Traffic entering MK resorts during holidays

[eandrsmom]

We're planning a last minute trip over Fourth of July and are staying at Poly. We are driving, and will be using our car on July 4 to eat a late breakfast at a different resort. After breakfast, we are planning on driving back to Poly, parking our car, then taking the monorail to Epcot in the afternoon. After seeing that MK often closes during holidays, I am concerned about being able to get back to the resort after breakfast. When we stay at one of the MK resorts, we always stay to the right when entering the parking toll plaza. However, I have read that when the park closes due to capacity, the traffic at the plaza is backed up for over a mile. How are resort guests able to return to their hotels without getting stuck in the mess? Is their a dedicated lane for resort guests?

[eandrsmom]

there not their-sorry

[cuteduck223]

We had dinner reservations at Ohana's last 4th of July, and we were able to get in to Poly around 6:30. We weren't terribly backed up. THey will check a thousand times to verify you're actually at Poly. I think we had to give your dinner ressie to 4 different CM's stationed along the route.

[DizneyRox]

If you're worried about traffic at the toll gate, look into taking the route in front of Fort Wilderness and Wilderness Lodge. Google Maps can help you find your way.

I found that all too often, the road signs are not necessarily the best/fastest way between two points at WDW.

Check out Vista Blvd on Google Maps. I'm not sure if you can get through anything over by the Floridian.

You can also come down from Reams Road north of MK, but that's probably way out of the way.

[dnickels]

On days like that they typically only allow guests with confirmed reservations or rooms even into the resort parking lots so have that info handy.

As for getting through the toll booth backup, there's no dedicated resort lane, so you'll just have to deal with whatever the backup happens to be at that time.

Depending on where you're eating you could shoot for coming in through Vista Blvd, that'd be the only other publicly accessible way to get to the Poly without really doing some major detouring.

[buzznwoodysmom]

Last year we were leaving Disney on Presidents Day weekend, after spending Mardi Gras in Disney. We had stayed at WL and I couldn't believe the line of cars coming into the MK booths. If I had to guess I'd say the back up was at least a mile long, maybe more. And that's not really a major holiday.

[DizneyRox]

You might actually want to seriously consider leaving the car at 'home' that day. Depending on the resort and time, you may be able to more easily do it with Disney transport.

You can monorail to MK and catch a bus to any other Disney resort. Early mornings are tough to get a ride from a park to a resort though. If you need to get to a Epcot resort, you can bus to MGM and walk over easily. AKL is a tough one, but you can bus to AK and hope for a bus back to AKL or just take the bus from MK..

You can check with your resort too, they used to run earlier busses to parks for character meals. You may be able to leverage them. And there's always a taxi for direct transport. For an early breakfast, that's often the best way, then after you can rely on Disney transport.

On the 4th of July, there's a lot of crazies on the road, many of which have no idea where they are going. I wouldn't want to be driving personally.

[eandrsmom]

We have a very late breakfast reservation at Cape May. Since this was a last minute trip, we couldn't get Chef Mickey's. Fourth of July is actually my son's birthday, he requested CM's for breakfast, but we couldn't get reservations. Using Disney transportation to get to BC sounds easy enough. But, if we finish breakfast around noon, I'm afraid MK will be closed by that time. Would the bus actually take us back to MK from BC if the park was closed?

[DizneyRox]

We have a very late breakfast reservation at Cape May. Since this was a last minute trip, we couldn't get Chef Mickey's. Fourth of July is actually my son's birthday, he requested CM's for breakfast, but we couldn't get reservations. Using Disney transportation to get to BC sounds easy enough. But, if we finish breakfast around noon, I'm afraid MK will be closed by that time. Would the bus actually take us back to MK from BC if the park was closed?
If it's closed to resort guests, probably not (and the 4th IS one of those days it can reach that level of closure). But you can always walk over to MGM and catch the bus back to the Poly.

Personally, you wouldn't catch me at MK on the 4th. I'd go to Epcot, since you're there, it's a little easier to swallow as well. MK is a mad house on normal days, on the 4th, forgetaboutit...

