Hours and best transportation besides buses?

[Shacka1]

Hello!

I don't se EMH anywhere on the website but I see that people are going an hour prior to park opening. Can someone please help me understand the park hours right now?

Also, we will be there New Years week so have decided not to do buses since the waits are already bad. What is my best option for getting to and from parks? Where do you wait at when leaving the park to be picked up?

Thank you so much!

 

[Robo]

have decided not to do buses since the waits are already bad.
1. What is my best option for getting to and from parks?
2. Where do you wait at when leaving the park to be picked up?

1. Lyft (Ride Share)
2. There are designated Ride Share pick-up points at each park. At MK, that point is at TTC/MK Parking area.
(There is always discussion about using the Contemporary as a drop/pick-up site for MK guests.
The problem is that without having a dining reservations at CR, dropping off at CR can be a problem for Ride Share vehicles.)

 

[lorileahb]

From what I've gathered lately being on the boards:

1. Ride Share (Lift or Uber)

Time-saving tips from other posters (versus just ride-sharing straight to the parks... which seems to rely on parking lot openings like driving in... and for MK the drop off is at the TTC at which point you take the monorail to MK):
2. Magic Kingdom - ride share to Contemporary, have a reservation at the Wave for early breakfast -or- mobile order at Contemp Cafe and walk over from there
3. Epcot - ride share to Boardwalk or Beach Resort, have a reservation at one of the early morning table service restaurants -or- mobile order at Quick Service and walk over from there
4. Animal Kingdom - no nearby walking/restaurant to help (I don't think - maybe someone can correct me?), ride share to the park (believe drop off is near bus drop off)
5. Hollywood Studios - ride share, not sure if there is a nearby restaurant/resort to drop at and walk from

To follow Disney's guidelines, we are going to do the mobile orders at nearby resort quick service restaurants, ride share to there and walk over - and then just normal ride share to AK. Not going to HS so no thoughts there.

 

[Robo]

To follow Disney's guidelines, we are going to do the mobile orders at nearby resort quick service restaurants, ride share to there and walk over - and then just normal ride share to AK. Not going to HS so no thoughts there.

Just to be clear...
there is no need to have any restaurant "involved" to use Ride Share at any of the parks (except if you are wanting to get to the Contemporary for closer access to walk to MK.)

If you just WANT to go to a restaurant before going to a park in the morning, that's fine...
but it is not necessary to do so just to use Ride Share.

 

[lorileahb]

Just to be clear...
there is no need to have any restaurant "involved" to use Ride Share at any of the parks (except if you are wanting to get to the Contemporary for closer access to walk to MK.)

If you just WANT to go to a restaurant before going to a park in the morning, that's fine...
but it is not necessary to do so just to use Ride Share.

Yep - I was more referencing those guidelines... if you are taking a Ride Share to a specific resort to walk into one of the parks, then getting a mobile order or reservation at that resort. Parks all have Ride Share opportunities. For Magic Kingdom, the ride share drop off is at the TTC which then requires monorail to get to Magic Kingdom... so by taking the Ride Share to Contempo Cafe and mobile ordering a quick bite, then walking over to Magic Kingdom, other posters reflected it may be a timesaver. So, that is what we are going to try.

 

[Shacka1]

1. Lyft (Ride Share)
2. There are designated Ride Share pick-up points at each park. At MK, that point is at TTC/MK Parking area.
(There is always discussion about using the Contemporary as a drop/pick-up site for MK guests.
The problem is that without having a dining reservations at CR, dropping off at CR can be a problem for Ride Share vehicles.)

Thank you!

 

[Shacka1]

Yep - I was more referencing those guidelines... if you are taking a Ride Share to a specific resort to walk into one of the parks, then getting a mobile order or reservation at that resort. Parks all have Ride Share opportunities. For Magic Kingdom, the ride share drop off is at the TTC which then requires monorail to get to Magic Kingdom... so by taking the Ride Share to Contempo Cafe and mobile ordering a quick bite, then walking over to Magic Kingdom, other posters reflected it may be a timesaver. So, that is what we are going to try.

This is very helpful, thank you! Having to wait in line for the monorail defeats the purpose of not taking the bus. For our MK day I will just do a breakfast at Contemp if that's the closest one!

 

[Shacka1]

Just to be clear...
there is no need to have any restaurant "involved" to use Ride Share at any of the parks (except if you are wanting to get to the Contemporary for closer access to walk to MK.)

If you just WANT to go to a restaurant before going to a park in the morning, that's fine...
but it is not necessary to do so just to use Ride Share.

