A Question About Opeining Times and Bussing

[Moms]

We are doing our first Spring Break trip this April and have been watching the park times, finalizing our FP+ reservations, and generally strategizing our trip. We noticed that the Magic Kingdom is having EMH every morning ... showing an EMH opening at 7:00 AM. Generally we have noted that the buses start running to the parks at 6:30 AM for an 8:00 AM opening ... will they run earlier for the scheduled EMH? It seems as though they should but ... wow ... 5:30 AM is really early! We can certainly do it but will not be "happy campers" if we end up waiting until 6:30 anyway!
Just wondering!

 

[mom2rtk]

Just remember that 5:30 is going to seem really early to everyone else, and many will decide that their sleep is far more valuable. THAT is why it's worth getting up that early.

 

[Disneylover99]

Get to the bus stop by 6am for a 7am opening. That's what we did over the Christmas week when MK opened at 7am. It worked out great!

 

[cakebaker]

As I recall, busses generally start running an hour before park opening on EMH days. We try and get there just a little earlier than that if we're wanting to make the first bus. As long as we're at the park before they actually open, we're good. We rarely make the first bus out no matter what the opening time, but we always get there before our morning park actually opens.

 

[mesaboy2]

As I recall, busses generally start running an hour before park opening. We try and get there just a little earlier than that if we're wanting to make the first bus. As long as we're at the park before they actually open, we're good. We rarely make the first bus out no matter what the opening time, but we always get there before our morning park actually opens.

This may apply to park openings that are very early (~7:00a) at busy times of year, but is incorrect for all others.

 

[cakebaker]

This may apply to park openings that are very early (~7:00a) at busy times of year, but is incorrect for all others.

So can the OP expect that busses will start running at 5:30 am when the park opens at 7 or is it correct to tell her that they should start about an hour (meaning 6am) before park opening?

 

[Missyrose]

So can the OP expect that busses will start running at 5:30 am when the park opens at 7 or is it correct to tell her that they should start about an hour (meaning 6am) before park opening?

I think what Mesaboy means is that on days in which the parks open at 8 or 9,the buses start running at 6:30, NOT an hour before the park opens. For 7 am openings, the buses typically start a half-hour earlier at 6.

 

[mom2rtk]

I think what Mesaboy means is that on days in which the parks open at 8 or 9,the buses start running at 6:30, NOT an hour before the park opens. For 7 am openings, the buses typically start a half-hour earlier at 6.

That's exactly how I read his post.

 

[cakebaker]

I think what Mesaboy means is that on days in which the parks open at 8 or 9,the buses start running at 6:30, NOT an hour before the park opens. For 7 am openings, the buses typically start a half-hour earlier at 6.

Thanks. I should've made clearer that I was talking about the time frame the OP was, and not times in general. I'll correct it so that it's not confusing to anyone.

 

[mesaboy2]

Buses begin running no later than ~6:30a all days of the year. On days with park openings at 7:00a or earlier, they will start running even earlier.

 

[Robo]

Buses begin running no later than ~6:30a all days of the year. On days with park openings at 7:00a or earlier, they will start running even earlier.

I just asked a notable former POTUS.
He said that it depends on what the meaning of "generally" is.

 

[asbyrneva]

Last Thanksgiving with an EMH at 7 am the buses did not start at 6. They started "heading out"at 6:15 (meaning from where they were parked). Everybody that was waiting at 5:45 for the 6 am bus (and there were a lot of us) waited till almost 6:30. Very unhappy campers. We were told that the buses dont leave until 45 minutes before - on 7 am days. Other trips for Easter and thanksgiving 7 am starts they started arriving at the resorts at 6. We had the "transportation CM" with a clip board and the messenger bag waiting around the rest of the week and they said that while they try to get out at least an hour earlier, the 7 am starts they dont guarantee the buses to leave earlier the 45 minutes before opening.


So it depends. Either way we made it way before the 7 am start but it may be a while before your bus shows. But once they get rolling they have lots of them going at that time we had 2 roll up back to back.

 

[cakebaker]

Last Thanksgiving with an EMH at 7 am the buses did not start at 6. They started "heading out"at 6:15 (meaning from where they were parked). Everybody that was waiting at 5:45 for the 6 am bus (and there were a lot of us) waited till almost 6:30. Very unhappy campers. We were told that the buses dont leave until 45 minutes before - on 7 am days. Other trips for Easter and thanksgiving 7 am starts they started arriving at the resorts at 6. We had the "transportation CM" with a clip board and the messenger bag waiting around the rest of the week and they said that while they try to get out at least an hour earlier, the 7 am starts they dont guarantee the buses to leave earlier the 45 minutes before opening.


So it depends. Either way we made it way before the 7 am start but it may be a while before your bus shows. But once they get rolling they have lots of them going at that time we had 2 roll up back to back.

That's how it is for us too- sometimes we make it to the stop before the supposed start time and the busses have already started. Sometimes we get there a little late and they haven't. It doesn't seem to us there is a bell that rings and busses start rolling at an exact time, it's more like you can expect them within a certain window of time. I checked the website just for the heck of it and their "official" time posted there is an hour before opening.

So in the end, we try and just make sure we're out soon enough to arrive at the park before it opens rather than focus on the time the busses will roll.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Last Easter we were headed to Mass at the Contemporary, so we took an early bus to the MK. We were the second family at the bus stop at BC and it was bedlam by 7AM. Buses did not start more than an hour early. There was a huge surge to get on the first bus and I look around, No family, I turn around and look out the window there is my family still at the curb. They had let everyone else push past them. My family took the second bus but they ended up in front of me because THAT bus got sent directly to the MK. When we came back after services there was someone from transportation with a clip board and I told him what happened. He didn't start until 8AM but that was why he was there, to make sure everyone got on and off in an orderly manner.