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

[goofy4tink]

Okay thanks- I guess some follow up questions now....

1) is there not a bus to Disney Springs before 8:30? I don't mind leaving a little earlier, or do the busses only run beginning a certain time? I'm in NY, so I use uber often, but was trying to take advantage of the free transportation for once.

2) The Beach Club bus/walk to Epcot sounds good-but am I pushing my luck with making a 12:30 dining reservation? It's at Akershus, so I think going in the gateway would help- but you tell me! Am I being ambitious here?

1. There are some, but they really don't run terribly frequently. The reason being that there just isn't a big call for early buses to DS.

2. To make a 12:30 ADR at Akershus, you need to leave DS no later than 11. The fastest way is going to be A. a cab or Uber from DS to BC B. Bus to BC from DS will take about 35 or so mins, including wait time then 10 min walk to International Gateway, bag check 5 mins, walk to Akershus 10 mins.
You may very well start to feel rushed. If it had been me, I would have made an ADR for 1:30...little bit more wiggle room. But, if you see that you're at BBB, and it's closing in on 11, and you're not done yet, you may just want to take a cab/Uber...to BC since it's faster to walk to Akershus from there vs the front of the park.

 

[joelkfla]

1) is there not a bus to Disney Springs before 8:30?]

1. There are some, but they really don't run terribly frequently. The reason being that there just isn't a big call for early buses to DS.

Chiming in ...

The 1st bus to DS used to leave most resorts right around 8:30, or around 8:00 when TL opened at 9. I don't know whether that's changed with the changes to TL transportation & the DS expamsion.

2) The Beach Club bus/walk to Epcot sounds good-but am I pushing my luck with making a 12:30 dining reservation? It's at Akershus, so I think going in the gateway would help- but you tell me! Am I being ambitious here?]

2. To make a 12:30 ADR at Akershus, you need to leave DS no later than 11. The fastest way is going to be A. a cab or Uber from DS to BC B. Bus to BC from DS will take about 35 or so mins, including wait time then 10 min walk to International Gateway, bag check 5 mins, walk to Akershus 10 mins.

Don't forget to allow for the 5 minute walk from BBB to the bus depot, or 10 minutes to the taxi stand & Uber drop-off in the Strawberry lot behind HOB. I saw some taxis in the old Marketplace bus loop a couple of weeks ago; don't know if that's an official taxi stand now (but it's not for Uber.) (If arriving at DS by Uber, you can probably talk the driver into dropping you off in the Lime Garage, especially in early a.m.)

Also worth adding that, according to Google Maps, after coming in IG it's 4 minutes faster to walk past UK and Canada to Norway, than to cross the bridge and walk past France and Morocco. That's not intuitively obvious, but WS Lagoon is bell-shaped, with the narrow end towards FW.

 

[goofy4tink]

Chiming in ...

The 1st bus to DS used to leave most resorts right around 8:30, or around 8:00 when TL opened at 9. I don't know whether that's changed with the changes to TL transportation & the DS expamsion.


Don't forget to allow for the 5 minute walk from BBB to the bus depot, or 10 minutes to the taxi stand & Uber drop-off in the Strawberry lot behind HOB. I saw some taxis in the old Marketplace bus loop a couple of weeks ago; don't know if that's an official taxi stand now (but it's not for Uber.) (If arriving at DS by Uber, you can probably talk the driver into dropping you off in the Lime Garage, especially in early a.m.)

Also worth adding that, according to Google Maps, after coming in IG it's 4 minutes faster to walk past UK and Canada to Norway, than to cross the bridge and walk past France and Morocco. That's not intuitively obvious, but WS Lagoon is bell-shaped, with the narrow end towards FW.

No kidding! I always walk towards France when heading to Norway!! I know, in my brain, that it's closer the other way but I always head to the right.

 

[Bridget D]

1. There are some, but they really don't run terribly frequently. The reason being that there just isn't a big call for early buses to DS.

