How Long From Parking To Park?

[Chernaboggles]

We're staying offsite for our upcoming trip (February 2014). For anyone who has makes a habit of bringing a car to WDW, about how long does it take to park the car and enter the various parks?

We're looking at doing some after-work evening visits, but the parks seem to close very early.

Ps - Not sure if this is the right place for this question, apologies if it's in the wrong spot!

 

[Master Yoda]

All but Magic Kingdom will be 10-15 minutes tops depending on how early you arrive. Magic Kingdom can take about 10-15 longer because you will have to take the monorail or the ferry from the TTC to the park.

 

[Chernaboggles]

Thank you for your wisdom, Master Yoda. Grateful I am!

 

[deanaandrich]

A lot of the time it is quicker to drive your car to the parks than it is to use the bus system.

 

[luv]

Depends on how long you have to wait for or sit on the tram. They're running fewer trams these days. I sat on one, waiting to move, for 12 minutes at the MK one day last winter. During the slower seasons, it's sometimes quicker to walk.

They run regularly at park open and close, though.

 

[ford91exploder]

Depends on how long you have to wait for or sit on the tram. They're running fewer trams these days. I sat on one, waiting to move, for 12 minutes at the MK one day last winter. During the slower seasons, it's sometimes quicker to walk.

They run regularly at park open and close, though.

Usually quicker to walk also saves shins from being bashed by strollers...

 

[matt9112]

Thank you for your wisdom, Master Yoda. Grateful I am!

His input is always great. He won't open his mouth unless greatness is upon his tung.

 

[NSW]

From a hotel in Lake Buena Vista (approx 1 mile from Downtown Disney entrance), you should allow 30mins to get into Epcot/Hollywood and allow 40mins for MK/AK. This is from your hotel room door to stepping inside the theme park itself. This accounts for driving through major intersections, paying at the parking booth, navigating the long parking lot, unloading the kids/strollers, walking to the entrance, getting through security lines, getting through the entrance lines w/ the tickets, etc. My friend didn't believe me: "It says our hotel is less than 1 mile from WDW," she argued.(I pulled up the map, explained to her how large the resort is, and told her she would be driving very slowly through most of it - not racing down highways/exit ramps like we do back home). Bottom line: if you are obsessed with being "on-time" and getting to the gates at the opening of the park, allow extra time on your first day and adjust for the rest of the vacation. I am quite a freak about time-management and we left our hotel between 8:15-8:25a every morning to be able to walk through the gates at exactly 9a every day. There was only one day that we were late because I forgot how long it takes to get to MK on the ferry.

 

[Figgy1]

From a hotel in Lake Buena Vista (approx 1 mile from Downtown Disney entrance), you should allow 30mins to get into Epcot/Hollywood and allow 40mins for MK/AK. This is from your hotel room door to stepping inside the theme park itself. This accounts for driving through major intersections, paying at the parking booth, navigating the long parking lot, unloading the kids/strollers, walking to the entrance, getting through security lines, getting through the entrance lines w/ the tickets, etc. My friend didn't believe me: "It says our hotel is less than 1 mile from WDW," she argued.(I pulled up the map, explained to her how large the resort is, and told her she would be driving very slowly through most of it - not racing down highways/exit ramps like we do back home). Bottom line: if you are obsessed with being "on-time" and getting to the gates at the opening of the park, allow extra time on your first day and adjust for the rest of the vacation. I am quite a freak about time-management and we left our hotel between 8:15-8:25a every morning to be able to walk through the gates at exactly 9a every day. There was only one day that we were late because I forgot how long it takes to get to MK on the ferry.

A most magical welcome

 

[WDWoptmist]

We're staying offsite for our upcoming trip (February 2014). For anyone who has makes a habit of bringing a car to WDW, about how long does it take to park the car and enter the various parks?

We're looking at doing some after-work evening visits, but the parks seem to close very early.

Ps - Not sure if this is the right place for this question, apologies if it's in the wrong spot!

Parking takes no time at all they point you to a spot immediately but depending on how lucky you get with waiting for a tram it could take 5 minutes or 15 tops at DAK DHS and EC but Magic Kingdom is probably closer to 20-30 because of parking at the TTC and then having to take the monorail or ferryboat to get to the park. But hey in February you should be looking at smaller crowds so you should be able to get in pretty quick.

