Hoop De Doo to Epcot Area Resort - HOWEVER...

[chris benton]

MK closes at 4:30pm for a party on Nov 5.
I think conventional wisdom for HDDR is to take the boat back to MK, and then bus to wherever?

My thought for the day is to do MK, then HDDR for the 6:30 show - able to leisurely get to the boat, and then check out the HDDR surroundings for a bit before the show, easy peasy. I'm not worried about getting back to Epcot area, uber is my friend, but I'm just wondering about the other options for Disney Trans - it'll be 3 hours after MK close. One option would be to find a bus from HDDR area to Hollywood, and then walk or use the Friendship - but for the time, Uber is probably more cost effective. I also assume I could take a bus to any park, and then wait for another bus to any EP Area resort.

Will the boat, even be running to get me to MK after HDDR?
Will the buses be running from MK back to resorts?

 

[joelkfla]

MK closes at 4:30pm for a party on Nov 5.
I think conventional wisdom for HDDR is to take the boat back to MK, and then bus to wherever?

My thought for the day is to do MK, then HDDR for the 6:30 show - able to leisurely get to the boat, and then check out the HDDR surroundings for a bit before the show, easy peasy. I'm not worried about getting back to Epcot area, uber is my friend, but I'm just wondering about the other options for Disney Trans - it'll be 3 hours after MK close. One option would be to find a bus from HDDR area to Hollywood, and then walk or use the Friendship - but for the time, Uber is probably more cost effective. I also assume I could take a bus to any park, and then wait for another bus to any EP Area resort.

Will the boat, even be running to get me to MK after HDDR?
Will the buses be running from MK back to resorts?

If buses are still running from MK at the end of the show, there should be buses available back to MK.

If buses have stopped running from MK, there should be buses available from HDDR to all resorts not served by the boats.

 

[siren0119]

MK closes at 4:30 to general guests, but it's still open for the party so buses will still run until around 1-1:30am because the party doesn't finish up until after midnight.

 

[joelkfla]

MK closes at 4:30 to general guests, but it's still open for the party so buses will still run until around 1-1:30am because the party doesn't finish up until after midnight.

It depends on the type of party. If they're doing a hard close at 4:30, it sounds like a private event, which most likely would not be served by Disney Transport.

 

[siren0119]

It depends on the type of party. If they're doing a hard close at 4:30, it sounds like a private event, which most likely would not be served by Disney Transport.

Ah good point - I forgot that MVMCP doesn't start until later that week

 

[chris benton]

It's a CM party, not a halloween or xmas party. Forgot to mention that. Same protocol for transportation? There'll be buses direct from HDDR to resorts if the normal trans back to mk is not running? Thanks for the intel - much appreciated.

 

[chris benton]

It depends on the type of party. If they're doing a hard close at 4:30, it sounds like a private event, which most likely would not be served by Disney Transport.

I'm gonna give a buzz to the Dis right now. Hopefully the wait times aren't a mess.

 

[joelkfla]

It's a CM party, not a halloween or xmas party. Forgot to mention that. Same protocol for transportation? There'll be buses direct from HDDR to resorts if the normal trans back to mk is not running? Thanks for the intel - much appreciated.

Yes, I would expect so. That's how they normally get Guests home from the later show.

 

[chris benton]

Sadly, that was the most complicated call to their desk I've ever had. I have to call back and speak to another cm to confirm.
I was told that I would need to take the bus from HDDR to the Springs, and then to my resort. I confirmed that was my ONLY option a few times, but after she asked me 3 times what time the hddr show was, and would not believe that it was not an xmas party a few times, I think I should call back, and kind of expect a totally different answer.

 

[chris benton]

2nd call -
"You can take Disney's Magic Express from resort to resort and the airport" (He later apologized for that nugget after I corrected him.)
"You can also rent a car from Alamo." (Sigh.)
"Transtar can also take you to Fort Wilderness in a Minnie Van." (Sigh again)

After explaining the actual situation I called about 3 more times, instead of listening to what their keyword search results were for the 4th time, he gave up, and said I should take the bus from Ft Wilderness to a park, and then from a park to my resort.

I'll just use uber if there are no busses I can hop on to an EP resort. Really no biggie, I was just wondering if there were other options with MK closing at 4:30 for a private party - not an xmas or halloween party.

 

[joelkfla]

Well, nobody can guarantee that there will be buses. It depends how well the MK bus managers are doing their job. The call center probably wouldn't know even if there were.

