Bus from AK to Epcot (Does it really exist?)

[FaerieFire]

I have a transportation dilemma. We usually take our car and drive to the parks, but we have a pre-rope drop (8:10 a.m.) ADR at Tusker House on our AK day, and I have heard that, more often than not, the AK parking lot isn't open until a half-hour before park opening (9 a.m. that day). So, I am reluctantly considering taking the early bus from our resort to AK in the morning. But, without a car, we now have to figure out how to get to Epcot for our dinner ADR at 7:20 p.m. A bus from AK to Epcot seems like a no-brainer, but for every person who recommends that, I find another person telling me no such bus exists! Can anyone with expertise or a recent visit tell me, for sure, whether there is a bus from AK to Epcot? If there is, does it run all the time, and how much time should I plan for getting from one park to the other?

°o° Lace — Planning our second WDW adventure, 11/1-12 AoA-LM (Sent from my iPad using DISBoards)

 

[Cyrano]

Just moving to the Transportation board

 

[WilsonFlyer]

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/transportation/

Here are two very general rules of thumb:

1) Park to park busses/transportation exists. Resort to resort busses don't (except, of course, resorts that share busses anyway).

2) You can take a bus back to the TTC and get anywhere on property as a last resort.

 

[FaerieFire]

Just moving to the Transportation board

Sorry, Cyrano. I almost posted there, but nearly every post was about getting to Orlando, rather than around inside the World... Thanks! Glad it's where it belongs now...

°o° Lace — Planning our second WDW adventure, 11/1-12 AoA-LM (Sent from my iPad using DISBoards)

 

[FaerieFire]

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/transportation/

Here are two very general rules of thumb:

1) Park to park busses/transportation exists. Resort to resort busses don't (except, of course, resorts that share busses anyway).

2) You can take a bus back to the TTC and get anywhere on property as a last resort.

I see it. I believe it could exist. But why do half the people I ask tell me it doesn't exist? Are they just confusing the no-resort-to-resort with no-park-to-park? I spent half an hour Googling this the other day, just to get a definitive answer, and I still got a 50/50 split...

°o° Lace — Planning our second WDW adventure, 11/1-12 AoA-LM (Sent from my iPad using DISBoards)

 

[mesaboy2]

I see it. I believe it could exist. But why do half the people I ask tell me it doesn't exist? Are they just confusing the no-resort-to-resort with no-park-to-park? I spent half an hour Googling this the other day, just to get a definitive answer, and I still got a 50/50 split...

°o° Lace — Planning our second WDW adventure, 11/1-12 AoA-LM (Sent from my iPad using DISBoards)

Because half the people are wrong. Park-to-park buses do exist. I've taken a couple of them.

There was a time that they didn't exist, and people who went there five years ago think its still the same way.

 

[Jestocost]

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/transportation/

Here are two very general rules of thumb:

1) Park to park busses/transportation exists. Resort to resort busses don't (except, of course, resorts that share busses anyway).

2) You can take a bus back to the TTC and get anywhere on property as a last resort.

Highlighting the last point as it is not accurate. The only WDW buses to/from the TTC from anywhere are the MK-AK and MK-DHS buses. You will not find a bus to the TTC from any resort (except, I think, Shades of Green).

 

[goofy4tink]

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/transportation/

Here are two very general rules of thumb:

1) Park to park busses/transportation exists. Resort to resort busses don't (except, of course, resorts that share busses anyway).

2) You can take a bus back to the TTC and get anywhere on property as a last resort.

1. Yes, park to park buses/boats/monorails do exist. It's all very plainly marked within each park.
2. No, you can not take a bus back to TTC and get anywhere on property. No buses run to the TTC from any onsite resort. And the only park buses that go there are buses to either DHS or AK.

It is very easy to get to Epcot from AK...just walk out to the bus stop area, check the board to see exactly where the Epcot bus is located and head there. It is located on the furthest lane though. You can also just take a bus to BW, YC/BC and then walk to Epcot.
With an ADR at 7:20, you will find that you have plenty of time to get to Epcot. Maybe too much time....AK will probably be closed long before you want to be at Epcot.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Because half the people are wrong. Park-to-park buses do exist. I've taken a couple of them.

There was a time that they didn't exist, and people who went there five years ago think its still the same way.

Park-to-park buses have been around longer than five years . I don't recall how long, but I've taken them. I've been dropped off at the TTC by a bus more than once; the Epcot/Studios bus is great when you're leaving or going to Future World; and I recall a nice conversation with an off-duty CM on a bus from DHS to AK.

Many people don't know this transportation exists; rather than admit a lack of knowledge, they'll provide the response they thinks correct.

 

[Alesia]

I see it. I believe it could exist. But why do half the people I ask tell me it doesn't exist? Are they just confusing the no-resort-to-resort with no-park-to-park? I spent half an hour Googling this the other day, just to get a definitive answer, and I still got a 50/50 split...

I remember a thread on this subject where one poster was vehemently denying the existence of park-to-park buses, even after seeing pictures of the sign at the AK bus stop showing which station the buses to DHS, Epcot, and MK were.

