Entering EPCOT through the Int'l Gateway

[MammaMoe48]

I know that FW generally opens at 9 and the WS opens at 11 but can you get to FW through the WS from the Crescent Lake resorts before 11?

 

[HollywoodTowerHotel]

Yes, you can enter through IG before 11.

 

[Robo]

Yes, you can enter through IG before 11.

And, you can walk from Future World back to the IG to exit, as well.

 

[MammaMoe48]

I thought so but wanted to be sure, thanks

 

[scrappinginontario]

It's a really pretty way to enter too!

 

[MammaMoe48]

It's a really pretty way to enter too!

We are at th BWV so it will also save us commute time as well.

 

[loves to dive]

I love doing that, you walk through UK and Canada before the shops have opened and it's nice and quiet. I cut through the rose gardens and stop and smell the roses as well (although they looked pretty pitiful during F&G).

 

[rastahomie]

How far from IG would you have to walk in order to be able to catch a bus/cab? Is it just as far to walk to the main FW exit?

 

[havoc315]

How far from IG would you have to walk in order to be able to catch a bus/cab? Is it just as far to walk to the main FW exit?

It's actually not that short of a walk. Epcot is a big park, and you're going all the way from the back to the very front.
Probably about a 15 minute walk to get out to the front parking lot.
Fastest path to a cab could actually be to go out to the Boardwalk area, and get a cab in front of the Beach Club. (probably about a 10 minute walk).

 

[MammaMoe48]

Were you asking me or wanting to know for yourself? It's about a 15 minute walk from the IG to FW entrance. About .7 miles.

 

[rastahomie]

I'm asking for myself, for future reference. The day will come when I'm at FW and under the influence of adult beverages due to Drinking Around the World, and I want to know my best "escape route" for when it's time to go sleep it off.

 

[MammaMoe48]

I'm asking for myself, for future reference. The day will come when I'm at FW and under the influence of adult beverages due to Drinking Around the World, and I want to know my best "escape route" for when it's time to go sleep it off.

Oh, ok then. Just know that if you aren't staying at an Epcot area resort and you walked to BC, you'd have to take a bus to the park closest to your resort and then switch busses to get to your resort (there are no resort to resort busses). Or you could take the monorail to the MK area and switch to the monorail to your resort.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Just be aware that if you are doing RD from the IG you are at a distinct disadvantage and will end up behind everyone else from the Main Gate.

We were one of the first people through the IG, having shown up before opening and by the time we walked to TT everyone was already in line at 9:02 and it was a 68 minute wait.

 

[mbh106]

Just be aware that if you are doing RD from the IG you are at a distinct disadvantage and will end up behind everyone else from the Main Gate.

We were one of the first people through the IG, having shown up before opening and by the time we walked to TT everyone was already in line at 9:02 and it was a 68 minute wait.

Is this typical of entering through IG at RD? I was hoping for much shorter lines there. I guess I could see for TT since it's on the opposite side of FW, but would that be true for Soarin' as well (assuming it's open at the end of June)?

 

[scrappinginontario]

Another option when leaving via IG is to take the boat to DHS and a bus/cab from there. It's a lot less steps if you're leaving WS from the Canada/UK side than walking all the way to the front of the park. Not sure if it really saves any time but it does save steps after a long day at Epcot.

 

[Robo]

 

[ggdvc]

Is this typical of entering through IG at RD? I was hoping for much shorter lines there. I guess I could see for TT since it's on the opposite side of FW, but would that be true for Soarin' as well (assuming it's open at the end of June)?

The line to get in through IG will likely be shorter, but the walk to the TT or Soarin will be longer than it is for those entering through the main gate. The IG entrance can also get bottlenecked more - from what I remember, there are only 2 bag check tables/4 lines (assuming lines on each side of the table), and 8 MB tap-thingies (the techincal term for them). Granted, the number of people entering through the IG is much smaller than through the main entrance, but it can get backed up a bit at park opening.