Transportation in the parks question(s)

[bakers3]

Hello! WDW newbie here with some transportation questions....

We are driving from the Kansas City area this December. It is DH, myself and DD 10. We are staying at ASMo. It's our very first trip to WDW. I would be very grateful for some advice about our transportation options based on this (very hectic) schedule:

Day 1 (10 AM until collapse!) will be spent at DTD (1st part of day) and then we want to do a resort tour via monorail and take the boat to WL. I don't know how to plan the monorail tour - i.e, how should we proceed with that starting from the ASMo? (I assume we will go back to our room after DTD to drop off shopping)

Day 2 will be spent at MK - EMH opening until midnight (going to MVMCP)We are strongly considering driving and taking the ferry to the MK even if it takes a bit longer because this is our first trip and I have read that it is a magical way to arrive. Is it worth it?

Day 3 will be at Epcot - opening until close (including EMH).

So....which days should we use Disney transportation and which days should we drive? Time is at a premium since we have so few days. We would also like to be there as early as possible in the mornings and I don't know how soon each form of transportation starts (ferry, buses, parking trams etc)

Any and all transportation advice is welcome and MUCH appreciated!! Thanks!

 

[gw_lit]

Day #1 - Take the bus from ASMo to the Magic Kingdom. From there, get on the Resort monorail. Your stops, in order will be: Contemporary, Ticket and Transportation Center (no resort here), Polynesian, then Grand Floridian, then back to the Magic Kingdom. After you've toured the monorail resorts, take the launch from the Magic Kingdom to WL. To return to ASMo, take the launch back from WL to the Magic Kingdom and get a bus back to ASMo.

Day #2 - I'd drive, park at TTC and take the ferry for something different.

Day #3 - Either drive or bus directly to EPCOT.

Others may have different ideas, but I wanted to give you a place to start.

Have a great trip!

 

[CheshireVal]

I agree with the previous poster, but I would like to add that if time is of the essence, it might be quicker to take the bus from ASMo to the MK on Day 2 rather than go to the trouble of driving and then taking a ferry. I don't think the ferry is really all that worth it.

For EMH (opening) days, we've been at the resort bus stops as early as 6:30am and have never had to wait long for a bus, believe it or not. Of course, we did have a while to wait at the front gate turnstyles once we got to the park.

 

[betterlatethannever]

As the previous poster said, take the bus to MK on day 2

If you want to do the ferry, do it on day 1. Drive to the TTC and get on the ferry to MK. Then get on the resort monorail and do the tour etc.

If MK closes early that day, and you are at WL and get stuck with no boat service back to the MK, there will be a bus to the TTC.

Ed

 

[goofy4tink]

All good info. On day 2, take the bus to MK. Arrving on either the ferry boat or monorail isn't all that big a deal, at least in my opinion.
Now, on that Epcot day, be sure to take some time out and head over to the Epcot resorts..Boardwalk, YC/BC and the Swan and Dolphin. It's a quick walk out through the International Gateway, in the World Showcase, between England and France. You can either take a Friendship boat or walk..the walk is about 7 minutes to YC/BC and about 8 to BW. These resorts are just glorious in their holiday finery. And they make a nice break from the parks. Then, head back to Epcot for the rest of your day.
And Welcome to the DIS boards. Be sure to come back and let us all know how the trip went.

 

[bakers3]

Wow. Great advice you guys!

GW - thanks so much for the specific information on the resort tour. That helps my planning a lot!

I also appreciate the Epcot resort idea, goofy4tink. I highly doubt that would have occurred to me!

betterlatethannever - super idea about incorportating the ferry into our resort tour. Hadn't thought of that!

CheshireVa- I appreciate the timing advice. Disney doesn't have much info on hours and stuff that I can find.

Thanks again!