Bus - transportation Questions

[Mom24Princesses]

New to FW. I’m sorry. Explain transportation

I know there is a “ferry” to MK. Can it get crazy crowded or you have to wait for the 3rd or 4th?

I know there are busses. I assume there is one that loops around FW picking up people at different loops and it may drop people at near the ferry. BUT how do you reach all the other WDW locations?

 

[mco65]

you have a bus to take you to the Settlement/Trading Post (ferry) to MK at one end of the fort and other buses to take you to the Outpost (Front) of the fort to catch the (outside) busses to the other parks.. Personally, we drive to all the parks from the Fort except for MK. The boat to MK can get crowded and i have seen folks have to wait for the next bus but its nothing crazy like waiting for a bus after closing at one of the parks..

 

[Tallis]

We have never had to wait for a second boat. Sometimes the boat is pretty full, but it's a fun ride.

There are buses that pick up at every loop and they run almost constantly. They will take you to the boat or the main entrance where buses take you to all other WDW locations.

Transportation inside of, and from the Fort, sounds complicated, but it's really not. It's quite easy and relaxed. It's never crazy or stressful. We have never had to wait for a second bus when leaving the Fort for another location.

It's so easy and fast to get around the Fort that we have never rented a golf cart. The buses that run inside the Fort are fast and I've never seen them full. Definitely nothing to stress about, it's all very relaxed.

 

[WeLovePluto]

in addition to the MK boat, there's the resort boat that you could take to the Contemporary and make a short walk to MK if the boat is full.

I don't recall having to wait for a second boat. and if I had to, it was my probably own fault for having a double stroller and not wanting to squeeze on the first boat.

 

[mco65]

The best part about the internal Fort busses is they don't STOP at every stop.. they slow down, look, if no one is at the bus stop waiting.. they roll on past which makes getting to your destination really quick.'

We were there the week after July 4th and i remember the first day we went to MK (WED).. we went early (Rope Drop) and no every one waiting for the first boat got on. Quite a few had to wait for the next boat. The next day we went about the same time and everyone waiting, got on..

 

[Jimsig]

Here is a map of the Bus routes. They hand these out at check in and the Outpost also has them.

 

[peg110]

So the transportation is good, but I have to disagree with some.

I have had to wait for the second boat.

I have had to wait for the next bus (internally)

I have had to take "Alternate" routes (i.e. the bus to the Settlement, but then take the yellow bus to the Wilderness Lodge to catch another bus to the MK.)

I have waited 15 minutes for a bus at a loop and even longer for a bus to one of the other parks (at the Outpost).

Also it's not just about the bus/boat to the park, the return trip is a factor. If you are leaving at the end of the day (park close), it can be crazy getting out too. I have had to wait for the second boat leaving for the fort. I have even had to get on the Wilderness lodge boat to catch the bus there over to the fort. Sometimes, they only run one boat for the Fort AND Wilderness Lodge/Contemporary. A couple of times, the stopped running the boats (Weather related) and we had to wait for a Bus to take us to the Fort. The don't normally have a bus between the Fort and MK (Directly) so the wait was a LONG wait which sucked at the end of long day. But it happens.

And while this is not the norm, it does happen. We do usually get a golf cart, because we don't want to take a bus to the pool and walking, depending on where you may be can be just as long (or longer) as waiting for a bus (that is slow). Again, not disparaging the transportation, because mostly it goes very smooth, but like anything else, it's no perfect and issues do happen.

 

[Mom24Princesses]

So the transportation is good, but I have to disagree with some.

I have had to wait for the second boat.

I have had to wait for the next bus (internally)

I have had to take "Alternate" routes (i.e. the bus to the Settlement, but then take the yellow bus to the Wilderness Lodge to catch another bus to the MK.)

I have waited 15 minutes for a bus at a loop and even longer for a bus to one of the other parks (at the Outpost).

