Quickest way from the Fort to MK

[jdd]

I tried doing a search on this, but no luck. We have a breakfast ADR at Crystal Palace at 8am on 9/7. We will have our car. I'm just wondering if it's quicker to take the boat over to MK, or should we drive to the TTC and take the monorail in.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[RocklandRVers]

Although I have never timed it something tells me the boat would get you there faster simply because its more direct. With your car you have to drive to the huge parking lot and be directed to a parking space. Then depending on how long your row is, walk to the end to wait for a tram over to the TTC and then walk through the turnstiles over to either the monorail or a boat and then on to MK.

 

[jdd]

That makes sense. I'm just wondering what the boat schedule is. For example, is the first run at 7am, then every 20 minutes after that? I'm pretty sure the monorails run continuously.

I really like the idea of taking the boat over - as long as we can time it right.

 

[NLPRacing]

I would say the direct boat to MK is the fastest & a boat to the Contemporary then use the monorail is the second fastest. I found driving there was the slowest.

 

[Shan-man]

The Cruiser to the MK begins an hour before park opening and ends an hour after close, including any EMHs. If you need to be to the MK before an hour prior to open, the launch to the Contemporary starts at 6:45, then just walk or monorail to the MK (note that this launch is not handicap accessible).

 

[jdd]

The Cruiser to the MK begins an hour before park opening and ends an hour after close, including any EMHs. If you need to be to the MK before an hour prior to open, the launch to the Contemporary starts at 6:45, then just walk or monorail to the MK (note that this launch is not handicap accessible).

Thank you! We'll have to do the Contemporary launch, as MK opens at 9am that morning, but we'll want to be there before 8am.

 

[Drew A]

I don't post here very often, but I thought I'd comment since I've done this twice. Take the bus to Wilderness Lodge and catch the bus from there to MK.

Last August when we did this, the CM driving the Fortwilderness bus radioed ahead and made sure that the bus to the Wilderness Lodge waited for us to get there.

I heard that sometimes the boats are delayed due to fog, so a land route is best.

 

[devores]

My thought would be to drive. If timing the boats and buses is making a difference between making your ADR or not, driving is the best solution.

Arriving that early you would be parked up front and within walking distance of the TTC. Then simply catch the monorail over. This will give you more control over when you have to leave and when you will arrive. Just a thought.

 

[GOBA Mom Lynn]

My first thought was that taking the boat would be the obvious choice, however like devores said, driving into the parking lot that early in the morning will get you really close parking. (and the drive from FW is really quick.) I would then take the express monorail if it is running that early, or the ferry boat. The resorts monorail can take a long time. We did the boat from FW to the Contemporary, then the resorts monorail to MK and it seemed like it took forever! It would be much faster to walk from the Cont. boat dock to MK, except maybe if you had small kids. Any way you make it there, have a great day!

 

[jdd]

My thought would be to drive. If timing the boats and buses is making a difference between making your ADR or not, driving is the best solution.

Arriving that early you would be parked up front and within walking distance of the TTC. Then simply catch the monorail over. This will give you more control over when you have to leave and when you will arrive. Just a thought.

I was leaning in that direction, but I just read in the UG that the monorail from the TTC to MK doesn't start running until 1 hour before the park opens (ie, 8am). This seems a little odd to me, since I'm sure there are lots of people heading for early breakfasts at CP and CRT. Anyone know what the monorail schedule is?

 

[jdd]

We did the boat from FW to the Contemporary, then the resorts monorail to MK and it seemed like it took forever! It would be much faster to walk from the Cont. boat dock to MK, except maybe if you had small kids. Any way you make it there, have a great day!

Hey fellow Pittsburgher! Great sports year in the 'burg, huh??

Anyway, which part took a long time - the boat to CR or the monorail? I'm okay with walking from the CR - our youngest will be in a stroller, and the older two will be fine walking. I'm assuming the boat ride takes about 10 minutes (correct me if I'm way off base here), so if we can get the boat around 7:15am, we should be able to get to CP by 8:00.

 

[tlenzendorf]

Staying onsite and having free parking why not just drive to the MK itself? I guess I don't know what time the parking lot opens, but if its early enough, why not?

 

[Shan-man]

You cannot park AT the Magic Kingdom, but rather must park at the the TTC and take either the monorail or ferry over, and both seem to start running an hour before park opening. So the question is how to you get there earlier. The popular answer is that you take the launch to the Contemporary and walk (about 3600 feet) or you catch a bus.

 

[tlenzendorf]

You cannot park AT the Magic Kingdom, but rather must park at the the TTC and take either the monorail or ferry over, and both seem to start running an hour before park opening. So the question is how to you get there earlier. The popular answer is that you take the launch to the Contemporary and walk (about 3600 feet) or you catch a bus.

Aaaaaaaaahhh I see now We've always used the buses so I didn't know This will be the first year that we'll drive to the parks occasionally. Good to know, thanks

 

[magicforever]

Want to chime in with my first hand experience.....

Last summer I was determined to make it to the MK for the opening events. I stay at the Fort and thought nothing of not making it. I was at the dock for the first boat. The first boat did not get me there. However, my mother who was staying at the resort farthest away and traveling by bus made it there before me. I was on a boat and she was calling me while watching Mickey and Minnie get off the train and wave hello. I was a bit disappointed, to say the least.

The thing is, if I would have trusted my gut and got on the boat to the contemporary I would have made the opening ceremonies. So, watch the boats and get on the one that gets there first.

 

[pooh4me]

You can take a resort monorail from the TTC as they start running at 7:00am to 11:00pm.

 

[cjdj4]

So, what time does the launch/boat to the contemporary start?

We are staying at the Ft. and have early ADR's to the Poly, and to MK. The one at the poly is at 7:30 (not sure what I was thinking) but MK doesn't open until 9 both days Half the reason we are staying on property is so we don't have to drive.

TIA

 

[Shan-man]

So, what time does the launch/boat to the contemporary start?

We are staying at the Ft. and have early ADR's to the Poly, and to MK. The one at the poly is at 7:30 (not sure what I was thinking) but MK doesn't open until 9 both days Half the reason we are staying on property is so we don't have to drive.

TIA

The Contemporary launch starts at 6:45am, add the walking time and resort monorail and you should (just) make it!

 

[jdd]

Okay, well it sounds like my only real choice is the ferry to CR and then walk over. Looking forward to riding the boat - I'm sure it's beautiful first thing in the morning!

Thanks Shan-man!!

 

[lorac4disney]

I agree with the others who said to use the boat to Comtemporary. That is how we made it to MK for the opening ceremonies. From the Contemporary, we took the monorail to MK. The monorail doesn't take long at all and it's just a short walk from the monorail pad to the front of MK. Still, give yourself plenty of time to get there.