Drive to MK? Bus? Monorail?

[Ameerae]

We will be driving to Disney this weekend for a vacation during Thanksgiving week. I would appreciate any advice on getting around the parks. We will be staying at the AKL. We will probably drive to most parks, but I heard the parking lot is far away from MK, so it is more convenient to use park transportation. Is this true, or am I all mixed up. It will be me, my DH, DS-7, DD-6, and DD-turning 2 on Thanksgiving.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me,
Amy

 

[#1 Pocahontas]

I have only driven to the parks once and since I am a cast member I didn't have to pay but if you drive to the parks would you have to pay to park? I don't know if you would get in free because you are staying on property or not. I would personally take the bus. Every trip we have been on we have only used Disney's transportation, and we have never had a problem with it.

 

[hwcook]

Will be staying at AKL for the first time in May. We've always stayed in the MK area hotels and used park transportation. However, it is my understanding that you park free in the park lots if you are a resort guest.

As far as the distance from the parking lot to MK is concerned, you are correct. MK parking is at the TTC (Transportation and Ticket Center). From there you take the express monorail or ferry boat to MK.

Since AKL is located about 10 mi from MK, you would probably be better off using WDW transportation.

 

[hellokitty]

I think the above poster meant 10 minutes not miles as it looks. (it is about 6 miles)
We found driving our own car was faster than the transportation.
Also, you do park free if you stay on disney property.
We did use the buses a few times and they were okay, but I have heard they are running less buses, but who
knows for may?? We had a stroller w/us and it folded easily enough for the bus/monorail.
bus is definatally faster than monorail however...it stops at all the resorts!!! and you can go directly to front
of MK on a bus!!!

with three kids, it may be difficult on a bus, but they will love it.
good luck

 

[ducklite]

A lot depends on where you are staying, but IMHO driving to the MK is ALWAYS slower than taking WDW transit. I really hate the thought of schleping to the car, schleping onto the tram, schleping onto a ferret or monorail. Ugh! I'd rather take the bus and be done with it. The logest it shuld take is about half an hour, and that's if you have to wait twenty minutes for a bus at your resort. We've generally found them to come every 3-5 minutes in peak times, and have never waited more than about twenty minutes in a slow time.

Anne

 

[DebbieB]

We usually take the bus because it lets you off right in front of MK. I took the car for the first time last May because we were going to MK mid-day and had plans to go to DD afterwards. It is quite a trek from the car to the park.

 

[erikthewise]

Just in case someone has a misconception...

You cannot actually "drive" to the Magic Kingdom. You can park in the TTC parking lot, but you're still nearly a mile from MK. You must then take a ferry or monorail. That's why taking a bus works so well --- the Disney bus can take you where your car can't go, right up to the gate.

 

[ksdave]

MK is definitely NOT the place to go with a car. If you really want to have the car available to move from park to park during the day, go to EPCOT first thing in the morning and park it there. Then take the monorail to the TTC, and connect to the monorail to MK. The kids love the monorail (at least mine do) and the parking early in the day at EPCOT is usually pretty good.
The bus is good if you are doing only one park, but I prefer having the car if we are doing two or three. Last May, we had breakfast at MK, lunch at EPCOT and dinner at MGM. We did as I've said above, then used the car to go from EPCOT to MGM. We were real lucky and got a space up close at both EPCOT and MGM. This made it real nice after Fantasmic to not have to wait on the bus.

 

[Heather]

We had a car with us on our trip earlier this month. Our general rule of thumb is that we take WDW transportation in the mornings IF we are taking a lunch break or swimming break back at the hotel, but if we are doing straight park-hopping we take the car (exception to the exception is we take the bus if we are going from MK to Epcot, where the monorail is easier). If we are going to a park in the afternoon we take our car, again except for the MK, since it takes so long to get there from when you park your car.

OUr last morning, we had breakfast at the castle for dd's 3rd birthday then had to start the 15 hour drive home, so we did actually drive over to the MK lot. We (have to admit it) tried to park at the Contemporary but they were checking ressies and would not let us in. Fortunately we got a really close in spot at the TTC parking lot and could easily walk to the monorail, and since we did have a PS we were allowed on the monorail early (had to use the resort monorail). Leaving at 10 a.m was much quicker by car than taking a bus back to the resort!!

Also if you are going to Blizzard Beach or Downtown Disney, take the car!!!!!!!

 

[Kermit]

I agree with the posters who said that MK is the worse place to drive to. The buses really aren't that bad, especially if you're willing to just take things easy. I find it easier to fold a stroller in a bus than to walk through a crowded parking lot hanging onto kids so they don't get run over. It's also much, much harder to fold the stroller on the tram that takes you to the front of the parking lot. You'll have to wait a little bit for the bus, but it's not much longer than the walk to the gate you would have to do if you drove. And when you get in the bus, the temperature is comfortable. No waiting for your car to cool down after it's been in the hot sun all day.

 

[Ameerae]

Thanks for all of the advice. We just got back from our trip. The bus system was wonderful, never had to wait more than 5 minutes for a bus. I really appreciated all of your responses.
amy