From BC to Epcot how early?

[jiggerj]

First timer at BC and really looking forward to walking over to Epcot. How early can you enter thru the gateway? Not too sure how that works since I have never gone that way before!

 

[auroraarielella]

I have the same question. Can I walk throught Epcot to the Monorail? My daughter is doing the Pirate Cruise at the GF at 9:30 am. Can I walk through the gateway to the monorail and get her there?? Do they open the gate "a bit early" like most of the Main Park gates?

 

[wdwgoofeeee]

The International Gateway will open the same time as the main entrance of Epcot. From the Beach Club just go out the back doors facing the lake and the boardwalk and turn left. It's a 5-10 minute walk.
As far as getting to the GF, you can walk from the IG to the monorail but it is a long walk (15 minutes). Then you will need to take the monorail to the TTC and switch to the MK monorail...down one ramp and up the other. If Epcot opens at 9am you will not get to the GF by 9:30. If it's an early morning you will have no problem doing this. Please note you will need park admissions to enter Epcot even if you are just walking through.
It's a lot easier from the BC/YC/Boardwalk/Swan and Dolphin to just take the MK bus and take the monorail from there to the GF.

 

[BCV23]

The IG opens at 9:00 unless it is EMH. In fact when we were there a few weeks ago, one guard was chatting with the CMs at the turnstiles. She finished at last and rejoined the other guard and so the gate didn't open until a few minutes past nine.

I would not chance that for a 9:30 Pirate Cruise. It is a fairly long walk and then you would have two monorail rides after that. What about taking the BC bus to the MK and then the launch or monorail to GF?

 

[swilphil]

Take the BC bus to MK and then take the resort boat to GF. Make sure you get on the resort GF boat and not the TTC boat or the WL boat. I believe the GF boat docks are on the right as you are looking out at the lake. The monorail from MK to GF could take 20-30 minutes. It will stop at Contemporary, TTC, and the Poly. Since it is at park opening, there will be lots of people loading at this time. Then sometimes the monorail just doesn't move.

 

[BCV23]

The launch IS the fastest if the timing is right. But sometimes only one launch seems to be running in the am and in our experience the launches don't start until 9am. Now we usuallytake the resort monorail in the am so maybe we've just caught them on bad days.

The resort monorail zips along pretty quickly in the am in our experience. Virtually no one will be boarding at the MK so you'll get a seat. It does make four stops but fills up quickly and gets moving. But be sure to take the RESORT monorail.

But the launch is a wonderful way to travel if the timing is right. And swilphil is correct, the boarding area is to the right as you face Seven Seas Lagoon....kind of tucked behind the monorail station.

 

[Scotch]

Can you buy tickets or activate an AP at the International Gateway or do you need an existing activated ticket to enter Epcot this way?

 

[BCV23]

Can you buy tickets or activate an AP at the International Gateway or do you need an existing activated ticket to enter Epcot this way?

You can do both at the IG.

 

[Scotch]

Thanks!

 

[jrpc]

My husband and I are considering staying at one of the Epcot resorts next year when we visit but always assumed that the Gateway did not open until 11.00 a.m. when World Showcase opened. How does it work if the Gateway opens at 9.00 do they divert you once inside to Future World or are you able to walk around part of World Showcase to reach Future World?

 

[BCV23]

When you enter, you walk by England and Canada on your way to FW.

There is a CM stationed by the bridge to keep people from walking over toward France and the rest of WS.

 

[Hopefully]

Does the IG open early enough to accomodate early Princess Breakfast PS or Segway tours?

 

[BCV23]

Does the IG open early enough to accomodate early Princess Breakfast PS or Segway tours?

No personal experience doing that but others have posted that they have done so.....posters that I trust.

 

[Sazzo'sMommy]

earliest seating this past October it opened for us at 8:00 to get to our 8:30 PS at Norway!