Hiya Jennifer,
Welcome to planDisney! My Prince Charming jokes that, when budgeting for our trip to Walt Disney World Resort, he always has to set aside money for the
Minnie Van service because I always want to use it. But can you blame me? The Cast Members who drive them are always so friendly, and with two littles ones under 4, I love the ease of getting them to and from our resort hotel.
But let’s get to your excellent question, Jennifer! I must admit I felt like I was back in high school math class working on a word problem, but much more fun (if only my math teacher had put it in Disney terms, maybe I would’ve liked math better). If it were me, Jennifer, I would make sure to leave from
Saratoga Springs resort no later than 1 hour before your reservation (so 7:10 am in this case). That will give you time to drive to Magic Kingdom, go through security, scan in to the theme parks, and walk to your reservation without sprinting. In my experience, one of the busiest times to get to and into the park is right when it opens, so this will give you plenty of time to plan for any unexpected delays. Just make sure to start your Minnie Van request at least 15 minutes before that, in case you need to wait for one to become available.
One last thing, Jennifer, are you going to take advantage of
Early Theme Park Entry during your visit? As a resort Guest, you will be able to enter Magic Kingdom 30 minutes earlier than other resort Guests, which, if Magic Kingdom opens at 8 am on the day you are planning to visit, would mean you could get in at 7:30 am. In that case, I recommend leaving Saratoga Springs for Magic Kingdom earlier, around 6:30 am. I hope this was helpful! Please come back and see us if you need anything else.
Happy Planning,
Ashley F.