Yes got it, thank you so much!!! I was actually thinking of trying to get a dinner reservation in MK so by the time we're done we could get some pics of MK mostly empty! Do you know if they are doing EMH? We stay on property

 

[lorileahb]

This is very helpful, thank you! Having to wait in line for the monorail defeats the purpose of not taking the bus. For our MK day I will just do a breakfast at Contemp if that's the closest one!

Just a quick note - ride share (uber/lyft) drop off at TTC (and then there is a monorail trip), the buses drop off at Magic Kingdom. If you want to take the bus, posters have been saying they are getting to the bus stop at their resorts 1-1.5 hours before the buses start (depending on which resort they are staying at) in order to get on one of the first buses. So, some people have been recommending the uber/lyft (ride share option) as a way to try to get ahead and not have to wait so long to catch a bus at their resort (makes for a really early morning - LOL). Also - if they complete the walkway from the Grand Floridian before your trip, that is another location you could do the same as the Contemporary - grab a bite to eat and walk over. I've seen the photos where is looks almost done, but haven't seen an opening date for it.

 

[Shacka1]

Just a quick note - ride share (uber/lyft) drop off at TTC (and then there is a monorail trip), the buses drop off at Magic Kingdom. If you want to take the bus, posters have been saying they are getting to the bus stop at their resorts 1-1.5 hours before the buses start (depending on which resort they are staying at) in order to get on one of the first buses. So, some people have been recommending the uber/lyft (ride share option) as a way to try to get ahead and not have to wait so long to catch a bus at their resort (makes for a really early morning - LOL). Also - if they complete the walkway from the Grand Floridian before your trip, that is another location you could do the same as the Contemporary - grab a bite to eat and walk over. I've seen the photos where is looks almost done, but haven't seen an opening date for it.

Thank you so much for the great tips! There is NO way I am waiting that long for a bus LOL And we will be there new years week so the wait times will be even worse. I'll look into the GF as well and see how the walk over is

 

[lacy1101]

For those of you doing Uber/Lyft to the Contemporary and then walking to MK, is it to avoid paying to park at the Contemporary or do you not have your own vehicle? If you do have your own vehicle, then I assume this plan is preferable to simply parking at TTC because you can get to the park quicker? Just trying to figure out my own plan for MK on our December trip, for which we will have our own vehicle. Thanks!

 

[Shacka1]

For those of you doing Uber/Lyft to the Contemporary and then walking to MK, is it to avoid paying to park at the Contemporary or do you not have your own vehicle? If you do have your own vehicle, then I assume this plan is preferable to simply parking at TTC because you can get to the park quicker? Just trying to figure out my own plan for MK on our December trip, for which we will have our own vehicle. Thanks!

I don't have my own vehicle. I'm just trying to avoid these crazy bus lines that are an hour + but still torn on what's best. It's a good 20min walk from the contemporary

 

[lorileahb]

I don't have my own vehicle. I'm just trying to avoid these crazy bus lines that are an hour + but still torn on what's best. It's a good 20min walk from the contemporary

I'm thinking in the morning we'll be excited and not tired out yet, so I'm going with the walk so it isn't completely out of our control. I'll wait in line if a fun ride is at the end of it, but to ride the bus... oy!

 

[supersnoop]

For those of you doing Uber/Lyft to the Contemporary and then walking to MK, is it to avoid paying to park at the Contemporary or do you not have your own vehicle? If you do have your own vehicle, then I assume this plan is preferable to simply parking at TTC because you can get to the park quicker? Just trying to figure out my own plan for MK on our December trip, for which we will have our own vehicle. Thanks!

You can't legitimately park at the Contemporary for park access unless you're staying there. You used to be able to pay for valet and leave your car there all day, but no valet is operating at this time. So; there's no avoiding to pay for parking; it's simply not an option.

 

[holden]

I don't have my own vehicle. I'm just trying to avoid these crazy bus lines that are an hour + but still torn on what's best. It's a good 20min walk from the contemporary

Thanks. Definitely an alternative to look into.

Not sure how quickly you walk, but it takes us about 7 minutes from BLT to MK, so maybe 10 minutes or so from The Contemporary.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I’d just add there have been some inconsistent reports about how security guards are handling non-guest rideshare arrivals with no ADR. Some have been let in with proof of a mobile order, some turned away, some waived right in without any question. I’d stay flexible when there and be prepared to quickly adjust to what you experience on the ground. “Just dropping off” isn’t quite as easy as it once was given they way they are (sometimes) managing resort access.

 

[kevgraub]

5. Hollywood Studios - ride share, not sure if there is a nearby restaurant/resort to drop at and walk from

If you are wanting to hit a resort for breakfast then walk to HS, Boardwalk is your best bet, followed by Swan/Dolphin/Beach Club/Yacht Club. All are walkable to HS, with Boardwalk being the closest.