastime and it included other events, but said that the resorts were all decorated.

Here's my question. I want to spend some time one day just visiting the resorts and relaxing. We're going on a free trip that I won for that trip so we're staying off-site. So, what would be the best way to get around and see all the resorts? Can non-resort guests ride the buses and stuff? I'm a huge Christmas person and this trip will just be to take in the ambiance and have a relaxing holiday trip. :xmas: I think that would be nice. Any suggestions for getting around?

 

[shaelyn]

In general, I believe the resort busses are reserved for resort guests. I've never had them ask for Resort ID, but I guess they do it at peak times when the strain on the system is high.

Since you're staying off property, will you have a car? You can park at the hotels if you have a priority seating there.

 

[sbkline]

OK, here are our next trips: 8/30/06 to 9/5/06, and 12/8/06 to 12/12/06. :sohappy: OK, my birthday is December 11th. I want to go to MVMCP that day. I was reading the thread about Christmastime and it included other events, but said that the resorts were all decorated.

Here's my question. I want to spend some time one day just visiting the resorts and relaxing. We're going on a free trip that I won for that trip so we're staying off-site. So, what would be the best way to get around and see all the resorts? Can non-resort guests ride the buses and stuff? I'm a huge Christmas person and this trip will just be to take in the ambiance and have a relaxing holiday trip. :xmas: I think that would be nice. Any suggestions for getting around?

Technically, the resort transportation is only for resort guests or those who have a ticket for the parks. If I understand correctly, having a ticket entitles you to ride the monorail and the buses, but you're supposed to have a resort ID to ride to and from the resorts. However, I have never seen them ask for ID on the buses or monorail, so you may be able to get away with it. However, the boat that goes from Downtown Disney to Port Orleans requires an ID and I think they do check that. We went last year just to visit Downtown Disney for the first time and EPCOT. We were in line for the boat to go to Port ORleans, just so I could see what it looked like. I asked the boat guide if it is a one way trip, or if I could get back on and come back and he said it is one way, plus you have to be a guest to get on. But then we hopped a bus and rode around for about an hour or so and no one asked for ID so we totally got away with it...although my wife felt pretty embarrassed. :lol:

 

[jozzmenia]

How do people get around then? If I have a ticket to MVMCP that evening, will that do to ride the buses? I'm pretty sure it's too big to just walk around. What if I have dining reservations at a resort? Can u park at a resort if you're not staying there?

 

[sbkline]

How do people get around then? If I have a ticket to MVMCP that evening, will that do to ride the buses? I'm pretty sure it's too big to just walk around. What if I have dining reservations at a resort? Can u park at a resort if you're not staying there?

What is MVMCP?

Sorry, I'm not up on all the abbreviations just yet.

 

[Nemo14]

I'm pretty sure that if you have a ticket, it entitles you to use any WDW transportation.

 

[jozzmenia]

What is MVMCP?

Sorry, I'm not up on all the abbreviations just yet.

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.

It's ok, I asked that exact same question a couple of months ago... :lol:

 

[flscooman]

ALL ALL resort transportation is free. They want you to visit the resorts so you will spend money in the shops and restaurants. It's easy to visit the monorail resorts. Epcot resorts require some walking from back of the park. All others can be reached by bus but the busses don't go from resort to resort so can take a while to go from say AKL to Coranado:xmas:

 

[sbkline]

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.

It's ok, I asked that exact same question a couple of months ago... :lol:

Even if you technically aren't supposed to ride, even with that ticket, I'm sure you could get on the bus and no one would be the wiser. Those drivers drive those buses around all day and transport hundreds or thousands of passengers, and I have never seen them ask for ID.

 

[celticdog]

Riding the busses is the easy part. It's parking your car that would be a problem. A dinner/lunch parking pass is usually only good for few hours. After that, you may get towed. My suggestion is to park at the TTC and then monorail/bus hop from there. You'd have to pay a parking fee, but it's cheaper than a towing fee.

