Will we be able to get back to the resort from dinners?

[mgsquared]

So here I was making ADR's to my heart's content and only now does it hit me that maybe we can't get around?
All the parks close early many nights that we are there (Sept. 25th-Oct.2nd).
For instance, we have reservations at Chef Mickeys at 21:15 one night. The parks will be long closed by the time we are done with dinner....
We also have a breakfast at Ohana booked for the morning we leave at 8:25... will getting there be a problem?
I mean, we want to walk on the boardwalk, maybe dance a bit in the music hall, etc. Do we have a curfew?

Or is it like I assume and there are buses until late into DTD and from there to the resorts? We are staying at POP.

Thanks for your help! This is obviously my first trip.

 

[Ed J]

Buses run well after the parks close and before they open, 2 hours or more in most cases. A cab is often an easy option too.

Don't worry you won't be stranded .

 

[vicki_c]

I would budget for some cab rides.

 

[figment_jii]

As the PP said, there are always cabs/taxis at the various resorts that can get you back to your resort. I would budget about $25 per cab ride, but it's not bad and it'll be fairly fast.

Otherwise, most resorts will have buses that run from the resort to DTD in the evening. It's time consuming (allow 45 minutes to get to DTD and then another 45 minutes to get to your resort from DTD), but those buses run until fairly late (I want to say at least until midnight).

From the Boardwalk, I've heard that there are buses for the resorts running when the clubs close. They will often combine bus routes, meaning each bus will go to multiple resorts so it might take a bit to get back to Pop.

In short, don't worry, Disney won't strand you anywhere. There will be options on getting back to Pop. If you aren't sure, just stop by the front desk or the valet stand and they can help you.

In the morning, buses will run before the parks opening. They have also have buses that will be running. I would allow about an hour to get to breakfast, so be sure to get to the stop early. Otherwise, there will also be taxis.

 

[mgsquared]

25$ for one cab ride?! My husband would die! We love in Vienna and take only public transport all the time. So while those waits are longer than we are used to, it's doable. I'll budget in the hour of travel.
How deceiving. Everything looks so close on the map!
Thank you for the reassurance everyone!

 

[englanddg]

Since you are not hopping through a resort, the 2a cutoff for busses isn't going to work for you (they cut off the busses from resorts to parks earlier).

You'll need to budget for a taxi ride.

 

[LindaBabe]

From the board walk to POP is only 2 miles, I doubt it will cost you $25. As one of the earlier posters said, the busses from the resorts to Downtown run until late, so you can always ride to there and then from there to pop. As a last resort, you can ALWAYS approach the valet / front desk. Should you need it, the cost of a cab ride is small relative to having to curtail your evening. PS the cabs at Disney Hotels are metered. If one was at one of the off property hotels with the unmetered black "limosine" type taxis, that could be substantially more.

 

[englanddg]

From the board walk to POP is only 2 miles, I doubt it will cost you $25. As one of the earlier posters said, the busses from the resorts to Downtown run until late, so you can always ride to there and then from there to pop. As a last resort, you can ALWAYS approach the valet / front desk. Should you need it, the cost of a cab ride is small relative to having to curtail your evening. PS the cabs at Disney Hotels are metered. If one was at one of the off property hotels with the unmetered black "limosine" type taxis, that could be substantially more.

Honestly, based on what the OP described about an easy night, a hop through DTD (even if doable) is probably not the best choice. Going from a relaxing evening to a crowded bus to wait in a crowded space for a bus that may or may not come soon?

DTD busses can be a mess, with VERY long waits.

Just do the taxi and enjoy your evening. It will be $25 or less, and there's no reason to tip the driver (I know that is something that non-american's find odd) unless they do well. Leave them 3 - 5 bucks for a Boardwalk to Pop ride at MOST. Never leave less than 2, that's insulting.

But, in any case, I wouldn't bus hop that. I've been burned doing the bus hop through DTD too many times over the past few years to count on that.

 

[goofy4tink]

You'll be able to get to DTD and then transfer to the Pop bus...but, as already mentioned, it will be time consuming. Of course, you can always just make it part of the fun....wander around a bit and then head to Pop.
The buses start running by 6:30 in the morning...so for an 8:25 ADR at 'Ohana, I would be out at the bus stop no later than 6:45. These buses come less frequently than the regular buses do. When you get on the bus, ask the driver which is faster to the Polynesian..boat or monorail. You may get lucky and the driver will offer to drop you at the Polynesian on the way out of MK. If that doesn't happen, take the monorail over to the Polynesian. It starts running by 7.

Cabs are plentiful....I have taken a cab from YC/BC to Pop...it was about $10, including tip. That was a few years ago, but they are very close to each other, so the cost is low. But if you're going from AKL to Pop, it's going to be more expensive...longer distance. As far as tipping the cab driver goes....it is expected in this country! Not tipping a cabbie is pretty rude. The cost, as I mentioned, from YC/BC to Pop, is about $8 or so...I added $2 for a tip. The fare to/from BW should be about the same. There is no way handing the cabbie $3-$5 is going to cover your fare! Non-Americans do find it odd...and because you are in this country, it's a good idea to follow what is accepted here. Do you not tip in the restaurants either? I do understand that Europeans tip much differently in restaurants than we do...hence our servers being so incredibly happy to see us in London...we tipped the American way.

 

[DebbieB]

If Magic Kingdom is closing at 7:00, there's probably a Halloween party and transportation will continue to run until 1:00am.

 

[mgsquared]

Thank you for the insights everyone! I will make sure to budget extra for some cab rides (and tips! You do that here too! In restaurants also but not as much since the servers are paid a living wage. We know that is not the case in the states and tip accordingly).
We want to spend time in downtown disney. That's the thing. We have the waterpark & more option on our tickets and want to go to quest. The ADR's in the resorts worry me a bit but worst case we will just be prepared to have to take a cab.