Buses from All Star Movies resort to parks

[Shroog]

I am helping my friend plan her upcoming Disney trip-she leaves in a week-and I need some help on the Disney bus transportation. When we went we stayed off-site, so I don't know the answers to the bus questions. They are staying at All Star Movies resort and will be doing MK 3 days, AK 1 day and HS 1 day. On each day they want to be at the park for rope drop, so they are planning on being there about 45 minutes before opening. 1 MK day is EMH, so they will be there at 7:15am, and the other 2 MK days, they have pre-park breakfasts at BOG for 8am, so they will be there at 7:15am those days too.

The questions are:

1. They have a car, and they don't mind driving to the parks since they get free parking. But, will it be better to drive or take the Disney bus?

2. How long will they have to wait for a bus that early in the morning?

3. Where does the Disney bus from Movies resort drop off at the MK? Do they drop of at the TTC or at the MK main gate?

4. If they take the bus, how much time total should they plan on from waiting on the bus to drop off at the parks? Meaning, if they want to be at the MK at 7:15am, what time should they get to the bus stop at Movies resort?

Thanks so much!

 

[bethan92]

1. Completely personal preference. I have no problem with the buses and personally like the downtime and hearing families stories from the day. I'd say by the time they get the tram and walk to the car, they'd probably have spent just as much time as waiting for the bus, so personally I'd stick with the bus.

2. Buses are every 20 mins and start an hour before park opening. From my experience of All Star Movies, they won't have to wait long if they're there in time for buses starting.

3. They drop them off at the Main Gate, so only a short walk from bag drop. It's well signposted, so no chance of getting lost of not being able to find the right bus.

4. Apparently, the rough journey times for each park are: MK - 20mins, Epcot - 25mins, Hollywood Studios - 17mins, Animal Kingdom - 19mins. So if you add 20mins to each of those times, I would say that is the maximum amount of time they would have to wait.

 

[Shroog]

1. Completely personal preference. I have no problem with the buses and personally like the downtime and hearing families stories from the day. I'd say by the time they get the tram and walk to the car, they'd probably have spent just as much time as waiting for the bus, so personally I'd stick with the bus.

2. Buses are every 20 mins and start an hour before park opening. From my experience of All Star Movies, they won't have to wait long if they're there in time for buses starting.

3. They drop them off at the Main Gate, so only a short walk from bag drop. It's well signposted, so no chance of getting lost of not being able to find the right bus.

4. Apparently, the rough journey times for each park are: MK - 20mins, Epcot - 25mins, Hollywood Studios - 17mins, Animal Kingdom - 19mins. So if you add 20mins to each of those times, I would say that is the maximum amount of time they would have to wait.

If they are arriving at 7:15 each day to MK though, they will be parking in the front row and won't have to take a tram to their car. I'm thinking in the morning they should drive to the park because they can get there quicker by driving, but maybe after they take a break and go back to MK in the evening, that it might be best at that time to take the bus. Because they would definitely have to park far back in the parking lot and take a tram up to the TTC.

 

[Lisa Aquino]

we are staying at all star movies this november, from what i have read its better to take the buses to MK only since you would need to park and then get on the tram. For our MK days we will be taking the buses, and for the other parks our car.

 

[FireFighterWife]

Honestly, we've never had an issue with the buses at any of the values and I can't imagine driving to the parks and dealing with parking. As long as you have a little patience, it is fine.

 

[Stinky_Pete]

There is some partial and some incorrect info posted here. I'll try to clarify.

"Park buses start an hour before the park opens" is a myth that just won't die. Buses really start running anywhere from at least an hour and a half to two hours before parks open. If they only started an hour before the park opened, how would anyone without a car get to an 8 a.m. ADR when the park doesn't open until 9 a.m.?

Many people take the bus to the MK rather than drive. If you drive to the MK you have to park at the TTC. So regardless if you are early and park close enough to not take a parking lot tram, you still have to take either the monorail or ferry from the parking lot to the MK gate. However, the buses drop off within walking distance of the gate. Driving to Epcot, HS and AK is easy since you can walk or take a parking lot tram from the parking lot to the park gates.

Hope this helps.

 

[JennyDrake]

Honestly, we've never had an issue with the buses at any of the values and I can't imagine driving to the parks and dealing with parking. As long as you have a little patience, it is fine.

DITTO!! DITTO! DITTO!!!

Hands down I prefer the bus service to driving a car--and yes I have done both!

The buses drop you off much closer. You can park hop easily--especially MK to Epcot. You don't have to try to find your car, get into a hot car, wait in a long line to leave at the end of the day, don't have to worry about a designated driver if you imbibe, lots of reasons!

 

[stinkpickle]

The last time I stayed at Movies, it was the last to pick up and the last to drop off, so the buses were almost full from the other two All Stars when they arrived. I'm not sure if it's still that way, or not.

 

[team weasel]

The last time I stayed at Movies, it was the last to pick up and the last to drop off, so the buses were almost full from the other two All Stars when they arrived. I'm not sure if it's still that way, or not.

I *think* this may have been resolved when they stopped the shared buses during peak times. I have never stayed at the All Stars, but we usually stay at the Pop, so the bus stops at the park are fairly close. At the parks, ASM buses appear to come quite frequently.

 

[ellie05]

I was trying to figure this out for upcoming trip and found this http://www.ourlaughingplace.com/aspx/twiz.aspx#.VgrbI2b3anP. Maybe this can help them decide to drive or take the bus.

 

[Shroog]

Thanks everyone for the help! I think maybe the bus IS the way to go for them.