Resort guests are supposed to be guaranteed admission to a park, however it doesn't have to be the park of your choice. Phase 4 of closure at MK means nobody gets in, Walt himself couldn't get through the turnstyles... Well you get the idea...

Phase 1 - Guests without tickets are turned away.
Phase 2 - Basically, it's for resort guests with some exceptions (APs, dining reservations, BBB reservations, park re-entry, park hoppers coming from other parks, one day MK tickets, etc).
Phase 3 - Resort guests, those with APs, dining reservations, and BBB reservations.
Phase 4 - Closed to everyone

Phase 2 and 3 are pretty similar. You won't get a straight answer on the numbers of people needed to reach each phase. I imagine it's pretty much uncomfortable in the park before it even hits Phase 1. We've been there on the 3rd/4th and had no trouble getting in and couldn't make it past the train station on Main Street before we turned around and left.

Interesting to see that dining reservations are now on the closure lists. They really don't want people arguing that cancellation fee!

[eandrsmom]

We weren't planning on going to MK on July 4. We wanted to sleep late, eat a late character breakfast, then head back to Poly to relax by the pool. Later in the afternoon, we planned on taking the monorail over to Epcot. I am always a super planner whenever we go to Disney. I like to have flexible options for every scenario, but getting back to Poly after breakfast has me stumped. I guess from BC, we could take transportation to whatever park is open, then jump on a bus headed to the Poly from that park. That seems like the most practical thing to do if MK closes.

[DizneyRox]

We weren't planning on going to MK on July 4. We wanted to sleep late, eat a late character breakfast, then head back to Poly to relax by the pool. Later in the afternoon, we planned on taking the monorail over to Epcot. I am always a super planner whenever we go to Disney. I like to have flexible options for every scenario, but getting back to Poly after breakfast has me stumped. I guess from BC, we could take transportation to whatever park is open, then jump on a bus headed to the Poly from that park. That seems like the most practical thing to do if MK closes.
Really, the walk to MGM is great, and after an all-you-can-eat buffet, it helps work off the meal. BUT, high noon on the 4th, well, that's a hot hot walk. You can catch the boat to MGM, walk it, like you said, bus to another park (even DTD).

If you're going to Epcot later in the day, you can even walk through Epcot, and catch the monorail back to the TTC and walk over to the Poly.

If you really have no rush to be somewhere, you have plenty of options.

[Main Street Jim]

If you're going to Epcot later in the day, you can even walk through Epcot, and catch the monorail back to the TTC and walk over to the Poly.After glancing through all this, this seems to be the best option.

To get *to* Cape May from the Poly: I'd *boat* over to MK, then hop on the Yacht Club/Beach Club bus to get to breakfast. *OR* - bus from Poly to EPCOT, then through Future World to International Gateway. *OR* - bus from Poly to Hollywood Studios, then walk, or even boat, to Yacht Club/Beach Club.

After breakfast at Cape May, walk over to International Gateway between the UK and France. Walk through Canada, then through Future World, to the front of EPCOT. Catch the Monorail back to the TTC, and then it's just a quick hop right next door back to the Poly. *OR* - walk back to Hollywood Studios and bus back to Poly.

This way, you can leave the car parked at the Polynesian, and you don't have to deal with the ground traffic getting back through the MK toll plaza.

Also keep in mind: I *always* recommend * at least* one hour's travel time to get to a destination (resort, park, restaurant, etc.). Leave early enough that you don't make yourselves late :thumbsup:

Like others have said, you have quite a few options with*OUT* taking your own vehicle and worrying about traffic.

[DonaldDuck1117]

I'd monorail from poly to Epcot, walk through the park to IG and continue walking to Cape May. Then reverse it coming back. That is the easiest in my opinion.

[Aurora]

I'd monorail from poly to Epcot, walk through the park to IG and continue walking to Cape May. Then reverse it coming back. That is the easiest in my opinion.

I'd do the same thing.