Transportation from Vistana to Disney parks?

[Rascalsmom]

I'm planning a trip to Disney World this October - taking teenagers. I think we'll use our Vistana week for the first time. Does anyone have any great/cheap/fast strategies for getting us back and forth to the parks?

We have older girl teens and younger boy teens. God forbid they should have to stay together. :rofl: We will have a car, so we can at least start the day at the same place.

 

[Sea Six]

From Vistana, take a right on 535 to 536. Turn right on 536, stay in the center lane, and park at EPCOT. If they want to do the Magic Kingdom, take the monorail. If they want to go to Hollywood Studios, take the boat. Animal Kingdom, take a bus. Buses go just about everywhere. Just be back at the EPCOT gate by 9:30 for the drive home. Have fun, kids!

 

[LisaRex]

...and remember to save your parking receipt if you go park hopping in the same day. You only have to pay to park once.

 

[Rascalsmom]

Thanks - just what I needed to know. Especially about only paying once!

 

[tomandrobin]

From Vistana, take a right on 535 to 536. Turn right on 536, stay in the center lane, and park at EPCOT. If they want to do the Magic Kingdom, take the monorail. If they want to go to Hollywood Studios, take the boat. Animal Kingdom, take a bus. Buses go just about everywhere. Just be back at the EPCOT gate by 9:30 for the drive home. Have fun, kids!

Buses also run from Epcot to Hollywood Studios.

 

[Mjpierce]

If you buy your Disney tickets through AAA, you can get a Diamond parking pass. It allows you to park in a special AAA area near the front of the parking lot at each park- usually the closest spots after handicapped. You still have to pay to park, but it puts you about as close as you are going to get.

 

[chalee94]

Buses also run from Epcot to Hollywood Studios.

yes. this is probably easier that walking halfway through epcot to get to the boat to HS.

 

[Sea Six]

But not a better plan if you're visiting EPCOT anyway. Don't be so critical, we all know the buses go everywhere. The point here is VARIETY, not "get there ASAP".

 

[spencersmama]

Is your family all going to be at the same park each day? I personally would rather drive to each park's parking lot. The only park that really takes a long time to get from car to front gates is Magic Kingdom. (It can take an hour to go from car-tram-monorail or boat-security-entrance.) At Animal Kingdom, EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, you park and take a tram to the park entrance. I've been all days and most times of the year never had to wait more than 5 minutes or so to get on the tram. If you leave right at closing, you may have to wait a bit to get on the transportation to get back to your car. When we stay until closing, we sit and relax a few minutes before leaving to let the crowds thin out. The shops stay open later than the rides, so wait to buy souvineers until you are on your way out.

BTW, I know some people say staying on property saves travel time, but I haven't found that.

 

[Rascalsmom]

Is your family all going to be at the same park each day? QUOTE]

I'd like to think we would all enjoy the parks together, but the "olders" and "youngers" usually have different agendas. I'm pretty sure we'll be split up at times and I don't want to spend my day transporting. Thank goodness for cell phones.

Thanks for the comment about staying off-property. This will be our first time not in a Disney resort. I knew y'all would have the system worked out. Last trip to Disney was 2008 - can't wait!

 

[spencersmama]

I just meant if you all will be at the same park, it would probably take more time to park at EPCOT and take transportation to another park rather than just park in that park's lot. I have a 12 and 15 year old. I let them go off on their own, but we are always in the same park. We just plan on a time and place to meet or call. We only live a couple hours away and have year passes, so we never stay at the park from opening to close. We are all night people, so we usually have a relaxing morning, lunch off-site, then head to the park and stay until close.

Vistana is really close to the Disney, and you can park right outside your building. I feel like the on site properties are so big and the transportation to and from the parks from the properties can be really busy and crowded. (In all fairness, I've only stayed in Disney hotels and the Swan and Dolphin on property. I haven't stayed at any of the DVC villas yet.)