Suggestion Box; bring us to the deluxe resorts!
Have you been to the Wilderness Lodge to see part of Walt Disney’s own train collection? Have you enjoyed a funnel cake along the boardwalk? Did you ever try the Yachtsman’s Steakhouse? Or rented a boat on the Sevens Seas Lagoon? Have you experienced the amazing savannahs at the Animal Kingdom Lodge? Or tired the “Kitchen Sink” at the Beach Club’s Beaches and Cream?
If the answer to these questions is no it is probably because you’ve never stayed at the resorts where you’ll find these amazing treasures of Disney World. If you don’t stay there, it is incredibly inconvenient to go there from whatever on-property resort you are staying at. Disney really needs to address this.
The resorts, especially the deluxe resorts, are attractions onto themselves. They offer an amazing collection of restaurants and bars, as well as recreation and terrific ambience. Anyone going to the Mouse, especially for a longer trip, is truly missing some of Imagineering’s finest designs if they don’t see these resorts. But if you stay on property, and do not rent a car because the Magical Express brought you to the bubble, it is often an over hour long ordeal trying to get to these destinations. You are forced to hop from bus to bus, and if you want to stay after park hours you may be forced into paying for a cab. To me, this is silly and an opportunity missed.
Perhaps the biggest problem Disney guests encounter is the inability to find reservations at top restaurants. But because of the inability to navigate around property, the restaurants at the resorts are often ignored by many guests. Sure, Ohana and the California Grill are popular, but people often ignore places like Boma, the Yachtman’s Steakhouse, or Artists Point simply because they can’t get back to their own resorts without taking all night switching busses. Marketing these destinations better and providing transportation to them and back will fill the seats and ease the anger guests have developed for the Disney Dining Plan.
This could be done by the existing bus system, but I understand the demand may not be that high. So why can’t Disney operate smaller van-sized vehicles? They could do this on an “on call’ basis, where guests can go the bell services desk before their meal and arrange a time to be picked up and taken back to their resort after they’ve eaten. It doesn’t require many vehicles and the benefits to the resorts seem rather extensive. I’ll even accept only doing this service after 6pm, as while the parks are filled in the afternoons this probably won’t be needed.
When guests have spent the day at a park that has closed early, they now have a world full of options to explore and enjoy. Guests who could only afford a value or moderate resort can now experience the grandeur of the deluxe offerings, and Disney will reap the rewards.
Eric said,
June 28, 2007 @ 4:42 pm
Sorry, but I disagree with this suggestion. It’s a good idea at first glance, but I don’t think it holds up under closer scrutiny.
First, the restaurants, pools, decor, etc. of a particualr resort are reasons to endice guests to stay there. Why would someone at a moderate spring for the extra cash to enjoy Beaches and Cream at the Beach Club, when they could save money and be chauffuered there?
This would be a double whammy to Disney’s bottom line: the loss in revenue for the resort room, and the cost of operating the transportation service. If a guest wants to be taken to another resort without using two buses (or a bus and a monorail, bus/ferry boat, etc) then the guest can call a taxi.
Let’s also consider the guests that pay a higher price in order to stay at these Deluxe resorts with the discussed amenities. Is it fair that they now have more competition from “outsiders” to enjoy them? Why stay at a Deluxe if you can’t enjoy what it has to offer? Those guests then may not return, or at least may not feel the extra money if worth it for a Deluxe resort.
When we vacation at WDW we usually go to a resort we aren’t staying it at least once a trip to eat dinner, and with a bit of planning, it isn’t much of an inconvenience at all. Want to see the train room at the Wilderness Lodge? Take a break on your Magic Kingdom day and ride the ferry over. Want to eat a Boardwalk funnel cake? Walk over from the World Showcase entrance on your Epcot day. There are easier ways to enjoy these somewhat hidden gems of WDW.
Now, on call transportation to the WWoS, mini golf courses, golf courses, etc…..that’s a different story. They should also consider better methods for transporting guests between resorts when staying at multiple resorts on a trip.
Matt said,
June 28, 2007 @ 8:01 pm
I’m in agreement with Eric. If I’m staying at a Deluxe resort, I don’t want my amenities swamped with folks from All Star. While I agree if you haven’t stopped by for the amenities that the deluxe resorts offer, you’re missing out but it’s best enjoyed by spending a night at the hotel.
Jason said,
June 29, 2007 @ 2:08 am
I’m actually planning to do this my trip this July 8. I really am DYING to try places like Artist’s Point, Whispering Canyon Cafe, Beaches and Cream, and others.
In my past 2 times going to WDW, I didn’t travel much around to the different resorts, but I believe it’s pretty easy to do so, right? The Boardwalk is just a stone’s throw from Epcot I’ve heard, Animal Kingdom Lodge is next to Animal Kingdom park, and there are buses to basicly every other resort from all the different parks.
Let’s say you want to eat at Artist’s Point. You just go to whatever park for the day, leave like an hour before your priority reservation, hop on the bus to Wilderness Lodge, and go there. I plan to visit Animal Kingdom Lodge on the same day I go to Animal Kingdom Park. Same thing with Beaches and Cream…I’ll go on the same day I go to Epcot.
Am I wrong in this, or is a lot more complicated??
David said,
June 29, 2007 @ 12:10 pm
And then how do you get home, especially on days when MK closes before 9pm, if you go there for dinner? You need to take a bus to DTD and then reconnect to your resort. Believe me when I tell you it feels as though you can walk faster.
Eric and Matt, keep in mind I said a “van”. This is not SOOO many people that your resort will be packed to the gills with people.
Eric said,
June 29, 2007 @ 5:52 pm
I’m eating dinner way before 9, so I’ve never come up against that situation. That would be something to plan ahead for when making your ADRs I suppose. (And another benefit of staying on site.)
And, if you mean a single van, then how do you decide who gets picked up next? There would have to be enough vans to make the service worthwhile to advertise, and to make sure guests aren’t waiting for 2 hours by the curb waiting to be picked up.
Oleg said,
June 29, 2007 @ 6:28 pm
I just came from our first WDW vacation in January - but have been a veteran of visits there on business (and at DLR). Almost every single travel guide, website, and brochure recommend that you visit other restaurants and sites at the resorts even if you don’t stay there.
Also - the in house video for what to do at the resort mentions this too.
SO - if there is so much promotion at visiting resorts even though you’re not staying there - the least the WDW management could do is create a way for us to get around a LITTLE easier. Maybe a resort way station and add it to the bus schedule. Or a resort bus…
David said,
June 29, 2007 @ 6:31 pm
Thanks Oleg!! These guys just don’t want us coming to their resorts!!! LOL!!
Jason said,
June 30, 2007 @ 10:38 am
see now if this was Tokyo, a monorail could be built that services each resort.
but it’s not.