MK - Parking to the security gates?

[cel_disney]

I have the same question in regards to PPO ADRs. If I have an 8am ADR at BOG, what time does the parking lot open and how long does it take for me to get from TTC to the gate? We are staying offsite and my kids are early risers, so it's not a hardship to get there early but it's pointless if I can't park the car before a certain time or if there isn't transportation until a certain time.

You should have no trouble - the resort monorail line is running at 6:30 I think? If you want to enjoy a few minutes on Empty Main Street - try to enter the park by 7:40am, so be parked at MK lots by 7:15 or so! Enjoy!

 

[Dr.Mickey]

Wow. This whole discussion stresses me out like trying to be on time to the airport. Unless you are rushing to the 7D, I have to wonder - get there an EXTRA 30-45 min earlier than the OP said to avoid lines that will likely only be 20-30 min even by 10. Hmm. There will still be waiting - just waiting for the rope drop.

I realize there may be one or more rides that way, but don't sweat it. If something goes wrong and it's not 8:15 when arriving, 8:45 will be ok too.

 

[soniam]

You should have no trouble - the resort monorail line is running at 6:30 I think? If you want to enjoy a few minutes on Empty Main Street - try to enter the park by 7:40am, so be parked at MK lots by 7:15 or so! Enjoy!

I don't know if the resort monorail, or any of the monorails, run that early, especially with all of the schedule changes. However, an 8am BOG should not be a problem when parking at the TTC. Something, the monorail, bus, or boat will run early enough to get to the entrance in plenty of time.

 

[Hopefully]

Wow. This whole discussion stresses me out like trying to be on time to the airport. Unless you are rushing to the 7D, I have to wonder - get there an EXTRA 30-45 min earlier than the OP said to avoid lines that will likely only be 20-30 min even by 10. Hmm. There will still be waiting - just waiting for the rope drop.

I realize there may be one or more rides that way, but don't sweat it. If something goes wrong and it's not 8:15 when arriving, 8:45 will be ok too.

As MinnieMum said , it is not just that first ride wait. It grows exponentially with each ride. That 30 minute pre rope drop wait does make a huge difference. I would sweat it. JMHO

 

[cel_disney]

To each their own - we don't find it stressful and we tend to enjoy the anticipation. We really get ALOT accomplished before 10am by being there inside the tapstiles when the rope drops..My DH/DS rode Space Mountain 3x before 9:10 with no wait. If you were walking in at 9, you would likely make it thru the tapstiles without a wait, but you would definitely not get to Space Mountain until 9:10 or 9:12 and you would have a 10+ minutes wait there!

 

[Hopefully]

To each their own - we don't find it stressful and we tend to enjoy the anticipation. We really get ALOT accomplished before 10am by being there inside the tapstiles when the rope drops..My DH/DS rode Space Mountain 3x before 9:10 with no wait. If you were walking in at 9, you would likely make it thru the tapstiles without a wait, but you would definitely not get to Space Mountain until 9:10 or 9:12 and you would have a 10+ minutes wait there!

On our last visit DH& DS went straight to Space Mountain. It was like a 10 minute wait, but the line was already posted as 40 minutes when they got off around 9:15.

 

[siskaren]

You'll get to the park around 8:45 - which is the absolute worst time to arrive if you're interested in the more popular rides. You'll be at the very back of the crowd and the wait times will be pretty long by the time you get anywhere. For most of us, the whole point of getting up early is to avoid huge wait times.

Yep. Check out this post from easyWDW to see the difference in the crowd waiting to get in at 8:15 vs 8:45:

http://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/be...gdom-morning-touring-over-spring-break-32715/

Would you rather be at the front of that pack or the back?

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

As for arriving at the park at 9:00 pm? That may be fine once or twice on a longer stay when the parks are open very late. But most people prefer to spend time in the parks in the daytime. Especially if they have children.

I was actually talking about riding the Pooh ride at about 9 pm, not arriving at the park at that hour. Sorry if that wasn't clear. That's about the time of the evening that the actual wait for that specific attraction generally drops to walk on status. Some rides get there earlier, some later.

