Walt Disney World Resorts Ranked by Convenience

OVERVIEW: DISNEY WORLD RESORTS RANKED BY CONVENIENCE

The Walt Disney World Resorts are ranked below by convenience (as defined here) in carrying out the Basic Itinerary.

They are coded by price category (see this for what you get by price category): D for Deluxe, M for Moderate, V for Value, and DVC for the stand-alone DVC properties. (The DVC properties that are not stand-alone, but rather are associated with another resort (the “Villas”) have the same convenience as that resort.)

VERY CONVENIENT

1. Disney’s Polynesian Resort (D): Far and away the most convenient resort, especially if you get a room in 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. (~2000 rooms served/bus).

2. Disney’s Contemporary Resort (D). 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. (~2000 rooms served/bus)

3.  Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort (D). 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.  Use the boat instead, if the line is not too long.

Epcot requires three stops to TTC, changing platforms, and waiting for the Epcot monorail. Shares buses to other destinations with other Magic Kingdom resorts. (~2000 rooms served/bus.)

CONVENIENT

4. Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Villas (D). No monorail access to Magic Kingdom—bus or boat instead. Shares buses with other Magic Kingdom resorts and Fort Wilderness for other destinations. (~2000 rooms served/bus)

5. Disney’s BoardWalk Inn and Villas (D). Walk or boat to Epcot back entrance (awkward for arriving at Epcot before park opens and being among the first to get on rides, very convenient otherwise); long walk or slow boat to MGM. 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. (~2500 rooms served/bus)

6. Disney’s Beach Club Resort (D). Walk or boat to Epcot back entrance (awkward for arriving at Epcot before park opens and being among the first to get on rides, very convenient otherwise); long walk or slow boat to MGM. Typically shares buses with Yacht Club and Boardwalk to Magic Kingdom, and these and Swan and Dolphin to Animal Kingdom. (~2500 rooms served/bus)

7. Disney’s Yacht Club Resort (D). Walk or boat to Epcot back entrance (awkward for arriving at Epcot before park opens and being among the first to get on rides, very convenient otherwise); long walk or slow boat to MGM. 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. (~2500 rooms served/bus)

8. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (D). Distance from parks other than the Animal Kingdom partially compensated for by the fact that buses are not shared with other resorts. (Second bus stop opened in 2009). (972 rooms served/bus)

9. Disney’s Pop Century Resort (V). Somewhat distant, but only resort with  no shared buses, and only one stop. (~2900 rooms served/bus)

SOMEWHAT CONVENIENT

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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

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• 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

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• For a (geeky) overview of comparative room size, see this

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• Large families should look at this, and also at
  • Large Families Looking for Value Pricing at Walt Disney World
  • Large Families Looking for Deluxe Accommodations at Disney World
  • Beds and Sleeping Spaces at the Walt Disney World Resorts
  • Renting Disney Vacation Club Points
  • Suites at Walt Disney World

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• Military/DOD families should look at this

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• Tightwads should look at this

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• Families seeking the most comfortable place to stay should see this

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