Park exit strategies - what is the fastest way out?

[Yusani]

Disclaimer - This bus/monorail/car/ferry stuff at WDW is freaking me out a little. I want to stand around as little as possible at park close when the family is most tired.

Here's some combinations I am looking at:

Day 1: Leaving Port Orleans Riverside and arrive at EPCOT for rope drop (so we should be able to park at the front of the parking lot if we drive). Stay at EPCOT until park close. Return to Port Orleans Riverside. SHOULD WE TAKE THE BUS TO AND FROM THE PARK OR SHOULD WE TAKE OUR CAR?

Day 2: Leaving Port Orleans Riverside and arrive at MK for rope drop (so we should be able to park at the front of the parking lot if we drive). Stay at MK until park close. Return to Port Orleans Riverside. (If we take the car, I understand we may be stuck waiting on a ferry. If we take the bus, we may be stuck waiting on a bus.) SHOULD WE TAKE THE BUS TO AND FROM THE PARK OR SHOULD WE TAKE OUR CAR?

Day 3: Leave AK lodge (we are changing hotels) and arrive at MK late (5 PMish). If we take the car, I think we will end up at the back of the parking lot showing up this late, correct? Stay at MK until park close. Return to AK. SHOULD WE TAKE THE BUS TO AND FROM THE PARK OR SHOULD WE TAKE THE CAR?

Thank you!

 

[cruisingtwins]

Definitely drive to Epcot MK is debatable I think both options suck at park close.

 

[ReluctantDisaholic]

When we stayed at POR we always took the bus and had no trouble - some nights we would take the bus to POFQ instead and just walk the few minutes to POR since the POFQ bus was always emptier and seemed to get there first.

We always use Disney transportation, even when we have our own vehicle there.

 

[Yusani]

That's what I was afraid of about MK. Which sucks the least?

 

[kamik86]

Definitely drove to Epcot MK is debatable I think both options suck at park close.

Agree with this. For Epcot espeically if your concern is with standing around and not with walking driving will be better.

Now for MK since you to take the ferry/monorail to the parking lot then walk to the car then drive back it may be faster just to take the bus. The problem is you wont' know that until that day when you see how backed up the bus lines are and how often the buses are coming.

 

[kamik86]

That's what I was afraid of about MK. Which sucks the least?

There is really no way to know this.

The monorail could get stuck half way around and suck the most or it could be on a good day and get you right there.

You could hit the ferry just right or you could get in line just past the cutoff and have to wait until the next one comes.

Same with the busses, you could get there and it come in 20 seconds, or you could wait 20 min. While another resort bus shows up 3 times.

No way to know.

 

[StormWarriorC]

So my big tip is to wait. After fireworks, after kiss goodnight, find a lovely bench, get some waters or a pastry or popcorn and just sit. People watch and wait for the let the crowds dwindle - then you can go and catch any transport without a huge wait.

I would say drive to Epcot from POR, get there an hour(ish) from park open and you'll get front row.
Take a bus to MK. It's just wayyyyy easier than driving then having to transfer to transportation anyways. Plus the last thing you want to do when tired is drive home in the "everyone leave at once" traffic!

 

[hiwaygal]

I'd use the buses. And just prepare yourself that there will be a wait. There is always a wait and sometimes they are longer at park closing.

 

[cruisingtwins]

That's what I was afraid of about MK. Which sucks the least?

Personally I hate being crammed in with a bunch of sweaty strangers so I prefer my car but time wise I don't think either option is better than the other both will take some time. One thing we did sometimes when we drove was to take a boat back to the polynesian and walk to the TTC. I wasn't faster but nicer than a crammed ferry/monorail.

 

[Alesia]

I find that the bus is much faster and easier than taking your own car. I have done both. Dealing with traffic at park closing is not fun - leave it to the professionals.

 

[Corey127]

Epcot has the best adult drinks so I say take the bus!

Def take the bus to MK, bus takes you closest to the entrance.

And it's Disney World, get used to waiting!

Good luck

 

[2binak]

We take our car to every park except MK and have never been in long lines of traffic exiting the parks and if there is traffic, it's a lot nicer waiting in your own car than being crammed in a line or packed bus. For MK, we use the buses. If you don't want to deal with long waits for the bus, watch Wishes from the area near the train station and leave the park as soon as Wishes is done.

