Getting to and from Hoop De Doo review

[Claudia1]

We are at POFQ and I know I should know this.... but I'm asking for all options.

If we take a bus to the MK, I know we can take the boat to FW and the Review is very close to the dock.

However, I see that storms make be coming in about the time we need to go. Do the FW boats run with lightening & storms? I would not be happy to get to the dock and then have to go back to the buses to find the FW bus in the rain while dressed for the show. We had lots of rain and storms for several hours tonight and the same looks like might happen tomorrow.

Would I be better to take a cab and then the internal bus? Or just go to the TTC and take the FW bus?

What's my best bet for stormy travel weather? Thanks!

 

[CleveRocks]

Well, first of all, there's no FW bus at the TTC. If you want a bus to FW, you'd get it at the MK bus area, not the TTC.

You raise an interesting question. But I've been on that boat in the driving rain, so I'll go ahead and say that they run it rain or shine. When we arrived at Hoop by boat, it was a beautiful day, but when we got out it was raining cats and dogs. We went down to the dock, many of us huddled under a little overhang, but the boat came despite the driving rain.

A taxi from MK wouldn't be cheap and wouldn't be quick ... it's a surprisingly far drive from MK to the Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground main entrance.

Which leads me to another point ... it's a shockingly short drive from POFQ to the FW resort entrance ... it's quite literally just a little bit down the road from POFQ!

So if you're coming from POFQ (as opposed to coming from MK), it might be worth it to take the short taxi ride and then take the internal bus to Pioneer Hall, as compared with waiting for a bus to MK, taking that ride, anf then waiting for the boat, etc.

We all think of FW as a Magic Kingdom-area resort because it's a quick boat ride away, across Bay Lake, but because of where Fort Wilderness' street (bus) entrance is, it's actually considered a Downtown Disney-area resort, along with the Port Orleans resorts, Old Key West and Saratoga Springs Resort (they're all along the same street).

 

[Claudia1]

Thanks! Sounds great!

Now, which bus is the internal bus and what stop do I use at FW? It's been years since I used that system.

 

[P.I. Squirrel]

Thanks! Sounds great!

Now, which bus is the internal bus and what stop do I use at FW? It's been years since I used that system.

If you decide to take a taxi to FW, it will drop you off at the Outpost. From there, you take any bus labelled 'Settlement'. These busses drive through their assigned route (each route has a different color), but they all end at the Settlement.

From the Settlement, you take any bus labelled 'Outpost'.

We've also rode the boats in the driving rain, though I don't remember if it was lightning.

Given POFQ's relatively short bus ride to DTD, I would take that bus, and transfer to FW bus. Again, all park busses drop you off at the Outpost. Unless you take a taxi, budget an hour for all the bus/boat transfers.

 

[sotoalf]

One useful bit of info: Disney provides direct buses back to your resorts after the two latest shows.

 

[ibcnu]

We stayed at the Beach Club and took a bus to MK. We waited about 15 minutes for a bus, trip took 10 mins. Once we arrived at the MK, the FW boat arrived so we boarded, took about 10 mins across Bay Lake, walked right to Pioneer Hall.

This trip took us about an hour. I heard it could take up to and 1-1/2 with maximum wait times. As an alternative, if we were crunched for time to being with, we were planning to take a taxi to FW, then the internal us. Although an expense, it was suggested to be the fastest route.

 

[ibcnu]

One useful bit of info: Disney provides direct buses back to your resorts after the two latest shows.

Yes! Make sure you're on one. We decided to take a carriage ride after the 7:15pm HDDR showing. It was a beautiful ride to see the MK fireworks and back to Pioneer Hall. Although at the time the 9:30 showing wasn't scheduled so the place was quiet! We walked down to the boat dock and came across a man in a pontoon boat who offered to take us to the Contemporary, then once there decided to take us to Poly instead because we were with another family staying at the Poly. He was SOO nice and make it a fun ride. I'm not sure he was a scheduled boat ride or just liked being out there helping stranded guests. I don't know, but what a treat!!

