NurseAsh 0 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Hi all :) My family and I are going on our first trip to Disney World and staying at Fort Wilderness in 22 days and counting!!! We are renting a cabin and I am BEYOND excited! I have a few questions maybe you all could help me out with. 1. How long is a typical wait to board the 1st a.m. ferry to MK? 2. When does the ferry start boarding for 8 am opening at MK? 3. We are driving to FL so we will have our own car should we use Disney transport or drive ourselves? I was told take the ferry to MK and drive everywhere else. 4. What tips do you have for getting on the 1st ferry? (i.e. what time to leave our cabin) We do not have a golf cart. Thank you in advance! I am so happy to have found this site this morning! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mouseketab.....Carol 1,261 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Hi all :) My family and I are going on our first trip to Disney World and staying at Fort Wilderness in 22 days and counting!!! We are renting a cabin and I am BEYOND excited! I have a few questions maybe you all could help me out with. 1. How long is a typical wait to board the 1st a.m. ferry to MK?Probably only a 5 minute wait once the boat arrives. The first boat usually arrives about 30 minutes prior to park opening. 2. When does the ferry start boarding for 8 am opening at MK?If you want to arrive at rope drop for an 8am opening, I would recommend taking the launch to the Contemporary, then walking over to the MK. The first launch starts at 6:45 am. 3. We are driving to FL so we will have our own car should we use Disney transport or drive ourselves? I was told take the ferry to MK and drive everywhere else.Your choice. We always use the buses, as we park hop a bit, and also like to have a drink or two. Most definitely take the bus to DTD as the traffic, construction, and parking is a nightmare. 4. What tips do you have for getting on the 1st ferry? (i.e. what time to leave our cabin) We do not have a golf cart.The internal buses run about every 15 minutes starting at 6:30 am. If going to Settlement take a Purple Settlement bus. It will get you there faster. (There is also the Orange bus, but it takes a longer route to the Settlement) As I said the better choice for getting to MK at rope drop is the small launch to Contemporary and walking. Thank you in advance! I am so happy to have found this site this morning!WELCOME!!! Happy to have you aboard!!!! Aubreyhelene and NurseAsh 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
h2odivers...Ray 952 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Welcome. I will second using Disney transportation as much as possible. I have only driven to a park once and hated it. Wait in line to pay to park. You won't have to pay since your staying on property. Then park go to TT&C and took a boat to the Magic Kingdom. I should have just taken the bus. NurseAsh 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Momof6....aka Marty 769 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 There are two different boats that go from the dock at the Fort. One goes to the Magic Kingdom, and as Carol mentioned, that only starts about 30 minutes before the park is scheduled to open. There is a second boat and that goes to the other resorts on Bay Lake. When I want to make rope drop at the Magic Kingdom, I leave my campsite about 90 minutes before rope drop and take the boat to the Contemporary, then walk over to the Magic Kingdom. This got me to the Magic Kingdom in plenty of time to get a good spot near the rope. I also only use Disney transportation while there. I always keave my campsite about 90 minutes before rope drop for any park I am heading to so I can get several rides done before things start to get crowded. NurseAsh and Aubreyhelene 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BigTom 76 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 With the traffic and not real familiar with the area I would use Disney transportation. NurseAsh 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Lots of good advice already so I'll just say WELCOME!! NurseAsh 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NurseAsh 0 Posted May 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Thank you all! HUGE help :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Grumpy and Grandma 739 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Yea, what everybody else said and, Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Humphrey Bear…Rob 42 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Nothing to add, but :stars-shower-smiley: :mh1: :welcome2: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Welcome! We also use Disney transportation. To us it's quicker than driving, taking trams, etc. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Daverene 14 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 We never drive Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FEARtheEERS 18 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 We drive to Epcot and Hollywood studios. This is only because we tend to get hateful and irritable if we have to get on a bus with 3 kids and a big stroller. We are impatient because you have to wait on the internal bus and then wait again on the park bus. We always take the boat to be kingdom. Everything is always better if you have a golf cart. I think it totally depends on your group and whether or not they are spoiled. Glad you are coming to the fort it's the best part of Disney! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Clark W Griswold 24 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Welcome!!...We tend to drive to the other parks other than MK...The buses can be a pain at the end of the day when everyone is tired and one more line and wait just doesn't seem appetizing...Other Fiends have brought up a good point though as its your first trip you might want to get the "lay of the land" first...Have a great time!