Help Me Get My Son To His Pirate Cruise On Time...

[Wendi2000]

I have a Pirate Adventure Cruise reserved for my 4-year-old son on Saturday, October 7th. It departs from the Grand Floridian dock at 9:30am, we need to be there by 9:15. We are staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and will not have a car. Magic Kingdom opens at 9am that day, MGM has EMH and opens at 8am.

Will there be buses to MK starting any earlier than 8am? Do they have special buses that run earlier for Character Breakfasts? I saw this mentioned on the DIS Transportation page, but I don't know if it is up to date.

My plan is to take the bus to MK, then hop on a boat or monorail to GF. I'm not entirely sure where the dock is, but hopefully it will be evident when we get there. I am hoping to be able to take the boat because I heard it was faster than the monorail, and I guess it would be hard to miss the dock for the Pirate Cruise that way!

Any advice for me??? I don't want my little matey to miss the boat.

 

[Tara]

Honestly, I don't think you need to leave any earlier than 8am, and your plan sounds like the best one using WDW transportation. The boat is definitely faster than the monorail IF it is at the dock when you arrive or if you can see it coming to the dock. If not, the monorail is probably just as fast. Just remember to get on the resort monorail, not the express. AFAIK, the character bus service is still in effect, so I think they would start at about 7:30-7:40...I'm sure someone else can post more detailed/accurate information about that.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yep. Bus to MK, launch to GF. When you get off the bus, walk toward the Magic Kingdom (just like everyone else ) but while the security checkpoints and the park turnstiles will be on your right, the boat docks are on your left. Just look for the Poly/GF one.
The problem with the monorail is, you have to stop at the Contemporary, the TTC and the Polynesian first.

 

[maine_jennifer]

My nephew and I stayed at AKL in June and he did the pirate cruise from the GF. Here's an excerpt from a report I wrote.

07:15 - Up and out the door

Bus to the Magic Kingdom

Monorail to the Grand Floridian (rode up front)

08:00 - Arrive at 1900 Park Fare for ADR

09:18 - Checked in at Marina

Hope this helps.

 

[Wendi2000]

Thanks for the reassurance, I will try not to stress over it, I'm sure it will all work out just fine.

 

[Lostgirlz]

You have the option to do what some have suggested if staying at AKL and need to be somewhere early that AM and concerned you will not make it is to take a taxi. I know we will do this a couple of times in order to not run late and not be stressed. Just a suggestion