Boat to Magic Kingdom

[ftwildernessguy 778]

3000 loop offers 24 hour boat service to MK. In fact, we will pick you up at your site with an official glof cart.

[Blonde Bunny 3]

So, what happens when MK opens at 8, with EMH at 7?  This will be the case for our upcoming trip.  Should we drive to the Contemporary or chance the MK boat?  My parents have never seen the welcome show and we'd like to get there in time for it. 

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

So, what happens when MK opens at 8, with EMH at 7?  This will be the case for our upcoming trip.  Should we drive to the Contemporary or chance the MK boat?  My parents have never seen the welcome show and we'd like to get there in time for it. 

Get on the first boat to the Contemporary and walk!

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

So let me see if I have this correct.

The best way to get to the MK for rope drop or early morning rezzie is to take the bus to the Contemporary and then walk to the MK?

Is that right?

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

That is correct, but just in case somebody missed it

 

The best way to get to MK early is to take the boat to the Contemporary and walk over to the MK :)

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Ok so you go to the marina to catch the early boat to the contemporary. And when I arrive at the contemporary I get off the boat and walk to the MK?

[Blonde Bunny 3]

Hang on... If I want to be at rope drop/welcome show and the park opens at 7:00, will hopping a boat to the Comtemp at 6:45 and walking get me through bag check in time?  I'm thinking we won't make it that way, or will that boat be magically earlier than 6:45?  Won't the boat to MK (at 1/2 hour before park opening) be faster?  Or won't that boat come 1/2 hour before EMH?

[Momof6....aka Marty 769]

This doesn't answer your question, but I have always read that it is best to avoid parks on days they have EMH, as they tend ot be more crowded.  Unless you plan to bail as soon as the park starts to get crowded, I would rearrange your itinerary to avoid MK that day.

 

BUT, if you still want to do that, it sounds like your best bet is to drive to the Contemporary and then walk to MK.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

My personal recommendation is to swim to the Contemporary, then ride a Big Wheel to the MK.  

[Blonde Bunny 3]

Yep, we plan to bail right after lunch, which we have a res for.  :)

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

I honestly don't know if they do a welcome show on those really early EMH mornings.

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

I honestly don't know if they do a welcome show on those really early EMH mornings.

 

They do. When we go for Spring Break, they have EMH all week and have the welcome show. 

[Command Module...AKA-Brian 8]

OMG, sweet tea just shot out of my nose, got a mental picture of DIT soaking wet on a big wheel cruising through the Contemporary lobby! Wow

[Beckers 1,136]

My personal recommendation is to swim to the Contemporary, then ride a Big Wheel to the MK.

Don't you have to go over to pop to get the big wheel to ride?

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Hang on... If I want to be at rope drop/welcome show and the park opens at 7:00, will hopping a boat to the Comtemp at 6:45 and walking get me through bag check in time?  I'm thinking we won't make it that way, or will that boat be magically earlier than 6:45?  Won't the boat to MK (at 1/2 hour before park opening) be faster?  Or won't that boat come 1/2 hour before EMH?

 

It took me a while to find it, but I found a first-hand report here from BFM recounting how they got to the dock at 6:15 am and caught the MK boat for a 7 am EMH at the MK: http://www.fortfiends.net/forum/topic/9703-its-a-buckeyefortfamily-spring-break-eggstravaganza/?p=267168

 

As you can see, they made it for the opening show, and had a very productive morning at the Magic Kingdom.

 

Everything you need to know about the Fort and WDW can be found in Fort Fiend trip reports!

 

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

 

Walk straight up from the dock through the ground floor doors of the lobby, go past the check-in desks, turn right and head towards the bus stops and out those doors. Then follow the sidewalk past the bus stops, past Bay Lake Towers, then to the red light. Cross at the crossing, then follow the path past all the MK bus stops, and you will end up near guest relations. You will then have to continue all the way under the monorail to the bag check entrance.

 

Excellent job, Carol.

