Driving from Wilderness Lodge to MK?

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

Ok, I know it's weird to want to do this! My DH doesn't like the buses, he gets motion sick very easily and doesn't do well on them. He's not too crazy about boats either so - is it easy to drive from WL to the MK (he does ok on the monorail? I remember driving into WL going through the MK gates. I'm wondering if we'd have to go all the way back out past those gates and turn around somewhere to head back into the Magic Kingdom?

Thanks for your help!

 

[cigar95]

Ok, I know it's weird to want to do this! My DH doesn't like the buses, he gets motion sick very easily and doesn't do well on them. He's not too crazy about boats either so - is it easy to drive from WL to the MK (he does ok on the monorail? I remember driving into WL going through the MK gates. I'm wondering if we'd have to go all the way back out past those gates and turn around somewhere to head back into the Magic Kingdom?

Thanks for your help!

Ah, one of my favorite questions. (My original answer is in the Wilderness Lodge section on allearsnet.com.)

Leaving the Lodge, if you were driving to Animal Kingdom, for instance, you'd go out on Timberline Drive, which changes its name to Seven Seas Way and passes the Poly, then you turn left and head out toward the toll plaza.

HERE'S THE TRICK YOU'RE LOOKING FOR:
Stay in the left hand lane. Just after you pass the Car Care Center, and just *before* you pass the toll plaza gates, there's a small, easily-missed sign on your left that says something close to "Return to Magic Kingdom Parking". Here you make a quick U-turn, and you're right on your way into the main MK parking lot.

If you miss this turn, you may be hosed. Heading down World Drive (in the opposite direction you want to be headed), there's a place maybe a quarter or half mile from the toll plaza where you can make a U-turn across the median, but I don't know if that's for WDW vehicles only. Otherwise I think you'd need to head all the way down to the Swan/Dolphin exit to turn around.

 

[jarestel]

You would need to drive to the TTC and park there if he doesn't like boats or busses.

 

[cigar95]

The trick is getting to the TTC from WL. It's not obvious how to drive there from WL without going way out of your way.

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

Thank you cigar95 - just wanted I needed to know!

Yep, that's what I think we might need to do - go to the TTC and take the monorail over to the MK.

I guess I should've asked about getting back to the WL also? I may be able to get him on a boat but I'm sure he won't ride the bus!

Thanks for the replies.

 

[cigar95]

I guess I should've asked about getting back to the WL also?

Whoa, I never thought about that part before!

I think you may have to bite the bullet on that one. I can't remember a way to just get back to Seven Seas Drive from the TTC lot. (Anyone? Bueller?)

Exiting the area with everyone else, my first idea is to try the U-turn past the toll plaza that I mentioned earlier. If that doesn't work, I can think of a quasi-direct route and a "scenic route".

Direct route - head down World Drive to the Swan/Dolphin/Beach/Yacht exit. Turn left, cross over World Drive, and then make a left to go back up World Drive to the Toll Plaza and on to WL.

Scenic route, if you want to do some "exploring". Head down World Drive, but take the earlier exit toward Epcot and Downtown Disney. Stay to the left (I think) to avoid going into the Epcot parking lot. The next exit says "All Guest Areas". Exit here, and turn left at the first signal. (This is called "Overpass Road".) Go about a block, and you'll run smack into Bonnet Creek Parkway.

Now you're right next to Old Key West. Turn left. Head up BC Parkway all the way until it dead ends into Vista Blvd, and turn left again. You'll be right next to the golf courses, and this road will take you past Ft. Wilderness. It looks like you're in the middle of nowhere, but after a short drive you'll run back into World Drive again, and find yourself right next to the toll plaza again. Turn right onto World Drive, and head up to the Lodge.

This route is not for those who get lost easily, but it might be fun. Be sure to check out the map on p. 26 of the "Welcome" pamphlet you get when checking in at WL. That way these crazy directions might make a little more sense.

Maybe when your husband sees this, the boat won't look quite so bad!

(caveat - I was just at WDW a week ago, so my recollections of ramps and traffic lights should be pretty good, but I'm not flawless!)

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

Maybe when your husband sees this, the boat won't look quite so bad!

Whew! That's what I'm thinkin'!

