Question for the Experts! Breakfast/Buses

[mmc123]

Hi all!

I can't wait for my trip in August. Staying at Movies for the first time. I've already done all of my ADRs, including several for breakfast, usually at around 8:05 in the parks. Problem is I'm realizing they say the buses don't start until an hour before park opening time. Am I in trouble? I think I could probably redo the reservations, but honestly I don't want to make 9:00 reservations and then miss that empty park time. I don't remember having problems with early buses before. Any advice? Thanks!

 

[Robo]

1. they say the buses don't start until an hour before park opening time.

2. Am I in trouble? I think I could probably redo the reservations, but honestly I don't want to make 9:00 reservations and then miss that empty park time. I don't remember having problems with early buses before. Any advice? Thanks!

1. That info is infamously incorrect. (Yes, it's even found on the Disney website.)
2. Nope.
3. The resort to park buses start at about 6:30 AM every day,
(During rare days when MK opens at 7AM for EMH, they start even earlier.)

 

[goofy4tink]

Be aware though....these early morning buses don't run as frequently as the regular buses do. So plan accordingly.

 

[WEDWDW]

Hi all!

I can't wait for my trip in August. Staying at Movies for the first time. I've already done all of my ADRs, including several for breakfast, usually at around 8:05 in the parks. Problem is I'm realizing they say the buses don't start until an hour before park opening time. Am I in trouble? I think I could probably redo the reservations, but honestly I don't want to make 9:00 reservations and then miss that empty park time. I don't remember having problems with early buses before. Any advice? Thanks!

Resort buses start early because of the Character Breakfasts.

Here is some "research" I did at All-Star Sports to see exactly when the first bus to each Park arrived.

Just keep in mind,this is just a "snapshot" of one particular Resort on two particular mornings.

Day 1

6:18 AM----Magic Kingdom
6:56 AM----Magic Kingdom
6:58 AM----Magic Kingdom
7:00 AM----Magic Kingdom
7:01 AM----Hollywood Studios
7:12 AM----Magic Kingdom
7:12 AM----Epcot
7:16 AM----Animal Kingdom
7:16 AM----Hollywood Studios
7:17 AM----That's one hour of my life I won't get back!lol

Day 2

6:17 AM----Magic Kingdom
6:30 AM----Magic Kingdom
6:38 AM----Magic Kingdom
6:54 AM----Magic Kingdom
6:55 AM----Hollywood Studios
7:11 AM----Magic Kingdom
7:11 AM----Hollywood Studios
7:11 AM----Epcot
7:15 AM----Animal Kingdom
7:16 AM----Time To PLAY!

 

[minnie mum]

As you can tell from the PPs, no worries. Just be at your bus stop by 7:00 for those in park ADRs. Now, if some of those ADRs are at other resorts, you might want to consider just taking a taxi. That would save you a LOT of time and would probably cost $20 at the most.

 

[Robo]

As you can tell from the PPs, no worries. Just be at your bus stop by 7:00 for those in park ADRs. Now, if some of those ADRs are at other resorts, you might want to consider just taking a taxi. That would save you a LOT of time and would probably cost $20 at the most.

My post (#2 above) was specifically to address going to another resort for breakfast.
(In this case, GF.)

The early morning buses will often take guests directly to those other resorts if requested, especially to the MK area resorts.

If the guest is headed to an early Cape May breakfast at Beach Club, I'd ask the bus driver of the DHS bus if (s)he can drive them there that morning.

 

[got2sammies]

We did catch a mk bus from pofq last November but told the bus driver we had a early aft at the poly. He was very nice to drop us off at the poly.. Don't hurt to ask

 

[minnie mum]

My post (#2 above) was specifically to address going to another resort for breakfast.
(In this case, GF.)

The early morning buses will often take guests directly to those other resorts if requested, especially to the MK area resorts.

If the guest is headed to an early Cape May breakfast at Beach Club, I'd ask the bus driver of the DHS bus if (s)he can drive them there that morning.

Oh, I know they will sometimes do that. But not always. Just pointing out that on those early mornings, its sometimes nice to get up a little laterr and catch a quick taxi ride, instead.

 

[goofy4tink]

Oh, I know they will sometimes do that. But not always. Just pointing out that on those early mornings, its sometimes nice to get up a little laterr and catch a quick taxi ride, instead.

Exactly! I've had drivers offer to drop me at the CR before, and others that made no such offer. I don't like to come out and ask them to please drop me at such and such resort because I have an early ADR. I like to ask them what is the quickest way to that resort for an early ADR. That way, they can make the offer and feel that they are really spreading the magic! One time, as I boarded the MK bus at BW, I asked what was quicker, monorail or boat, to the Polynesian for an early ADR. The drivers response? A cab!

