How long to get from International Dr to Magic Kingdom?

[Danielle3699]

We are staying at the Holiday Inn Express at 7276 International Dr the week after Easter and plan to go to the Magic Kingdom one day. MK opens at 7:00 for resort guests and 8:00 for everyone else. What time should I leave the hotel (we are driving) to get there to be towards the front of the line for the 8:00 opening time? I know it's only 5 miles or so away, but I've always stayed at a Disney resort and never off site so wasn't sure with traffic, how much time I needed to plan for. Thanks!

 

[OKW Lover]

That part of I-Drive can be very congested. I'd plan on at least 30 minutes.

 

[robinb]

You want to be at the Ticket and Transportation Center at about 7:20-30 where they will hold you just past the ticket booths. You will want to move over to the farthest left gate to wait for them to open it sometime around 7:45ish. When we stayed offsite in December the didn't run the monorail right away, but only the ferry boat. When you get on the ferry boat just walk forward to the rope on the other side so you're one of the first people off the boat.

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

You might have lower crowds to deal with if you changed your MK day to one without Extra Magic Hour.

 

[Alesia]

You might have lower crowds to deal with if you changed your MK day to one without Extra Magic Hour.

I doubt there will be one that week.

 

[dsneprincess]

We are staying at the Holiday Inn Express at 7276 International Dr the week after Easter and plan to go to the Magic Kingdom one day. MK opens at 7:00 for resort guests and 8:00 for everyone else. What time should I leave the hotel (we are driving) to get there to be towards the front of the line for the 8:00 opening time? I know it's only 5 miles or so away, but I've always stayed at a Disney resort and never off site so wasn't sure with traffic, how much time I needed to plan for. Thanks!

I would not go to the MK at 8, when it opens at 7 for resort guests. EMH make the park VERY busy in the morning & the lines long for just about everything. We just did this, by mistake, at Epcot arriving at park open on an EMH day. Awful, we were glad we had park hoppers because we ended up hopping to MK, where crowds were smaller & lines much shorter!

 

[keishashadow]

We are staying at the Holiday Inn Express at 7276 International Dr the week after Easter and plan to go to the Magic Kingdom one day. MK opens at 7:00 for resort guests and 8:00 for everyone else. What time should I leave the hotel (we are driving) to get there to be towards the front of the line for the 8:00 opening time? I know it's only 5 miles or so away, but I've always stayed at a Disney resort and never off site so wasn't sure with traffic, how much time I needed to plan for. Thanks!

7 am, bare minimum

 

[robinb]

I would not go to the MK at 8, when it opens at 7 for resort guests. EMH make the park VERY busy in the morning & the lines long for just about everything. We just did this, by mistake, at Epcot arriving at park open on an EMH day. Awful, we were glad we had park hoppers because we ended up hopping to MK, where crowds were smaller & lines much shorter!

I doubt there will be one that week.

Alesia's right. The OP is going the week after Easter and those are very busy days. Disney usually had EMH at the MK for every day when it's that busy to keep their resort guests happy.

 

[ibob52]

MapQuest ... Google Maps

Directions / Mileage / Time ... Estimates

 

[Danielle3699]

Thanks for the information, everyone. Yes, MK opens every day that week at 7AM for EMH for resort guests so no matter what day we go, I will run into EMH in the morning at MK.

Since I've only ever stayed on-site, I'm not familiar with the parking situation. So, the parking is at the Ticket and Transportation Center? Do you park there for MK or for all parks? And then you have to take the monorail or ferry from there? I had no idea!

 

[robinb]

Thanks for the information, everyone. Yes, MK opens every day that week at 7AM for EMH for resort guests so no matter what day we go, I will run into EMH in the morning at MK.

Since I've only ever stayed on-site, I'm not familiar with the parking situation. So, the parking is at the Ticket and Transportation Center? Do you park there for MK or for all parks? And then you have to take the monorail or ferry from there? I had no idea!

Parking is at the TTC only for the MK and you need to take the ferry or monorail over. The other parks have their own parking lot in front of the park. You will probably be able to walk to the front gate at those parks if you get there early enough.