Advise please: EPCOT-BW-MK-POFQ?

[pdarrah]

We are WDW veterans and usually I can handle the transportation stuff with no problem, but this is an odd one for me!

On our next trip, we are arriving in the morning and are planning to go to Epcot for the afternoon/evening. We are going on an Illumination cruise (Yeah DISBoards!) that evening that leaves from the BoardWalk dock. What complicates things is that this is the only MK EMH night of our trip and DH and DS really want to head over there after Illuminations. The MK "regular" close time is 9:00 - so with EMH it would be open to Midnight. (Personally, I think we are nuts trying to do this the day we arrive )

After Illuminations, we will be dropped back at Boardwalk. We'll need to get from there to MK and after we're done at MK, get back to our resort which is POFQ.

On the plus side, we will have a rental car (always do since we tend to eat many meals at the various resorts), but I can think of many different ways to do this plan and I don't have a clue as to which would be "best"!

Idea #1: Use WDW transportation for all of it - leave car at POFQ and take bus to Epcot. Then use Int'l gateway entrance to walk to Boardwalk for cruise. After cruise, take a bus from BW to MK and after MK take a bus back to POFQ. (Concern with all this is long wait for bus at end of long day.)

Idea #2: Drive car to MK parking and then take Monorail from TTC to Epcot. Then use Int'l gateway entrance to walk to Boardwalk for cruise. After cruise, take a bus from BW to MK and after MK head to parking lot for car which presumably wouldn't be too crowded for exiting by then.

Idea #3: Same as #1 or #2, but instead of bus from BW to MK, walk back through Epcot for Monorail to TTC and then change to monorail to MK. (Concern with this is - can you go back through Epcot after 9:00pm?)

Idea #4: Drive car to Boardwalk in afternoon and park there. Visit Epcot and do cruise, then pickup car and drive to MK parking lot. (Concern with this is - can you enter the MK parking lot after the "regular" closing time?)

Anyone else have any ideas on which of these is best - or other options?

Thanks,

pdarrah

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Personally, I'd do #1... at that hour, you're going to be tired, and will just want to get home. For an EMH, the lines really shouldn't be anything bad. And besides, if there are any lines for the buses, there will be lines for the Resort monorail (the Express won't be running).

#2 would work. But after a long day at the parks, do you want to add the extra steps of taking the resort monorail to the TTC, waiting for the one tram that might be running, and then having to navigate back to Port Orleans?

#3 and #4 would not work at all.

 

[zurgswife]

I vote for number 1

 

[Bob P]

I'm not trying to put a damper on your idea, (I agree with number one as the best choice), but don't you need to pick up a wristband before the MK closes in order to be allowed in for EMH?

I could very well be wrong, maybe I'm thinking of the old "E-Ride nights."

Bob

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

I'm not trying to put a damper on your idea, (I agree with number one as the best choice), but don't you need to pick up a wristband before the MK closes in order to be allowed in for EMH?

I could very well be wrong, maybe I'm thinking of the old "E-Ride nights."

Bob

I could very well be mistaken, since this is not my area of expertise, but you should be able to pick up a wrist band even after the park closes for general admission.

 

[racheleich]

Yes - we were able to get into MGM on their EMH around 8pm (after it had closed at 7pm) and immediately there was a place to show our resort ID and get our wristband. Not a problem at all.

 

[Bob P]

Ok, I'm glad I was wrong!

So as I said, I vote for #1.

Good luck!

Bob

 

[pdarrah]

Thank you so much for the input! It looks like everyone thinks #1 is the way to go. We tend to usually avoid the buses (except for going to MK) but if we are going to actually try and do this schedule, it looks like it is our best option.

Is #4 impossible because we wouldn't be able to get into the MK parking lot during EMH?

Thanks

Pdarrah

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Is #4 impossible because we wouldn't be able to get into the MK parking lot during EMH?

#4 would not work because you are not allowed to park at the Boardwalk and then go visit a park. The limited parking spaces at the Boardwalk are for the usage of those guests staying at the BWI, or those shopping/dining at the Boardwalk area.