Car, Taxi or Disney Bus?

[firkat]

Hi y'all! We will be staying at BWI for the F&W festival at Epcot first week of Oct 2006. I know we can walk or take ferry to Epcot and ferry to MGM. Question is what is the best way to get to the MK and AK? Drive our own car? Taxi? or Disney Bus? or Other?

We will also be going to HDDR at FW and 'Ohana at Polynesian one night. If we drive our own car, how much is valet at these places?

I need your expert advice!

 

[wdwgoofeeee]

From the Boardwalk area you can walk to Epcot in less than 10 minutes and about 15 minutes to the Studios. The Friendship boats take about the same amount of time.
You definitely do not want to drive to the Magic Kingdom. Only Disney buses are allowed near the MK entrance. All other traffic must go to the TTC. From there you will either walk or tram to the boat or monorail (your choice) which will take you to the MK.
For eating at FW, Poly or any Disney resort the best plan is to be at the closest theme park for that part of the day. This will make it so much easier to get to those resort via Disney transporation. The Poly is on the monorail but you can also boat over from the MK. FW is a boat ride away from the MK.
You can take the bus from the BWI to the MK and then boat/monorail to these resorts.
As you can tell, we never rent a car during our stays. Disney does a great job in getting people around. Who wants to drive when you are on vacation anyway?

 

[firkat]

I agree with you, wdwgoofeeee! Who wants to drive while they are on vacation? But what about these folks that stay offsite and talk about how much easier it is to get to all these places with their car?

So, if I am going to the Hoopdeedoo at FW, I should take the Disney bus to MK and a boat from there to FW and that would be easier than just driving?

 

[CleveRocks]

If you drive to FW you'll still have to take a FW internal shuttle bus from where you park to get to Pioneer Hall, the site of HDDR. Or take a looong walk. The boat to FW puts you a very short walk from Pioneer Hall, plus it's kind of a fun way to travel, anyway.

On that boat, you'll do something the kids(and grownups) might think is very very cool. When leaving the Mk area to get to the WL/FW area, your boat actually travels OVER a bridge OVER a roadway. Yes, you read that right. The man-made Seven Seas Lagoon (in front of MK) and the I'm pretty sure natural body of water in the WL/FW area are connected by a bridge. The bridge holds water. You just chug right across the bridge on the boat and it's no big deal unless you look around and realize you're crossing a bridge that is actually an overpass over the road that goes between the MK main gate (where people drive through to park, and buses drive through to enter the complex) and the MK bus area. When you take buses from MK, the road dips down and then up as you pass under an overpass, and that overpass is filled with water. Pretty cool, huh?

 

[firkat]

My guidebook says that by Disney Transportation it will take me 73 min and by car 18 min. Are they just off the mark or what?

 

[CleveRocks]

My guidebook says that by Disney Transportation it will take me 73 min and by car 18 min. Are they just off the mark or what?

I've never driven, but that could be correct, at least in part. It sounds okay that you'd be able to reach FW by car in 18 minutes, but remember you'll still have to get to the other side of FW either by long walk or by waiting for the FW internal shuttle bus. Either will significantly add to the 18 minute figure, but it should still be faster than 73 minutes. 73 minutes may be a worst-case scenario. Last year, someone (Ronda, a.k.a. kaytieeldr) using the Unofficial Guide figured out for me it would take 93 minutes to get from CBR to HDDR (this included walking time, as well). We did it in about an hour. Those timing charts include "maximum" wait times (as if you juts missed the bus), not average wait times. That's fine by me, as I'd rather be early than feel like I have to rush.

I would imagine that driving between any 2 points within WDW (not including MK) would be faster than taking Disney Transport. Since my WDW vacations are the only chance I ever get to NOT drive, I enjoy that aspect thoroughly, and I happily exchange the time component for the relaxation component, but that's just me.

 

[firkat]

Thanks Cleve. I agree that what I am looking for is the most relaxing scenario. What did you do to get to HDDR? Did you take the bus to MK and then take the boat over to FW? That sounds like the best plan.

 

[CleveRocks]

Thanks Cleve. I agree that what I am looking for is the most relaxing scenario. What did you do to get to HDDR? Did you take the bus to MK and then take the boat over to FW? That sounds like the best plan.

Exactly, we took a bus from CBR to MK, then the boat from MK, which stopped at WL before stopping at FW. It's a very short walk to Pioneer Hall. Once you leave the dock and start walking on the path, you'll see Pioneer Hall on the right "a block or two" away.

The boat ride was relaxing, and the scenery pretty. And I did enjoy the weirdness of traveling in a boat OVER a roadway.

 

[betterlatethannever]

On that boat, you'll do something the kids(and grownups) might think is very very cool. When leaving the Mk area to get to the WL/FW area, your boat actually travels OVER a bridge OVER a roadway. Yes, you read that right...

You also go over a water bridge leaving/entering the IG at Epcot on the Friendship boats.

From what I have read, there is another water bridge at WDW, but only CMs are allowed to use it.

Ed

 

[CleveRocks]

You also go over a water bridge leaving/entering the IG at Epcot on the Friendship boats.

From what I have read, there is another water bridge at WDW, but only CMs are allowed to use it.

Ed

Interesting! Thanks for the info, from a former resident of Cleveland Heights.