mouseketab.....Carol 1,261 Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 We usually resort hop in conjunction with a park visit As said above, WL and the monorail resorts are easy. For the "Epcot" Resorts, we'll bus to Epcot, wander Epcot a bit perhaps ride Soarin, then walk out the International Gateway of Epcot and towards Yacht & Beach, Boardwalk, Swan & Dolphin, then depending on what time it is and park closing time, we'll either continue our walk to Studios and take a bus back from there, or go back through Epcot (watch Illuminations), and take a bus back from there. For the remaining resorts, we visit during lunch breaks from the parks. Sometimes we even play "bus roulette" for a meal. Hop on the first park bus that comes along, then stay on that same bus for it's next destination. (Buses do not go in a circle, they go to a resort, then to a park, and usually go to a different resort), then after our meal and wandering the resort, we take the first park bus that comes along, then a bus back to the Fort. Now, let me caveat that by saying, we no longer have full park days. We have Annual Passes, we usually have longer stays, and spend most of our time relaxing at the Fort, and simply "wandering" the parks for a couple hours before a meal. (Empty nesters) So we are not trying to fit resort touring into a busy park day. Resort touring may BE our day :) keith_h 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
keith_h 420 Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 To visit other resorts, you can easily take a boat to Wilderness Lodge, and after exploring there, to the Contemporary. From there, hop to monorail to the Polynesian and then the Grand Floridian. A few months back, I came up with this plan for visiting some of the other resorts. *PLEASE NOTE* I haven't tried this. It is just a plan I drew up. Non-Monorail Resort Touring Plan Objective: To spend time visiting Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, the Boardwalk, and Port Orleans in one relaxed afternoon. Maybe. Step One: Wilderness Lodge Take internal Fort bus to Settlement. Take boat to WL. Step Two: Animal Kingdom Lodge Boat to MK Bus from MK to AKL Step Three: Boardwalk Bus from AKL to DHS Boat from DHS to Boardwalk (salt water taffy) Step Four: Port Orleans Bus from Boardwalk to DTD Boat from DTD to Port Orleans - Riverside (Piano Bob starts at 8:30p) Step Five: Figure out how to get back to the fort! LOL You can also get bus service from The Fort to DTD and back which isn't a bad way to visit DTD and Port Orleans (in our plans for our November trip). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 Another question: what time is Check-in and check-out? Official check-in time for the campsites is after 1 pm, but you can check in anytime on the day of your arrival (I believe as early as 6:30 am), and if your site is ready, they will send you there. If the site is not ready, which is likely to be the case if you check-in in the morning, they will take a cell number and text you your site number when it's ready. Check out is 11 am. As far as exploring resorts- you already have some good answers. The WDW transportation system is great. There are endless combinations of where you can go and how you can get there. Make sure that you include some monorail and boat rides in your plans. TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
M&JCrosby 0 Posted February 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 WOW. that is a lot of information to take in, but very useful info. Thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Millermouseketeers MaryAnn 150 Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 I hope you guys have a great time! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 WOW. that is a lot of information to take in, but very useful info. Thanks Yes, it's a lot of information! There's a lot to do at WDW. The transportation plan Marty posted mentioned a few of the fun free things there are to do around WDW. I highly recommend two things on her list: a visit to Animal Kingdom Lodge, and visiting Port Orleans Riverside to catch a performance by Yeehaw Bob. TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
M&JCrosby 0 Posted February 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 If we wanted to go down before October and check some things out, like look at different resorts etc. would we have to purchase a park ticket or be already staying in a WDW resort to do so? Or could we go to downtown disney and catch a bus or boat to go look at some resorts? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 If we wanted to go down before October and check some things out, like look at different resorts etc. would we have to purchase a park ticket or be already staying in a WDW resort to do so? Or could we go to downtown disney and catch a bus or boat to go look at some resorts? Currently, you can do exactly what you're thinking: park at Downtown Disney and take a bus or boat to a resort to look around. There were some reports around this past holiday season that they were scanning guests' Magic Bands at the bus stops at Downtown Disney, but I haven't heard anything more about that. Another option is to make a dining reservation at a resort. That will allow you to park there. TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023 Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 What TCD said - no park tickets or room reservation necessary to visit resorts. It seems like only during the busiest times of year are they restricting parking and checking MBs for buses, otherwise you can generally drive up and say "I'm here to check out the resort" and show them a photo ID and they'll just wave you through. In October you may not be able to do that for the Epcot resorts because of the Food & Wine festival, but there's an overflow lot behind the Hess station across the street from the Boardwalk resort where, if you can find a spot, you should be fine to park and walk from there. Also, around Halloween and on the weekends the Fort is JAM PACKED - and that's one time you might run into trouble trying to drive in there and park. For those busy times, I'd got with the bus plan. And as TCD said, if you have a dining reservation you should be fine no matter when you go. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
