Several miscellaneous questions

[Monkeyfeet]

I thank you ahead of time for your patience, because there will be a lot more to come before our March trip!!

1. We are staying at POP. When we take the bus to the parks, do we stop at each park? I am thinking that there is a bus assigned to each park.

2. When we go from MGM to Epcot, I was told there was a boat that we can catch...Friendly Tours or something. Where do we pick that up at MGM?

3. Is the new ride open at Epcot, I think it is a Nemo ride?

4. I just read in the UG that during peak times Ak will open 30-60 minutes early. We will be going to that park on March 13th and planned to be there 30 minutes early. Is there a way to find out once we are at our resort if it is opening earlier than that? It would really mess us up if it was already open when we got there.

5. We will be going to all four of the parks in the am during that week and then going back to the resort and out again in the late pm. In regards to saving time should we drive our car to any of the am destinations?

Thank you,
Kelly

 

[T-i-double-g-err]

Here's a stab at a few answers...

1. Never stayed at Pop or used the buses there. So cannot help on this one.

2. Boat dock is immediately outside the main entrance/exit area. If you are leaving MGM, you bear left as you exit to reach the dock area.

3. Yes.

4. Not sure on this.

5. See answer to question 1.

 

[tjmw2727]

dup sorry

 

[tjmw2727]

Lets see - #1 NO, from POP there will be a separate bus for each theme park as well as one for DTD. For the water parks you take the DTD bus for Typhoon Lagoon and the AK bus for Blizzard beach but the bus stops will be very clearly marked so don't worry. They run about every 20 minutes.

#2, From MGM to Epcot you can either take a bus, walk or take the Friendship boats. The boat will go all the way to Epcot but will stop at the Swan/Dolphin, Boardwalk and then the Yacht club/Beach Club. You can get off and finish the walk at any time, we often get off at the Boardwalk and walk from there.

#3, Yes, the nemo ride at Epcot is open and in or families opinnion lots of fun.

#4, As far as EMH hours at each park you have to check the disneyworld website. Typically one park is open one hour early and another is open 3 hours late for WDW resort guests. I haven't looked at March but if you hop to the diseny website the EMH's are posted.

#5, Lastly - we always use WDW transportation and don't bother with a rental at all. If we were to rent I would probaly drive to some of the parks but not the MK. To park at the MK you have to use the TTC parking lot, take a tram to the TTC and then a boat or monorail to the MK. In that case the resort transporation is IMHO much easier as the resort bus drops you off at the MK directly.

HTH
TJ

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

There are buses for each park from your hotel.The buses are very clearly marked so don't worry. The boat between MGM & Epcot is at your left when leaving MGM. They are the Friendship boats...Friendship1, Friendship2 and so on.
Nemo is opened. I hope you have a great time!
I forget your other questions...lol

 

[Perditamarie]

Just wanted to add:

2. This is a leisurely wait in line and an even more leisurely boatride. Great for a relaxing ride, or if you are sick of wrangling strollers on buses. Don't do it to reach ADRs w/o scheduling a lot of time.

4. One of the TV channels at your resort will list the EMH schedules. The front desk should have this info as well.

5. Take a vacation from driving!

 

[simba928]

1. There are buses to each of the parks. Go to the main lobby, then out the front doors and I believe the stops will be to your right. Can't miss them.

2. Can't answer, sorry.

3. Same as 2.

4. Honestly, I don't like the UG. I got it for the laughs and I have certainly had a bunch of them while reading it. Birnbaum's is, IMHO, the best. If I were you, I would head to the book store and pick up Birnbaum's. But to answer your question, in the lobby (right at the check-in desks) you will see a holder with maps to each of the park. There should also be a times guide with the maps. This will tell you what time each of the parks open throughout the week. Once you get to the park, though, make sure you pick up a time guide for that park as that will give you the specific times of the parades, shows, character meets, etc.

5. We rent a car all the time, but never use it. We only use it to get to and from the airport. I would just use Disney transportation. The buses are much easier IMHO and in the middle of the day, the buses will be next to empty (I think last time we went, one of the buses in the middle of the day had us and 2 other people on it) and there will be no line waiting for the buses.

 

[Monkeyfeet]

Thank you all so much!!!

 

[Miss Jessr!ca]

I thank you ahead of time for your patience, because there will be a lot more to come before our March trip!!

1. We are staying at POP. When we take the bus to the parks, do we stop at each park? I am thinking that there is a bus assigned to each park.

2. When we go from MGM to Epcot, I was told there was a boat that we can catch...Friendly Tours or something. Where do we pick that up at MGM?

3. Is the new ride open at Epcot, I think it is a Nemo ride?

4. I just read in the UG that during peak times Ak will open 30-60 minutes early. We will be going to that park on March 13th and planned to be there 30 minutes early. Is there a way to find out once we are at our resort if it is opening earlier than that? It would really mess us up if it was already open when we got there.

5. We will be going to all four of the parks in the am during that week and then going back to the resort and out again in the late pm. In regards to saving time should we drive our car to any of the am destinations?

Thank you,
Kelly

i stayed at pop on my first trip ever to WDW i loved it.

1. each bus has an assigned park.

2. im not sure..ive never done it.

3. i dont know

4. just ask any cast member..they would know, and happily tell you.

5. NO! deff. take the busses. its sooo much easier, and quicker.
POP is RIGHT by MGM, and pretty close to AK, and Ep. but it is the furthest away from MK. but the busses are still way better.

 

[WEDWDW]

I think the information that AK sometimes opens 30-60 minutes early is very out-dated.I understand that years ago parts of some of the parks,such as Main Street in MK,would open to guests earlier than the rest of the park.That is no longer the case.Most of the time guests will be let into the parks up to a certain point 10-15 minutes earlier than park opening for a "rope drop"/"opening ceremony",but Guests are not allowed past this point until official park opening.However,Resort Guests can enter a park that is having an Extra Magic Hours Morning 1 hour before official opening and can stay in a park that is having an Extra Magic Hours Evening 3 hours after official closing.Pop Century is really nice.I stayed there in 2003 beginning the first Saturday it was open.Some of the neat things about Pop Century are that it has a lake and you can see Spaceship Earth,Tower of Terror,Swan and Dolphin and a lot of the fireworks from IllumiNations from certain parts of the Resort.Several rooms int the 1950s have the best views.HAVE FUN!Oh yeah,there is only one bus for Pop Century-it makes stops at all four Theme Parks,DTD,both Water Parks and all 22 WDW Resorts-as well as all WDW golf courses during daylight hours.JUST KIDDING!