Walk or boat from Swan to Hollywood Studios?

[Biscottina]

What is the time difference between the boat and walking from the Swan to HS? What time should we leave the Swan if we want to be to the parks a little before they open?

 

[gharter]

It all depends on how long you have to wait for the boat.
If the boat is there, it is a little faster than walking (depends how fast you walk).
If the boat isn't there or close, walking is often faster and its a nice walk.
We've walked back to BWV from HS when the boat was just arriving at HS to unload and load and got back before the boat.

 

[MainMom]

We are fast walkers and always walk From BWV. We find the boat to be slow.

 

[The Expert]

Cross over the bridge to the Boardwalk side and walk. It'll be 10 minutes tops from the Swan and way faster than the boat unless you just happen to walk out while it's loading.

 

[gharter]

We are fast walkers and always walk From BWV. We find the boat to be slow.

Agree.
We find its just a nice relaxing walk back at the end of the day and a nice refreshing walk in the morning.

 

[Timandalicia]

What is the time difference between the boat and walking from the Swan to HS? What time should we leave the Swan if we want to be to the parks a little before they open?

It is a very short walk and takes the same time as the boat. It is a 10 to 15 minute walk.

 

[RanDIZ]

I’d walk. We did HS in Dec and walked over from BCV. We were third in line at 7:45a and they let everyone in around 8:15a for a 9:00a official opening. Walked on MMRR then headed over to SDD and MFSR. So by 9a we already hit all 3 of those attractions.

 

[Robo]

 

[Timandalicia]

It is a very short walk and takes the same time as the boat. It is a 10 to 15 minute walk.

To add. I would plan to walk and if the boat is right there when you leave (you walk right by it) try to jump on. Make sure it’s headed the right direction. If you catch it, it’s a bit faster and you can save you’re legs 10 minutes.

 

[Biscottina]

Thanks everyone for your insight! If HS opens early (let’s say 9:30), how much earlier than that should we arrive? We don’t need to be at the front of the line, but would like minimal waits for MMRR, MFSr and SDD.

 

[Timandalicia]

Like 10 minutes. So when you get there before the park opens it’s more of a group that gets lead into the park, so it starts as a bit of a slow motion free for all and then people split into the attractions they want to hit and it becomes a little bit of a fast walk, and then you line up for that attraction. So it’s not important to be there earlier than others before the park opens. It’s more that you are set to go along with everyone else when it does.
Someone might contradict that with new covid protocols. Anyone?

 

[teawar]

On 3 trips In December and early January, the park opened officially at 9, we walked 3 times from the boardwalk around 7:30-7:45 and arrived before the gondolas/buses/boat was running. They held everyone a good distance back from the temp screening and moved us up closer to temp screening around 7:50-8:00. The gondola started arriving shortly afterward. There were not a lot of people there before 7:50. We were let in around 8:20/8:30 and road SDD, RNR, TT in that first hour and a half.
I agree it’s important to be in the first wave! Have fun!

 

[glocon]

Has anyone ever driven an ecv/scooter from S/D to the park’s? Will the battery last? TIA.

 

[Robo]

Has anyone ever driven an ecv/scooter from S/D to the park’s? Will the battery last? TIA.

Yes.
It's shorter than walking/driving from one end of Epcot to the other.

 

[Grasshopper2016]

It's actually a little faster to exit through the front door of the Swan and walk on the Swan side of the waterway, and then cross at Buena Vista Drive. That way you don't have to backtrack to cross the bridge to the Boardwalk. There is trail on that side as well.

If we're trying to get there early in the morning, we will walk to save time. Otherwise, we always take the boat, even though it takes longer, just because we really enjoy the boats.

 

[closetmickey]

It's actually a little faster to exit through the front door of the Swan and walk on the Swan side of the waterway, and then cross at Buena Vista Drive. That way you don't have to backtrack to cross the bridge to the Boardwalk. There is trail on that side as well.

If we're trying to get there early in the morning, we will walk to save time. Otherwise, we always take the boat, even though it takes longer, just because we really enjoy the boats.

Is there a Pedestrian bridge to cross the water or do you walk along Buena Vista Drive? Thank you.

 

[mawuponastar]

Is there a Pedestrian bridge to cross the water or do you walk along Buena Vista Drive? Thank you.

We're at the Swan right now - if you go out the front entrance of the Swan, you go up a slight slope that takes you to Buena Vista Drive that you use to cross the water and then back down a slope and head South to DHS.

 

[Gehrig1B]

On 3 trips In December and early January, the park opened officially at 9, we walked 3 times from the boardwalk around 7:30-7:45 and arrived before the gondolas/buses/boat was running. They held everyone a good distance back from the temp screening and moved us up closer to temp screening around 7:50-8:00. The gondola started arriving shortly afterward. There were not a lot of people there before 7:50. We were let in around 8:20/8:30 and road SDD, RNR, TT in that first hour and a half.
I agree it’s important to be in the first wave! Have fun!

This... We were first to SDD one morning. Walking beats all other forms of transportation if you wish to be in the park first...

 

[heresabe]

The walk between HS and the Swan/Dolphin/Yacht/Beach Club is a favorite WDW activity for me, even though I have not stayed at any of those resorts.

 

[nancipants]

It depends on if you're also carrying a one-year-old who refuses to go in the stroller at the time.