Beach Club Access to Epcot

[maynard123]

Quick Question: We will be staying at the Beach Club in October, and I noticed that Future World opens at 9am and World Showcase opens at 11am. Since BC is next to World Showcase, is there an easy way to walk from BC to Future World to get there in time for the 9am opening?

Thanks!

 

[AppleSister1]

You can take a quick 5 minute walk through the International Gateway at Epcot. They'll let you walk through World Showcase into Future World.

We LOVE the Beach Club! Have fun!

 

[maynard123]

Thanks!

 

[AppleSister1]

Anytime!

 

[erikthewise]

International Gate Commando Alert:

It used to be they would let people into the park up to a rope near the UK pavilion. Sometimes they would even let you through the rope a little early, so you had a fighting chance to get to Test Track at the same time as the people at the main entrance.

But current practice seems to be that nobody even goes through the turnstile until 9:00. Which means that the FIRST person through the turnstile has a 5-minute disadvantage against the people at the main entrance. Other people may take 5-15 minutes to get through the International Gate if there's a crowd.

So if you're serious about hitting MS and TT as early as possible, you may actually want to drive from BC to Epcot(!) Sad but true. (No I haven't done this myself. Yet.)

 

[AppleSister1]

Good to know! Thanks, Erikthewise!

I don't know if the five minutes is worth driving for our particular group, but that's what I love about the boards - someone always has the latest dirt.

 

[currycook]

Already has been answered for you. You can get in that entrance.

 

[lark]

The most recent unofficial guide posts a letter from a guy warning that by the time he got to future world from the international gateway, test track already had a 90 minute line. He entered as soon as they opened the turnstiles. So if you're planning to do any kind of first-of-the-day tourning plan, it sounds as though international gate way is not the way to go. If you're just showing up after park opening, it's an easy and nice walk.

 

[swilphil]

I didn't have that problem at all with Test Track. We walked to the International Gateway from the Swan last month at opening. We weren't really in a big hurry and we got through the gates and security a little after nine. We took a leisurely stroll over to Test Track (we may have even stopped someplace else first). At about 9:15 we were able to get a fast pass for 10:05. We could have gotten through the standby line in something like 20 to 30 minutes. Maybe even less as there wasn't a line outside. We were meeting family members at Living Seas so we didn't do stand by. Our relatives were able to get an 11:05 fastpass at about 9:45 a.m.

We love going through International Gateway. You can sleep in a little later and take a short walk to the gate without getting on a bus or folding up the stroller. Plus the Epcot area resorts don't have busses to the front of Epcot.

 

[princess lovers mom]

It's really cool to see the world showcase with no one there too!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Originally posted by princess lovers mom
It's really cool to see the world showcase with no one there too!

Have to agree with that! Some morning I'm going to bring my coffee and roll into Epcot thru IG and just sit on a bench in UK watching the corld, and listening to the Epcot music. One of my favorite times!

 

[beehive123]

Question about Beach Club,

Which area is close to the pool? Beach or Yacht club?

 

[Maryjane1]

I would have say most of the Yacht Club is closer to the pool

 

[AppleSister1]

SAB is in front of both resorts, where they meet. Maybe most Yacht Club rooms are closer, but I always thought it was sort of equal. There's a map of the resort on www.allearsnet.com - just go to Beach Club or Yacht Club photos.

 

[jimmiej]

Originally posted by erikthewise
International Gate Commando Alert:

It used to be they would let people into the park up to a rope near the UK pavilion. Sometimes they would even let you through the rope a little early, so you had a fighting chance to get to Test Track at the same time as the people at the main entrance.

But current practice seems to be that nobody even goes through the turnstile until 9:00. Which means that the FIRST person through the turnstile has a 5-minute disadvantage against the people at the main entrance. Other people may take 5-15 minutes to get through the International Gate if there's a crowd.

So if you're serious about hitting MS and TT as early as possible, you may actually want to drive from BC to Epcot(!) Sad but true. (No I haven't done this myself. Yet.)

I can vouch(sp?) for the truth in this. It does put you behind.

 

[gilld]

What about EE days, are you at a disadvantage going through International Gateway then as well?

 

[erikthewise]

EE days should be the same situation, just an hour earlier, though I haven't experienced that.

I'ts really not TOO bad unless there's a big line waiting to get through the Int Gate, and you're not in the front of the line. There are only a few turnstiles there so it can take a while to get everyone through, which is why the rope drop is a better idea. When this happened to me DS7 and I were second in line since we got there real early. We REALLY hustled and got to Mission Space by 9:07, where there was already a 15-min line. Not too bad, but that was not a busy day either.

 

[Nik's Mom]

Can anyone tell me if there is a guest relations ( to get guest assistance pass and exchange pass vouchers for tickets) at the international gateway entrance?

 

[erikthewise]

Yes there is and as far as I know it's a "full-service" Guest Relations. We exchanged our annual pass vouchers there. It's a small booth with two windows just to the right of the turnstiles before you enter.

 

[Nik's Mom]

Thanks, erikthewise! That's just what I wanted to know! I was worried we might have to go through the main entrance to exchange the vouchers.