Transportaion Question

[Disney5+2]

Does anyone know if there is a bus from AK to DTD? Does it run often? We have a dinner reservation at DTD and would like to leave for it right from AK. Is it possible? Thanks.

[EJS-Houston]

I don't know this definitively, but as I recall, buses to Downtown Disney operate from the hotels, but not the Theme Parks. You can usually find definitive answers to that kind of question elsewhere on this site.

[LynBug]

Unfortunately, there is no bus transportation from the theme parks to DTD. The only bus transportation that I know of is from your lodge. We discovered this on our trip last year to WDW. We couldn't find any bus to DTD from any of the parks, but perhaps someone else may have more info :mickey:

[EJS-Houston]

Here's what I found on Intercot:

"How to get to the Downtown Disney and Typhoon Lagoon?

From: All Resorts
Take: Bus"

It doesn't specifically say you can't get a bus directly from the Animal Kingdom (or any of the theme parks) to Downtown Disney, but that's what I'm inferring here. If you could get to Downtown Disney directly from another theme park they'd have listed it. So allow more travel time.

[Scar]

The reason there are no buses from DTD to the parks is so people won't park at DTD to avoid the parking charge at the theme parks.

[Scar]

Best bet might be bus to SSR, than walk to DTD.

[Disney5+2]

Do you know how much of a walk it is from SSR to DTD?

[disneyluva]

Cab it - very worth the $10-$15.

[eeyorepoohfan]

You could take a bus from AK to Animal Kingdom Lodge then take the bus to DTD. Or take a bus from AK to a resort with boat service to DTD. Or as others mentioned, you could take a cab. I guess it depends on how much time you have to get there. But as far as I know, there is no direct bus from AK to DTD. I hope you have a great trip!!!!

[faline]

There are no busses that run directly from any theme park to Downtown Disney or from Downtown Disney to a theme park. The closest resort to Animal Kingdom would be Animal Kingdom Lodge. You can bus to that spot and then pick up a Downtown Disney bus at Animal Kingdom Lodge.

There are multiple stops in Saratoga Springs. You'd need to know the right stop to exit in order to walk to Downtown Disney. When I inquired of a driver, the driver was not very helpful. Perhaps someone can mention the correct Saratoga Springs stop if someone wants to walk to Downtown Disney? What restaurant will you be heading to?

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

When we went from AK to DTD, we took the bus to AKL, then the bus to DTD. It actually was quite easy, and quicker (for us) than walking from SSR.

[Pirate Granny]

I get on the first bus available to most resorts...or to French Quarter and take the boat.

[Disney5+2]

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions. It is our first day, so we were trying to maximize our time at AK. We are staying at POR so we will take the boat back from DTD, but I thought there might be an easier way to get there. We are eating at Wolfgang Pucks. One more question--Is the AKL that far from AK that you need to take a bus? Thanks everyone for your help. I knew someone would know!

[Scar]

Do you know how much of a walk it is from SSR to DTD?From the nearest bus stop at SSR to Marketplace about 10-15 mins. Another 10-15 mins to Westside. Unfourtunately, the closest one is not the main one, and according to faline...

When I inquired of a driver, the driver was not very helpful. Perhaps someone can mention the correct Saratoga Springs stop if someone wants to walk to Downtown Disney?

[Scar]

One more question--Is the AKL that far from AK that you need to take a bus? The entrance to AKL is a little more than a mile to the entance to AK, a very doable walk. However, there are no sidewalks. So the only other option is bus or drive.

[disneymom2000]

I second the suggestion of a cab. Direct shot and they can let you off to the area that is closest to your restaurant ( West Side, Market Place etc). I wouldn't chance having to find which bus to take and then switching somewhere along the way. It is too frustrating.

[CleveRocks]

There are multiple stops in Saratoga Springs. You'd need to know the right stop to exit in order to walk to Downtown Disney. When I inquired of a driver, the driver was not very helpful. Perhaps someone can mention the correct Saratoga Springs stop if someone wants to walk to Downtown Disney?
You'd get off at SSR's Congress Park stop. It's roughly a 10-minute walk to DTD Marketplace.

[CleveRocks]

If it were me and I wasn't in a rush, I'd take a bus from AK to any resort except the Magic Kingdom area resorts (Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Contemporary, Wilderness Lodge), Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, and the Transportation & Ticket Center. If you eliminate the above resorts and TTC, almost every other resort is sited along an almost straight line between AK and DTD. So just hop on whatever resort bus is already there and seems ready to leave (except for the above, of course), and from that resort take the bus to DTD. Old Key West, Saratoga Springs Resort and both Port Orleans resorts also offer boat service to DTD ... slower than the bus, but nicer. If you decide to go the Port Orleans route, get off at Port Orleans French Quarter and catch the boat from there ... the bus stops at POFQ first, and the boat starts at Port Orleans Riverside, meaning you went out of your way if you stay on the bus to POR and then get on the boat there and sail up to POFQ and wait there while people board before moving on to DTD itself.

[EJS-Houston]

Do you know how much of a walk it is from SSR to DTD?

I walked it several years ago. If you're feeling fresh and are looking for a good stretch'o'the legs, go for it. Otherwise, I agree with the previous poster; if you're just coming off a full day in the parks it'd be well worth your while to cab it. I don't recall how long it took us to walk it, but it was a lot longer than we'd anticipated, and not what we needed at the end of a long day of walking.

[EJS-Houston]

You'd get off at SSR's Congress Park stop. It's roughly a 10-minute walk to DTD Marketplace.

Really??!! I guess we must have gone the long way; it seemed a lot longer than 10 minutes.