Last Minute Questions?

[Dreamport]

With any luck we're heading to the World in just over 24 hours. I'm in anxiety mode about forgetting anything and a few questions popped into my head:

1. When do buses from park to park start running, specifically HS to Epcot?
2. Is it possible to do RD during EMH at HS, ride TSMM, then head over and still catch RD at Epcot to rush to Test Track before our 10:20am Soarin' FP+ window expires?
3. MK's opening show is now at 8:40am (or so I've seen) on non EMH days. What times do HS and Epcot let folks in?
4. With a crowd calendar number of 9, is there a good chance MK will close to on-site guests without a dinner ressie? Will we be left outside if we take a mid-day break to pop over to AK or (more likely) take a rest at the resort?
5. Is there any truth to the idea that Mickey is more "talkative" if you use a FP+ to see him at Town Square Theater?

We're only going for the weekend so there's not time to dedicate full days to each park. Constant water and 'not being able to get to everything' are major parts of our gameplan. Just wondering what's reasonable this time of year. Thanks.

 

[Robo]

With any luck we're heading to the World in just over 24 hours. I'm in anxiety mode about forgetting anything and a few questions popped into my head:

1. When do buses from park to park start running, specifically HS to Epcot?
2. Is it possible to do RD during EMH at HS, ride TSMM, then head over and still catch RD at Epcot to rush to Test Track before our 10:20am Soarin' FP+ window expires?
3. MK's opening show is now at 8:40am (or so I've seen) on non EMH days. What times do HS and Epcot let folks in?
4. With a crowd calendar number of 9, is there a good chance MK will close to on-site guests without a dinner ressie? Will we be left outside if we take a mid-day break to pop over to AK or (more likely) take a rest at the resort?
5. Is there any truth to the idea that Mickey is more "talkative" if you use a FP+ to see him at Town Square Theater?

We're only going for the weekend so there's not time to dedicate full days to each park. Constant water and 'not being able to get to everything' are major parts of our gameplan. Just wondering what's reasonable this time of year. Thanks.

1. Before park opening time.

2. Well, there is no specific "rope drop" at Epcot (or DHS or DAK, for that matter) so the opening time for those parks may be up to 30 minutes before scheduled.
But, the answer to your specific FP+ question is yes.

3. See my #2 above.

4. Maybe. Staged closure is very unlikely when it's not near Easter, July 4th, or Christmas.

5. Nope.

 

[Dreamport]

Thanks, Robo!

 

[Gr8t Fan]

With any luck we're heading to the World in just over 24 hours. I'm in anxiety mode about forgetting anything and a few questions popped into my head:

1. When do buses from park to park start running, specifically HS to Epcot?
2. Is it possible to do RD during EMH at HS, ride TSMM, then head over and still catch RD at Epcot to rush to Test Track before our 10:20am Soarin' FP+ window expires?
3. MK's opening show is now at 8:40am (or so I've seen) on non EMH days. What times do HS and Epcot let folks in?
4. With a crowd calendar number of 9, is there a good chance MK will close to on-site guests without a dinner ressie? Will we be left outside if we take a mid-day break to pop over to AK or (more likely) take a rest at the resort?
5. Is there any truth to the idea that Mickey is more "talkative" if you use a FP+ to see him at Town Square Theater?

We're only going for the weekend so there's not time to dedicate full days to each park. Constant water and 'not being able to get to everything' are major parts of our gameplan. Just wondering what's reasonable this time of year. Thanks.

..

 

[mickeyluv'r]

1. don't know, but I would not count on them being very frequent early in the AM. The boats however, will be running, and will be relatively frequent. The only downside is that the boat drops you off at the back gate to Epcot. It is also possible to walk, but in summer heat, that may not be advisable. It's a solid 20min, and attempting to keep a brisk pace in summer heat will be a real energy zapper. I speak from experience.

