No direct buses from MK to park hop? and..Which is faster Ferry or Bus EC/DHS?

[RoosMomKanga]

Just reviewing the transportation options for park hopping and I have two questions. We're only there 2.5 days so we want the fastest routes.

Is it still true that to PH to/from MK you always have to go through/switch modes at the TTC? I thought I remembered someone saying there are now buses that go direct to/from between MK and the other parks (ie. can I get on a bus from MK direct to DHS?)?

Intercot lists the ferry going to DHS from EC, but doesn't suggest it under "how to get there". Is it faster to take the bus between these two, even if I'm near the Intl. Gateway? What about from DHS to EC...which is faster?

Thanks!

[BethieTink]

Not sure about the MK question, but there are no buses that run between EPCOT and the Studios. There are 2 options the boat and walking (which is doable, but not fast).

Hope that helps.

[Piglet822]

Unless Disney has changed things, the only buses that go directly to Magic Kingdom come from the resorts. The buses from the other parks go to TTC.
I'm not real sure about the time to Epcot from/to Disney's Hollywood Studios. I remember taking the boat a few years back and it stopped at the Epcot resorts on the way so it's not a quick trip - a relaxing one, but not quick.
Coming from International Gateway to the front of the park and then out to where the buses are, then waiting for the bus, I'm going to guess the time frame is probably similar.

[vicster]

We've taken the boat from EC to DHS. You exit through the International Gateway (between France and UK). The boat isn't necessarily the quickest way but it's nice to sit for a while after walking through the park.

[JPL]

Your best bet to get to another DHS or AK from the Magic Kingdom is walk over to the Contemporary or Monorail to Grand Floridian and take a bus from there

[tink179]

My family and I just got back about a month ago, and did the same thing. There is no direct bus from MK to any of the parks or DTD. What I would recommend is taking the monorail to Epcot. Then taking the boat from there to DHS. If you go to TTC to a hotel, then try to grab a bus from there, it takes forever!!! My dh and I figured that out. Especially if you're doing it later in the day. The buses do not come very often. That is your best bet! We have 3 kids and took a double stroller and a single stroller, and that was what worked best for us. I hope that helps!!!

[Brer Mickey]

I don't have all of the answers to your questions but I will tell you for sure, the only direct buses from MK are to the resorts.

Also, a month ago DS15 and I rode the boat from DHS to Epcot and the entire trip from gate-to-gate took 45 minutes. Hope this helps.

[CleveSJM]

Your best bet to get to another DHS or AK from the Magic Kingdom is walk over to the Contemporary or Monorail to Grand Floridian and take a bus from there

Bingo. That is definitely the best from MK to DHS or AK. Of course, the monorail is best to Epcot from MK (via TTC but quick).

The walkway between Epcot and DHS might be the quickest if you are a quick walker and the weather is right. You'll get to enjoy the Yacht and Beach Club scenery as well. If not, a bus from any Epcot resort to DHS or AK would be your quickest method.

[robemcdo]

Magic Kingdom to Epcot:

Take the Boardwalk Bus. It will stop at Boardwalk first. Get off. Walk 5 minutes and you will be at Epcot

MGM - Same thing...Get off at Boardwalk, head the other way...8 to 10 minutes, you will be there.

If Yacht/Beach Club bus come first, take it!

You could walk/monorail to one of the monorail resorts and take the bus, but I find their bus service is very poor

[RoosMomKanga]

OK, I must be slow...but now I'm really confused...obviously many ways to do this....

...there are no buses that run between EPCOT and the Studios. There are 2 options the boat and walking (which is doable, but not fast).

I think there are buses between EC and DHS, right? I was just wondering if the boat/walking is faster if you're near the I. Gateway?

Your best bet to get to another DHS or AK from the Magic Kingdom is walk over to the Contemporary or Monorail to Grand Floridian and take a bus from there

I hadn't thought of this. If I get on the Monorail to GF/then bus, this is really faster than catching a bus mid-day from the TTC?

