How busy is boat from MGM to Epcot?

[ccgegg]

Going Dec 11-16 and wondering if MGM closes at 8pm and we want to get over to Epcot for Illuminations, when does the boat start getting crowded? We didn't want to walk out of MGM at closing and end up waiting forever and miss Illuminations. Walking isn't much of an option for my mom.

 

[grimley1968]

That time of year I doubt the boats would ever get crowded. However, that trip can take as much as 35 minutes or so, given the 3 stops it has to make, so I'd budget at least that much time.

 

[buzz2400]

4th of July, we parked at mgm and took the boat over to epcot. Boat ride takes over 35 minutes. Both parks at closing times of 10 p.m. Illuminations was scheduled for 10 p.m. (mgm's socerary was scheduled also for 10). The captain (going over from mgm to epcot) said the last boat is at 11. I asked him again when we got off the boat that if we got to the boat by 11 will we be able to get to mgm and he said yes. Well lighting storm hit, mgm's thing was cancelled and illuminations was started late. Now I am sweating bullets. We run over to boat as soon as illuminations was over and wait in line. We get on boat at 11 (long line). Captain says they are stopping at the hotels only. I go up to her and ask her if she was going to mgm and she said no because the park closed at 10. I then told her the other captain said it would and she asked the people on the boat who else had to go to mgm and fortunately there were about 10 others. They finally get us to mgm and now it is 11:30 and I remember the tram operator saying the run the trams 1 1/2 hours after park closing. We run to the tram and it is announced that it is the last tram of the night. I will never do that again. It would have been so much easier to park at epcot. Just wanted to let you know this.

 

[grimley1968]

4th of July, we parked at mgm and took the boat over to epcot. Boat ride takes over 35 minutes. Both parks at closing times of 10 p.m. Illuminations was scheduled for 10 p.m. (mgm's socerary was scheduled also for 10). The captain (going over from mgm to epcot) said the last boat is at 11. I asked him again when we got off the boat that if we got to the boat by 11 will we be able to get to mgm and he said yes. Well lighting storm hit, mgm's thing was cancelled and illuminations was started late. Now I am sweating bullets. We run over to boat as soon as illuminations was over and wait in line. We get on boat at 11 (long line). Captain says they are stopping at the hotels only. I go up to her and ask her if she was going to mgm and she said no because the park closed at 10. I then told her the other captain said it would and she asked the people on the boat who else had to go to mgm and fortunately there were about 10 others. They finally get us to mgm and now it is 11:30 and I remember the tram operator saying the run the trams 1 1/2 hours after park closing. We run to the tram and it is announced that it is the last tram of the night. I will never do that again. It would have been so much easier to park at epcot. Just wanted to let you know this.

I'm sorry that happened to you, but you have to admit that the time of year the OP is considering is almost the polar opposite of the 4th of July, which is quite possibly the single most crowded weekend of the year at WDW. Mid-December, on the other hand, is probably one of the most deserted times of year. It's too far away from Christmas for very many students to be done with their semesters and the unpredictable weather keeps other people away from the parks. This would have a major impact on how crowded the boats are and how quickly they can make their resort stops.

 

[CuteKatCar]

Good question. Have ever seen the boat launch at MK at the end of the evening!!! And good idea. We may just walk over to the Epcot from MGM for illuminations also.

buzz2400 - that's good to know. We are staying at the BC at the end of August and I'm not sure about the best way to get around (not that what happened to you would affect us). But you do never know when a planned hotel/car return doesn't work out. We did the Illuminations cruise once and I did end up messing us up about getting back to the CR. We almost didn't make the monorail and would have had to get a cab from the BC!!!!

Anna

 

[DebbieB]

People would be coming out of Fantasmic & Osborne Lights at 8:00pm. I've used the boat around that time in December and have had to wait for 2 or 3 boats. I think it took us almost an hour to get back to BWV.

 

[kirbsam]

unless you leave before fantasmic is over, you will wait...and wait...and wait...any time of year.