ADRs for before park opening

[glm777]

We have a few places that we would like to time our ADRs for an hour or so before the park opens. What time do the buses start running for the parks? We are staying at POP Century. Thanks!

 

[Alesia]

ADRs start at 8:00 or 8:05.

Buses start at 6:30.

 

[SBWB48]

To piggyback, are there fewer buses (only one or two) running that early in the morning? If the first one leaves at 6:30, will we not see another until it returns from its first trip? Also trying to gauge how often we can expect to see buses. Thanks!

 

[WEDWDW]

Disney starts the buses early to cover early ADRs/Tours.

Here are "first bus times" from a trip to All-Star Sports.

("First bus time" for Magic Kingdom.)

(In this picture the Magic Kingdom time is for the 3rd MK bus of the day,the other 3 Parks are "first bus times.)

 

[SBWB48]

Disney starts the buses early to cover early ADRs/Tours.

Here are "first bus times" from a trip to All-Star Sports.

("First bus time" for Magic Kingdom.)

(In this picture the Magic Kingdom time is for the 3rd MK bus of the day,the other 3 Parks are "first bus times.)

Oh wow, 3 buses between that window. Reassuring, thanks so much!

 

[seashoreCM]

While buses start running as early as 6:30 AM, they don't necessarily run as often as during the middle of the day. Ergo if you miss one of those early morning buses you cannot count on the next one coming in 20 minutes.

Don't cut things too close. If you time your arrival at the bus platform just in time to catch your sweet spot bus, there could be crowds there preventing you from boarding it and then you will miss rope drop or worse, miss your breakfast reservation.

 

[SBWB48]

While buses start running as early as 6:30 AM, they don't necessarily run as often as during the middle of the day. Ergo if you miss one of those early morning buses you cannot count on the next one coming in 20 minutes.

Don't cut things too close. If you time your arrival at the bus platform just in time to catch your sweet spot bus, there could be crowds there preventing you from boarding it and then you will miss rope drop or worse, miss your breakfast reservation.

That is definitely my concern, and one reason why I was leaning on driving to TTC, parking, and taking the monorail/ferry to MK. Just because I feel like I have a bit more control over getting 'there', even if it's TTC and not the entrance. If I get to TTC, there's a better chance at least of catching either the monorail or ferry versus a bus at the resort.

 

[GillianP1301]

That is definitely my concern, and one reason why I was leaning on driving to TTC, parking, and taking the monorail/ferry to MK. Just because I feel like I have a bit more control over getting 'there', even if it's TTC and not the entrance. If I get to TTC, there's a better chance at least of catching either the monorail or ferry versus a bus at the resort.

This is what I do as well. I find by the time I'm getting to the TTC, it's just that much later in the morning that there are more options and more frequency in the transportation to the MK gates. You still need to build in a buffer though because one time I got to TTC and ferry wasn't running yet and the monorail was down so the only option was the bus, which proceeded to stop at 2 resorts on it's way to MK. My plan certainly backfired for me that morning and my total transportation time was close to an hour instead of what would normally be 30 - 40 at most. I had just enough buffer built in though, so I was fine. Thankfully (and knocking on wood all over the place), that has only happened to me once, normally the drive to TTC and then Disney transport into the park works really well.

 

[Justin91]

Would a taxi be advisable for early ADRs?

 

[dres40]

Would a taxi be advisable for early ADRs?

This is what I'm thinking for our 8:05 BOG breakfast. Taxi to Contemporary and then walk.

But I'm trying to keep peace in the family since my DH hates to pay extra for any transportation when it's included in your resort stay.

 

[Justin91]

This is what I'm thinking for our 8:05 BOG breakfast. Taxi to Contemporary and then walk.

But I'm trying to keep peace in the family since my DH hates to pay extra for any transportation when it's included in your resort stay.

Not that we mind walking, but do you have to take a taxi to the Contemporary, then walk, or can a taxi bring you to MK? We haven't been in several years and only did Busses to MK. We also have an early BOG ADR and plan on getting a taxi.

One story to reinforce to your DH a good reason to rent a cab, on our last visit we were over an hour late to a ADR for Ohana, which was recommended by some friends and the only restaurant that I especially chose, wife chose the rest. We had spent the afternoon at the POR pool and asked a CM and found the best way to get to the poly was via bus to Downtown Disney and transfer there to a bus to poly. We left an hour early, and two hours later we showed up at the poly. They did still have a table for us but it was a very long evening. That night after dinner, The nice lady at the Poly front desk called a taxi, $20 and 15 minutes later we were at our resort. We used a taxi once more on that trip for an ADR and it was worth it.

 

[Alesia]

Not that we mind walking, but do you have to take a taxi to the Contemporary, then walk, or can a taxi bring you to MK? We haven't been in several years and only did Busses to MK. We also have an early BOG ADR and plan on getting a taxi.

One story to reinforce to your DH a good reason to rent a cab, on our last visit we were over an hour late to a ADR for Ohana, which was recommended by some friends and the only restaurant that I especially chose, wife chose the rest. We had spent the afternoon at the POR pool and asked a CM and found the best way to get to the poly was via bus to Downtown Disney and transfer there to a bus to poly. We left an hour early, and two hours later we showed up at the poly. They did still have a table for us but it was a very long evening. That night after dinner, The nice lady at the Poly front desk called a taxi, $20 and 15 minutes later we were at our resort. We used a taxi once more on that trip for an ADR and it was worth it.

A cab cannot take you directly to MK, but the bus does.

If you ever have a transportation question, never ask a non-transportation CM. Transferring at DS (formerly DTD) is always the worst option. The best option would have been to transfer at MK.

 

[TexasPrincess1]

Is it easy to get a taxi at 7am?

 

[Justin91]

A cab cannot take you directly to MK, but the bus does.

If you ever have a transportation question, never ask a non-transportation CM. Transferring at DS (formerly DTD) is always the worst option. The best option would have been to transfer at MK.

Thanks for the info! We learned the hard way. We also had an app that confirmed the then DTD transfer was the quickest, was it wrong! Live and learn!

 

[TexasPrincess1]

I just priced out uber. Uber is about $10 per trip.

 

[Alesia]

Thanks for the info! We learned the hard way. We also had an app that confirmed the then DTD transfer was the quickest, was it wrong! Live and learn!

Was it the Our Laughing Place Transportation Wizard?

 

[Justin91]

I just priced out uber. Uber is about $10 per trip.

That is a great price! How long does it take for a Uber rental to show up at a resort? I know taxis are there in minutes.

 

[Interrobang]

That is a great price! How long does it take for a Uber rental to show up at a resort? I know taxis are there in minutes.

I haven't used it at WDW yet, but I've used lots of other places, and I've never been anywhere that the wait for Uber was more than about 5 minutes. I imagine Uber Family could be a little longer as I'm not sure the availability with car seats is the same.