A few questions over transportation to the MK

[MudQueen22]

I understand that you take a bus from a bus stop near your loop to the boat dock to take the boat to MK. If leaving before the sun comes up and/or returning after dark, how much of a safety issue is it walking from the bus stop to your loop? How well lit are the paths to avoid getting hit by vehicles or not seeing an unfriendly reptile?

We considered renting a golf cart, but at $59+tax per day, we can't bring ourselves to do that.

About the boats--do you tend to make good time? How much time should be budgeted for getting to rope drop from the campsite?

Are they the same kind of boats that take people from the transportation center to MK gates?

 

[G719]

I understand that you take a bus from a bus stop near your loop to the boat dock to take the boat to MK. If leaving before the sun comes up and/or returning after dark, how much of a safety issue is it walking from the bus stop to your loop? How well lit are the paths to avoid getting hit by vehicles or not seeing an unfriendly reptile?

We considered renting a golf cart, but at $59+tax per day, we can't bring ourselves to do that.

About the boats--do you tend to make good time? How much time should be budgeted for getting to rope drop from the campsite?

Are they the same kind of boats that take people from the transportation center to MK gates?

The Fort is well lit. Lots of street lights. I always have a flashlight in my bag but I don't need it to walk at the fort at night.

The boats from the fort are not the same as the ferry. They are much smaller.

For the boat to the MK, it only begins running 30 minutes before park opening. If you are on that first boat, you will probably get there by park opening but won't be early.
I use the boat that travels between contemporary, lodge, and fort when I want to get to MK early. It starts running much earlier. You take it to the contemporary and walk over to MK. When we had breakfast adr, we left the cabin around 7 and made it to the MK by 735. We did have a golf cart so you'll have to figure you may wait a few minutes for the internal bus.

 

[MudQueen22]

So there is a boat that goes from the fort to the contemporary that leaves earlier than the MK boat?

 

[2goofycampers]

So there is a boat that goes from the fort to the contemporary that leaves earlier than the MK boat?

Yes, 6:45ish every AM.

 

[peg110]

We considered renting a golf cart, but at $59+tax per day, we can't bring ourselves to do that.

There are Off site vendors that will rent you a GC for $35/day. You have to go off site to get it but if you are there for more than a couple of days it could be worth it.

How much time should be budgeted for getting to rope drop from the campsite?

I plan on at least an HOUR for travel time regardless. So if I want to go to RD and it's at 8 AM, I need to be leaving my site no later than 7 AM. Obviously you have to consider if the transportation is running or not. The boat from FW to MK only starts running 30 minutes before park opening. If you are on the first boat you will likely make the RD but just barely. As mentioned, the boat to Contemporary then a short walk to the park might be better.

We actually did that on our last trip so a word of caution. For us it was quite HOT and Humid, so our short walk left us fairly sweaty and this was BEFORE Rope Drop. Your mileage may vary.

 

[jo-jo]

As older people ( with older eyes LOL), when ever we walked around FW to see Christmas lights, we always carried a flashlight. But just as a reminder, if you have a smart phone, that can act as a flashlight. I have no idea how that would use up your battery, but just in case you find it too dark to get around.

 

[WDWNerd]

We relied on the internal bus system the last time we camped at the fort. We found it to be very inconsistent, as far as your wait for a bus goes. Sometimes we would wait for 20 mins & sometimes we wouldn't wait at all. Just keep that in mind when you are planning.

In the mornings, we found that the line for the MK boat was always longer than the other. Sometimes it filled up, and people would have to wait for the next one (this made for some unhappy campers)

We always took the boat to the contemporary & walked. Even with kids & stroller, it was fine.

 

[peg110]

We found it to be very inconsistent, as far as your wait for a bus goes. Sometimes we would wait for 20 mins & sometimes we wouldn't wait at all.

While I agree that you could wait 20 minutes for the bus, I wouldn't call it "inconsistent" as far as the transportation goes, rather more inconsistent as to when you arrived to wait for the bus. Perhaps you arrived moments after it left, thus you have to wait for the next one (which can take upwards of 20 minutes depending on how busy they are).

 

[WDWNerd]

While I agree that you could wait 20 minutes for the bus, I wouldn't call it "inconsistent" as far as the transportation goes, rather more inconsistent as to when you arrived to wait for the bus. Perhaps you arrived moments after it left, thus you have to wait for the next one (which can take upwards of 20 minutes depending on how busy they are).[/QUOTE

Yes, you are right.

 

[Ds4angels]

Does FW have a bus to MK or only the boats?

 

[PaHunter]

Does FW have a bus to MK or only the boats?

No there is also a bus that leaves from the Settlement and goes to MK via Wilderness Lodge. We had to take it once when the boats were fogged in.

 

[peg110]

I don't believe there is a bus that goes "DIRECTLY" from the Fort to MK. It typically goes to the Wilderness Lodge where you need to "Transfer" to another bus to go to MK. Now, in those situations where they cannot (or will not) run the boats, I suspect they would put a few more buses in that might be more direct to MK.