Places, Earth
Walt Disney World, 2023
Walt Disney World, 2023
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Places, Earth
Walt Disney World, 2023 |
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Walt Disney World, 2023 Day One: Travel Day One From my first visit to Disneyland in the late 1950s, I have been hooked on Disney theme parks. I aspired to be an Imagineer and worked for Imagineering a short time once. From the day I learned that Walt was building a grander theme park in Florida, I wanted to go. Now, after more than fifty years, I was heading east at about 35,000 feet and 600 miles an hour. I really don't like flying, but at 2,200 air miles, it is a bit further than I can drive for a one-week trip. My wife has lost interest in most travel but wanted to visit Walt Disney World too. It was late March of 2023 and the eighteen month 50th Anniversary celebration ran through March, so we just made it for the celebration. Originally we were planning to go in March 2024, but when we learned there was still space, we moved the trip up a year. It took months for me to research the trip, make reservations, and get ready. Our Magic Bands were in the carry-on along with an inch of paper. It was mostly cloudy until about the New Mexico / Texas border, then I looked down on hundreds of square pads connected by roads. I wondered if these were wind farms like the ones I had seen from the ground in the Midwest last summer. The flight finally ended and we began a long walk to a people mover to take us to the main terminal. A long walk to the baggage carousels which were organized by arrival terminal, but we didn't know which terminal we had arrived at. That question answered and our one checked bag retrieved, we began another long walk to ground transportation. We had reserved space on Mears Connect and it is not an exaggeration to say that ours was the very last space. About 45 minutes later we were dropped off at Caribbean Beach Resort. I usually don't mind carrying my luggage, but we were tired and the resort is large. Bell Services took our things to the door and I am glad we chose this option because our Magic Bands didn't work to open the door. He let us in and we got the bands reprogrammed on our way to dinner. We walked to Old Port Royale Centertown Market Grab 'n' Go for dinner to take back to our room (2 Fish Tacos). We settled in and were asleep by 7:00 PM back home time. Day Two: Disney's Hollywood Studio It was still about 1 AM back home when we awoke. We got ready and walked to Old Port Royale to Centertown Market Grab 'n' Go for breakfast back in our room (Waffle and Bounty Platter). Just before 8:00 AM we left for our day's adventure, the first full day at Walt Disney World and the first of four theme parks, Disney's Hollywood Studios. My wife closed her eyes as we took the Skyliner the short distance to the park entry. There are different modes of transportation between the various hotels and resorts and the theme parks and other destinations. For my wife, the problem was that the Skyliner was the only transportation between our hotel and Disney's Hollywood Studio and EPCOT and she doesn't like heights. After a careful inspection of my camera bag by security, we proceeded. First we were directed to the mass of people waiting for the 8:30 AM opening, but as it was still "Early Entry" for people staying in a company hotel and it was still within the period, I finally found where to access that. Once finally inside, we joined the crowd moving toward the back of the park, Star Wars: Galaxy Edge. The long line to Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance grew longer as we realize we overshot and had to fight our way back to the end. The queue for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance wove in and out of caves and building for about a 60 minute wait. At least there was all sorts of scenic dressing along the way. Rock, equipment, and other distractions made the wait seem shorter. Eventually the queue moved inside to a pre-show. We were informed that we were Rebel Recruits being taken to battle. We troops exited the building to a transport for a simulation capture by the bad guys who escorted us into a large landing bay. We were escorted to another queue, more an interrogation, where we were assigned colors. Another queue and then we boarded our transports. These vehicles, running on a number of diverging and converging tracks hidden in the floor through corridors, rooms, lifts, reversals, and turns, finally ended in another simulator that took us out of the ship that captured us and back to safety and the exit. From here we meandered our way to restrooms before the next long queue. The queue for Melenium Falcon Smuglers Run was similar in style to the one we had just left. A half hour outside and another hour and a half inside. We entered the queue two hours before our lunch reservation and almost missed it. The outdoor queue wrapped around the Melenium Falcon, the inside through corridors of a maintenance facility. Once inside, we were given assignments such as pilot, gunner, engineer. We were pilots. It is a rocking simulator of a smuggling run. We didn't do too well and our smuggler boss gave us a bill for damage to the ship. Next we were just a few minutes late for lunch at Oga's Cantina. It turns out Oga's is only a bar with little food, so we walked a short distance to Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo (chicken/mac & chicken salad). We