Earliest bus back to resort from the parks?

[GinnyBear's_mom]

Is this even possible?
We are trying to park hop early from AK to EPCOT. Our kids and my nephews want to try to squeeze in FOP before meeting up with grandparents for the day at EPCOT. They don't want to wait until 10am to park hop when busses start running between the parks. DH and I will be with 7 kids in the parks that morning and I don't want to pay for 2 Minnie Vans or Ubers to head over to EPCOT.

Early entry will be at 7:30am for AK. We thought after riding FOP we could possibly take a bus from AK to Beach Club at about 8:30am then walk to EPCOT. Another option would be to take a bus from AK to AKL at 8:30am and then wait for the EPCOT bus. Do busses back to resorts start that early?

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Since the buses tend to run routes to/from the resorts/parks, if they're running from a resort to the park, they'll also be returning. If early entry to AK is 7:30, the buses will be running an hour or so before that - and would take any 'return' passengers along with them back to resorts. I like your idea of taking an AK bus back to Beach Club and walking to EPCOT - as long as the International entrance makes sense for meeting up with people. You could also consider the Boardwalk bus.

 

[seashoreCM]

Theoretically park buses take guests back to the resorts at all times in the morning after any guests arrive at that park. A dispatcher is supposed to check to see which berths guests are waiting at, and have buses pick up mimicking the 20 minute or so wait between buses.

Unfortunately the dispatchers are not 100% attentive so you may need to go through the motions of asking for a bus.

Actually most buses do not go back and forth between one park and one resort. In the morning, buses, after dropping off at a park,, usually go to a nearby resort for their next pickup. This is to reduce the miles driven whlle empty.

 

[Cruzin’Sisters]

Since the buses tend to run routes to/from the resorts/parks, if they're running from a resort to the park, they'll also be returning. If early entry to AK is 7:30, the buses will be running an hour or so before that - and would take any 'return' passengers along with them back to resorts. I like your idea of taking an AK bus back to Beach Club and walking to EPCOT - as long as the International entrance makes sense for meeting up with people. You could also consider the Boardwalk bus.

I am thinking about doing a split stay at Animal Kingdom and Beach Club. Any suggestions? Is one or two night better at Animal Kingdom? Not sure how long the FOP line is even with early entry. Just in the planning stage. I hope Disney would move all our bags to BC so we could go to EPCOT. A figment of a plan!!!

 

[CarolynFH]

I am thinking about doing a split stay at Animal Kingdom and Beach Club. Any suggestions? Is one or two night better at Animal Kingdom? Not sure how long the FOP line is even with early entry. Just in the planning stage. I hope Disney would move all our bags to BC so we could go to EPCOT. A figment of a plan!!!

For FoP in the morning, you need to be near the front of the early entry crowd no matter which resort you come from. I can also tell you that Disney will move all your bags to BC - they just won’t move anything that needs to be kept cold or frozen.

 

[brockash]

De

Is this even possible?
We are trying to park hop early from AK to EPCOT. Our kids and my nephews want to try to squeeze in FOP before meeting up with grandparents for the day at EPCOT. They don't want to wait until 10am to park hop when busses start running between the parks. DH and I will be with 7 kids in the parks that morning and I don't want to pay for 2 Minnie Vans or Ubers to head over to EPCOT.

Early entry will be at 7:30am for AK. We thought after riding FOP we could possibly take a bus from AK to Beach Club at about 8:30am then walk to EPCOT. Another option would be to take a bus from AK to AKL at 8:30am and then wait for the EPCOT bus. Do busses back to resorts start that early?

Definitely doable. Buses start running back to resorts as soon as they open. They just do loops for the most part.

 

[Mikey15]

The only thing I’d add is if a Boardwalk bus were available that’d be as good or better an option than the conjoined YC/BC bus. The BC bus always stops at YC first, and the walk from bus stop to IG is similar for BC and Boardwalk.

 

[sarahk0204]

DS and I had a time once where we went to early entry just to ride Space Mountain, and then went back to our resort (All Star Movies) to meet up with the rest of our group. We were the only ones in the bus line, and a Disney van actually drove us back to our resort. I'm sure it was just a matter of being in the right place at the right time (probably the van has just dropped somebody off for a tour or something), but it was a cool magical moment for us.

 

[Ensusieasm]

DS and I had a time once where we went to early entry just to ride Space Mountain, and then went back to our resort (All Star Movies) to meet up with the rest of our group. We were the only ones in the bus line, and a Disney van actually drove us back to our resort. I'm sure it was just a matter of being in the right place at the right time (probably the van has just dropped somebody off for a tour or something), but it was a cool magical moment for us.

Yes, I have had a similar experience at MK and AK. I did wait quite a while both times though, before I was directed to the white van.