Getting to Hoop De Doo

[sw66]

I've heard horror stories of how long it takes to get to Hoop Dee Do from the parks. Any advice to get there for the early show from MGM Studios? What time do we need to leave MGM? How would we get back to the Swan Hotel after the show?

 

[Mystic]

I can get you to the Hoop Dee Doo from MGM but don't know anything about the Swan so don't know how to get you back there afterwards since I don't know what their transporation system is like or if they use Disney Transportation.

Getting to the Hoop Dee Doo from MGM is really quite simple. Hop a bus from MGM to the Contemporary Resort. Make your way through the Contemporary lobby and out towards Bay Lake. From there hop the resort launch over to Fort Wilderness and Pioneer Hall is right there as you walk away from the dock on the right hand side.

Getting back you will probably have to catch the resort launch back to the Contemporary and make your way via monorail to the TTC then catch a bus back to the Swan. (Not sure about this though)

 

[elpirataman]

Or a much easier way is to head over to Wilderness Lodge, IF there is not a direct bus to Fort Wilderness from MGM. Once you get there, take a boat from the dock. Maybe you will have to go the whole route which is from their to the Magic Kingdom then to Fort. Finally when you get there just head to Pioneer Hall which is a short walk away. Now to get out, take the boat that heads to MK and hop on a bus from their to Swan.

 

[lscott933]

well if your coming from mgm i would say about an hour before your show. get a bus going to ft wilderness. then your have to get on a interbus inside the campgrounds to pioneer hall. then when your done during on what time it is. if magic kingdom is open get on a boat and go there and then catch a bus back to swan. or if the magic kingdom closes early that night you go then your have to get back on the bus from inside the campground and go back to the outer bus stop and then to downtown disney to get a bus to swan.

 

[Mystic]

You can catch a bus to either the Contemporary or the Wilderness Lodge. Both resorts are on a private resort launch loop that services only the Contemporary, the Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness. Much easier to go this way than taking a bus to FW since Pioneer Hall is near Bay Lake.

 

[MickeyTigg]

Isn't there a bus from the Studios to Magic Kingdom? I thought there was. If so, I'd just take that bus and then the boat over.

On the way back...if MK is open take the boat, then the Swan Bus. If MK just closed (the boat won't stop at MK)...take it to the Contemporary and walk over, then grab the Swan bus.

 

[donaldfan]

You can catch a bus to either the Contemporary or the Wilderness Lodge. Both resorts are on a private resort launch loop that services only the Contemporary, the Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness. Much easier to go this way than taking a bus to FW since Pioneer Hall is near Bay Lake.

Going in December and staying at the Lodge. Seeing the 9:30 HDD show -- what time should we be at the dock to catch the launch? Will it still be running or will we have to take a bus (blah) back after the show?

Thanks!!

:wave:

 

[pluto77]

Isn't there a bus from the Studios to Magic Kingdom? I thought there was. If so, I'd just take that bus and then the boat over.

On the way back...if MK is open take the boat, then the Swan Bus. If MK just closed (the boat won't stop at MK)...take it to the Contemporary and walk over, then grab the Swan bus.

Yes there is a bus that goes from MGM to Magic Kingdom. You can get on the boat to FW from Magic Kingdom too.

For the way back, I've been to Fort Wilderness where they actually had buses to other resorts. I went to the Animal Kingdom Lodge directly from Fort Wilderness once(this was late at night), and there was also a bus to the Boardwalk there (which is right next to Swan and Dolphin), they probably don't come that often though, and I have no idea if they even have a schedule for times that they come. So if you don't find out for sure when they come then your probably better off taking one of the other suggestions.

 

[shuflemstr]

Your easiest way to get there is to take the bus from MGM directly to Fort Wilderness. You do not have to catch an internal bus. The bus for MGM drops its Guests off at the bus stop at Pioneer Hall. All you have to do is get off the bus, walk thru where the seats are at the bus stop and go to your left and it might take you a minute to walk there if it takes that long.

 

[PixyDust]

We made the HORRIBLE mistake of taking the bus to Fort Wilderness on one of our first visits to HDD. It absolutely takes forever to get through the campground. The easiest way is to get yourself to MK, hop on the resort launch and get off at WL. It is a very short walk to Pioneer Hall from there.

On the way back to the Swan, if you are taking in the 9:30 show, they'll have buses waiting on you just at the exit of Pioneer Hall. You'll just look for your Swan bus, which will probably be taking back guests for all of the Epcot resorts. If you are there for an earlier show, take the resort launch back to MK and catch your Swan bus there.

We've tried getting to the HDD many different ways(our sixth HDD is coming up next month), and we've found the launch to and from MK to be the least time consuming.

