Driving VS. Bus for midday breaks from Magic Kingdom

[newserenity]

I was thinking that it may be quicker at MK to drive in the morning, take a bus in the afternoon for our midday break at the resort and then take the bus back in the late afternoon and then drive back to the resort at night to avoid crowded buses at opening/closing.

Will I save time doing this since I will avoid the parking lot tram and TTC? If anything it will take less effort,right?

Just trying to figure out how long it should take me and the best way to go about getting around since we have the option of our own transport or the bus.

I appreciate any advice. We are going in May & staying at POFQ, if that matters.

 

[Traveliz]

Well you might not be dealing with the crowded night buses (honestly there are so many in the morning I find that is rarely a problem) but instead you may be waiting for a ferry or two or a monorail or three and then depending on where you are parked a long tram ride.

If staying at a Disney hotel I definitely avoid driving to MK. You may have a wait for a bus but the travel time to and back from the TTC in the morning and evening will not make up for it.

I am unclear as to why you think driving will save you being at the TTC and a tram ride - if anything driving results in far more time there. Buses do not stop there.

Liz

 

[newserenity]

Well you might not be dealing with the crowded night buses (honestly there are so many in the morning I find that is rarely a problem) but instead you may be waiting for a ferry or two or a monorail or three and then depending on where you are parked a long tram ride.

If staying at a Disney hotel I definitely avoid driving to MK. You may have a wait for a bus but the travel time to and back from the TTC in the morning and evening will not make up for it.

I am unclear as to why you think driving will save you being at the TTC and a tram ride - if anything driving results in far more time there. Buses do not stop there.

Liz

I just imagined waiting for a bus for an hour + and it being packed. I have never used Disney transportation or stayed on site. I actually haven't been to Disney since I was a teen (grew up in Orlando, had season passes so never stayed at a hotel, always drove). So, this is new to me.

So, I should take the bus to MK! Got it! What about the other parks? Bus or drive? Thank you so much Liz! I appreciate the quick response!

 

[Traveliz]

I just imagined waiting for a bus for an hour + and it being packed. I have never used Disney transportation or stayed on site. I actually haven't been to Disney since I was a teen (grew up in Orlando, had season passes so never stayed at a hotel, always drove). So, this is new to me.

So, I should take the bus to MK! Got it! What about the other parks? Bus or drive? Thank you so much Liz! I appreciate the quick response!

Ok - well first let me say I have spent many many days at Disney and have waited one hour for a bus exactly once (and that was in the middle of the afternoon at Epcot). It is truly rare to have to wait long - even at night when the crowds are huge they do try and keep the buses coming.

Generally speaking if I am staying onsite I will use the bus for every park. It is VITAL to use the bus to MK - that way you are bypassing the TTC and trams - the onsite buses go directly to the front of MK and any wait you have there will be negligible compared to having to crossing the Lagoon.

The other parks you can do as you choose.

The only place I say you should absolutely drive to is DTD -- DO NOT EVER TAKE A BUS THERE if you do not have to! The buses take forever, stop a million places and go out of their way to get there. That said I see you are staying at PO and from there you have the option of the boat. I would definitely recommend doing that at least once. NICE NICE ride!

Liz

 

[Swimmergirl]

I agree with the idea of bussing to MK. We've done both (once even having part of our party take the bus and part drive at the same time) and taking the bus wins every time!

However, we drive everywhere else. I think it is faster. While I'm not sure if driving is scientifically faster, it FEELS like it is. I'd rather be in constant forward motion than standing waiting for the bus.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

I agree with taking the bus to MK. I hate to drive there. What we normally do is take the bus to the parks in the morning and then when we head back to the park in the afternoon we drive. The reason for this is that we normally park hop so we are normally at a different park at night.

I will also say that having our own car at the end of a busy, busy day is almost priceless. Getting back to the resort in just a few minutes is so much better than waiting on the bus and riding it when it is packed with people.