2. To make a 12:30 ADR at Akershus, you need to leave DS no later than 11. The fastest way is going to be A. a cab or Uber from DS to BC B. Bus to BC from DS will take about 35 or so mins, including wait time then 10 min walk to International Gateway, bag check 5 mins, walk to Akershus 10 mins.
You may very well start to feel rushed. If it had been me, I would have made an ADR for 1:30...little bit more wiggle room. But, if you see that you're at BBB, and it's closing in on 11, and you're not done yet, you may just want to take a cab/Uber...to BC since it's faster to walk to Akershus from there vs the front of the park.

1.Thanks for all the info! I will ask the hotel what time the earliest bus is when I get there, and I guess I'll uber in necessary.

2. Luckily I also have a 3:05 Akershus reservation, so I guess I'll stick with that- don't feel like running with a 7 year old in a Frozen Dress! Its kinda a weird time, but I guess with the Food & Wine Festival going on, we can snack a bit. I made the now obvious rookie mistake and booked my trip 170 days in advance, so a lot of things were booked up- but I keep checking for better times.

Last (I think!) follow up question.... Are there early morning busses to Hollywood Studios? I was able to get an 8:00am breakfast one day before the park opens.

 

[goofy4tink]

1.Thanks for all the info! I will ask the hotel what time the earliest bus is when I get there, and I guess I'll uber in necessary.

2. Luckily I also have a 3:05 Akershus reservation, so I guess I'll stick with that- don't feel like running with a 7 year old in a Frozen Dress! Its kinda a weird time, but I guess with the Food & Wine Festival going on, we can snack a bit. I made the now obvious rookie mistake and booked my trip 170 days in advance, so a lot of things were booked up- but I keep checking for better times.

Last (I think!) follow up question.... Are there early morning busses to Hollywood Studios? I was able to get an 8:00am breakfast one day before the park opens.

Be careful when checking on bus times at the resort. Those that work inside the resort don't always know what's up with transportation. Ask a bus driver at some point...they can give you good info.

As far as buses from resorts to the parks timing...buses start running at 6:30 each morning. They do run a bit less frequently than regular buses, so plan accordingly.

 

[hayesdvc]

Is there a WDW Transportation app that anyone can recommend where you select point A and point B and it gives you your options ?

For example, if I am at MK and have a dining reservation in the back of the World Showcase how many/best option

 

[goofy4tink]

Is there a WDW Transportation app that anyone can recommend where you select point A and point B and it gives you your options ?

For example, if I am at MK and have a dining reservation in the back of the World Showcase how many/best option

Not really. Because transportation is so fluid, it's hard to have an existing app.
Our Laughing Place has a transportation wizard, but unless you're already familiar with the area, it can steer you wrong. They don't keep it up dated very well.
You really are better off just asking here.

To answer your 'for instance'...bustin YC/BC, getting off at BC, walk to WS via the International Gateway (back door into Epcot).

 

[hayesdvc]

Not really. Because transportation is so fluid, it's hard to have an existing app.
Our Laughing Place has a transportation wizard, but unless you're already familiar with the area, it can steer you wrong. They don't keep it up dated very well.
You really are better off just asking here.

To answer your 'for instance'...bustin YC/BC, getting off at BC, walk to WS via the International Gateway (back door into Epcot).

If my example, would you go to YC/BC and go in IG or just take the monorail and walk through to WS ?

 

[goofy4tink]

If my example, would you go to YC/BC and go in IG or just take the monorail and walk through to WS ?

You would have to walk to the monorail platform, wait for the monorail to get there. Ride to the TTC, get off, cross over to the Epcot line. Wait for it to arrive. Ride to Epcot. Walk to bag check/turnstiles, then to WS.
Or...walk to MK bus stops, wait for either BW bus or YC/BC bus. Ride to resort, then walk to IG, go thru bag check and you're in WS.
The only time I take the monorail from MK to Epcot is if I want to go to the front of the park.

 

[absolutmey]

I've been looking around for a dinner option outside of HS, but leaving enough time to get back for the 8pm SW spectacular. I have a res at Cape May at 5:10. Will we be pushing it if we take the water taxi? Would bus be better? Maybe we should just drive that day. Thanks!