 

[Mystic]

Going in December and staying at the Lodge. Seeing the 9:30 HDD show -- what time should we be at the dock to catch the launch? Will it still be running or will we have to take a bus (blah) back after the show?

Thanks!!

:wave:

As far as I can remember the resort launches between the Wilderness Lodge, Contemporary and Fort Wilderness run until about 10:30pm with the last launch leaving the Contemporary at 10:30pm. You'll most likely have to take the bus back from Fort Wilderness after the 9:30 show but the best bet would be to double check with the Lodge's Guest Services before heading over to Fort Wilderness for dinner.:wave:

 

[DisJosh]

Wow, lots of diferent opinions on what's best to do lol.

Let's condense all the correct info.

1. Take bus from MGM to Fort Wilderness. The bus stop you're dropped at is right near Pioneer Hall!

2. Take a boat from Fort Wilderness to Magic Kingdom, then hop a bus to your resort.

It's that simple. DO NOT go to the TTC. There are NO resort busses there lol.:lol: I guarantee you this method is the easiest. I've never been to the Hoop Dee Doo but I do have to find my way to Fort Wilderness several times a trip because my fiances' family stays there. I eat at Trails End 2-3 times a trips as well. lol

 

[MickeyTigg]

Take bus from MGM to Fort Wilderness. The bus stop you're dropped at is right near Pioneer Hall!

Are you sure....I didn't think there were any direct routes to Pioneer Hall...that you had to take their internal bus to the Outpost to get to a park.

 

[DisJosh]

Are you sure....I didn't think there were any direct routes to Pioneer Hall...that you had to take their internal bus to the Outpost to get to a park.

I'm 110% positive. I've done it dozens of times. And a couple dozen on my last trip which was Sept 27-Oct 2, 2005. So it's still very fresh in my memory. The stop you're dropped at from MGM is right down the path from Pioneer Hall and the boat dock. Without actually staying there, I've actually gotten to know Fort Wilderness very well. Even the crazy bus routes!!

I should add we always take a bus from our resort to MGM to get to Fort Wilderness. That's the shortest route for us.

 

[MickeyTigg]

The easiest way is to get yourself to MK, hop on the resort launch and get off at WL. It is a very short walk to Pioneer Hall from there.

On the way back to the Swan, if you are taking in the 9:30 show, they'll have buses waiting on you just at the exit of Pioneer Hall. You'll just look for your Swan bus, which will probably be taking back guests for all of the Epcot resorts. If you are there for an earlier show, take the resort launch back to MK and catch your Swan bus there.

We've tried getting to the HDD many different ways(our sixth HDD is coming up next month), and we've found the launch to and from MK to be the least time consuming.

Very well stated....but if MK is open..there is a boat that goes directly to the Fort Wilderness dock which is about a 5 minute walk to Pioneer Hall.

 

[PixyDust]

Are you sure....I didn't think there were any direct routes to Pioneer Hall...that you had to take their internal bus to the Outpost to get to a park.

This was our experience as well!

 

[Mystic]

The best way to get to Pioneer Hall is either to get a bus to the Magic Kingdom and take the big launch to Fort Wilderness (may stop at the Wilderness Lodge first depending on which one it is) or to get the bus to the Contemporary or to the Wilderness Lodge and catch the small resort launch over to Fort Wilderness. There are 2 small resort launches that run in opposite directions. One goes WL-FW-CR-WL the other goes WL-CR-FW-WL. Taking either boat, whether the large MK launch or the smaller resort launches will drop you off at the dock at FW then it's a short, not even 5 minute walk to Pioneer Hall, which can be seen as you reach the end of the dock.

 

[DisJosh]

Why confuse this person so much? All that is necessary is to take a bus from MGM!! It's so much easier than finding a way to the Magic Kingdom and then getting on a boat! It's so much quicker than waiting for the slow boats. And like I've stated already...the MGM bus drops off right near Pioneer Hall.

I've circled the MGM bus stop on the map and higlighted the path to Pioneer Hall:

I don't know why you would try sending this poor person all the way to MK to get on a slow boat when they could be there in 10-15 minutes by bus. The boat method would take upwards of 45 minutes! :brick:

 

[Mystic]

The boat method would take upwards of 45 minutes! :brick:

You're point being????

We're giving options! Have you ever tried taking the boat? Maybe they would prefer that method, I know I do.

 

[MickeyTigg]

You're point being????

We're giving options! Have you ever tried taking the boat? Maybe they would prefer that method, I know I do.

Ditto...plus I've never experienced direct bus service to Pioneer Hall.

Yes...give options and let them decide which works out better.