DD always open late? (bus issue)

[shelby101301]

I'm thinking of possibly buying the DDP. WE will be down in off peak when a lot of the parks will close before 9. I am thinking of doing some later reservations both at parks, and here is where I am concerned, at resorts.

Through my search, I saw the suggestion to take a bus to DD from resort, and then catch back to our resort. I know I can always take a taxi, but 5 nights of taxi's are going to get $$$ quick, kwim?

Is DD always open to 11pm? We are going the week before presidents.

thx

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I can't say the specific hours of DTD, but typically it is open pretty late. I'llsee what I can dig up for you.

However, I know that the DTD method is often very time consuming.

I agree that some ofhte best dining is to be found at resort eateries.

My suggestion is to look at getting a rental car to make it work.

A rental car will give you several advatanges. Sometimes we actually prefer taking buses, monorails, boats - but sometimes a having your own car can't be beat!

If you look now, you may well be able to find a coupon code for your rental car.

 

[Traveliz]

The last bus from the DTD Pleasure Island stop leaves right about 2 AM so you can use DTD as a transfer point pretty much anytime.

The Marketplace shops close at 11 on weekdays and 11:30 on weekends and I am sure the buses run from there awhile longer too - people will still be leaving the restaurants in that area.

But if you are in a park and eat there -- you will be able to get transportation from that park when you leave as you the buses truly do run until the last guest leaves the park - even if that means you end up with a little shuttle van from the park yourself. I know that happened to my SIL one time.

Liz

 

[mickeyluv'r]

AS of March 2010, most of DTD was open until 11pm, or midnight on weekends. Ian't say off the top of my head how late the buses run, but it is later than the shops are open.

Guest Relations (407-828-3150) - this is the number for gust relations, they can probably answer you exactly.

Also, you don't say where you are staying, or where you are eating. There are numerous notable expections to the DTD route.

If, for example, you are staying at the Boardwalk, BC, YC, Swan, or Dolphin and want to dine at any of those - then oftenthe fastest way to get around is simply to walk. There is also a boat that connects all of the above to Epcot and HS.

If you are at any monorail resort, the best way to go between other monorail resorts is via monorail.

If you are at any monorail resort and will be finishing up dinner before MK closes, then it's pretty quick and easy to hop on the monorail, and transfer over at MK (typically you'll transfer to a bus).

There is also a boat available among GF/Poly/MK, and a boat that connects The Contmporary to Ft. Wilderness and WL. If you are dining at one of the shows (Luau or Hoop de Doo) then disney will have buses waiting after th show lets out. WE din't take them, but I thikn they run fairly directly based on need. Each bus might make a couple stops - but you don't have to go all the way to DTD.

If you are staying at one of the resorts near DTD, there is a boat that run in that area.

If you are one of the value resorts, then that's one of the slight limitations of the values. There's no table service restaurants AT the values, and transportaion to the other resorts typically menas taking the DTD bus exchange route. (And thus having your own car is a BIG plus.)


If you have a car, then you need a designated driver. Having a GPS is a great idea too. Routes in DIsney are marked, but not quite as well as the highway. Some roads are one way. You can request a free road map from any Disney resort, but a GPS (on your smart phone perhaps?) is very helpful. Making a wrong turn at Disney can be very time consuming!

One last possibility is to change a few of your dinner reservations. If we are staying in the Epcot resort area - we'll do more dining in that area. If we are on the monorail loop (the few times we've done it) mostly we'll pick from among those reosrts. I fyou are staying at a mod or deluxe, then it is very worth trying to dine at your home resort for the convenience alone.

 

[shelby101301]

Thank you both, very much!

mickeyluv'r, we ALWAYS have our car or a rental. This is the 2nd time ever in 10 years we haven't had a car. This is a last minute adults trip that I scrimped and saved my "egg money" as it were to surprise my DH with for our 10 yr anniversary. So I have enough to actually get the DP (we never do that either) if I want, but not enough to also rent a car. Im using our points for Kidani, frequent flyer miles to fly and we already have our AP's from last fall.

I agree, having a car can't be beat, - I am already missing it and we are even there yet! LOL I've managed to schedule grocery delivery, and the Africa Trek even without a car, but I will definitely appreciate my car more when we take the kids next fall!

 

[shelby101301]

geez your fast! LOL again, my thanks!

We are staying at Kidani and I am looking to try some of the more upscale restaurants since we won't have the older kids with us, just the 2 yr old (we can't leave him with others because of severe food allergies).

Based on this, I think we can manage, but it looks like buses will work at the parks. I was thinking of doing Narcoosee's to see the fireworks and something like CApe May at around 8:30 or so. But I've been seeing hour long waits even with ADR's so want to make sure we could get back.

I am so spoiled by having out car!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Until a Park is actually clear of Guests there will be a bus or two hanging around to get them back to their Resort (as long as it is a Disney Resort or the Swolphin).

 

[shelby101301]

Thanks. That's good to know. I was kind of thinking park restaurants would be OK - I mean otherwise they couldn't fill those late ressies, right?

I was more thinking of when we go to Epcot, I want to try some places at Boardwalk and Yacht club, and when we go to Magic Kingdom, I want to try some monorail resort restaurants. We wouldn't actually be in the parks for them to know, kwim?

But I can plan on the DD Disney buses if need be, and I know I will plan on a taxi at least once.

WE lose a lot of time taking that afternoon nap, hence the later 8:30 ressies I want to make.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Here's what I know, if you dine at a monorail resort, and finish after MK has closed - then they won't let you get out at MK. I suppose in the case of MK, you could get out at CR and walk over to the bus stop, but they don't exactly encourage guests to use that as an option. Lots of trips we've dined at Boma and faced this situation. From AKL, they will only let you get on a MK bus if MK is still open. (Or any of the other parks). The boats that shuttle guests around the Epcot area lagoon do continue to run after the park closes, but they advertise that they only run for a fairly limited time once the park has closed (Maybe an hour?) - at least in terms of going to HS.

That said, as another poster said, Disney generally does not allow guests to be left stranded at the parks - to the best of my knowledge.

I think Kidani is a very pretty resort with the best pool on property, and don't mind taking buses in general - but when it comes to late night dining - convenience is not the resort's strong point.
One way around your dilemma could be dine early so that you finish before Epcot closes. That way taking a bus from Epcot to Kidani is always an option.

Epcot is located almost perfectly inthe middle of WDW. MK is far to the north. HS is also near the center, and pretty close to Kidani. DTD is out of the way. SO any time in your case you can use Epcot or HS as a hopping point, you'll be better off. It may well work out that you'll be able to do that most nights.

You mention that ou have a two year old. Two year old+taxi means you need a car seat. Plenty of taxis on WDW property have them, but it is an additional factor.

One more thing I'll throw out to you - if you've got an AP - you can get Tables in wonderland. The cost is $70, I think - and it saves 20% off TS dining and some QS dining (like at Pop). It may not add up to get one for this trip - but if you are renewing your AP's - it's something to consider for future stays when you renew.

 

[Scraper]

We take our car every trip but seldom use it. We have used DTD as a go between many times when dinning late but needing to get back to AKV or BCV. You might find that disney transportation works well for you. Have a great trip and use your bus time to cuddle.