Hi Craig!
Welcome to planDisney.
It's always a pleasure to assist my fellow guests from the UK. Thank you for sending us this question.
Whether or not you choose to drive a car, or solely use complimentary
Disney transport, it's easy to find your way around Walt Disney World Resort. If you would prefer to drive to the theme parks, you can still arrive for early opening. The parking lots will be open in plenty of time.
When using Disney Transport to travel around the Resort, a 'normal commute' time is difficult to gauge. Driving a rental car tends to be a quicker option, as you can just get in the car and go! You might wait up to 20 minutes for a bus or stand in a queue for the Skyliner, but you'll arrive closer to the park entrance so there's less walking time, or waiting for a parking tram in the parking lots. From
Disney's Pop Century Resort, driving to the parking lots of Disney's Hollywood Studios, EPCOT and Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park should take up to 10 minutes. For Magic Kingdom Park you need to park at the Transportation & Ticket Centre (approx 12-15 minutes from your hotel) and then take the ferry boat or monorail across Seven Seas Lagoon to the park entrance. I would prefer to take the bus from your hotel, which will drop you close to the entrance. If I had access to the
Disney Skyliner I would take that to Disney's Hollywood Studios or EPCOT - it's an easy, comfortable, smooth ride on a continuous loop.
Disney transport begins running 45 minutes before park opening times, and up to an hour after park closing.
Please come back and visit us if you have any further questions, and if you need more specific clarification about travel times around the Resort you can
send me a direct question if you wish. We are always happy to help plan your magical holiday to Walt Disney World!
Sue