Transportation at FW

[Bunch24]

We'll be making our first trip to FW this December and I'm already starting to worry about the transportation horror stories I'm hearing.

First, some info to help better understand our situation. I'll be traveling with my wife, two-year old son, my brother and my two parents. We're driving overnight (about 12 hour drive) from Louisiana and plan on arriving on property around 8 a.m. (then head to a park).

Anyway, is the transportation as bad as they say in FW? Will we spend hours at a time waiting for buses, just to get to a park? How long should we expect to wait for a bus just to get to a depot? Should we consider renting a golf cart and driving to the depot and saving a little time?

Just about every post I've read says to drive to all the parks except MK, but after driving 12 hours, I kind of wanted to just relax and let the Disney transportation take over.

When wife and I went to DW for our honeymoon, we stayed at Carribbean and really enjoyed the transportation. It's just nice to be able to sit back, relax and not have to worry about driving.

We're really looking forward to our stay in FW. Any advice or encouragement that it's not as bad as we're reading would be nice.

For the FW veterans, how bad is the transportation. If you were in our situation, what would you do?

Thanks in advance.

 

[goofytime2000]

It will take you longer to get from your campsite to a theme park, mainly because you are really dealing with 2 different transportation systems; the FW internal bus system, and the WDW transport system. While yes it longer, it is by no means what I would call "bad". I think I've only waited more than about 10 mintues for any bus at WDW, and that was at Pleasure Island at 12:30am. I can't remember how long the bus rides are from FW to the parks, but I don't think they are that bad (20 min or less). I know some people on here are all about getting to the parks as quickly as possible, whether that means WDW bus, boat, monorail, or driving. I personally agree with you. Once I'm in world I'd just assume and let Disney do all of the driving. I ALWAYS use Disney Transport. Helps add to the magic, imo.

Some tips to consider:
*Take the boat to MK. It is much faster to do that, plus can be a lot of fun!
*If you are eating breakfast at Pioneer Hall, leave from there for the parks. Pioneer Hall is main "hub" for FW, with buses leaving for the parks from there.
*If you have a golf cart, see if you can park it somewhere near the park bus stop. I have no real clue if you can actually do that or not, but something that is at the very least worth looking into.

 

[TurnR@TheMouseHouse]

From the time you leave your campsite, take the FW bus to the main depot and then the bus to the parks can take up to 30 to 45 min. But so what! It's a great experience and part of the magic. Most often you are in the park in 30 minutes. You also have the boat to the MK or the Contemporary to hop on the monorail.

I think your plan to just sit back and relax and enjoy the magic Is your best approach. I have found the longest waits for buses are when the parks close. The longest ride from FW is the AK.

Personally, once I'm on Disney property I would never dream of driving myself anywhere. I want the whole disney experience.

The stories you hear about hour waits or more are the exceptions not the rule.

It sounds like you will have the option of driving if Disney transportation is not to your liking. Check it out! You might be pleasantly surprised!

 

[elastigirlfan]

Hi. We have never had a problem with the transportation. Never waited more than 10 min for a bus. They have an amazing internal system. We usually take the boat over to MK (our girls love it). You could also take the boat over and then catch the monorail to Epcot. So, don't worry about any of those horror stories you heard about - you will love not having to worry about driving and parking while you are there. Park your camper and let Disney do it for you.

Alyssa

 

[Mac and Us]

We just got back from FW. We have a DD3.5. We were there for 13 nights. We reserved a car for 10 of those only because we wanted to be able to go off site if needed (groceries, Seaworld, shopping, etc.).

We were without a car the beginning of our trip (Sunday and Monday) and did just fine with the transportation system. FW internal buses are pretty much on time. Once I waited almost 20 mins but I don't think that is the norm. We had a campsite next bus stop so we knew they ran frequently.

For the MK and Epcot take the internal FW buses to the marina. Take the boat to MK. Then hop the monorail if you want to go to Epcot. You'll have to switch monorails at the ticket and transportation center but it's no big deal. Plan on 30 maybe 40 minutes to get to Epcot if you are going in the morning.

We did decide to take the buses back from the MK to FW once. There is no direct bus to FW. You catch the bus at MK then get off at Wilderness Lodge, catch another bus to the Settlement near the marina and then another bus to your site area. The bus from MK to WL took what seemed like forever. We must have just missed the last bus and had to wait for the next one. Then at WL we had to wait again. We must have been 45 min to an hour trying to get back to our site. It was in the evening.

We too had a long drive as we live in NH. After a few days we got the hang of the bus system and could have easily used it for everything. We ended up using the car most of the time because we had 5 PS and didn't want to miss them.

We drove to Animal Kingdom and MGM Studios only because we had the car and were lazy.

We're headed back down in December and have a car reserved again. I'm not sure which will work best during the busy season. We'll either be standing in line waiting to get on crowded buses or waiting in traffic.

The good news is that FW is very close to everything and you have the choice of boat or bus.

hope this helps

 

[TurnR@TheMouseHouse]

Mac and Us,

Your comment about having to take another bus from WL to FW surprises me.

