Transport from OKW - timings?

[DLPDreams]

Now I have more of an idea about our ADRs (fingers crossed we get most things we'd like!). I am looking at transport options (day off today, so final planning!). First time for us, so just trying to get my head around where I need to be and when really! A daunting task!

I am using the OLP WDW guide - which is superb and does give an indication of how long buses etc take. However, most of the time it lists 20 or 21 mins, which is great, but everyone says give yourself an hour. Is this really necessary? Could I perhaps shave it down to 45 mins start to finish? I know this can depend on wait for buses etc....

The thing is, after early starts we plan to go back to OKW most afternoons and let the children have a sleep / swim / relax (hoping they'll nap so we can stay out in the evening later). But then it means getting up / showered etc and back out again for say a 19.30 ADR. Which means leaving at 18.30 (as per current advice), so getting showered etc at 17.30 ish (there are 6 of us and only 2 bathrooms!). By the time we've done that, I feel like we aren't going to get much down time as don't think, with travel, that we'll get back to OKW until around 15.00 most days!?

I'm so used to staying at the DLH at DLP where you practically fall out of bed into the park!

 

[chmurf]

the transportation time will be different depending on where you go

OKW to a park will be much shorter than OKW to another hotel. Because for most destinations, buses don't run between parks or between hotels.
Say you want to go from OKW to boardwalk or beach club, you'll need to take a bus from OKW to Hollywood Studios, and then walk or boat to the hotel for your ADR. (you could also go to EPCOT,enter the park, cross to the other side and exit at international gateway

long story short, it's a looooong way.

On the other hand, going to CR, Poly or GF will require to go to MK and then take a monorail to Poly or GF and/or walk to CR

Don't cut it too short. Try to arrive at the podium with 10 to 15 minutes before your ADR time, to check in, that way you're most likely to get your table on time, and, if you run late, this gives you a 15 minutes cushion to still make it on time

Disney will advise you to budget 1.5 hours before an ADR if you're going hotel to hotel or park to park. That's a worst case scenario, but some DISers here will tell you that they have spent that kind of time on buses, it doesn't happen often but it does happen (traffic, accident, detour, weather, breakdowns, whatever)

If you want to cut down on time, there is only way to go : taxi or car rental.
There is always an unknown factor when taking the bus.
You're never guaranteed to be able to board a bus at your hotel bus stop. OKW has several stops, so buses can fill pretty quick. If you are unlucky enough, you might need to wait for 2 buses before being able to board. Then you will spend 15 minutes going anywhere (actually riding) then you will need to transfer

For example, if you have an ADR at Tusker House in Animal Kingdom, you'll need to wait for the bus, go to Animal Kingdom, clear security, enter the park, and walk to the far end of the park (which is 2.5 times bigger than DLP) to get to the restaurant.
It can easily take guests 20 minutes from the bus stop to the restaurant. Plus 15 minutes ride, plus 20 minutes (average) wait for the bus at OKW, so you're looking at an average time of 55 minutes door to door. Bare minimum time for that itinerary is 35 minutes if you hop on the bus as soon as you get to the bus stop, and if it goes straight out of OKW (add another 15 minutes if the bus needs to loop around OKW first)

as far as I'm concerned, I always budget 1 hour before an ADR, and that's the time I plan for any bus transportation (that's why we use a car, especially with kids, bus transportation is a great thing, but it's really time consuming, and very uncomfortable after a day at the parks, and not that nice when you go back to the resort for afternoon breaks)

Don't be afraid to allow for a bit more time for transportation to get to an ADR
wether it's a park restaurant, or a hotel one, there will be plenty to do and see while you wait for your table.

 

[DLPDreams]

Thanks. I had realised that there are unforeseens to it all. But I guess it's just hard to get your head around how long it takes to get to places!! We will have a car for some of the trip and plan on using it for the Poly (Ohana dinner) and CR (Cali Grill) as I know it's a bit more of a pain to get to the resorts from OKW, rather than to a park where you can normally get a direct bus. All our other ADRs are mostly parks, one night we have an AKL one, but we will be at AK for the afternoon, so plan on getting bus straight from there anyway.

Actually chmurf - can I ask - re the Poly parking. Is it still a 3 hour permit do you know? We hope to get an ADR for about 20.00. So planning on getting there by 19.45 latest, but then hope to catch the EWP from there. We probably won't stay for Wishes as we will be seeing it plenty of times, but it looks like this is the only time (other than if we book the cruise) where we might see it. So, presuming we arrive 19.30 ish, we'd be good to park until after the EWP then head back 'home'? Is this correct - sorry to go go topic a bit!

