Transportation things that I didn't know about.

[Okieatheart 33]

I like it, too, Gwen, Jason, and Lou.  A former student of mine who is a record executive in Los Angeles (I taught him in 1974-1975) sent it to me.

 

I think if I were still teaching, I would play this every day at the beginning of each class.  Heck, we might even have a sing-along!  I was big on singing in class when I taught grammar; we sang helping verbs, linking verbs, subordinate conjunctions, adverbs - anything I needed the kids to remember.  We even sang the OU fight song!

 

Okay, I'm a little goofy, but one does what one must do to entertain oneself - and her class!

[Lou... 3,118]

The poster below is going to TE at the Fort and is planning to take the boat. They're not asking what is the best way to get there, just how long is the boat ride.

In addition to not actually answering the OP's question, the experts tell them how to get there, but that's not the question

The experts say not to take the bus, and to opt for the boat. Uhh, the boat is the only direct option.

With a show of hands, and as long as the boats are operating, how many of you have taken a bus from the MK directly to the Fort?

I don't see any.

 

I've only posted the relevant portion of six responses.

 

 

We have dinner reservations at trails end on our Magic Kingdom day. We've never been to Fort wilderness before. We will be going in September.

Approximately how long will it take us to get there from the time we exit the Magic Kingdom?

I know it can vary but just a rough idea.

Planning to take the boat from the Magic Kingdom.

We've also never been to the wilderness Lodge. Could we stop at the wilderness Lodge to look around and then walk to trails end from there?

Other options?

 

I believe you can either take a bus, or from MK I believe you can take the boat / water taxi to Fort Wilderness.

 

I would take the boat. Great way to see another side of the "World".

 

Yep, highly recommend the boat for a different view.

 

Your best option is the boat, if you do a bus then you get dropped off at the parking area for FW,

 

I will support what others have said.

 

There are buses to FW, buses to WL, boats to WL, CR, and various combinations. The FW bus will drop you at a depot where you would transfer to a second internal FW bus

[Lou... 3,118]

Thanks to TCD for the heads up on that last transportation thing that I didn't know.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Wow, those answers are just fantastic!!!

 

This is my favorite one of all...

There are buses to FW, buses to WL, boats to WL, CR, and various combinations.

 

Again, see "never been to the Fort before"

[Momof6....aka Marty 769]

I just feel so sorry for these people who don't know that there is an alternative to the misinformation they are being given.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Those answers are DISappointing.

[Lou... 3,118]

According to the bus experts elsewhere, only Mears provides the DME service, oops, maybe not.

 

[Lou... 3,118]

Oh, oh, this person is in for a surprise.

I guess the answer would be that the boat is much quicker as it's going to be more than a 20 minute wait for the bus from the Fort to the MK.

"How early can you catch a boat from FW to MK? How early would the buses run from FW to MK on the same day? Which way is quicker?"

 

And then this bus expert chimed in with this.

 

"Buses start running at 6:30am"

Close enough.

 

"The bus is typically faster, but in the early mornings, the buses sometimes don't arrive as often as normal."

Where do people come up with these answers? If you don't know, don't say anything.

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Oh, oh, this person is in for a surprise.

I guess the answer would be that the boat is much quicker as it's going to be more than a 20 minute wait for the bus from the Fort to the MK.

"How early can you catch a boat from FW to MK? How early would the buses run from FW to MK on the same day? Which way is quicker?"

 

And then this bus expert chimed in with this.

 

"Buses start running at 6:30am"

Close enough.

 

"The bus is typically faster, but in the early mornings, the buses sometimes don't arrive as often as normal."

Where do people come up with these answers? If you don't know, don't say anything.

 

They'll be waiting for a bit. 

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Where do people come up with these answers? If you don't know, don't say anything.

 

Oh where's the fun in that?  Much more fun to pull an answer out of your butt.  Your fellow "experts" will admire your creativity, the newbies will put you on a message board pedestal, and you can entertain yourself with visions of some poor soul spending half their vacation on a bench because they followed your advice.