 

[GillianP1301]

I was just posting to ask this question over on the WL thread. I always drive around WDW, but staying at WL and driving to TTC to get to MK makes no sense, so I will actually be using Disney transporation to get to MK and will have a pre opening ADR. Good to know that the bus will be an option for me. Does anyone know about the boats from WL though, will those be an option that early?

 

[Robo]

I was just posting to ask this question over on the WL thread. I always drive around WDW, but staying at WL and driving to TTC to get to MK makes no sense, so I will actually be using Disney transporation to get to MK and will have a pre opening ADR. Good to know that the bus will be an option for me. Does anyone know about the boats from WL though, will those be an option that early?

"Generally," the boats will start running later than the buses.
And, sadly, asking about this at the resort desk will not necessarily give you accurate answers.

 

[asbyrneva]

I was just posting to ask this question over on the WL thread. I always drive around WDW, but staying at WL and driving to TTC to get to MK makes no sense, so I will actually be using Disney transporation to get to MK and will have a pre opening ADR. Good to know that the bus will be an option for me. Does anyone know about the boats from WL though, will those be an option that early?

We've been at the WL for early ADR at MK. The boat to MK usually starts running about 45-30 minutes before opening (or Before morning EMH) but the boat to the contemporary starts earlier. We take the boat to the contemporary and walkover to MK.

 

[mmc123]

Thanks all you're the best! Such a weight off my shoulders! Most of our breakfasts are at the parks (Akerhaus, Tusker House, Crystal Palace) but we do have one at 1900 Park Faire. Guess when I get on the bus I'll just ask what's the quickest way to get to GF and keep my fingers crossed!

 

[kwdw]

For GF at 8 am - I'd take a cab.

You can get to MK by bus - but getting from MK to GF early is a pain, in my experience. You'd have to go from the buses at MK to the monorail resort line. I don't think trying for the resort boats at that hour is reliable - but maybe Robo knows for sure. You'd probably need to catch the first bus - right around 6:30 am to MK to make that reservation on time.

We often do 8 am breakfasts - and if going directly from resort to park - we find that if we are AT the resort bus stop by about 6:50 - that works reasonably reliably. If we don't get to the stop until 7:10 and we just missed the bus to the park we are headed - we've been a tad late to 8 am reservation. Remember - things like Akerhaus and Tusker - it's still a 5-15 minutes walk to the restaurant depending on the walking speed of your party.

 

[canadiandisneynut]

The taxi fare from the Contemporary to the Floridian (we went when the monorail was being fixed so concierge had a taxi for us to get to our breakfast) was 4 bucks. It may be worth it to grab a cab at MK to the Floridian if you want to avoid the monorail. In all fairness though, the walk from the bus to the monorail is about 5 minutes.
The restaurants will hold your reservation for an additional 15-30 minutes. We have been late before because of transportation

 

[siskaren]

Most of our breakfasts are at the parks (Akerhaus, Tusker House, Crystal Palace)

Remember - things like Akerhaus and Tusker

FYI, it's Akershus, not Akerhaus.

 

[canadiandisneynut]

If when going to 1900 Park Fare, if you miss the MK bus, catch the Epcot one. You can get to the monorail from either, it is easier from MK though as you avoid the changeover at the transportation and ticket centre

 

[BlueFairy]

I was just posting to ask this question over on the WL thread. I always drive around WDW, but staying at WL and driving to TTC to get to MK makes no sense, so I will actually be using Disney transporation to get to MK and will have a pre opening ADR. Good to know that the bus will be an option for me. Does anyone know about the boats from WL though, will those be an option that early?

I believe the posted time for the MK boat from WL is 30 min prior to park opening. Especially if it is EMH day, expect NOT to be the first onto a boat. We have been there when the line was long enough to make us wait for boat #2. The MK bus got us there in less than 10 min. on an EMH day in August.

"Generally," the boats will start running later than the buses.
And, sadly, asking about this at the resort desk will not necessarily give you accurate answers.

Yes, that's been my experience.

We've been at the WL for early ADR at MK. The boat to MK usually starts running about 45-30 minutes before opening (or Before morning EMH) but the boat to the contemporary starts earlier. We take the boat to the contemporary and walkover to MK.

We used the boat to CR once or twice as well for walking to MK. I believe boats may start as early as 6:45 from WL to CR to FW. I don't know if the resort launches on 7 Seas Lagoon run on a similar schedule.

 

[Robo]

We've been at the WL for early ADR at MK. The boat to MK usually starts running about 45-30 minutes before opening (or Before morning EMH) but the boat to the contemporary starts earlier. We take the boat to the contemporary and walkover to MK.

That's kind of a extended walk.
But, if anyone is interested, here it is.

The blue colored line on the right of the map below runs from the boat dock, up a couple of floors, then through the Contemporary lobby, and out to where the pathway to MK (magenta colored line) begins.

 

[1girln3boys]

I have never asked a driver to drop off for an early morning breakfast at a resort but did let them know where I was headed. Both times I did this they dropped us off at our breakfast.