Bus/Boat Schedule

[tripleb]

The wife and I will be taking the "Behind the scenes train tour" at MK. The tour starts at 7:30am with suggested arrival at 7:15am ... anybody know what time the Internal Buses start running to the Outpost for transfer to MK or what time the buses start running to the Settlement to get to the MK boat.

 

[bama_ed]

tripleb,

First, it's my understanding that there is NO MK bus from the Outpost Bus Depot (up by the check-in building) so that is not an option. If I am wrong someone will correct me. You can catch a bus there to the other three parks, Disney Springs, water parks, etc. but not MK. All transportation for it leaves down by the lake from the Fort.

Second, internal buses start running IIRC a little before 630am in the morning but they are, how would I put it, ..... infrequent ...... in the first 60-90 minutes of the day. Then they become more frequent and during the peak times like 9am-9pm they are not long at all.

Third, you can bus to MK but it involves catching an internal bus (or walking) to the Settlement Bus Depot down by the lake, transferring to a bus that carries you to the Wilderness Lodge, then transferring AGAIN to the WL bus headed to the MK.

I don't know what type of site you have reserved but if it's a Premium then you want a loop down by the lake (700 or 400 or 600) and I would recommend walking to the boat dock in the morning and catching the first 630am small boat that will take you to the Contemporary and then walk to the MK entrance (which is where we met years ago when I did the Steam Train tour). Preferreds are already close to the lake. If you are in a Full, Tent, or cabin, I would be out at the local internal bus stop at 615am at the latest.

I would highly advise walking to the dock though because that is something you can control. At most from loops 1100-1200 it's a 15-20 minute walk at a normally slow walking pace. And be on the dock at before 630am. So leave your spot by 6am.

As we outlined recently in a thread for another poster, driving to the MK parking lot is a pain now with the changes around the MK toll booth; thus driving is not an option.

Bama Ed

PS - we did the Steam Train tour when we did it years ago but felt they dragged it out at the end trying to fill time with trivia. But you will love the opportunity being behind the scenes provides to get up close and personal with these mechanical beauties. Hope you will like it as much as we did.

 

[tripleb]

Thanks bama_ed, I couldn't remember whether there was a bus to MK from the Outpost or not ... so that option is definitely out. Sounds as if our best bet would be the Settlement to the Contemporary via small boat. The CM I talked with today (when I booked the tour) suggested driving to the Contemporary and using their parking lot. He said the gate guard would allow us in for the booked tour. We will be in a FHU site so, quite a distance to the Settlement/boat. We will have our bikes with us though so the ride is not too bad.

 

[PaHunter]

When we did the tour last year, we drove over to the Contemporary pulled in and parked there. We then walked from there over to MK.


The worry we had was that if the boat was operating the Fort, Lodge, Contemporary route we would not get there in time. Yes the next boat that comes in goes the other way. But for us it was not worth the gamble, so we drove.

 

[bama_ed]

If you can legitimately get in the Contemporary parking lot, that's the way to go. We were in a Preferred site and took the boat so we ended up in the Contemporary too so you end up walking to the MK either way.

Drive to the Contemp. For what the tour costs, they'll let you park there.

Bama Ed

 

[jaredjohn4]

I did the Steam Train Tour this spring break also. I drove to the Contemporary a day early just to ask the guard if I could park there for the tour and he said yes, no problem. So the next day I drove to the Contemporary and then walked to the Magic Kingdom. It worked out great and no worries about being on time.