HELP : How do I get to the front of Epcot from the boardwalk or MGM?

[ssidiouss@mac.c]

I am taking a few people to Disney World for their first time ever. We are going in December and we will be in MGM during our first day. After a halfday in MGM we want to go to Epcot but I usually take the boat to the boardwalk area from MGM (cool ride) and that leaves us with just the international gateway as an entrance to Epcot. This leaves us with a problem though as all the pictures I have seen of the holiday decorations make it seem that it is an extremely more impressive experience if you are entering Epcot from the front of the park and working your way towards the countries instead of using the side International Gateway entrance.. especially for first timers like the ones im bringing with me. So we dont want to use the side international gateway entrance.

So, I'm trying to figure out if there is a way to get to enter Epcot from the front entrance if I'm at the boardwalk area.

Or if that is not possible, how can I get from MGM to epcot? I usually take the boat over.. is there any other fun ways? Maybe a way to use the monorail? A direct bus?

Any advice plz

 

[NTI2002]

I've actually never made teh trip from mgm directly to epcot, but I imagine there's a bus between the two.

if not, take a bus from MGM to the Transportation and Ticket Center, and then hop the Monorail that goes directly to Epcot

 

[Moustronaut]

The boat does bring you in the back door to Epcot. There is no way to get to the front of the park without walking past all the decorations, but from what I remember, the lighted archways between future world and world showcase are equally impressive from either direction. you do get to see them framing spaceship earth from the back way in.

I believe there is a bus from MGM to Epcot. If not, any resort bus can get you there, just transfer at the resort.

 

[ssidiouss@mac.c]

If there is a bus that goes directly from MGM to epcot... wouldnt be more impressive to go to the transportation center and catch the monorail to epcot instead?

I never did much on the monorail.. how does that work? Does it let you off out side the park? Why do I see monorails flying thru the park? where does that loop come in at?

 

[NTI2002]

The Epcot monorail is a nice ride. It circles half of future world and lets you off at the front gate. you get a sort of birds eye view of a small portion of the park. the epcot trip is my favorite monorail trip.

 

[ssidiouss@mac.c]

The Epcot monorail is a nice ride. It circles half of future world and lets you off at the front gate. you get a sort of birds eye view of a small portion of the park. the epcot trip is my favorite monorail trip.

Do you get that circle thru the front part of the park if your comming from either direction? Or is there only one direction it comes from? I'll be comming from the transportation center.

 

[ssidiouss@mac.c]

Taking the monorail from the transportation center to Epcot.. do you pass thru the contemporary?

 

[Sapphire]

No, that's the Magic Kingdom/resort loop. The route to Epcot is a different line altogether, both originating from the TTC. And yes, the ride from the TTC to Epcot is the best. Especially if you can score a seat up front with the driver. And durring the holiday season, when the monorail does it's loop through EPCOT, you go through the light arches (of course it's most impressive at night).

 

[Moustronaut]

Do you get that circle thru the front part of the park if your comming from either direction? Or is there only one direction it comes from? I'll be comming from the transportation center.

The monorail goes from the TTC over the enterance to Epcot, into the park and around Future World, then out over the enterance to the station. This is the only part of the loop that goes through the park. The return trip to the TTC goes right back to the TTC station.
The right side, like if your facing the direction of movement, of the train will have the best views of Epcot since it is the outside side of the loop through FutureWorld. The left side has the best view of the Leave a Legacy courtyard, Spaceship Earth, and the Fountain of Nations.

 

[Maria]

Take the bus from The Studios parking lot to Epcot and enter from the front.

Are you allowing enough time? Remember Epcot closes at 9pm. I hope you have another day to visit it in full... If so, coming from the side of it won´t make much difference if you are just saving them time. They will have another chance to enter from the front and see it in all its glory... hehe

 

[Polyman]

Right you are, Maria! But recall that they are going in December. If at the end of December, then Epcot is open until 9:30pm. :animwink: :wave:

 

[PhilharMagician]

Take the bus from The Studios parking lot to Epcot and enter from the front.

Since when is there bussing between parks?

 

[Polyman]

Since always!!! :lol:

 

[PhilharMagician]

Since always!!! :lol:

I must be really loosing it! I have always had to make transfers @ T&TC or a resort to go to another park.