Thanks for all your help. I knew it would probably be tricky. Don't think we'll try the scenic route! Isn't it funny it's so much trouble to do this (well, seems to me) and WL is not really that far away from the MK?

Have a good evening

 

[cigar95]

Isn't it funny it's so much trouble to do this (well, seems to me) and WL is not really that far away from the MK?

What's so bizarre is that up in the MK area there are several places where the road you might want to be on is right in front of you, but you can't get to it because there's a divider between you and it, and the result is a really roundabout trip.


Taking the scenic route might be fun - you'll see parts of WDW you might not know existed, especially if you take a wrong turn somewhere.

Here's another fun thing - come out of WL, and turn *right*, driving toward the Contemporary. Just keep going straight, *past* the CR. You'll go right past Space Mountain, back around the MK near the train and monorail garage, behind Fantasyland, and you'll come out next to the Grand Floridian. If you just stay on the road without turning, you'll have no trouble.

 

[GoldenOldie]

...I think you may have to bite the bullet on that one. I can't remember a way to just get back to Seven Seas Drive from the TTC lot. (Anyone? Bueller?)

There isn't one.

Exiting the area with everyone else, my first idea is to try the U-turn past the toll plaza that I mentioned earlier. If that doesn't work, I can think of a quasi-direct route and a "scenic route".

The problem with this is that the U-turn exits in the very short distance between the toll booth and the street on the far right that leads down to the resorts. They would have to travel in almost a straight line crossing all those toll booth lanes against oncoming traffic from the U-turn way on the left to the entrance road way over on the right...not a good option at all.

Direct route - head down World Drive to the Swan/Dolphin/Beach/Yacht exit. Turn left, cross over World Drive, and then make a left to go back up World Drive to the Toll Plaza and on to WL.

This would be by far the recommended way.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

A couple things to mention:

The bus ride from WL to TTC is about 2 minutes. It's a super quick ride.

To drive to the TTC, you'd have to make that u-turn across from the Hess Station. To get back, you'd need to use the cross over on World Drive, which is very easily missed at night. In that case, you'll have to exit at Buena Vista Drive (just past Epcot) and make the turnaround that way.

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

Thanks everyone.

So there is a direct bus to the MK from WL now? I was thinking when I was there before the bus went from WL to Ft Wilderness and then to the MK. If it's only a couple of minutes maybe he'd be ok with that. Perhaps it was a different park I'm thinking of - I was there with my sister on that trip and we used the boat a lot to MK.

This all seems like way too much trouble to drive! I'm going to show this all to DH and he might just have to wear his patch at WDW (he has a prescription for flying)!

 

[GoldenOldie]

Thanks everyone.

So there is a direct bus to the MK from WL now? I was thinking when I was there before the bus went from WL to Ft Wilderness and then to the MK. If it's only a couple of minutes maybe he'd be ok with that. Perhaps it was a different park I'm thinking of - I was there with my sister on that trip and we used the boat a lot to MK.

The WL bus does not got directly to the MK. It goes to the TTC where you would change to the monorail that will take you to the MK.

This all seems like way too much trouble to drive!

Now you've got the idea.

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

The WL bus does not got directly to the MK. It goes to the TTC where you would change to the monorail that will take you to the MK.

Oh, ok I've got it now (my memory is not what it used to be I guess ). That'll work for us - the monorail doesn't bother him.

Yep, you guys have convinced me not to try to drive! DH will just have to go along with me!

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

So there is a direct bus to the MK from WL now? I was thinking when I was there before the bus went from WL to Ft Wilderness and then to the MK. If it's only a couple of minutes maybe he'd be ok with that.

It runs to the TTC, not the MK. As long as you board the bus marked "TRAN/TICKET CTR" it's a direct bus, and shouldn't be more than 2 minutes or so. It's only across the street. (Not safely walkable, though)

This all seems like way too much trouble to drive!

For something that's across the street, it really is.

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

Thanks Tyler, I appreciate the help I was completely confused about the bus route. I've got it now!

 

[ironz]

I thought resort busses dropped off at the sidewalk in front of MK? Or does that not apply to WL?

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

They do!

Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness have boats that do the same as well. But, they are also the *only* resorts that have a bus to the TTC.