I am wondering if this is new policy. We never got off the bus at WL. Just let the WL guests get off and we were on our way to FW. We also took the bus from the Parks to FW. Sometimes stopping at WL and sometimes not stopping.

I guess Disney does whatever is needed at the time to get everyone where they need to be.

 

[Carrie Ellis]

Bunch 24,

We stayed at FW last September for 12 nights and never used our vehicle. My husband commutes over 3 hours RT to DC everyday so I think he really enjoyed not driving. We just sat and enjoyed the ride to the parks! I thought toward the end of our trip "gee I hope I still know how to drive!" ha!

The boat to MK is great!!!!!!!!!

Kids loved all of it. I can not complain!

 

[blestmom]

Same here...I drive my kids back and forth to so many things, that it is pure joy to sit back and let someone else do the driving. And I agree with the other poster that the whole "getting there" thing IS part of the magic. We were there last February, and the first two weeks of December. I was there with 5 kids and no car, and we loved it. I can't say how it would be at a real busy time, though, like right over the Christmas holiday when crowds are larger. Maybe someone else has experience with that.

 

[Bunch24]

I reallly appreciate all the encouragement and the advice. Part of the reason we've picked FW is we want it to be a relaxing vacation. So, a little wait at the bus stop won't be all that bad, as long as it's not 35 minutes like I've heard some people say.

I think a lot of the horror stories were a couple of years old, also, and I think the transportation has certainly improved.

I'm pretty sure being prepared is also another big factor. For our honeymoon, we gave ourselves at least 30 minutes to get to the park. A lot of people probably use those 30 minutes to sleep in and as a result end up having to wait a while for a bus. That's probably where other horror stories come from.

It sounds like we're going to kee the car parked for the duration. The only other question I have is the golf cart. We plan on doing some "spur of the moment" things at FW, such as going to the petting farm, renting water mice, paddle boats, etc. Do the internal buses run pretty much all day, or just as park opening and closing times? Are they pretty regular throughout the day?

We're just trying to plan for that expense, if it's something that we'll need. I've been told that if we just request a spot near a bus spot, we won't need the cart at all, so I don't know.

Again, thanks for all the input.

 

[TurnR@TheMouseHouse]

I have not stayed at the cabins, just the campsites. But I will say, IMO, I don't think anyone "Needs" a golf cart at FW, they are just cool if you have one. There is no waiting for anyone to get around FW, but you don't need one. The internal buses do a good job of getting people around FW.

From you previous trip list it looks like this is your little ones "first time". How cool is that!

 

[kakiegirl]

This will be our first time at Fort Wilderness so I don't know about the internal transporatation. However, our last disney trip we stayed off site and just my own preference is we will not be driving to the parks. I would much rather the bus drop us off close to the gate than to drive my car, have to stand in line to wait for a tram, battle with rude pushy people to get on the tram, then when you go back to your car you are exhausted, have to deal with the rude pushy people again to get on the tram again, still possibly have a good litttle walk to your car after getting of the tram, get back to your hot hot car and get in it to go back to your resort. I would much rather wait a few minutes and get on a air conditioned bus. (Only problem is sometimes you still have to deal with rude pushy people who are determined to get on the bus before you even though they just walked up.)

 

[Bunch24]

I have not stayed at the cabins, just the campsites. But I will say, IMO, I don't think anyone "Needs" a golf cart at FW, they are just cool if you have one. There is no waiting for anyone to get around FW, but you don't need one. The internal buses do a good job of getting people around FW.

From you previous trip list it looks like this is your little ones "first time". How cool is that!

Yeah, this is our little boy's first trip to Disney. He was just a "twinkle in his daddy's eye" when we went for our honeymoon in 2002. And to think, I was opposed to Disney, but gave into the wife, because I wanted her to be happy. Made that one trip to Disney and now I'm a certified Disney freak. Not a month goes by that I don't pick up my Birnbaum's or check out the WDW website.

This is going to be quite a special vacation. As I said, it's our little boy's first Disney trip ever. And at the same time, it's going to be my brother (my little boy's godfather) and my parents (his grammy and grampy) first trip also. So, it's going to be very special to experience our little boy's first Disney trip, as well as seeing his grandparents there with him.

We're trying to get him ready for Disney. Right now, he recognizes Mickey, Minnie, Nemo, Buzz Lightyear and Sully. I really hope his experiences with the characters go well. He does fine with Santa and the Easter Bunny, so we're very optimistic.

Man, I can't wait. I told my wife last night, I wish we could TiVo our life, and then just fast forward to December. LOL

 

[goofytime2000]

The FW internal bus system does a really good job. I'm not sure exactly how long they run, but it always seemed they were always running. I don't think the internal system was totally on par with the rest of the WDW transport, but it was still very good. Once agian I can't really remember waiting more than about 10 mins for a bus, normally not more than 5. I agree with whoever said it earlier, you don't need a golf cart. I've never used one at FW. Yes they do make things nice if you're spending large amounts of time in the campground, but not necessary. I'm sure you'll enjoy your trip! I totally love FW!!

 

[Carrie Ellis]

Wow Bunch 24, I am excited to see ya'll go now!

