Official 'how to get from point A to point B while at WDW' thread.

[NJlauren]

What is the best way to get for HS to AK? I'm thinking Its the boat to swan/dolphin then bus to AK or bus to AK lodge then bus from there. If that's correct in thinking I'll pass on even doing this but just checking!

A taxi is not an option inless I can take my 10 month old with out a car seat which I'm not really open to.

 

[msb578]

What is the best way to get for HS to AK? I'm thinking Its the boat to swan/dolphin then bus to AK or bus to AK lodge then bus from there. If that's correct in thinking I'll pass on even doing this but just checking!

A taxi is not an option inless I can take my 10 month old with out a car seat which I'm not really open to.

There's a direct park-to-park bus

 

[NJlauren]

There's a direct park-to-park bus

Now this changes things.... Thank you!

 

[Elevationist]

Looking for the best way to do the following route. Will have an ECV so it has to be Disney transportation.

1. Downtown Disney to Winter Summerland (9pm)
2. Winter Summerland to Art of Animation (11pm)

Assistance appreciated! TIA!

 

[Alesia]

Looking for the best way to do the following route. Will have an ECV so it has to be Disney transportation.

1. Downtown Disney to Winter Summerland (9pm)
2. Winter Summerland to Art of Animation (11pm)

Assistance appreciated! TIA!

1. Your best bet is to walk to Saratoga Springs Resort and then take the Blizzard Beach bus. I would give it at least an hour.
2. Direct bus

 

[joelkfla]

Looking for the best way to do the following route. Will have an ECV so it has to be Disney transportation.

1. Downtown Disney to Winter Summerland (9pm)
2. Winter Summerland to Art of Animation (11pm)

Assistance appreciated! TIA!

There are no buses direct to BB from the resorts that late at night. Currently, after hours buses run from Epcot to Coronado Springs, and then on to BB.

So to travel from DTD to BB at 9 pm, you would take the bus to CSR and then transfer to BB.

From BB, you would take the bus going to Epcot. You might have to transfer there to AoA, but since it would be the last bus of the night, it's very possible the driver would just drop you at your resort. Be sure to be at the bus stop at BB before 11pm.

However, some changes may be in the works for water park transportation. I suggest you ask again closer to your trip, maybe around November.

 

[myadventurebook]

Hi all,

I had a question that I'm sure you get all the time but I am seeing conflicting things and I just wanted to clarify:

How do we get from DTD to various resorts *in the early AM specifically* but just in general as well? I'd need to know about CR, AKL and possibly BW and Poly. All of these are for ADRs on DTD days (every day of this trip is a DTD day because it's just an extended long weekend without parks). Only one of these is set in stone but I'd really like to do them all and have an idea what I'm up against as I've heard a lot of bad things about the DTD buses. We do have to travel from DTD due to things we have going on there.

I should also ask how much time we should allot for the DTD transfer? I am seeing anything from half an hour to four hours. Hopefully it's closer to the shorter end...

TIA

 

[siskaren]

Hi all,

I had a question that I'm sure you get all the time but I am seeing conflicting things and I just wanted to clarify:

How do we get from DTD to various resorts *in the early AM specifically* but just in general as well? I'd need to know about CR, AKL and possibly BW and Poly. All of these are for ADRs on DTD days (every day of this trip is a DTD day because it's just an extended long weekend without parks). Only one of these is set in stone but I'd really like to do them all and have an idea what I'm up against as I've heard a lot of bad things about the DTD buses. We do have to travel from DTD due to things we have going on there.

I should also ask how much time we should allot for the DTD transfer? I am seeing anything from half an hour to four hours. Hopefully it's closer to the shorter end...

TIA

I would avoid using DTD as a transfer point; in fact for early AM, I don't think it's even going to be possible since the stores don't open that early, so there's no reason for buses to run that early. For CR and Poly, take the bus to MK then walk to CR and take the monorail to Poly. For AKL, use AK, and for BW use DHS since using Epcot would require actually entering the park.

 

[goofy4tink]

If you have a car, I would heartily recommend driving to these resorts...especially before noon! Buses running to the resorts, early in the day, don't run as often as later in the day. There just isn't a huge need for buses going to resorts that early. So, you could have a fairly lengthy wait.
Siskaren.....I'm not sure what you mean. The OP said they need to get from DTD to specific resorts. Why would they need to take a bus to a park? If they're 'starting' at DTD, and want to go to a resort, no need for a park stop.

