Best Strategy: staying off-site, Magic Kingdom morning, Disney Springs lunch, Epcot late afternoon

[katilac]

On December 16, we will be starting at Magic Kingdom (opens 8 AM), leaving around noon for lunch and such at Disney Springs, and then going to Epcot for late afternoon and evening, arriving about 3.30 (could be later, 20 minutes or so wiggle room). There are reasons we are hop-scotching so much that day, so I have to work with it.

We will be staying at Wyndham Cypress Palms on Fairfield Drive, with a car, 20-minute drive to Transportation Center as per Google Maps. We will probably end about 10 pm or so if that makes a difference.

These are the possibilities I have seen mentioned on various sites:

Uber to Transportation Center and monorail/ferry over; Uber to Contemporary and walk over. This would get pricier, as we would then have to Uber to Disney Springs, take the bus to Epcot, then Uber home. So maybe $75? I would consider if it saves a considerable amount of time.

Drive to Transportation Center, Uber to Disney Springs, bus to Epcot, bus back to Magic Kingdom, drive home. I've read to ar

Park at Disney Springs, walk to DS hotel and take bus. I'm guessing this is the most time-consuming.

Saturday in mid-December, what's the best option?

 

[Monykalyn]

The challenge with Disney Springs is there aren't busses that go directly from Springs to a park. I'd just drive to MK-springs-Epcot. It's really not that bad and getting there that early at MK means you'll likely be close to TTC in parking.

OR-if monorail is running early park at Epcot-monorail over to MK, bus to DS, walk to Saratoga Springs and bus to Epcot (or Uber from Springs to Epcot). The shuttles to parks from the Disney Springs hotels aren't terribly frequent, nor are the springs hotels closer than walking to Saratoga (or catch bus from DisneynSprings to Beach club and walk to Epcot through international gateway entrance).

But me-I'd drive. We stayed offsite over Thanksgiving week and having a car was a huge relief. Busses were crowded (per reports) and really not any faster than driving. Two onsite stays and one offsite stay just since August and yes, I've timed the busses vs driving. Mostly a wash and often driving a hair faster.

 

[katilac]

<snip> Busses were crowded (per reports) and really not any faster than driving. Two onsite stays and one offsite stay just since August and yes, I've timed the busses vs driving. Mostly a wash and often driving a hair faster.

That's good to hear. It's hard to find any solid or recent info, and I'm finding it hard to take the horror stories about having to park at the Transportation Center seriously. Maybe in summer?

How much time did you allow for getting from TTC to entrance? Please tell me less than an hour, lol.

 

[kaytieeldr]

monorail over to MK, bus to DS

No bus until 4 PM

 

[nursejackie]

Why don't you eat in Epcot? They have so many great choices in the World Showcase and it cuts out the need to get to and from DS. Alternatively, as you have a car, why don't you drive between all the places? Once you've paid for parking at MK it's good at Epcot too so you only pay once and it would be cheaper than using Uber. Just a suggestion.

 

[katilac]

Why don't you eat in Epcot? They have so many great choices in the World Showcase and it cuts out the need to get to and from DS. Alternatively, as you have a car, why don't you drive between all the places? Once you've paid for parking at MK it's good at Epcot too so you only pay once and it would be cheaper than using Uber. Just a suggestion.

It's my daughter's senior trip and she wants to eat at Wolfgang Puck's, so far this seems like the best day to fit it in. We will definitely be eating at Epcot on other days!

We can definitely drive if that's the best choice, but I was seeing on various sites that driving may or may not be the best way to get around, so I was wanting some input.

 

[DaisyDuck001]

It's my daughter's senior trip and she wants to eat at Wolfgang Puck's.

Do you mean the quick service Wolfgang Puck's Express? Because apparently they haven't even started construction yet on the new table service Wolfgang Puck's Bar and Grill.

 

[Euby]

We will be staying at Wyndham Cypress Palms on Fairfield Drive, with a car, 20-minute drive to Transportation Center as per Google Maps. We will probably end about 10 pm or so if that makes a difference.

I've stayed at Cypress Palms before. Can't beat being able to walk to a Krispy Kreme! With the construction that is going on, I'd give the drive to the TTC 30-45 minutes from Cypress Palms. Even though there is construction, Disney does have things pretty well marked (at least as best they can). Your GPS may not be applicable in some locations due to lane closures, etc. As a previous poster has stated, once you park your car at one Disney park, your parking fee is good for any other park the rest of the day. You just need to show your receipt at the gate.

If you've never been to Disney, then I'd use as much of the Disney transportation as possible. Leave it to them to deal with the traffic and construction. In that case, park at the TTC, go to MK, take a monorail (or walk) to Contemporary, hop on the Disney Springs bus, have lunch, take Uber/Lyft to EPCOT, and then monorail to TTC.

If you don't feel like waiting though for the next Disney form of transport (which can be 20-30 minutes itself), then you'd do be better to drive yourself to each spot.

 

[nursejackie]

It's my daughter's senior trip and she wants to eat at Wolfgang Puck's, so far this seems like the best day to fit it in. We will definitely be eating at Epcot on other days!

We can definitely drive if that's the best choice, but I was seeing on various sites that driving may or may not be the best way to get around, so I was wanting some input.

I think Wolfgang Puck is closed now, only Wolfgang Puck Express is open. We haven't ever used Uber (at home or away) so I can't comment on using it at WDW. We do find parking at MK a bit of a pain, having to go through TTC so can see why some people would be swayed by Uber. Have a fun day

 

[DaisyDuck001]

I think Wolfgang Puck is closed now, only Wolfgang Puck Express is open.

Yes, that's why I asked above if they intended to go to Wolfgang Puck Express. It's going to be a while until the new table service one opens. Last I heard, they had not even started construction yet.

 

[katilac]

Do you mean the quick service Wolfgang Puck's Express? Because apparently they haven't even started construction yet on the new table service Wolfgang Puck's Bar and Grill.

Oh yes, the Express, she has eaten there before an wants to return.

I've stayed at Cypress Palms before. Can't beat being able to walk to a Krispy Kreme! With the construction that is going on, I'd give the drive to the TTC 30-45 minutes from Cypress Palms. <snip>

If you've never been to Disney, then I'd use as much of the Disney transportation as possible. Leave it to them to deal with the traffic and construction. In that case, park at the TTC, go to MK, take a monorail (or walk) to Contemporary, hop on the Disney Springs bus, have lunch, take Uber/Lyft to EPCOT, and then monorail to TTC.

If you don't feel like waiting though for the next Disney form of transport (which can be 20-30 minutes itself), then you'd do be better to drive yourself to each spot.

Ooh, anything else you can walk to? Or that's on the way?

Construction? :cries:

We've been to Disney many times, but this will be the first time we are not staying on site and using a dining plan and complete Disney transportation. It's a whole new planning game.

 

[Euby]

Ooh, anything else you can walk to? Or that's on the way?

There's a Macaroni Grill, Chili's, Pizzeria Uno, and Cracker Barrel on the same side of 192 and can be walked to without worrying about traffic. 192 is a very busy street, so I would drive to anything that happens to be across the street. You should make a stop at Orange World. If for no other reason than to take a picture in front of it. The sell oranges and fun souvenirs.