Official 'how to get from point A to point B while at WDW' thread.

[BestAunt]

Yes, the bus stops are in the Marketplace, the opposite end from Cirque. There used to be other bus stops, but those areas are now covered by a parking garage.
There might be a bus area, down by Cirque, that services the Lynx bus system...Orlandos public transit. If there are addtl WDW bus stops, other than at Marketplace, I'm not aware of them.

At this time, resort buses stop only at the Marketplace.

In the not too distant future (probably within a month), the Marketplace bus depot will be closing and buses will stop only at the Town Center, roughly in the middle of DS.

G4T is right, the depot near Cirque is used by Lynx and a few non-Disney resorts. The one you might be seeing near Planet Hollywood no longer exists, as the Bing satellite imagery is quite outdated, but the new Town Center depot will be in that general area.

Appreciate the response. i started to get my hopes up looking at the bing map that we weren't going to have to walk so far to Cirque!

 

[joelkfla]

Appreciate the response. i started to get my hopes up looking at the bing map that we weren't going to have to walk so far to Cirque!

You can take the water taxi shuttle if you don't want to walk. It docks at the bridge to SSR, which is right next to the Marketplace bus depot.

 

[goofy4tink]

Is there some kind of master chart somewhere that lists transportation options and average travel times between resorts/parks? Seeing the depth of some of the planning info out there right now I am kind of amazed I haven't come across a chart like this yet. I have the transport map, but I'm looking for estimates of "average" travel time.

There are some charts with average times...but they really aren't much help. There are so many variables, that it's almost impossible to give times. You could go to MK, from Pop, two days in a row. The first day you could have a time of 25 mins, the next day a time of 45 mins. Why? Wait times. If you get to the bus stop just as the bus is leaving, you could be waiting up to 20 mins for the next bus.
Going resort to resort? Even worse. Say you want to get to the Polynesian from Pop. Your time could be 40 mins or it could be 70 mins. Why? Again, wait times and transfers. You have to get the MK bus (with wait times of 0-20 mins) at Pop, then drive to MK (about 15 mins), then transfer to either the monorail or boat (wait times of 0-20 mins), then get to the Polynesian (about 15 mins).
It's a good idea to figure on a time of about 45 mins to a park from a resort, and 75 mins resort to resort.

As far as the options from point A to point B? Ask here...we have the most up to date info there is. And once you get to WDW, it's all very easy to figure out.

 

[megster1123]

There are some charts with average times...but they really aren't much help. There are so many variables, that it's almost impossible to give times. You could go to MK, from Pop, two days in a row. The first day you could have a time of 25 mins, the next day a time of 45 mins. Why? Wait times. If you get to the bus stop just as the bus is leaving, you could be waiting up to 20 mins for the next bus.
Going resort to resort? Even worse. Say you want to get to the Polynesian from Pop. Your time could be 40 mins or it could be 70 mins. Why? Again, wait times and transfers. You have to get the MK bus (with wait times of 0-20 mins) at Pop, then drive to MK (about 15 mins), then transfer to either the monorail or boat (wait times of 0-20 mins), then get to the Polynesian (about 15 mins).
It's a good idea to figure on a time of about 45 mins to a park from a resort, and 75 mins resort to resort.

As far as the options from point A to point B? Ask here...we have the most up to date info there is. And once you get to WDW, it's all very easy to figure out.

Thanks for the info
I'm trying to figure out if a midday break from the park so the kiddos can rest is worth the travel time, or if we're better off powering through and leaving the park by 10.

So then - midday travel to AoA and back to the parks (namely MK and HS) in the 1-5 time block. How's that look?

 

[goofy4tink]

Thanks for the info
I'm trying to figure out if a midday break from the park so the kiddos can rest is worth the travel time, or if we're better off powering through and leaving the park by 10.

So then - midday travel to AoA and back to the parks (namely MK and HS) in the 1-5 time block. How's that look?

A lot depend on the age of the kids and the time of year. The parks are open later when it's hot....so a midday break is almost always a good thing. If the park is open until 10, then sure, take a break. Even the process of riding the bus back to the resort is restful!! You don't need a hugely long break, but it's a good idea to just hang out and relax for a few hours middle of the day!
Travel time isn't so long that it makes a break a bad idea.

 

[megster1123]

A lot depend on the age of the kids and the time of year. The parks are open later when it's hot....so a midday break is almost always a good thing. If the park is open until 10, then sure, take a break. Even the process of riding the bus back to the resort is restful!! You don't need a hugely long break, but it's a good idea to just hang out and relax for a few hours middle of the day!
Travel time isn't so long that it makes a break a bad idea.

