Hello again, Molly. I'm glad you came back to ask me another question before your trip. It's really only a few days away now. I'm super excited for you!
Yes, you are absolutely correct that there is a
water taxi that runs from Magic Kingdom Park to Disney's Polynesian Village Resort. After getting off of the bus at Magic Kingdom Park, you'll want to head toward the monorail station. Then, on your left you'll see the water taxi launch area, you are specifically looking for the Gold Flag Launch. Wait times for boats are typically between 10 and 15 minutes as there are normally two that make the loop. From Magic Kingdom Park you'll make a quick stopover at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa before heading over to Disney's Polynesian Village Resort for your dinner reservation. The ride itself will take anywhere from 15-20 minutes so keep that in mind if you are planning on taking the boat over. Right now, because of current circumstances, there is limited capacity on water taxis (and really all transportation) so you'll need to factor that into your wait times as well.
Transportation to the Walt Disney World Theme Parks starts running about 45 minutes to the respective park opening about an hour after each park closing. On really busy nights, I have seen the transportation still running about an hour and a half after but I wouldn't count on it. With your dinner being at 5:00 p.m. I don't see you having any issues getting back to Disney's Coronado Springs Resort using the complimentary Disney transportation if that's the route you choose to go.
If you arrive early enough, a cocktail or mocktail might be fun for you guys at
Tambu Lounge which is upstairs just beside Kona Cafe. This is one of my family's favorite places to relax and chit-chat after a long day at the Walt Disney World Theme Parks. Tambu Lounge
serves all sorts of beverages but my favorite are those with a Polynesian flair. My favorite cocktail there is the Lapu Lapu, which tastes like vacation in a cup, and is served up in a fresh, hollowed-out pineapple. It's so cute. If you want a second round, save your pineapple and ask the bartender for a refill only. It's a significant price discount! If cocktails aren't your thing, they also have some really fun non-alcoholic drinks. You'll find different flavored lemonades, spritzers and a sparkling no-jito which I love! Tambu Lounge would be a great place to wait on your dining reservation and I think you all would really like it.
I hope you have a wonderful time at Walt Disney World this next week, Molly. Enjoy!