DHS closes at 8, so it is not an option. To get to DS, you would first have to take the internal bus to the Outpost. You could also get Uber or Lyft from the Outpost, but not from HDDR. You could also take the bus or boat to WL, or the boat to CR, and get an Uber/Lyft at one of those resorts.

 

[joelkfla]

After explaining the actual situation I called about 3 more times, instead of listening to what their keyword search results were for the 4th time, he gave up, and said I should take the bus from Ft Wilderness to a park, and then from a park to my resort.

The only park that might still be open after the show is Epcot, which closes at 9, and you would have to walk thru the park to get to the Epcot resorts, which you couldn't do unless you made it to the Epcot entrance by 9, which is unlikely. And you would need to take the internal shuttle to the Outpost to get to Epcot, which means it might even be closed before you could get on a bus to it.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I would do Uber/Lyft or a Minnie Van.

We are doing HDDR the night before, 11/4. Afterwards we are going to MK but we are heading to HDDR from POFQ. We most likely will do a Minnie Van since it leaves you closest to HDDR (from what I've read). If we feel up to it, the weather is nice and we have extra time we will do a bus to MK and then boat to the fort but I don't know how I feel about all that travel time.

 

[MrKnight]

Sadly, that was the most complicated call to their desk I've ever had. I have to call back and speak to another cm to confirm.
I was told that I would need to take the bus from HDDR to the Springs, and then to my resort. I confirmed that was my ONLY option a few times, but after she asked me 3 times what time the hddr show was, and would not believe that it was not an xmas party a few times, I think I should call back, and kind of expect a totally different answer.

Try calling 407-939-7433 (407-WDW-RIDE) that is the information line for WDW transportation.

As mentioned previously, there is no shortage of transportation at WDW so I would not be overly concerned. Worst case scenario you can always use Uber/Lyft or Minnie Van as a last resort if need be.

 

[seashoreCM]

"Sadly that was the most complicated call ..."

To add to the possible uncertainty, some time ago (more than a year) I read a trip report here on The DIS about guests leaving Hoop De Doo Revue where there were some buses for them but not enough buses for everyone.

As if to suggest that the HDDR buses are mainly to relieve a burden on Disney Springs transportation from having everyone go to DS to make transfers.

 

[chris benton]

After all that...

There were busses lined up for EVERYONE after the show. They were separated into 'zones.' There was a cm standing in front of the busses that simply asked which resort you needed to get to, and then directed you to which zoned bus was for you. The bus driver then asked which resort, made a note, and dropped you at your door.

Dear WDW -
Your travel section of your help desk actually told me these things to get back to my resort after Hoop De Doo:

"Rent a car from Alamo."
"You can use Disney's Magical Express from resort to resort."

So, end result, it was simple as pie. I was just trying to get everything planned and set. I would have ubered - no big deal.

 

[joelkfla]

After all that...

There were busses lined up for EVERYONE after the show. They were separated into 'zones.' There was a cm standing in front of the busses that simply asked which resort you needed to get to, and then directed you to which zoned bus was for you. The bus driver then asked which resort, made a note, and dropped you at your door.

Dear WDW -
Your travel section of your help desk actually told me these things to get back to my resort after Hoop De Doo:

"Rent a car from Alamo."
"You can use Disney's Magical Express from resort to resort."

So, end result, it was simple as pie. I was just trying to get everything planned and set. I would have ubered - no big deal.

Thanks for the report back, to the benefit of future Guests.

 

[nkereina]

I know FW is large - is the internal bus required to get from HDDR up to the bus depot? I'm posing the question because I'm not sure. I know HDDR is back by the boat launch, and I don't recall seeing the bus depot when we were there.

 

[joelkfla]

I know FW is large - is the internal bus required to get from HDDR up to the bus depot? I'm posing the question because I'm not sure. I know HDDR is back by the boat launch, and I don't recall seeing the bus depot when we were there.

Yes, for regular resort buses, you need to take the internal bus. The main bus depot is at the opposite end of the campground (known as the Outpost.)

The special buses after some performances of HDDR pick up near the show. You can also get a bus to WL from the stop near HDDR all day long, and maybe to MK afternoon & evening.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I know FW is large - is the internal bus required to get from HDDR up to the bus depot? I'm posing the question because I'm not sure. I know HDDR is back by the boat launch, and I don't recall seeing the bus depot when we were there.

the bus depot is the other direction than the boat. if you ride the boat unless you walk over to see horses you would not see depot. that would be why you don't recall seeing. we stay at the Fort and use the buses back to site we walk by HDDR each time we come back from MK