Fort Wilderness Day- Getting from hither to yon

[BlackestRose]

We are planning Fort Wilderness day. I would love your take on how to get around the resort and feedback on the plan timing.

7:30 Taxi from Kidani to Fort Wilderness Bus Barn
8:15-10:30 Wilderness Back Trail Adventure
10:30 Shuttle to Ft Wilderness Entrance
11-12:30 Horseback Trail Ride
12:30 - 1 (Some kind of bus) to Wilderness Lodge
1-2pm Lunch Whisper Canyon
2-2:30 (Some kind of bus or Walk) to bus barn
2:30-4:15 Archery Experience
4:15-7:30 Make our way back to Kidani for rest
7:00-7:30 Bus to Poly
8:00-10:30 Luau
10:30 Bus back to Kidani

All times above include check-in times. We are a hearty bunch, all mostly adults, by which I mean I count the two 17 year olds as old enough not to complain -- much.

Do I leave enough time to get from one part of the Wilderness resorts to another? How do I actually get from the Wilderness Campground to the Wilderness Lodge, and from the Lodge to the Bus Barn? Can we walk it in 15-20 minutes?

Thank you for all your expertise!

- BlackestRose

 

[sotoalf]

You guys sure are hoofing it! I would have planned on doing all the Ft Wilderness activities in one block before or after lunch at WL, but those times might have been the only available.

You've got one flaw in your plan: how are you returning to Kidani after the luau? The Polynesian offers no bus service to AKL. Is the MK open late?

 

[joelkfla]

7:30 Taxi from Kidani to Fort Wilderness Bus Barn
8:15-10:30 Wilderness Back Trail Adventure
10:30 Shuttle to Ft Wilderness Entrance
11-12:30 Horseback Trail Ride
12:30 - 1 (Some kind of bus) to Wilderness Lodge
1-2pm Lunch Whisper Canyon
2-2:30 (Some kind of bus or Walk) to bus barn
2:30-4:15 Archery Experience
4:15-7:30 Make our way back to Kidani for rest
7:00-7:30 Bus to Poly
8:00-10:30 Luau
10:30 Bus back to Kidani

First of all, there's no bus barn at FtW; you obviously mean the Bike Barn.

FYI, the Bike Barn is at the Meadows Recreation Area. When you take a bus to the Bike Barn, you'll be getting off at either the Meadows Recreation Area stop or the Meadows Trading Post stop, depending which bus you take.

I'm pretty sure you can't take a taxi directly to the Bike Barn. The taxi will drop you off at the Outpost (or FtW entrance, as you call it.) From there, you will take either an Orange or a Yellow shuttle to the Meadows. That could take up to 25 minutes including wait time, so add that to whatever you're allowing for the taxi ride. The taxi drive time should probably take 15-20 minutes.

You'll have to take the bus back to the Outpost for the trail ride. Again, that could take up to 25 minutes, depending how long you have to wait for the bus, which is cutting it close. The Yellow bus may be a few minutes faster than the Orange. But if I'm not mistaken, the trail ride is actually at 11:30, so if you're just trying to get there by 11 for check-in, you'll be OK,

From the Outpost (trail ride), the Yellow Settlement Shuttle will take you directly to WL, after stopping at the Settlement. You should be able to make it in 30 minutes.

After lunch, you can take the FtW bus at WL directly to the Meadows Recreation Area stop ... again, up to 25 minutes.

After that, you have numerous choices to get back to Kidani:

1. Yellow Settlement Shuttle back to WL, bus to MK, bus to AKL;
2. Either Settlement Shuttle to Settlement, boat to MK, bus to AKL;
3. Outpost Shuttle, bus to AK (or Epcot), bus to AKL.

There are no direct buses between WDW resorts; you need to change at a park. For Poly, take the bus to the MK, and then either the boat or the Resort Monorail to Poly. You should allow at least 75 minutes; 90 minutes is recommended.

You can reverse that to get back to Kidani if MK is still open. If it's not, you'll need to take the bus from Poly to DTD, and transfer there for AKL.

 

[BlackestRose]

Any idea how long to walk from the bike barn to the entrance, and from the Wilderness Lodge to the bike barn?

Thanks,

BlackestRose

 

[joelkfla]

Any idea how long to walk from the bike barn to the entrance, and from the Wilderness Lodge to the bike barn?

Thanks,

BlackestRose

Bike Barn to Outpost is around 0.9 mi.

WL to Bike Barn is around 1.5 mi.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

after taxi you will need internal bus to bike barn. last year one of internal buses did go to WL but I do not remember which one. we never used so I do not know timing. bike barn is in the middle of the Fort.

 

[BlackestRose]

Beautiful. Thank you. We are a healthy lot and can walk it.

Or, perhaps since we are at a place called the Bike Barn, we will rent several of the two wheeled conveyances to help us on our way.