Howdy and Aloha, Rosalee! Thanks for stopping by planDisney and bringing us this excellent question.
Not only do you have great taste in resorts— Wilderness Lodge and Polynesian Village Resort are two of my favorite places at Walt Disney World—but you have great taste in dining plans. I’ve done almost exactly what you’re describing. My family stayed at Wilderness Lodge on our last trip and we had reservations for
Kona Cafe on our first night. If that’s where you’re heading, I strongly recommend the Tuna Poke Bowl and a Lapu Lapu. Trust me.
When my family made the trek from Wilderness Lodge to the Polynesian, we took the bus to the Magic Kingdom, which made a detour to Fort Wilderness, and then jumped on the monorail. This took about an hour.
I checked the My Disney Experience mobile app to see what directions it suggested, and it’s recommending your water route to the Contemporary Resort! You’ll want to take the
blue route water taxis (look for a blue flag), which will get you from Wilderness Lodge to the Contemporary Resort. From there you can hop on the monorail to the Polynesian Village Resort! My Disney Experience says your journey will take 57 minutes.
The water taxi runs from 3:00 PM to 10:45 PM and the blue route also stops at Fort Wilderness. So be sure to ask your skipper which direction they're headed before you board (route directions and times are subject to change). Another option is to take the water taxi from Wilderness Lodge to the Magic Kingdom (the red flag route) and get on the monorail there. Whichever option you choose, I’d give yourself at least an hour to get to dinner.
My last tip is to take the water taxi from the Polynesian to the Magic Kingdom after your meal. If you time it right, you can cross Seven Seas Lagoon during the
Happily Ever After fireworks show. We lucked into this and it was one of the most magical experiences we’ve ever had at Walt Disney World. Just be sure to have the song “Happily Ever After” by Jordan Fisher and Angie K. on your phone because the water taxis don’t have the show audio.
Rosalee, best of luck in your dining journey. You can always find directions on the My Disney Experience app if you get turned around. Send any other questions you may have to your pals at planDisney! Our knowledgeable panelists are always here to help!
Matt