Exiting after wishes. Yikes!

We are going to MNSSHP next Friday night. We are staying on property and plan to use Disney transportation. I am good with falling back and letting the crowds clear a bit before trying to get out of the park. How late will the buses continue to run? Will they keep coming as long as people are standing waiting for one, or do they automatically stop at a certain time regardless of the lines? Is there a CM at the bus lines who communicates with the buses so that no one is stuck calling a taxi at 2am?
 
We are planning on sticking around for the Kiss Goodnight, since we'll be seeing Wisher on our last day there and last night at MK. I am hoping the crowds have dissipated a little by then!
 
We are going to MNSSHP next Friday night. We are staying on property and plan to use Disney transportation. I am good with falling back and letting the crowds clear a bit before trying to get out of the park. How late will the buses continue to run? Will they keep coming as long as people are standing waiting for one, or do they automatically stop at a certain time regardless of the lines? Is there a CM at the bus lines who communicates with the buses so that no one is stuck calling a taxi at 2am?
I don't know about a cast member, but you'll be fine.
 
Our first trip is in about 3 weeks (squeal!). How about taking a taxi back to our resort, is that just as crazy? Do they have taxis lined up waiting or how does that work?
 

EPCOT and MK after the fireworks is some of the most peaceful, zen filled time you can get (that is, just letting everyone around you herd out the gates). There's just something about a nice stroll through the World Showcase on the way back to FutureWorld that just relaxes me. Same for after Wishes in MK. You just let everyone leave and slow your pace and before you know it, you're wandering around by yourself.

My other favorite moments are evening EMH at Epcot where the rain stops around 9:45 or so. Everyone leaves after Illuminations and the WS is a ghost town for EMH... In 2012 we had this happen and we maybe passed 30 people total that weren't CM's.
 
If you are trying to leave from the Hub immediately after Wishes, yes the crowd is scary. When we leave we always walk through the Casey's side shops as they all connect inside. However the better plan is to wait it out. Fortune favors the prepared.
We usually try to do this also but a couple weeks ago the shop adjacent to Casey's and all the ones in the middle were closed. For refurb I guess. Only the last couple sections were open.
 
Wait for the big crowds to file out of MK - shop, sit, eat an ice cream, people watch... Then, while the masses are in line for the buses and monorail stroll over to CR and take a taxi from there.
 
Our first trip is in about 3 weeks (squeal!). How about taking a taxi back to our resort, is that just as crazy? Do they have taxis lined up waiting or how does that work?

This would not help at all, because the taxis are at the Ticket and Transportation Center, so you would have to use a ferry or monorail to get there. If you are willing to do that, you might as well take the bus to your resort directly from the MK.

I will add one more voice to the "hang back, relax, let the masses go" crowd. Some of our favorite times in the parks.
 
Will they keep coming as long as people are standing waiting for one, or do they automatically stop at a certain time regardless of the lines? Is there a CM at the bus lines who communicates with the buses so that no one is stuck calling a taxi at 2am?

Do you really think Disney would do that to their guests? I don't mean to make light of your question, but this would be a PR nightmare, if nothing else. Especially since there are no taxis at the MK, so these guests would have to use a monorail or ferry to the TTC...

Yes, buses will run until the last guests leave the park.
 
Hang around for 30-45 minutes or so. Much more relaxing. Stroll a bit, shop a bit, people watch a bit. Get an ice cream cone. Enjoy the day's end in the park, not in a mob of exiting people.

Dan is the man with the plan... this exactly! :thumbsup2 It's actually very nice being in MK after the crowds pile out.
 
Do you really think Disney would do that to their guests? I don't mean to make light of your question, but this would be a PR nightmare, if nothing else. Especially since there are no taxis at the MK, so these guests would have to use a monorail or ferry to the TTC...

Yes, buses will run until the last guests leave the park.
Yeah- PR nightmare, hadn't put it into that perspective. This will be my first trip in the continental US without a vehicle. Giving up that type of control has me moderately freaked out. I am excited for the whole not having to drive thing, but lack of control is not my thing. Everything I read says buses run about an hour after park closure, then there is the 45 minute lines to get on the buses, hanging back behind those crowds when leaving the park, etc. Mathematically I wasn't able to wrap my head around the time constrainsts of all that. Thanks though for talking me off the ledge.
 
We went in June... we hung out until about 45 min after closing. It was nice to just sit and relax with a drink. I should have been smart and also got ice cream.
When we were leaving we got on the ferry which I guess was the 2nd to last one from MK. The only reason I know this is because I forgot my cell phone at the bathroom right at the entrance and had to rush off the ferry and run back into the park so they told us we could get on the next ferry.
I'm sure the buses run until there are no longer people.
 
Yeah- PR nightmare, hadn't put it into that perspective. This will be my first trip in the continental US without a vehicle. Giving up that type of control has me moderately freaked out. I am excited for the whole not having to drive thing, but lack of control is not my thing. Everything I read says buses run about an hour after park closure, then there is the 45 minute lines to get on the buses, hanging back behind those crowds when leaving the park, etc. Mathematically I wasn't able to wrap my head around the time constrainsts of all that. Thanks though for talking me off the ledge.

No worries, we're here for you. Hah.

I have heard the "one hour after park closing" line for years, but I think they say that to prompt people not to linger beyond what is reasonable. I have also heard many anecdotes of combining buses or other accommodations for the last few stragglers. You won't be stranded!
 
Our first trip is in about 3 weeks (squeal!). How about taking a taxi back to our resort, is that just as crazy? Do they have taxis lined up waiting or how does that work?

This would not help at all, because the taxis are at the Ticket and Transportation Center, so you would have to use a ferry or monorail to get there. If you are willing to do that, you might as well take the bus to your resort directly from the MK.
Or...you could walk to the Contemporary and grab a taxi from there.
 
We watch the fireworks in MK near the flag pole. That way, we can speed walk out and be on one of the first buses back to our resort. In Epcot we watch from the bridge between Future World and World Showcase.
 
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If we stick around as suggested, can I get a Dole Whip or will Aloha Isle be closed already?
 
Hang around for 30-45 minutes or so. Much more relaxing. Stroll a bit, shop a bit, people watch a bit. Get an ice cream cone. Enjoy the day's end in the park, not in a mob of exiting people.
That's what we do:thumbsup2
 
Seems like with all the people who hang around for 30-45 minutes after the show, 30-45 minutes after the show will become the new "right after the show". :rotfl2:
 
Watch wishes from the California Grill. Costs nothing and you can walk to the buses from Contemporary.
 
Watch wishes from the California Grill. Costs nothing and you can walk to the buses from Contemporary.
Not entirely true. If you watch from the 4th floor observation area, it costs nothing. Last time I watched from the California Grill, it cost me over $300!
 


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