How long will it take us to get from MGM to Epcot?

[westjones]

We want to split a day between MGM and Epcot.

What we want to do is go to MGM's early Magic Admission Hour for resort guests at 8:00, and then be at Epcot (Italy) for lunch by 12:00 noon and spend the afternoon at Epcot.

Then we want to return to MGM around 5:00 so that we can go to the Fantasmic Show at 7:00 (going in September, so I am assuming parks close early then).

How much time will it take for us to travel back and forth between the two parks? Where do we go to pick up the boat at MGM (I know where it is at for Epcot--at the International Gateway).

Thanks!
DJ

 

[TRAPPED-PARENT]

You may want to plan 60 min to get from the Studios to Epcot ... I doubt it will take quite this long, but the boat does stop at all the resorts (Swan/Dolphin, Boardwalk, YC/BC) before arriving at the International Gateway. There is also a walkway which we have used and it took about 30 min.

Anyway, exit the Studios and the boat dock will be off to your left.

 

[Planogirl]

The boat at MGM is located just outside the exit to the left as you walk out. You might want to look in that direction to make sure I'm not reversing myself.

I would allow an hour to go between parks. First you have to wait for the boat (even though the lines should be short so early in the day), then they make several stops and then you have to walk over to Italy. So do allow plenty of time.

We hopped like that too except we had a two hour layover on the Boardwalk.

 

[westjones]

That sounds like we can do it. I wish we had 4 days at the parks, but with only 3 days, we have to split the parks somehow, and these seemed best (we want a whole day at Magic Kingdom, and we want to split a day between Animal Kingdom and Downtown Disney).

Thanks! Hopefully in September the lines will be shorter!
DJ

 

[TRAPPED-PARENT]

Why split one day between AK and DTD? As there is no entrance fee, DTD can be done at the end of any day (or multiple days) after park closings.

In order to get more park time, I'd go to AK and then transfer to one of the parks with a later park close.

 

[westjones]

Because AK closes at 5:00 pm every day so we have time to go DTD after it closes. We only have 3 days at WDW and we have so much we want to do! So our plan is:

Mon: AK and Downtown Disney
Tues: MGM and Epcot
Wed: Magic Kingdom (we want a whole day there)
Thur: Board the Disney Cruise for a 3 Night Cruise.


So that is why we are splitting AK with DTD. We are staying at OKW and so DTD is suppose to be pretty close. I want to take my girls to Disney Quest.

In March of this year we spent a whole day (8:00 am early entrance to 9:00 fireworks) at Epcot, so we don't need to be at Epcottoo much on Tues (just want to try out the new Space Mission ride and eat in Italy). That basically gives us one day at each park then and an evening at DTD.

DJ

 

[raidermatt]

You can also walk from MGM to Epcot. Depending on how fast you walk, its probably a 35-50 minute walk. Probably take longer than the boat ride itself, but if you have to wait very long for a boat, it might be faster.

 

[disneylandfamily]

We were there last week. My husband and I chose to walk back to the Beach Club (a 5-10 minute walk from EPCOT back entrance). Our kids chose to take the boat. We walked leisurely back and beat our kids by at least 10 minutes. You can walk it in 20 minutes easily.

 

[westjones]

You know I wondered about that. We love Beaches and Cream at The Beach Club resort and had even thought about stopping there if we tried to walk it. Thanks!

We stayed at Beach Club, but believe it or not, we didn't go to MGM; only to Epcot. So I know that walk (very easy), but had no idea what the walk to MGM would be like. We don't mind walking if it is 1/2 hour or so. That sounds great!

DJ

 

[raidermatt]

Unless you walk very fast, I would plan for more than 1/2 hour from MGM to the IG.

 

[Gary M]

The boat ride took 25 minutes from the dock at MGM to the dock at the International Gateway. This was Feb. of this year and did not count the waiting time for the boat. The trip to "Italy" could be as little as 40 minutes or an hour as some have mentioned.