 

[cel_disney]

I was actually talking about riding the Pooh ride at about 9 pm, not arriving at the park at that hour. Sorry if that wasn't clear. That's about the time of the evening that the actual wait for that specific attraction generally drops to walk on status. Some rides get there earlier, some later.

Hmmm - surely you understand that it gets to be a walk on because many people need to be getting out of the park by then? Maybe with kids or they are tired or maybe because they don't like to drive in the dark, but whatever the case - that's not going to work for everyone. It's GREAT it works for you! Heck - it's great that the parks are open that late when you are there. They were only open late one night during my last trip and my next one in September or October is likely to have short hours too.

 

[siskaren]

Hmmm - surely you understand that it gets to be a walk on because many people need to be getting out of the park by then?

Actually, I would assume it's a walk-on because most people are waiting for or viewing MSEP or Wishes.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Hmmm - surely you understand that it gets to be a walk on because many people need to be getting out of the park by then? Maybe with kids or they are tired or maybe because they don't like to drive in the dark, but whatever the case - that's not going to work for everyone. It's GREAT it works for you! Heck - it's great that the parks are open that late when you are there. They were only open late one night during my last trip and my next one in September or October is likely to have short hours too.

Yes, I do understand the crowd patterns and tendencies. That's why my plans work so well for us, because we know when to visit the various attractions with minimal wait times. Not everyone likes to get up early on vacation and I like to share some time saving recommendations that are often more efficient than the traditional touring plans.

Even when my kids were little it was much easier to let them stay up late than make them get up early. My fondest Disney memory is chasing my then 3 year old daughter back to the entrance of Space Mtn moments before midnight with her screaming "one more time Daddy" all the way.

 

[Alesia]

I have the same question in regards to PPO ADRs. If I have an 8am ADR at BOG, what time does the parking lot open and how long does it take for me to get from TTC to the gate? We are staying offsite and my kids are early risers, so it's not a hardship to get there early but it's pointless if I can't park the car before a certain time or if there isn't transportation until a certain time.

The MK parking lot never really closes.

You'll want to take the Resort monorail (which starts running around 7:00) -- not the express monorail (which starts running around 8:00)

 

[ArielSRL]

Jumping on....even though we have a car, we are thinking that taking the bus is best for MK rope drop due to skipping the whole getting to MK from the TTC aspect. For 9am non-EMH opening, coming from SSR, what time should we get on bus to arrive to take advantage of rope drop?

Also, due to scheduling, age of kids, priorities, not criss-crossing or running all over park, our planned first attraction is to meet Mickey at town square. Because it's right there, does the line fill up fast? Do we need to be near the front of RP crowds to avoid a potentially long wait?

 

[Alesia]

Jumping on....even though we have a car, we are thinking that taking the bus is best for MK rope drop due to skipping the whole getting to MK from the TTC aspect. For 9am non-EMH opening, coming from SSR, what time should we get on bus to arrive to take advantage of rope drop?

Taking the bus is smart. I would be at the bus stop by 8:00, maybe a few minutes before.

Also, due to scheduling, age of kids, priorities, not criss-crossing or running all over park, our planned first attraction is to meet Mickey at town square. Because it's right there, does the line fill up fast? Do we need to be near the front of RP crowds to avoid a potentially long wait?

You won't find a huge line for mickey, but the rest of the lines are going to build exponentially throughout the day. Being at the back of the crowd will always increase your waits more than being at the front will. You'll just have to figure out what your priority is.

 

[ArielSRL]

Taking the bus is smart. I would be at the bus stop by 8:00, maybe a few minutes before.



You won't find a huge line for mickey, but the rest of the lines are going to build exponentially throughout the day. Being at the back of the crowd will always increase your waits more than being at the front will. You'll just have to figure out what your priority is.

Thank you so much!

 

[pooh4evr]

Love doing rope drop, it is fun getting there early getting at the front of the group for the opening show, and walking into a aort of empty park is totally worth it! We rode SM 3x in a row, in October first thing.