2. Likely yes, but see above. We have successfully done similar to what you are saying, except we rode RnRC. TSM will almost certainly take longer. We also went from TT to TSM in less than an hour. At 10am, we were entered the preshow area of TT, we walked between parks (BRISK pace) and just made it to TSM for a FP at 11am. It zapped us, and that was in ideal weather, not summer. TSM and TT are both a solid distance from their respective gates. What I have found is that evening is a much better time to get a whole lot done. Temps are much better to, as long as it's not down pouring.

We alos had bad luck hitting AK for the 8am emh, then trying to get a bus from AK at 9am to go back to GF. (maybe three years ago) It was very frustrating. We waited over 45min for a bus to show, and there were folks at the bus stop that said they'd been waiting a half hour beyond! If you REALLY want to get from HS to the Epcot front Gate, and see a taxi, splurge. It will probably be among the best vacation $ you spend.

Also, to ride RnRC and TT, we used single rider line. Even at very near RD, the TT line was too long to pull this off. By the time we got off TT, the SR line was also too long.

3.When I say RD, I mean we arrive about 9:10am. I think actual openings vary. More than once, if we've been at the gate before 9am, the CM's did not let guests in before 9am. Or if they did, they held us just past the gate.

4. Yes, if it is actually a 9. I've been a number of times (esp. over major holidays) where the alleged 9 did not materialize. So much depends on the weather!

5. I very much doubt it.

Relax, have a great trip! Whatever happens, roll with it!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

#1 I don't think buses run from park to park. Hopefully someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

There is a bus from HS to Epcot. I'm not sure that was always the case, since there is a boat between the two parks. The boat connects all of the Epcot area resorts to both HS and Epcot.

From MK to any parks, guests had to use TTC. (I think they still do). But transportation to all four parks is available from the TTC.

MK to Epcot is via monorail, but it goes park to park.

I haven't hopped to/from AK via bus in a rather long time.

 

[Gr8t Fan]

There is a bus from HS to Epcot. I'm not sure that was always the case, since there is a boat between the two parks. The boat connects all of the Epcot area resorts to both HS and Epcot.

From MK to any parks, guests had to use TTC. (I think they still do). But transportation to all four parks is available from the TTC.

MK to Epcot is via monorail, but it goes park to park.

I haven't hopped to/from AK via bus in a rather long time.

Thanks. I edited my post so as not to spread misinformation.

 

[Robo]

From MK to any parks, guests had to use TTC. (I think they still do). But transportation to all four parks is available from the TTC.

Nope. That's no longer true.
TTC is not much of a transportation hub anymore.
It is (of course) the MK parking lot, and a ticket center, a transfer station to/from the Epcot monorail and the other two monorail routes, and, a bus lot for OFF-SITE resort buses... but not much else.

Otherwise-


There is "direct" transportation between all the WDW theme parks.
The frequency of departure for each is approximately every 20 minutes, give or take, all day long.

Most routes are via Disney Buses.

Here are the "park-to-park" Disney Transportation direct connections:

MK> Epcot = Monorail to TTC, Switch to 2nd Monorail to Epcot
MK> DHS = Direct Bus
MK> AK= Direct Bus

AK> DHS= Direct Bus
AK> Epcot= Direct Bus
AK> MK= Direct Bus

DHS> MK= Direct Bus
DHS> AK= Direct Bus
DHS> Epcot= Direct Bus (Epcot Front Gate) or Boat (Epcot Intl. Gateway)
......Boats ("Friendships") make 3 interim stops at the Epcot area resorts.

Epcot > MK= Monorail to TTC, Switch to 2nd Monorail to MK
Epcot > AK= Direct Bus
Epcot> DHS= Direct Bus (Epcot Front Gate) or Boat (Epcot Intl. Gateway)
......Boats ("Friendships") make 3 interim stops at the Epcot area resorts.

The buses have their destinations shown on them on illuminated signs.
The bus stops at the parks are also marked with signage.

As a rule-of-thumb, allow 40-60 minutes to get from the gates of one park to the gates of another park.