FW Transportation

[jimmiemac11]

Since FW has an internal transportation system, how hard is it to get to the parks before rope drop? I recently saw this on Touring Plans:

Commuting Times to the Parks
Magic Kingdom 17 min
Epcot 49 min
Hollywood Studios 39 min
Animal Kingdom 41 min

How true are these times? I like to be at the park at least 30 minutes to an hour before rope drop and I know that transportation starts running an hour before a parks opening time. If getting to the parks before rope drop isn't possible I would rather stay somewhere else.

Thanks in advance!

 

[ruthies12]

I haven't stayed at the Fort yet so I have no idea how accurate that is, but will be checking back to see what others answer cause I'm very curious as well.

One poster said the other day it took her an hour and a half to get to Epcot from her campsite. So these times are definitely subjective to whether you catch a bus or have to wait for one.

I have also heard that the boat to MK doesn't start running until a half an hour before opening. Hopefully one of our Fort gurus can verify that.

I have a question to add as well, if one were going to plan to take the first boat to MK in the morning, how early would you have to get to the dock? I'm sure it's subject to time of year like everything else but figuring a moderately busy time will there be a long line for the boat and any possibility of having to wait for a second boat?

 

[garneska]

My recent experience is fairly accurate. I was the lucky person that took an hour and a half to epcot but really hoped that was an anomaly. We went back to Epcot the following day on the bus and it was an hour, so 49 min is probably average. We also took the bus to AK. We got lucky and did not wait long for buses. I would say both there and back was 35 min each. For MK it sounds right. We watch the boats carefully. If the MK boat has left and the resort boat going to contemporary is there we take that and walk, it's just as fast but if that boat is going to WL, wait for the MK boat. I would say 20 min is good average. Can't speak to DHS. We took a bus back to the fort but don't remember the time.

 

[2goofycampers]

We are rope drop people. We always use WDW transportation and get there before rope drop.

 

[hushupu]

I have made it to rope drop at Magic Kingdom from the Fort on the 1st boat but I got there about 10 or 15 minutes before it opened. Plenty of time to see the opening but you won't be there an hour early. I think the small boat goes over to the contemporary earlier and it is a short walk from there to MK.