 

[myadventurebook]

Thanks guys goofy4tink, I will probably drive to the resorts like you suggested. I am trying to avoid doing too much unnecessary driving for one thing, but also Siskaren, I don't intend to park at any theme parks because a)I'd be taking up their parking spots when I'm not going to a park and b)I'd be paying $16 or $17 when I'm not going to be using the park and only going to be there for a few hours, with one exception that I will mention shortly. On the other hand, though, I didn't want to take up the resort lot because I know that is also a capacity issue, especially if we want to explore the resort a bit before heading back to DTD. If you think it's okay though goofy4tink we will head to the resorts for our ADRs.

The exception to this is BW, where I could see us being there for half a day before going back to DTD at night for our movie or whatever we are doing that day. I really want to explore that area because we are possibly checking out wedding venues and things of that nature. We aren't engaged yet so it's a little ways away, but we still want to check it out. I know it is, if not illegal, very much frowned upon to park at resorts for that long though since they are for guests of that resort, so that's the reason for the DTD transfer since we will be at DTD either before or after each day. Any thoughts there? Maybe valet would be a good option for us that day?

Thanks for your quick responses. We are actually leaving very early tomorrow AM so finding this thread and getting such quick and thoughtful answers was a huge blessing.

 

[siskaren]

If you have a car, I would heartily recommend driving to these resorts...especially before noon! Buses running to the resorts, early in the day, don't run as often as later in the day. There just isn't a huge need for buses going to resorts that early. So, you could have a fairly lengthy wait.
Siskaren.....I'm not sure what you mean. The OP said they need to get from DTD to specific resorts. Why would they need to take a bus to a park? If they're 'starting' at DTD, and want to go to a resort, no need for a park stop.

Maybe I misread it. I thought myadventurebook wanted to do early morning ADRs at resorts other than the one she was staying at and was planning to use DTD as a transfer point. I just realized though that I missed the part about having to travel from DTD due to things she has going on there.

I am trying to avoid doing too much unnecessary driving for one thing, but also Siskaren, I don't intend to park at any theme parks because a)I'd be taking up their parking spots when I'm not going to a park and b)I'd be paying $16 or $17 when I'm not going to be using the park and only going to be there for a few hours, with one exception that I will mention shortly.

Since you specifically asked how much time to allow for a DTD transfer, I took that to mean that you were planning to use the bus.

 

[Alesia]

Hi all,

I had a question that I'm sure you get all the time but I am seeing conflicting things and I just wanted to clarify:

How do we get from DTD to various resorts *in the early AM specifically* but just in general as well? I'd need to know about CR, AKL and possibly BW and Poly. All of these are for ADRs on DTD days (every day of this trip is a DTD day because it's just an extended long weekend without parks). Only one of these is set in stone but I'd really like to do them all and have an idea what I'm up against as I've heard a lot of bad things about the DTD buses. We do have to travel from DTD due to things we have going on there.

I should also ask how much time we should allot for the DTD transfer? I am seeing anything from half an hour to four hours. Hopefully it's closer to the shorter end...

TIA

Where are you staying and how are you getting to DTD?

 

[myadventurebook]

I'm actually staying off site this time. We are only in town for a few days so that made more sense this trip. We'll be getting to DTD by car.

 

[Alesia]

I'm actually staying off site this time. We are only in town for a few days so that made more sense this trip. We'll be getting to DTD by car.

Parking at DTD and going elsewhere is considered to be pretty bad form as there is already a shortage of parking spaces there. There is more of a capacity issue at DTD than there is at the resorts

Having said that, if you really want to, there's nothing to stop you, but you're definitely not going to be able to get to any of the resorts before about 10:00 am.

If I were you I would just park at the resort you're going to, assuming it's only going to be for a few hours. If it's going to be longer than that, valet parking is your best bet.

 

[myadventurebook]

Okay, thanks so much Alesia! We will park at the resorts and do valet on the day we want to do BW. Everyone has been very helpful. Thanks so much!

 

[joelkfla]

Hi all,

I had a question that I'm sure you get all the time but I am seeing conflicting things and I just wanted to clarify:

How do we get from DTD to various resorts *in the early AM specifically* but just in general as well? I'd need to know about CR, AKL and possibly BW and Poly. All of these are for ADRs on DTD days (every day of this trip is a DTD day because it's just an extended long weekend without parks). Only one of these is set in stone but I'd really like to do them all and have an idea what I'm up against as I've heard a lot of bad things about the DTD buses. We do have to travel from DTD due to things we have going on there.

