Transportation from the Dolphin...

[athumann]

Is there bus transportation from the Dolphin to Epcot or just boat? I have to return a rental car there and was hoping to make rope drop to Soarin' first thing and the boat will take me to the World Showcase entrance. Wouldn't i be better off arriving at the front of the park?

 

[joelkfla]

Is there bus transportation from the Dolphin to Epcot or just boat? I have to return a rental car there and was hoping to make rope drop to Soarin' first thing and the boat will take me to the World Showcase entrance. Wouldn't i be better off arriving at the front of the park?

No bus, just boat or walk.

If you want to get to the Epcot main gate, you could boat or walk to DHS and then take the bus to Epcot. I think if you caught the 1st boat just past 8 am, that the bus from DHS might get you to Epcot just before 9.

I haven't been keeping up; I don't know whether they are still letting Guests into the park earlier than official opening.

 

[athumann]

So can I even get in through the World Showcase entrance before 11?

 

[smbowtie]

So can I even get in through the World Showcase entrance before 11?

Yes, it opens approx the same time as the main gate.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Hello,

If you want to be at RD and in front of the crowd at Soarin' drive or take a taxi to the front of the park.

Although they will let you through the IG earlier then opening it is NOT enough time to beat the front gate guests to Soarin'. You end up behind a large crowd.

I complained about it to WDW, a service rep called me back but there is nothing they can do.

Why show up at the turnstiles at the IG over an hour early, be the first through only to be behind a crowd of a hundred people?

 

[grimley1968]

An alternative would be to park the rental car at EPCOT early enough to be there at rope drop, do what you want to in Future World, exit EPCOT and drive the rental over to Dolphin and drop it off, and then boat or walk into the IG entrance of EPCOT to do World Showcase stuff. Yes, this adds travel time to the original plan, but allows you to make rope drop easily.

 

[wdwrich]

An alternative would be to park the rental car at EPCOT early enough to be there at rope drop, do what you want to in Future World, exit EPCOT and drive the rental over to Dolphin and drop it off, and then boat or walk into the IG entrance of EPCOT to do World Showcase stuff. Yes, this adds travel time to the original plan, but allows you to make rope drop easily.

This is what I would do, assuming the timing of the rental return works with your rental period.

 

[stinkpickle]

An alternative would be to park the rental car at EPCOT early enough to be there at rope drop, do what you want to in Future World, exit EPCOT and drive the rental over to Dolphin and drop it off, and then boat or walk into the IG entrance of EPCOT to do World Showcase stuff. Yes, this adds travel time to the original plan, but allows you to make rope drop easily.

This. ^^^

 

[athumann]

Thanks everyone! Maybe I'll just take the rental back the night before and bus to Epcot in the morning. I just thought I could kill 2 birds with 1 stone. If I pick up my rental at 1pm do I have until 1pm the next day to return it? I have a $9 rental lol but I wasn't sure if it was because I wasn't keeping it an entire day.

 

[wdwrich]

Thanks everyone! Maybe I'll just take the rental back the night before and bus to Epcot in the morning. I just thought I could kill 2 birds with 1 stone. If I pick up my rental at 1pm do I have until 1pm the next day to return it? I have a $9 rental lol but I wasn't sure if it was because I wasn't keeping it an entire day.

Look at the terms on your confirmation/contract. Generally, rentals are for 24-hour periods.

 

[Alesia]

Check with the rental company. You may have to pay a penalty for an early return.

 

[Mkrop]

We have stayed at the Boardwalk and Beach Club several times and we have never had an issue getting via the International Gateway. We have either beat the crowd coming in from the front of the park or were not that far behind.

One time we went in and we sent DS16 ahead (this is when they were testing bands and you could still get paper FPs) so he is power walking with another man to get to Soarin. They make the turn to head into the Land, we are slightly behind them, as we make the turn into the Land we see the crowd being held by a rope under the walkway. We yelled to DS, hurry here comes the herd, and lo and behold, they let them go and it was like a wall of people headed towards us. We got in line before the crowd was behind us and DS was able to get FPs for later.

 

[NancyIL]

Check with the rental company. You may have to pay a penalty for an early return.

It would be hard to return a one-day car rental early.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Is there bus transportation from the Dolphin to Epcot or just boat?

The fastest way to get from the WDW Dolphin to Epcot is to walk to the International Gateway. For anyone who can walk at a normal pace, it's always faster than taking the boat. With a boat, first you have to wait for it, and then it also stops at YC/BC and BWI/BWV on the way to the International Gateway.

As other have noted, you do not have to wait for World Showcase to open to enter at the International Gateway. Guests at Swan-Dolphin, YC/BC, and BWI/BWV are not penalized for staying at these deluxe resorts. Opening time and rope-drop time are the same at the International Gateway as at the front of the park.

It's a fairly quick walk past UK and Canada to get to Future World.