 

[Momof6....aka Marty 769]

Oh where's the fun in that?  Much more fun to pull an answer out of your butt.  Your fellow "experts" will admire your creativity, the newbies will put you on a message board pedestal, and you can entertain yourself with visions of some poor soul spending half their vacation on a bench because they followed your advice.

 

:bellringer:

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Oh, oh, this person is in for a surprise.

I guess the answer would be that the boat is much quicker as it's going to be more than a 20 minute wait for the bus from the Fort to the MK.

"How early can you catch a boat from FW to MK? How early would the buses run from FW to MK on the same day? Which way is quicker?"

And then this bus expert chimed in with this.

"Buses start running at 6:30am"

Close enough.

"The bus is typically faster, but in the early mornings, the buses sometimes don't arrive as often as normal."

Where do people come up with these answers? If you don't know, don't say anything.

Hang on a minute.

Are you saying that there is a bus that runs from the Fort to the MK early in the morning?

If there is, that fact is not communicated in any of the written material provided to FW guests at check-in, nor is it posted at any of the bus stops.

TCD

[Lou... 3,118]

Hang on a minute.

Are you saying that there is a bus that runs from the Fort to the MK early in the morning?

If there is, that fact is not communicated in any of the written material provided to FW guests at check-in, nor is it posted at any of the bus stops.

TCD

 

I was alluding to the statement that "buses start running at 6:30" property wide. I believe it's closer to 6:45.

 

But you bring up a good question that I can't answer.

Buses pick up at the resorts for early ADRs. I would think that the Fort would be included if the boats aren't operating early enough.

The policy is that if you can book a ADR, Disney transportation will get you there.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I was alluding to the statement that "buses start running at 6:30" property wide. I believe it's closer to 6:45.

 

But you bring up a good question that I can't answer.

Buses pick up at the resorts for early ADRs. I would think that the Fort would be included if the boats aren't operating early enough.

The policy is that if you can book a ADR, Disney transportation will get you there.

Well, the MK boat from the Fort typically doesn't run at 6:30. The first resort boat typically is at the Fort marina at around 6:45. I have never heard of an MK bus which travels directly from the Fort. If there is one, Disney has done a terrible job publicizing that fact. Even a seasoned bus driver doesn't know.

TCD

[Lou... 3,118]

Well, the MK boat from the Fort typically doesn't run at 6:30. The first resort boat typically is at the Fort marina at around 6:45. I have never heard of an MK bus which travels directly from the Fort. If there is one, Disney has done a terrible job publicizing that fact. Even a seasoned bus driver doesn't know.

TCD

 

If the boat is operating at 6:45, can people make early ADRs at MK?

If they can, there is no need for a Fort to MK bus.

That also might explain why we haven't heard of one.

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

For super early ADRs (or to be early for RD), you have to take the Contemporary boat and walk to the MK from there. 

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

The large MK boat is not even reliable for early Extra Magic Hours, boat to Contemporary is the best bet

[Lou... 3,118]

"When we were there in February, there were no park to park buses. We took the boat to the Swan, then walked through to the bus stop, and caught a bus to MK."

I'm going to chalk this up to stupidity because DHS to MK park to park buses run year round and operate as long as there are people at either park and beyond.

They are dedicated buses that just go back and forth all day and night. They are not dispatched from the resort to park bus inventory. They're also on a set schedule.

 

"People will say I am crazy, but I have stood in line for 45 minutes or longer at MK at park closing for a bus back to POP"

Yup, I am going to say this poster is crazy and is saying this just to get a rise out of readers in order to feel important.

They don't realize how the bus system operates at MK after it closes. It operates completely different than it does before closing. While waiting 45 minutes sometimes occurs during the day, it's extremely unlikely for it to happen after a park closes especially to POP.

I've noticed that people lose the ability to tell time when waiting for a WDW bus. When someone told me they've been waiting for 45 minutes, I took it to mean 20 to 25 minutes. And in a lot of cases I was able to verify it.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I've ridden the MK to DHS bus a couple of times this very month.  So, it's definitely there.  Bus stop #5 from the MK.

