First-timer--couple questions

[Fastpasssteve]

Two things:

The idea listed above about getting a taxi for that one morning may be worth it. You would be heartbroken if you missed the Opening Ceremonies at the Magic Kingdom. Get there early. There's no worse start to a day at the Magic Kingdom than being stressed by transportation and the tyranny of the clock. Ugg!

You said your hotel was in the Downtown Disney area. Well...how close? There are Disney buses that run from Downtown Disney to each of the four parks. They begin early in the morning, I believe. You could check into that at Guest Services the day/evening before in Downtown Disney. Those buses deliver you as close to the gate as possible.

[RBrooksC]

One thing I may suggest and if somebody has suggested it already, I am sorry for the repeat but when riding the monorail into the MK, the obvious choice is to take the express but EVERYBODY takes that one. Go over to the Resort Monorail and take that one. Yes, it does make stops at the hotels but you may not have all the people trying to pile into those as you do on the express.

[j2k]

Glad your little one had a great time. I'm bringing my 5 year old for her first trip later this year and although I will have things planned out we also know that the trip is for her so we'll go at her pace.
How did the hotel shuttles work out for you? We're probably staying near Downtown Disney and will likely take the hotel shuttles. Someone suggested we could walk to Downtown Disney and take the DW transportation from there. Did you try that? How did that work out?
I know I'm full of questions but I'm trying to plan it all out. Thanks!

[anchorgirl]

The hotel shuttle was fine going to the park. It runs every 30 minutes. There are two routes, so one serves four hotels and the other serves three. But really there are 4 buses every half hour, because one A bus (the 4 hotels) and one B bus (the 3 hotels) go to two parks, and the other A and B buses to the other two (they seemed to vary, but typically it was MK and AK on one route. So each park is served twice an hour by each route.
Our first one left at 8 AM, but we were the last pick up, so it must be a little earlier at the other hotels. The one time we took the 8 AM we had to stand, though someone let my daughter share a seat with his daughter. We got to the park before 830 (bus was a little late) and to MK close to 9--we were walking up just as they were doing the ceremony.
They run until 90 minutes after the park closes. Coming home was more of a drag because the bus goes to AK before it goes back to the hotel, and we were the last to be dropped off.
Overall, I would allow an hour on either end.

There is no bus from downtown disney to the parks; they make you go to a resort first because people were freeloading. So that would have just added extra time. Plus, while we were close to DD, the other hotels were not as close and the DD shuttle from the hotels only runs at night.

All in all, no complaints, but would definitely look to stay on property next time. Though we will probably be relegated to Disneyland for the next several years.

PS if you buy an ear-hat on your b-day, they embroider your name for free!

[j2k]

Thank you for responding and giving me all this information. I know we'll figure it all out when we get there but it's good to know what I need to plan on for the first morning.

[j2k]

PS if you buy an ear-hat on your b-day, they embroider your name for free!

That's awesome! We'll definitely have to look into that.


Oh, and after weighing your response about the hotel shuttles from the DTD area hotels we decided to stay onsite and are booked at Coronado Springs!!! Thanks!

[texas211]

I would plan a lot of extra time if using offsite buses/vans. Very unpredictable.

As far as the buttons, my D soon to be W (i.e DW) wore he just engaged button all week, and in fact 2 weeks later, i'm still trying to get it off her..

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

Two things:

You said your hotel was in the Downtown Disney area. Well...how close? There are Disney buses that run from Downtown Disney to each of the four parks. They begin early in the morning, I believe. You could check into that at Guest Services the day/evening before in Downtown Disney. Those buses deliver you as close to the gate as possible.

I thought the buses from DTD only ran to the resorts? Or did they start going to the parks again? They had stopped doing that years ago because too many people were parking at DTD and not paying to park at the parks. This also caused a lack of parking at DTD for guests who were actually there to shop & eat.

[MickeysBestPal]

1- I thought the buses from DTD only ran to the resorts? Or

2- did they start going to the parks again?

3- They had stopped doing that years ago because too many people were parking at DTD and not paying to park at the parks. This also caused a lack of parking at DTD for guests who were actually there to shop & eat.

You said your hotel was in the Downtown Disney area. Well...how close?

4- There are Disney buses that run from Downtown Disney to each of the four parks.

5- They begin early in the morning, I believe.

6- You could check into that at Guest Services the day/evening before in Downtown Disney.

7- Those buses deliver you as close to the gate as possible.

1- Correct.
2- Nope.
3- Yup.


4- Nope.
5- Nope.
6- You could check, but there are no buses between DTD and the theme parks.
7- The buses from the WDW resorts deliver you to the park gates areas.
Sorry.

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

Thanks, that's what I thought and it wouldn't really make sense to change it back because then they'd have the same problems.