Cabins... Questions please.....on Bus and boats and cars

[Disney Fans]

The cabins look really cool and I have one booked right now for Thanksgiving time. But...
How does this really work to go to the parks?? How far of walk to the boat that takes you to MK?
How does the buses work?
Is it better to take the car to parks?

 

[retired and happy]

Internal Fort busses take you to the Settlement to catch a boat to MK or on to the monorail to EPCOT. Busses also can take you to the Outpost for busses to HS or AK. You could also take a bus from the outpost to EPCOT. We never drive to any of the parks, but many people do, citing delays in their frantic vacation schedule using the busses. Once we park at our campsite we don't drive except to go for groceries or medicines in the "outside world". We also drive our GC to see what others are displaying around their loops. We think the busses inside and outside of the Fort work wonderfully well and contribute to the experience of WDW. Let MAGICBUS, et al, do the driving.

 

[Disney Fans]

Internal Fort busses take you to the Settlement to catch a boat to MK or on to the monorail to EPCOT. Busses also can take you to the Outpost for busses to HS or AK. You could also take a bus from the outpost to EPCOT. We never drive to any of the parks, but many people do, citing delays in their frantic vacation schedule using the busses. Once we park at our campsite we don't drive except to go for groceries or medicines in the "outside world". We also drive our GC to see what others are displaying around their loops. We think the busses inside and outside of the Fort work wonderfully well and contribute to the experience of WDW. Let MAGICBUS, et al, do the driving.

Thanks and if you could tell me.
1) What is the closest like Target or Walmart?
2) How often do the bus come around the cabins?
3) Which cabins could I request that are closet to the boat doc that takes you to MK and how long of a walk is to there?
Thanks again for your help!!

 

[fla4fun]

The cabins are at the opposite end of the campground from the MK boat marina. It would be probably a 20-30 minute walk at a leisurely pace from the closest loop. I usually just request to be "close transportation" and use the internal bus to go to the Settlement (MK) or Outpost (other parks).

If you have a car, it is very simple to drive to any of the parks except MK. Plus you have a parking space right outside your door, so you never have to worry about where you'll park when you return. It takes a little longer by bus, but if you don't want to drive, the buses will get you where you want to go. My experience has been that the internal buses seem to come by the cabins about every 10 minutes, since both the purple and orange routes will take you to both the Settlement and Outpost. If you want to take the internal bus to the Meadow, you need the orange bus, so you might wait 15 minutes or so. The external buses to the parks run about every 20 minutes or so, just like at every other resort.

If you want to walk to the Meadow complex where the main pool is, it's about a 10 minute walk from either the 2100, 2300, or 2200 loops. Those loops are the most centrally located in FW. If you want to be able to walk to the Outpost where all the transportation except MK is located, request loop 2800 (it's about a 10 minute walk from the Outpost to this loop).

 

[retired and happy]

There's a WalMart about two-three miles from the Fort on 535. Cross under I-4 and it will be on the right after the 2-3 miles. There are also grocery stores closer, such as Winn Dixie just outside WDW on S. Apopka/Vineland Rd to the left outside Hotel Drive.

 

[mgsmom]

I recommend requesting loops 2100 or 2200. We were in 2100 this summer and the internal busses were great! There is a bus stop at the entrance to 2200, right across from 2100. These loops would also be the easiest walk to the Meadows.
You would also take the bus to the marina to catch the boat - saying it like that makes it sound like a long process, but it's not! I was surprised at how quickly everything moved - busses AND boats.
You can drive to the parks - we did a couple of times - but it's just as easy to take Disney busses/boats/monorails. It's fun, too!
We did not go to AK while we were there, but I might have driven to that one just because it was farthest away.
That is one of the nice things about the cabins - you can always just walk out your door and jump in the car!

 

[dmr19]

How does this really work to go to the parks?? ... How does the buses work? Is it better to take the car to parks?

The FW boat is the best way to get to the MK. The boat takes you right to the Kingdom. If you drive your car, you have to park at the Ticket & Transportation Center, then take a monorail (or boat) to the Kingdom. With the FW boat, you get to skip that step. For the other parks, the bus system or a car are about the same.
The FW boat is one of the best advantages of the Fort. There are very few resorts with such direct access to the MK (Contemporary, Poly, Wilderness Lodge are the only ones I can think of).
Have a great time!
We loved our cabin and can't wait to go back.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

The FW boat is one of the best advantages of the Fort. There are very few resorts with such direct access to the MK (Contemporary, Poly, Wilderness Lodge are the only ones I can think of).

Oh come on!

Put your thinking cap back on!

You are missing one of the MK resorts.

It rhymes with Brand Gloridian.

TCD

 

[fla4fun]

Oh come on!

Put your thinking cap back on!

You are missing one of the MK resorts.

It rhymes with Brand Gloridian.

TCD

But you know, even though it's the last monorail stop before MK, I always feel that CR and even Poly are easier to travel to MK from than GF. CR I walk, and Poly you have a choice of going to the TTC or the GCH or the marina (I usually go to the TTC from Poly). You get on a monorail at GF, and it almost always stops halfway to MK and sits . . .and sits . . .and sits . . .

I believe requesting to be close to transportation at the Fort is more important than what cabin loop you are in. The big thing is at the end of the day, if you are relying on the buses, you don't want a long walk from the bus stop to your cabin. Some of the cabin loops are pretty large if you happen to be all the way at the back. I've always been within a cabin or two of the front of the loop by requesting close to transportation.

 

[thecplusplusguy]

There is another way to get around internally. Rent A Golf Cart.

Dan

 

[CooperPrincesses]

Just got back and have to say that I was most impressed with the boat from the fort to MK it was wondeful, and fast. We took the one directly to MK multiple times and the one to CR one evening as well. Both were great, with wonderful captains. We took the internal bus our first morning becuase our golf cart hadn't been delivered yet, and even having missed the first bus, by meer seconds, the next one came pretty fast and we made it to MK in time for my daughters appt to the BBB at 8:05 with no problem. Now the buses were good, but honestly having the golf cart was FANTASTIC. Absolutely would not do the fort without it, definately worth the cost if you ask us especially when getting back from MK at 12:30 with two sleeping children.
Also took a bus to AK and while it did take a while to get there becuase of stopping at Blizzard Beach, it was very comfortable and we got to talk to people which was nice. Plus the bus drops you right up front and you don't have to worry about parking and taking the tram. It was definately worth it.
The only bad transportation experience that we had was with the monorail, it took absolutely forever to get from the CR to the Grand Floridian and we were 30 minutes late for our reservations for my daughters B-Day dinner. However the boat captain had assured us that they would seat us with no worries so that helped, but I was very disapppointed with the monorail.

So as far as transportation in and to and from the Fort it is great. Oh and we stayed in the 2200 loop just two cabins away from the bus stop, it was very nice.