Going from Park to FW and other ?'s

[Camplover MI]

How would you go from FW to the parks? Take our van or use the transportation? We have 5 kids 2 adults (kids are 11 to 2 years old)
I heard to take the boat to Magic Kingdom, but should we just drive to the other parks or take the bus. With 7 in our party I was just wondering. Oh we will be at FW from April 11 to 16, I know the busiest time!
Any advice is appreciated. This is our first trip to WDW, the last time I was there I was 10 and Epcot was being built.
I have bought a guide book, have our schedule of rides on 5/6 cards, name tags for the kids with our cell phone numbers on the back, taking back packs with lunches, towel, disposable cameras for the kids, water bottles. We have character meals booked. Any other thoughts or ideas would be appreciated. We will be camping in our TT. What about those fire ants, I heard to buy spray any advice on that? We are from MI, any other bugs we need to know about that we may not have up hear.
Thanks,
Lynn

 

[Sweedee]

There might be mice down there!

 

[Camplover MI]

Thanks! I have seen a skunk run past me up in MI on the way to the bathrooms, and a few mice, as long as the mice are not in the TT, I am fine. We can add racoons, they can be a pest!
Lynn

 

[kc5grw]

Definitely use the boat to go to MK.

We used the buses for some of our trips to the other parks and drove other times. Except to MK, driving your own vehicle is quicker than using the Disney buses, but then again YOU are driving. The big problem with transportation to FW is that you have to transfer from the park bus to a FW bus at the Outpost in order to get back to camp. This can sometimes make a long day just a bit too long. Actually, I think if your planning on being at one of the other parks at closing then drive your car, if you are leaving before closing take the bus. The lines after park closing for the FW buses from MGM and EPCOT were insane when we were there Dec 2003. The Unofficial Guide to WDW has a chart that gives travel times to and from all the different places using Disney transportation or your own car.

 

[FloridaTeacher]

Boat to Magic Kingdom. Drive to the other parks. Having said that, however, it is also fun to hop a boat to the Contemporary and then ride the monorail to Epcot. Just know that you do have to change monorails at the ticket and transportation center and it is a walk down a long ramp and up another.

Take sunscreen (including some for lips) and bug spray/wipes. It is possible, in April, to have to deal with mosquitoes around dusk. Also, stick some wet wipes and cheap rain ponchos in your backpacks.

Happy Camping!

 

[bradisgoofy]

Hello fellow Michigander. Ever since we started staying "on property", we have NEVER driven to any of the parks. We have always found the WDW transportation to be very useful. Although as stated, the buses can be crowded at park closings, they usually put on extra buses to help with the crowds. To avoid the wait and problems of the FW internal buses, rent a golf cart, if you can afford it, but even these buses aren't that bad.

 

[igk]

Just booked a cabin for Apr 15-22 (2nd visit)
One evening we have an ADR for Whispering Canyon, and it would be kind of fun and nice not to have to drive over to WL. If we get the bus to the top (Settlement Outpost?), is it far to walk to WL, or can we get the blue flag boat? Do the boats run late in the evening to get back? I guess getting there might be easy, but worried that we'd end up stuck afterwards with tired children. Or is there a direct bus (presumably not)?

 

[clkelley]

Actually, there is a direct bus between Ft. Wilderness and Wilderness Lodge. It runs from the Settlement end of the campground.

The walking path is a pleasant path, but is a bit dark at night. But it's a great way to walk off dinner

 

[Sinclare]

It's buses/boats all the way for us. A big part of the attraction for me is that once I park, my truck doesn't move for 2 weeks. You do have to allot a little extra time for waiting/riding but it's well worth it to me for the Mouse to chaufer me around.

 

[Camplover MI]

How is taking a double stroller on the bus, monorail, etc.?
Lynn

 

[annakris1973]

There might be mice down there!

Yeah, their names are Mickey and Minnie...

 

[clkelley]

How is taking a double stroller on the bus, monorail, etc.?
Lynn

On the buses, the kiddos come out of the stroller and you have to fold it up.

On the monorails the kiddos can stay in the stroller. On the larger boats the kiddos can stay in the stroller.

The smaller boats that run Ft.W, Cont, WL, the kiddos come out of the stroller and you have to fold it up.

 

[pooh4me]

The regular boat that goes to Wilderness lodge and Magic Kingdom runs from 45 minuets before MK opens till 45 minuets after it closes. The small boat runs until 11:00 pm so you will not have any problem getting back to FW where the internal FW buses run until 2:00am.

 

[akamom]

HI Lynn! Glad to see you over here!!

We also use Disney Transportation. So easy and no parking cost!

 

[FloridaTeacher]

We also use Disney Transportation. So easy and no parking cost!

If you are staying at a Disney Resort, including Ft. Wilderness, you can park for free at any of the parks during your stay.

We drive to Epcot and MGM because we usually stay at those parks til closing - after "Illuminations" and "Fantasmic" are over. This is when the wait is sooooo long, the busses are soooo full, and we are sooooo tired. At earlier times, the wait is pretty short and the busses not too crowded.

 

[akamom]

If you are staying at a Disney Resort, including Ft. Wilderness, you can park for free at any of the parks during your stay.

We drive to Epcot and MGM because we usually stay at those parks til closing - after "Illuminations" and "Fantasmic" are over. This is when the wait is sooooo long, the busses are soooo full, and we are sooooo tired. At earlier times, the wait is pretty short and the busses not too crowded.

I didn't know that! Thanks for the info!!

 

[igk]

Actually, there is a direct bus between Ft. Wilderness and Wilderness Lodge. It runs from the Settlement end of the campground.

The walking path is a pleasant path, but is a bit dark at night. But it's a great way to walk off dinner

The regular boat that goes to Wilderness lodge and Magic Kingdom runs from 45 minuets before MK opens till 45 minuets after it closes. The small boat runs until 11:00 pm so you will not have any problem getting back to FW where the internal FW buses run until 2:00am.

Thanks! Good to know there's an easy way back from WL after dinner.
I also like the suggestion of boat then monorail to Epcot. Slower than driving
but more fun!

 

[ChrisAlli]

Other than the boat to MK, do you have to take a bus to the TTC and transfer from there to other parks, or does FW have direct bus access to the other parks?

 

[clkelley]

Other than the boat to MK, do you have to take a bus to the TTC and transfer from there to other parks, or does FW have direct bus access to the other parks?

FW has direct bus access to the other parks.

The Studios bus picks up from the Settlement Bus Depot
The Epcot and Animal Kingdom bus picks up from the Outpost Bus Depot
Downtown Disney and the Water Parks picks up from the Outpost Bus Depot
There is a direct bus to Wilderness Lodge at the Settlement Bus Depot

 

[Sweedee]

Yeah, their names are Mickey and Minnie...

WHEW!! I was so worried that was gonna be lost completely!! Thanks for playing!!