 

[GenerationX]

From a hotel in Lake Buena Vista (approx 1 mile from Downtown Disney entrance), you should allow 30mins to get into Epcot/Hollywood and allow 40mins for MK/AK. This is from your hotel room door to stepping inside the theme park itself. This accounts for driving through major intersections, paying at the parking booth, navigating the long parking lot, unloading the kids/strollers, walking to the entrance, getting through security lines, getting through the entrance lines w/ the tickets, etc. My friend didn't believe me: "It says our hotel is less than 1 mile from WDW," she argued.(I pulled up the map, explained to her how large the resort is, and told her she would be driving very slowly through most of it - not racing down highways/exit ramps like we do back home). Bottom line: if you are obsessed with being "on-time" and getting to the gates at the opening of the park, allow extra time on your first day and adjust for the rest of the vacation. I am quite a freak about time-management and we left our hotel between 8:15-8:25a every morning to be able to walk through the gates at exactly 9a every day. There was only one day that we were late because I forgot how long it takes to get to MK on the ferry.

We always drive, and I concur with NSW's numbers. If you were staying on property, you could have potentially cut some time (for example, if you were staying at the All-Stars, you could get from room to AK gate within 30 mins). Waterparks are 10-20 mins if you're staying on property, so I'd say 15-25 if you were offsite but near.

 

[minniemickeyfan]

At DHS we always walk in. It's usually much faster. We go on the left side of the parking lots where the Minnie lot is. Then there is a sidewalk with its own security check in and only 1 table and you will usually have this to yourself. To us it's much more convenient and faster since we have a stroller with us.

 

[Leo!]

AK, DHS, EPCOT: 10-15 minutes
MK: 20 minutes or more, depending if the monorail is working, busy days, etc. We're taking the disney bus last times even if we've a car.

 

[matt9112]

AK, DHS, EPCOT: 10-15 minutes
MK: 20 minutes or more, depending if the monorail is working, busy days, etc. We're taking the disney bus last times even if we've a car.

The loading scene for the buses at park close for the MK looks like an evacuation scene from war of the worlds.

 

[Figgy1]

If you are smart and get to the park about an hour before opening, you can walk to the gate in less than 3 minutes for all parks except MK, but you can make it to the monorail in about that time.

 

[disney4life2008]

Both HS and Epcot - you can easily walk. Matter of fact, I do not think I have ever taken the tram at epcot even during the busy season.

 

[sbkline]

I love using the WDW bus system, but it seems to be my observation that you may be able to drive yourself in, even from off property, and get in the park just as quick, or even quicker than taking the bus.

When taking the bus, you may get lucky now and then, and walk up to your bus stop to find the bus that you need, waiting and ready to go. You walk right up, load up, the door shuts and off you go. However, that is probably more the exception than the rule. It has happened for us before, but here is also what happens to us sometimes as we use the bus; we get to the bus stop and watch bus after bus come and go. Say we're going to Epcot. Here comes a bus for Magic Kingdom. Next a bus for AK. Then a bus for DTD. Next, maybe another bus for MK. Then a bus for DHS. Finally, an Epcot bus. We have stood there and waited probably 15-25 minutes, watching bus after bus come by before ours finally comes. Then, once you get on the bus, depending on where you are staying, you may have to stop at the rest of the bus stops for that resort, possibly stop at another resort, and then finally get to the park. Of course, there are also those times when you have to wait for the ECV to load, which can take 5 minutes or so. Not criticising those in ECVs, mind you. If you're handicapped your handicapped, and I am thankful for my health and that I don't have to be in one of those. But they do add alot of time to your wait.

Then, on the way out of the park, depending on when you leave (especially if you are leaving at or near closing time), you may get in such a long line for your bus that not only does it take forever for your bus to come, but when it does come, it loads up and fills up and drives away while you are still standing there. You may even watch a second bus come and go, before you finally get to load up on the 3rd bus. That whole process may take half hour/45 minutes as well.

I'm not knocking the WDW bus system, but those are simple facts to consider. If you stay offsite, you walk right to your vehicle and go without having to wait for the ECV to load, or for the next bus to come after the first one fills up, etc. You can literally drive in and park and be into the park in about the same time, or quicker, than it would take the bus to get you there after you factor in all the things I just described.