4 parks 1 day challenge...transportation questions

[marshallandcartersmo]

Never hopped before & going to try to hop to all 4 parks in 1 day in a few weeks!!! (2 adults)
We understand we have to go to our first park we have reserved first and can’t go to the second park until 2 (is it 2 on the dot???). Any guesstimation (in a perfect world) of bus ride times between parks?

Our plan is Hollywood studios to animal kingdom animal kingdom to Epcot
Epcot to Magic Kingdom

We will be using Disney transportation—does anyone know how early the bus from Hollywood Studios would let us on to take us to the other park? Are park to park buses by park to resort buses?
TIA

 

[erionm]

We will be using Disney transportation—does anyone know how early the bus from Hollywood Studios would let us on to take us to the other park?

1:30 pm

Are park to park buses by park to resort buses?

Yes

 

[Marionnette]

Never hopped before & going to try to hop to all 4 parks in 1 day in a few weeks!!! (2 adults)
We understand we have to go to our first park we have reserved first and can’t go to the second park until 2 (is it 2 on the dot???). Any guesstimation (in a perfect world) of bus ride times between parks?

Our plan is Hollywood studios to animal kingdom animal kingdom to Epcot
Epcot to Magic Kingdom

We will be using Disney transportation—does anyone know how early the bus from Hollywood Studios would let us on to take us to the other park? Are park to park buses by park to resort buses?
TIA

My daughter and I did a "take a drink in every park" tour in 2019. We started with EMH at MK and then hopped to Epcot via monorails. From there, we took a bus to AK and then a bus to AKV to shower and rest. Then we went to HS via bus, where we had tickets for an evening event. I don't think it would be possible today with limited hours and using Disney transportation.

If attempting to do it today, I would start in the park that opens earliest. That would most likely be AK. From there, I would take a bus to a monorail resort and head to MK. From MK, walk or monorail to CR and take a bus to HS. Then end the day by taking Skyliner to Epcot.

Lots of time spent riding Disney transportation but if your goal is to only do 1 or 2 attractions in each park, this might work.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

The 2pm park hopping puts a wrench in the 4 park challenge, but it's still doable. Your plan would definitely work. However, I might switch a few things up to take advantage of Skyliner and monorail instead of the bus. Assuming you want to end at MK, this is what I would do:

Start at AK. Bus from AK to DHS. Skyliner from DHS to Epcot. Monorail from Epcot to MK.

However you would really be better off ending at Epcot, since it's open latest. So if you don't mind ending at Epcot, you could also do this:

Start at AK. Bus from AK to MK. Bus from MK to DHS. Skyliner from DHS to Epcot.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

Thank you! We’d really like to ride ROTR so we’re hoping (in a perfect world) to join a queue at the 7:00 try time then stay till we ride (hoping for an early time!) then start hopping...

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

Thanks! Epcot & MK both close at 9 on our day...& we’re hoping for ROTR early

 

[supersnoop]

I'd start at Animal Kingdom and take a bus to Beach Club or Boardwalk at 1pm so you can walk to the Epcot International Gateway. Then walk over to Hollywood Studios. Take the park-hopper bus from there to Magic Kingdom. I'm not sure when Park Hopper buses start running, so the bus to the walkable resort gives you a little head start.

Going HS->AK->EP-.MK seems inefficient. You'll be spending a lot of extra time on buses. If ROTR is a must, I'd still swap AK and EP since you can walk between them.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

My daughter and I did a "take a drink in every park" tour in 2019. We started with EMH at MK and then hopped to Epcot via monorails. From there, we took a bus to AK and then a bus to AKV to shower and rest. Then we went to HS via bus, where we had tickets for an evening event. I don't think it would be possible today with limited hours and using Disney transportation.

If attempting to do it today, I would start in the park that opens earliest. That would most likely be AK. From there, I would take a bus to a monorail resort and head to MK. From MK, walk or monorail to CR and take a bus to HS. Then end the day by taking Skyliner to Epcot.

Lots of time spent riding Disney transportation but if your goal is to only do 1 or 2 attractions in each park, this might work.

good plan but we’re really like to start at HS (hoping to get ROTR early) & end at MK...thoughts?

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

I'd start at Animal Kingdom and take a bus to Beach Club or Boardwalk at 1pm so you can walk to the Epcot International Gateway. Then walk over to Hollywood Studios. Take the park-hopper bus from there to Magic Kingdom. I'm not sure when Park Hopper buses start running, so the bus to the walkable resort gives you a little head start.

