Hi Courtney and welcome to planDisney! It sounds like you have a pretty fun trip lined up and you’re doing it right by doing some of my favorite character breakfast meals. Let’s dive into your questions about getting to both Topolino’s Terrace and The Crystal Palace!
For
Topolino’s Terrace,
the Skyliner operates one hour before Early Theme Park Entry begins at either EPCOT or Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Based on the
Hours & Events Calendar, both theme parks are scheduled to open for Early Entry at 8:30AM, meaning that the Skyliner should start running at 7:30AM.
If that time doesn't work for you, don’t fret! Sometimes (although not always guaranteed), Cast Members offer a grace period of 10 to 15 minutes after your reservation time to arrive. Also as a Walt Disney World Resort guest you also have access to
Minnie Van service, which can be booked through the Lyft app.
As for transportation to
Crystal Palace at Magic Kingdom, it appears that
Early Entry begins at 8:30AM in late April. Bus transportation from Disney's Art of Animation Resort to the theme parks generally start 45 minutes before Early Entry, so the first bus should be leaving Art of Animation around 7:45AM. On past vacations, however, I’ve seen the buses leave a little bit earlier. I know this sounds like it’s cutting it a little too close for comfort. If that’s the case, I’d suggest either pushing your reservation back 30 minutes (if available) or booking the Minnie Van. For these kinds of rideshare services to Magic Kingdom, it’s best to book the Minnie Van as other rideshares can only drop off at the Transportation & Ticket Center, meaning you would still have to take the monorail or ferry to Magic Kingdom.
Here’s a bonus tip! As I’ve shared with a previous guest in the past, Walt Disney World provides real-time bus arrival info on the
My Disney Experience app. As long as your Resort hotel reservation is linked to the app, you should be able to view bus arrival times. To see the bus times, select your Resort reservation within the app. Below the picture of the resort there will be a section that reads “See Bus Times”. From there, you’ll find the bus times for Art of Animation to the theme parks and Disney Springs. But you won’t be able to see these bus times until you’ve checked-in.
Courtney, I hope this is helpful for your as you begin to plan out your spring trip to Walt Disney World! While you’re there, don’t forget to check out the International Flower & Garden Festival. Here’s the recently released
Foodie Guide that shows all the upcoming festival booth items, they’re a great use of the snack credit if you’re on the
Disney Dining Plan! If you have any further questions, please feel free to
contact me and my fellow panelists here at planDisney!
Your pal,
Sean