Epcot - DHS Post Fantasmic

[mom2faith]

Good morning all. A logistics question here.

If I start the day at Epcot and go to DHS for Fantasmic, then take a boat back to Epcot. I know I will arrive during Illuminations. Will I be able to enter the park through the International Gateway during Illuminations in order to get back to the car? We do not plan to watch Illuminations.

Alternatively, if I park at DHS and then head to Epcot, I have a 8:20am Akershus ADR. Will I be able to park at DHS, take the boat to Epcot and enter the International Gateway at that time of morning? It is a standard 9:00 am opening, and we will be arriving at 8:00 am?

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Good morning all. A logistics question here.

If I start the day at Epcot and go to DHS for Fantasmic, then take a boat back to Epcot. I know I will arrive during Illuminations. Will I be able to enter the park through the International Gateway during Illuminations in order to get back to the car? We do not plan to watch Illuminations.

Alternatively, if I park at DHS and then head to Epcot, I have a 8:20am Akershus ADR. Will I be able to park at DHS, take the boat to Epcot and enter the International Gateway at that time of morning? It is a standard 9:00 am opening, and we will be arriving at 8:00 am?

Thanks for the feedback.

They will let you through the International Gateway during Illuminations. I've gone through the entrance during that time. I'm not sure when they will close the gate for the night. But since guests have to reach their cars after dining at the Epcot resorts, there must be some sort of accommodation for them.

 

[Itinkso]

Yes, you can go in and out of International Gateway during Illuminations with no problem at all. We have done this many times to get to the Boardwalk area. Have a good trip! Enjoy Fantasmic!!

 

[Robo]

if I park at DHS and then head to Epcot, I have a 8:20am Akershus ADR. Will I be able to park at DHS, take the boat to Epcot and enter the International Gateway at that time of morning? It is a standard 9:00 am opening, and we will be arriving at 8:00 am?

Get into Epcot: Yup.

I'm not sure how early the Friendships between DHS and IG begin running, however.

You can, for sure, walk to the IG from DHS.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Alternatively, if I park at DHS and then head to Epcot, I have a 8:20am Akershus ADR. Will I be able to park at DHS, take the boat to Epcot and enter the International Gateway at that time of morning? It is a standard 9:00 am opening, and we will be arriving at 8:00 am?

Thanks for the feedback.

I'm not exactly sure what time the friendship boats start running, but I think walking would be faster regardless more times than not, esepcially if you end of parking on the North end of the parking lot. The time it would take you to walk to the boat dock, you could be near the Boardwalk Resort in the same amount of time.

That would certainly be my strategy as to reduce my commute time after Fantasmic at the end of the day.

 

[ghtx]

This website: http://www.wdwinfo.com/transportation/water.htm says that the DHS-Epcot Friendship boats don't start running until 11am.

 

[Robo]

This website: http://www.wdwinfo.com/transportation/water.htm says that the DHS-Epcot Friendship boats don't start running until 11am.

That section of the site (which is part of this very website) has some very, very bad info.

(The Disney bus info is just plain wrong.)

Sorry, but that's been the case for quite some time.

 

[mom2faith]

Thanks for the info! I think we will walk from DHS to Epcot in the AM as the PP suggested. Looking on an old Robo map I found, it does not seem to be too bad

 

[ghtx]

That section of the site (which is part of this very website) has some very, very bad info.

(The Disney bus info is just plain wrong.)

Sorry, but that's been the case for quite some time.

Agreed. Not sure if the info about the Friendship Boats is correct or not.

Probably safer for OP to plan on walking, and if the boat is running then take that instead.

 

[GoBearsGo]

] says that the DHS-Epcot Friendship boats don't start running until 11am.

I think that is wrong. We usually stay in that area, going Boardwalk in a couple of weeks and boats are running in the early am. I'm guessing 7 maybe 8 but I know they are up and running before 11.

 

[figment_jii]

Thanks for the info! I think we will walk from DHS to Epcot in the AM as the PP suggested. Looking on an old Robo map I found, it does not seem to be too bad

It's about 0.9 miles from DHS to Epcot (via the Boardwalk's Luna Pool cut through).