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fladogfan aka Gretchen 259 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Welcome !! You are going to have fun!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PGHFiend 140 Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 Hello Nurse! I think you'll find the transportation is a great thing. We ride the boat to the MK and sometimes to epcot via the second monorail. What makes the buses worth it, is the fact that when you park your car, you have to get on a tram. They are soooo slow because of the people who have no clue how to board or depart one and the fact that they play this ridiculously long warning message. By the time you load up, drive, park, wait for the team and then finally get there- the bus is pulling up and you only took one mode of transport. Hope you enjoy the trip! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dblr....Rennie 224 Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 For us boat to the MK, then drive to the other parks, we also don't wait for the trams for the very same reason PGH listed, we are walkers so a little extra is not bad and most of the times always beat the tram we would have rode. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mmfancipher 31 Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 Welcome!!! We take the boat to MK. Everywhere else we usually drive, because we're impatient. But as several people have said if this is your first trip the bussesmight be the way to go. We felt that the signs around WDW left a lot to be desired. Unless you have the bus luck of TCD! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mtnmanky...aka Leon 72 Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 :wave1: Welcome!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 Hello Nurse! I think you'll find the transportation is a great thing. We ride the boat to the MK and sometimes to epcot via the second monorail. What makes the buses worth it, is the fact that when you park your car, you have to get on a tram. They are soooo slow because of the people who have no clue how to board or depart one and the fact that they play this ridiculously long warning message. By the time you load up, drive, park, wait for the team and then finally get there- the bus is pulling up and you only took one mode of transport. Hope you enjoy the trip!You hit the nail on the head!! We just used the parking lot trams a couple of weeks ago for the first time in probably over 8 years or more. What a change. Old ones didn't have doors, you got a quick message to keep kids in the middle, don't have appendages hanging out, then a quick horn toot and away you went. Now it takes what seems like 15 minutes from the time you load to the time you pull away. Take busses, or try to get a parking space so you can walk to the admission gate. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DavinD 4 Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 Hi all :) My family and I are going on our first trip to Disney World and staying at Fort Wilderness in 22 days and counting!!! We are renting a cabin and I am BEYOND excited! I have a few questions maybe you all could help me out with. Thank you in advance! I am so happy to have found this site this morning! Welcome aboard! We'll be there during your timeframe as well. We'll have our Fort Fiends sign up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Retired and Happy (Ken) 101 Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 Looks like the early returns of "We Always take Disney Transportation" have given way to "We Always Drive to the Parks". I'll move back to say I have never driven to any of the parks in 15 years. I'm on vacation. Let the Disney drivers do their thing. Enjoy the ride and see the scenery. Internal Fort busses and external Park/Resort busses plus monorails and boats will get you where you want to go, and bring you closer to the entrances. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 There are plusses and minuses to private cars and Disney transportation. BUSPROThe busses are closer to the entrance/exits of the parks unless you have a disabled sticker. Quicker getting out of the park and heading back home. Not as long of a walk.You can relax and let Disney do the drivingYou can enjoy a few adult beverages without worrying about a DUI.The air has been running all day on the busses, don't have to wait for a sweltering car to cool off. CONIf you are leaving at park closing you may be waiting a while for an available bus because of the crowdsYou are going to be in a tight closed space with a lot of hot, sweaty, tired strangers.There are going to be a lot of overtired kids (and adults) whining and carrying on.You may be standing the entire ride backYou have to transfer to an internal Fort bus when you get back to the Fort parking lot CARPRONo waiting around for a bus to leaveYou can stop somewhere else on the way back to the Fort, maybe the adult beverage store.You can drive right to your camp site without waiting for an internal Fort bus.No smelly strangers and whiny kids except your own family CONYou may be parked in a different time zone from the park entranceYou may wait as long for a tram to take you to your car as you would for a bus to get back to the FortIf you walk to your car, it may be another mile on sore feet with overtired kidsYou forgot where you parked your car, was it Tink, or Dumbo or what row # 1-8, 9- infinity?Junior hit the dome light on the way out and you now have a dead battery.You and 10,000 close friends are all trying to squeeze out onto 2 lanes from 20 parking rows. Downtown Disney, take the bus, it's a mess over there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
diane+ not THAT monte 7 Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 Hi ,welcome . Since you are new ,let Disney drive . After you have made a couple of trips you can make informed choices . Or do what ever you want . Have fun ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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