Transportation from Shades of Green? In between parks?

[sunb75]

Hi. We are staying at SOG next month. Our last visit was not planned at all. We just got on the bus whenever it came, went to a park, saw lots of people, rode a few rides, la, la, la... Nothing too exciting.

This trip will be so much more planned! (maybe too planned, but I'm ok with that! )

We have a couple pre-park-opening ADRs. What will our best bet be to get there? Will a SOG bus run that early? Should we walk to the poly and catch a bus, boat, monorail?

Also, for just basic, getting to the park prior to RD, any suggestions? SOG bus, Poly bus, boat, monorail?

What's the best way to get between the parks? Is there a cheat sheet or anything?

 

[Tricia732]

I'll be @ SOG June 22-July 2. I also want to be at the parks for RD, so I'm going to have to figure out the best way to do that. I'll let you know my experiences. There is a bus schedule on the SOG website. And I had been planning to walk to the Poly to pick up the monorail, but I've just learned that the monorail schedule has changed, which is going to have an impact on that plan.

 

[andyman8]

First of all, thank you to whomever in your family served. Really appreciate those heroes, so thanks!

In terms of transportation, SOG runs busses to the TTC, Epcot, DHS, DAK, and TL/BB. You can also walk to the Polynesian and TTC, but with the monorail's limited hours this summer, it's pretty useless to go over to the Polynesian unless you need to catch a bus to DTD.

This summer, your best strategy to make rope drop will be to walk to the TTC and hop on a ferryboat to MK. I recommend showing up extra early as this will probably take longer than the normal monorail ride.

Bus schedules to the other locations can be found here.

Hope this helps!

 

[sunb75]

I'll be @ SOG June 22-July 2. I also want to be at the parks for RD, so I'm going to have to figure out the best way to do that. I'll let you know my experiences. There is a bus schedule on the SOG website. And I had been planning to walk to the Poly to pick up the monorail, but I've just learned that the monorail schedule has changed, which is going to have an impact on that plan.

I had the same plans, Tricia. I would love to hear how you do it. We have a couple early ADRs, so I'm not sure how that will work since SOG buses leave 30 minutes prior to park opening and one ADR is an hour before the park opens?

Hope you have a great trip! It's almost time!

 

[sunb75]

First of all, thank you to whomever in your family served. Really appreciate those heroes, so thanks!

In terms of transportation, SOG runs busses to the TTC, Epcot, DHS, DAK, and TL/BB. You can also walk to the Polynesian and TTC, but with the monorail's limited hours this summer, it's pretty useless to go over to the Polynesian unless you need to catch a bus to DTD.

This summer, your best strategy to make rope drop will be to walk to the TTC and hop on a ferryboat to MK. I recommend showing up extra early as this will probably take longer than the normal monorail ride.

Bus schedules to the other locations can be found here.

Hope this helps!

Thanks so much your info is VERY helpful!! And you are welcome! My husband and I both served, but it's just him now. I'm a mommy & teacher.

 

[Shrimp332]

Yes I was wondering the same thing. We are going in September and staying at SOG and going to have a rental car. Since the bus to Animal Kingdom and I think Hollywood Sudios only runs once an hour I was debating maybe taking our rental car and paying the parking fee since I would hate to run a little bit behind and have to wait an hour for a bus.. I would love to hear what other people have done. We will have park hoppers... If we pay at AK and switch to another park later in the day is that same pass good at another park.

Just another question... We are able to use Disney's buses for free right? Could we park at another hotel and use their bus?

 

[sunb75]

Just another question... We are able to use Disney's buses for free right? Could we park at another hotel and use their bus?

I don't know about the parking. But I do *think* we can ride Disney's buses. If so, I plan on walking to Poly and taking them, the boats, or the monorail.

 

[tjmw2727]

Yes I was wondering the same thing. We are going in September and staying at SOG and going to have a rental car. Since the bus to Animal Kingdom and I think Hollywood Sudios only runs once an hour I was debating maybe taking our rental car and paying the parking fee since I would hate to run a little bit behind and have to wait an hour for a bus.. I would love to hear what other people have done. We will have park hoppers... If we pay at AK and switch to another park later in the day is that same pass good at another park.

Just another question... We are able to use Disney's buses for free right? Could we park at another hotel and use their bus?

Once you pay to park your parking pass is good all day for any park and there is no fee for parking at the water parks.

You can use Disney Transportation - no worries. So YES from park to park your fine.

Your issue may be with parking at a resort - many require you to have a resort reservation or dining reservation to park at the resort. If you have a dining reservation you could be limited to a 3 hour parking pass esp at the resorts with monorail or boat access like the MK resorts or BW resorts.

I am surprised that SOG guests don't get free parking at the parks - IMHO you should!

and to echo others - Thank You So Much For Your Service.

 

[sbeaulieu]

When we stayed there, pre kids, we walked to and from the poly almost every day, especially for early mornings. I wouldn't recommend walking to the poly if your kids were younger, as it is not super short..but with older kids it is definitely doable.

 

[bdcp]

We always walk back and forth to the poly and ride transportation from there. It's not a terribly long walk, not to mention the fact that you'll be doing a lot of walking anyway. I would say 30-40% of people staying at SOG walk to and from the poly.

Anyone can use WDW transportation. You don't have to stay in a WDW hotel or even any hotel.

 

[Altoqueenkelly]

I'm surprised that SOG doesnt get free park parking??

Anyways, you can use Disney's transportation (bus,monorail,boat) for free but you wont be able to park at a nearby resort as those lots are only for guests staying at the resort (or dining there). You can walk (as others have said) to the nearest resort (I presume poly) and take the buses... just be forewarned with all the construction and the limited monorail hours, the buses are going to be busy busy busy!! Plan accordingly and get there early.

If your concerned about making a special ADR, however, consider calling a cab. I know it costs, but it may be less of a hassle.

 

[ampersand]

lol to all of you surprised about SOG: We don't get 60 day FP+ reservations either, and we have to pay to park in the SOG parking garage. It's $22 per day parking total if you use your own car on WDW property from a SOG guest.

It's technically "off property" despite being across the street and still on WDW property from the poly.

I'm another September SOG person and I'm trying to decide how we wanna do this ourselves. Seeing as how it's just adults, and early risers at that, I don't think we'll have a problem. But I'm certainly debating that Poly walk.

 

[disneymac000]

I was staying at SOG in February and the walk to Poly is not bad at all literally a 7 minute walk. Also they have a golf cart to take you to the end of the road right across from Poly for a minimal donation if you don't feel like walking. Its easy to use the Poly's buses and the monorail also thats what we did all our days, we prefered them over the shades of green buses.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I'm surprised that SOG doesnt get free park parking??

.....

SOG guests used to get free park parking, but not any more.

 

[Travelgrrl]

We stayed at SOG about 6 years ago and again last year. The bus service had improved greatly; buses that ran directly to the parks (rather than always routing you to the TTC) and more frequent buses.

A cab to the parks is less than $30, in a pinch.

 

[Tricia732]

First of all, thank you to whomever in your family served. Really appreciate those heroes, so thanks!

This summer, your best strategy to make rope drop will be to walk to the TTC and hop on a ferryboat to MK. I recommend showing up extra early as this will probably take longer than the normal monorail ride.

Thank you for the info, andyman8. In the past I have walked to the Polynesian, but I wasn't aware that the TTC was in walking distance. think I will give that a ty this time. How far is it?