A strategy I’ve used in the past is to view the fireworks close to the exit and the second the finale is over, head for the door. We’ve been the first ones at the bus with that strategy in the past. Now, we don’t stay in the park for fireworks anymore, we don’t do well with the crowds anymore. Have a great time!!!!!!
Via Disney transportation, if parks haven’t closed yet you can bus from AKL to an open park and catch the CBR bus there. If parks are all closed, then bus to Disney Springs & transfer to CBR bus.
When we did this we took a bus to DHS (which was still open) then Skyliner to CBR.
Buses start running approximately one hour before ETPE starts for any given park, and it’s recommended that you be at the bus stop about 90 minutes before start of ETPE in order to be on that first bus. However, that seems to me to be cutting it kind of close for your tour, so I’d agree with a Minnie Van. I have no idea whether one MV could take care of both of your parties. Given that you summon the MV via the Lyft app, which is set up to book a ride from one pickup point to a single destination, that might not work.
No, those boats are not capable le of loading/unloading EXVs. You would want to take the monorail.
I think since they got the fourth cruiser they often use one of the cruisers on the GF/Poly runs. A cruiser can definitely accommodate at least one ECV, perhaps two.
Yes, a cruiser can but I wasn’t aware a cruiser had been added to the MK, Poly, GF loop. Is it always running? Can it dock as the same dock?
Not sure. I’ll have to ask one of the captains I know there. My understanding is they run two to the campground, one to the lodge, and one to GF/Poly, and when they drop to three they pull one from the campground route. But I could be wrong.
Thanks! That's a great addition if ECV's can now take water transport to GF and Poly!
I think I'm confused. First, is the cruiser the big boat? The launch is the Jungle cruise looking boat?
I haven’t stayed at many resorts for runDisney transportation, but it sounds like you’d want to go to a resort where the transportation drop off (from MK to the resort) would be close to the runDisney bus pickup location. Another option for the MK resorts list is taking the boat to the Wilderness Lodge. You could walk into the main building and through the lobby to the front of the resort for the runDisney bus (not a very long walk, but maybe not ideal if you’re trying to minimize time on your feet). The Contemporary is obviously the closest resort to MK, but if you took the monorail, the monorail station is a bit of a walk from the runDisney bus pickup (I’ve never used their race transportation but the bus is usually shared with the WL, and I think it picks up closer to the convention center at the Contemporary).
I believe they’re now running the cruisers on the route from MK to GF to Poly and back to MK. They might alternate with the launches, like they do in the MK to WL route. The CR-WL-FW resort loop is not running yet.
Buses arrive about an hour prior to early entry, head down at 90 minutes. Returning for dinner, give yourself 90 minutes but for Flying Fish you may want to freshen up first so take that into account.
Once you are on a bus, the trip between AK and BWV is around 15 minutes. The key is when a bus is available! Answering your second question first, if you leave AK at 7 - even if you only get a bus at 7:30, you'll be at BW in plenty of time for an 8:20 FF ADR. Usually around park close, the buses are a bit more frequent, so I think you'd be good. As for the morning buses, those could be a bit busier with people heading to the park - not to mention that many mornings guests seem to line up really early at the park entrances! If it were us, we'd be at the stop 7:15/7:30 for the bus. That gives you time to get there, get through security, and get into the line to enter the park at 8:30.