Oh, and is it the same for CR (Cali Grill) too. Again, plan an ADR for 20.00 but hope to take in Wishes from the platform for that one, so will definitely be there until around 22.20 ish?

PS - I know you can drive to the TTC and then catch the monorail in, but in my eyes, it kind of defeats the object of having a car!!

 

[chmurf]

Actually chmurf - can I ask - re the Poly parking. Is it still a 3 hour permit do you know?
We hope to get an ADR for about 20.00. So planning on getting there by 19.45 latest, but then hope to catch the EWP from there. We probably won't stay for Wishes as we will be seeing it plenty of times, but it looks like this is the only time (other than if we book the cruise) where we might see it. So, presuming we arrive 19.30 ish, we'd be good to park until after the EWP then head back 'home'? Is this correct - sorry to go go topic a bit!

as long as you have an ADR you're good to park at any disney resort (some like beach club will have restrictions on some days when they host private parties)
there won't be any issue with parking at the poly (unless it's a special day like July 4th for example)
the only thing you're not supposed to do is stay parked there while you go to the park. But as long as you have business at the hotel, you're good to park there.

display your parking permit on the dashboard (the one you'll be delivered at OKW upon checkin)

Oh, and is it the same for CR (Cali Grill) too. Again, plan an ADR for 20.00 but hope to take in Wishes from the platform for that one, so will definitely be there until around 22.20 ish?

as long as you have your OKW parking permit on the dashboard, no questions will be asked. (onsiters have free parking at disney parks, so if they're parked at a hotel it's not to save on the parking fees, which implies they have business at the hotel. If you will.)

when you enter the parking lot at each hotel, you'll need to stop by the guard who will scan your magic band (or ask for ID) and they will direct you to the correct parking lot



Let's just talk about driving there, when driving from OKW to a MK hotel. (also valid for guests staying at POFQ and POR).
When you exit OKW you will turn left on "Disney Vacation Way", then get to a traffic light crossing "Bonnet Creek Parkway"
traffic signs will direct you to turn left to get to theme parks. DO NOT. Turn right on "Bonnet Creek Parkway", you'll drive past the entrances to POFQ and POR, then come to a traffic light crossing "Vista Boulevard". Turn left on "Vista Boulevard and you'll drive past the entrance of Fort Wilderness
the road will angle to the right on "World Drive". From there it's either straight ahead to CR, or a left turn on "Seven Seas Drive" to Poly and GF

this will save you going through Buena Vista Drive, and you'll bypass the Magic Kingdom Toll which can be busy at times.

try to make sense of this on google earth. It might save you some driving time. And it's a two lane road, instead of the multilane road on world drive. Nice drive and less traffic
(if you're going anywhere else than MK hotels, don't use that road, it's only a shortcut/backroad for MK hotels)

 

[DLPDreams]

Thank you so much - you are so helpful . I will make a note of the driving instructions on my plan/notes. DH will be driving - poor man as I'll be directing. We do have a sat nav but sounds like it may not take us the way you state above!

Both nights we are at the Poly & CR we won't be going in a park, so that makes that much easier re parking!

 

[bex7583]

we had major trouble using the sat nav to any of the parks !! the sat nav will take you to the theme park and not the actual car park !! we gave up on using sat nav onsite and just followed the signs on disney property when going to the parks

for our 2 ohana ressies we just too the resort bus to mk and then hoped on the monorail its a very short trip to polynesian from mk and we were dying to try the cocktails

 

[DLPDreams]

Thanks all - think it's sorted in my head now!

 

[Elise79]

Even Park ADRs I will allow an hour to an hour and half if going by bus from OKW.