 

[tink81]

I thought Disney Transportation was open to anyone(?) The resort monorails and water taxis maybe a different story, but I am pretty sure the buses are available to everyone. The only exception would be when it is peak season and busses are packed, I could see how asking for room keys would be neccessary to make sure resort guests are taken care of before general guests.

 

[sbkline]

ALL ALL resort transportation is free. They want you to visit the resorts so you will spend money in the shops and restaurants. It's easy to visit the monorail resorts. Epcot resorts require some walking from back of the park. All others can be reached by bus but the busses don't go from resort to resort so can take a while to go from say AKL to Coranado:xmas:

Actually, I was just looking at page 58 of Biernbaums Walt Disney World book, and it says that guests with one day park passes are only eligeable to use the monorail and the Ferry which goes to MK, but cannot ride the buses. And it says that the monorail is for people with park admission.

So, technically, you probably can't ride any of those modes of transportation. But like I said...I have never seen anyone check for ID or tickets.

 

[Nemo14]

Riding the busses is the easy part. It's parking your car that would be a problem. A dinner/lunch parking pass is usually only good for few hours. After that, you may get towed. My suggestion is to park at the TTC and then monorail/bus hop from there. You'd have to pay a parking fee, but it's cheaper than a towing fee.

If you spring for the 9 bucks and park at the TTC, there won't be a problem. From there you can take the resort monorail to see the Contemporary, the Poly, and the GF. Then take the Epcot monorail and take the buses from there to the other hotels.

 

[Master Yoda]

If you have a car by all means drive to the resorts.

Just tell the guard at the gate that you are looking at the Christmas decorations and they will give you a temporary pass. When you are going to the monorail resorts and WL you will need to go through the parking gates to the TTC. go to the gate the farthest to the right tell the parking attendant that you are going to the Poly and they will let you through without charging you. Once at one of the monorail resorts you can take the monorail to the other 2 resorts. If you want to clear a guilty conscience have breakfast, lunch and/or dinner at some of the resorts you visit.

While taking Disney transportation from resort to resort is possible the transfers are far to time consuming if driving yourself is an option.

 

[jozzmenia]

Riding the busses is the easy part. It's parking your car that would be a problem. A dinner/lunch parking pass is usually only good for few hours. After that, you may get towed. My suggestion is to park at the TTC and then monorail/bus hop from there. You'd have to pay a parking fee, but it's cheaper than a towing fee.

What's TTC again? (I know I will feel dumb when I hear the answer )

Well our hotel has a free shuttle "to Disney", whatever that means. I've heard shuttle horror stories but I don't let it get to me too much b/c at least we'll end up on Disney property eventually. So I was thinking we could take the shuttle and then wander around from there. I think it might be cool to just be in Disney with no pressure or tight fixed scheduling.

 

[sbkline]

What's TTC again? (I know I will feel dumb when I hear the answer )

Well our hotel has a free shuttle "to Disney", whatever that means. I've heard shuttle horror stories but I don't let it get to me too much b/c at least we'll end up on Disney property eventually. So I was thinking we could take the shuttle and then wander around from there. I think it might be cool to just be in Disney with no pressure or tight fixed scheduling.

TTC means Ticket and Transportation Center.

As far as the shuttle goes, what that is is a bus that comes to your hotel at a certain time in the morning and comes back at a certain time at night. Just make sure that your event will be all done by the time the shuttle comes back, or else you're walking or taking a taxi back.

The wife and I stayed in a Super 8 motel and they had a free shuttle. It was nice to save on gas and all, but the drawback is that you have to leave when the shuttle departs. Say, for instance, the shuttle would come back at 7 PM to take you back. Well, if you had hoped to stay at the park until close, or even until it's dark, you're out of luck. Because that's when the shuttle will be there to pick you up, whether you're ready to go at that time or not.

 

[bucklmd]

Suppose you are just scouting out future places to stay when vacationing at Disney World. I'm quite sure that no Disney employee would (or should) have a problem with that. I agree though, that if you have your own car, it would be much more efficient for time sake. It takes a long time to travel between resorts, especially when they aren't connected by monorail or boat service.