driving to MK resorts during the holidays?

[dinosaurgertie]

We have a dining reservation at a monorail resort the night of December 30. We want to drive from Old Key West. Magic Kingdom closes at 3am that night, so I imagine the MK resort area will be packed.

I know traffic will be bad, but I'd like to understand how bad... something more than "it's terrible...it's like a parking lot....why are you going during that time of year?" Can someone please tell me what usually happens during the holidays re: traffic? Should we double, triple, or quadruple our drive time, etc? Thanks!

 

[IrishNYC]

You may not even be allowed to park at a monorail resort, despite your ADR. Disney transportation is your best bet.

 

[Spridell]

From what I heard last week while staying at the GF they told me Christmas week the roads are a nightmare. Mile long backups sometimes. Stick with Disney transportation that week.

 

[tobikaye]

If you decide to drive, I would take Vista Blvd to avoid the main TTC entrance.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

From what I heard last week while staying at the GF they told me Christmas week the roads are a nightmare. Mile long backups sometimes. Stick with Disney transportation that week.

Disney buses will still get stuck in the traffic backups, and there's no direct route between resorts. OP would need to bus it to MK and then transfer to the monorail to the resort of their ADR (or potentially walk if their ADR is at CR.) I would just take an Uber, double my expected travel time, and be prepared to pay surge pricing.

 

[maxiesmom]

We have a dining reservation at a monorail resort the night of December 30. We want to drive from Old Key West. Magic Kingdom closes at 3am that night, so I imagine the MK resort area will be packed.

I know traffic will be bad, but I'd like to understand how bad... something more than "it's terrible...it's like a parking lot....why are you going during that time of year?" Can someone please tell me what usually happens during the holidays re: traffic? Should we double, triple, or quadruple our drive time, etc? Thanks!

I would take a taxi. Traffic can be so bad that there is a huge back up before you even get to the gates where you pay for parking. I've been in a bus and gone by that mess (they get to go thru a separate stall from the general public) and it has been backed up for a loooooong time!

You may think you are being silly saying to quadruple your drive time, but unfortunately you are not. That may well be the reality. Keep in mind if you miss your ADR because you are stuck in traffic you will also be stuck paying the no show fee.

 

[Nancyg56]

Take a cab. Traffic will be terrible, and driving may be stressful....especially if you cannot park once you arrive at the resort. I found that when time was important having a cab to go from resort to resort was my best bet.

 

[disnut8]

We have a dining reservation at a monorail resort the night of December 30. We want to drive from Old Key West. Magic Kingdom closes at 3am that night, so I imagine the MK resort area will be packed.

I know traffic will be bad, but I'd like to understand how bad... something more than "it's terrible...it's like a parking lot....why are you going during that time of year?" Can someone please tell me what usually happens during the holidays re: traffic? Should we double, triple, or quadruple our drive time, etc? Thanks!

I would not want to drive that night on my own even though I know the Disney roads. I agree with taking the bus to Magic Kingdom and then transferring from there. Yes, the buses can be slowed down by the traffic but those drivers know how to get around situations where you yourself would not. I rode on a Disney bus during the January marathon day (the actual day) and while traffic was slow, the driver just pulled around and used other roads and got us to where we needed to be (Animal Kingdom) and avoided most of the "critical" areas. I would trust the Disney bus drivers more than anyone else in a car that day. And, once you are at the Magic Kingdom, if you are early for your dining reservation, just sit and relax, walk over to the Contemporary. I would also advise at least an hour or two from Old Key West. More on that two hour time frame.