Park-to-park transportation

[Julie_Mouse]

Could someone more knowledgeable than I please summarize what transportation options are available for travelling from park-to-park without returning to a resort?

I've scoured some threads and seen that there are bus stops at some parks for buses to other parks (i.e. at stop at DHS for MK?), but I was just wondering if someone could provide a rundown all in one thread. Any help appreciated!

[seanyred]

From Magic Kingdom: Buses to DHS and MK. Monorail to EPCOT

From EPCOT: Monorail to MK, Boat to DHS, Bus to Animal Kingdom

From DHS: Boat to EPCOT, Bus to everything else

From AK: Bus to every park

Hope that helps

[BigRedDad]

I was just there this week. We were told by several bus drivers that there are no Park to Park buses. In order to get to another park by bus, you need to go to the TTC. I do not know how factual it is, but I did not see any park to park buses at any of the stops we waited at from the parks.

[btharvey]

I've been there at different times, and during the more 'off-season' times, we've heard the "you can't get there from here" spiel. However, during August the last two trips, we've taken buses from AK to epcot, for example. And I've seen other buses from other parks, DHS, for example. I think it's how much traffic they have and how much it will put someone out.

[CleveRocks]

I was just there this week. We were told by several bus drivers that there are no Park to Park buses. In order to get to another park by bus, you need to go to the TTC. I do not know how factual it is, but I did not see any park to park buses at any of the stops we waited at from the parks.It is NOT factual.

I'm not trying to be rude or blunt, but I just wanted to set the record straight.

What you may have heard from the bus drivers is that there is no way to get directly from Magic Kingdom to other parks and that you must first go to the TTC. That is techinically correct. To get from Magic Kingdom to any other park you must go to the Transportation & Ticket Center (TTC). Yes, THAT is 100% correct. But I still call it a technicality, as the TTC is in MK's backyard, if you know what I mean.

Aside from MK and the above technicality, there absolutely is a bus that runs from each of the other 3 theme parks to each of the other theme parks. 100% fact.

seanyred's list (above) was good, but it left a few things out.

From MAGIC KINGDOM to:

Epcot - monorail or ferry to TTC, then change to a different monorail and ride to Epcot.

Disney's Hollywood Studios - monorail or ferry to TTC, then direct bus to DHS. In addition, if you wanted to, you could walk from MK to Contemporary Resort and catch a bus to DHS.

Animal Kingdom - monorail or ferry to TTC, then direct bus to AK. In addition, if you wanted to, you could walk from MK to Contemporary Resort and catch a bus to AK.


From Epcot to:

DHS - walk OR FriendShip boat OR direct bus (yes, there is a direct bus ... this gives you 3 options to get between these two parks).

AK - direct bus

From DHS to:

AK - direct bus

There is no way to go directly from ANY theme park to Downtown Disney. In addition, there is no way to go directly from the TTC to Downtown Disney. Disney Transportation to DTD is available ONLY from the Disney resort hotels.

[seanyred]

seanyred's list (above) was good, but it left a few things out.

From MAGIC KINGDOM to:

Epcot - monorail or ferry to TTC, then change to a different monorail and ride to Epcot.

Disney's Hollywood Studios - monorail or ferry to TTC, then direct bus to DHS. In addition, if you wanted to, you could walk from MK to Contemporary Resort and catch a bus to DHS.

Animal Kingdom - monorail or ferry to TTC, then direct bus to AK. In addition, if you wanted to, you could walk from MK to Contemporary Resort and catch a bus to AK.


From Epcot to:

DHS - walk OR FriendShip boat OR direct bus (yes, there is a direct bus ... this gives you 3 options to get between these two parks).



Per the EPCOT to DHS I wasn't 100% for sure on that one. Walking is a option but I wonder how many people walk from EPCOT to DHS. It would be a long walk and I feel a more relaxing boat ride would be better. And on the subject couldn't you technically walk from MK to the TTC?

[elmjimmlm]

Our last trip we went park to park on the busses... To me it seemed to take a little longer for the bus to come but it does save a lot of time...

[Nascfan]

And on the subject couldn't you technically walk from MK to the TTC?

No. There is no walking route around the Seven Seas Lagoon from MK to TTC.

[WDWdriver]

Yes, there are park to park buses, with MK being a slight exception. For MK you must first go to/from the Ticket and Transportation Center which connects to MK via ferry or monorail.

CleveRocks (posted above) has it exactly right.