Also it's not just about the bus/boat to the park, the return trip is a factor. If you are leaving at the end of the day (park close), it can be crazy getting out too. I have had to wait for the second boat leaving for the fort. I have even had to get on the Wilderness lodge boat to catch the bus there over to the fort. Sometimes, they only run one boat for the Fort AND Wilderness Lodge/Contemporary. A couple of times, the stopped running the boats (Weather related) and we had to wait for a Bus to take us to the Fort. The don't normally have a bus between the Fort and MK (Directly) so the wait was a LONG wait which sucked at the end of long day. But it happens.

And while this is not the norm, it does happen. We do usually get a golf cart, because we don't want to take a bus to the pool and walking, depending on where you may be can be just as long (or longer) as waiting for a bus (that is slow). Again, not disparaging the transportation, because mostly it goes very smooth, but like anything else, it's no perfect and issues do happen.

Thanks for your input. BTW. We are going in late September currently booked a Wed. to Fri ( 9 nights!). I may shorten the week but I wanted to have a window to work within. Probably won’t be staying really late except once in each park for their nightly “show”.

 

[Sleepy425]

Thanks for your input. BTW. We are going in late September currently booked a Wed. to Fri ( 9 nights!). I may shorten the week but I wanted to have a window to work within. Probably won’t be staying really late except once in each park for their nightly “show”.

How old are your kids? Mine are 5, 5, 6, and 8 - we are at the Fort for 15 nights starting next Friday. I rented a golf cart from an outside vendor that seats 6. This way I don't have to worry about internal transportation at the end of the night when they are all tired. Plus, our last trip to the Fort we had a lot of fun driving the cart around. It was just under $700 for the 2 weeks.
My husband's thought was to just bring bikes and ride to catch the boat/buses. But I can't imagine having 4 tired kids riding their bikes in the dark.

 

[Mom24Princesses]

LOL Next September 2020 my “4 Princesses” (That’s been my ID since I joined in early ‘04) will be 29, 27, 23 and 20! AND THEY AREN’T COMING! .
No DH and I will be north of 55 and while we don't mind walking in the parks, to walk back another mile isn’t a vacation. But I don’t want to have to rent a golf cart either.

 

[Sleepy425]

LOL Next September 2020 my “4 Princesses” (That’s been my ID since I joined in early ‘04) will be 29, 27, 23 and 20! AND THEY AREN’T COMING! .
No DH and I will be north of 55 and while we don't mind walking in the parks, to walk back another mile isn’t a vacation. But I don’t want to have to rent a golf cart either.

Well that does make a difference! In your case I wouldn't worry much about Disney transportation.

 

[rajak73]

Well DW and I are north of 60 so, we used Disney transportation our last trip, Me, DW, DS, DDIL and 3 grandkiddos, 12, 10 and 6. No problems with Disney transport and walking after we got off at boat dock and either end of the Fort. DW and I have never rented golf cart, not that bad a walk from boat dock to campsite, nice stroll in the evening when most everyone else is sleeping.

 

[trubgerg]

My experience is that the boat ride to Magic Kingdom or a bus ride to another park from the Outpost Depot is pretty easy. Getting to the boat or to Outpost Depot is annoyingly slow if you're depending on a bus ride within Fort Wilderness.

 

[lindsey]

Since we were at the back side of the full.hook ups, we drove to the outpost parking, took bus to parks. We did take bus to settlement and ferry to MK.

 

[Mom24Princesses]

LOL Next September 2020 my “4 Princesses” (That’s been my ID since I joined in early ‘04) will be 29, 27, 23 and 20! AND THEY AREN’T COMING! .
No DH and I will be north of 55 and while we don't mind walking in the parks, to walk back another mile isn’t a vacation. But I don’t want to have to rent a golf cart either.

I haven’t told DH yet, but I think we will bring bicycles. Best option for us I think.

 

[Tallis]

Thanks for your input. BTW. We are going in late September currently booked a Wed. to Fri ( 9 nights!). I may shorten the week but I wanted to have a window to work within. Probably won’t be staying really late except once in each park for their nightly “show”.

Late September is a "slow" time. While there are not really slow times in the parks, it will be nicer than other times of year and transportation at the Fort should be non-stressful.