Best way back to Pop after eating dinner at GF

[Aljo]

If my daughter has 8pm dinner reservations at Chef Mickey's on a night when MK closes at 8pm, what is the best way for her to get back to Pop Century? Can she still take the monorail to MK and then the bus to the resort?

Or if that is not possible can they take the monorail to Epcot (which closes at 9pm) and the bus from Epcot?

I know the monorail runs 2 hours after the parks close but what about the buses?I am reading on various sites the buses operate anywhere from 1 - 3 hours after park closes. Is this correct?

 

[clanmcculloch]

The best way is to take a taxi.

IF (big if) she's seated on time and eats fairly quickly then she should be able to walk over to MK after dinner and take the bus back to Pop (walking is much faster than riding the whole monorail loop). Chances of the stars aligning right are kind of slim so I'm not sure I'd take a chance with that.

She would have a better chance with the Epcot option, but I'd still suggest taking a taxi. It won't cost much and it'll be really easy and fast.

 

[disneypolybride2008]

I would take the bus at the Contemporary for downtown disney. from there you can get on the Pop bus. It's also fun to walk around downtown disney, they have shops and tons to see/do, it's free too. Downtown disney has two bus stops and each one is set up much like the parks. So you'd get off the Contemporary and go stand by the Pop bus stop. Very simple.

Going to Epcot is an option but those bus lines can be long b/c the park is emptying out. you'd also have to get on the monorail at the contemporary and then get off at the TTC to then get on the Epcot monorail, then get off and go over to the busses and Pop is a far walk b/c it's a value hotel.

I'd go to downtown. That is open til very late, +12am.

 

[goofy4tink]

Where are they eating???? GF or Chef Mickey's?? CM's is in the Contemporary...not the GF.

The buses run for up to two hours after the park closes. If your dd is concerned, then she can take the bus, from whatever resort she is at, to DTD and then transfer to the POP bus there.
Or, they can take a cab.

 

[Aljo]

Where are they eating???? GF or Chef Mickey's?? CM's is in the Contemporary...not the GF.

The buses run for up to two hours after the park closes. If your dd is concerned, then she can take the bus, from whatever resort she is at, to DTD and then transfer to the POP bus there.
Or, they can take a cab.

Oh my, I just realized my mistake. I am so overwhelmed making plans for my daughter that I didn't realize my mistake. Yes, of course, I meant Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary, I confused it with another night where I want to book 1900 Park Fare for them. Thank you for pointing out my mistake. Can't wait til I finish planning this for her.

So, if the buses run 2 hours after closing, she has a good chance of still catching a bus at the MK, is there any way to ask someone at the contemporary/Chef Mickey's whether the bus is still running or no? This way she may not have to go the longer route through DTD

 

[clkelley]

Oh my, I just realized my mistake. I am so overwhelmed making plans for my daughter that I didn't realize my mistake. Yes, of course, I meant Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary, I confused it with another night where I want to book 1900 Park Fare for them. Thank you for pointing out my mistake. Can't wait til I finish planning this for her.

So, if the buses run 2 hours after closing, she has a good chance of still catching a bus at the MK, is there any way to ask someone at the contemporary/Chef Mickey's whether the bus is still running or no? This way she may not have to go the longer route through DTD

I don't think it will be a problem at all walking over to Magic Kingdom at 9:30 or so to catch a bus to POP.

As a matter of fact, on the walk to MK, you can SEE the bus depot well before you get there (you actually walk past it, then turn around and go back to it). So your daughter will be able to see if there are still folks walking out of MK and waiting on buses.

To be honest, although they don't advertise, it takes a good 3 hours to totally empty the MK especially POP and All-Stars.

8pm closing means Wishes runs till about 8:15 - 8:20, then folks start hearding out. Many of the attractions will allow riders to enter the lines all the way up until closing, so an attraction with an hour line will take a full hour to cycle through and clear guests. The shops on Main Street don't close their doors to new guests till about 90 minutes after park close, and they don't close registers until the last transaction is processed.

Also, that early of a closing is rare for the MK UNLESS there is some type of event that night after hours. Is there a Halloween Party or Christmas Party that night?? Is there a Resort Guest evening EMH that night?? If so, then buses will be running for that event.

So quite honestly, as long as your daughter gets to the MK bus stop by 10pm, she will have no trouble getting to POP.

 

[skelooch]

Personally I wouldn't send my daughter to the bus stop that long after park closing, there will be a lot less people around than at normal times I would be concerned for her personal safety. Who knows how long she will be waiting there.
For $10 or $15 I would insist she use a Taxi.

ADDED: I just read in another thread by the OP that the daughter will be with her boyfriend, that makes it a little different.

 

[DebbieB]

Personally I wouldn't send my daughter to the bus stop that long after park closing, there will be a lot less people around than at normal times I would be concerned for her personal safety. Who knows how long she will be waiting there.
For $10 or $15 I would insist she use a Taxi.

If she's with others, I would not worry.

 

[goofy4tink]

Personally I wouldn't send my daughter to the bus stop that long after park closing, there will be a lot less people around than at normal times I would be concerned for her personal safety. Who knows how long she will be waiting there.
For $10 or $15 I would insist she use a Taxi.

ADDED: I just read in another thread by the OP that the daughter will be with her boyfriend, that makes it a little different.

Truly, it's not going to be an issue. There are going to be plenty of people walking around at that hour. I've walked to the bus stop at 1:30am....gotten off at the BC and walked over to BW. It was pretty much me and the bunnies at that time of night. Spooky? Sure, but it was safe.

The walk over to the MK is along a nicely lit sidewalk. It takes about 8 mins to do. I have seen people waiting for buses at least 90 mins after the park closed....2 hrs shouldn't be an issue. If your dd gets seated ontime at 8, they should be out of there by 9-9:15ish...over to MK by 9:30 and onto a bus.

 

[seashoreCM]

Normally Disney Transportation does not take you from a resort to a closing park, except to retrieve your car in the lot. Not sure how/whether they enforce that rule on the monorail but they could by opening the boarding door immediately at MK and not open the exiting door (other side) at all.

But seeing that from Contemporary (Chez Mickey's) to Magic Kingdom is a short walk, the best way back to Pop is walk to MK and catch the bus to Pop.