Hi Carolyn,
Welcome to planDisney. We're so glad you stopped by with a question for us today, and I'm happy to assist!
I experienced a similar situation in October when a group of my fellow panelists and I enjoyed an extraordinary meal at
Tiffins Restaurant. Our reservation began just a few minutes before Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park closed for the day, but we still enjoyed a leisurely meal. Once our bellies were stuffed and our checks were paid, we headed toward the park exit stopping to snap a few quick photos along the way. By the time we made it to the bus pickup area, we were among the only guests remaining.
Officially,
Walt Disney World® Bus Service is offered 45 minutes before park opening until 1 hour after park closing. I'd say we missed that window by about 25 minutes, but thankfully we weren't left stranded. A few of our group members opted to use a ride-share service to head back to their resort while the rest of us were greeted by a helpful Cast Member asking where we were staying. He radioed a call over to the appropriate team and a friendly bus driver pulled up to escort us back to our resort within a few minutes.
Cast Members typically try to make magic in any situation, so I'm hopeful you'll experience this same level of service during your visit. If for some reason bus service is no longer available after your meal, you can request
Minnie Van Service to your final destination. This is a paid service, but you'll be riding back to your resort at the end of the evening in polka-dotted style. We've used other third-party ride-share services on many past occasions and find the cost to always be very reasonable. You'll find signs to the well-lit designated rideshare pickup areas at each park exit.
I hope this was helpful Carolyn! If we can answer any additional questions or offer further assistance please don't hesitate to come back and let us know.
Magic and memories,
Amy