POR to MK today- do not take a bus!

[mom22boys]

We are stuck on a bus trying to get to MK today. Got to the bus stop at 8:22. MK bus did not arrive until 8:58. We are now sitting in crazy traffic! We have been on the bus for 50 minutes and are nowhere close to being in MK. I am so disappointed in myself for not being smarter. We should have bused to Epcot and then taken the monorail in. Learn from my mistake!!! Check the Waze app for traffic before jumping on a bus. If something doesn’t seem right, stop and ask yourself why.

FYI, we had been at AKL all week and have had no trouble with buses or crowds. All has gone smoothly (weather a little cold and rainy some days), but as far as managing the parks and buses all has been very manageable until today.

 

[FCDub]

I am so disappointed in myself for not being smarter. We should have bused to Epcot and then taken the monorail in. Learn from my mistake!!!

Why? There's no way to think that would be a faster transportation option than a direct bus to MK.

Glad you've had a nice trip so far!

 

[hllb]

Sorry for the issues. It’s due to the race though, not normal stuff. The half marathon is going on this morning. You’ll have issues tomorrow too with the full marathon going on. Tens of thousands of runners and closed roads.

 

[Action City]

Half marathon this morning, full marathon tomorrow. Traffic will be a mess both mornings until late morning.

 

[Allison]

Half marathon this morning, full marathon tomorrow. Traffic will be a mess both mornings until late morning.

Yep.

 

[PSUGuy]

Yeah, we blundered into this during the early Nov races, totally screwed up my MK plans for our party of 11. Next Oct I'll be looking for any events that may mess with us and schedule our parks accoedingly.

Bill From PA

 

[floydfamily4]

I'm sorry that you had a frustrating start! I hope the day gets better and you have a magical time!!

 

[bizeemom4]

Really thick traffic leaving Epcot now. Race related backups to be expected. Tomorrow will be no fun for us as we have to move to an offsite hotel in DTD and we’re planning to head to MK in the morning.

 

[CeruleanMoon]

What's the best strategy for getting to the parks during a marathon weekend? We'll be going during the half marathon in April. I'd consider renting a car, but then I'd be stuck in the same traffic, wouldn't I?

 

[AngiTN]

What's the best strategy for getting to the parks during a marathon weekend? We'll be going during the half marathon in April. I'd consider renting a car, but then I'd be stuck in the same traffic, wouldn't I?

Go late, once all the race stuff has cleared out? Not much of a way around it sadly
Otherwise, yes, you'd be in the same traffic, or worse. Buses sometimes have access (where possible) to roads you for sure wouldn't have access to in a car
We were going to Epcot on Thursday, and it was just the morning of the 5K and still got stuck in traffic (just not even half as bad as the bigger races). The bus got through faster than all the cars. Passed them waiting and went through it's own lane through the parking gate.

 

[mom22boys]

Why? There's no way to think that would be a faster transportation option than a direct bus to MK.

Glad you've had a nice trip so far!

The Waze app made the roads to MK look much worse than the roads to EP.

 

[scrapquitler]

We are stuck on a bus trying to get to MK today. Got to the bus stop at 8:22. MK bus did not arrive until 8:58. We are now sitting in crazy traffic! We have been on the bus for 50 minutes and are nowhere close to being in MK. I am so disappointed in myself for not being smarter. We should have bused to Epcot and then taken the monorail in. Learn from my mistake!!! Check the Waze app for traffic before jumping on a bus. If something doesn’t seem right, stop and ask yourself why.

FYI, we had been at AKL all week and have had no trouble with buses or crowds. All has gone smoothly (weather a little cold and rainy some days), but as far as managing the parks and buses all has been very manageable until today.

Isn't the marathon today? That causes a ton of traffic disruptions around the parks because there are road closures for the runners. Now that it's noon, things should be back to normal.

 

[mom22boys]

Isn't the marathon today? That causes a ton of traffic disruptions around the parks because there are road closures for the runners. Now that it's noon, things should be back to normal.

