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DISNEY WORLD DELUXE RESORTS CONVENIENCE
1. Disney’s Polynesian Resort. Far and away the most convenient resort, especially if you get a room in Tokelau, Rapa Nui or Tahiti.
The resort monorail to the Magic Kingdom makes only one additional stop before getting there; to return, you can take the express monorail to TTC, get off at TTC—the first stop—and walk from TTC back to your room–saving up to 10-30 minutes compared to the Grand Floridian.
Moreover, the Epcot monorail is also in walking distance, saving even more time. Shares buses to other destinations with other Magic Kingdom resorts. (~3000 rooms served/bus)
2. Disney’s Contemporary Resort. As convenient as the Polynesian for the Magic Kingdom, as you can walk to the Magic Kingdom, and be the first stop on the resort monorail trip from the Magic Kingdom back to the resort.
Less convenient for Epcot than the Polynesian, as you must first take the resort monorail to TTC, get off, change platforms, and wait for the Epcot monorail. Shares buses to other destinations with other Magic Kingdom resorts. (~3000 rooms served/bus)
3. Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Villas. Convenient only to the Magic Kingdom, which is the first stop on the resort monorail for Grand Floridian guests. Returning to Grand Floridian from the Magic Kingdom takes 4 stops and sometimes as long as half an hour.
Epcot requires three stops to TTC, changing platforms, and waiting for the Epcot monorail. Shares buses to other destinations with other Magic Kingdom resorts. (~3000 rooms served/bus)
4. Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Villas. No monorail access to Magic Kingdom—bus (in season) or boat instead. Shares buses with other Magic Kingdom resorts and Fort Wilderness for other destinations. (~2200 rooms served/bus)
5. Disney’s BoardWalk Inn and Villas. Walk or boat to Epcot back entrance ; long walk or slow boat to Hollywood Studios. Shortest walks of Epcot resorts. Typically shares buses with Yacht Club and Beach Club to Magic Kingdom, and these and Swan and Dolphin to Animal Kingdom. (~2400 rooms served/bus)
6. Disney’s Beach Club Resort and Villas. Walk or boat to Epcot back entrance; long walk or slow boat to Hollywood Studios. Typically shares buses with Yacht Club and Boardwalk to Magic Kingdom, and these and Swan and Dolphin to Animal Kingdom. (~2400 rooms served/bus)
7. Disney’s Yacht Club Resort. Walk or boat to Epcot back entrance; long walk or slow boat to Hollywood Studios. Longest walks of Epcot resorts. Typically shares buses with Beach Club and Boardwalk to Magic Kingdom, and these and Swan and Dolphin to Animal Kingdom. (~2400 rooms served/bus)
8. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and Villas. Distance from parks other than the Animal Kingdom partially compensated for by the fact that buses are not shared with other resorts. 2 stops. (~1700 rooms served/bus)
DISNEY VACATION CLUB STAND-ALONE RESORTS CONVENIENCE
18. Disney’s Old Key West Resort. 5 Stops. Somewhat distant, many stops, long bus drive around sprawling resort. (~ rooms served/bus)
19. Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort. 5 stops. Somewhat distant, many stops, long bus ride around sprawling resort. The Treehouse section is even less convenient–you must take a bus to the main Saratoga Springs resort to catch another bus to the parks… (~1800 rooms served/bus)
OTHER RESORT CONVENIENCE
20. Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. All transport here is complicated by the need to take an internal bus with many stops to one of two main internal destinations, and then pick up yet another transportation mode—boat to Magic Kingdom, buses otherwise—to complete trip. Park buses commonly shared with Wilderness Lodge. (~2200 rooms served/ park bus)
Non-Disney Resorts on Site: The Swan and Dolphin have convenience similar to the Yacht and Beach Clubs and Boardwalk. Shades of Green is less convenient than the Wilderness Lodge—it has its own bus system, which is not so frequent nor convenient as the Disney system.
MORE ON WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD
- For where to stay, see this
- For your next best choices, in order, see this
- For picking your resort based on appeal to kids, see this
- For picking your resort based on convenience, see this
- For where not to stay, see this
- For what you get in each resort price category, see this
- For Walt Disney World resort price seasons, see this
- For resort reviews, see this
- For the value resorts, see this
- For the moderate resorts, see this
- For the deluxe resorts, see this
- For suites at the deluxe resorts, see this
- For the Disney Vacation Club (“DVC”) Resorts, see this
- For a (geeky) overview of comparative room size, see this
- Military/DOD families should look at this
- Families seeking the most comfortable place to stay should see this