Greetings, Beth! Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! Let's help you get around the Walt Disney World Resort.
My family lives about an hour's drive from Walt Disney World. While I'm still waiting for Fairy Godmother to conjure a sparkling carriage to whisk us to the Theme Parks from our house, our pumpkin/SUV will have to do.
When visiting the Magic Kingdom Park by car, you'll
pull into a parking space and hitch a ride on the tram (which is sadly not pulled by mice), and arrive at the Transportation and Ticket Center, where you'll go through security and bag check. From there, you can walk through the ticket windows to catch the
monorail or ferry to the Magic Kingdom entrance, or head left to a walkway leading to
Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, where you can also board the monorail or a
boat. At this time, buses do not serve the Magic Kingdom from Disney's Polynesian Village Resort.
As for timing, you may encounter longer lines at the TTC, but the walk through Disney's Polynesian Village Resort to the monorail station, and especially to the boat launch, is a bit longer than it seems. Having said that, it's a pleasant walk through the gorgeous grounds of the Resort hotel, so you might find it a worthwhile diversion. You can always ask a Cast Member which method they think will be best that day.
Beth, maybe one day they'll add glittery coaches to the mix, too! Until then, I hope this helps you plan a dream-filled day at the Magic Kingdom. Please come see us again if you have any more questions!
Keep Disney Dreaming,
Kathy K.