January 2026
Spend the Day at Disney World – All Aboard the Disney Monorail
Days at Disney do not always requiring running around the parks. If you are looking for a way to be active but want a break from the parks – there are endless options to keep you immersed in the magic. We love our non-park Disney adventures – from relaxing at the resort pool to brunching at Disney Springs – we have had trips to Disney without ever going into the parks which gives the trip a different pace and a way to save money on what can be a very expensive vacation.
Monorail Day
One of the Disney Park icons is the monorail. The futuristic mode of transportation that originated in the 70s continues to capture the attention of guests today. While many associate the monorail with bringing people to the Magic Kingdom, the monorail makes stops at great destinations – The Contemporary, The Polynesian, and the Grand Floridian. What better way to spend a day exploring the most well known resorts at Disney World all while enjoying the ride along the monorail with Magic Kingdom in the background!
Getting Here
If you are not staying at one of the monorail resorts along Seven Seas Lagoon, the easiest way to get to the starting point is to take transportation from your resort or car to Magic Kingdom. Instead of going into the park, you will make your way to the left of the entry gates where you will find the Monorail platform. Make sure to take Resort Line as the Express Line will skip the resorts. You will reverse this process when you look to return to your resort or car.
Where to Start
You can start at any of the resorts! In my opinion, structure your stops based on the places you want to eat. There are so many great spots to have snacks, drinks, quick service, character dining – yes each of the three resorts has character dining! – and full sit down meals so this will largely impact your day.
Things to Do
- Riding the monorail always felt like our first ride at Disney. Enjoy a full loop around before getting off and exploring
- Explore each resort, including the lobby, shopping, and recreation areas:
- Contemporary
- Polynesian
- Grand Floridian
- Getting on the water – each resort has the option of renting a watercraft to cruise around
- Book a fireworks cruise
- Relax on the beach at the Polynesian and Grand Floridian resorts. While the resorts do not allow for visitors to use the pools, you can use the beach area. This is also a great spot for fireworks viewing each night at the Magic Kingdom.
- Watch the fireworks from one of the resorts – at the Grand Floridian and Polynesian the beach is a great location, and at the Contemporary, head to the bridge that connects to Bay Lake or see if the bar at the California Grill has a spot.
Places to Eat and Drink
The dining options around the Monorail Loops are very impressive – from quick service to bar scenes, to sit down and fine dining – even Michelin star dining! Whatever you are in the mood for, there is going to be something for you as you ride on the “highway in the sky”.
Character Dining – All three of these options are buffet style or all you care to enjoy. Food quality here may be hit or miss but the focus is getting one on one time with Disney characters.
- Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary – Meeting the fab five has never been easier than snagging a reservation at Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary. Buffet style dining with some great character interactions including the mouse himself, as well as Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto. You can eat here for any meal of the day.
- Ohana’s at the Polynesian for Breakfast – Another character experience that is exclusive to breakfast is located at Ohana’s in the Polynesian. Here you can meet more rare characters like Lilo and Stitch, as well as Mickey and Pluto. This breakfast is all you care to enjoy as platters are brought to the table.
- 1300 Park Fare at the Grand Flordian – Recently renovated, 1300 Park Fare reopened at the Grand Floridan as buffet service for breakfast and dinner. The character experiences here are very unique featuring those that have had wishes come true including Aladdin (specifically as Prince Ali), Cinderella, Mirabel, and Tiana.
Quick Service – For a snack or quick bite, heading to one of the quick service options at the resorts but a good way to keep your day moving or even eat on the go. Mobile order is available so you can even order in advance and skip the line. All of these are open for all meals of the day and feature items like sandwiches and wraps, mac and cheese, etc.
- Contemp Cafe at the Contemporary
- Captain Cook’s at the Polynesian
- Gasparilla Grill at the Grand Floridan
- Want a Dole Whip? Grab this iconic Magic Kingdom snack at Pineapple Lanai in the Polynesian
Bars and Lounges – Yes, we needed a section dedicated to bars and lounges! The resorts are packed with some epic place to enjoy a beverage or two so make sure to include a spot here during your day. In addition to the below, the pool areas all feature spots for beverages as well.
- Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at the Polynesian – Trader Sam’s is probably the most popular bar on Disney property. It used to be a hidden secret – even the door to the bar is hidden and discreetly marked – but gone are those days thanks to social media. And the hype is real! This interactive experience rewards guests in the best way – certain drinks cause events to happen, and the cast members here are all part of the magic. Some of our best Disney memories were created in this space. The wait to get in can be massive but they do their best to make sure everyone can enjoy the fun – either get there early to be one of the first in the queue or check if there is a walk-up option available in the app or at the door.
