Taking Disney bus from AK/AKL to POP after 10:30 PM?

[SmileyJoyz]

DH and I were planning to visit AK on a day they have EMH (ends at 9 PM) and then going to Jiko for dinner at AKL for a 9:30 PM res. We're staying at Pop Century though and now I'm wondering if we are going to end up stranded at Jiko by doing this? Will there be any way for us to take Disney transportation back to our hotel room, assuming that we finish with dinner around 10:30 PM????

 

[disney david]

DH and I were planning to visit AK on a day they have EMH (ends at 9 PM) and then going to Jiko for dinner at AKL for a 9:30 PM res. We're staying at Pop Century though and now I'm wondering if we are going to end up stranded at Jiko by doing this? Will there be any way for us to take Disney transportation back to our hotel room, assuming that we finish with dinner around 10:30 PM????

try and find out what time mk stays open because buse stop runing 2 hour after a park closes so if mk close let say at 10 you will have to midnight to get mk to get a bus pop. or to epcot before 11. when it that late ask the first bus that pulls up if they can bring you to the pop if they are empty they will call dispatch to get permision. what ever park bus comes first you can get on ask tell te driver where you need to get to and if there be enough time to make it to the park and transfer to the pop bus. being that ak ehm ends at 9 so that mean buses will stop at 11 so there might be time if you get to the bus stop and the bus to ak there before 11 then when you get to ak and there no bus to pop go to what ever empty bus you find tell them where you need to go then they have to take you they just have to let dispatch know and get permision.


there always the dtd bus that runs to 2 am but to take a dtd bus then transfer you better off trying to get the epcot bus to make a detour and stop to let you out at pop.


have fun at diner and if you get stuck boma start serving breakfast around 7 so you be the first one there. dont wory disney wont let you get stuck you will make it back to pop.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I wouldn't advise trying to board an Epcot-bound bus at any resort around 10:30on a night when a different park has Extra Magic Hours. Epcot will have closed at 9 and there won't be such a bus. Yes, if Magic Kingdom is open that would be the OP's best option. Another would be a taxi - more expensive than the buses, but much faster than the last-ditch option of transferring at Downtown Disney.

 

[SmileyJoyz]

So wait, will the buses for AK stop running one or two hours after the park closes? Because if it's 2 hours (roughly 11 PM), then I don't see us having a problem. We would definitely be finished with dinner by then.

 

[joelkfla]

So wait, will the buses for AK stop running one or two hours after the park closes? Because if it's 2 hours (roughly 11 PM), then I don't see us having a problem. We would definitely be finished with dinner by then.

The buses run until the last guests have left AK and Rainforest Cafe, but after a certain point, service is only as needed. And drivers are instructed not to bring guests to the park after the park is closed, unless they're retrieving their car from the parking lot. Transfers are supposed to be directed to DTD.

 

[gigi1313]

op, you need to look at a map of the entire property... even if mk were still open, it would be a very long trip from akl to mk and then wait for a bus from mk to pop... at least an hour, more likely 1.5 hours... not a way you want to end an evening after a delightful dinner at jiko...

akl and pop are not that far apart... my guess is that it would likely be a $10-15 cab ride (and maybe only 15 minutes)... the akl will have cabs waiting out front or the valet could call one for you...

while i agree that "disney won't leave you stranded" they most likely will not send a bus (or van) special for you after dinner... that "disney won't leave you stranded" sentiment is directed toward park guests leaving after even the stragglers have straggled out... disney is *not* responsible for your transport from dinner at one resort back to your own resort... sorry!

 

[MAYNARDS99]

Relax and take a taxi!

Fare should be about $13.20 plus tip.

It's about 4.4 miles from Animal Kingdom Lodge to POP.

Your dinner will take more than one hour...

 

[seashoreCM]

Take any bus out of Animal Kingdom Lodge. Most likely all the buses will be Downtown Disney buses, but if there is a bus going anyplace else (i.e. a theme park) then that park is still in the process of closing and there are more buses going to other resorts from there.

 

[joelkfla]

while i agree that "disney won't leave you stranded" they most likely will not send a bus (or van) special for you after dinner... that "disney won't leave you stranded" sentiment is directed toward park guests leaving after even the stragglers have straggled out... disney is *not* responsible for your transport from dinner at one resort back to your own resort... sorry!

Actually, I believe that is specifically the reason that DTD is the officially recommended transfer point -- because it has late-night service every night to get resort guests home after dinner. We all know that a theme park is a better option when it's open late, but DTD is "old reliable."

 

[gigi1313]

Actually, I believe that is specifically the reason that DTD is the officially recommended transfer point -- because it has late-night service every night to get resort guests home after dinner. We all know that a theme park is a better option when it's open late, but DTD is "old reliable."

oh, i agree, but again, coming from AKL to Pop, who wants to pass Pop to go to DTD to wait for a bus (and my experience is the bus service at DTD stinks! longest waits anywhere!) to go back in the other direction... it could easily be an hour to two hours of traveling and waiting before you get back to your room... hence, the repeated taxi suggestion... quick, direct, reasonably priced!

 

[Alesia]

I would take a taxi.

 

[cranbiz]

If you are the only one on the bus to DTD the driver MAY be able to drop you off at POP, ask nicely.

You cannot board a bus to a theme park that is closed, the driver is not allowed to pick you up. After 10:30pm, DTD is your best option (unless a park has EMH that ends at 11pm or later)

 

[SmileyJoyz]

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful responses. We didn't expect Disney to just magically take us wherever we needed to be, which is why I wanted to know our options ahead of time. We've always stayed offsite and have never used Disney's transportation before.

And I guess we won't be now, either.

As it turns out, we'll now have a car rental for the entire trip, so my question is now moot. We were going to wait until the following day to pick up a car from an offsite location, but prices from the airport have now dropped considerably, so we'll just drive ourselves everywhere.