BWV experts needed!

[andriade]

Hi! WE leave in a couple of weeks and I'm trying to get down my itinerary. I was wondering if it is faster to walk to MGM and Epcot than wait for boats in the morning. What have your experiences been? We are a group of 9 with 2 kids in a double stoller. I was thinking getting on a boat in the morning might be crazy. Any tips or advice is appreciated.

Also, how long do you normally wait for buses there?

I also need to enter Epcot through the International Gateway. We want to get to Test Track and Mission Space right after opening. I heard the IG doesn't open as early as the front entrance. Is this true? What have you done in the past?

Sorry if I am asking sooooo many questions. I just want to make sure I plug in the correct wake up time on the itinerary.

Thanks in advance!

 

[spiceycat]

it is faster to walk than the boat.

but take the boat at least once. Just don't take it at night trying to get back after the parks are closed....long line...longer wait...

the last time I went was before the new schedule. So mind is probably not a good example - we wait 45 minutes for the MK. But I say this was a while ago.

after that trip I use BWV and BCV for Epcot and Studios. I use VWL for MK and Epcot. I go to everything at OKW.

International Gateway has always open when the main gates are open - at least it has for me - including early entry. World Showcase is not open - you are send to FW through the rose garden. (unless you are going to Norway's breakfast). So this is not a problem.

 

[cleopatra]

Hi,
We're arriving back home at BWV on 1st Jan for two weeks. My advice would be to walk to Epcot in the mornings, especially if a boat isn't there - it takes about the same time. We tend to use the boat to come home from Epcot as we're usually a bit foot weary by then. We always use the boat to go to MGM as it's just a little bit further away from BWV. In the morning there's usually pleanty of room on the boats and it's easy to handle strollers as well. The crew are always very helpful.

Buses we've found to be less reliable than the boats and much more crowded but if you are near the reception area then that's easier for the buses although they do get crowded as they visit other resorts.

International Gateway is always open at the same time as the Epcot main gate - even on an early entry day. They rope off the World Showcase and you just walk through United Kingdom and Canada to get into Future World near Journey Into Imagination which is next door to the Land and Soarin' if you want to beat the crowds there. As we're fresh in the mornings we usually rush over to Test Track and Mission Space first thing then have a coffee and muffin at the Fountainview Espresso Bar while being entertained by the fabulous dancing fountains.

I hope you have as wonderful time as I know we will!

 

[CarolMN]

Hi! WE leave in a couple of weeks and I'm trying to get down my itinerary. I was wondering if it is faster to walk to MGM and Epcot than wait for boats in the morning. What have your experiences been? We are a group of 9 with 2 kids in a double stoller. I was thinking getting on a boat in the morning might be crazy. Any tips or advice is appreciated.

Also, how long do you normally wait for buses there?

Unless a boat is right there, we find walking to EPCOT is faster - even when we traveled with a stroller (last year).

We also walked to MGM - because our room was near a stairway that put us outside near the Community Hall (would have been almost as far to walk to the boat dock as it was to walk to MGM). Now if you have people who don't do stairs or will have trouble with the strollers, then you will most likely want to take the boat.

We just got back from the BWV (12/3 -12/10) and I can honestly say that we never waited more than 5 minutes for a bus with one exception. And that was my fault. I saw a DD bus leave just as I was etting ready to leave and decide to have another cup of coffee. Before I finished it another DD bus left the BW bus stop. When I finally got down to the bus stop, I had to wait about 15 minutes for another DD bus. This was mid morning and I didn't think that was unreasonable at all. BW only shared with the Swan/Dolophin while we were there and we always got a seat when we left the BW.

I also need to enter Epcot through the International Gateway. We want to get to Test Track and Mission Space right after opening. I heard the IG doesn't open as early as the front entrance. Is this true? What have you done in the past?

We didn't find the IG rto be a problem. I believe EPCOT's main entrance does let guests into the front of the park before 9am so they do have an advantage over the IG guests (although not a huge one). FWIW, most seem to go to Soarin' first thing, so I really don't think you are going to have a problem getting to Test Track & Mission Space. MS isn't as popular as TT and Soarin' - I can't ever remember waiting for MS. My aedvice is to get a FP for Test Track and then go over to MS. By the time you are done with MS, it will be FP time for TT.

FWIW, we walked veryleisurely to Soarin' one morning. Got a FP and then stood in the standby line for about 20 minutes. Then we had a cup of coffee and did it again with the FP. IMHO, coming from the IG isn't a huge disadvantge.

Sorry if I am asking sooooo many questions. I just want to make sure I plug in the correct wake up time on the itinerary.

