Parking/Walking/Transportation Advice for 4 Parks in 1 Day

[wareagle57]

Hi all! Next Saturday my friend and I will be trying to see all 4 parks in 1 day, and we have an aggressive list of attractions to see. I'm not getting my hope up for doing it all, and have a time we absolutely must leave each park.

But the biggest thing I'm having trouble planning for is travel time from park gate to park gate. Particularly DHS to Epcot. We have always used Disney transportation so I'm not sure exactly how full the parking lots will be and how far we'll have to walk once parked and to get back to our car. I know if we walk, it will be 1.75 miles from DHS gate to Mission Space (our first FP+). It seems like a long walk, probably around 30 minutes at our pace.

But if we have to park even in the middle of each parking lot, that's roughly half a mile each. Plus the walk to MS. So it's really not that much difference, plus we have to drive there which I assume will take at least 10 minutes. How often to the parking lot trams run and do they actually save time vs walking on average? How full should the lots be at 6:45 (DHS), 10 (EP), and 1 (AK)?

If we decide to walk I have a completely different problem. Then I don't have my car to drive from Epcot to DAK. I'm guessing I will not be able to park at Epcot at 6:30 and find any sort of transportation to HS. I thought about maybe parking at the TCC and taking a bus over. Would we lose much time taking a bus to DAK from Epcot vs driving? And then taking a bus to the TCC from AK vs driving there? I feel like we would.

Thanks if you actually read on this. These are probably normally meaningless questions and I normally wouldn't concern myself with this. But I want to try and make the things I can control go as smoothly as possible to account for things out of my control. So if any of you transportation expects know anything I would really appreciate it.

TL;DR (Too long; Didn't Read) How would you suggest navigating from DHS to Epcot, to DAK, to MK and maximize the amount of time spend in the parks?

 

[Robo]

It would help if you mentioned the ORDER you intend to visit the parks.

 

[babydoll65]

I did this once before (but only once) I think mk is open till 11pm that day so that would be the park to end the day. If you have your own car I would 1. Park in mk ttc,take the bus directly to ak (there open at 8am) 2. Then take bus to hs 3. After your finished with hs, take the boat to epcot where you will enter through the international gate way. 4. After epcot, take monorail back to mk to finish the day. Then pass out

 

[Maddies Mama]

I did this last week, with slightly different circumstances since I was able to ditch my car mid day with my husband when it started to become more efficient for me to do disney transportation. I walked from DHS to epcot in less time than it took to take the boat. It was leaving as soon as I walked up so I decided to walk and was glad I did since I beat the boat. It turned toward swan/dolphin and I never saw it again after that and I took the long way along the water because I wasn't aware of the shortcut through Boardwalk. For reference it was 32 minutes for me to get from the photo place at dhs just inside the gate to the entrance of test track walking fast.

I think I'd read the buses start running between parks 1 hr prior to park opening so if that's true, I agree with parking at ttc, then doing the bus to dhs, walk to epcot, bus to ak, bus to mk.

 

[ktate82]

DBF and I did this last Sept. We started in HS, rode TSM 2 times (got a FP, rode stand by line, and used FP), rode ROR, rode the boat to Epcot, rode Spaceship Earth, rode the monorail to MK, at lunch with a FP at BOG, rode Space, Splash, and BTMRR. We then rode the bus to our resort, picked up DD, went to AK and then met my mom and DS in DTD. The crowds were light and we were done by early afternoon. Went back to the resort and swam that night.

 

[ajh88]

I guess I will just relay my DH's experience when he did a solo 4 park day on Memorial Day last year.

1st - AK - morning EMH - 8 (I think) am - Kilimanjaro Safari, Expedition Everest, and Dinosaur - walked back to car (parked really close)

2nd - EPCOT - made it by rope drop (9 am) - Soarin, Mission Space Orange, Test Track

3rd - DHS - he thinks he got there about 11'ish - RnRC, Star Tours - ate lunch at Fairfax Faire

4th - MK - thinks he made it there by 2'ish and only did Splash Mtn and POTC - we had dinner reservations he had to get back for

He drove to the 1st three destinations separately. We stayed at the Poly, so for MK, he parked there and took the monorail over. Based on his experience, on a very busy day, I would still suggest driving but I would also suggest doing whichever park has morning EMH first because that would put you at rope drop (potentially) for 2 parks.

I know this is more than what you asked - I just don't think I would include the walk from DHS to EPCOT in part of my plans. In the end, it might be a wash time wise, but at least your car will be more accessible if plans change. Hope you have a great time!

 

[lovesdumbo]

If you're at DHS before park opening you won't have any issues walking from car to park entry. I also doubt you'll have issues at Epcot.

I find AK parking to be more spread out so you'll likely need to use tram.

I've only ever driven to MK at park opening so I don't know what the parking will be like in the afternoon.

 

[wareagle57]

It would help if you mentioned the ORDER you intend to visit the parks.

I'm sorry, I should have been more clear. The order is HS, Epcot, AK, MK. I included the times I was wondering about the parking locations at the first 3 parks but didn't specify exactly why.

From what I've gathered, I should be towards the front of the lots if I get there that early though correct? I was mainly concerned about HS because of SWW. I knew people lined up at 2-4 AM but didn't know how many. And then getting to Epcot that late I thought I might be at least in the middle of the lot. Plus I thought it might be fun to walk between them as I've never done that or seen any of the boardwalk area.

 

[wareagle57]

If you're at DHS before park opening you won't have any issues walking from car to park entry. I also doubt you'll have issues at Epcot.

I find AK parking to be more spread out so you'll likely need to use tram.

I've only ever driven to MK at park opening so I don't know what the parking will be like in the afternoon.

Even for Star Wars Weekend at DHS? That's my main concern. I've never been during this time and I have no idea was HS is like. Apparently people line up at 3AM for meet and greet FP.

 

[wareagle57]

I did this once before (but only once) I think mk is open till 11pm that day so that would be the park to end the day. If you have your own car I would 1. Park in mk ttc,take the bus directly to ak (there open at 8am) 2. Then take bus to hs 3. After your finished with hs, take the boat to epcot where you will enter through the international gate way. 4. After epcot, take monorail back to mk to finish the day. Then pass out

The problem is we are not staying on site, so can't get into AK until 9. Plus DHS opens at 7:30 for SWW. I also have more must do rides at DHS that will accrue much longer lines than AK. TSMM, RnR, ToT, and Star Tours. I think I can knock all 4 of them out by 9:30. If we somehow finish before that I'm thinking about adding the GMR to our plans. But I want to be at Epcot as soon as possible. Our first FP window opens up there at 9:45. Mission Space. I'd like to have time to ride Test Track on single rider before 11 so we can get to Maelstrom when it opens. We have FP for Soarin at 10:50-11:50 and Spaceship Earth from 11:55-12:55. I want to ride SE as close to 11:55 as possible and also squeeze in either Figment or Sum of all Thrills somehwhere.

 

[mayhughdi]

It was leaving as soon as I walked up so I decided to walk and was glad I did since I beat the boat.

 

[Maddies Mama]

Even for Star Wars Weekend at DHS? That's my main concern. I've never been during this time and I have no idea was HS is like. Apparently people line up at 3AM for meet and greet FP.

I went opening weekend of SWW and arrived by car 2 hours after park opening and was parked in Television 21, which was an easy walk to the gate.