Ahoy, Melissa, and welcome to planDisney! Dinner at Ale & Compass followed by a stroll on
Disney's BoardWalk sounds fantastic, and it looks like you're trying to put the cherry on top by hopping over to Magic Kingdom. Let's take a peek at transportation and operating hours information so you can make an informed choice about heading to the theme parks after dinner.
Since your dinner reservation is at 8PM, I'd budget somewhere between 60 and 90 minutes for your meal. That amount of time will have you leaving the restaurant sometime around 9 or 9:30PM. Walking from Disney's Yacht Club Resort over to the BoardWalk area will take about 10 minutes, and if you stop to watch any of the performers you'll arrive to the green activity lawn at the center of the boardwalk area around 9:45PM or slightly later.
This is where I highly recommend checking the
Hours & Events Calendar for the day of your visit. I looked at a few different weeks, and Magic Kingdom closes at 10PM on some nights and 11PM on others. I even saw a date where the park closed at 6PM. If you are staying at a Deluxe Resort hotel, you can enjoy
Extended Evening Hours at Magic Kingdom on select nights, but the stars would have to align for you to enjoy this benefit on the same evening as your dinner reservation.
I think trying to visit Magic Kingdom will be cutting it close if the park closes at 10 or 11PM.
Bus transportation will end one hour after the park closes for the day, and
boats and ferries in the Magic Kingdom area run on 15 or 30 minute intervals. Their schedules are also subject to water and weather conditions, so they might not be running if the weather is iffy on the day of your visit. Also, you might get lucky and see a boat coming into port just as you arrive, or you may end up waiting on the dock for your proverbial ship to come in as time ticks away.
My recommendation is to enjoy your meal then take in all the exciting atmosphere that the BoardWalk has to offer. I've enjoyed sipping on a watermelon margarita while watching live entertainers, including an LED jump rope crew, a magician, and a team of jugglers. I've also been able to catch a glimpse of a favorite Disney film on the activity lawn, as Disney's BoardWalk Inn hosts its Movies Under the Stars right off the boardwalk near the Surrey rental area. The vibes on the boardwalk at night simply can't be beat, and you won't feel like you have to rush over to Magic Kingdom to arrive before closing.
I hope this helps you plan out your evening on Crescent Lake, Melissa! Please come see us again for more tips and advice.
Stay magical,
Scott