Transportation tips from the experts...please!

[BYC]

We will have a car, and I don;t mind driving. Here are the days I am trying to decide how to get around. Any tips from you experts will be much appreciated. We are at AKL from Jan. 4-10, and OKW from 10-15.

Jan. 4-arrival, no park-Dinner House Of Blues (drive or bus?? Undecided!)

Jan. 5-AK...easier to drive or bus from AKL? We have to be in DTD for a 6:00 Cirque(actually need to be there by 5:30). Drive, I think? How long of a trip?

Jan. 6- I don't know what is best this day. We have an 8:30 Segway tour at Fort Wilderness. Drive, I think?? What time should we leave AKL to make that on time?

Jan. 7-Busch Gardens

Jan. 8-MK, with a 6:30 dinner in Epcot at Biergarten (dinner only...no attractions). No break. I think we should take the bus in the morning to MK, and then the monorail to Epcot (red) for dinner. What time should we leave MK to get to Biergarten in time?

Jan. 9- Epcot...drive, I think??

Jan. 10-Resort change...no park. May do Typhoon Lagoon for a few hours if weather permits. Definitely drive!(We will be moving our luggage ourselves)

Jan. 11- Universal

Jan. 12-HS. Dinner in Epcot at Le Cellier 7:30(dinner only) Drive both to HS and Epcot??

Jan. 13-Seaworld

Jan. 14 and 15 are unknown yet. Will decide what we want to repeat when we get there.

Thanks!

 

[Inkmahm]

We will have a car, and I don;t mind driving. Here are the days I am trying to decide how to get around. Any tips from you experts will be much appreciated. We are at AKL from Jan. 4-10, and OKW from 10-15.

Jan. 4-arrival, no park-Dinner House Of Blues (drive or bus?? Undecided!)drive

Jan. 5-AK...easier to drive or bus from AKL? We have to be in DTD for a 6:00 Cirque(actually need to be there by 5:30). Drive, I think? How long of a trip? Drive. Maybe 10 minutes to get there.

Jan. 6- I don't know what is best this day. We have an 8:30 Segway tour at Fort Wilderness. Drive, I think?? What time should we leave AKL to make that on time? Definitely drive. You'll need to take a bus once you get to FW. I'd leave AK no later than 7:30am

Jan. 7-Busch Gardens

Jan. 8-MK, with a 6:30 dinner in Epcot at Biergarten (dinner only...no attractions). No break. I think we should take the bus in the morning to MK, and then the monorail to Epcot (red) for dinner. What time should we leave MK to get to Biergarten in time?

Jan. 9- Epcot...drive, I think?? Either drive or bus is fine. It's a long walk from the parking lot sometimes.

Jan. 10-Resort change...no park. May do Typhoon Lagoon for a few hours if weather permits. Definitely drive!(We will be moving our luggage ourselves)

Jan. 11- Universal

Jan. 12-HS. Dinner in Epcot at Le Cellier 7:30(dinner only) Drive both to HS and Epcot?? Yes, I'd drive

Jan. 13-Seaworld

Jan. 14 and 15 are unknown yet. Will decide what we want to repeat when we get there.

Thanks!

Have fun!

 

[Rpsemont]

[Jan. 4-arrival, no park-Dinner House Of Blues (drive or bus?? Undecided!) We'd probably take a bus and enjoy our cocktails
Jan. 5-AK...easier to drive or bus from AKL? We have to be in DTD for a 6:00 Cirque(actually need to be there by 5:30). Drive, I think? How long of a trip? Drive everywhere

Jan. 6- I don't know what is best this day. We have an 8:30 Segway tour at Fort Wilderness. Drive, I think?? What time should we leave AKL to make that on time? Definitely drive I would leave at 7:45 to hopefully arrive between 8 and 8:10
Jan. 7-Busch Gardens drive
Jan. 8-MK, with a 6:30 dinner in Epcot at Biergarten (dinner only...no attractions). No break. I think we should take the bus in the morning to MK, and then the monorail to Epcot (red) for dinner. What time should we leave MK to get to Biergarten in time? I agree. I would leave MK around 5PM - why be stressed?
Jan. 9- Epcot...drive, I think?? yes, unless you plan to cocktail over dinner at epcot, then bus

Jan. 10-Resort change...no park. May do Typhoon Lagoon for a few hours if weather permits. Definitely drive!(We will be moving our luggage ourselves)

Jan. 11- Universal drive
Jan. 12-HS. Dinner in Epcot at Le Cellier 7:30(dinner only) Drive both to HS and Epcot?? I might be tempted to bus to HG, walk to epcot, bus back to OKW
Jan. 13-Seaworld Drive
Jan. 14 and 15 are unknown yet. Will decide what we want to repeat when we get there.

