Some questions on shuttle service and hotels.

[tmaxx]

Hi,

We are planning to travel to Disney during labor day week. We are signed up for a youth education program and have a class at 7:15am on Friday.
I would like to stay in a hotel near Disney and take a shuttle to Disney so I don't have to drive. I need a hotel that offers shuttle service which would get us to Epcot by 7:15am. Any suggestions on a good hotel for under $75 a night?
It seems like the hotel shuttles typically only drop off at one Disney park (i.e. Epcot). If I don't have a park hopper pass and I want to go to the Disney World park for the day, but the shuttle drops me off at Epcot, can I take the tram over to the Disney World park? Does the tram require you have a park hopper pass? Also, I am not sure if walking is an option?
Also, if I need to be at Epcot for a 7:15am class, do the shuttles drop off that early?

Sorry, it's been about 20 years since I've been to Disney!

 

[Brian Noble]

You will need to stay on Disney property to even have a chance of a shuttle that will arrive at Epcot by 7:15. And, even then, you may need to make alternative arrangements---either drive, or take a cab.

More generally, if you don't want to drive to the parks, I recommend you stay at a Disney resort. Non-Disney resorts more or less require a car. You might be able to get a Value room for <=$75 a night during Labor Day week once promotions are offered.

You do not need a hopper option to use any Disney transportation. The only two parks you can walk between are Epcot (the International Gateway entrance) and Studios---and that's not a super short walk. Otherwise, the place is simply huge; do not underestimate the time it takes to get from here to there.

 

[tmaxx]

You will need to stay on Disney property to even have a chance of a shuttle that will arrive at Epcot by 7:15. And, even then, you may need to make alternative arrangements---either drive, or take a cab.

More generally, if you don't want to drive to the parks, I recommend you stay at a Disney resort. Non-Disney resorts more or less require a car. You might be able to get a Value room for <=$75 a night during Labor Day week once promotions are offered.

You do not need a hopper option to use any Disney transportation. The only two parks you can walk between are Epcot (the International Gateway entrance) and Studios---and that's not a super short walk. Otherwise, the place is simply huge; do not underestimate the time it takes to get from here to there.

Could you help me to understand why a car is necessary? Although I will have my car available, we only plan to visit one park per day and I figured a shuttle to the park would be fine.

 

[Kae]

Could you help me to understand why a car is necessary? Although I will have my car available, we only plan to visit one park per day and I figured a shuttle to the park would be fine.

Epcot opens at 9 normally so most hotel shuttles will not be running early enough to get you to Epcot by 7:15. If you have a car to get Epcot that early I would drive.

Kae

 

[Brian Noble]

Could you help me to understand why a car is necessary? Although I will have my car available, we only plan to visit one park per day and I figured a shuttle to the park would be fine.

Depends on what you mean by "necessary". It's not *impossible* to get there without your own car provided the hotel has some sort of shuttle. But it is bound to be terribly *inconvenient*. At some point, you have to decide whether your time and sanity is worth something on vacation---for most people, the answer is "yes".

First, there won't be an offsite hotel anywhere that runs a shuttle to Epcot at 7:15 in the morning. That's nearly two full hours before the park opens, and most days literally no one would ever want to be on it. So, it won't exist.

More generally, though, non-Disney hotels (if they have a shuttle at all) have scheduled, shared shuttle service. In other words, there might be a handful of departures *to* the parks each morning, and a handful of returns *from* the parks each evening. You might stop at several hotels before heading to the parks. You might stop at another park or two before getting to the one you want to arrive at. Often, the first shuttle might not get you to the park in time for rope drop. Likewise, the last shuttle may leave before the evening has ended. If your plans for the day don't line up with the shuttle schedule, (like the YES program) then you have to figure out how to do it yourself. There are some places that have more frequent shuttle schedules than others, but still---it will not be as convenient as a Disney resort, and nowhere near as convenient as having your own car, onsite or off.

I totally understand the desire not to rent a car, or pay for parking, etc. And, a lot of people aren't super comfortable driving in an unfamiliar place. But, almost everyone who has ever tried staying offsite without driving to the parks, and has shared their experiences here, has regretted it. Conventional wisdom is that you have two options: stay with Disney, or drive yourself.

 

[crazelion]

You need a car be at the parks that early for the Yes program. I stayed at All - Star sports resort with my son boys troop and did the 7:15 a.m. Yes Program. We up at the crack at WDW bus stop at 6:00 a.m. and that was onsite. Once did the class we all came back and crash.

I would drive. It no way in the world I would trust offsite transportation with the Yes program class.

Get a GPS system if afraid get lost. If have internet on phone use Google maps get directions. Or print off maps from the internet. It is easy drive if stay on the main roads.

 

[tmaxx]

We are going to be at Disney for 4 days. Only on one day will we have to be at the park early for the YES program. I wouldn't have to rent a car since I we are driving down to Orlando from Indiana. So if I drive, I've got the following questions:
1. Is there a big traffic jam in the morning when trying to get into the park?
2. How much does daily parking cost?
3. We were thinking about leaving the park each day for lunch. If we leave the park, do we have to pay again to re-enter when we get back from lunch? I assume there are lunch places outside the park which are fairly close.

Thanks for the help.
-Tim

 

[Brian Noble]

1: No. There is a wave of folks getting to the parks before they open, but the bulk of arrivals come about an hour to three hours after opening.

2: $14. That gives you come-and-go privileges at any WDW parking lot for the day.

3: Nope---pay only once per day. However, "Disney" is about 47 square miles, or roughly the size of the City of San Francisco. Nothing that isn't owned by Disney is "fairly close" to any theme park, so it is not at all convenient to just duck out for lunch and come back. You can, but honestly I'd rather just eat a quick service meal in the parks.

 

[BrerMama]

The parks are also miles apart. There's not a "tram" that takes you between them, but monorails and buses are the main way to get between them.

You won't have any problem with traffic getting to Epcot at 7:15 am. You'll probably be the only ones in the lot.

Agree with Brian -- if you're not planning to go back to your motel for a rest/pool break and combining it with lunch, it's not worth your time and energy to leave just to get a cheaper lunch outside the world. Yes, eating at the parks is more expensive, but if you're leaving the Magic Kingdom (what I think you're calling Disney World) you're looking at 20 minutes just to get from the park to your car. By the time you add in driving and dining time, you've used well over an hour of your park time.

This is a great place to get information, especially about being off site. If you've got a car, plan to use it. It will save you time and frustration.