TBH we going get the bus to dinner when going to Epcot and HDD as we can both have a drink then! HDD is nice and easy although a little time consuming but coming home its a direct bus

Any resorts other than CR we will drive as Disney transport is too time consuming but the CR is just like getting to MK - bus to MK and walk. Love staying at BLT as its like having our own bus depot

In general we use the car far more than buses from OKW however I do know my way round property very well so getting from A to B is easy - I dislike wasted time when I am on holiday and I consider waiting on buses wasted time

 

[micksn]

We stayed at Millers road so we were the last stop before Hospitality House and leaving the park - this helped with time. We found buses to parks without EMH fairly quiet in the morning. We would make sure we were at the bus stop for 8.00 am for park opening. Epcot buses take the least time. We were always in a good position for rope drop doing it that way.
We found 8.30 was early enough for water parks.
We tended to leave a park by 1.30/2pm so at the pool by 2.30 till about 5. Then we would have a rest/showers etc and leave for the evening by about 6.15/6.30 for a 7.00/7.30 ADR in a park.
If we were eating in a hotel we would make the reservation for 8.00 to allow more time. We used the boat (weather depending) for DTD. If we had to use the bus for DTD this was the most frustrtaing last year due to the building work down there; it's just round the corner from OKW and yet it took ages to get to.
We were lucky with our building (16) in that if we walked out and saw a bus we wanted heading for Millers road we could walk to HH and still catch it! You soon get used to the idea that the bus you want comes after the bus for all other parks (Not always)
One of the nice things about OKW is that the return bus after firework shows is not as busy as other resorts, you may still have to stand, but we never had to wait for a second bus.

It may take a little longer than DLP to get about, but you'll love the bus anouncements and everyone is usually very friendly.

 

[DLPDreams]

Even Park ADRs I will allow an hour to an hour and half if going by bus from OKW.

TBH we going get the bus to dinner when going to Epcot and HDD as we can both have a drink then! HDD is nice and easy although a little time consuming but coming home its a direct bus

Any resorts other than CR we will drive as Disney transport is too time consuming but the CR is just like getting to MK - bus to MK and walk. Love staying at BLT as its like having our own bus depot

In general we use the car far more than buses from OKW however I do know my way round property very well so getting from A to B is easy - I dislike wasted time when I am on holiday and I consider waiting on buses wasted time

You see, I don't think it will bother us much. It will be a novelty for us I'm sure. If we went as much as you, then perhaps yes, I could see it wearing thin! And we have a car for some of the time to break it up. I agree that getting to the resorts isn't much fun, but getting to some of the parks, by the time you park up (if you have a car) and get out and get to the park, you could have been there on the bus if you time it right - but of course, that doesn't always happen!

We stayed at Millers road so we were the last stop before Hospitality House and leaving the park - this helped with time. We found buses to parks without EMH fairly quiet in the morning. We would make sure we were at the bus stop for 8.00 am for park opening. Epcot buses take the least time. We were always in a good position for rope drop doing it that way.
We found 8.30 was early enough for water parks.
We tended to leave a park by 1.30/2pm so at the pool by 2.30 till about 5. Then we would have a rest/showers etc and leave for the evening by about 6.15/6.30 for a 7.00/7.30 ADR in a park.
If we were eating in a hotel we would make the reservation for 8.00 to allow more time. We used the boat (weather depending) for DTD. If we had to use the bus for DTD this was the most frustrtaing last year due to the building work down there; it's just round the corner from OKW and yet it took ages to get to.
We were lucky with our building (16) in that if we walked out and saw a bus we wanted heading for Millers road we could walk to HH and still catch it! You soon get used to the idea that the bus you want comes after the bus for all other parks (Not always)
One of the nice things about OKW is that the return bus after firework shows is not as busy as other resorts, you may still have to stand, but we never had to wait for a second bus.

It may take a little longer than DLP to get about, but you'll love the bus anouncements and everyone is usually very friendly.

Thanks for the timing ideas - I am sure we will love OKW!

 

[jothp]

I'm allowing 1 1/2 hours if I really want/need to be somewhere and an hour otherwise. I figure if we end up at our destination early then that is just bonus time.

 

[chmurf]

You see, I don't think it will bother us much. It will be a novelty for us I'm sure. If we went as much as you, then perhaps yes, I could see it wearing thin! And we have a car for some of the time to break it up. I agree that getting to the resorts isn't much fun, but getting to some of the parks, by the time you park up (if you have a car) and get out and get to the park, you could have been there on the bus if you time it right - but of course, that doesn't always happen!

