Photo of Mickey Mouse in Halloween costume on Main Street at dusk
  • On Jun 25, 2023
    Chalese from UT Asked Please note that experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.

    I need transportation advice. In September we are planning on going to EPCOT before we go to MNSSHP. We are staying at the Swan and will have a car, but need some advice on the most time efficient way to get around. How would you get around that day?

    Boo to you, Chalese!

    This grim-grinning planDisney panelist came out to socialize about transportation options for your best day ever at Walt Disney World Resort! As a Guest of the Walt Disney World Swan Hotel, I encourage you to start your day by taking advantage of early theme park entry at EPCOT. The early bird gets the shortest wait time for popular attractions like Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, which is close to the International Gateway entrance you'll be using. The Walt Disney World Swan Hotel is about a ten-minute walk from EPCOT. Water taxi transportation is also available; you'll find the boat dock between the Swan and Dolphin hotels.

    After getting an early start to your day, I recommend taking a midday pool/rest break back at your hotel. My family enjoyed an EPCOT Resort-Area stay this spring break and fell in love with the convenient location, picturesque views, and laid-back atmosphere that surround Crescent Lake. A nap agreement was part of my family's Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party contract this year, which helped us stay up late enjoying the frighteningly fun festivities. The sugar rush from our trick-or-treat candy also helped keep us going til midnight. Ghoulish Green Snickers are my kryptonite!

    On Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party nights, a ghostly glow settles across Magic Kingdom Park at 7:00 p.m., which is the party's official start time; however, party Guests are allowed to enter Magic Kingdom Park as early as 4:00 p.m. Your options for getting directly to Magic Kingdom Park from your hotel include taking a shuttle bus or your car to the Disney Transportation and Ticket Center. From there, you'll take the Express Monorail one stop to Magic Kingdom Park. I recommend allowing one hour for either mode of transportation and personally prefer the bus because it saves you a few precious steps walking to and from your car. But wait, there's more! 

    You are in the unique position of having a theme park reservation for EPCOT, which gives you the additional option of taking monorail transportation from the front entrance of EPCOT to Magic Kingdom Park. The front entrance of EPCOT is an additional 15-minute walk from the park's International Gateway Entrance, but an excellent option if you'd like to experience some front-of-the-park EPCOT attractions like Spaceship Earth and Test Track in the afternoon before heading to the party. If the stars really align, your Virtual Queue Boarding Group for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (close to EPCOT's front entrance) may work itself into this fairy tale day. I recommend exiting the front of EPCOT by 3:30 p.m. to ensure arrival at Magic Kingdom Park by 4:00 p.m. if desired.

    While doom buggies only transport Guests around the Haunted Mansion in Magic Kingdom Park, Chalese, I'm sure you'll find various other modes of complimentary transportation to your liking during your stay. I'm actually staying at the Walt Disney World Swan Hotel in October and have tickets to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. I plan on taking the shuttle bus to Magic Kingdom Park because I do not have a general admission theme park ticket that day. If I did, I'd definitely be enjoying some EPCOT fun before taking the monorail to Magic Kingdom Park. What magical options you have!

    Stop by and plan with us again soon!

    Choose magic,
    Jennifer
thumbnail image for Jennifer

Meet the Panelist: Jennifer, Virginia

Hey there, hi there, ho there! I’m Jennifer from Northern Virginia, close to Washington, D.C. Together is my family’s favorite place to be, and I’m so grateful that Walt Disney World Resort is designed to make that dream a destination. I’ve visited The Most Magical Place on Earth at every age and every stage, in every season, and for countless reasons. I can’t wait to help you maximize the magic on your next Walt Disney World Resort vacation! Learn More About Jennifer

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