 

I agree that it's unlikely there was a 45 minute wait for a bus after park closing.  The buses are lined up and ready to go at park closing. When one loads up and leaves, it's a matter of minutes before another one is in its place and loading.

 

20-25 minutes does seem to be a lot longer when waiting for a bus.

 

TCD

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

20-25 minutes does seem to be a lot longer when waiting for a bus.

 

Especially if it's 6:30am and you've been up since 4:45am the previous day. 

 

When we left MK after last year's 24 hour event we waited 30+ minutes for a bus back to POP and then it was standing room only.

 

But that's not exactly a normal park close.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Especially if it's 6:30am and you've been up since 4:45am the previous day. 

 

When we left MK after last year's 24 hour event we waited 30+ minutes for a bus back to POP and then it was standing room only.

 

But that's not exactly a normal park close.

 

Nuck n Futz.  

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Nuck n Futz.  

 

:wave1:

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

I have had a true 45 minute plus wait to board a bus back to Pop from the MK.

 

The line was about 3 buses long when we arrive and folks kept streaming in, but we had to wait for 5 buses to finally board.

 

We were number 5&6 in the scooter line (we were with our friends that the DH uses a scooter), then 3 more scooters behind us in line for wheelchairs/scooters.

 

There were two load zones set up, but one line.

 

When we arrived, no buses were there. About 10 minutes later a regular WDW bus showed up in load zone 1, a large Mears coach showed up in load zone 2.

 

Scooter #1 was by themselves, scooter #2, 3, were together, scooter #4 was solo, then we were together.

 

Bus #1 loaded the first scooter, and THEN scooter #2 announced they wanted to stay together with scooter #3, so they filled up the bus with standing folks, then the Mears coach loaded with no scooters (they don't take them), then bus #3 (a regular disney bus, double parked next to bus #1 and did not load any scooters, then they all drove off. Another 10 minutes and a regular bus stopped in load area #1, so they took scooter #2, 3, then another bus showed up and took scooter #4, and then we told the person behind us they could go ahead, so our party could stay together.

 

Then another 10 minutes with no buses

 

Then another big Mears coach showed up and filled up with standing guests and left., then about 5 minutes waiting

 

Then another regular Disney bus showed up and loaded us and our friends and the remaining 10-20 folks in line.

 

I would guess about 50-60 standing folks that got in line after we did were on a bus before we were.

 

And don't forget there were still 2 scooters behind us that had to wait some more!!!

 

(Leaving right at park closing was DEFINITELY not my idea. I would have much rather spent that 45 minutes to an hour sitting INSIDE the Magic Kingdom people watching, but the guys were "we're ready to go") The wait INSIDE the park would have been infinitely more pleasant.

[Lou... 3,118]

I have had a true 45 minute plus wait to board a bus back to Pop from the MK.

 

 

When was that and what time of the year?

 

We were number 5&6 in the scooter line (we were with our friends that the DH uses a scooter), then 3 more scooters behind us in line for wheelchairs/scooters.

 

 

That will happen for people with scooters and not just at MK closing. It happens at multi stop resorts during opening.

 

Then another big Mears coach showed up and filled up with standing guests and left., then about 5 minutes waiting

 

 If they were using 3rd party buses, that was not a typical day.

 

On a typical day during MK closing, the chances of a non-scooter guest having to wait 45 minutes is unlikely.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

When was that and what time of the year?

 

 

That will happen for people with scooters and not just at MK closing. It happens at multi stop resorts during opening.

 

 

 If they were using 3rd party buses, that was not a typical day.

 

On a typical day during MK closing, the chances of a non-scooter guest having to wait 45 minutes is unlikely.

It was actually several years ago, during one of the Free Dining times, in September I believe. POP was fairly new and FULL!!

 

I don't know if it's changed, but they were not handling the POP buses very well at all the entire week. They always seemed to have a LOT longer line than the 3 All-Stars. Putting that many rooms with a single set of services is just too much. Everyone and everything over the entire resort seemed overwhelmed.

 

My husband refuses to stay at POP because of that week.