Hoop de Doo: Easier from BLT or Wilderness Lodge?

[heathpack]

We used to be Disney World experts, then moved to California for 17 years, became Disneyland experts and VGC owners. Now we’ve moved back east and will be going to the world soon enough. So we’re not new to Disney nor to DVC, but we are rusty on the DW scene.

We’re staying 5 nights BLT late April and 14 nights split stay Copper Creek and OKW in late May.

We want to do Hoo de Doo at least once during those stays.

From which resort- BLT or Copper Creek- is Disney transport easier to get to HDD? I guess CC, but I’m fuzzy on the logistics of how the launches run now. Does the CC launch go directly to Fort Wilderness? Or is it on a loop with the Contemporary? If it’s a loop, what’s the order of stops from CC to get to Fort Wilderness? Can we walk from the Ft Wilderness dock to the HDD venue, or do we need to take the internal bus?

Bonus points for anyone who can tell me how much time to budget for transport from either BLT or CC to HDD venue.

Also- is there still a DVC (or AP) discount for HDD?

And any other tips welcome.

 

[CarolynFH]

I can’t remember the sequence of stops for the boat that circulates CR-WL-FW, sorry. However I can tell you that HDD is a very short walk from the boat dock, no internal bus needed. There’s also a bus from WL to FW that lets you out a short distance from HDD, on the side opposite from the boat dock.

I’m the kind of person who would rather be early than late, so I’d budget an hour from leaving my room to arriving at HDD, no matter which route I took. You can sit in a rocking chair and admire Bay Lake, with or without something from Crockett’s Tavern, if you’re really early.

 

[heathpack]

I can’t remember the sequence of stops for the boat that circulates CR-WL-FW, sorry. However I can tell you that HDD is a very short walk from the boat dock, no internal bus needed. There’s also a bus from WL to FW that lets you out a short distance from HDD, on the side opposite from the boat dock.

I’m the kind of person who would rather be early than late, so I’d budget an hour from leaving my room to arriving at HDD, no matter which route I took. You can sit in a rocking chair and admire Bay Lake, with or without something from Crockett’s Tavern, if you’re really early.

It sounds like your sense is HDD is easier from Wilderness Lodge?

 

[heathpack]

Ok, I did Google my question about boat transport to Ft Wilderness from WL and BLT but found what seemed to be outdated information. Today I found this on a Plan Disney post:

“Blue Flag Route: Disney's Contemporary Resort to Fort Wilderness Resort to Wilderness Lodge

Currently, the Blue Flag Route runs between 3:00 PM and 10:45 PM. Of course, times are subject to change”

So it sounds like comparing transport from BLT or WL to Ft Wilderness:
BLT to HDD:
BLT- Blue Launch to Ft Wilderness- Walk to HDD
HDD- walk to dock- Blue Launch to BLT, with a stop at WL

WL to HDD (2 options):
Option 1: Bus WL to Ft Wilderness- Walk to HHD, reverse for return trip
Option 2: Launch
WL- Blue Launch to Ft Wilderness, with a stop at BLT- walk to HDD
HDD- walk to dock- Blue Launch to WL

With the overall most efficient transportation being from WL: bus to Ft Wilderness- walk to HDD, then HDD walk to either bus stop or dock to take bus or launch back to WL.

Does that sound right?

Does anyone know the hours of operation of that Ft Wilderness- WL bus?

 

[Nicnicnic.nic]

Following I want to know too

 

[CarolynFH]

I agree with your assessment of “most efficient” but will admit we haven’t been staying at either WL or BLT on the trips when we saw HDD. So we have pretty much always relied on the boat from MK to get us there and back, except once when we exited the late show after MK was closed and there was a bus waiting to take us to BWV where we were staying.

I love the boat so would probably use it for all legs of the journey, if I could!

I don’t know the exact hours that the WL to FW bus runs, but I have never read that hours are limited like the Blue Flag boat hours are. So I have the impression that it runs the same hours other buses run.

 

[heathpack]

I agree with your assessment of “most efficient” but will admit we haven’t been staying at either WL or BLT on the trips when we saw HDD. So we have pretty much always relied on the boat from MK to get us there and back, except once when we exited the late show after MK was closed and there was a bus waiting to take us to BWV where we were staying.

