Walk to Epcot/DHS?

[skiergirl4]

It's my understanding that Epcot and DHS are in walking distance from the Dolphin. Are Epcot and DHS in walking distance from any other resorts? If so, which ones?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Adrian

 

[Bowen9475]

You can walk from the Dolphin, the Swan, Boardwalk, Yacht Club and Beach Club to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios very easily.

 

[disnut8]

All of the Epcot resorts. In addition to the Dolphin, there's the Swan, Yacht Club, Beach Club (and Villas), and the Boardwalk (and Villas). You don't have to walk, though. There are Friendship boats that make the rounds to each of the resort and the two parks. However, depending on where you are staying and where you are going, it's usually faster to walk,

 

[goofy4tink]

The walk to DHS from Boardwalk or the S/D is about 20 mins. Add a few mins to that for YC/BC...maybe about 25 mins total.
To get to Epcot, walking, takes about 12 mins from S/D, 8 mins from BW, and about 8 from YC and 6 from BC...depending on where you are at the resort.

You can also take the boat....from Epcot to DHS, by boat, is 25 mins. The boat leaves Epcot, then goes to BW, then YC/BC, finally to S/D and on to DHS. Returning to Epcot from DHS, the boat stops at S/D, then YC/BC, then BW and finally gets to Epcot.

Walking is almost always faster. I have left the boat area at the exact same time as the boat....we tried to get to the boat before they closed the ramps, but we were a min too late....the CMs on the boat told us another would be along in 15 mins. Nope, we yelled...we would walk...and we would beat them to DHS. No way, was the response. Well, they did beat us to BW, by about a minute....but the last we saw of the boat until we got to DHS, was as it made it's way to YC/BC. We finally saw it again, coming around the corner as we went to bag check at DHS...they were about 8 mins behind us!!! Too funny.
And if there isn't a boat right there, or coming in, you could face a wait of up to 20 mins.

So....there you have it. Probably more info than you needed or wanted.

 

[skiergirl4]

Thanks for all of the wonderful information! It was very helpful!

Adrian

 

[curemyreed]

When folks talk about walking to Epcot they are walking to the International Gate. If you are going to Epcot for AM EMH you would need to enter at the Main Gate. I recently read that at least one of the Epcot area resorts does not have bus service to Epcot??? It seems like it would be a long walk to the front of Epcot to me.

Can anyone confirm/refute this?

 

[Katesdad]

Curemyreed: I do believe you are a little misinformed. True, you cannot take a bus directly to the front gates of Epcot from the BC/YC/BW but you can enter through the International Gateway, even for EMH. It's a great way to get to Epcot. If you get the chance some time, there was an extensive discussion of this topic on the BC/YC thread. You'll have to go back a few pages though to find it if you are interested. Very good discussion by those who really know the system because they have used it often.

When staying at the YC once, we had to be at the front gate of EPCOT early one morning to catch one of the behind-the-scenes tours. We took a cab over for this and was reimbursed by the YC for it. They were very accomodating. Not sure they would do the same if all you were doing was going to EPCOT for the day though. THE IG is a great way to get into the park. Nothing like walking through the UK and Canada early in the morning.

 

[RMulieri]

When folks talk about walking to Epcot they are walking to the International Gate. If you are going to Epcot for AM EMH you would need to enter at the Main Gate. I recently read that at least one of the Epcot area resorts does not have bus service to Epcot??? It seems like it would be a long walk to the front of Epcot to me.

Can anyone confirm/refute this?

I stay at the BCv all the time and can tell you that there is some mis-info here.There is no bus service to Epcots main entrance from Epcot resorts.BUT you can enter thru the International gateway and walk to the main entrance.On emh they let you in, and on regular days they let you in all the way to the area between WS and Futureworld and then hold you till rope drop.

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

My only issue with the IG entrance at rope drop is that we seemed to be so far "behind" the guests entering through the main entrance.

