Arrival Timing

Already learned so much from this forum and the chat! Thanks for your wealth of information!
Staying at Wyndam Bonnet Creek the 1st week of August, and driving to the parks. CL 8 most days. How early before park opening should we try to be in parking lots of each park to be at the front at RD?
I know MK will take longer, is it best to take the ferry or monorail over? Or would it be better to take Uber? If so, where do they drop us, and how early before opening should they drop us? Doing BOG pre-rd breakfast one day. What time should we be there for that?

We are also planning on going back to WBC for an afternoon break then returning to the parks later. How much longer should we plan for this trip from the parking lot to the turnstiles?

I’m having so much fun making all these TP, but starting to panic about the timing, and the whole plan will start off late! I’m traveling with my tween and teen boys who love sleep, so don’t want to get them there way too early either.

Hola @annewtaylor!
Here are my estimates:

AK arrive 30 minutes before park opening, to allow for parking, tram and don’t forget to use the Rainforest “Secret” entrance!

HS 45 minutes, park and walk. Don’t forget to use the small back entrance via North Studio Dr., walk to the park and use the “secret” bag check off to the left hand side of the entrance and enjoy! This wait is the roughest since there are less turnstiles than other parks and the lines are almost always in the sun.

EP 45-60 minutes. Use the left hand side “secret” bag check (let me know if you need maps of this and the HS one!) and mush! mush! mush! to the tier one attraction you didn’t FPP. Less than 30 minute arrival will almost guarantee you’re not at the very front and will find a 60 minute wait on said attraction.

MK 60 minutes before the welcome show (worth seeing at least once in your life!), the parking lots are huuuuge and you will almost always have to take the tram. Pick the left hand entrance under the train station! Use the resort monorail, my grandma can swim faster than the ferry!

Above all, relax!! If you’re not at the front/early, just re-optimize your TP upon your arrival! Don’t worry about it!

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Oops, forgot to take into account your pre-RD BoG! Well, make it 45 minutes before your ADR then!

@quicha What great tips!! Just what I was looking for to calm my nerves!!
Sure, I would love a map of the HS and EP “secret” bag checks if it’s not too much trouble.

Hoping the mornings before we even get into the parks will be our longest waits since the touring plans will steer us in the right direction all day! Can’t wait to use it in the parks with that re-optimize feature!

Thanks for your advice!

No problemo! Here is the fabulous Mr Itty’s bag check picture thread:

http://forum.touringplans.com/t/mr-ittys-awesome-hollywood-studios-epcot-bag-check-pics/3255

Those pictures help a ton, thanks for sharing!

Anne - we’re also staying at Wyndham Bonnet Creek the first week of August. Maybe we’ll see you around! Me, my wife, 19-yr-old son and 15-yr-old daughter.

@bwallace Maybe we’ll see you at the “secret” bag checks!
We’ve never stayed off-site, so a little nervous about driving and getting to the parks for rd, but excited to have all that extra space with growing boys!