Magic Kingdom's Inaccesibility

[DisneyFive]

We've been to POP twice, and I would figure 30-40 minutes to MK, and 20-30 for other parks. At the end of the night, after Wishes, an hour total isn't all that unusual. Not sure why it's taking the OP so long. Just bad timing for buses? We always use Disney transportation. One of the LAST things I want to do on my vacation is drive, which is part of what makes WDW feel like one massive all inclusive resort to us.


Dan

 

[lugnut33]

The driving/not driving thing is really just a personal choice. I really dislike the buses (even though I think they do as good a job as possible) because I found riding them to be the most stress inducing thing we did. I hated walking towards the bus depots wondering if the one pulling away was the one we needed. I was always afraid it would take a half hour for a bus to come we would be missing park time (which in my mind equals money). I hated waiting in huge lines at the end of the night. I almost never had a seat since I'd give it up to the ladies or elderly. I hated being stuffed into a full bus. For me, and this is just an opinion, I prefer to buzz down to the car and off we go. And walking to the car at 3 of the 4 parks is really not a big deal.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Walt never intended or imagined that there would be 27,000 hotel rooms on property that were not surrounding Seven Seas Lagoon.

Oh I know, I think it's good they are there for people who use the buses and that they expanded them. Just saying they go against the whole magical lagoon feeling. But so do all of the parking lots right in front of CR/BLT as well I guess.

 

[WendyLou]

we always use the park transportation and have never driven, guess we'll get to experience this in a few weeks.

 

[sharadoc]

The ferry is the best choice especially at park closing. The monorail is crowded, smelly and rude. You can fit many monorails worth of people on the ferry so even though it takes more time to load, you can walk on, grab a spot and then leisurely float back to the TTC. And in the morning, it's so magical for the MK to appear in the distance when riding the ferry.

We stay onsite and will drive to MK. Other than time, it's actually the most convenient and closest way to get to the entrance. The walk to and from the bus area, and the location of your resort bus pick-up makes the bus arduous as well at closing. You usually have to wait for multiple buses and everyone is crammed into the chained lines like cattle going to slaughter. In the parking lot, a tram picks up and drops off at the end of the row, then there's a short walk to the ferry, then a short walk to the entrance from the ferry dock. I've always wanted to compare timing and comfort with someone from a resort. Maybe next time we can find another DISboard family to do the experiement for us - you take the bus!

Whatever feels good for you is what you should do. But try all the options before you proclaim something good or bad

 

[mickeyluv'r]

. I've always wanted to compare timing and comfort with someone from a resort. Maybe next time we can find another DISboard family to do the experiement for us - you take the bus!

Whatever feels good for you is what you should do. But try all the options before you proclaim something good or bad

This is perhaps one of the advantages of going to WDW with extended family. We've been able to split up and compare a number of times! We have been so many times, we pretty thoroughly tried most the options.

In some cases, the difference is a bit of a toss up. Generally when you have a choice- say WL to MK - between a bus vs. boat, the bus wins. Unless you'd just miss the bus, but catch a boat just in time.

Last year, we had fun getting to Italy from the far side of lagoon. We split up to see which way is shorter (from overhead, it is somewhat obvious, from Future World it is less obvious. As it happened. a shuttle boat was at the dock. It is the first time I have used it in at least 15 years! We hopped on the boat and beat a group of (moderately brisk) walkers that were going around via Canada.

HS to Epcot, walking vs. boat: walking usually wins- but it is a bit of a hike! A good compromise is boat to Swan, then walk. If weather is very hot/wet/cold boat is good.

Three years ago, we split up leaving Epcot. Parked car vs. monorail. Except the monorail wasn't running. The car beat the busses by over 90 minutes! A second time we tried car vs. monorail and car still beat monorail by a very wide margin.

We've tried MK to CR, walking vs.monorail a number of times. They are similar. It depends on timing/crowds/delays on monorail. Plus, inside CR, the monorail folks have to transfer to the 4th floor (via escalator or elevator), while the walkers just wait for the elevator once. We are fairly brisk walkers.

Rental car vs. MExpress- car usually beat ME by a wide margin. Rarely timing of ME is perfect. When we compared, we picked up our luggage, but car still beat ME by well over an hour to AKL. CM's confirmed that rental car is faster by solid margin, even when you include time to pick up car and luggage. (and now rental car places have express for members)

Usually MK to monorail resorts/TTC, monorail beats all the boats. There has to be a big back up at the Express monorail for the boat to win.