returned to our room for an hour to refresh, then returned to Disney's Hollywood Studio. We walked up the Sunset Boulevard section toward the base of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror for a photo-op. Back to the queue for the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. We sat down to enjoy the show. The first act was a compilation of stunts in temples based on the series. Then the large set pieces were pulled to the side to reveal a Middle East market from the first movie. More stunts evolved to the conclusion of Act 2. The right half of the set piece pulled aside to show a hillside and other sets, including a flying wing, and more stunts to wrap Act 3. The timing worked out and we enjoyed the For the First Time in Forever: Frozen Sing-Along Celebration. I love the song, Let it Go. From here, on to dinner at 50's Prime Time Café (salmon & meat loaf). There was one last attraction we wanted to see that day, Mickie and Minnie's Runaway Railway. The queue was a little under an hour and one of our two favorite attractions for the day. As we were about to board the train, I noticed there is no physical connections between the locomotive and cars. I then realized the cars are independent and we were in for a wild ride. This is a recent development in ride vehicles where each unit is computer controlled to take seemingly independent paths. After a minute or so, the train breaks into four or five pieces with the locomotive going one way and each car going other ways. Sometimes the cars met up only to diverge again. Rapid turns and reversals and multiple optional directions made it exciting. In one room the cars came together in a square pattern and did a synchronic dance. At the end of the ride all cars rejoined the locomotive and Goofy never realized that anything had happened to his train. We exited a little before 8:00 PM. Another trip in the Skyliner back to our hotel and we settled in for a well deserved sleep. Day 3, The Magic Kingdom, Day One We arose and got ready. Once again we got Mickey Waffles from Centertown Market Grab & Go to eat in our room. We caught one of the first buses of the day to The Magic Kingdom. It took about thirty minutes passing other hotels like Swan, Dolphin, and Contemporary. Another trip through security, a photo of the 50th Anniversary sign below the train station, and through the tunnel. We worked our way up Main Street to photograph the Castle and statue of Walt and Mickey. Next into Liberty Square and then into Adventureland. There are definitely things I like about the placement of attractions at Magic Kingdom as opposed to my beloved Disneyland. This is probably because Disneyland filled its space decades ago and squeezes things in where it can. I like the changes to Adventureland. Somehow, Pirates of the Caribbean seems to fit there and I liked the Aladdin Flying Carpets placed there. We enjoyed Pirates of the Caribbean which is similar to the one in Disneyland but less drop. We were early enough that the line was short and we were in line for the Jungle Cruise which wasn't too long yet (about 45 minutes). When Walt built Disneyland, he wanted a clean look to stand out from the typical amusement parks of the day that were dirty and ill maintained. Today the parks allow a more realistic and designed aged look. Besides more realism, this Jungle Cruise includes a passage through the interior of a Cambodian temple, something missing in Disneyland. Not missing are the bad puns and jokes. "Elephants have the best memories in the animal kingdom. I wish I did. Elephants have the best memories in the animal kingdom. I wish I did. Elephants have the best memories in the animal kingdom. I wish I did." It was only a few steps to the Swiss Family Tree House. This is one of my old favorites no longer at Disneyland. I know, there is still a tree house at Disneyland, but it's been changed to Tarzan's Tree House and lost the original theme. We climbed the steps leading through the branches, past the water system, past rooms, and finally the kitchen. It was only 11:00 AM and we had done as much as yesterday by 5:00 PM. We still had time to do Hall of Presidents before lunch. This is one of the original attractions from the opening fifty years ago. Over the years each new president has been added so Biden was presented last. A few steps and we were at Silver Horseshoe, our lunch destination. Originally we had plans for Liberty Tree Tavern for dinner but canceled. I'm glad we did as it turns out it is the same all-you-can-eat single item menu. There was once a comedy show with the meal, but no more. We enjoyed the meal all the same, we just wouldn't have wanted to do it twice in one day. A parade started outside at the same time as lunch, so we missed that. We walked a short distance to Country Bear Jamboree, another of my favorite attractions no longer at Disneyland. We enjoyed this humorous musical audio-animatronics show. My wife had never seen the show since the one at Disneyland had been replaced by The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh many years ago. It was good to see it again. We had hoped to do Haunted Mansion, but the line was long so we put it off till Friday. We moved on to Fantasyland. Within a few steps we were in line for It's a Small World, an attraction loved or hated by millions. We are among its fans. The inside looks the same as at Disneyland, but the outside is completely different. This is one case where I prefer