The funny thing is with all of my planning, I never looked into Marathon weekend much because we were originally supposed to leave yesterday, but with all of the rain/cold earlier in the week we decided to extend our trip by two days. We are definitely enjoying the blue sky today!

 

[DWillowBay]

We are stuck on a bus trying to get to MK today. Got to the bus stop at 8:22. MK bus did not arrive until 8:58. We are now sitting in crazy traffic! We have been on the bus for 50 minutes and are nowhere close to being in MK. I am so disappointed in myself for not being smarter. We should have bused to Epcot and then taken the monorail in. Learn from my mistake!!! Check the Waze app for traffic before jumping on a bus. If something doesn’t seem right, stop and ask yourself why.

FYI, we had been at AKL all week and have had no trouble with buses or crowds. All has gone smoothly (weather a little cold and rainy some days), but as far as managing the parks and buses all has been very manageable until today.

It's a traffic thing. No way to predict or judge. Why do you think you wouldn't have run into similar traffic going to EP? If you were in an Uber or Lyft, you'd be in the same traffic. It just is what it is...every time. Some days go well and others...don't.

 

[bumbershoot]

What's the best strategy for getting to the parks during a marathon weekend? We'll be going during the half marathon in April. I'd consider renting a car, but then I'd be stuck in the same traffic, wouldn't I?

Take onsite transportation and leave as early as possible.

 

[Dug720]

Isn't the marathon today? That causes a ton of traffic disruptions around the parks because there are road closures for the runners. Now that it's noon, things should be back to normal.

Today was the Half Marathon.

Tomorrow is the Marathon.

 

[Dug720]

We are stuck on a bus trying to get to MK today. Got to the bus stop at 8:22. MK bus did not arrive until 8:58. We are now sitting in crazy traffic! We have been on the bus for 50 minutes and are nowhere close to being in MK. I am so disappointed in myself for not being smarter. We should have bused to Epcot and then taken the monorail in. Learn from my mistake!!! Check the Waze app for traffic before jumping on a bus. If something doesn’t seem right, stop and ask yourself why.

FYI, we had been at AKL all week and have had no trouble with buses or crowds. All has gone smoothly (weather a little cold and rainy some days), but as far as managing the parks and buses all has been very manageable until today.

Given that the Half Marathon (and the Marathon tomorrow) ends at Epcot, I doubt that would be much better.

 

[CeruleanMoon]

Go late, once all the race stuff has cleared out? Not much of a way around it sadly
Otherwise, yes, you'd be in the same traffic, or worse. Buses sometimes have access (where possible) to roads you for sure wouldn't have access to in a car
We were going to Epcot on Thursday, and it was just the morning of the 5K and still got stuck in traffic (just not even half as bad as the bigger races). The bus got through faster than all the cars. Passed them waiting and went through it's own lane through the parking gate.

Take onsite transportation and leave as early as possible.

Thanks. We'll be going to a park on the last day of the marathon run (Sunday) so that's the day I'm most concerned about. I have been mulling over transportation options around the park (in general) for months, but still haven't decided. I hate buses, but at least they're free, and I've never tried Uber or Lyft. Sounds like on marathon days though, the buses might have their own advantages because of their special routes.

 

[hllb]

Thanks. We'll be going to a park on the last day of the marathon run (Sunday) so that's the day I'm most concerned about. I have been mulling over transportation options around the park (in general) for months, but still haven't decided. I hate buses, but at least they're free, and I've never tried Uber or Lyft. Sounds like on marathon days though, the buses might have their own advantages because of their special routes.

Yes, I’d do the bus tomorrow. It’ll still be slow going though so hopefully you can get a seat

 

[The Rolands]

We stayed at por the second week in Nov and had to wait over 40 mins to catch any bus to mk including a Christmas party night. I don’t remember it being that way a few years ago. Not sure what changed in fact all parks seemed busier also w 50,000 people being at mk one day and a 75 minute wait for it’s a small world!!!!