Going HS->AK->EP-.MK seems inefficient. You'll be spending a lot of extra time on buses. If ROTR is a must, I'd still swap AK and EP since you can walk between them.

So your plan (with HS first per ROTR & MK last for fireworks) would be HS/EPCOT/AK/MK?? Thanks

 

[Marionnette]

So your plan (with HS first per ROTR & MK last for fireworks) would be HS/EPCOT/AK/MK?? Thanks

It's less doable. What happens if 2:00 rolls around and your boarding group hasn't been called (if you were lucky enough to get one)? Do you leave HS and head to Epcot anyway, hoping to return to HS when your BG is called? Or do you stay in HS until you've ridden ROTR? In either case, you would push your trip to AK until later in the afternoon and it closes at 6:00 PM. If ROTR is a high priority, you might have to abandon the idea of 4 parks in one day.

 

[Heather07438]

good plan but we’re really like to start at HS (hoping to get ROTR early) & end at MK...thoughts?

In that case

HS - Goodluck w/BG
Take boat to EP
Rideshare to AK
Bus to MK

I think the potential time saved ridesharing to AK could be worth the cost, plus depending which side of EP you end up can do from Beach Club or park front. Buses likely to be all around easier AK to MK.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

It's less doable. What happens if 2:00 rolls around and your boarding group hasn't been called (if you were lucky enough to get one)? Do you leave HS and head to Epcot anyway, hoping to return to HS when your BG is called? Or do you stay in HS until you've ridden ROTR? In either case, you would push your trip to AK until later in the afternoon and it closes at 6:00 PM. If ROTR is a high priority, you might have to abandon the idea of 4 parks in one day.

Lots of moving parts for sure. Super stressful but we definitely want to try! Thanks!

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

Sorry for all the questions... anyone know which would be faster the ferry or the bus to/from Epcot/Hollywood studios? And do they both start loading around 130?

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

Your fastest option between DHS and Epcot is going to be either the boat or your feet! Skyliner will take too long.

 

[Marionnette]

Sorry for all the questions... anyone know which would be faster the ferry or the bus to/from Epcot/Hollywood studios? And do they both start loading around 130?

Where do you want to end up? The ferry boat goes to the International Gateway, as does the Skyliner. A bus will bring you to the front entrance. Walking to the IG is the fastest, although not by much.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Sorry for all the questions... anyone know which would be faster the ferry or the bus to/from Epcot/Hollywood studios? And do they both start loading around 130?

At this point, I’m too confused about what order of park visits you’re asking about. All I know is that you want to start at HS to do ROTR. Can you refresh us about which of the various alternatives you are referencing with the question?

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Where do you want to end up? The ferry boat goes to the International Gateway, as does the Skyliner. A bus will bring you to the front entrance. Walking to the IG is the fastest, although not by much.

Walking is the fastest for this transition. It takes about the same time as the boat or the Skyliner might take, but there is no wait time to gum up the works. The boat time can be increased by 15 minutes or so if you just missed a boat as you approach the dock. There may also be a line of other park hoppers trying to make that same park change right around 2 pm. This might mean waiting for a second boat, since the boats are capacity limited (104 passengers/boat, which includes standees in just about every available space). The Skyliner line is probably more likely to keep moving, but there again might be park hoppers creating a backup.

 

[Heather07438]

When walking out of HS the boat dock is visible to the left, and Skyliner/buses to the right (and also the walkway from HS to EP is there).



Walking HS to EP is 20-25 minutes. As long as you're not waiting long for boat, that can get you there in similar time while saving your feet and energy for the 4 park challenge. You'll have a good view of the dock and possibly an incoming boat on the water to gauge Boat vs Walk.

I'm not sure about Skyliner lines at hop time but there is the need to transfer at Caribbean Beach.

 

[Skippyboo]

If you are going to HS first, then I would go to Epcot either by Friendship boat or walking trail. The Skyliner you would have to go to CBR and then get on the longer Epcot Riviera line to end up at IG. Walk through IG to front of Park to get to buses then go to AK. Then from AK go to MK. Are you doing a certain thing in each park like riding a ride, or getting a snack or just tapping into park counts for you?

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

Sorry for the confusion & I appreciate everyone’s help.
I would like to start at HS & end at MK (so we can watch Happily Ever After)
EPCOT & AK I have no preference as to which comes after HS, but I’d like to be as efficient & fast as possible
Thank you