Boat to magic kingdom

[Kdeg 0]

We are heading to Fort Wilderness the last week of August and are staying in a cabin.  We are stressing because we are hearing various things about the boat ride to MK.  We will have 20 month old triplets and a 5 year old.  We use 2 double strollers, side by side seating.  Can we rol these right onto the boat without taking the babies out? My dad will also have a scooter.  Thanks for your input 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Strollers can be pushed on to the MK boats, but to get to the boats from the cabins, you would be taking an internal bus. Strollers have to be folded on the bus. 

TCD 

[keith_h 420]

When we have taken the boats children were to be on peoples laps or in the seats. For people on scooters or wheel chairs they have them park in the area in front near the entrance. I think I recall seeing a large stroller being parked in the same front area so the people didn't have to fold it up but there were no children in it. You would have to ask the crew to see if it was alright. Same for the buses. They have special areas to lock in scooters and wheel chairs and children were on laps or seats. Both the bus drivers and boat crews have always been patient with people who need additional time to get situated when we've been there. Just keep in mind you will not be able to use the smaller launches to get around with a scooter or wheel chair and will have to use the big boats. 

[Kdeg 0]

Thanks for your replies.  How often do the big boats to MK run?

[keith_h 420]

As I recall the ferry boats (big boats) start running a half an hour before the park opens and an hour & half after park closure. After that they just go in circles on no set schedule. I've never timed it but I would guess the longest we've waited for a boat was 15-20 minutes and we've walked up to board just before they departed. If you need to be there earlier such as for a meet and greet breakfast or to be first in line for rope drop you will probably be better off taking alternative transportation. Since it is just the wife and myself and we have no special needs we take the launches which start running at 6:45 AM when we need to be there early. Due to this we've never needed to find another way over but I'm sure someone else here can answer that part.
 

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

You don't have to take kids out of the strollers on the big boats. You do on the small boats and any bus. 

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

If you need early accessible transportation, you can take the bus from Settlement depot to Wilderness Lodge, and then another bus from Wilderness Lodge to MK, BUT you must remove the kids from strollers.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Another thought, with the strollers and the ECV, it might actually be easier to drive over to MK parking and the accessible parking lot (if you have a handicapped tag), then walk to the big ferry and go to MK on the Ferry.

[Theed31u 10]

We were just there in April and had two kids in a double stroller.  We did one of 2 things to make it to the magic kingdom.  1) for the internal bus we would each use a carrier and just carry the stroller until the settlement or 2) just walked with the stroller to the settlement and bypassed the bus.  Option 1 might be hard because you would have to tandem carry two 20 month Olds but I would go for options 2.  We were in the 1700 loop amd the fort is not a long walk when you look at it as compared to walking in the parks all day.  The boats to the magic kingdom are the bigger boats that the strollers can push right on and the kids don't have to get out.  If I have time tonight I will see if I have a picture of inside the boat to give you an idea of how it works.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

50 minutes ago, Theed31u said:

We were just there in April and had two kids in a double stroller.  We did one of 2 things to make it to the magic kingdom.  1) for the internal bus we would each use a carrier and just carry the stroller until the settlement or 2) just walked with the stroller to the settlement and bypassed the bus.  Option 1 might be hard because you would have to tandem carry two 20 month Olds but I would go for options 2.  We were in the 1700 loop amd the fort is not a long walk when you look at it as compared to walking in the parks all day.  The boats to the magic kingdom are the bigger boats that the strollers can push right on and the kids don't have to get out.  If I have time tonight I will see if I have a picture of inside the boat to give you an idea of how it works.

The walk to the marina from most of the cabin loops is close to twice as far as it would be from the 1700 loop.  That might be a bit much for this family with a grandpa in an ECV and two double strollers to push.  Plus, pushing a stroller in April is not the same as pushing a stroller in August.

TCD

[Kdeg 0]

Pic would be great.  Thank you all

[Theed31u 10]

2 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

The walk to the marina from most of the cabin loops is close to twice as far as it would be from the 1700 loop.  That might be a bit much for this family with a grandpa in an ECV and two double strollers to push.  Plus, pushing a stroller in April is not the same as pushing a stroller in August.

TCD

According to my mapping program from where we were in the 1700 it ia about 1.06 miles to stepping on the boat and 1.28 miles from the furthest back of the cabin loop to stepping on the boat.  Being a parent of 4 young kids and strollers packed with stuff for kids, walking a mile and a half to avoid unpacking and folding a stroller is a win.  April is much different then August but we are talking about going to a theme park and being out in the heat most of the day, I would do extra walk with the strollers any day.

On the bus strollers have to fold,  but the evc can just drive on and they don't have to disembark.  I would send people on the bus except those pushing the strollers.

Also, who wouldn't want to take a walk in the fort and see everything you can?