keith_h 420 Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 Another option to see The Fort if you can't get in to park would be going to the Wilderness Lodge or Contemporary and then taking the boats. The boats are also a nice way of seeing that area in a touristy way. BradyBzLyn...Mo and Momof6....aka Marty 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ependydad...Doug 176 Posted February 6, 2015 Report Share Posted February 6, 2015 If we wanted to go down before October and check some things out, like look at different resorts etc. would we have to purchase a park ticket or be already staying in a WDW resort to do so? Or could we go to downtown disney and catch a bus or boat to go look at some resorts? You already got good info, but this is exactly what my wife and I did with our family a bunch of times this past summer (we were staying in Clermont for a few weeks). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
M&JCrosby 0 Posted February 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Hey friends,Me and my husband were wanting to come to the fort this weekend to look around and look at the other resorts, is there anything going on this weekend that would hinder us from being able to browse around the resorts? Is there anything going on this weekend that we should try to be apart of? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mouseketab.....Carol 1,261 Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 It is President's Day Weekend, so parking at the Fort may be restricted. However, there are lots of other resorts that don't restrict parking on busy weekends, so find a resort, tell them you are going for a meal and a look around, hop on a bus and explore :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
M&JCrosby 0 Posted February 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 Thank you mouseketab! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 It is President's Day Weekend, so parking at the Fort may be restricted. However, there are lots of other resorts that don't restrict parking on busy weekends, so find a resort, tell them you are going for a meal and a look around, hop on a bus and explore :)Worst case is parking at Downtown Disney and taking a couple of long bus rides, if they aren't checking bands. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023 Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 That works to! Speaking of DTD... has anybody tried parking down there lately? Love to hear if the parking situation is still crazy or if it's gotten any better. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Grumpy and Grandma 739 Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 That works to! Speaking of DTD... has anybody tried parking down there lately? Love to hear if the parking situation is still crazy or if it's gotten any better. With the garage being open (at least part of it) it wasn't too bad even for us old folks of course we went down early. They have a sign that tells you how many spaces available on each level as you pull in IIRC about 800 spaces on each level. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023 Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 With the garage being open (at least part of it) it wasn't too bad even for us old folks of course we went down early. They have a sign that tells you how many spaces available on each level as you pull in IIRC about 800 spaces on each level. Good to know, Dave - thanks!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fladogfan aka Gretchen 259 Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 That works to! Speaking of DTD... has anybody tried parking down there lately? Love to hear if the parking situation is still crazy or if it's gotten any better.We had family in town and they treated me to Cirque Du Soleil - yay me! We parked in the lot behind the Cirque building. Lots of room, it was a Wednesday and not very crowded, even empty seats in La Nouba. I went home the back way but they were staying at Vistana on Rt. 535. They told me they had no problem getting out of the lot but as they went past the parking garage they felt sorry for the poor souls trying to get out of there. The time was about 11-11:30pm. I haven't tried to park in the monster in the parking lot yet and as long as I can walk I probably won't. If you do use the back parking lot be sure to go pass the bus turn. We went far to the back before making the turn and were pleasantly surprised by how much parking was available. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023 Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Good to know - thanks Gretchen! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
M&JCrosby 0 Posted February 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Very helpful, YES thank you all very much!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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