I love the boat so would probably use it for all legs of the journey, if I could!

I don’t know the exact hours that the WL to FW bus runs, but I have never read that hours are limited like the Blue Flag boat hours are. So I have the impression that it runs the same hours other buses run.

I also prefer the boats, they are the non-frenetic side of Disney. A longer boat ride from the Contemporary to get to HDD isn’t a huge negative for us.

I think another factor is that we’ll have 5 mights at BLT, two of which will be dedicated to Extended Evening Hours at MK and Epcot. That leaves us three open nights.

Whereas we’ll have 7 nights at WL. Again two dedicated to Extended Evening Hours at MK and Epcot, and hopefully one to Moonlight Magic at Typhoon Lagoon. Leaving us 4 open nights.

I’m thinking we may want to fill our remaining evenings while at BLT with an assortment of BLT and monorail activities such as Villians Lair, California Grill, and/or Ohana. And maybe a second evening in EPCOT via monorail to enjoy a little more Flower and Garden.

And maybe reserve HHD for when we’re at WL.

I’m kind of thinking that these trips will parse out to be:
BLT: Focus on MK, with a side of EPCOT. Focus on monorail dining.

CC: Focus on MK, with a side of HS and AK, plus a dash of EPCOT one evening. Focus on WL and FW dining, with a dash of monorail dining. We’ll have a 1BR, so maybe eat in some.

OKW: Focus on HS and AK, with a dash of evening MK and EPCOT. Explore Disney Springs and theme park dining. We’ll have a 2BR, so again maybe eat in some.

We are planning to buy APs in April of this year. Our hope is to book 5-7 days during the week after Thanksgiving at AK, and a week next March (2026) at BCV (we are pending ROFR on a small contract there). This plan would give us a comprehensive overview of what DW is like now. Probably after this year we’d take a break for a bit and enjoy the outside world, or just do a single trip like normal people. We moved to Alabama, so WDW is now a 7hr doable drive for us.

 

[smjj]

We used to be Disney World experts, then moved to California for 17 years, became Disneyland experts and VGC owners. Now we’ve moved back east and will be going to the world soon enough. So we’re not new to Disney nor to DVC, but we are rusty on the DW scene.

We’re staying 5 nights BLT late April and 14 nights split stay Copper Creek and OKW in late May.

We want to do Hoo de Doo at least once during those stays.

From which resort- BLT or Copper Creek- is Disney transport easier to get to HDD? I guess CC, but I’m fuzzy on the logistics of how the launches run now. Does the CC launch go directly to Fort Wilderness? Or is it on a loop with the Contemporary? If it’s a loop, what’s the order of stops from CC to get to Fort Wilderness? Can we walk from the Ft Wilderness dock to the HDD venue, or do we need to take the internal bus?

Bonus points for anyone who can tell me how much time to budget for transport from either BLT or CC to HDD venue.

Also- is there still a DVC (or AP) discount for HDD?

And any other tips welcome.

We were there this last September at Copper Creek and took the boat to Fort wilderness for hoop Dee Doo. If I remember correctly, there were people on board that had just been picked up from Bay LakeTower/Contemporary or maybe MK and then onto Fort wilderness. So I’m guessing that the boat stops at Bay Tower, then goes over to Wilderness Lodge and onto Fort wilderness and one continuous loop…smjj

 

[mort1331]

To answer your other question. Yes there is a discount for DVC but just for level 2 or 3. i think, check on the member website for sure.

 

[heathpack]

To answer your other question. Yes there is a discount for DVC but just for level 2 or 3. i think, check on the member website for sure.

Weirdly it does not mention a discount for DVC members on the DVC Member site (or at least I couldn’t find it), which is why I asked here. I assume this is so they can change the discount at will? I wonder if you only see the discount when you’re booking?

 

[Doingitagain]

Weirdly it does not mention a discount for DVC members on the DVC Member site (or at least I couldn’t find it), which is why I asked here. I assume this is so they can change the discount at will? I wonder if you only see the discount when you’re booking?

