Help! - Getting around the DW parks

[SkylarKD]

I'm beginning my travel plans, and I'm unsure how to get around the parks. We're staying in Downtown Disney, so we have a free shuttle service that takes us, I think, to the TTC (or TCC? I can't remember) and back. But I'm confused about travel between the parks.

First off, where IS the TTC/TCC? It's not on my map of the parks.

What's the best way to travel between parks?

What parks does the monorail service?

Most importantly, can anyone use the Disney World transportation? (buses & monorail) Or do you need to show an official Disney Resort room key for identification?

Finally, is there transportation within each park, in case you need to get from one side of the park to the other in a hurry?

Thanks so much!

 

[Jestocost]

That's a big question and I'm sure you'll get lots of responses. I'll start by carving off a few pieces. Disney transportation technically is available (I believe, but correct me if I'm wrong) if you have Park Hopper tickets or stay on the grounds, although I've never seen anyone asked for any form of ID.

The TTC is the Transportation and Ticket Center. It's located by the main public parking lots just across the lagoon from the MK.

From the TTC, you can get buses to the various parks and resorts. You also can take the monorail to the MK or a separate monorail to Epcot. There are two MK monorails; one goes directly to the MK, the other goes there making stops at the three resorts (Poly, CR and GF) along the loop. There's also a ferry boat that runs from the TTC directly across the lagoon to the MK.

From the other parks, you can generally get a bus direct to all of the Disney resorts and, in some cases, get a bus direct to another park. For some parks, however, you'll need to go back the the TTC or one of the DTD stops and change buses.

There also are a variety of boat options in some locations.

Within the parks, there is little in the way of functional transport. There are boats that go around the lagoon in the center of the World Showcase at Epcot that can make travel quicker and one are of AK is reachable only by train. The train that loops around MK also can serve as functional transport, although it's not generally the fastest way from point 'A' to point 'B.'

 

[cmonroe]

SkylarkD

The transportation and ticket(TTC) center is located on the Monorail between the Contemporary and the Polynesian. You can catch the Monorail from there to Epcot, MK or any of the other hotels.

You can find a transportation map at http://fly.hiwaay.net/~jlspence/propmap.pdf

As for riding the monorail I can't recall ever being asked for ID, but that may have changed. Birnbaum's Disney Guide quotes the following:

"TRANSPORTATION ID REQUIREMENTS

Guests who wish to use the Disney transporation system may be asked for proof of riding privileges. Accepted IDs afford different degrees of access. WDW resort ID cards, Pak Hopper Tickets, Park Hopper Plust tickets, Ulitmate Park Hopper Tickets and Annual Passes let guests use all Disney buses, monorails and boats. Valid one-day theme park tickets permit guests to use monorails and the ferries running between TTC and the MK, but do not allow use of buses."

As for in the park transporation I think the Mk is the only one that has something like that. MK has an old steam engine train that runs around the circumference of the park.

 

[XStAnt]

The TTC is the parking lot for MK.

If you are staying at one of the DTD hotels I'm pretty sure they provide buses to each of the 4 theme parks. I believe the MK bus drops you off at the TTC, but the other buses drop you off in the parking lot for each park. (They usually have a particular parking space close to the front that they use--unlike the Disney buses that have a dedicated bus stop at the front of the park).

What hotel are you staying at? You may want to call them to clarify whether they have a bus to each park.

 

[betterlatethannever]

It looks like your questions have been answered except for the park to park transportation.

IF your hotel bus only drops you off at the TTC. there are busses at the TTC that go DIRECTLY to the AK and MGM. The monorail will take you to Epcot.

For example, if you are in one park in the morning and want to go to a different park, here are your options.

At MGM:
to Epcot - boat gets you to WS and enter through the IG, bus gets you to FW and enter through the main gate. Bus is faster.

to AK - bus

to MK - bus

At Epcot
to AK - bus

to MK - monorail

to MGM - boat or bus

At AK
DIRECT bus to any other park

At MK
monorail or boat to TTC, then:

to Epcot - monorail

to MGM - bus

to AK - bus


Hope I haven't confused you even more.

Ed

 

[SkylarKD]

Thank-you all for the information! It's made WDW transportation much less confusing. I'm going to print off the info and put it in our travel folder!

cmonroe > the transportation map rocks! Thanks for that!

Thanks again everyone!!

 

[AMaloy314]

thanks also goes out to cmonroe! What a great map. I've got it printed out and am going to laminate it with contact paper to keep close by!

 

[cmonroe]

I've been helped so many times by this board, I'm glad I could contribute some good info!