the one at Disneyland. We wandered Fantasyland a while until we found Under the Sea~Journey of the Little Mermaid, a dark ride through the story of the Little Mermaid, similar to the one we saw a few years ago at California Adventure. We were getting a little tired so agreed to a few more things before leaving - after a rest on the border between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. In 1964, the New York World's Fair opened with four projects provided by Disney, one was the GE Carousel of Progress. After the Fair, it was moved to Disneyland where it stayed until being moved to Walt Disney World as one of the original attractions. Originally the four scenes were about 1900, 1920, 1940, 1960. Today, the 1960 scene has been updated to something more current with VR TVs and AI kitchen appliances. I liked this attraction and seeing it again after over 50 years made me happy. We trudged to the opposite side of the park to enjoy dinner at Pecos Bill Tall Tail Inn and Cafe. (Fajitas and tacos). On our way out my wife got a Dole Whip in Adventureland which she enjoyed. Two last stops for the day, potential shopping and the train. Shopping wasn't successful, but I did see a watch I liked and considered getting Friday. The train was also a disappointment as it closes at 7:00 PM and it was then 7:15. We caught the bus back to Caribbean Beach Resort, settled for the night, and tried to get some needed sleep. Day 4 The fourth day didn't start so well. My wife wasn't feeling well so I got my breakfast (Waffles) and some aspirin for her. Her Covid self test was negative so she told me to go to EPCOT without her and she would rest and maybe I would come back for her later. I canceled lunch and left her to sleep. The Skyliner starts going north to the Riviera Resort where riders can get on, off, or ride through. Half way to EPCOT is a turning station, just stay seated. It only took about 15 minutes to reach the World Showcase entrance to EPCOT. Entry and security went quicker and I was still under early entry, but at the opposite end of the park from where I wanted to start. It was a little after 9:00 when I joined the ten minute queue to Spaceship Earth, the large Geosphere. The entire attraction is contained in this large sphere and that is a lot of track and scenes in a confined space. We time traveled back about 12,000 years to early people hunting Mammoths and slowly returned to the present through the history of communication (cave art, papyrus, language and alphabet, printing, telegraph, TV, computers). I wandered the post- show a few minutes and moved on. The line for Journey into Imagination with Figment was short, but as I stood ready to board my ride vehicle, the ride broke down. They gave me a pass to come back, but if my wife then joined me later, it wouldn't apply to her. I looked around the post-show and moved on. At the Sea Pavilion I did the The Seas with Nemo and Friends ride and then the post-show which was a number of aquariums, including Manatees, on two levels. From here to the Land Pavilion and I started with Soarin' Around the World. This is my wife's favorite ride and I felt a little guilt enjoying it without her. I moved quickly to Living with the Land boat ride. The trip begins with a storm and rainforest and continues through desert, prairie, farms, to the outdoor growing green house and aquafarm showing many innovative ways to grow food. A few steps to Awesome Planet, a film presentation about the wonderful planet on which we live. I fell asleep during the end credits, so I saw most of it. Back to Imagination to try that again and was successful this time. The ride takes visitors through sound, sight, smell (a little hard on the nose), then upside down. I wandered the post-show and then wrapped the Future World part of EPCOT about noon. I skipped the World Discovery section including Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Mission: Space, and Test Track. The first stop in World Showcase was Mexico and a ride on Gran Fiesta Tour. This is a boat ride through Mexico with video of characters from the Disney animated film, The Three Caballeros. The ride queue is in the back allowing opportunity for shopping on the way. Next was the Norway Pavillion with two activities tied to the movie Frozen. Since my wife and I are fans of the movie, I skipped those hoping my wife would be better when we were scheduled to come back on Saturday. Next came China with Reflections of China, a Circle-Vision 360 (degree) film presentation. This system uses nine cameras in a ring to capture a full 360 degree panorama. Disney used this in the 1960s for Disneyland then built three more rigs for films for EPCOT. I was getting tired so I skipped Germany and Italy, walking to France to cancel our dinner reservations since my wife was still in the room, and back to the United States Pavilion. As I rested we were entertained by a group singing patriotic songs which was beautiful. We then all lined up to enter American Adventure which told of the history of America in film and audio-animatronics. I took a few photographs of Japan, Morocco, and France on the way back to the Skyliner station. Back at the room, my wife was still resting but feeling better. We walked to Spyglass Gill about the same distance but the opposite direction from Centertown Market. We ate dinner (Impossible Burger and Chicken Strips) and got to bed earlier, hoping tomorrow would be better. Day 5, Animal Kingdom We arose early