Chef Mickey to Epcot (monorail or car)

[Hope Soda]

I have an ADR for Chef Mickey's one evening at 7:30pm and I would like to get to Epcot to watch illuminations that evening (9:30pm), if I can.

Is this possible?

If so, am I better off trying the monorail or driving? About how long would each take, from restaurant to turnstiles?

How long would the return trip to Contemporary take?

Thank you!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I don't think it's possible, even with a car. That's cutting it very close. CM is a 60-90 minute experience once seated unless you bolt your food and skip characters -- and you may not be seated on time! Then there's getting to Epcot, parking, hiking through the lot, going through security, getting to WS.

Doesn't matter if it's driving or monorail (assume monorail to take half an hour -- you have to change at the TTC). 9:30 Illuminations on a 7:30 CM is not realistic.

 

[Pumbaa_]

it seems like it should be easy doens't it? The logistics of traveling WDW are not for the faint of heart

OP is correct, i would not attempt it. Better off doing wishes that night

Realistically, 7:30 means being seated within 30 minutes of that time. Seeing all the characters is at min 60 min, more likely longer if you just miss one

Then you have to pay the bill bad get out of hte resort. Which also takes time. Taking hte monorail requires waiting up to 20-30 minutes for one, hten transferrring at the TTC. Again, allow time. Once at Epcot, must get through security then to the WS (On a full belly no less)

Driving, similar issues. Must get out of resort, gt to car, drive over then get through security and to the front of the line

If you are set on attempting this i would ditch both options, take an uber from the CR and get dropped off at the BC. It is a short walk to the International Gateway in World Showcase. You will just make it and join the huge crowds for a spot to try to view it over people.

Sometimes we try to cram too many things in a night

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Our last CM was 30 minutes late

 

[StirlingSilver83]

Chef Mickeys is notorious for seating you late unless you have an early morning breakfast ADR and they aren't that busy and the characters there are very good and do tend to take their time with the guests which could tend to take up a lot of time to see all the characters without having to worry about transportation. When we book chef mickeys we usually tend to try and get a 7:30AM ADR so we can still make rope drop and if we do want to do Chef Mickey's for dinner we try and schedule it for a night we will be in Magic Kingdom or for our arrival night so we aren't running around like crazy trying to make our ADRs

 

[Disney_Princess83]

As others have said, it would be extremely stressful and almost impossible to make it back to see Illuminations. For CM, we always allow two hours from the time we check in to the time we walk out of the restaurant. CM is often running late for dinner and we have had to wait up to half an hour before we are seated. The meal itself takes at least 60-90 minutes between meeting the characters (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto) and then lining up at the buffet and eating. It would be extremely stressful to try and make it back to Epcot and it would ruin the meal experience for me. If you want to try and make it back for Illuminations, I would try and make a reservation no later than 5:30pm, 6pm at the latest. If you manage to get an earlier reservation then I would recommend walking to MK from The Contemporary, catch the bus to the Beach or Yacht Club and enter Epcot through the International Gateway. You would need to change monorails and then you'll be at the front of Epcot and need to walk to the back of the Park. You could also take a taxi to one of the Boardwalk Resorts and walk if you don't want to concern yourself with the buses.

What time is Wishes on that night? You can watch Wishes from the observation deck at The Contemporary and it's a nice way to watch the fireworks.

I have an ADR for Chef Mickey's one evening at 7:30pm and I would like to get to Epcot to watch illuminations that evening (9:30pm), if I can.

Is this possible?

If so, am I better off trying the monorail or driving? About how long would each take, from restaurant to turnstiles?

How long would the return trip to Contemporary take?

Thank you!

 

[Hope Soda]

Thank you all very much. I am going to try to catch Illuminations on a different night, and I'll watch Wishes (10:00) if I can, or maybe just go to bed immediately after dinner to rest up and try to make rope drop the next morning.