 

[goofy4tink]

I've been looking around for a dinner option outside of HS, but leaving enough time to get back for the 8pm SW spectacular. I have a res at Cape May at 5:10. Will we be pushing it if we take the water taxi? Would bus be better? Maybe we should just drive that day. Thanks!

No buses to DHS from BC...unless the boats can't operate.
Taking the boat will leave you with plenty of time. The boat will take about 20 mins, not including wait times.

 

[Henrybaby]

Okay guys...lets see if we can organize any and all quetions pertaining to transportation within WDW here. It may help others to know exactly where to go to get the best info.
I expect to see lots of good info here everyone. But, not looking for debates on rental car vs buses. Basically how to get around using Disney transportation only.
Thanks..and have at it!!!

I'll start with this one.....(thanks MagicBus)

Bus & Monorail Park to Park Transportation

From MK to:
AK, bus at MK bus stop
DHS, bus at MK bus stop
Epcot, Monorail from TTC

From Epcot to:
AK, bus
DHS, bus
TTC/MK, Monorail

From DHS to:
AK, bus
Epcot, bus
MK, bus stop

From AK to:
DHS, bus
Epcot bus
MK, bus stop

There is also boat transportation between DHS & Epcot.
__________________

we are staying at art of animation and have dinner rez at grand floridian. what's the best way to get there?

 

[supersnoop]

we are staying at art of animation and have dinner rez at grand floridian. what's the best way to get there?

Bus to Magic Kingdom, boat to Grand Floridian.

 

[Henrybaby]

thanks. how much time should i allow to get there if my rez is at 8:45 dinner

 

[goofy4tink]

thanks. how much time should i allow to get there if my rez is at 8:45 dinner

For an 8:45 ADR, I would leave AoA by 7:30, at the latest.
You might get to the MK bus stop just as the bus is pulling away. That means you might wait up to 20 mins for the next bus. Then, 15 mins to MK. If the boat is just leaving the dock, up to 20 min wait. Then, a 10 min boat ride to the GF.
If I don't have to be someplace at a set time, everything lined up perfectly. However, if I have an ADR to get to? I just miss buses, boats, monorails. I always try to leave more time than I think I'll need...something always seems to happen to slow me down!

 

[mdb78]

Staying at All star sports for the first time. Have a 8:20 dinner adr at Trattoria at Boardwalk. Never been to boardwalk and we usually drive around the resort, but I just read parking is limited at bw. How long and best way to get to BW using Disney trans? Thanks

 

[Henrybaby]

For an 8:45 ADR, I would leave AoA by 7:30, at the latest.
You might get to the MK bus stop just as the bus is pulling away. That means you might wait up to 20 mins for the next bus. Then, 15 mins to MK. If the boat is just leaving the dock, up to 20 min wait. Then, a 10 min boat ride to the GF.
If I don't have to be someplace at a set time, everything lined up perfectly. However, if I have an ADR to get to? I just miss buses, boats, monorails. I always try to leave more time than I think I'll need...something always seems to happen to slow me down!

Can I take an uber or is that just not how it's done over there?

 

[joelkfla]

Can I take an uber or is that just not how it's done over there?

Certainly. Both Uber & Lyft are very active at WDW, and can pick up & drop off at resorts' lobby entrance.

 

[MegaSilver]

Certainly. Both Uber & Lyft are very active at WDW, and can pick up & drop off at resorts' lobby entrance.

Are they limited to the lobby? I am staying at Port Orleans Riverside and am wondering if these services can pickup at the bus stops or parking lots, or if Disney restricts them to the lobby/main building

 

[joelkfla]

Are they limited to the lobby? I am staying at Port Orleans Riverside and am wondering if these services can pickup at the bus stops or parking lots, or if Disney restricts them to the lobby/main building

Yes, at Riverside they can pick up at the Guest buildings (but not the bus stops.) It's best to contact your driver thru the app by phone or text to avoid any confusion about where you want to be picked up.