Thanks! /QUOTE]

 

[BYC]

[Jan. 4-arrival, no park-Dinner House Of Blues (drive or bus?? Undecided!) We'd probably take a bus and enjoy our cocktails
Jan. 5-AK...easier to drive or bus from AKL? We have to be in DTD for a 6:00 Cirque(actually need to be there by 5:30). Drive, I think? How long of a trip? Drive everywhere

Jan. 6- I don't know what is best this day. We have an 8:30 Segway tour at Fort Wilderness. Drive, I think?? What time should we leave AKL to make that on time? Definitely drive I would leave at 7:45 to hopefully arrive between 8 and 8:10
Jan. 7-Busch Gardens drive
Jan. 8-MK, with a 6:30 dinner in Epcot at Biergarten (dinner only...no attractions). No break. I think we should take the bus in the morning to MK, and then the monorail to Epcot (red) for dinner. What time should we leave MK to get to Biergarten in time? I agree. I would leave MK around 5PM - why be stressed?
Jan. 9- Epcot...drive, I think?? yes, unless you plan to cocktail over dinner at epcot, then bus

Jan. 10-Resort change...no park. May do Typhoon Lagoon for a few hours if weather permits. Definitely drive!(We will be moving our luggage ourselves)

Jan. 11- Universal drive
Jan. 12-HS. Dinner in Epcot at Le Cellier 7:30(dinner only) Drive both to HS and Epcot?? I might be tempted to bus to HG, walk to epcot, bus back to OKW
Jan. 13-Seaworld Drive
Jan. 14 and 15 are unknown yet. Will decide what we want to repeat when we get there.

Thanks! /QUOTE]

Thank you! No worries about the cocktails...I don't drink! Hubby does, though...so I am always "designated"! You know, i started planning this trip at 744 days away. Now I am 4 days away....you would think I would be ready, right? Well, I am not!!

 

[Wazowski31]

Hi there, when i visit the world i come over from the UK so have never driven around the world, just use disney transport. On some occassions i can see the advantage of hopping in your car but i would make far more use of the disney transport than you and others plan and suggest to. I would definitely take the bus on the first night, it's another goosbump moment, first bus ride!
I would use the buses on the 9th in Epcot so you can relax in the world showcase with a few drinks, you're on vacation! Also i completely agree with Rpsemont, take the bus in the morning to HS then can have a leisurely stroll across to Epcot, stop on the boardwalk for photos and a drink then can get the bus back.
The disney transportation is free, so efficient and makes your life far more stress free, no worries about carrying car keys, paying for parking or trekking it back to your car after a long day of park hopping!
Have a fantastic holiday

 

[RMAMom]

I agree with the previous poster. I don't want to wait in line for a tram car ride back to the parking lot at the end of the night and then get off walk to the car wait in line to get out of the parking lot and fight the traffic back to the hotel.
I think it is a lot easier to walk to the bus stop and get on the bus and go!
Even if I have to wait for a second bus and stand I still feel like I'm making progress and I don't have to be in charge of anything!

 

[BYC]

I agree with the previous poster. I don't want to wait in line for a tram car ride back to the parking lot at the end of the night and then get off walk to the car wait in line to get out of the parking lot and fight the traffic back to the hotel.
I think it is a lot easier to walk to the bus stop and get on the bus and go!
Even if I have to wait for a second bus and stand I still feel like I'm making progress and I don't have to be in charge of anything!

Do all the parks have trams to the parking lots? I have always used Disney transportation in the past, but there were a couple of evenings when we waited so long, and I was so exhausted. I think I will try the car a few days, and see how it goes.

 

[BYC]

Question about walking from HS to Epcot. I never even considered that possibility! How do you do it, and how long of a walk is it? Thanks!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

For dinner at House of Blues = take the bus. Parking can get crowded.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

k

 

[Inkmahm]

Walking from Hollywood Studios to Epcot is wrong advise. You can not walk from there to Epcot.

Of course you can! People who stay at BWV or BCV walk that route all the time. You would walk to BWV and then around to the International Gateway entrance to Epcot. Even easier would be to take a boat from HS to Epcot.

 

[goofy4tink]

Question about walking from HS to Epcot. I never even considered that possibility! How do you do it, and how long of a walk is it? Thanks!

Walking from Hollywood Studios to Epcot is wrong advise. You can not walk from there to Epcot.

Of course you can. There is a nice, well lit walkway between DHS and the BW area. Then, you just walk over to Epcot along the actual boardwalk and over the bridge and down to the International Gateway.
The walkway is off to the right of the canal at DHS. The walk from DHS to Epcot is probably about 20 mins or so, depending on walking pace. Or, you can take the boat...that is about 25 mins, not including any wait times.

I am torn when it comes to buses vs cars. I have always used the transportation system at WDW and been reasonably happy with it. But.....I can really see an advantage to having a car and using it. For the most part, it is almost always going to be faster to use your car. The exception being at MK. If driving there, you will have to park in that huge lot, walk to the tram, take the tram to the TTC, and then use either the monorail or ferry over to MK. BUT...at park closing, it still might be faster to use a car if the bus lines are as long as they usually are!!
I may be renting a car for our trip in Aug..if I can get a decent rate. Just to see how it is.