take the boat?

[Minniekins]

1. Likely.
2. Maybe. Let's say 1:15PM.
3. Wait for bus, then 10 minutes on the road. (1:35PM)
4. Walk from bus to security, gate, walk to France: Figure 35 minutes. (2:10PM)
5. France to Int'l. Gateway, wait for boat, unload, load guests 20 minutes (2:30PM)
Boat trip 30 min. Disembark, walk to security at DHS. (3:05PM)
Go thru security, gate, walk to restaurant. 10 Min. (3:15PM)
6. Could go either way.
You can be late for your ADR. (Most guests are.) If you're within 20, or so, minutes you should be OK.
7. You could, but it doesn't necessarily save much time.
If you pick up 10-20 minutes in this venture, it's still tight.
8. I would.
9. See above.
10. You will be checking your watch throughout, for sure.
11. Always does.

You can make your determination based on just how early you can get to the bus stop
ready to go to the parks.

Yep, Robo, you are so right - it all hinges on how early we can get to the bus stop and get going! But, there's one more thing that isn't accounted for in your timing out of things(And, thank you for that, very helpful seeing it all written out in time!). We wanted to stop at the GS inside Epcot to upgrade our tickets to AP's and get the TIW card before we buy the drinks and then our late lunch. Thinking that'll probably put the kibosh on the whole thing right there, as that would probably take about a half hour, unless we had to wait in a long line or have any trouble with the CM knowing how to do it right. Hmmm, well, I guess we shall see that day, DD24 won't mind skipping it if things are so close. Oh, and I meant to mention I'd have an ecv I'm renting as I'm a few weeks short of a knee replacement after our trip, so that may make the bus take longer. I guess we are just better off skipping all this, was just hoping to help DD24 get a little taste of Epcot since she loves it so much. I guess we could maybe go back to Pop thru Epcot, but I'm hoping to get back to Pop relatively early, like maybe 8 pm(way earlier than we ever go back - we always close the parks!), grabbing something for the room on the way thru the food court to our room. That probably won't work either. Oh well, thanks, Robo, for helping me get this all sorted out, I really appreciate it!

 

[Robo]

Yep, Robo, you are so right - it all hinges on how early we can get to the bus stop and get going! But, there's one more thing that isn't accounted for in your timing out of things(And, thank you for that, very helpful seeing it all written out in time!). We wanted to stop at the GS inside Epcot to upgrade our tickets to AP's and get the TIW card before we buy the drinks and then our late lunch. Thinking that'll probably put the kibosh on the whole thing right there, as that would probably take about a half hour, unless we had to wait in a long line or have any trouble with the CM knowing how to do it right. Hmmm, well, I guess we shall see that day, DD24 won't mind skipping it if things are so close. Oh, and I meant to mention I'd have an ecv I'm renting as I'm a few weeks short of a knee replacement after our trip, so that may make the bus take longer. I guess we are just better off skipping all this, was just hoping to help DD24 get a little taste of Epcot since she loves it so much. I guess we could maybe go back to Pop thru Epcot, but I'm hoping to get back to Pop relatively early, like maybe 8 pm(way earlier than we ever go back - we always close the parks!), grabbing something for the room on the way thru the food court to our room. That probably won't work either. Oh well, thanks, Robo, for helping me get this all sorted out, I really appreciate it!

I agree with your assessment with the additional wrinkles.
Yup. The bus loading/unloading with the ECV will be a deal-breaker for close timing.
No need to try to rush things.

I wanted to say congrats on the pending knee replacement.
I have several family members and friends that have had the replacements and
they are so much happier now that they can walk again... without pain!
(Do the therapy… you'll be 100% in no time!)

But first, have a great WDW trip!

 

[Minniekins]

I agree with your assessment with the additional wrinkles.
Yup. The bus loading/unloading with the ECV will be a deal-breaker for close timing.
No need to try to rush things.

I wanted to say congrats on the pending knee replacement.
I have several family members and friends that have had the replacements and
they are so much happier now that they can walk again... without pain!
(Do the therapy… you'll be 100% in no time!)

But first, have a great WDW trip!

Yep, I guess that plan going thru EP is not going to work. We'll just take our time and enjoy the day at Dhs and get back to the room at a good hour. Gonna be hard enough trying to get to sleep early, without stressing about not getting places on time or being able to get back to the room at an early hour. Thanks for the help figuring it, that was definitely helpful!