Where are these bus stops? They are not listed at the resort stops.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

I must be really loosing it! I have always had to make transfers @ T&TC or a resort to go to another park.

Where are these bus stops? They are not listed at the resort stops.

The busses are in a separate section from the hotels, but you can get a bus from one resort to another directly.

ssidiouss,
By far the most time friendly would be to continue to use the back entrance. Any other way would cost you about an hour's time. You would want to do the exhibits in the front of the park anyway, so just walk there and enjoy your stroll back. The gateway entrance isn't as spectacular until night anyway. You will find that with the exception of some nice topiary past the ticket gates, the lighted gateway and the tree just beyond the gateway, that the majority of the decorations are found in the various countries anyway. Those can be appreciated both day and night.

On a separate note, also as others have said, unless you are very limited for time, I would try to spend a full day in each park, particularly as the nighttime events and lights should not be missed either at MGM (Osborne Lights) or all of Epcot, particularly the Candelight Procession.

For the wow factor, I agree with making the entrance using the monorail, especially if you can get the front. Far better than any bus drop off.

 

[KingStefan]

I must be really loosing it! I have always had to make transfers @ T&TC or a resort to go to another park.

Where are these bus stops? They are not listed at the resort stops.

Len, you only have to transfer at the TTC if you are going to or from the MK.

The busses are in a separate section from the hotels, but you can get a bus from one resort to another directly.

David, I think you meant to say "from one theme park to another directly". And that is, of course, correct except that between the MK and another park, you always have to go to the TTC first (but I'm guessing that that's what you meant). To go between resorts, you have to change at an open park (including the MK - not the TTC) or DtD.

In other words, to go between any two parks not including the MK, you can take a bus directly. To go between the MK and MGM or AK, you can take a bus to or from the TTC. And, of course, to go between the MK and Epcot, you take the monorail to or from the TTC.

P.S., I think that the option of taking a bus from MGM to the TTC and then riding the Monorail is a good one, if you have the time, and you will not have the opportunity to ride the Monorail to Epcot at another time (even when it's not the Christmas season).

 

[ssidiouss@mac.c]

Thanks KingStefan.. I think thats what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna take the time to go to the TTC from MGM then take the monorail to Epcot Its the first time our two guests will be seeing Epcot.. so I think it will be most impressive to see it comming from the monorail thru the christmas decorations etc!

How much time do you think that trip will take.. from MGM to TTC to Epcot.. so I can plan it right?

 

[KingStefan]

Thanks KingStefan.. I think thats what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna take the time to go to the TTC from MGM then take the monorail to Epcot Its the first time our two guests will be seeing Epcot.. so I think it will be most impressive to see it comming from the monorail thru the christmas decorations etc!

How much time do you think that trip will take.. from MGM to TTC to Epcot.. so I can plan it right?

Hmmm! Good question. A good rule of thumb that I've heard (and usually use) is that resort-park transfers and park-park transfers take 45 minutes to be safe (including bus waiting time), usually shorter, with a little time added for MK-park transfers to account for having to go through the TTC (MK-resort busses go to the MK not TTC, so no need to add time there).

This is only if it's a random time, and you are not trying to get there right before and event, or trying to leave right after an event. For example, the wait might be longer if you are leaving MGM right after the parade, or if you are arriving at Epcot right before Illuminations, or something like that.

Also, please keep in mind that that is for park entrance to park entrance (or resort bus stop) and not somewhere deep inside the park (or at your resort room). For example, you can't look at your watch when you get off RnR at MGM, and expect to be on line at the Kali River Rapids at AK 45 minutes later. You have to allow time to get to and from the front gate.

So, as long as you are not traveling around the times of special events, to be safe, I would say 90 minutes from MGM gate to Epcot front gate via the TTC, if the crowds are not too bad. It may be shorter than that, but it's best to plan longer.

Also, you don't say when you're going to be there exactly. 90 minutes is a good "worst-case" estimate if you will be there the first week of December, but if it's the week after Christmas, you will probably need more time.

I've never been there that week. Can somebody with some experience that week please comment on how long the bus/monorail lines are?