 

[ccstrickler]

Does the boat to the Contemporary run after the 9:30 show?

 

[sotoalf]

Weather permitting, the boat launch runs until 11:30 every night.

 

[keishashadow]

Weather permitting, the boat launch runs until 11:30 every night.

we were told that if the boat isn't running to WL due to weather issues, they add extra buses.

can't say for sure as we waited over a 1/2 hour last visit for a bus ride back to the villas

 

[joelkfla]

Well, first of all, there's no FW bus at the TTC. If you want a bus to FW, you'd get it at the MK bus area, not the TTC.

OK -- I know this is a resuscitated ancient thread, but just so there's no bad info floating around:

There's no bus to FW from either MK or TTC.

There is a bus from MK to WL, and there you can connect to a bus to FW Settlement.

I don't know what the contingency is if the FW boats go down due to lightning. I would expect buses to replace them, but I don't know from where they would leave.

 

[cranbiz]

You know, the one time I drove the bus replacing the FW boats (probably about 2.5 years ago) due to a storm, We picked up at the TTC and ran the third orange route. TTC-WL-Settlement-WL-TTC. I have not seen it since.

My guess (and this is completely unofficial) is you would take the bus from MK to WL and transfer to the FW bus that drops off at the settlement (the route from WL to FW)

 

[goofy4tink]

You know, the one time I drove the bus replacing the FW boats (probably about 2.5 years ago) due to a storm, We picked up at the TTC and ran the third orange route. TTC-WL-Settlement-WL-TTC. I have not seen it since.

My guess (and this is completely unofficial) is you would take the bus from MK to WL and transfer to the FW bus that drops off at the settlement (the route from WL to FW)

Wondered where the heck you were. Looks like you may have 'gone west young man'??

 

[DisneyFamily123]

One useful bit of info: Disney provides direct buses back to your resorts after the two latest shows.

Great info. Where would the buses pick us up to go back to our resort? Outside of HDD?

OK... Found my answer in another thread...

Fort Wilderness provides buses back to the resorts after the 7:15 and 9:30 PM Hoop De Doo.

Just go down to the bus depot and tell them which resort you are going to. You may stop at another resort, but there will be no transferring. Taking a cab is really not any easier cause you have to take an internal bus to the OTHER end of the campground, then walk over to the checkin building, then secure a cab.

To get TO the Hoop De Doo, take a bus from your resort to the Magic Kingdom, then take a boat from the Magic Kingdom to Ft. Wilderness. The boat dock is very close to Pioneer Hall.

 

[KeeKeeG]

I know this is an old thread, but I would like to thank everyone who has posted for all the excellent information!

I do need just a smidge of clarification, though. I will be staying at the WDW Dolphin, which is technically not a Disney Resort, but IS on the Disney bus/boat routes.

We will be attending the late (8:30 pm?) HDDR show. After it is over, will we be able to get direct bus transportation back to the Dolphin (even tho it is not technically a Disney resort)? Or will we have to take 3 busses: Settlement to Outpost, Outpost to Downtown Disney, then Downtown Disney to Dolphin?

Thanks for any info you have!

 

[ToddyLu]

We attended HDDR on 11/3 at 7:15. We were staying at AKV-K. We hoped on a bus after asking a driver. He directed us to a bus that had Zone 4 on it. Once folks were on board we were aksed agian where we were going. Based on the responses he got, this was the order of resorts....

1. Grand Floridian
2. Shades of Green
3. Coronado
4. AllStars Sports
5. AllStars Music
6. You guessed it--Kidani

Not a problem there were some very entertaining guests on the bus and the driver was a hoot! Just wanted to let you know how our transporation went.

 

[KeeKeeG]

Thanks ToddyLu. I'm feeling pretty confident that since your bus stopped at Shades of Green, there would be a bus that would stop at the Dolphin. I appreciate the response!