When traveling almost any resort to AK, car beats bus by wide margin, due to water park.

CR/Poly/GF to CR/Poly/GF - monorail beats car, but Poly and GF are relatively short walk apart. Just a few years ago, they did not have a good connecting walkway. I think they do now.

Between BC/YC/Swan/dolphin/Bwk- walk. Between All Stars - walk.

Almost any other time you might be traveling between resorts, and don't have a car, a taxi is usually a good value. (unless you need a car seat) I have not done Pop to AoA. POR to POFQ- walking usually beats boat. have not compared bus, but probably walking usually wins.

If in doubt- ask a CM!

 

[delmar411]

It seems you may be doing something wrong. We went to MK yesterday and drove from our home (live very locally) and from our house until we were standing inside the gates waiting for rope drop was 40mins. We were waiting for rope drop as of 7:40am. From both those resorts, you would be approx 15-20mins ahead of me. No idea why it would take you an hour?

 

[bumbershoot]

I'd say on average, walking from my room, to the bus stop, to a park (any park, not just MK) and to the turnstile takes on average about 45 minutes (and I've stayed at all classes of resorts). It certainly can take longer if you just miss a bus but I'm going on average.

I will be traveling with you. Our wait for a bus generally *starts* at 30 minutes. There are buses coming and going, but not OUR bus.

Love the build up....TTC to ferry and seeing the Castle in the background.

Good point.

Guests tend to underestimate or ignore time under certain circumstances.

Totally agree. Like those calling the bus at MK "in front of the gates". That's like calling all neighborhood hotels at Disneyland "across from Disneyland!" Sure, they are across from the fences, but if you try to climb over right there you won't get far. There's a lot of walking involved to get to the actual ENTRANCE.

The driving/not driving thing is really just a personal choice. I really dislike the buses (even though I think they do as good a job as possible) because I found riding them to be the most stress inducing thing we did. I hated walking towards the bus depots wondering if the one pulling away was the one we needed. I was always afraid it would take a half hour for a bus to come we would be missing park time (which in my mind equals money). I hated waiting in huge lines at the end of the night. I almost never had a seat since I'd give it up to the ladies or elderly. I hated being stuffed into a full bus. For me, and this is just an opinion, I prefer to buzz down to the car and off we go. And walking to the car at 3 of the 4 parks is really not a big deal.

So yes yes yes.

We tried the bus to MK thing a few times and it was absolutely maddening. With my best friend it was basically fine, but with family? Oh gosh no. My friend can keep her brain interested and amused and I' not in charge. With my family somehow either they put me in or I've put me in a role of keeping them happy, and with a walk to a bus line and waiting in a bus line (and knowing that DH takes a MUCH BETTER bus system every day to and from work AND that he and my aunt had a horribly experience on our first trip to WDW with the buses) doesn't make them happy. I'd much rather be in line for the ferry then in motion then walking to our car. Because we always get there super-early or later after an initial exodus from MK, we so far have only ever parked right up front and just walk the path to get to the ferry/monorail.

I've always wanted to compare timing and comfort with someone from a resort. Maybe next time we can find another DISboard family to do the experiement for us - you take the bus!

We've done it, it's fun. Car wins with the experiments we've done.

As it happened. a shuttle boat was at the dock. It is the first time I have used it in at least 15 years! We hopped on the boat and beat a group of (moderately brisk) walkers that were going around via Canada.

But if you miss the boat, as happened with the group that took that boat, then the walkers win. Helps that the walkers were all the women in the group and we're all short and used to walking fast to keep up with taller men LOL.



OP can you go earlier, and miss some of the parking traffic and maybe end up getting close enough that you don't have to take the tram?

 

[JimmyV]

The monorail is crowded, smelly and rude.

I think you are being terribly unfair and unkind to the monorail. The monorail is not smelly and rude.
Now, the people on the monorail?? That could be another matter entirely.

 

[lustergirl]

Got to admit, this is a one of a kind thread. I never thought of MK inaccessibility before. Really though in my opinion this just doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.

 

[AC7179]

Op here! Great to hear so many opinions. Isn't it funny how we all perceive things differently?

To clarify, I stayed at POP on my last long trip to WDW. I remember thinking at the time that it was a pain (I had a two year old at the time) to wait for bus, collapse stroller, etc.

This time we are at WBC. I don't know why it took us an hour from room to MK but it did. We came home after the fireworks and it seemed the number of people waiting for monorails just overwhelmed the capacity, but the hour and a half trek to our hotel six miles away but a damper on the evening a bit, compared to DLR where my sleeping 2 year old would be in the stroller the whole time.