[CleveRocks]

Per the EPCOT to DHS I wasn't 100% for sure on that one. Walking is a option but I wonder how many people walk from EPCOT to DHS. It would be a long walk and I feel a more relaxing boat ride would be better. And on the subject couldn't you technically walk from MK to the TTC?I agree, it's a far walk from DHS to Epcot's World Showcase entrance. But there are some people who would see that as an option, so I included it for those folks. I agree the FriendShip boat would be a much nicer option, especially in the heat. But then again, the walk will almost always be quicker than the boat ride.

I also should have pointed out (for those keeping score at home) that if you walk from DHS to Epcot you will enter Epcot at the International Gateway, the "back entrance" to the park ... it's located in the World Showcase section. But if you take the direct bus between DHS and Epcot you will enter Epcot at the main entrance, located in the Future World section.

As far as walking from MK to the TTC ... while technically possible, it's 100% impractical. The roadway from MK towards the TTC is narrow, and there are no sidewalks. Disney built it that way. It would be very unsafe to walk, and it might even be illegal (I don't know that it'd be illegal, that part I'm just guessing at).

[SBETigg]

I agree, it's a far walk from DHS to Epcot's World Showcase entrance. But there are some people who would see that as an option, so I included it for those folks. I agree the FriendShip boat would be a much nicer option, especially in the heat. But then again, the walk will almost always be quicker than the boat ride.

As far as walking from MK to the TTC ... while technically possible, it's 100% impractical. The roadway from MK towards the TTC is narrow, and there are no sidewalks. Disney built it that way. It would be very unsafe to walk, and it might even be illegal (I don't know that it'd be illegal, that part I'm just guessing at).

Actually, the Friendship Boat is not air conditioned and is like an oven in the heat. When it's really hot, we prefer to walk. There is no walkway from the MK to the TTC.

[seanyred]

Actually, the Friendship Boat is not air conditioned and is like an oven in the heat. When it's really hot, we prefer to walk. There is no walkway from the MK to the TTC.

Correct

Actually what I was referencing was the walkway that heads toward the Grand Floridian. I noticed it on my last trip. But after looking at Bing maps I noticed the walkway ends by the waterway where the night time boat parade boats are kept. So there is no safe way to walk to the TTC. I wonder though why was that walkway built? Is it just another idea that fell short?

As per the friendship boats being hot I've never noticed this to be a problem but all of my vacations have been in the Fall and Winter months.

[joelkfla]

The Friendship Boats are air-conditioned; the A/C is just woefully inadequate. I've never figured out why they sealed the windows, which used to open.

The boat from DHS to Epcot is a good option if you're heading to dinner in WS, especially between Germany and Canada. It bypasses the rather long walk from the bus area, thru FW, to WS.

I believe there were plans to complete the "Walk Around the World" between MK & GF. It would have had to have been a drawbridge, as the Electrical Water Pageant barges are docked down that channel. I think it's also the route used to move Rivers of America watercraft to drydock for refurb.

All park-to-park buses run until both parks are clear of guests. The only downside to leaving your car at the earlier closing park is that the parking lot trams may have stopped running and you'll have to walk to your car.

[LudwigVonDrake]

Actually, the Friendship Boat is not air conditioned and is like an oven in the heat. When it's really hot, we prefer to walk. There is no walkway from the MK to the TTC.

The boats were air conditioned when I took the boat last July with friends to the Beach Club from DHS.

[wdwfansince75]

As usual, CleveRocks has the correct answer. As a diehard Park Hopper, I have done each of the transfers listed, except walking between DHS and EPCOT. Last trip, I made side trips to DHS to do TSMM, then on to whatever park my slow-to-rise clan members were visiting later that morning. Particularly mid-morning, when I am most likely to do such transfers, the park to park buses are rarely crowded.

As noted in my signature, most of our trips have been during extended summer operating hours. Last trip, June of 2008, I took the DHS-EPCOT Friendships at least 4 times. I never found it uncomfortably hot.
I sometimes take the monorails just to relax, and to rest my short legs and tender feet. I have also taken the EPCOT monorail just before dusk, specifically to see if I could spot the deer that often come out of the woods along the way about that time of day. The monorails are among my favorite "attractions."

[SBETigg]

The boats were air conditioned when I took the boat last July with friends to the Beach Club from DHS.

Good to know. We thought we were going to be cooked alive on one in August 2007 and swore never again in the heat. Maybe the AC was just down on that one. We haven't been back in August since then.