If you are driving to the hoop-de-doo review...

[Miss Inga Depointe]

...let me tell you how to get there!


Maybe everyone already knows this, but just in case you are as clueless as we were....

Drive into the parking lot and go to the bus stop. Wait for one of the internal buses, I think they were called "Outpost" buses. Anyway, it stops at all the internal bus stops including Pioneer Hall.

When I asked at our resort, they didn't explain this, and when we got to the parking lot, we stood around with 2 other families trying to figure out what to do. I think they should have a sign or something.

Anyway, leave yourselves enough time, because it was 35 or 40 minutes from the time we pulled out of the Poly parking lot until we got off the bus at Pioneer Hall.

Hope this helps someone!

 

[Twende]

We were told that we could drive to WL and park there. Then grab a boat over to the campgrounds and then walk the short distance to Pioneer Hall. It was a very relaxing way to do it and we enjoyed getting to stroll through WL on our way to the boat dock. Plus the boat ride over was very nice and fun on the way back as serveral of us were singing HDDR songs.

 

[Miss Inga Depointe]

We were told that we could drive to WL and park there. Then grab a boat over to the campgrounds and then walk the short distance to Pioneer Hall. It was a very relaxing way to do it and we enjoyed getting to stroll through WL on our way to the boat dock. Plus the boat ride over was very nice and fun on the way back as serveral of us were singing HDDR songs.

All I can tell you is that they wouldn't let us do that. I just remembered that it was more like an hour of getting there because we tried to park at WL and the guard told us that we couldn't, made us turn around and she gave us directions to the campground parking lot.

 

[Dizneydaz]

We did this in Dec. 2002. We parked at WL and took boat to campgrounds too-it was a little cold. After it was over, we took the bus back to WL. The bus was faster. The boat would be nicer on a warm evening.

 

[Miss Inga Depointe]

What did you guys say when you went in, that you were going to the HDDR? Maybe if I had said that I was just there for dinner, they might have let me, but I said that we were going to go to the HDDR, and that I wanted to take the boat over. The guard said I couldn't park at WL. This was a couple of weeks ago.

 

[betterlatethannever]

...Wait for one of the internal buses, I think they were called "Outpost" buses. Anyway, it stops at all the internal bus stops including Pioneer Hall.

We went to the HDDR for the first time in 1989. We had a car and we were in Epcot. We had no clue either. We asked how to get to HDDR at Guest Services.

Anyway, now that we're all veterans let me try to clarify how the internal busses work at FW.

If you drive to FW, you will park at the Outpost (that's why all the busses you saw were marked Outpost). Pioneer Hall is at the Settlement (other end of FW). There are three routes through FW (Orange, Purple, Yellow) and they all end up at the Settlement.

So if you are going to the HDDR, you can get on ANY internal bus. HOWEVER, if you are planning on going to the campfire (for example), you need to get on the correct color route.

Ed

 

[Twende]

We told them at WL gate that we were going to dinner at HDDR.

I know they told us when we had our tickets printed(at the PC desk this time and at BC desk in December) that we could park there and I think it was somewhere else in the HDDR information and in writing that you could park at WL and take the boat.

The guards gave us the okay both times.

 

[PlainJane]

We went to Trails End last November. We were so confused. There where people at the bus stop that helped us. We also went to WL and they wouldn't let us in. They gave us directions to FW, but they did not explain the bus situation to us. This info would have been very helpful

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

If you are staying at the Poly another option would be to take the monorail to MK and then the boat to Fort Wilderness. The boat that runs between FW WL and MK is one of the midsize(not small open air launch or big fairy boat)launches and has open air and an enclosed cabin so even on rainy or chilly nights its not to bad.

 

[Miss Inga Depointe]

If you are staying at the Poly another option would be to take the monorail to MK and then the boat to Fort Wilderness. The boat that runs between FW WL and MK is one of the midsize(not small open air launch or big fairy boat)launches and has open air and an enclosed cabin so even on rainy or chilly nights its not to bad.

This only works if the MK is open late. When we were there 2 weeks ago, we went to the 9:30 show, and the boat could have gotten us there but not back.

Once we were there in the winter, and the one at 7 (or around 7) ended too late for the last boat.

Just make sure you don't take the boat out and get stranded -- well, not stranded, because there is a bus, but the bus is a big pain, getting back to a resort!!

 

[betterlatethannever]

...Just make sure you don't take the boat out and get stranded -- well, not stranded, because there is a bus, but the bus is a big pain, getting back to a resort!!

Are you talking about the bus to DTD?

You mentioned the last time you were at HDDR was a couple of years ago. There are now busses right at the Settlement bus stop to take guests to their resorts if the MK is closed.

Ed

 

[Miss Inga Depointe]

Are you talking about the bus to DTD?

You mentioned the last time you were at HDDR was a couple of years ago. There are now busses right at the Settlement bus stop to take guests to their resorts if the MK is closed.

Ed

Really? Thanks for the info! We drove this time so all I was looking for was the way to get from my car to Pioneer Hall.

So they have, like what? Buses that go to Poly/Contemporary/GF, for example? As many buses as pick up people from AK or MGM? I really didn't see those this time, but I guess I wasn't looking for them.

In the past, you are right, you had to go to the TTC and then to your resort and it was a pain. This would be an improvement for sure.

In any case, ask how late the boat runs if you come on the boat and don't just assume you can get back with it.

 

[betterlatethannever]

...So they have, like what? Buses that go to Poly/Contemporary/GF, for example? As many buses as pick up people from AK or MGM? I really didn't see those this time, but I guess I wasn't looking for them...

Yes, each bus will handle a group of resorts. Not sure how they are divided.

Ed

 

[Trena]

We went to eat at the Whispering Canyon Cafe at the Wilderness Lodge. We pulled up at the gate and told the guard that we were "coming for dinner". He assumed we wanted the HDDR, not WCC. He sent us to the camp ground and we got on an internal bus!!!!! It was a mess. Now we know better.