Dining and Disney transportation

[Neoshoegal]

If you have a meal in the evening at one of the resorts which isn't the one you are staying at, how do you get back if you don't have a car? Will there still be busses, until what time do they run? Or will we have to take a taxi?
Also, if we were to take a car one morning to the MK, then in the evening take the monorail to the GF or PR for a meal, can we still get back to the car park of the MK no matter what time of day? Can we leave the car overnight on the MK car park in case we'd have a drink and decide it's best not to drive, then collect it the next day?

 

[aubriee]

We usually prefer to dine at the resorts as the food is better than the parks, plus it gives you a chance to check out other resorts. Once you finish your dinner you have a couple of options. You can either catch a bus (or boat) to a park that's having EMH that night or you can catch a bus to DTD. From either the late night park or DTD you can catch a bus back to your resort. Of course you can always catch a taxi back to your resort too--it'd probably cost you about $9.00.

As far as leaving your car overnight in the MK parking lot, I don't know, as we refuse to drive once we're at WDW. We love their transportation system.

 

[Neoshoegal]

what happens if you stay at the resort restaurant until after the park closing time? can you still get back on the busses? I read the busses stop running about 1 hour after park closing time.

 

[fla4fun]

That's why the above poster mentioned the DTD connection. DTD buses typically run until 1-2am, one hour after DTD closes, which is later than any of the resorts would be serving dinner (most TS resort restaurants close sometime between 9-10pm). So if there aren't any theme park restaurants open, take the bus to DTD and change to the bus going to your resort.

Of all the parks, MK is the least convenient to drive to. I often drive to AK, MGM, and Epcot, but I never drive to MK. Since the buses drop you off right up near the gate, it's much more convenient to use Disney transport. If you go by car, you still have to go to the TTC and catch a monorail or ferry to MK.

 

[AStamm]

One word of advice for people who have ADRs over at Contemporary and need to get back to their resorts via bus. Skip the monorail connection and walk over to the MK bus area--it's much faster and you end up saving quite a bit of extra walking...something I know I value after a couple of days of non-stop walking.

 

[Hopefully]

You will definitely be able to get a bus back to your resort after a resort dinner. As others have said, you can always go to Downtown Disney until early in the morning 12 - 1 AM and change to the bus to your resort. This can take a bit of time, but it is doable.
Taxi's are available at all resorts and are relatively inexpensive, if you are tired.
I would not park at the MK lot if I had any question about driving home. Disney transportation is reliable, and will get you where you need to go.

 

[Neoshoegal]

Thanks for all the info!