 

[Porsche44]

Just a heads up about catching the boat from the Studios to EPCOT. The boats are not very large and the line for them after a mass exodus from Fantasmic will be VERY long. You may have to wait a considerable time until you can catch one so depending upon timing you may not make it to International Gateway before they close for the night. We always stay at the Beach Club and have caught an 8:00am boat to the Studios but I am not exactly sure what time they actually start running. This 8:00am boat would not be returning to the Boardwalk area until around 8:30 and would not arrive back to the Beach Club until 9:00ish. First thing in the morning I also think they only do the Boardwalk area to the Studios they do not go down as far as the International Gateway until 11:00 which is the scheduled time for World Showcase to open so if you wanted to catch a boat from the Studios to EPCOT you would have to get off at the Beach Club and walk from there to the International Gateway.

 

[purple figment]

There is also a bus from DHS to the front entrance of Epcot.

First thing in the morning I also think they only do the Boardwalk area to the Studios they do not go down as far as the International Gateway until 11:00 which is the scheduled time for World Showcase to open so if you wanted to catch a boat from the Studios to EPCOT you would have to get off at the Beach Club and walk from there to the International Gateway.

While WS doesn't open until 11 AM, the Friendship boats start running early enough for people staying at the Epcot resorts to enter the IG to head to Akershus for breakfast reservations and for the opening of Future World.

 

[TheITSalesGuy]

Good morning all. A logistics question here.

If I start the day at Epcot and go to DHS for Fantasmic, then take a boat back to Epcot. I know I will arrive during Illuminations. Will I be able to enter the park through the International Gateway during Illuminations in order to get back to the car? We do not plan to watch Illuminations.


Thanks for the feedback.

I don't think anyone answered this part of the question.

Assuming F! is at 9PM, and Epcot closes at 9PM with Illuminations.

If you are at F! for a 9PM show, ends at 930, out of DHS 945, on the boat at 955, 25 minutes to Epcot, 1015 to 1030 arrival, the gate at the International gateway will be closed and you will not be able to enter.

I have seen people arrive as early as 930PM and not be allowed to enter the IG to walk back to their car.

 

[TheITSalesGuy]

The first boat of the day should leave the resorts at 730 with an arrival at Epcot at no later than 800. Only people with breakfast resos will be allowed to enter before 900.

 

[katiee37]

Boats start running at the same time or a little later than bus transportation starts, based off my experiences at the Beach Club. Boats may be a bit more infrequent before park opening though, so walking is usually faster no matter which park you're heading to.

 

[rt2dz]

We have found tat while regular CMs don't et you in, if you AKL to security, they almost always let you in.

We got stuck on the monorail trying to get back to Boardwalk Inn via Epcot and were denied entry into Epcot during illuminations and denied entry. Security saw us and while we were willing to just catch a cab, they got to us first and told us to just talk to them (security) and we would always be allowed in (Disney policy). Now, this was staying onsite with proof of a room key, but security told us it happens all the time and is no big deal. It was also a couple of years ago, so anything could ave changed...

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[pjammer]

Easiest thing to do is park at Epcot an take the bus from studios to the front of Epcot. Hands down no questions.

 

[ghtx]

Easiest thing to do is park at Epcot an take the bus from studios to the front of Epcot. Hands down no questions.

Is there a bus from DHS to Epcot? Or just the boat?

 

[Robo]

Is there a bus from DHS to Epcot? Or just the boat?

There is a direct bus- DHS>Epcot>DHS>Epcot, etc.

Bus terminates at Epcot's front gates area.
Boat terminates at Epcot's International Gateway.

---------------------------------------

There is "direct" (-some more "direct" -some less) transportation between all the WDW theme parks.

Most routes are via Disney Buses.

Here are the "park-to-park" Disney Transportation direct connections:

>Note: The MK bus connections arrive and depart only at TTC.<

MK/TTC> Epcot = Monorail
MK/TTC> DHS = Bus
MK/TTC> AK= Bus

AK> DHS= Direct Bus
AK> Epcot= Direct Bus
AK> TTC/MK= Bus

DHS> TTC/MK= Bus
DHS> AK= Direct Bus
DHS> Epcot= Direct Bus (Epcot Front Gate) or Boat (Epcot Intl. Gateway)
......Boats ("Friendships") make 3 interim stops at the Epcot area resorts.)

Epcot > TTC/MK= Monorail
Epcot > AK= Direct Bus
Epcot> DHS= Direct Bus (Epcot Front Gate) or Boat (Epcot Intl. Gateway)
......Boats ("Friendships") make 3 interim stops at the Epcot area resorts.)

The buses have their destinations shown on them on illuminated signs.
The bus stops at the parks are also marked with signage.

As a rule-of-thumb, allow 40-60 minutes to get from the gates of one park to the gates of another park.