What I would recommend is taking the monorail to Epcot. Then taking the boat from there to DHS. If you go to TTC to a hotel, then try to grab a bus from there, it takes forever!!!

From MK? Hmmm....this sounds longer, or I'm confused.

... boat from DHS to Epcot and the entire trip from gate-to-gate took 45 minutes.

Wow! That's long!

...bus from any Epcot resort to DHS or AK would be your quickest method.

So get on a bus from MK to a resort, then bus to DHS or AK?

[AuntDJ]

Just wanted to chime in...there is a bus from the Studios to Epcot....It may be the fastest method, but we did use it in last March. Mostly because I didn't think about the boat...

It took about 30-45 minutes.

DJ

[andreallybadeggs]

We love to PH but unless one has that tele-transporting thing down it does take some time. I'd add two general things to consider:
1) Since it takes time anyway, take the method that you'll enjoy the most. For example, I'd rather
wait for a bus sitting on one of the luxury resort's benches than fighting the fumes at the TTC.
2) Go to the source-- talk to the people who work around the buses, ferries, monorails and find out the best option for each scenario.
Two and a half days isn't long but it can still be memorable. Enjoy

[KAT1811]

Your best bet to get to another DHS or AK from the Magic Kingdom is walk over to the Contemporary or Monorail to Grand Floridian and take a bus from there

I would take the monerail, from the MK, over to either the Poly or the GF and bus it to the AK or DHS from there. Just like JPL said.

From the MK to Epcot I would do the monerail.

I would go to DHS first (there is much less to do there than at Epcot IMHO) and then take a taxi over to Epcot and spend the rest of my time there (and catch Illuminations). The boat is a very slow process. Not sure on the bus, never knew there was one.

Good luck!

[Main Street Jim]

Your best bet to get to another DHS or AK from the Magic Kingdom is walk over to the Contemporary or Monorail to Grand Floridian and take a bus from there

However, the Grand Flo is the fourth stop on that resort monorail loop (from MK, to Contemp, to TTC, to Poly, to GF, then back to MK). On another note, the Contemp is the first stop on the Contemp/Poly/GF bus loop (at least it was last time I took that route), so if you got on the bus at the Contemp, you'd still have to stop at the Poly and GF before heading to the other park. But like others have said, there are buses from the TTC to the other parks.

If I get on the Monorail to GF/then bus, this is really faster than catching a bus mid-day from the TTC?

In my opinion, using the buses, I'd take the Express monorail to the TTC, then a bus from there to DHS.

What I would recommend is taking the monorail to Epcot. Then taking the boat from there to DHS.

This route would take a while, because you'd have to enter Epoct through the front entrance near Spaceship Earth, walk all the way to the back of Epcot to the Gateway, and then another 30-45 minutes on a boat from Epcot to DHS.

Intercot lists the ferry going to DHS from EC, but doesn't suggest it under "how to get there".

There isn't a "ferry", per se, like the Seven Seas Lagoon ferries from TTC to MK and back; they're the Friendships that you see on Epcot's lagoon - same boats. But these boats make stops in between the two parks, at Yacht/Beach, Boadrwalk, and the Swolphin (that's "Swan/Dolphin" ) before continuing to the parks.

I *always* recommend giving yourself AT LEAST an hour's travel time to get between parks, between waiting on buses/monorails and exiting a park to get to said transportation.

[Kathie_WE]

We PH all the time and usually go 2-3 days...

I would agree that it does take some time...but we look at this as r&r down time.. particulary the boat from EPCOT to DHS. And IMHO it is still easier/less frustrating than driving yourself all over.

One connection no one has mentioned is DTD... again there is no direct bus connection from the parks. So we take the bus to Saratoga Springs, get off at the last stop, and walk about 10 minutes. Another option is to go to PO/OKW and take a boat, but that would take some time. Though this boat ride is very relaxing.

Enjoy!

Kathie