- Wailulu Bar at the Polynesian – Wailulu is a pool bar that deserves a special shout out. This brand new bar is a the new Polynesian expansion and the space is super nice, outdoor, and covered with a fantastic view.
- Tambu Lounge at the Polynesian – Located directly next to Ohana’s, Tambu Lunge features tropical drinks and even some menu items from the Ohana’s menu! It is on my to-do list to enjoy the food and drinks for here so I have not been yet. There is occasionally a line at opening for those in the know but getting in here is not as difficult as some of the other options.
- Enchanted Rose at the Grand Floridan – This elegant bar on the second floor of the Grand Floridan lobby is upscale and classy. Beware, even for Disney this one is very pricey! That Grand Floridan tax is definitely showing itself here. We have stopped here a few times and while it may be worth it for some, we did find it a bit too pricey for the experience.
- Bars and lounges are also located inside the sit down restaurants. This is a fantastic way to enjoy these hard-to-get dinner reservations if you were not successful ahead of your trip. Check out the bar and lounge areas at California Grill or Steakhouse 71 at the Contemporary, or Narcossee’s or Citrico’s at the Grand Floridan.
Sit Down Dining – I would highly recommend spending time on your Monorail day at one of the sit down dining locations along the Monorail Loop. You can make this a casual affair all the way up to a luxurious Michelin Star meal and everything in between. And the food here is really very, very good!
Casual Sit Down Dining
- Steakhouse 71 at the Contemporary – One of our favorites, Steakhouse 71 is fantastic at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This is shockingly one of the best places to get steak and it is as expensive as many of the other locations serving this dish. My personal favorite is the ‘bacon and eggs’ – pork belly, grits, and poached egg, and the veggie wellington dish.
- Kona Cafe at the Polynesian – Island fare cuisine that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. I absolutely love the Tonga Toast for breakfast and the Potstickers are a great appetizer during lunch and dinner. This restaurant has gone through a few menu iterations but is it always a solid choice.
- Ohana’s for dinner at the Polynesian – For dinner, Ohana’s keeps the all you care to enjoy style but drops the characters in exchange for giant skewers of meat grilled over an open fire and served tableside. Ohana’s is definitely one of the most popular reservations to snag along the Monorail Loop but make sure you come hungry. If you time your meal properly, you will get a great view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks!
Elevated Sit Down Dining
- California Grill at the Contemporary – A meal at California Grill is such a great special occasion spot. Located at the top floor of the Contemporary, you have one of the best views at Disney. And if you time your meal properly, you will get a great view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks! This is another location where we have fantastic memories made. If you cannot get in through reservations, definitely try for a spot at the bar where you can watch all the kitchen action. This restaurant recently changed to a pre-fix menu which is honestly not my favorite but maybe it will change back to al la carte in the future.
- Narcossee’s at the Grand Floridan – If you time your meal properly, you will get a great view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks!
- Citrico’s at the Grand Floridan – If you time your meal properly, you will get a great view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks!
Michelin Star
- Victoria and Albert’s at the Grand Floridan – The crowned jewel in the Disney dining world that recently earned the first Michelin Star for the resort. This fine dining establishment has been in operation for many years and along the way has been perfecting the craft. A meal here is definitely one of the most treat-yourself experiences you can have at Disney World.
My Perfect Day Around The Monorail Loop
The best thing about planning a day like today – you can mix and match to make so many different versions of the day. And weather you are traveling with little ones, Disney adulting, or a multi-generational group – there really is something for everyone.
For me, I would start with a few laps on the monorail. When I was little, this was always our first sign that we were ‘here’ and I considered it our first ride of the vacation. From there, much of the decisions would be based where I am in the mood to eat. Some of my favorites include getting a tropical beverage at the Polynesian and a meal at Steakhouse 71. If there is time for a special occasion dinner, you will find me at California Grill or Citricos. In between the snacking, I would also stop at each of the three resorts and enjoy the ambiance of the lobby and other communal areas, bop into the shops to check out the merchandise, and spend quite time on the beach admiring the castle. One day, I would love to try the fireworks cruise but if I am sticking around late enough, I would watch the fireworks from one of the resorts before returning to my hotel room.