Take it slow with the little guy and relax! It will be so much fun! Remember that you can always come back to see the things you might miss and new stuff! Actually it is kind of fun to leave some stuff for next time because it gives you a drive to start planning the next trip!

Have you thought about getting him a haircut at MK?

 

[Bunch24]

Wow Bunch 24, I am excited to see ya'll go now!

Take it slow with the little guy and relax! It will be so much fun! Remember that you can always come back to see the things you might miss and new stuff! Actually it is kind of fun to leave some stuff for next time because it gives you a drive to start planning the next trip!

Have you thought about getting him a haircut at MK?

Yeah, I'm really excited about the trip. Everything I look at, I always say "Well, how will Kaleb react to that?" I want this to be sooooo magical for him, as well as his grandparents (it's their first trip also).

Unfortunately, he's already had his first haircut, but we still may get his hair cut while we're there just for the experience.

He loves parades (of course, what do you expect in Mardi Gras and festival country), so I reallly can't wait until all the parades roll through the parks.

And we're just pumped for the MVMCP. SNOW????? (even if it's fake, LOL) We don't know what that looks like here.

 

[Mac and Us]

Bunch24

Like I said earlier we just got back from FW last week. It was our daughter's (3.5) first time. It was magical. We captured a lot of surprised looks from our daughter on camera. One of my favorites is the first day when we took the boat over to the MK and our daughter got her first glipse of the castle. I was ready with camera in hand because I knew she would be surprised. The only thing she didn't like was the fireworks. She loved the parades, shows, rides and especially the character meet and greets. Your son will love it. Just follow his queues and rest when he needs it. We saw a lot of little kids having meltdowns in the afternoon. It was sad.

We have camped for over 20 years and FW is the best. You will love it. We rode our bikes a lot. As for the golf cart. We decided not to rent one. We like to ride our bikes and thought of the bike ride as exercise to work off the Mickey bars!

The cabins look nice as well. If we didn't have a motorhome we would choose the cabins just because they give you more room and privacy than a room. Just my opinion.

TurnR@TheMouseHouse--
I mentioned in my prior post that we had to get off the bus at WL and catch another bus to FW. This may be new. Prior to our trip everyone was talking about how they caught the bus at MK and was able to stay on the bus until they got to FW (after a drop off at WL). We noticed there were a lot of new bus drivers because people would ask a question of the bus driver and they had to look at their sheet or ask another driver. We also saw a lot of buses running with the sign lit "TRAINING".

We asked the bus driver at the Magic Kingdom if that bus went to FW. He had to ask another driver. She told him no, that they changed the route and that we would have to get off at WL and catch another bus.

The boat route starts at FW, stops at WL and then at MK in the morning. Then reverses the route in the afternoon.

The bus system is good. If you want a break from driving you will do fine with the buses and boats. Just allow 30 mins and you'll be fine. As others have mentioned in other posts the kids love the buses and boats. It's just another ride to the little ones!

 

[lindsey]

We have never rented a golf cart, but I know that many people who do rent them really enjoy the ability to ride to the main places. One question might be how many people can ride.

The only time we have ever waited a longgggg time was on Christmas day 2002. We were at AK and waited a very long time for a FW bus. There were about 10 of us waiting and we would take turns bothering the transportation people about a bus. I'm talking over 45 minutes. Finally one showed up marked "Special" and they changed it to FW. Something may have gone wrong with a driver or schedule. Besides that one time, we have had very good luck with busses, boats, and monorails. For us, it's nice to park the car and leave the driving to someone else.

 

[Lewski709]

Just back yesterday. We stayed in 1400 loop and sometimes we could walk to the marina post quicker than waiting for a bus. Regardless, the busses were constantly running and you didn't wait more than 15min. Give yourself an 45min to get places. We never needed a golf cart at all. You'll catch a bus to DTD, Epcot and Animal Kingdom at the front of Ft Wildreness. You'll catch a bus to MGM and the boat to MK at the back by the marina. You never have to get off the bus at WL to get a bus to FW.

Awesome trip this time, first time to FW and don't regret a thing.

 

[Bichon Barb]

Just back yesterday. We stayed in 1400 loop and sometimes we could walk to the marina post quicker than waiting for a bus. Regardless, the busses were constantly running and you didn't wait more than 15min. Give yourself an 45min to get places. We never needed a golf cart at all. You'll catch a bus to DTD, Epcot and Animal Kingdom at the front of Ft Wildreness. You'll catch a bus to MGM and the boat to MK at the back by the marina. You never have to get off the bus at WL to get a bus to FW.

Awesome trip this time, first time to FW and don't regret a thing.

Yeah! What she said!

Actually, no time to cruise around on a golf cart.

We were in site 1426--six sites from the campfire/movie program.

The 1400 loop is an easy walk to the marina, Meadows pool and settlement.

(Hey Lew, ever feel like you were being followed? )

 

[twinklebug]

Just reiterating what the others have said:

Don't worry, sit back and let Disney do the driving
For $400 we rented an SUV last year and would never have touched it during our stay if it wern't for purchasing groceries or the hurricane and being evacuated. I LOVE the FW transportation system. We never did get a chance to take the kids on the monorail though Ahhh, just another excuse to return