I think you pay when you are there and request the discount at that time?

 

[RuntheMouse]

We just did HDDR last week from BRV. We took the boat to the show. It stopped at CR first, we went directly to FW from WL. One the way back we took the bus (it was too cold to boat). The bus stop is under construction but they have a temp stop across the street that CMs are directing guests too, still very close. We left too early at my request, it only took us about 15 minutes including boat wait time. Bus time is less than 10 minutes, it doesn’t go to CR, just WL.

We automatically received our discount at booking. I can’t remember if they applied AP or DVC but we were tier 1 and received 10% off.

 

[smjj]

To answer your other question. Yes there is a discount for DVC but just for level 2 or 3. i think, check on the member website for sure.

It use to be the discount was for the late show only. When we were there a few months ago I ask about it and they said at that time there was no DVC discounts...smjj

 

[mort1331]

I took a look and confirmed with Member Services that unfortunately there is not currently a DVC discount for Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue over at The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort.

I have some good news for you, Sue, Annual Passholders currently receive a 10% discount on Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue reservations (subject to change). I recommend checking out the available Annual Passholder discounts found here. Annual Passholders receive food and beverage discounts and discounts on select event tickets; before paying, I always check with the Cast Member processing the purchase and inquire about discounts for Disney Vacation Club Members or Annual Passholders.

Things must have changed. I know when we went,,but pre covid,, we received a discount,,,now it was for section 2 or 3,,and for the later shows, but now there is none.

 

[heathpack]

I took a look and confirmed with Member Services that unfortunately there is not currently a DVC discount for Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue over at The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort.

I have some good news for you, Sue, Annual Passholders currently receive a 10% discount on Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue reservations (subject to change). I recommend checking out the available Annual Passholder discounts found here. Annual Passholders receive food and beverage discounts and discounts on select event tickets; before paying, I always check with the Cast Member processing the purchase and inquire about discounts for Disney Vacation Club Members or Annual Passholders.

Things must have changed. I know when we went,,but pre covid,, we received a discount,,,now it was for section 2 or 3,,and for the later shows, but now there is none.

Thank you so much. At least we will be able to get the AP discount!

 

[CarolynFH]

Thank you so much. At least we will be able to get the AP discount!

When we had an AP, we had to pay full price when we booked, then on the evening of the performance I had to go to the ticket window and show my AP and photo ID, and the amount of the discount was credited back to the CC I had used to book. It’s been a few years, so that process may have changed.

 

[Good Ol Gal]

In Dec. we took the boat directly from WL to FW.

The boat is a lovely ride and would choose it over the bus anytime.

 

[stat]

This post is so timely, we're staying at BRV next month and doing HDD. Thanks, all, for the tips above- these will help with picking the path we take there and back.

Regarding the discounts, there's not one for DVC as others have noted but there is a Disney Visa discount. It doesn't apply automatically when you buy the tickets online (have to pay full price), but a cast member confirmed to me that you just show your card when you arrive and they'll refund 10%. I think this is similar to the AP discount. It's just one extra step.

 

[starsaber25]

My family and I just did Hoop De Doo from the Contemporary this past Saturday. It was super easy. Walk out of the back door of Contemporary. Walk out onto the boat dock. Board the boat that goes to the Campsites and after about a 5 or so min boat ride you are steps away from Pioneer Hall.

On the way back the boat does stop at Wilderness Lodge and then to the Contemporary. But we noticed that only a small handful of people got off it it. I think most Wilderness Lodge people got on the boat specifically for Wilderness Lodge. Which also had a larger line after the dinner.

 

[3 DD love princesses]

We did it on Halloween this year it was great. First time going post Covid so it was nice to see it again. We took the boat from mk since we were at the poly. It’s a couple min walk when you get off the boat at fort wilderness. It’s on your right and you can see it from the dock. I wouldn’t arrive too early unless you plan to walk around the campground. There wasn’t much shade to sit in while waiting to be seated. We left the poly an hour before but we took the monorail to mk. Then walked to the boat to ft wilderness. Arrived 30 min before they opened the doors. Have fun and enjoy the show.