Thank you, that makes me feel better. We'll be there in early October and I was worried if we didn't break during the day the kids would crap out an hour into MNSSHP and I would have just dropped $360 for nothing.

Speaking of relaxing bus ride...the railroad in MK...can you get on and just ride all the way around or are you forced off and back on at the stops? If you can stay on, how long does it take to get around the whole park?

 

[goofy4tink]

Absolutely, you can stay on all round the park. It's a nice relaxing ride. I can't remember how long it takes to do a complete circuit....maybe 35 mins.

 

[megster1123]

Absolutely, you can stay on all round the park. It's a nice relaxing ride. I can't remember how long it takes to do a complete circuit....maybe 35 mins.

That sounds great. I'm going to officially schedule time on the nap train!

 

[megster1123]

Ok here are my main questions:

1) Arrival day, will need to get from AoA to MK. Seeing as this will be our first transportation experience I want to be informed for the sake of my family's sanity. There's just a direct bus to MK right? We have ADR that night at Kona, so will take monorail from MK to there, but how do we get back to AoA from Poly after Wishes is over?

2) Need to get from AoA to HS, then to BB in the afternoon. How to get from HS to BB?

Keeping in mind we have a 4 and 5 year old, so taxi/Uber is out and we have no vehicle of our own. The rest of the days I think I have figured out....even though that crazy transport map with all of the colored routes really confused the heck out of me.

 

[goofy4tink]

Ok here are my main questions:

1) Arrival day, will need to get from AoA to MK. Seeing as this will be our first transportation experience I want to be informed for the sake of my family's sanity. There's just a direct bus to MK right? We have ADR that night at Kona, so will take monorail from MK to there, but how do we get back to AoA from Poly after Wishes is over?

2) Need to get from AoA to HS, then to BB in the afternoon. How to get from HS to BB?

Keeping in mind we have a 4 and 5 year old, so taxi/Uber is out and we have no vehicle of our own. The rest of the days I think I have figured out....even though that crazy transport map with all of the colored routes really confused the heck out of me.

I can help with #1. Yes, there is a direct bus to MK from AoA. Then either the monorail or small boat to the Polynesian. Buses will be running from MK back to resorts for at least 90 mins after Wishes. So take either the boat or monorail back to MK if you're done eating up to 90 mins after. Buses may actually be running a bit later.
If, for some reason, you can't use MK as a transfer spot, take a bus to Disney Springs from the Polynesian. Then transfer to an AoA bus. That's a time consuming method though, and a pain.
As far as #2 goes, I'm just not sure enough to give you advice. I'm sure someone will let you know.

 

[joelkfla]

2) Need to get from AoA to HS, then to BB in the afternoon. How to get from HS to BB?

There is a direct bus from DHS to BB while BB is open. It's actually the bus from DHS to AKL, which stops at BB on the way to AKL. The sign at the load zone and the marquee on the bus will show both BB & AKL.

 

[goofy4tink]

Thanks joelkfla!!

 

[megster1123]

Thank you!

 

[spima3]

Currently at Pop Century. It's been years since we been to WDW and I had forgotten how much planning was needed! I am feeling overwhelmed and my kids, teens, are already annoyed. Reading this thread is just getting me more confused.

Pop has bus transportation only. I know we can get to Disney Springs, and the parks. Thought we would maybe like to see some of the other resorts, especially AKL & Fort Wilderness. How do we do that?

 

[BlueFairy]

Currently at Pop Century. It's been years since we been to WDW and I had forgotten how much planning was needed! I am feeling overwhelmed and my kids, teens, are already annoyed. Reading this thread is just getting me more confused.

Pop has bus transportation only. I know we can get to Disney Springs, and the parks. Thought we would maybe like to see some of the other resorts, especially AKL & Fort Wilderness. How do we do that?

Bus to AK, transfer to AKL bus

Bus to MK. Transfer to boat to FW

 

[siskaren]

Currently at Pop Century. It's been years since we been to WDW and I had forgotten how much planning was needed! I am feeling overwhelmed and my kids, teens, are already annoyed. Reading this thread is just getting me more confused.

Pop has bus transportation only. I know we can get to Disney Springs, and the parks. Thought we would maybe like to see some of the other resorts, especially AKL & Fort Wilderness. How do we do that?

Taxi, Uber, or transfer at a park. To get to AKL using Disney transportation, take the bus to AK, then bus to AKL. For FtW, bus to MK, then boat to FtW.

 

[spima3]

Thanks all.

 

[J and R's mom]

Is there still a boat that runs from Wilderness Lodge to Contemporary?

 

[joelkfla]

Is there still a boat that runs from Wilderness Lodge to Contemporary?

Yes.

 

[kimmar067]

At least for the past 9 years, you could always go from park-to-park...

....my mind is STILL blown over this...