again, of course. We got breakfast from Spyglass at Caribbean Resort (2 Breakfast Wraps). We originally had reservations at Rainforst Cafe at the entrance to Animal Kingdom, but since this was our tightest day and we had lunch reserved only a few hours later, we canceled it. We caught one of the first buses of the day to Animal Kingdom. It only took about fifteen minutes to reach the park and then security and entering. Stopping a few times for photos, we hurried off to Pandora and Avatar Flight of Passage. The scenic work is incredible and as we walked under the levitating rocks held down by vines, it was convincing. The queue was over an hour but with new vistas around every turn, it didn't seem so long. There is a restroom about two-thirds of the way along the line with its own line. The last part of the queue takes guests through the lab including strange creatures and a chamber growing an avatar. Finally we were matched to our avatar and climbed onto our simulator chair. Once secured, and our 3D glasses on our faces, we began the most exciting simulator ride I had yet to experience. Flying through numerous exotic scenes, through trees and rocks, over waterfalls and dropping into canyons and through caves. All too soon we were back in reality. We next found Na-vi River Journey, a leisurely boat ride through the jungles of Pandora. The jungle is populated by jellyfish like creatures floating in the air and everything glowed. It was a short walk to our lunch reservation, but it was almost an hour before opening. There wasn't time to do any attractions, but I hated to waste an hour when we had so little time that day. This is the problem with making reservations 60 days in advance. We canceled over half of the dining reservations and usually would have preferred last minute adjustments of a half hour or hour. We wandered the Africa section, my wife got a Dole-Whip, and we got ready for lunch. Lunch at Tiffins was wonderful. Because we were planning a large dinner that night, we just ordered two appetizers each. My wife got salad and tacos, I ordered salad and falafels. It was all very good and the decor was of beautiful objects collected by Imagineers from all over the world. We returned to the Africa section and joined the queue for Kilimanjaro Safaris. It was another hour and a half of standing and one of the more unpleasant queues of the six days. Finally we got in the safari truck and off we went on a 20 minute excursion through Africa. The road is rough, but that is for realism. The live animals are in enclosures of various sizes but many were visible. We bounced past rhinos and hippos, wildebeest and ostrich. I kept waiting for a lion to jump in the truck with us, but it didn't happen. We were sad to see the ride end. I was hoping to wrap with Dinosaur, but the line was too long. My wife wanted to rest, so I left her on Discovery Island and wandered by myself for the last hour. I expected the line for Everest to be too long too, but when assured that the posted 25 minute wait was accurate, I took a chance and got in line. The line moved quickly and within the promised wait time I was sitting in a seat of Expedition Everest Legend of the Forbidden Mountain train. I don't want to spoil any surprises, I'll just say that the Yeti was not kind to the railroad tracks and there were several surprise reversals. Too soon the thrilling ride was over and I returned to where my wife was still resting. It was now time to leave the park for one last activity of the day. We took the bus to Fort Wilderness and then transferred to a local bus to take us to Pioneer Hall for the 6:15 performance of Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Review. We were early but eventually we were sitting at a able in the first row. The food was all-you-can-eat American food with six cast members singing, dancing, and telling bad jokes. We had so much fun. Show over we caught a bus to Magic Kingdom and transferred to another bus to Caribbean Beach Resort. We settled in by 10:00. Day 6, Magic Kingdom, Day 2 We got up a little later that day and for a change, we got pancakes with Berry Compote at Centertown Market Grab & Go. The bus to Magic Kingdom departed at 8:30 arriving a little before 9:00. We took more photos of the 50th Anniversary sign below the train station. Once inside I realized I had left my hat behind (I hoped in the room) and we walked through the Emporium hoping to find one. We didn't. A few more photos around the Plaza and castle forecourt. Then we crossed the drawbridge into the castle, something we didn't do three days earlier. By 9:15 the queue for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train was already 80 minutes. My wife no longer enjoys roller-coasters as she once did, so she wandered the area around the carrousel while I waited in line. The line moved quickly (less than an hour) and I sat down in the Dwarfs mine train. It is a modest roller-coaster and passes through a diamond mine with dwarfs hard at work, all except Sleepy and you know what he was doing. As with all roller-coasters, it was over too quickly. I found my wife and we proceeded to the Haunted Mansion. The attraction is about like the one at Disneyland with two exceptions. The Mansion is a very different style, more Gothic. Because of space limitations at Disneyland, most of the show is on the basement level with a long up ramp at the end. Here there is more space and only a short ramp. The stretching room is at both. We