Fastest Way to the Magic Kingdom in the morning?

[lugnut33]

What I would do (and have done), is to still go to the resort first. We arrived at 7am. Chances are the room will not be ready (but it might, and check in. You can store your luggage at the resort for them to bring to your room when it is ready (better than being in a hot car all day) and then you can take the bus to MK, bypassing the TTC.

I like this option. My wife and I checked in one morning at 6:30 a.m. and our room happened to already be ready.

Resort bus to MK is really the way to go if you can swing it.

 

[danielangie]

If you want to easily hit a 9:30am MK ADR, I'd get to the MK parking lot by 8:00, park the car, tram (or walk) to TTC, then board the ferry boat to the MK gates.

I would do this as well...when we were at the parking lot (drive our own vehicle) we walked to TTc, we were the first car there, so got the first parking lot closest, then we could choose between the ferry or a bus...we chose the bus...even though we were the only people there that early, they pulled a bus over for us and ran us to MK...great Disney customer service. I wasn't sure if we'd have to wait until mOre people arrived, but nope-they gave us a bus all our own so we didn't have to wait...

 

[webshark3]

I'm staying at the Poly and reduced monorail service has the ferries heading to MK at 730am because the mono resort monorail is being modernized….Not sure how people who have Crystal Palace resizes for 8am get there when the MK opens at 9am as ferries begin running 30 minutes prior..How do you get to ADR CP 8am normally? if the park opens 9am and ferries only start at half hour before? hummmm.

If you have a concern, just explain it to the front desk. A few years ago we had a Rez at Chef Mickey at 7:30 and we were staying at POP. Busses did not run early enough to give us enough time to get to the Transportation Center and get on the monorail. They told us not to worry,and that Disney would never leave a family stranded. Sure enough, they had a early MK bus show up at 6am for us. Since we were the only ones on it, the driver was nice enough to take us to the Contemporary direct. We do early ADRs often, and I've seen "special" buses like this a few times. But other times, there were multiple families with early ADRs so we weren't alone. I love early ADRs at Crystal Palace. You get a nice quiet Main Street all to yourself before the gates open.

 

[Bellanota]

I like this option. My wife and I checked in one morning at 6:30 a.m. and our room happened to already be ready.

Resort bus to MK is really the way to go if you can swing it.

hmmm sounds like a good idea. We are staying off site the night before since we are driving in from VA. I think we can manage to check in around 7 and catch a bus to MK for rope drop.

Thanks for the good advice. I just wanted to make sure we made the CRT ADR... its like a golden ticket at this point.

 

[abctriplets]

1) Anyone can valet at any deluxe resort to shop, eat, look around….provided they are not full capacity. Just go to the gate an tell them "I am going shopping and would like to valet park". Nine times out of ten it is no problem but sometimes the regular non valet lot where you can self park for three hours..is full and they turn you away. Never seen valet turn anyone away.
2) With a valet pass you can come and go 24 hours and park at any deluxe resort that has valet parking..ie…contempt,poly,wilderness lodge, grand floridian.
3) Go tru the Magic Kingdom gate before the main parking lot being careful to stay all the way right. Tell the gate man you are going to the Contempory, keep to the right and head past the Wilderness Lodge and over the lagoon bridge to The Contemp. Turn right. Stop for security and drive right up front to the entrance and they will give you your pass there.
4) The walk is about ten minutes along a nice path past Space Mountain and right to the MK gates.

Wow, why doesn't everyone do this? It seems the price is comparable to the main parking area. And no one gives you odd looks when you valet park for the whole day, and start trekking it to the turnstyles? (to me, it seems like this isn't what it was intended for....)

 

[MikeP22]

Wow, why doesn't everyone do this? It seems the price is comparable to the main parking area. And no one gives you odd looks when you valet park for the whole day, and start trekking it to the turnstyles? (to me, it seems like this isn't what it was intended for....)

A good question I'd be interested to know the answer to. We'll be going to MK on arrival day and this could save us some time and hassle.

 

[webshark3]

A good question I'd be interested to know the answer to. We'll be going to MK on arrival day and this could save us some time and hassle.

I can tell you that just a couple years ago we didn't even valet. We had dining reservations, parked in the visitor parking where they told us to, ate, and went to MK. One year we weren't even resort guests. We weren't trying to "game" the system. It just made sense as the monorail was right there. Then a light bulb went off in my head as I saw security checking plates one day (oh $#@!, we probably shouldn't do this!). I haven't done it since, and am shocked I wasn't ticketed or towed. I would fully expect to be ticketed or towed in hindsight.

Now for valet, since your paying $5 over MK parking, I bet no one will have an issue. Does it save you time? In my experience, it's about the same, and probably a little more of a hassle for AK, HS, and possibly Epcot where you can usually park easily. So driving direct saves a hop. But the valet would be "door to door" I guess. I know the CR lot we had to park in was further out, and we could probably walk to MK faster than getting the Monorail from it.

 

[siskaren]

If you have a concern, just explain it to the front desk. A few years ago we had a Rez at Chef Mickey at 7:30 and we were staying at POP. Buses did not run early enough to give us enough time to get to the Transportation Center and get on the monorail.

Buses from the resorts don't go to the TTC; they go right to MK's entrance.

 

[wgeo]

We were there last week, stayed offsite. We arrived in the TTC parking lot around 7:50ish and they had lots of cast members announcing that the monorail would not start running until 9:30. This happened 2 days in a row, I don't know if it was just those 2 days and if it is back to starting at 8:30 or what. I asked a cast member if the bus or ferry was faster and he said the bus was way faster. First day we took the bus and were dropped off at MK by 8:05. There was a lot of busses available/waiting.

Day 2 we arrived to the parking lot around 8:10 and weren't in a rush and took the ferry, got to MK closer to 8:30. Very enjoyable ride, but it did take longer.

 

[ParrotBill]

Depending on the time of year, and the zodiac, and the weather, you may run into a guard at the Contemporary gate who wants to see you on a list for check in or a dining reservation... a lot of the time you can do as reported here, but sometimes you will be turned away.