 

[goofy4tink]

My only issue with the IG entrance at rope drop is that we seemed to be so far "behind" the guests entering through the main entrance.

Not true on my last several stays at BW. We were at the Intl Gateway about 15 mins before park opening. When we were about 5-8 mins from opening, we were allowed into the park, and were walked to the area that crosses from FutureWorld to WS. We were held at the fountain area....while those from the front of the park were held on the other side of the fountain.

 

[goofy4prez]

My only issue with the IG entrance at rope drop is that we seemed to be so far "behind" the guests entering through the main entrance.

When we stayed at the YC in January 09 I felt the same way. We were not granted a few minutes early entry to get to the front of the park. The line to Soarin was already fairly long so we just grabbed a FP.

I stay at the BCv all the time and can tell you that there is some mis-info here.There is no bus service to Epcots main entrance from Epcot resorts.BUT you can enter thru the International gateway and walk to the main entrance.On emh they let you in, and on regular days they let you in all the way to the area between WS and Futureworld and then hold you till rope drop.

When we stayed at the YC we were not admitted past the turnstiles at the International Gateway until the same time the front gate was opened. It was not that big of a deal during January, but I could see it being a big problem during peak season. Perhaps, during peak season they do open the back area and allow entrance to the front area but again, they did not in January 09.

Not true on my last several stays at BW. We were at the Intl Gateway about 15 mins before park opening. When we were about 5-8 mins from opening, we were allowed into the park, and were walked to the area that crosses from FutureWorld to WS. We were held at the fountain area....while those from the front of the park were held on the other side of the fountain.

Perhaps for your stay they allowed it, in January 09 as I've stated above they did not allow it. We went to Epcot 3 times at rope drop during this time and all three were the same story.

I'm not trying to create an argument or dispute what you or RMulieri have encountered . I'm just stating I have experienced what imgonnabe40 experienced during our visit.

 

[goofy4tink]

When we stayed at the YC in January 09 I felt the same way. We were not granted a few minutes early entry to get to the front of the park. The line to Soarin was already fairly long so we just grabbed a FP.



When we stayed at the YC we were not admitted past the turnstiles at the International Gateway until the same time the front gate was opened. It was not that big of a deal during January, but I could see it being a big problem during peak season. Perhaps, during peak season they do open the back area and allow entrance to the front area but again, they did not in January 09.





Perhaps for your stay they allowed it, in January 09 as I've stated above they did not allow it. We went to Epcot 3 times at rope drop during this time and all three were the same story.

I'm not trying to create an argument or dispute what you or RMulieri have encountered . I'm just stating I have experienced what imgonnabe40 experienced during our visit.

The hang-up we experienced was due to lack of CMs getting there early enough to open the turnstiles so that we could get in early.
You say that it was in Jan '09 that you weren't allowed access before rope drop. It may very well be that the general policy has changed since that time. I do know that I have been held, at the IG, only one time, until official opening at 9am. It really doesn't make much sense since those at the front entrance are allowed up to the fountain area every morning.
It really is general practice to allow those entering from the IG to enter early. Otherwise there would be a huge outcry from those of us staying in those resorts...talk about being penelized!!!

 

[goofy4prez]

The hang-up we experienced was due to lack of CMs getting there early enough to open the turnstiles so that we could get in early.
You say that it was in Jan '09 that you weren't allowed access before rope drop. It may very well be that the general policy has changed since that time. I do know that I have been held, at the IG, only one time, until official opening at 9am. It really doesn't make much sense since those at the front entrance are allowed up to the fountain area every morning.
It really is general practice to allow those entering from the IG to enter early. Otherwise there would be a huge outcry from those of us staying in those resorts...talk about being penelized!!!

For us, the CM's were on time. In fact they stood several minutes at the gates until opening time before they allowed us to enter with our room cards. I agree with you there about being penalized, this was a major reason why I did not book the YC or any other Epcot area resort for our last trip this past Christmas. Our family's favorite parks are Epcot and DHS and spend more than half our time between them.