Thanks in advance!

You're welcome - have a wonderful trip!

Best wishes-

 

[IndianaDVCMember]

They try to stagger their buses 20 minutes between pickups. During busy times, you may have to wait for a 2nd bus because they sometimes fill up. Last week, we had instances where we just missed a bus, but another bus came within a few minutes. The walk to Epcot very manageable and you will do much more walking within the park! The walk to MGM is a little over a mile, but it is well lit at night.

 

[crazywig]

the walk to mgm from the main pool (if you have a stroller you'll need to take the elevators to the boardwalk level, then cut over by the pool out to the canal) is about 20 mins at a leisurely pace. we never take the boat to mgm but will take it back if the line isn't too long.

i've never taken the boat to epcot, it's so short we always walk.

 

[crisi]

You have to be a fast walker to outpace the boat if it is sitting there to MGM. But it is often faster to walk if the boat has just pulled away or you can't see one coming. However, its a hike to MGM, and most people do plenty of walking at WDW - this is one that you may CHOOSE to skip.

(When in a hurry, we take a cab to MGM from BWV - we've done it three times now! Its cheap - like $4, and when you are saying "I need to make it to Fantasmic" worth the money!"

The walk to Epcot is easy.

 

[Mahusky]

Walking to MGM is faster. Depending where your room is and if you are able to get down the stairs easy with your gang, you can take the stairs right out to the canal and be alreay 1/4 of the way to MGM.

 

[andriade]

Thanks for all of the help! Why am I picturing MGM close and Epcot far away? Is there a map of that area I could look at?

 

[Disney Doll]

Yes, IMHO it is faster to walk, especially if you walk a pretty decent pace.

When we were there in October, on our last day we waited for the boat to MGM because DBIL was having a bit of a foot problem, and it was quite a long wait...maybe 20-30 minutes, then the boat stopped at BCV too I think.

Since we were all in training to walk the Disney 1/2 Marathon next month, we could have walked to MGM in about 10-15 minutes.

 

[Nanajo1]

Thanks for all of the help! Why am I picturing MGM close and Epcot far away? Is there a map of that area I could look at?

I think the walk to the IG is shorter than the walk to front of MGM but to get to the front of Epcot the walk is longer.
We usually walk to both.

 

[goofymax]

I think it's all in the timing. In July, every time we walked out to the boat launch area there was a boat coming in or just about to. Once we just missed a boat to MGM and walked to the Swan-Dolphin to catch it. It is very doable to beat the boat there because it stops first at the Yacht-Beach Club. If the boat to Epcot is not about to dock, it probably isn't worth waiting for because of the short walk. Happy boating/walking. I don't think walking to MGM is an easy thing with little ones.

 

[andriade]

Do any of you experts know what the routes are? Where does the boat go first, second or third, etc.?

 

[Kick Save]

Do any of you experts know what the routes are? Where does the boat go first, second or third, etc.?

Boat goes BWV to Epcot back to BWV to BCV to Swan/Dolphin to MGM to Swan/Dolphin to BCV to BWV...one whole circuit.

Did this with the youngest in Nov to get "inside" two more parks on our one day vist.

 

[Caskbill]

From the bottom of the steps at BWV, it's 0.36 miles to the IG at Epcot.

From the BWV Luna Pool, it's 0.66 miles to the entrance at MGM.

I did these reports several years ago, and the photo links are now dead, but some of you may still find them interesting.

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=40634

 

[crisi]

http://terraserver.microsoft.com/im...=278&Y=1960&W=1&qs=|lake+buena+vista|florida|

This is a link to an ariel photo. The lake farthest NorthEast is the World Showcase Lagoon. The lake just to the SouthWest of that is Cresent Lake, BW is on the South side. From BW you enter Epcot from the International Gateway, If you zoom in you can see the boat dock. The long skinny lake SouthWest of there is the canal to MGM, its easy to spot the MGM parking lot and you can make the rest out from there.

 

[andriade]

Thanks!!!!!!!! This is sooooooooooooooooo helpful!!!

 

[byoung]

The Boats are part of the majic for me, love to ride them and relax. I bought DVC so I could come more and relax more. No more commando style.

 

[Pooh Pooh]

You could walk to the Swan & Dolphin. This would almost guarantee you a spot on the bus

 

[CarolMN]

You could walk to the Swan & Dolphin. This would almost guarantee you a spot on the bus

When we were there 12/3/05 - 12/10/05, all of the buses stopped at the BWV before the Swan & Dolphin. I think that is the norm now. We always got a seat going to a park or DD.

Best wishes -