Hiya Brandie,
Welcome back to planDisney! We are so excited to see you back here again for help with your upcoming vacation. I have a vacation planned in December as well, and I cannot believe it is so close. I love celebrating the holidays at Walt Disney World Resort!
The
boat ride from
Fort Wilderness Campground to
Magic Kingdom is one of my favorites. It really is beautiful (especially when the fireworks light up the night sky). But let's chat about the boats a little bit more. I, too, am someone who loves to make sure she is first in line for all the magic. So I like your plan of getting there at 7:45 am. I did a little digging and spoke to a Cast Member as well, and they said that, generally, the boats begin running about an hour before early entry hours at Magic Kingdom (so if early entry is at 8:30 am, then that should be around 7:30 am). I say "generally" because this can vary, so I would hate to give you an exact time and be off. Since the boat ride takes about 10-15 minutes, if the boat departed at 7:30 am, you would arrive just about on schedule. If you want to make that first boat, I recommend getting to the dock at least 30 minutes early. It is the holidays, so there may be more people waiting to get into Magic Kingdom. I would err on the side of being earlier.
I hope this was helpful, Brandie. Before I let you go, I do want to share another transportation option for you if time is a factor. On days when I want to get to Magic Kingdom more quickly, I like to use the
Minnie Van service. While this service is paid, it will save you time in the morning and let you get to Magic Kingdom at 7:45 am when you want. If you need anything else, please come back and see us.
Happy Planning,
Ashley F.