I should also ask how much time we should allot for the DTD transfer? I am seeing anything from half an hour to four hours. Hopefully it's closer to the shorter end...

TIA

How early is "early"?

Buses start running from DTD to a limited number of resorts at 8am. Buses start running to the remaining resorts at 11am.

The Epcot resorts are included in the 8am start. In the a.m., BW is the last of the 5 resorts on the route. Allow 0:20 wait time, + 0:15 to the Swan, + 0:15 to get around to the BW; I would round that up to 1 hour.

I don't think AKL is included in the early buses, but the Transportation cm's who are stationed at the bus depot to assist Guests in the a.m. might offer to get one for you.

Otherwise, allow 90 minutes to get to AKL, and also 90 minutes to get to CR & Poly. For CR & Poly, they will likely either put you on a bus that is going to another resort and then to MK, or send you to a nearby resort to transfer to a bus to MK. Then you will have to take the monorail to your destination resort, or walk to CR. It's also possible whatever bus takes you from the intermediate resort to MK may be going to your destination resort after MK: ask the bus driver.

AKL is similar, but (if they can't get a direct bus) you will transfer to the AKL bus at AK, or you may be placed on a bus that is going to AKL after stopping at another resort and then AK.

Alternatively, you could walk to SSR Congress Park bus stop (5-10 minutes), and get a bus there to MK or AK and then transfer. I'm not sure that would save time, but at least it might eliminate one of the waits.

 

[goofy4tink]

Parking at the resorts is fine if you're visiting that resort! It's when someone parks at a resort, maybe eats breakfast there, but then heads to a park for the day. If you're not staying at the resort, you aren't entitled to self park and head to a park for the day. But, heading there, parking, and then tour the resort or eat there and shop....whatever...is just fine.
Have fun exploring. My dd hopes to be married at BW when the time comes. It's a beautiful place for a wedding.

 

[myadventurebook]

Thanks so much everyone!! All of this advice has really been invaluable. We may do another long weekend like this in October so this has been incredibly helpful and informative. I am a very white bread WDW traveler- as in, get to hotel, go to parks or DTD, go back to hotel, rinse and repeat. I have never eaten at or explored a resort I wasn't staying at, so while I've been to WDW many times I really feel quite inexperienced. Becoming more versed in WDW information in the past year or so since my last visit has really opened my eyes to what I've been missing and I am very excited to see some of that in the next few days!

I think I am going to go with a hybrid of a lot of what you guys have talked about. Joelkfla, thanks so much for your thorough response. We will definitely be checking out the DTD transfer tomorrow night as a test run. I don't think the AM option is going to work since we'd need to be at CR by 10:00-ish, but it should work for AKL since that is a lunch ADR. I think we will actually do what I thought was the unthinkable and park at TTC the day we wanted to eat at The Wave like siskaren mentioned as we also have a late Poly dinner reservation that night. From what I remember you can leave in the middle of the day and still use a parking pass later, so if we want to go to DTD for our lunch ADR that day we can just do that and it will go smoothly using the TTC/monorail for both breakfast and dinner ADRs.

When we go to the BW I am going to take your suggestion goofy4tink and just park there.

Thanks again all! We leave for the airport in 5 hours and neither of us have fully packed yet... oops. Better get a move on.

 

[vicarrieous]

Complete newbie so hang in there while I ask a basic question. If we eat dinner at Kona Cafe after a day at MK and are staying at CBR, can we monorail to Epcot and get a bus back to CBR if we don't have park hopper? Basically will the monorail put us outside Epcot so we are not actually in the park, or will we have to monorail/boat back to MK and take a bus from there back to our resort?

 

[Alesia]

Complete newbie so hang in there while I ask a basic question. If we eat dinner at Kona Cafe after a day at MK and are staying at CBR, can we monorail to Epcot and get a bus back to CBR if we don't have park hopper? Basically will the monorail put us outside Epcot so we are not actually in the park, or will we have to monorail/boat back to MK and take a bus from there back to our resort?

You can do that, but transferring at MK will probably be faster.

Here's a breakdown for each:

Wait for boat or monorail: 10 min
boat or monorail to MK: 10 min
Wait for bus to CBR: 10 min
bus to CBR: 15 min
total: 45 min

Walk to TTC: 10 min
wait for monorail: 10 min
monorail to Epcot: 20 min
wait for bus: 10 minutes
bus to CBR: 10 min
total: 60 min