To the poster who posted the pictures of WDW and DLR, it's funny because I had just thought how much nicer the landscaped walkway through Dtd to get to the park was than how the monorail showing me the tops of the roof of the contemporary rooms in the wings. Also, the Polynesian was a hot mess. Different strokes for different folks, i guess!

 

[joelkfla]

This time we are at WBC.

What is this?

 

[FLSarah]

I generally think it's a PITA. It's not so bad in the morning because we get there early and walk to the TTC and then take the monorail or ferry. I actually kind of like the ferry in the morning. If we take a break and return or get there later than planned, then taking the tram plus monorail/ferry is a pain. Leaving at the end of the night is a pain because we're tired and everything seems to take forever.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Op here! Great to hear so many opinions. Isn't it funny how we all perceive things differently?

To clarify, I stayed at POP on my last long trip to WDW. I remember thinking at the time that it was a pain (I had a two year old at the time) to wait for bus, collapse stroller, etc.

This time we are at WBC. I don't know why it took us an hour from room to MK but it did. We came home after the fireworks and it seemed the number of people waiting for monorails just overwhelmed the capacity, but the hour and a half trek to our hotel six miles away but a damper on the evening a bit, compared to DLR where my sleeping 2 year old would be in the stroller the whole time.

To the poster who posted the pictures of WDW and DLR, it's funny because I had just thought how much nicer the landscaped walkway through Dtd to get to the park was than how the monorail showing me the tops of the roof of the contemporary rooms in the wings. Also, the Polynesian was a hot mess. Different strokes for different folks, i guess!

You could stay at the CR or BLT and walk home. It's a nice, easy stroll at night.

I hear your point though, the monorail isn't that magical when you just want to get home already!

 

[Jennytoon]

This is perhaps one of the advantages of going to WDW with extended family. We've been able to split up and compare a number of times! We have been so many times, we pretty thoroughly tried most the options.

.....

Almost any other time you might be traveling between resorts, and don't have a car, a taxi is usually a good value. (unless you need a car seat) I have not done Pop to AoA. POR to POFQ- walking usually beats boat. have not compared bus, but probably walking usually wins.

If in doubt- ask a CM!

Thanks for this, and for taking the time to write it out! It confirms many of my impressions (and some of our own family's experiments when parents have split up), but it also answered a hugely important question for me about ME vs. car. We'll be staying on property the whole time for the first time on our upcoming trip (and renting a car), and this has been the subject of some debate.

 

[Flight]

If staying at a Disney property hotel, take the bus to the Magic Kingdom.

However, one time from the All Star Resort, we boarded a bus that very cleary stated "Magic Kingdom" yet took us to the Transportation and Ticket Center. Cost us a lot of time that morning. We had planned on being at the park turnstyles for the opening, but missed it by many, many minutes - which in Disney time can be result in a big crowd getting in ahead of you.

 

[Robo]

If staying at a Disney property hotel, take the bus to the Magic Kingdom.

However, one time from the All Star Resort, we boarded a bus that very cleary stated "Magic Kingdom" yet took us to the Transportation and Ticket Center.

Always speak up.
I've been on a couple of buses when the driver made an error on his destination.
When I mentioned it, the drivers immediately took us to the place we wanted to go.

In fact, one trip we had boarded a bus from DAK to MK (this was back when the park-to-park buses for MK terminated at TTC.) As we were on route, the driver pulled into Blizzard Beach, and immediately said, "Oops, I just did this by habit."
(Kidding) I said, "Hey, we don't want to SWIM, want to go to Magic Kingdom!"
The drive said, "I'll just pull though here and we'll be on our way."
As we came through the MK parking lot entrance on our way to TTC, the driver said, "You want to go to MK?"
And I said, "Yes." (Thinking we would have to make the traditional stop at TTC and then monorail from there.)
Instead of stopping at TTC, the driver drove the bus right to the MK gates bus stop and let us out!

I will say that with the new GPS-guided bus system that kind of error would be harder to make.

 

[JanaDee]

I think you are being terribly unfair and unkind to the monorail. The monorail is not smelly and rude.
Now, the people on the monorail?? That could be another matter entirely.

LOL The Monorail *is* smelly!

 

[JanaDee]

What is this?

Wyndham Bonnet Creek

 

[JimmyV]

LOL The Monorail *is* smelly!

I don't know. To me, the monorail .........