MK is the only park where the bus can beat a car
This is due to the fact that buses drop you off at the park when you need to park at ttc and take a boat or monorail
Any other park and the car wins
There are trams getting you from your parking lot row to the parks gates
Forget about DLP and the long walk along the village to the long moving walkway and the through the parking lot

You exit the parks and you're directly inside the parking lotlot (except for mk)
You'll usually be on a tram and at your parking row before thebus finished loading if there are wheelchairs to load, even if he bus is right there when you get to the bus stopstop

Okw to anywhere on property is 15 minutes.
Even if you're parked at the very far end of the parking lot, with the trams you'll be at the gates in under 10 minutes
That's an average of 20 to 25 minutes door to door to anywheRe
This means that, on average, if you exit your room at the same time as the guest in the next unit and drive away while that guest goes to the bus stop, you'll be inside the park before that gust is halfway to the park (except for mk)

Bus transportation is efficîent and free. But it's time consuming
Nobody save time using the buses, you only save money and the trouble to drive
Also consider that with kids, getting back late from the parks can be a pain on buses. Strollers need to be folded, sleepy kids need to be carried as there is seldom a seat to sit down. A car lets you transfer them into the back seat, and then straight to bed (at okw you park directly at your unit)

Finally at okw the food court is so-so. Without indoor seating. So a car to riverside is a good way to get some very decent counter servi
I'm a big advocate for car rentals at wdw , it saves a lot of time especialy when you do afternoon breaks (with a kid we do afternoon breaks at our hotel, we estimated that the car saved us 90 minutes per day on aerag)e


Only place you shouod NEVER take a car or even a bus is downtown disney
Take the boat or walk(not after dark,the path is not lit)

 

[DLPDreams]

Thanks all. I have planned an hour, sometimes more!

 

[Elise79]

MK is the only park where the bus can beat a car
This is due to the fact that buses drop you off at the park when you need to park at ttc and take a boat or monorail
Any other park and the car wins
There are trams getting you from your parking lot row to the parks gates
Forget about DLP and the long walk along the village to the long moving walkway and the through the parking lot

You exit the parks and you're directly inside the parking lotlot (except for mk)
You'll usually be on a tram and at your parking row before thebus finished loading if there are wheelchairs to load, even if he bus is right there when you get to the bus stopstop

Okw to anywhere on property is 15 minutes.
Even if you're parked at the very far end of the parking lot, with the trams you'll be at the gates in under 10 minutes
That's an average of 20 to 25 minutes door to door to anywheRe
This means that, on average, if you exit your room at the same time as the guest in the next unit and drive away while that guest goes to the bus stop, you'll be inside the park before that gust is halfway to the park (except for mk)

Bus transportation is efficîent and free. But it's time consuming
Nobody save time using the buses, you only save money and the trouble to drive
Also consider that with kids, getting back late from the parks can be a pain on buses. Strollers need to be folded, sleepy kids need to be carried as there is seldom a seat to sit down. A car lets you transfer them into the back seat, and then straight to bed (at okw you park directly at your unit)

Finally at okw the food court is so-so. Without indoor seating. So a car to riverside is a good way to get some very decent counter servi
I'm a big advocate for car rentals at wdw , it saves a lot of time especialy when you do afternoon breaks (with a kid we do afternoon breaks at our hotel, we estimated that the car saved us 90 minutes per day on aerag)e


Only place you shouod NEVER take a car or even a bus is downtown disney
Take the boat or walk(not after dark,the path is not lit)

I agree with all of this!

We bus to MK, boat or bus to DTD but drive everywhere else from OKW.

I don't understand why when people spend thousands on a trip are happy to waste hours on the buses

 

[DLPDreams]

I agree with all of this!

We bus to MK, boat or bus to DTD but drive everywhere else from OKW.

I don't understand why when people spend thousands on a trip are happy to waste hours on the buses

To be fair, not everyone wants to do the same thing on holiday Elise - there are lots of people who stay onsite and don't hire a car at all. Some people stay onsite for that reason - they get DME to the resort, then just stay in the Disney bubble for the whole time. There isn't a wrong or right way to holiday in Orlando as there are so many variables. Some people like the freedom of not driving during the holiday (I have friends that do this as the DH drives a lot with work so wants time off) and I don't think they see taking the bus as wasting time - their kids see it as part of the 'adventure' and they've been about 4 times!

Although not big drinkers, we will want to sample drinks with the odd evening meal, so driving would be out for us then anyway. We won't drink and drive at all - even in the UK. Although I can see where you are coming from when you can get there quicker by car to some places! Resort to resort being a very good example - and hence why I am planning those meals for when we do have a car!

 

[chmurf]

The way I see it , it's a case of '' why take the stairs when you can take the elevator ?''

Some will prefer one option over the other
One is faster and that's a fact. This does not mean that the other is wrong

From experience guests who used to take the bus and then had a taste of driving around wdw have a hard time going back to using the busbus

You'll soon have a first hand experience of both options and know for a fact what suits your family best