Staying off-site - Transportation time??

[luvmygirls]

We are staying off-site in October, never been to Florida, let alone the Disney area. My ? is, how much travel time should we allow to/fro WDW?? Our rental home claims to be "5" miles from WDW, (near Splendid China shopping Center if anyone knows where that is) If a park opens at 9 a.m., should we allow 1 hour early by the time we actually get to the gates, park, etc?? Also, if I'm understanding this correct, we will park our car & then have to get on either a ferry or monorail to actually get to the turnstiles to enter the park? How much time do I allow for that, it says one is a 7 minute ride & one is a 5 minute ride? I'm planning to hit the parks on days they do not have EMH, so we will be arriving just like everyone else who wants to be there 1st thing in the morning.

TIA, I've been reading these boards & reading some travel guides & beginning to panic over transportation issues/crowd issues, I'm just hoping it will be about the magic when I get there, and I can forget all of the stress and effort I'm putting into planning this for my entire family!

Shelly

 

[CarolA]

I found that at hotels it normally takes me about half an hour.
Only for the MK do you have to park and take the tram to the monorial or the boat. At the others you can park and take the tram to the front gate or even walk if you get a close spot. (I always walk)

 

[ducklite]

It depends on which resort you are going to. You could be in Animal Kingdom in under fiffteen minutes if you take Sherberth in and there's no lines, but I'd plan on at least an hour for teh MK.

Anne

 

[luvmygirls]

Yeah for the distance to AK ARGH for the distance to MK!! Your serious, I should plan 1 hour??? I live in a "small town" and to get to the largest city takes me just under an hour, I have to plan 1 hour to go 5-7 miles ?? Guess I better be whistlen' zippidee doo da all the way to the MK!

Shelly

 

[ducklite]

You do'nt just drive up to the front gates of the MK and park and enter. You have to get onto World Drive, and with traffic on 192 that can be a feat unto itself.

Once you're on World Drive it's about a 10 minute drive to the toll barrier.

Then you drive obeying the speed limit because they are using radar and lots of it these days to the toll barrier. Depending on the time of day and dayof week, you could wait up to 15 minutes to clear that. 3-5 is more normal.

Then you drive into the TTC lot. Park and walk or take the tram to the monorail or ferrey. You wait in line to board (can take up to 15 minutes or more) and proceed to the MK. At taht point you wait in line to clear security (0-10 minutes) and then get in line to go through the gates (0-10) minutes.

Anne

 

[luvmygirls]

Wow, thanks Anne, you sound like your speaking frm much experience Me on the other hand, never been so I have no clue what I'm in for BTW, your new home is gorgeous, congratulations!!

Shelly