 

One thing that should be mentioned for anyone considering walking from the Contemporary boat dock is that it's a 2/3 of a mile walk. 

 

Here's how I measured that:

 

 

Everyone says it's an easy walk, and I agree.   But, consider this.  2/3 of  mile is the same as walking from the Fort dock to the 1000 loop:

 

 

Or from the 1500 loop all the way to the Outpost bus stop:

 

 

I think most of us would wait for the bus before making those walks. 

 

The walk from the Contemporary boat dock to the MK may be too much for a young child or an out-of-shape or tired adult.

 

TCD

[DaveInTN 3,247]

 

 

The walk from the Contemporary boat dock to the MK may be too much for a young child or an out-of-shape or tired adult.

 

 

 

Hence, the Big Wheel. 

 

Duh. 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Hence, the Big Wheel. 

 

Duh. 

 

Duh.

 

You're a genius.

 

That's an easy ride on a Big Wheel.

 

TCD

[Momof6....aka Marty 769]

 

 

I think most of us would wait for the bus before making those walks. 

 

Okay, I must be missing something.  What bus?

[Beckers 1,136]

Okay, I must be missing something. What bus?

TCD was saying an equivalent walk would be 1500 loop to the outpost, that bus.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Okay, I must be missing something.  What bus?

 

I was referring to the internal Fort Wilderness bus.

 

I wouldn't walk from the 1500 loop to the Outpost. I'd wait for the bus.

 

Same with if I had to go from the marina to the 1000 loop- I'd take the bus.

 

Both of those walks are equivalent to the walk from the Contemporary dock to the MK entrance.  Everyone says it's an easy walk, including me, but it's a considerable distance.

 

TCD

[Travisma 1,317]

It's an easy walk since it's flat and is a direct shot once you get to the edge of the Contemporary parking lot.

 

If the guards let you park over to the left side as you go in, the path is pretty close and the walk from the parking lot is a lot less than from the boat dock.

 

I never had issues parking in there, we would say we were going to lunch at the hotel, then walk over.  I did that when we were going to the MK and Hollywood to by some Christmas gifts and we werent really staying at the MK longer than shopping.

 

I couldn't see the guard turning you away if you have early reservations for the park.  They want you to have a magical day after all.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

It's an easy walk since it's flat and is a direct shot once you get to the edge of the Contemporary parking lot.

 

If the guards let you park over to the left side as you go in, the path is pretty close and the walk from the parking lot is a lot less than from the boat dock.

 

I never had issues parking in there, we would say we were going to lunch at the hotel, then walk over.  I did that when we were going to the MK and Hollywood to by some Christmas gifts and we werent really staying at the MK longer than shopping.

 

I couldn't see the guard turning you away if you have early reservations for the park.  They want you to have a magical day after all.

 

If everyone from the Fort decided to drive to the Contemporary and park to go to the MK, I imagine there might be a bit of an issue.

 

TCD

[Blonde Bunny 3]

It took me a while to find it, but I found a first-hand report here from BFM recounting how they got to the dock at 6:15 am and caught the MK boat for a 7 am EMH at the MK: http://www.fortfiends.net/forum/topic/9703-its-a-buckeyefortfamily-spring-break-eggstravaganza/?p=267168

 

As you can see, they made it for the opening show, and had a very productive morning at the Magic Kingdom.

 

Everything you need to know about the Fort and WDW can be found in Fort Fiend trip reports!

 

TCD

Thanks!  That is very helpful!

[Travisma 1,317]

If everyone from the Fort decided to drive to the Contemporary and park to go to the MK, I imagine there might be a bit of an issue.

 

TCD

True, but how many people at the Fort have early appointments at the MK?

 

That would be the only time I would think of trying, or if you are running extremely late for a reservation.

 

I'm a big advocate of parking my vehicle the day I arrive and it stays in the same spot until I leave.

 

You know us, we are no longer park people so we don't have to do that any longer.

 

Maybe when we hit the Lottery we will get passes again.