Park to Park Question

[lizzytizzy]

So....I just bought the FD plan along with the Parkhopper tickets. We've never park hopped before. Does anybody know if there are buses that will take us from park to park? Or will we have to go to a resort first? I know Epcot has a boat that can take us to DHS. What about the other parks? Hope this won't be a nightmare!

Also, when it's time to make FP+ selections, how do we do this if we park hop? Will we have to book all 3 in one park and finish them before going to another park?

Thanks!

 

[aaarcher86]

So....I just bought the FD plan along with the Parkhopper tickets. We've never park hopped before. Does anybody know if there are buses that will take us from park to park? Or will we have to go to a resort first? I know Epcot has a boat that can take us to DHS. What about the other parks? Hope this won't be a nightmare!

Also, when it's time to make FP+ selections, how do we do this if we park hop? Will we have to book all 3 in one park and finish them before going to another park?

Thanks!

Your FP can only be in one park for the pre scheduled ones.

There are busses that will take you park to park.

 

[Robo]

Does anybody know


1. if there are buses that will take us from park to park?

2. Or will we have to go to a resort first?

3. I know Epcot has a boat that can take us to DHS. What about the other parks? Hope this won't be a nightmare!

1. Yes.
2. No.
3. 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.

 

[goodgodmrsmolly]

Buses do go from each park to the others as well as other attractions and resorts. I have found the park to park buses run less frequently, meaning sometimes a non direct way may actually be quicker. Unfortunately, there is no bus schedule that you can plan out the best way to get from park to park. If you are okay with walking, you can get from HS to Epcot in 20 minutes. Also, if you are hopping during the day, the stations are not all that busy and you can jump on the closet bus, say Contemporary and hoof it to MK from there. Or MK to Beach Club and walk to Epcot.

Between the buses, boats, and monorail, you can get around the world pretty easily. The buses sometimes take some odd routes but its not like anything is more than a 20 minute ride.

 

[lizzytizzy]

1. Yes.
2. No.
3. 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.

I didn't know that! Thanks!

 

[LetsTalkWDW]

With regard to FP+, a little more information.

You can only reserve additional FP+ after you have used your original 3 reserved FP+ AND you must do so at a kiosk in the park where the new FP+ will be used.

Many people have suggested that if your intention is to Park Hop, then it is best to reserve your 3 allotted FP+ at the 2nd Park and do Rope Drop or at least arrive early at the first park as wait times are shorter in the morning. This would of course depend on your individual touring style and probably the two parks you intend to visit.

 

[vicb]

There are also cab stands at the front of each park if you are in a major hurry (except MK you have to get to the TTC to catch a cab I think?)

With the FP+ one idea is to do rope drop at one park and not use your FP+ there. By arriving early you should be able to get on rides right off then hop to another park late morning and have your FP+ for the park you hop to.

Last trip we did the opposite one day, we went to Epcot at rope drop, rode TT and MS standby then used our FP+ there we then hopped late afternoon to AK when rides started to thin out over there (after 3pm). You can use the ride app to help, it's not perfect but helpful.

I do wish Disney would change that part of FP+ so you can make your additional FP+ for another park. We were there last May when FP+ was still pretty new and raw, doesn't sound like it has advanced too much

 

[disnut8]

Robo spelled out all the park to park transportation options and my husband and I park hop all the time. We find it fun to do different methods. Like, if we are at Animal Kingdom and want to go to Magic Kingdom, we might just take the Contemporary bus, exit there and walk over to Magic Kingdom. Or, if at Hollywood Studios and want to go to Epcot, we'll look at the boat line and maybe take it but only to the Swan and then get off there and walk the rest of the way. If at the Magic Kingdom and want to go to Epcot, we'll grab the first bus to any of the Epcot resorts and then go there and walk through the International Gateway.

And yes, there are park to park buses and transportation. But there are so many options to even think about. I love how Disney World can get you from park A to point B as long as you don't get your undies in a bundle about having to be somewhere by some particular point in time. It's a vacation.

 

[Doug M]

Thanks to this board i learned a while back you can walk from the International Gateway in Epcot to DHS and it takes around 20 to 25 minutes, that is an option too.

 

[vicb]

If you are hopping to Epcot and want to do things in FW it is a bit of a hike from the IG but very doable. If you were at MK and hopping to Epcot just consider what end of the park you'd want to be in, if FW I'd take the monorail.

 

[Hisgirl]

Regarding that fourth fast pass, if a guest is staying club level, you can text concierge and they will make a next fast pass for you at your request, bypassing standing in line at the kiosks.

 

[Robo]

Regarding that fourth fast pass, if a guest is staying club level, you can text concierge and they will make a next fast pass for you at your request, bypassing standing in line at the kiosks.

This is the first that I've heard you had to be staying at Club Level for the concierge to do this.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Regarding transportation from the MK to DHS, when I did this a few years ago, I had to first go to the TTC, monorail, then get the bus there to DHS. Is it still that way or can you now get a bus at the MK bus depot in front of the park direct to DHS?

 

[Robo]

Regarding transportation from the MK to DHS, when I did this a few years ago, I had to first go to the TTC, monorail, then get the bus there to DHS. Is it still that way or can you now get a bus at the MK bus depot in front of the park direct to DHS?

It's now direct from/to the MK gates.
No park buses at TTC.

 

[msb578]

Regarding transportation from the MK to DHS, when I did this a few years ago, I had to first go to the TTC, monorail, then get the bus there to DHS. Is it still that way or can you now get a bus at the MK bus depot in front of the park direct to DHS?

Yep this has been changed. The TTC has been removed from the park hopping process, except for MK/Epcot (monorail).