How long does it take to get from the parking lot to the gates at MK?

[friedela]

How long are we looking at if we are staying off site and parking? An hour from parking lot to the MK gates? Less?

 

[marcais]

A lot less than an hour. There's trams that will run you from the parking lot to the transport centre. From there you can get the monorail or the boat to take you to the gates. I've never timed it, but I'd guess somewhere between 20 and 30 minutes should cover it all.

 

[Paul Rodgers]

It really depends on timing, crowds and method (ferry, monorail, bus). In my opinion, the quickest way is to use the bus. Most people don't realize that the bus is an option to get from the Transportation and Tickets Center to MK, so it's often not even crowded.

 

[LovesTimone]

That really depends on the crowds,... you might have to wait to get a tram... please stand behind the yellow line, the tram can not pull up until everyone is behind the yellow line.... depending on where you park you can walk to the ticket and transportation center once there you will have to go through bag check now there instead of at the main gate to MK... then either the boat or monorail over to the park.. there will be a wait in line.... then over to MK, then through the ticket turnstiles and again so waiting to go through...

So if you are lucky and the force is with you 35 to 40 minutes.... if not I would just plan on a hour.

Another thought if you want you can pay for VIP parking which is closer to the ticket and transportation center.

 

[CAS239]

Usually about 20 min or so, but I've never timed it. It's definitely not 60 or more minutes unless it's like NYE.

If it's super crowded in the morning, we'll take the resort monorail to MK.

You can pay to park closer which is premier parking at $45. For me the 3-5 min walk from where I park isn't worth that.

 

[CAS239]

It really depends on timing, crowds and method (ferry, monorail, bus). In my opinion, the quickest way is to use the bus. Most people don't realize that the bus is an option to get from the Transportation and Tickets Center to MK, so it's often not even crowded.

Unless they've changed stuff then in my experience the bus from TTC to MK is only there if either the monorail or ferry is down. Ferry was down last weekend due to heavy fog so buses were there but the line for the bus extended almost to the monorail ramp.

But if the bus is there, then the bus would be my choice.

 

[JohnneeO]

Unless they've changed stuff then in my experience the bus from TTC to MK is only there if either the monorail or ferry is down. Ferry was down last weekend due to heavy fog so buses were there but the line for the bus extended almost to the monorail ramp.

But if the bus is there, then the bus would be my choice.

On Saturday, November 11, 2017, buses were also used to deal with crowds. We arrived at the TTC around 10 AM to find massive lines for the ferry and monorail. The bus was being announced as an option by the CM's managing the crowd. We walked over, and we ended up first in line for the second bus. It was much quicker that way.

 

[joelkfla]

Unless they've changed stuff then in my experience the bus from TTC to MK is only there if either the monorail or ferry is down. Ferry was down last weekend due to heavy fog so buses were there but the line for the bus extended almost to the monorail ramp.

But if the bus is there, then the bus would be my choice.

The buses may run on mornings when there are heavy crowds, to relieve pressure on the monorails and ferryboats. Bus loading is to the right of the monorails. There will usually be one or more cm's directing Guests to the buses when they are running, and the bus usually is the fastest, with immediate boarding or at most a 5 minute wait.

 

[shocker]

Plan on 30 minutes +/-.

I tell people to plan on 1 hour from the time you drive in under the Welcome to WDW sign to scanning your ticket at MK.



You're talking about having already gone thru parking line & parking process. You still have a tram/walk transfer to TTC, security check line, transfer to the MK gates, & wait in line to tap your ticket.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

wouldn't a bus from TTC have to go thru security a second time at MK because buses go thru security after leaving buses near the gate like EPCOT? I do not know just asking

 

[joelkfla]

wouldn't a bus from TTC have to go thru security a second time at MK because buses go thru security after leaving buses near the gate like EPCOT? I do not know just asking

I walked (scootered, actually) from MK to CR this evening. I noticed there were some rudimentary bus drop-off areas recently added right along the walkway, inside the bag check for Guests walking from CR to MK. I was wondering why they were there, and now it makes sense: to provide a place to drop off Guests inside the secured area.

When I was last driving buses 2 years ago, the perimeter hadn't yet been expanded to include TTC, so the buses just dropped off at the regular load zones.

 

[leebee]

We usually figure about 20 mins from hotel parking lot to being parked at MK. You then walk to the tram to the TTC and take either a monorail or ferry across to the MK; the timing on this depends on boat/monorail departures. We consider the parking lot trams and monorail/ferry part of the MK experience, so really don't mind doing this. Where else can you ride a monorail??

 

[scrapquitler]

How long are we looking at if we are staying off site and parking? An hour from parking lot to the MK gates? Less?

I would plan for an hour, and be happy if it is less. From parking to MK gates: you need to take the parking lot tram (which you might have to wait for) to the TTC, pass thru MK security, get on the monorail or Ferry (and you might have to wait 10-15 minutes for that), then from the monorail or ferry walk to the gate.

It is likely to take less than an hour, but if your just miss a tram, then just miss the monorail, it might take a lot longer than if you catch it just in time. Better to be safe than sorry.

When I was there two weekends ago, I had to stand and wait about 20 minutes just to get on the ferry (11AM on a Saturday)