Hopping from AK to EPCOT questions

[Disneymom201]

How would you plan your FP+ for hopping from AK to EPCOT? We have breakfast ressies at Tusker House at 8:00. My brother & sister-in-law and 8 year old niece will be accompanying us and this will be their first trip to WDW. My family consists of DH and DS's 15, 11 & 2.
My thoughts were to book our FP for EPCOT, and ride standby in AK. We will be there the first week of November, so I don't anticipate large crowds. This will be their only day at each of these parks. My family will be attending the after party in EPCOT as I will be running the W&D Half.
Also, if it was just us, I would use transportation to BC and walk and enter at World Showcase. Since it's their first trip, I'm thinking they'd enjoy entering at Main Gate for iconic Space Ship Earth. What would be the best route between AK & EPCOT? Bus to TTC to monorail to EPCOT?
Thanks!!!

 

[Rob562]

For your FP+ question, if you're at AK for opening, then your plan is probably good for riding things right away and save the FP+ for Epcot.

For transportation, there is a direct bus from AK to the front of Epcot.

The bus from AK to the Magic Kingdom bus now goes direct to the MK, bypassing the TTC. It used to go to the TTC up until they opened the third bus loop at the MK) SO if they wanted to ride the monorail through Epcot, they'd have to bus to MK, take the monorail or boat to the TTC and then transfer to the Epcot monorail. A time killer if you're trying to be efficient.

If you're heading for World Showcase, it could be just as fast to take a bus to Beach Club or Boardwalk, whichever arrives first (sometimes they're the same bus route, so whichever of those they stop at first), and then walk to the International Gateway.

-Rob

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Also, if it was just us, I would use transportation to BC and walk and enter at World Showcase. Since it's their first trip, I'm thinking they'd enjoy entering at Main Gate for iconic Space Ship Earth. What would be the best route between AK & EPCOT? Bus to TTC to monorail to EPCOT?
Thanks!!!

For a first visit I don't think you could beat TTC to EPCOT by monorail. It may take a bit longer, but you've already got your three EPCOT FP booked by this time so there's nothing to lose.
First impressions count - and nothing better than riding around Spaceship Earth in the monorail

 

[MMDVC]

....make sure you check the monorail operating schedules. You could be detoured to a bus from the TTC to Epcot. It has happened to me and it is very disappointing and frustrating but understandable considering they are needing a lot of reconstruction.

 

[Disneymom201]

For your FP+ question, if you're at AK for opening, then your plan is probably good for riding things right away and save the FP+ for Epcot.

For transportation, there is a direct bus from AK to the front of Epcot.

The bus from AK to the Magic Kingdom bus now goes direct to the MK, bypassing the TTC. It used to go to the TTC up until they opened the third bus loop at the MK) SO if they wanted to ride the monorail through Epcot, they'd have to bus to MK, take the monorail or boat to the TTC and then transfer to the Epcot monorail. A time killer if you're trying to be efficient.

If you're heading for World Showcase, it could be just as fast to take a bus to Beach Club or Boardwalk, whichever arrives first (sometimes they're the same bus route, so whichever of those they stop at first), and then walk to the International Gateway.

-Rob

Thanks Rob!!!! I never knew there was direct bus transport from park to park. That's why I love this place!!!!

 

[Tinkerbella16]

The bus from AK to the Magic Kingdom bus now goes direct to the MK, bypassing the TTC. It used to go to the TTC up until they opened the third bus loop at the MK) SO if they wanted to ride the monorail through Epcot, they'd have to bus to MK, take the monorail or boat to the TTC and then transfer to the Epcot monorail. A time killer if you're trying to be efficient.

This is really great to know! On our AK day we will be leaving midday to rest, then heading back for a 6pm dinner at Yak & Yeti... we want to go to MK for EMH after dinner, so I was wondering if a bus will go directly to MK.

 

[loriloughs]

I believe they have bus service to every park. We have never eaten at Tusker House, but unless you are really into Donald, might I suggest O'Hana with Lilo and Stitch. It is a great breakfast with lots of fun and you will be on the resort monorail line which you can take to Epcot and walk in the front entrance. Also you mentioned you are going the first week of November. That is "Jersey Week!" There is a NJ Teacher's Convention the Thursday and Friday of the first week of November every year. People pull their kids out of school since they only miss 3 days (we did this once, but never again!) thinking it's a good time to go. Disney world is packed this week!!!