 

[Wdwfan2016]

If you leave right after park close you are going to wait no matter what, especially if you use Disney transportation. At Epcot I would drive and hold 20 minutes after IllumiNations and you will have no problem getting out. Use that time to either walk slowly to the main entrance or head to Mousegear and look around. It's amazing that in about 20 minutes after park close it's simple to exit. At Magic Kingdom wait until about 30 minutes after park close or fireworks to make your exit. Wait times will be much easier.

 

[kamik86]

Epcot has the best adult drinks so I say take the bus!

Def take the bus to MK, bus takes you closest to the entrance.

And it's Disney World, get used to waiting!

Good luck

Sorry OP I was wrong before. completely forgot to think about this. Take the bus to and from Epcot!

 

[Klayfish]

I never stay on property, so I can only give advice for using your car.

Leaving Epcot is super easy. Walk out, catch the tram if needed...often you'll park close enough where you can just walk to it.

Leaving MK. Yeah, no way around it, there are a lot of people leaving. But I have to give Disney credit. Considering the incredible number of people, they do a pretty decent job. Assuming the monorail is running, it comes every few minutes. They also usually have all 3 ferries running back and forth across the lagoon, and the ferry holds a TON of people. So even if the ferry line looks long, it probably isn't. Biggest challenge to that is just waiting for everyone to load.

If you just have the right mentality, especially for MK, you'll be fine. We usually try to beat the rush out and get to the monorail/ferry before the masses do. But on the occasions where we're just stuck in the middle of it, we kind of have that "it is what it is" mentality. We walk at our own pace and just hang out in the line. At the tram station, they have tons of trams going, so that moves decently quick. Having said all that, it's still 30 minutes or more to get back to your car. Not much you can do about it.

 

[Jennasis]

We drive to ALL parks, except MK. We take the resort transportation (bus, boat, monorail, walk) whenever visiting MK.

 

[KrazeeK120]

We drive to all parks, even MK. It is much, much faster and easier to drive to EP, HS, and AK. Even at closing, we've not ever been stuck in traffic. Heck, we've never been stuck at traffic leaving MK either...it's just having to take the monorail or ferry that takes extra time. We usually opt for the monorail at closing. It comes every couple of minutes and really can hold a lot of people. But as other posters have indicated, it's a coin flip as to what will be the best method of transportation leaving MK. I would say the best thing to do is pack your patience and remain calm. Your journey will be much smoother that way, regardless of how you end up traveling.

 

[Hopefully]

I agree with the previous poster. The single best thing you can do to make your trip better is mentally prepare yourself to be tolerant of waits. You are going to wait everywhere. Disney tranporation is Mass Transit - just like a big city. It is slow and crowded.
But you are also going to wait for food, rides, and even the bathroom.
Good Luck

 

[gap2368]

So my big tip is to wait. After fireworks, after kiss goodnight, find a lovely bench, get some waters or a pastry or popcorn and just sit. People watch and wait for the let the crowds dwindle - then you can go and catch any transport without a huge wait.

I would say drive to Epcot from POR, get there an hour(ish) from park open and you'll get front row.
Take a bus to MK. It's just wayyyyy easier than driving then having to transfer to transportation anyways. Plus the last thing you want to do when tired is drive home in the "everyone leave at once" traffic!

I go to disney a lot and I could not agree with this poster more. stay a little while if you do not want to people watch go shopping pick up some last minute things, pin tread ( if you are in to this) I find even staying at the all stars ( witch normally have the longest lines) waiting another 30 minutes in the park dose help but even when I do right after park closing the lines move fast since they have a lot of busses one time 4 busses was waiting so earn one pulled out another pulled right in a minute latter.

I went with a friend one day and we wanted to se what was faster we both left MK at the same time I took the buss she too the ferry I got back to the hotel about 20 minutes before she even got there she said she had to wait for 2 carry to show up then she had to walk to the car ( we got there at rope drop she we parked close) then she said the traffic getting out was horrible that she almost pulled over ( and se dose not mind driving in traffic she is from orlando and live in atlanta and NYC and spent about 3 month in LA )so for her to say traffic was bad meant it was bad not sure this happens a lot but this is what happened when we decided to try this.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

Didn't read the whole thread. We stay off-site but when going to MK, we valet park at The Contemporary. It is a short 10 to 15 minute walk from MK to there. There is a fee for that though but since we stay off-site, we have to pay to park anyway. Our family is the same way. We can't stand the waiting for buses or trams. All the other parks, we get there early enough to park near the front and just walk.