Bus versus Boat for Magic Kingdom rope drop/early entry

[Khokhonutt]

I saw a thread from last year with times for the boat for Magic Kingdom early entry and I've read in the past that the bus leaving from the Settlement to Magic Kingdom was more of a sporadic offering during busy times. More recently, though, I've seen comments that seem to indicate the bus from the Settlement to Magic Kingdom may be more regular and potentially preferred for rope drop/early entry.

We'll be arriving next week (3/8-3/14), camping in the Settlement area. I'm curious if anyone with recent knowledge knows, if we're doing rope drop/early entry, are we better off lining up early for the first bus or better off lining up early for the first boat.

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[ilovedisneymm]

Hi, Jeff.

We just departed yesterday from the Fort and took the boat twice for early entry MK. We were picked up 30 minutes before the early entry time and departed the boat 15 minutes before early entry time. Even though we were there before opening, the gates were already flowing. Have a magical time!

 

[bama_ed]

Both forms of transportation, @Khokhonutt , are designed to get you to the MK turnstyles at approximately the same time.

The boat arrives at the Fort dock before the bus shows up at the Settlement Bus Depot. But the boat is slower/bus is quicker and in the end it's a tie over several days. And this is true of transportation from ANY on-property resort (bus/boat/monorail) that if the Early time is 830am, they start to deliver people to the MK gate about 745am. The wildcard is the people who can walk over early from the Contemp, Grand, or even the Poly-they can show up b4 745am and get in front of the MK gate for whenever they DO open. No resort nor form of transportation is designed to provide a reliable ADVANTAGE in the arrival time. It's all random, of course, but designed to get guests more/less there at the same time.

Our experience has been an official opening time of 9am means TECHNICALLY a MK main gate opening of 8am but they usually open those 5-10 minutes before 8am. Now that you can go directly to the ride entrance, it's NOT quite the rugby scrum it was when we all queued up by Cosmic Ray's in front of the Teacups.

This was the early entry view looking toward the Teacups.



And this was the view behind us.



Like I said, it's my understanding now that Early Entry guests can go directly to rides to wait for the 830am early start. I think you (and I) would be glad not to stand in this sea of humanity.

My 2 cents, since you asked.

Bama Ed

PS - and for those reading along, the Settlement bus to MK is a DIRECT shot (no stops) to get folks to rope drops. However, at some point in the morning, it does stop at WL on its way to MK and the same is true in reverse. Again, in the peak going 'home' hours, the Fort bus is an express drive and later it will stop at WL. It's Disney managing utilization - that's all.

 

[ilovedisneymm]

Oh my goodness, @bama_ed. When were those pictures taken? I don’t think I would have been able to navigate the parks if there were that many people in the parks last week. Yikes! I can’t breathe.

Those pictures remind me of this one time before the the extra paths were created in the middle of MK. It was extra magical hours, on a Friday night, before the fireworks. People were coming over from tomorrow land to get a spot for the fireworks and people were going in the opposite direction for whatever reason to something in tomorrows land. And things were grid locked on that bridge with no way to escape. For five minutes, everyone was stuck together like glue. Heave. Ho. Heave. Ho. Ugh. And I had a double baby stroller at the time. Finally the guests untangled themselves. That was unpleasant.

I was worried about the boat stopping at WL before headed to MK. I read somewhere on here that was the new route, but we took the boat at all hours throughout the trip and it never stopped at WL. If it did on the way back from MK, I would enjoy the peek at that beauty of a lodge.