Park-to-park buses absolutely do exist. The reasons people say they don't vary quite a bit, but mostly it's both confusion and refusing to admit that they may be remembering incorrectly.

 

[dburg30]

I remember a thread on this subject where one poster was vehemently denying the existence of park-to-park buses, even after seeing pictures of the sign at the AK bus stop showing which station the buses to DHS, Epcot, and MK were.

Park-to-park buses absolutely do exist. The reasons people say they don't vary quite a bit, but mostly it's both confusion and refusing to admit that they may be remembering incorrectly.

Or they are trying to get from MK to a park or from a park to MK... And I've never looked, is there an epcot to ttc bus or a ttc to epcot or only the mono?

 

[goofy4tink]

Or they are trying to get from MK to a park or from a park to MK... And I've never looked, is there an epcot to ttc bus or a ttc to epcot or only the mono?

To the best of my knowledge, there is only the monorail. If, for some reason, the monorail isn't available, they will put buses into service.

 

[siskaren]

Park-to-park buses have been around longer than five years . I don't recall how long, but I've taken them. I've been dropped off at the TTC by a bus more than once; the Epcot/Studios bus is great when you're leaving or going to Future World; and I recall a nice conversation with an off-duty CM on a bus from DHS to AK.

Many people don't know this transportation exists; rather than admit a lack of knowledge, they'll provide the response they thinks correct.

I would tend to think that park-to-park buses have existed since DHS opened in 1989, because otherwise park hopping (except between MK and Epcot) would be a pain in the neck.

 

[mesaboy2]

Park-to-park buses have been around longer than five years . I don't recall how long, but I've taken them. I've been dropped off at the TTC by a bus more than once; the Epcot/Studios bus is great when you're leaving or going to Future World; and I recall a nice conversation with an off-duty CM on a bus from DHS to AK.

Many people don't know this transportation exists; rather than admit a lack of knowledge, they'll provide the response they thinks correct.

I don't doubt it. I only meant to use 5 years as a generalization that some number of years have passed.

 

[TaraPA]

I can confirm 100%, I took the bus from Epcot to AK last week. I also did the reverse route, bus from AK to Epcot. Also took DHS to Epcot. Many people dispute this one since there is also a boat to take. The bus is there! I like to get around LOL!


I do have a question though - does WL normally run a bus to MK or were they just doing it on MNSSHP nights last week? I thought they did not normally run a bus between the 2, but never stayed there. We took the boat from MK to WL just to walk around and the line to get on the boat to MNSSHP went all the way back to Roaring Forks. Insane! I'm guessing those people didn't realize there was also a bus, like myself.

 

[goofy4tink]

I can confirm 100%, I took the bus from Epcot to AK last week. I also did the reverse route, bus from AK to Epcot. Also took DHS to Epcot. Many people dispute this one since there is also a boat to take. The bus is there! I like to get around LOL!


I do have a question though - does WL normally run a bus to MK or were they just doing it on MNSSHP nights last week? I thought they did not normally run a bus between the 2, but never stayed there. We took the boat from MK to WL just to walk around and the line to get on the boat to MNSSHP went all the way back to Roaring Forks. Insane! I'm guessing those people didn't realize there was also a bus, like myself.

Yes, I do remember hearing that WL has a bus to MK on a regular basis. I have never used it, even when staying there. I like using the boats. But there is a bus.

 

[cigar95]

Yes, I do remember hearing that WL has a bus to MK on a regular basis. I have never used it, even when staying there. I like using the boats. But there is a bus.

This bus has come and gone more than once over the years. Before relying on it too strongly, I would recommend confirming its current state. (I *think* it's still running, but I have not stayed at WL in over a year now, so anything's possible.)

 

[joelkfla]

Yes, I do remember hearing that WL has a bus to MK on a regular basis. I have never used it, even when staying there. I like using the boats. But there is a bus.

This bus has come and gone more than once over the years. Before relying on it too strongly, I would recommend confirming its current state. (I *think* it's still running, but I have not stayed at WL in over a year now, so anything's possible.)

As long as the sign at Load Zone #1 at WL says "Magic Kingdom", and the bus directory signs at MK say "Wilderness Lodge", I don't think any further confirmation is needed!

I believe this service is there partly to provide alternate transportation to the MK for WL & FtW guests who do not wish to ride the boats. FtW guests can ride the bus to WL & then transfer to the MK bus.

 

[edbo77]

I can confirm 100%, I took the bus from Epcot to AK last week. I also did the reverse route, bus from AK to Epcot. Also took DHS to Epcot. Many people dispute this one since there is also a boat to take. The bus is there! I like to get around LOL!


I can also confirm that there is a bus from AK to Epcot - just got home from WDW this past weekend and saw it with my own eyes.

 

[FaerieFire]

Thank you, everyone, for finally putting the preponderance of evidence in favor of this bus existing! LOL I so wanted to trust the official site and the WDW Transportation Wizard, but there was so much incorrect information out there. I will now happily trust our plan for this day, with the AK to Epcot bus included!