Aw, thanks, Robo, that's so nice of you! I appreciate the good thoughts, I need them! Actually, I'm scared to death and not at the point where I'm thinking how happy I'll be yet, lol. And, then, once I get it all done and my one knee is not bone on bone anymore, I get to go back in someday and do it all again on the other knee! Ai yi yi, lol!
Thanks again!

 

[Fabfive5]

My family of 7 just went through this scenario 3 weeks ago. Headed from Epcot to HS. The boat was waiting at the dock so we decided to board. It seemed to take forever. Waiting for others to board, the captain going through checks, etc. The first stop was Boardwalk, at which the captain announced we would be at HS in approx 30 mins. I looked at my husband and said "no way". I thought for sure the walk would be quicker. With 5 kids (ages 9-16mos) and a stroller, we very briskly walked. The path is nice and quiet, but not shaded. In the summer it might be quite hot. We made it to HS at the exact same time as the boat. Time wise, exactly the same. Relaxation and ease, take the boat!

 

[pampam]

(Especially if you cut by the scary clown)

I'm hoping robo can show us where this clown is, so we know which way to go.

 

[bucky1023]

I find the boat to be much slower (or maybe my group just walks fast), but during the middle of the day in the hot summer months it can be very hot since there isn't much shade along the walk.

If going from HS to Epcot you will make stops at Swan/Dolphin, Yacht/Beach and Boardwalk... and at Swan/Dolphin there is only one dock so if there is a boat going in the opposite direction (Epcot to HS) than your boat will have to wait until that boat is filled and moves away.

 

[DVCcurious]

The boat is very slow. The one time we took the boat we got to the dock and there was no boat so we had to wait for one to show up. Then the boat sat at the dock for a long time, probably 20 minutes but it felt like 40. Once the boat was jam-packed with people they finally left the dock.

We would have been better off walking and we've decided we will walk from now on. Sure you can sit on the boat and give your legs a rest, but I get a little edgy with all the waiting around on a WDW vacation so when I can control my own destiny and walk and be moving I feel better.

Oh, the boat won't let you keep your child in a stroller. Even though you roll your strollers on and you don't fold them up they still won't let a child stay in the stroller for safety reasons. My 2 year old was asleep so I had to take him out of the stroller and hold him the entire trip (I know, not the end of the world but it is something to consider). If you have a sleeping child avoid the boat at all costs.

 

[mullysisters]

I consider all of the boat trips as rides!! I especially love the MK to FWC trip. Once we had to go to the center of the lake and wait out a lighting storm (our own personal fireworks) Two trips ago three of us took the last boat from FWC to MK because of extreme cold and wind (Feb 2013) It was snowing. I resisted the temptation to say "Captain-iceberg ahead!" Great fun. I always take the DHS to Epcot boat, so relaxing. It can't always be about rushing around at Disney. To be on an open boat on a lake- that's magic to me.

 

[Hopefully]

I wouldn't try it. Nothing but a stress producer

 

[slaveone]

I usually take the boat to yacht and beach and walk from there. It skips the terrifying clown part of the walk and gives you way more shade in summer.

 

[subtchr]

We like the walk. Takes us 10-15 minutes at a leisurely pace

Wow, remind me to never walk with you -- your "leisurely pace" would be a fast jog for me! It's almost a mile and a quarter, even cutting through the Boardwalk pool area.

For most people, it would be 20-30 minutes. Still a nice walk, and I do it often, especially if I want to stop at the Boardwalk Bakery for a bite.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

We did the walk to/from the YC to DHS about half a dozen times last summer and tried the boat once. Walking is preferable for us. I like having control over my own schedule, not being crammed into a boat, and not endlessly waiting. Our one boat ride was load, stuffy, and just generally not any fun.

 

[CarolynFH]

On another thread I was told those boats don't have any a/c or windows that open. I have no personal knowledge and I don't know if that would sway you, but stuffy air always sways me.

We ride the boat frequently. There IS A/C; the windows used to open but don't anymore. When it's very crowded e.g. near closing time it can get a little stuffy, especially if it's been raining, but most of the time it's just fine inside the boat.