were making better time that day and hurried of to the Magic Carpets of Aladdin. This is a spinning ride where you control the height of your own flying carpet but watch out, the camel spits. It was only a few steps to the Country Bear Jamboree. I know, we saw it three days earlier, but I always liked that attraction and it left Disneyland many years ago. Seeing it again brought back good memories, and I still have the LP. It was now only fifteen minutes until the parade, so we found a place to sit in the shade and waited. The parade had a half dozen or so floats featuring our favorite Disney animated characters, Beauty and the Beast, Ariel, Fantasia, and more. It was only a few steps to our lunch reservations at Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen. (I had fish, my wife had chicken "tastes like chicken, because it is".) Since we missed the Walt Disney World Railroad by fifteen minutes three days ago, we headed back to the station to make sure this time. We rode the train one and three-quarters loops getting off in Fantasyland behind the circus. I noted how open the area beyond the tracks is. At Disneyland, the attractions have grown beyond the track for most of the perimeter. Here only a little in Frontierland and Tomorrowland extend beyond. The first loop we stopped a while behind the Pirates of the Caribbean building for some reason (probably a "parade hold" since the parade crosses the track in Frontierland). The start of the second loop was delayed at the station for a "parade hold." We disembarked in Fantasyland, We entered the queue to Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Mover and half way up the moving ramp, it stopped moving. Everyone lurched forward and then continued up on our own power to find the car's had stopped too. The ride resumed and off we went through various building including Space Mountain. There were scenes along the way, then the ride stopped again inside one of the buildings. A minute or two later we continued to the end. I had noticed people around the new Tron attraction so I left my wife resting in the shade and checked that out. I hadn't realized it had a soft opening the previous Monday and riding the light cycles was on a virtual queue, for which I was too late. I photographed it from the outside and returned to where my wife was waiting. We trudged to The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and waited in another queue. There were many hands-on activities for the children waiting. We boarded our ride vehicle, after first letting pass a car specially designed for wheel chairs and mobility devises. Our adventure took us through a story of Pooh and friends. This is similar to the ride at Disneyland that replaced Country Bear Jamboree, but I like Pooh and his friends. We proceeded to Pinocchhio Village Haus for pizza. We then limped over to Liberty Square Riverboat for a leisurely cruise down Rivers of America. We got two funnel cakes which we enjoyed. People were pouring in for the 9:00 PM fireworks display, but we were too tired to wait any longer. We tried to do some shopping, but all we found was a Magic Kingdom watch which will serve as a constant reminder of this magical trip. We caught the bus back to Caribbean Beach Resort. We were asleep within an hour, probably before the fireworks were over. Day Seven, EPCOT, Day 2 We got up later than we had the previous six mornings and slowly got ready. Breakfast at Centertown Market Grab & Go, pancakes again. We left about 8:45 heading for the Skyliner station. Fifteen minutes later we were entering EPCOT, my second day, my wife's first. As we worked our way around to the Norway Pavilion, we posed with Daisy Duck, Alice, and Pluto. We also photographed topiaries and bronze statues, both types were of Disney characters. It started to rain lightly for a few minutes, then stopped. We got in the queue for Frozen Ever After which wrapped through a village square for about forty-five minutes. The boat takes guests through the land of Frozen and past our favorite Frozen characters. We got in the queue for Elsa and Anna character meet and greet. My wife and I are Frozen fans, she likes Anna and I like Elsa, so we took photos of us with our respective favorite characters. My wife had finally gotten her wish to get photos of characters which just didn't happen the first five days. I only had one remaining goal before dinner nearly four hours away, so we began a leisurely stroll around the lake. While my wife ordered a pizza in the Italy Pavilion, I found a shaded bench on which to wait while watching a street performer doing juggling. A few steps later we were in the United States Pavilion. The next show of American Adventurewas was in about twenty-five minutes so we popped next door (or next pavilion) to Japan for a quick look. Then back to American Adventure in time. A slow walk through Morocco and France. Then on the way to England, my wife was able to meet and greet with Minnie Mouse, which she just missed that morning. Through England again and into Canada where we saw the Canada Far and Wide in Circle-vision 360 (degree) film. One last stop in Walt Disney World, dinner at La Hacienda de San Angel at the Mexico pavilion. We enjoyed this final meal (chili relleno and flautas). From here it was out the gate, across on the Skyliner to our room to start packing. Day Eight, Home. Our original pickup time by Mears Connect was 6:45 which felt uncomfortably close to departure time, so I