Transportation questions

[Grumpy.]

On Sunday we arrive at MCO at 2:00pm and have ressies at Captain's Grille for 5:00pm. Whats the quickest way to get there from POP?

Second, one morning we have ressies at Chef Mickeys for 7:10am (nothin' like a nice early start to the day!!), I believe bus service doesn't start until 6:30am, would we get there on time taking that first bus to MK and walking over or do we have to look at cabbing it?

Thanks.

[Buttercup]

Re: Captain's Grille... Hmm, this is gonna be a tough one. Because if you're landing at MCO at 2pm (assuming your flight is bang-on time) then you've still got to gather up your stuff, de-plane, check in with Magical Express and take that bus ride... you're probably not going to get to Pop Century until 3:30 at the earliest. (Magical Express says it sometimes takes up to 1.5 hours after you land to arrive at your resort). Then you've still got to check in at the hotel. Assuming you can get ALL that done by around 4:00, then you've got a couple options on how to get to your reservations at the Yacht Club on time.
- If you're using Disney transportation, I would take a bus to Downtown Disney, then transfer onto a Yacht Club bus. But how long that takes just depends on how frequently they're running those buses that day.
- The faster way, because you are going to be really short on time, might be to take a cab from Pop to the Yacht Club.

Re: Chef Mickey's... The only people using the buses at 6:30am are the people who are going to early breakfast reservations so you won't be battling with crowds lining up for buses. I would think if you're on that very first bus at 6:30, you might have to walk briskly after your bus ride to the Contemporary to make it by 7:10am but I think it's do-able.

Even if you're a couple minutes late for your reservations, they should still take you. I would be more concerned with making your Yacht Club reservation on time than the Chef Mickey's one. :mickey:

[Disney Hungarian]

Re: Captain's Grille
I would take the bus to HS and then the boat to the Yacht Club. You can get off at the Swan/Dolphin and walk over if running late. Or for that matter you can walk all the way from HS to the Yacht Club. Would take about 20 minutes to walk.

[Grumpy.]

I just double checked our flight and we actually get in at 12:52pm. Extra hour...woo hooo :thumbsup: I don't think the time crunch to YC will be bad now. That said, which route would be the quickest...bus to DtD then bus to YC or bus to HS then boat to YC?

[CleveRocks]

- If you're using Disney transportation, I would take a bus to Downtown Disney, then transfer onto a Yacht Club bus.
Just as a matter of personal preference, I avoid using Downtown Disney as a bus transfer point unless it's late at night and the theme parks are closed OR it makes the best geographical sense. Otherwise, I always avoid it.

It makes the best sense to transfer where it makes geographical sense, as long as the park you'll use as a hub will still be open. For instance, Pop and Yacht Club are in the same general neighborhood, near Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios. Going from Pop to DTD and then going back to YC is like leaving the neighborhood and then going back to it, but if you bus it from Pop to DHS and then walk or take a FriendShip boat to YC you'll cover fewer miles and thus should get there quicker.

This next thing I'll say, I don't know that it's 100% accurate, but I do know that many people, like me, think it's true: generally speaking, the bus service to and from DTD is slower (that is, runs slightly less often) than service to the theme parks.

[CleveRocks]

I just double checked our flight and we actually get in at 12:52pm. Extra hour...woo hooo :thumbsup: I don't think the time crunch to YC will be bad now. That said, which route would be the quickest...bus to DtD then bus to YC or bus to HS then boat to YC?

If you're in the mood to stretch your legs after all the flying and bus riding, the walk from DHS to YC will usually be quicker than the boat ride.

That being said, I'd still do Pop to DHS to YC rather than using DTD as the transfer point.

On my first day of vacation, after all the flying and Disney's Magical Express bus, I might just spring for a $10 taxi ride from Pop to YC ... it'll get you there in less than 5 minutes! I don't do taxis often in WDW, but there are some times when it just seems right, and for me, the above is one of those times.

[Buttercup]

Just as a matter of personal preference, I avoid using Downtown Disney as a bus transfer point unless it's late at night and the theme parks are closed OR it makes the best geographical sense. Otherwise, I always avoid it.

It makes the best sense to transfer where it makes geographical sense, as long as the park you'll use as a hub will still be open. For instance, Pop and Yacht Club are in the same general neighborhood, near Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios. Going from Pop to DTD and then going back to YC is like leaving the neighborhood and then going back to it, but if you bus it from Pop to DHS and then walk or take a FriendShip boat to YC you'll cover fewer miles and thus should get there quicker.

This next thing I'll say, I don't know that it's 100% accurate, but I do know that many people, like me, think it's true: generally speaking, the bus service to and from DTD is slower (that is, runs slightly less often) than service to the theme parks.
You know what? You're right! :blush: I wasn't looking at a map and had myself turned around. I forgot that YC & POP are closer to HS & Epcot.
So YES! Definitely switch buses at the parks as opposed to DTD! :thumbsup:

[Grumpy.]

Sounds good. Bus to DHS then play it by ear, bus or walk, however the winds blow us. As for Chef Mickey morning, I think we may cab it, I don't like to be late. Thanks people!