Travel to/between AK + MK

[bouncingsquares]

My extended family is vacationing in Orlando, and this is not an Official WDW Trip, but obviously since we'll be in Orlando we have to visit. My sister and my husband are trying to kill me and want to do AK + MK in one day. We booked all our FPs for MK, so we want to go to AK first thing in the morning, hit up Kilimanjaro Safari, see a few animals, and then have the bulk of our day at MK. (I am NOT messing with Pandora right now. That will have to wait for an Official Trip.)

We aren't staying on site, so my question is, what is the best way to do this as far as transportation goes? Drive to AK and then drive to MK? (Do I have to pay to park twice if I do this?) Park at the TTC and take a bus to AK and back? Drive to AK and take a bus to MK? (Both parks close at 10pm that day, so if I leave my car at AK, am I risking getting stranded?)

TIA!

 

[DaisyJ]

Drive to AK and then drive to MK. No, you don't need to pay to park twice. Keep your receipt from when you parked at AK and show it when you get to MK.

 

[Hootch]

I generally dislike driving to the MK because you have to use the monorail or ferry to get to the kingdom. In this case that may be the best thing for you. The alternative is to ride the bus back to DAK which seems to be more of a hassle though possible with the late nights now.

Now if you want to see Pandora at night, the trip back on the bus may be worthwhile. It's really interesting and not too packed at night.

If you drive to DAK and then MK keep your receipt and show at the next park.

 

[bouncingsquares]

I generally dislike driving to the MK because you have to use the monorail or ferry to get to the kingdom. In this case that may be the best thing for you. The alternative is to ride the bus back to DAK which seems to be more of a hassle though possible with the late nights now.

Now if you want to see Pandora at night, the trip back on the bus may be worthwhile. It's really interesting and not too packed at night.

If you drive to DAK and the MK keep your receipt and show at the next park.

I dislike it for the same reason! I just wanted to make sure there wasn't an easier way because that's such a hassle. I almost just went ahead and booked an on-site room for the night before (even though we already have a condo booked off-site) just so I wouldn't have to deal with it. I definitely want to see Pandora at night, but I'm okay with waiting till we go on a trip that's specifically a trip to WDW during a less crowded time of year.

 

[DaisyJ]

I wanted to clarify that it doesn't matter where you are staying. Disney transportation (buses, trains, boats, monorail) is available for all guests to use.

 

[bouncingsquares]

I wanted to clarify that it doesn't matter where you are staying. Disney transportation (buses, trains, boats, monorail) is available for all guests to use.

Oh, I know that. I just meant that it would be easier to spend the night on-site, just jump on the bus at the hotel in the morning and not have to worry about our car at all than driving from place to place and having to go through the TTC. Of course, the convenience doesn't really justify paying for two hotel rooms for the same night!

 

[DaisyJ]

Oh, I know that. I just meant that it would be easier to spend the night on-site, just jump on the bus at the hotel in the morning and not have to worry about our car at all than driving from place to place and having to go through the TTC. Of course, the convenience doesn't really justify paying for two hotel rooms for the same night!

If you decide to leave your car at AK and take the bus to MK, you go right to the MK bus depot, not the TTC.

 

[ucfknight]

The quickest....but definitely not cheapest... way would be to pay $19 each for the day for the Express Bus service. That would take you from inside one park to inside the other without having to deal with ferry/monorail and extra bag check.

 

[bouncingsquares]

The quickest....but definitely not cheapest... way would be to pay $19 each for the day for the Express Bus service. That would take you from inside one park to inside the other without having to deal with ferry/monorail and extra bag check.

Wow, I did not know about this! I wouldn't pay for it on a "normal" trip, but it may be worth it for this one.

 

[bouncingsquares]

If you decide to leave your car at AK and take the bus to MK, you go right to the MK bus depot, not the TTC.

Haha, I know. I meant if I were to drive to AK and then drive to MK.

 

[sharonabe]

We aren't staying on site, so my question is, what is the best way to do this as far as transportation goes? Drive to AK and then drive to MK? (Do I have to pay to park twice if I do this?) Park at the TTC and take a bus to AK and back? Drive to AK and take a bus to MK? (Both parks close at 10pm that day, so if I leave my car at AK, am I risking getting stranded?)

But doesn't AK have a late EMH that night? I know you can't take advantage of the EMH, but there should be a bus from MK to AK for those who do want to attend. That would get you back to your parked car at AK should you decide to park there and bus to/from MK.

 

[rstevens333]

Seconding the express transportation, unless you absolutely need to enter the AK from the front of the park.

 

[sharonabe]

Wow, I did not know about this! I wouldn't pay for it on a "normal" trip, but it may be worth it for this one.

But this won't help you with your parked car problem. The express bus will not take you to a park that is already closed or in EMH hours, so if you stay until closing at the park where your car is not parked, you can't use this to get to it.

 

[bouncingsquares]

But this won't help you with your parked car problem. The express bus will not take you to a park that is already closed or in EMH hours, so if you stay until closing at the park where your car is not parked, you can't use this to get to it.

Ah, yes, that is a problem. So then I guess just driving to each park really is the best option.

 

[sharonabe]

Ah, yes, that is a problem. So then I guess just driving to each park really is the best option.

It will be quicker than regular bus transportation, but as I said earlier, if AK has the late EMH, you can still take the regular bus back to AK to get your car if you want someone else to drive you around.

 

[JohnneeO]

But this won't help you with your parked car problem. The express bus will not take you to a park that is already closed or in EMH hours, so if you stay until closing at the park where your car is not parked, you can't use this to get to it.

What about walking to the CR, and then taking a bus to AK? I don't know how late the buses to AK run....but if the OP uses the express bus O/W between AK & MK earlier in the day to minimize transfer time, perhaps this a way to get back to te car at AK after MK closes?

 

[sharonabe]

What about walking to the CR, and then taking a bus to AK? I don't know how late the buses to AK run....but if the OP uses the express bus O/W between AK & MK earlier in the day to minimize transfer time, perhaps this a way to get back to te car at AK after MK closes?

There is no reason to walk to CR; there will be a regular, direct bus from MK to AK if AK is still having their late EMH hours.

 

[bouncingsquares]

There is no reason to walk to CR; there will be a regular, direct bus from MK to AK if AK is still having their late EMH hours.

Yes, they'll still have the late EMH then. I guess we'll just have to decide when the time comes. If the line for the MK bus is long, then we'll just drive, but if it's not, we'll probably take the bus. (Although if the line for the bus is long, chances are the line for the monorail/ferry are gonna be long too, so we'll probably be waiting somewhere regardless.)

 

[GillianP1301]

The fastest would be driving, IMO. Express bus would be a good option if you actually wanted to be back at AK that night, but it sounds like you want to finish off in MK. The ferry or monorail does add a bit of time, but not nearly as much time as waiting on a bus and making an unnecessary trip back to AK to pick your car up at the end of the day.

 

[sharonabe]

Yes, they'll still have the late EMH then. I guess we'll just have to decide when the time comes. If the line for the MK bus is long, then we'll just drive, but if it's not, we'll probably take the bus. (Although if the line for the bus is long, chances are the line for the monorail/ferry are gonna be long too, so we'll probably be waiting somewhere regardless.)

Why would you need a monorail/ferry? The regular bus from AK to MK goes directly to MK, not the TTC.