I wrote a letter to WDW as well as sent them an email after I experienced this back in 09. I received a generic ,canned email response back telling me they received my email. That was the only correspondence I ever received.

 

[RMulieri]

When we stayed at the YC in January 09 I felt the same way. We were not granted a few minutes early entry to get to the front of the park. The line to Soarin was already fairly long so we just grabbed a FP.



When we stayed at the YC we were not admitted past the turnstiles at the International Gateway until the same time the front gate was opened. It was not that big of a deal during January, but I could see it being a big problem during peak season. Perhaps, during peak season they do open the back area and allow entrance to the front area but again, they did not in January 09.





Perhaps for your stay they allowed it, in January 09 as I've stated above they did not allow it. We went to Epcot 3 times at rope drop during this time and all three were the same story.

I'm not trying to create an argument or dispute what you or RMulieri have encountered . I'm just stating I have experienced what imgonnabe40 experienced during our visit.

We were there in Sept 08 and Dec 09 and they allowed us thru the turnstyles and to the fountain in Futureworld BOTh times, neither were EMH days either.Maybe it is staffing dependent

 

[goofy4prez]

We were there in Sept 08 and Dec 09 and they allowed us thru the turnstyles and to the fountain in Futureworld BOTh times, neither were EMH days either.Maybe it is staffing dependent

Interesting. perhaps WDW nees a consistent policy on this since it was not what I experienced. Either way, I still love WDW and won't allow it to hinder my stay at WDW.

 

[RMulieri]

Interesting. perhaps WDW nees a consistent policy on this since it was not what I experienced. Either way, I still love WDW and won't allow it to hinder my stay at WDW.

I was kind of surprised too, since on our previous trips we experienced what you did.Not being allowed thru the turnstyles at all

 

[goofy4tink]

Interesting. perhaps WDW nees a consistent policy on this since it was not what I experienced. Either way, I still love WDW and won't allow it to hinder my stay at WDW.

Consistency??? You want consistency from WDW CM's???
Sorry...I'm not poking fun at you, really I'm not. But if there is one consistency at WDW, it's that nothing is ever consistently enforced there.

 

[NMAmy]

I actually prefer using the IG. I feel like I make up the further distance to Future World because the lines are so short at the IG. Plus I really love walking through the UK with no one else around.

 

[curemyreed]

Curemyreed: I do believe you are a little misinformed. True, you cannot take a bus directly to the front gates of Epcot from the BC/YC/BW but you can enter through the International Gateway, even for EMH. It's a great way to get to Epcot. If you get the chance some time, there was an extensive discussion of this topic on the BC/YC thread. You'll have to go back a few pages though to find it if you are interested. Very good discussion by those who really know the system because they have used it often.

When staying at the YC once, we had to be at the front gate of EPCOT early one morning to catch one of the behind-the-scenes tours. We took a cab over for this and was reimbursed by the YC for it. They were very accomodating. Not sure they would do the same if all you were doing was going to EPCOT for the day though. THE IG is a great way to get into the park. Nothing like walking through the UK and Canada early in the morning.

Katesdad, thanks for sharing your experience and pointing me towards that thread. I had completely discounted staying at any of these beautiful Epcot resorts because I thought it would mess up the AM EMH opportunity. I think that was extremely thoughtful of your resort to reimburse you for the taxi to the front of Epcot for your early morning tour!!! Good ole' Disney...love their customer service! I note on other posts after yours that some guests did have issues with getting in, but I'm not clear if this is a problem that arises, or a problem that has resolved. I'd be perfectly happy to enter the AM EMH from the IG if that were an option available to me. I think I wouldn't want to be any longer getting to Soarin' than the folks coming in through the front, though. Anyway, sorry if I gave bad info out to OP & thankful to those with experience (unlike me!!!) who can share.