Disney Transportation for Non-Resort Guests

[strinh808]

Hello,

I had some questions on how to best tackle the Disney World Transportation system if one isn't staying on-site at a Disney resort. I have already tried looking online but didn't get specific or got conflicting answers so I am trying my luck here:

1. What aspects of the system can non-resort guests use for free? The entire monorail? Buses? Ferries?

2. If they are not free to non-resort guests, how much do they cost?

3. Schedule-wise, approximate when do the buses/monorails/ferries start running each day, and how often do they appear at any given stop?

4. How bad, really, are the lines for each of those at the end of the day when the park closes?

5. How many total stops do the monorails or buses have on their total route? Does any know the order of the stops or where I can find that out before my trip?

I know this is a lot of questions, and I appreciate any help I can get on this.

Thanks in advance. :)

[ThinkTink]

All you have to do is drive to the TTC (Ticket/Transportation Center) and park ($12/day). From there you can catch the monorail to MK/EP or a ferry to MK, or a bus to DHS or AK. OR, drive to the individual park that you will be going to for the day (if you're not park hopping). You cannot drive all the way to MK - you will have to park at the TTC. The signs are red/purple and very easy follow to get yourself around.

The crowds leaving depend on the time of the year that you are there. I typically stay in the park at LEAST 30 minutes after park closing to let the crowds die down....we have stayed beyond an hour after closing at the MK before :thumbs:. They don't stop running the rides until the exact minute of closing (i.e., if the park closes @ midnight, you can still ride, say, Peter Pan at 12:00 and then leave) which means that there are several people still finishing up the last ride of the night right at closing.

There are 2 different monorail lines. One does a loop between the deluxe resorts and the MK. Another one runs from the TTC to Epcot. If you were at the MK and going to EP, you would get on the monorail, ride it to TTC, get off switch tracks and get on a new train to go to EP.

I believe :unsure: that transportation starts running up to an hour before park opening.

[Midnight Storm]

1. What aspects of the system can non-resort guests use for free? The entire monorail? Buses? Ferries?

Any transport service is available free to holders of valid tickets, per the ticket conditions but they don't ask for proof except first thing in the morning to make sure you buy tickets at TTC not at the park. Transport including Carpark trams, monorail, ferries, buses and smaller in park ferries (Epcot) Main St Horse Drawn streetcar etc all in the ticket price.


3. Schedule-wise, approximate when do the buses/monorails/ferries start running each day, and how often do they appear at any given stop?

Car parks open 2 - 3 hours before opening time as do the coaches and monorail and keep going till well after closing the run all the time according to need, I am not aware they publish a timetable, if something gets busy they throw resources at it, the real lines are inside at the 90min mountains

4. How bad, really, are the lines for each of those at the end of the day when the park closes?

If your off site, the only bottlenecks are monorail to carpark (if there is one on that park) and the disney car park trams, but even in July it's not that bad - you can walk to the car if you have the strength and avoid the tram - the monorail can back up and you wait 15min + or take the ferry at MK, epcot is fine as you are parked there unless you park hopped and the car is at a different park.

5. How many total stops do the monorails or buses have on their total route? Does any know the order of the stops or where I can find that out before my trip?

As an offsite guest - your monorail goes pretty much to the park the hotels are serviced by separate trains on the same line, going to the MK from TTC (AKA car park) the monorail runs through the Contemporary without stopping, and through the Polynesian on the way back. If you do want to visit the hotels - you go to a different platform for a stopping monorail.

Buses are according to need - often direct but often via different bits of the onsite hotels, remember some of the hotels are 3000 rooms across 10 buildings.

The only route not possible is Downtown Disney to a Park, to stop freeloading (parking is free at DTD) you would have to go to a hotel and the a park - no one needs to save $12 that much

Por favor manténgase alejado de las puertas - (means nothing now but it will do)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YXOzaguPG4

[a_broxibear]

The only route not possible is Downtown Disney to a Park, to stop freeloading (parking is free at DTD) you would have to go to a hotel and the a park - no one needs to save $12 that much


whats the best way to get to and from DTD then if your not driving? was planning on going to see cirque de soliel in between visits to a park :confused:

[jarretth]

whats the best way to get to and from DTD then if your not driving? was planning on going to see cirque de soliel in between visits to a park :confused:

Depending on the park you are using, take a bus from that park to the nearest resort and then change to a DTD bus. Not sure if you can still get from the TTC to DTD.

[Mark_Hancock]

Can we take the bus from DTD to to the TTC if we are not staying at a resort?

I have stayed at resorts before and loved riding the busses, but don't remember whether they asked for guest ID.

Hoping I can use the busses outside the MK.

[uscwest]

Yes you may.

[Midnight Storm]

Depending on the park you are using, take a bus from that park to the nearest resort and then change to a DTD bus. Not sure if you can still get from the TTC to DTD.

Not for quite a few years as TTC is the gateway to 2 parks in effect - if I was in a park, the easiest way to DTD is probably a Taxi, you don't want to miss the show whilst changing buses.

If your a non resort guest - GET A CAR, there is so much outside Disney

Colin

[strinh808]

Thanks so much to everyone for your prompt responses! :)

[JuniorMickey]

There is no longer a bus from TTC to DTD - at least not on Sunday there wasn't