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

25 minutes ago, Theed31u said:

According to my mapping program from where we were in the 1700 it ia about 1.06 miles to stepping on the boat and 1.28 miles from the furthest back of the cabin loop to stepping on the boat.  Being a parent of 4 young kids and strollers packed with stuff for kids, walking a mile and a half to avoid unpacking and folding a stroller is a win.  April is much different then August but we are talking about going to a theme park and being out in the heat most of the day, I would do extra walk with the strollers any day.

On the bus strollers have to fold,  but the evc can just drive on and they don't have to disembark.  I would send people on the bus except those pushing the strollers.

Also, who wouldn't want to take a walk in the fort and see everything you can?

I stand corrected- I overstated the extra distance from the cabin loops to the marina- but the distance from the back of the 2800 cabin loop to the marina is about a quarter mile more than what your mapping program shows- here's what I got:

I'm not sure where you're from, or if you've been in Florida in August, but pushing  four kids in strollers for a 1.4+ miles just to get to a boat in August heat and humidity is not a pleasant thing to think about.  I'd rather unload the kids at the bus stop and ride in the air conditioning.  After they're loaded up at the Settlement Bus Stop, then they can stay in the strollers all the way in to the MK.

TCD

[Travisma 1,317]

If they have a vehicle they are probably better off driving to the parks like Carol said.  If they don't want to mess with the boats or monorails with the strollers from the transportation center, then drop everyone off at the Contemporary,  go park,  take the monorail back, and everyone walk over to the park

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Just so there's no question- bringing kids onto a bus in a stroller is a non-negotiable no-no.  This sign is posted on all Disney buses, and some buses play a recorded announcement when stopping to pick up telling guests that all kids must be removed from strollers and the strollers folded:

TCD

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

If you do take the cruisers (boats from The Fort to MK) it is best for the person in the ECV it is best to let some people board the boat before they do. Most crews will ask you to wait but I have had them try to load a ecv on a empty cruiser which can be difficult with the difference in the boat sitting higher than the dock when empty. Getting off isn't a problem.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[Theed31u 10]

Here is the best picture of the inside of the boat.  The stroller is a Britax double and is probably the widest you could get on there. 

 

 

[Campingdad 3]

Stroller no problem for the boat. I have seen plenty of them this week's from side by sides, to long doubles. Bus will be your only issue. The ride is pleased and very smooth. I wouldn't  venture to MK in your car. Its a bunch of hassle for maybe 1.5 Miles of travel. I'm sorry your going in the August heat. But your still going to love the fort.

[Campingdad 3]

Stroller no problem for the boat. I have seen plenty of them this week's from side by sides, to long doubles. Bus will be your only issue. The ride is pleased and very smooth. I wouldn't  venture to MK in your car. Its a bunch of hassle for maybe 1.5 Miles of travel. I'm sorry your going in the August heat. But your still going to love the fort.

[hunter99 7]

If the cabins are still there, you could request for one of the 2 cabins in the 100 loop. Used to do that when we stayed in the cabins. They were the only 2 at that end of the fort, right behind the settlement trading post and a short walk to the marina, beach, trails end, etc. For Animal Kingdom and the Studios you still have to ride an internal bus up to the front as they pick up from that bus station. You could also do, as was mentioned, and take the bus over to the wilderness lodge and then transfer to a park bus.

With the stroller and ECV just plan extra time for travel and you will be fine.

[djsamuel 322]

13 hours ago, hunter99 said:

If the cabins are still there, you could request for one of the 2 cabins in the 100 loop. Used to do that when we stayed in the cabins. They were the only 2 at that end of the fort, right behind the settlement trading post and a short walk to the marina, beach, trails end, etc. For Animal Kingdom and the Studios you still have to ride an internal bus up to the front as they pick up from that bus station. You could also do, as was mentioned, and take the bus over to the wilderness lodge and then transfer to a park bus.

With the stroller and ECV just plan extra time for travel and you will be fine.

Those cabins are still there.  Good idea.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

2 hours ago, djsamuel said:

Those cabins are still there.  Good idea.

It's a great idea, but the odds are not so good that one of those cabins will be available.

Also, Grandpa would have to leave his scooter outside in the rain-those cabins are not handicap accessible.

TCD

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

3 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

It's a great idea, but the odds are not so good that one of those cabins will be available.

Also, Grandpa would have to leave his scooter outside in the rain-those cabins are not handicap accessible.

TCD

Large Gas Grill cover for the scooter. That's what we've used for years. (We are NOT getting that scooter into the camper).

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

2 minutes ago, mouseketab.....Carol said:

 (We are NOT getting that scooter into the camper).

LOL.

No, I don't think you are.

Of course, you have your giant blue room- you could park 100 scooters under that.

TCD

[hunter99 7]

I wanted to confirm that yes, the cabins were still there. I asked my brother in law, who works for Disneyworld  Resort Hotels who hard it is to rent them (I have used them twice in the past) and he called his friend at the Fort. Apparently they are not booked, if possible, on purpose. They try to reserve them for special situation. Because of that he said you can usually get one if you ask.