asked them to move it up to 5:15 and asked Bell Service to pick us up at 4:15. It was taking a little longer to pack than I expected and then Bell Service came 3 minutes early, so it was a mad rush to finish. We had a 45 minute wait and I was about to use the restroom when the bus pulled up. It was an earlier bus but he took us anyway and we got to the airport about three hours and forty-five minutes before departure. We got in the baggage check line and about ten minutes later came an announcement to have our boarding passes and luggage tags ready before getting in line, so my wife waited while I got those. After a while we got our papers in order and were almost to the front of the baggage check when they announced that they could not check bags more than three hours before departure and it was three hours and fifteen minutes. I let about ten groups go ahead of us so we wouldn't need to restart the now longer line. Eventually the one suitcase was checked and we had fun at security. Then our last ride of the trip, the People Mover to the remote terminal. We had a very satisfying breakfast at Bahama Breeze, a place in the terminal (2 Breakfast Bowls, one with bacon, one with sausage), dragged ourselves to the gate, and waited. It was only thirty minutes to loading so I hate to think of the stress we would have been under if the bus had picked us up two hours later. We boarded, settled, and began our pushback at 10:15, a half hour behind. We had a headwind, as opposed to a tailwind on the way over. We traveled west at 540 mph air speed and 30,000 feet. The flight went well until a crazy person in the seat ahead of me complained to the flight attendant that I was pushing her seat, which I wasn't. Before the trip my wife was afraid there would be a crazy person on the plane and we had paid extra for Comfort + to have a little extra space. Now I was putting all my effort to maintaining two inches between my laptop and the seat ahead and trying not to get into a fight. From the time the flight began, the person was moving the seat forward and back every few minutes, long before I pulled out my laptop at mid-flight. It was very annoying and then after about 4 hours, she turned around and asked me to "share." Share would have been nice as she was taking my space. I firmly told her I wasn't touching her seat and to stop. My wife also was uncomfortable when the person took her photo several times. This will probably be the last time we fly. Eventually we landed, retrieved our checked bag, found our ground transportation, and arrived home. It was good to be back with our pets who were happy to have us home and it was good to sleep in our own bed covered with dogs and cats. Conclusion. We had enjoyed the trip, but it was exhausting. Disney has lots of land in which to develop theme parks, resorts,, and other entertainments but there is a lot of walking and it could take up to a half hour to get from a hotel on site to a theme park. We visited Magic Kingdom and EPCOT two days each, Disney's Hollywood Studio and Animal Kingdom one day each. There was no time for anything else and there is a lot of "else" to do. We were tired by the end of each day and were back in our room before any of the fireworks shows. Sixty days before the trip we had made dining reservations, but ended up canceling two-thirds of them. We only used six reservations out of sixteen. We had reserved four all-you-can-eat meals, two in one day, we canceled two of them We had reserved breakfasts at other hotels, then realized the buses weren't running that early. There were several time that we would have liked to have moved the reservations up or back an hour, but it was too hard. My wife was apprehensive about the Skyliner, but there is no bus service to the parks served by the Skyliner, so we had no choice. The Skyliner runs north from Pop Century Resort and Disney's Art of Animation Resort to the southwest corner of Caribbean Beach Resort where there is a transfer station. From here a line travels west to Disney's Hollywood Studio and north to Disney's Riviera Resort where there is a turning station with on and off ability. From here it continues west to a turning station and north to the World Showcase entrance to EPCOT. The Skyliner is fast. We never waited more than a few minutes and usually it was one group to a car. It took about five minutes to reach Disney's Hollywood Studios and fifteen minutes to reach EPCOT. We did not use the monorail which connects Magic Kingdom and EPCOT to Contemporary, Grand Floridian, and Polynesian resorts and hotels. Water taxis and ferry boats connect the hotels and Fort Wilderness around Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon to Magic Kingdom. I think there is a boat between Disney's Boardwalk Resort and World Showcase and Disney's Hollywood Studios. Buses connect most of the hotels to major destination unless the Skyliner is available. I was not able to find buses directly between hotels and resorts, you need to go to a transfer location such as Magic Kingdom or Disney Springs. It takes a while to figure it all out. You can usually get anywhere, but only between one hour before a park opens to one hour after it close. This is why we had to cancel two breakfasts at other hotels. I was able to get credit for the EPCOT day my wife didn't use. We enjoyed the trip but are not likely to go again. At least Disneyland is only ninety minutes away. |
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