 

[Disneymom201]

I believe they have bus service to every park. We have never eaten at Tusker House, but unless you are really into Donald, might I suggest O'Hana with Lilo and Stitch. It is a great breakfast with lots of fun and you will be on the resort monorail line which you can take to Epcot and walk in the front entrance. Also you mentioned you are going the first week of November. That is "Jersey Week!" There is a NJ Teacher's Convention the Thursday and Friday of the first week of November every year. People pull their kids out of school since they only miss 3 days (we did this once, but never again!) thinking it's a good time to go. Disney world is packed this week!!!

Thanks for the heads up....ugh!!!!

 

[Tinkerbella16]

I believe they have bus service to every park. We have never eaten at Tusker House, but unless you are really into Donald, might I suggest O'Hana with Lilo and Stitch. It is a great breakfast with lots of fun and you will be on the resort monorail line which you can take to Epcot and walk in the front entrance. Also you mentioned you are going the first week of November. That is "Jersey Week!" There is a NJ Teacher's Convention the Thursday and Friday of the first week of November every year. People pull their kids out of school since they only miss 3 days (we did this once, but never again!) thinking it's a good time to go. Disney world is packed this week!!!

We were there last year during Jersey Week (and years before). We thought it was awesome. Not packed at all. The only time it ever felt packed was in World Showcase because of Food & Wine. Other than that, it was great. No where near Thanksgiving Week or other holidays.

 

[DManRightHere]

I would fastpass AK as there are no tiers I think. Kilmanjaro safari, expedition everest, rapids or dinosaur.

You can kind of rush through AK and leisure around epcot. They won't get to see everything though. Is there not a bus directly to epcot from AK? If they are not visiting MK on this trip it might be a bit of a let down to approach it and not go in.

Then again, if yall enter through international gateway and it's around noon or so, there might be a lot of entertainment in world showcase. The boat is fun too.

EDIT: I almost forgot. After your 3 FP's at AK, you can get a 4th, 5th etc at epcot via kiosk.

 

[loriloughs]

We were there last year during Jersey Week (and years before). We thought it was awesome. Not packed at all. The only time it ever felt packed was in World Showcase because of Food & Wine. Other than that, it was great. No where near Thanksgiving Week or other holidays.

Nothing is like Thanksgiving or holidays. That being said, and from someone who has been doing Disney since 1991, Jersey Week is busy!!! Also surprised when we went first week of December and felt that was busy also.

 

[Tinkerbella16]

Nothing is like Thanksgiving or holidays. That being said, and from someone who has been doing Disney since 1991, Jersey Week is busy!!! Also surprised when we went first week of December and felt that was busy also.

Everyones perception of busy is different. We never waited more than 15-20 for anything the whole week we were there. I avoid summer and other busy times because I can't stand crowds. November has always been great to us the countless number of times we have gone, even the weather is great! This year we are going on the 12th so Food and Wine will be over, thankfully!!! LOL The first week of December is Pop Warner week, so lots of people pour in for that and sports teams...and they stay onsite. They even excluded that week from Free Dining because they have no problem filling rooms that week.

 

[loriloughs]

You are absolutely correct. We have never visited Disney during the busiest times so we have no idea what it is like to be there when they close parks due to crowds. November is a great time to visit. Our favorite time was toward the end of the food and wine festival. We hate crowds also and have found that although it is incredibly hot, the last two weeks of August are a good time to visit.

 

[Weather_Lady]

We did the same (AK, hop to Epcot) in May during an "average" crowd season.

It was a day with EMH (8am park opening) and due to a bus snafu we didn't even get to AK until 8:30am, half an hour after the park had opened. We rode standby only, and did Kilimanjaro Safaris, Expedition Everest twice (the non-rollercoaster riders in our party did the Pangani/Maharajah trails instead of EE), Kali River Rapids, Dinosaur, Triceratop Spin and the Finding Nemo show, all before noon. Our longest wait was for Dinosaur (around 15 minutes) -- everything else was 10 minutes or less, if there was any wait at all.

After afternoon naps, we hopped to Epcot, where we had FP+ for Soarin' (saved us 45 minutes), Spaceship Earth (saved us 5-10 minutes) and Turtle Talk (made no difference). (If we had it to do again, I'd have swapped Turtle Talk for Imagination, which at 15 minutes, was our longest wait of the night -- crazy, I know!).

So in conclusion, even though the tiering in Epcot means that you're really only getting one FP+ of any value (as opposed to being able to put 3 FP+ to use in the AK), the standby lines at AK are short enough (especially if you get to Kilimanjaro Safaris, Expedition Everest, Kali River Rapids and Dinosaur first) that I'd still recommend going standby at AK and saving your FP+ for Epcot, UNLESS you don't care to do any of the first-tier attractions at Epcot, because most or all of them (at the very least, Soarin' and Test Track) will be "sold out" and unavailable as "4th" or greater FP+ selections if you're trying to get them the day-of.