How long to allow for lunch from MK to monorail resort and then back?

[vinotinto]

We used to do this all the time when the kids were younger, but haven't done this in a few years. If we are looking to have lunch at a TS on the monorail line, but not a multi-course meal, about how long should we assume it will take from the moment we leave MK to wait for the monorail to the moment we get back to MK? Around 2 hours?

 

[cruisin5]

The monorail ride will be almost an hour including waiting time twice. I'm not including the time it takes to walk to and from the park to the monorail.

At least an hour for the TS lunch. Assuming you are seated promptly.

 

[Kaytie]

Two hours sounds right. Maybe throw in an extra half hour bufferfor safety?

I can't see it taking almost an hour to travel between MK and a resort. Which resort?

 

[CraigInPA]

It depends which resort you want to eat. At the Contemporary, you can walk from the MK to the Contemporary in about 10 minutes. At the Poly, you can take the resort monorail or boat directly there, or the TTC ferry or TTC express monorail and walk from the TTC to the GCH. All of these are 15-25 minutes. At the Grand Floridian, you can take the resort monorail (20 minutes) or the boat (15 minutes) directly there.

Budget 2 hours to be safe.

 

[gharter]

I would agree with the 2 hours. Depending on where you are eating and how long you wait to get seated, that may underestimate the total time.
Unless you want a mid day break, I would find someplace in the MK to eat and save yourself a lot of time.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

I would think 2 hours max. The monorail ride to Grand Floridian or Contemporary is like 3 minutes, then a 5-10 minute walk to wherever you are eating. Then a 5-10 walk back to the monorail and the ride back.

 

[gharter]

I would think 2 hours max. The monorail ride to Grand Floridian or Contemporary is like 3 minutes, then a 5-10 minute walk to wherever you are eating. Then a 5-10 walk back to the monorail and the ride back.

The monorail loop without getting off is about 20+ minutes, so with wait times, boarding time on both ends, the monorail part could easily be an hour.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

The monorail loop without getting off is about 20+ minutes, so with wait times, boarding time on both ends, the monorail part could easily be an hour.

But we aren't talking about the entire loop (at least I wasn't). Once you board at MK it should take no more than 3-4 minutes to get to either Grand Floridian or Contemporary, assuming you board the train going towards your destination. And there's zero chance it takes an hour to ride the monorail loop. ON EDIT - once you are on board, the ride will be no more than 30 minutes

 

[gharter]

But we aren't talking about the entire loop (at least I wasn't). Once you board at MK it should take no more than 3-4 minutes to get to either Grand Floridian or Contemporary, assuming you board the train going towards your destination. And there's zero chance it takes an hour to ride the monorail loop. ON EDIT - once you are on board, the ride will be no more than 30 minutes

NO. The resort monorail is the only one that stops at the resorts. So 3-4 minutes is correct to Contemporary. If you are going to GF, you have to stop at Contemporary, TTC and Poly first. The monorail going the opposite direction is the express and it only stops at TTC and MK.
You are not adding in wait times. Depending on the time of day that you are traveling, you could get on the next monorail at MK or end up waiting for 1 or 2. The same holds true if you are getting on at GF. I have had to wait for the next monorail as the first one was full before getting to GF.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

NO. The resort monorail is the only one that stops at the resorts. So 3-4 minutes is correct to Contemporary. If you are going to GF, you have to stop at Contemporary, TTC and Poly first. The monorail going the opposite direction is the express and it only stops at TTC and MK.
You are not adding in wait times. Depending on the time of day that you are traveling, you could get on the next monorail at MK or end up waiting for 1 or 2. The same holds true if you are getting on at GF. I have had to wait for the next monorail as the first one was full before getting to GF.

I explicitly said I wasn’t adding in wait times. And what does boarding at GF have to do with the OP? And having boarded at Polynesian, MK, and Epcot I’ve never encountered a train so full we couldn’t board

 

[gharter]

The OP didn't say what TS restaurant they were going to go to. Hence, if they were going to GF, it could take longer if they have to wait for another monrail. If going to Contemporary or Poly, probably not.
Also, the OP specifically asked

about how long should we assume it will take from the moment we leave MK to wait for the monorail to the moment we get back to MK?

To answer their question, you have to include waiting time.

 

[vinotinto]

We haven't decided on restaurant yet, but probably Kona for sushi or GF Cafe for ambiance. We just had dinner at The Wave in April, so we probably won't be heading there this time. It sounds like I should allot around 2.5 hours. I'll probably wait to see how we feel that day. We usually eat lunch at Skipper's or BOG but we've done that so many times already, I think I need to vary it up a bit. Maybe I need to read up on LTT.

 

[gatour]

It doesn't matter which resort the OP is having lunch at, unless they are willing to walk to the Contemporary from the MK and back from the Contemporary to the MK.

Using the Monorail is a zero sum game for all of the resorts on the beam.

In all cases

You will have to wait to board the monorail at the MK

For a restaurant at Contemporary

. If you decide to have lunch there, you will get off the monorail fairly quickly, have lunch, then wait for the monorail and have stops at the TTC, Poly, and Grand Floridian

For a restaurant at Poly

If you decide to have lunch there, it will stop at the Contemporary, the TTC and then Poly, have lunch, then you will have stop at Grand Floridian.

Etc.

So if depending on where you want to have lunch there may be minimal front in time cost but with a back end time cost and vice versa.

This doesn't take into account the "holds" that may occur.