Best way to hop between MK/Epcot?

[Missyrose]

This is for the first week of November: (We've never park hopped before)

We'll have a car and a AAA diamond pass, but is the monorail the faster way to hop between MK and Epcot midday?
How long does it take to take monorail between the two? How long does it take to drive/park?

Thanks for your help!

 

[delaneyc52]

Depending on the crowds, the monorail can take awhile and/or be chaotic stressful (in my humble opinion). We always rent cars. Assuming you are staying at a Disney resort? If so, park at Contemporary for MK and take the 5 minute walk path to the park. In Epcot, park at Boardwalk or Beach Club and just walk to the International Gate. This way you avoid the theme park parking lots and trams!!

 

[jimmiej]

Monorail, roughly 45 minutes. Of course, there's alot of variables. Remember, you'll have to transfer monorails at the Transportation & Ticket Center. If you are lucky, a train will pull up as you get in line.

With driving, you'll still have to take the monorail or boat out to the TTC before driving over to Epcot.

I guess it depends where you intend to end your day.

 

[skelooch]

Where you are staying and what day of the week you plan on park hopping could make a difference which would be the better. MK closing hours vary during that week, from 7pm to 2am, while EPCOT closes at 9pm each night except Wed it's open till 12am.

If you do drive to one or the other, remember you have to get back to that park to get your car at the end of the day.
If I were staying at a monorail resort, I would probably leave the car at the resort, and then decide which to do first depending on closing hours.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Well should you want to use WDW transportation I would say it could take about 30 minutes. From the Magic Kingdom you would take the Express Monorail or boat that goes to the TTC, although I would say to take the Express Monorail because it will be a lot faster. After that you then you would need to take the Epcot Monorail. Now should you want to drive you still need to get over to the TTC because that is where your car would be parked, however it's about a 10 - 15 minute drive from there to Epcot.

 

[Disneyfreak616]

monorail for sure! it's soo easy and fast.

 

[Missyrose]

Thanks for the info everyone! We're staying offsite (I'm hoping for my first Disney resort on my next trip). So we'll be driving to the parks each day. We're planning to hop Wednesday and Thursday (Nov. 3 and 4).

From what you guys have said, the best plan seems to be to park at whichever park we're planning to end the day at and take the monorail between the parks (leaving about 30-45 minutes for the hop) .

Anything else I should know/think of?

 

[skelooch]

I think for Wed I would park at EPCOT and take the monorail over to MK, spend as much time there as you need and then monorail back to EPCOT which doesn't close till 12am on Wed.

For Thur it probably doesn't matter because both parks close at 9pm, but you might want to do the opposite so that you could see Wishes at MK. Plus if you start out Thur at EPCOT you could run over to DHS via the IG and a short boat ride (25 min)

 

[Missyrose]

I think for Wed I would park at EPCOT and take the monorail over to MK, spend as much time there as you need and then monorail back to EPCOT which doesn't close till 12am on Wed.

For Thur it probably doesn't matter because both parks close at 9pm, but you might want to do the opposite so that you could see Wishes at MK. Plus if you start out Thur at EPCOT you could run over to DHS via the IG and a short boat ride (25 min)

Since I'm not staying onsite, I don't get to enjoy the EMH that Wednesday night at Epcot And since the evening EMH crowds at Epcot have been pretty bad, we were thinking of hopping back to MK for Wishes that evening.

 

[skelooch]

That's true, I totally had a brain f..t, sorry about that.

 

[chartle]

Depending on the crowds, the monorail can take awhile and/or be chaotic stressful (in my humble opinion). We always rent cars. Assuming you are staying at a Disney resort? If so, park at Contemporary for MK and take the 5 minute walk path to the park. In Epcot, park at Boardwalk or Beach Club and just walk to the International Gate. This way you avoid the theme park parking lots and trams!!

But if they are enforcing the rules, you are only allowed to park at the CR or the Beach Club for three hours unless you are a guest there.

I'm not sure why no one has brought up the fact that you shouldn't be parking at these resorts for park access. Usually this gets jumped on pretty quick.

I guess you can get away with it but why take the chance.

I'm not trying to be the Dis Police but I just don't think you should be giving out this advice. You may have done it or heard that other had done it but there have also been reports of cars being towed from Monorail and Epcot resorts.

There was a post somewhere here where they are cracking down on Board Walk parking for park access. I guess its mostly for the F&W festival.

 

[Missyrose]

But if they are enforcing the rules, you are only allowed to park at the CR or the Beach Club for three hours unless you are a guest there.

I'm not sure why no one has brought up the fact that you shouldn't be parking at these resorts for park access. Usually this gets jumped on pretty quick.

I guess you can get away with it but why take the chance.

I'm not trying to be the Dis Police but I just don't think you should be giving out this advice. You may have done it or heard that other had done it but there have also been reports of cars being towed from Monorail and Epcot resorts.

There was a post somewhere here where they are cracking down on Board Walk parking for park access. I guess its mostly for the F&W festival.

Thanks for the info, we weren't planning on parking at the resorts. I've heard about the towing here on the DIS and wouldn't want to take that chance!