TexanInTheMidwest
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2018
I'm helping a friend figure out transportation to and from the Dolphin. They will have a car, but I'm thinking walking to HS and Epcot will be easier. They have parkhoppers so if they drive to one park, I hate to have them have to figure out how to get back to their car vs. just taking skyliner, bus, etc to the next park. What is the best way to tell them to make rope drop for EP/HS? Walk or boat? And then MK/AK are there direct buses to those places, should they walk to Boardwalk/Beach Club and hop a bus there? I've never even been in the Swan/Dolphin complex so any help you all can give me would be great! They will have a car so if driving to some of those places would be best, thats fine too, just remember they have the hoppers and are planning to use them, so that complicates the driving situation!
Back in May, I took the boat to HS. The boat begins ONE HOUR before Park opening, so be there about 15 minutes before. The 1st boats out to HS, also, each resort seems to get its own boat as they launch them all at the same time - Boardwalk, YC/BC, Swan/Dolphin - but you'll actually have a slight advantage boarding at the Swan/Dolphin as the next stop is HS whereas the other 2 boats will stop and pick up additional passenger if the boat isn't full (as I learned in March when I rode the boat to HS from The Boardwalk).
(NOTE: I WALKED back from HS simply because it was park closing time and the line for the boat was super long - but I would have preferred to take the boat as the Swan/Dolphin is the 1st stop on the route back)
Epcot - Take the boat - but consider getting off at the Beach Club and walking the rest of the way. It will save some time and steps beyond walking all the way to Epcot (The boat guy told us - hey - this is pretty close if you want to get there - and probably will faster than if you were to stay on the boat as it has to go BW before Epcot)
AK - honestly - DRIVE - and pay the extra $$ for premium parking. There is SO much walking at AK and until trams are running, it gets you so much closer.
MK - I walked over to the BW early in the morning (6:15 for an 8 AM MK Opening - the bus arrived at 6:35, loaded, and we were at MK by 7:04). Going back, I did as a previous poster suggested: walked over to the Contemporary and took a LYFT back to the hotel (but I was also in a hurry meeting friends for dinner that night) (Otherwise, I would just go to the bus stop and take whatever bus comes next: BW, BC/YC, or HS