The short answer
Six of the 32 Walt Disney World resorts are on the monorail, but really it's three places, not six: the Contemporary, the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian, each with a villa building that shares the same station. All six score a perfect 10 out of 10 for getting to Magic Kingdom, and they're the only resorts on property that do.
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Your ages, budget and parks re-rank all 32. Free, about a minute.The six monorail resorts
| Resort | Price level | On average, a night | Walk to Magic Kingdom | Our Magic Kingdom score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay Lake Tower at Contemporary Resort | Deluxe | $870 | 12 min | 10 / 10 |
| Contemporary Resort | Deluxe | $663 | 12 min | 10 / 10 |
| Grand Floridian Resort & Spa | Deluxe | $878 | 17 min | 10 / 10 |
| The Villas at Grand Floridian Resort & Spa | Deluxe | $852 | 17 min | 10 / 10 |
| Polynesian Village Resort | Deluxe | $872 | 31 min | 10 / 10 |
| Polynesian Villas & Bungalows | Deluxe | $761 | 31 min | 10 / 10 |
Scores are out of ten and describe the route, not the distance on a map. Nightly rates are standard rates before tax.
What the monorail actually reaches
The resort monorail is really a Magic Kingdom line. It loops between the three resorts above, the park and the Transportation and Ticket Center, so Magic Kingdom is one ride, no changes. EPCOT is on a different line from that same Ticket Center, so you have to switch trains, and that’s why these resorts score 5 out of 10 for EPCOT, not 10. Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom are a bus from all six, the same bus everybody else takes.
You can also walk to Magic Kingdom from four of the six, which is handy when the monorail stops for weather or maintenance: the Contemporary and Bay Lake Tower are 12 minutes on foot, and the Grand Floridian and its villas are 17. The Polynesian is timed at 31 minutes, which is a walk in name only. We time it door to gate, and they’re the same numbers as in our walking times guide.
How the Resortings score works
Every resort is scored out of ten on how it reaches each park, using the fastest route Disney actually runs: a walk, the monorail, the Skyliner, a boat or a bus. The number is the route, not the distance on a map, because a resort a mile away on a bus is further in practice than one two miles away on a monorail. Nobody pays to appear here and we take no booking commissions.
Your family will rank these differently
Ages, budget, room size and which parks you are doing all change the order. Resortings scores all 32 resorts against what your family actually needs, and tells you when not to spend the money.
Resort sold out for your dates? Set a room alert and we will email you when one opens.
Common questions
Which Disney resorts are on the monorail?
Six bookable resorts at three properties: Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Bay Lake Tower, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and its villas, and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and its villas and bungalows.
Does the monorail go to EPCOT?
Yes, but not straight from the resorts. The resort line runs to the Transportation and Ticket Center, where you switch to the EPCOT line. That switch is why we score these resorts 5 out of 10 for EPCOT and 10 out of 10 for Magic Kingdom.
Is a monorail resort worth the money?
It all comes down to how many of your days are Magic Kingdom days. All six are Deluxe, and they cost well above the average nightly rate on property. If most of your park time is at EPCOT or Hollywood Studios, you’re paying for a train you’ll barely ride. The tool weighs that up for your own trip.