Picking up somebody at MK

[kdnmom]

My son has a trip to Disney with his school band coming up. The kids will be leaving the Magic Kingdom at 10pm closing and getting on a bus to head back. (We live a couple of hours away from Orlando.) We will be in Orlando with our other two kids and want to pick our son up rather than send him back on the bus.

So does anyone know how best to do this? Is there a way of doing it without having to park in the big lot and take the monorail/boat over from the Transportation and Ticket Center? Where would school tour buses be parked? Can we get in or near the bus parking lot? Can we get access to the front of Magic Kingdom to pick him up?

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[LSUfan4444]

Have him walk to Bay Lake Tower and pick him up there:

It;s about 1/2 mile from the Magic Kingdom's exit:

 

[kdnmom]

Oops. Actually, they're leaving at 10pm on a 12midnight closing day.

 

[kdnmom]

Have him walk to Bay Lake Tower and pick him up there:

It;s about 1/2 mile from the Magic Kingdom's exit:

Thanks for the suggestion, but he's 12. Too young (and too flighty) in my opinion to navigate that by himself. And it's not fair to anybody else to ask them to walk him there. Also, the school/chaperones won't release him like that. I have to sign him out.

ETA: That picture that you posted show a couple of traffic loops. We were dropped off there once before when we were kindly given a direct ride from a Disney van driver from Fort Wilderness when we were late for our Fireworks Dessert Party. Can anyone else access those loops?

 

[auralia]

Park at BLT and walk to MK to collect him?

 

[kdnmom]

Park at BLT and walk to MK to collect him?

That's a good option, thanks!. Will they let me do this?

 

[TreeSapp]

Will the bus the students are taking be picking them up at magic kingdom or at TTC?

 

[LSUfan4444]

The navigation is quite simple, and very safe. It's a lit marked path once you exit Magic Kingdom that says "path to Contemporary Resort" and there will be a security guard at the exit he can ask for assistance.

But, if that still makes you uncomfortable, you can try and convince them to let you park at the Contemporary while you walk over to MK, but they're not really "supposed to." Parking for MK is at the TTC. So, you can either park at the TTC and take the monorail/boat over or try your luck in convincing security to let you park at Bay Lake/CR.

If you try to park at BLT or CR, just be aware there is a chance they may not let you.

 

[kdnmom]

Will the bus the students are taking be picking them up at magic kingdom or at TTC?

You know, that's a good question. I don't really know. I assumed that the groups of kids/chaperones would be going to where the bus was in a parking lot somewhere, since they'll likely be arriving at staggered times. (You tell them a time, they'll arrive sometime around then...) The itinerary just says depart MK at 10pm.

 

[smitch425]

You know, that's a good question. I don't really know. I assumed that the groups of kids/chaperones would be going to where the bus was in a parking lot somewhere, since they'll likely be arriving at staggered times. (You tell them a time, they'll arrive sometime around then...) The itinerary just says depart MK at 10pm.

I suggest contacting the organizer of this trip, and you will also need to ask what the protocol is for taking your son from the group. Around here, there needs to be forms signed when a student will not be returning with a group. They should be able to tell you where to go and what you need to do.

 

[mesaboy2]

Thanks for the suggestion, but he's 12. Too young (and too flighty) in my opinion to navigate that by himself. And it's not fair to anybody else to ask them to walk him there. Also, the school/chaperones won't release him like that. I have to sign him out.

ETA: That picture that you posted show a couple of traffic loops. We were dropped off there once before when we were kindly given a direct ride from a Disney van driver from Fort Wilderness when we were late for our Fireworks Dessert Party. Can anyone else access those loops?

No, sorry.

I suggest contacting the organizer of this trip, and you will also need to ask what the protocol is for taking your son from the group. Around here, there needs to be forms signed when a student will not be returning with a group. They should be able to tell you where to go and what you need to do.

 

[joe1946]

Valet park at CR and walk over to MK to meet him.

 

[jrtoastyman]

I'm a parent myself and I certainly understand the trepidation about your son navigating his way over there. That said, there really isn't anything to navigate. Walk out, turn left, start walking, and you're going to hit BLT and the CR whether you like it or not. Unless you get on a bus, there's really no where else to go on in that direction.

EDIT: Ignore, just noticed the part about you needing to sign him out.

 

[I M Fearless]

Maybe mobile phones could come to the rescue? We love Whatsapp... you can send someone your location on Google maps and it is accurate to about 3 feet.

I found my friend who I was meeting right outside St Pancreas Railway station in central London within minutes. It really is that accurate.

I got lost with my two brother's on our first night in the Magic Kingdom before mobiles... very scary! Don't take any chances at that time of night... you never know who is around as sad as that is to say.

 

[ColorMeCrazy]

There is a pick-up/drop-off lot at the Ticket & Transportation Center. It is the same lot that the taxis use between the tram drop-off and the Polynesian Resort. The cast members at the parking booths can give you the directions to the lot. From there, you can walk up and meet them as they get off the monorail or boat, but you do not want to be away from your vehicle for more than 15~20 minutes. I have been told by a security guard that the time limit for parking in that lot is enforced.

 

[TreeSapp]

You know, that's a good question. I don't really know. I assumed that the groups of kids/chaperones would be going to where the bus was in a parking lot somewhere, since they'll likely be arriving at staggered times. (You tell them a time, they'll arrive sometime around then...) The itinerary just says depart MK at 10pm.

If its a TTC pickup, you can just park at TTC and take the tram to the ticketing area... Or if you REALLY know what time to expect him you can park at Lost and Found for I think up to 10min. That's right next to the ticketing windows.

 

[kdnmom]

Thanks, everyone, for all of the help!! It sounds like picking up at the TTC would not be a big problem. I guess the big question is if that's where my son will be. Where do tour buses pick up their passengers? I noticed on google maps that there is a bus lot adjacent to the TTC. Do buses just wait in that lot and all of the passengers find them there? Or is there somewhere where the bus goes to pick up the collection of waiting passengers? Do tour buses go to that bus loop by Magic Kingdom or is that just for Disney transportation buses?

Thanks again!!

 

[subtchr]

Thanks, everyone, for all of the help!! It sounds like picking up at the TTC would not be a big problem. I guess the big question is if that's where my son will be. Where do tour buses pick up their passengers? I noticed on google maps that there is a bus lot adjacent to the TTC. Do buses just wait in that lot and all of the passengers find them there? Or is there somewhere where the bus goes to pick up the collection of waiting passengers? Do tour buses go to that bus loop by Magic Kingdom or is that just for Disney transportation buses?

Thanks again!!

I am a group tour director for high school bands and choirs, and I take student groups to WDW 5-6 times per year.

As others have said, it is best to talk to the head chaperone and/or the teacher or administrator in charge of the group to know how THEY want you to accomplish the transfer of supervision of your son from them to you.

For those who suggest having him walk to the CR or BLT, there is no way a chaperone or teacher would allow a 12 year old (or any minor student, for that matter) to head off on his own without seeing the parents who are meeting him.

Yes, the tour buses park in the bus lot adjacent to the TTC. They are not permitted to drive to the MK. Depending on the size of the group I am with, and how comfortable they are with getting around the parks, they either meet at the Floral Mickey outside the gates to take attendance, then take the ferry to the TTC; or they have each smaller chaperoned group make its own way to the TTC to meet at the bus.

So talk to whoever will have the paperwork for the group, and ask them if they would rather you meet them at the park or the bus, so that you can sign him out.

Hope he has a great trip!