Afternoon Waterpark break easy to do or not?

Pluto777

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jul 10, 2017
Opinions wanted:
if we are staying up at WL and taking that long bus ride to HS or AK, does it make sense too take a break at TL or BB in the mid afternoon, or will we find ourselves transfering bus after bus, then draging ourselves back in wet clothes to the parks and regret the idea?
 
It will take forever. To get to TL you have to transfer at DS. To go to BB you have to go to AK first then switch buses. It wouldn't be relaxing, but it is doable. It would just take forever. You could always uber or Minnie Van it though. To get from BWV to TL this October took us nearly an hour going from bus to bus. And that was with a waiting bus at DS. YMMV.
 
Thx Capang. I'm surprised there are no direct buses from HS to TL or BB... Maybe we could make it an AK day and then we'd be able to get a direct bus to BB - but are you saying there are no direct buses to TL from AK? -and what do you think of the comfort level of dragging around in bathing suits to and from a park? I thought a waterpark could be a relaxing break, but if it means being uncomfortable theres really no point I suppose. and what about AFTER you leave the water park (say BB)? Do you mean Disney only has buses FROM a waterpark (apparently only BB) to AK park?
 
Thx Capang. I'm surprised there are no direct buses from HS to TL or BB... Maybe we could make it an AK day and then we'd be able to get a direct bus to BB - but are you saying there are no direct buses to TL from AK? -and what do you think of the comfort level of dragging around in bathing suits to and from a park? I thought a waterpark could be a relaxing break, but if it means being uncomfortable theres really no point I suppose.
Correct buses don't run direct from TL from AK. It is a real pain. As far as dragging around the swimsuits that would be a more personal preference.
 


Correct buses don't run direct from TL from AK. It is a real pain. As far as dragging around the swimsuits that would be a more personal preference.
Wow, if I understand you correctly that is a major hassle. Just to be clear, you are saying that they expect people who are leaving TL or BB mid day to have to change buses at DS just to get back to their resort or another theme park?
 
Wow, if I understand you correctly that is a major hassle. Just to be clear, you are saying that they expect people who are leaving TL or BB mid day to have to change buses at DS just to get back to their resort or another theme park?
Yes. That is exactly how it works. There is one resort, maybe two, that go directly to one of the waterparks but I can't remember what they are or if they still work that way. For the majority, you have to transfer or take an uber/MInnie/etc. BB I think is the worst because you leave the waterpark and have to transfer at AK. We typically just have on long cover ups because we pack lite for waterparks but we find it somewhat uncomfortable waiting for our resort bus in bathing suits.
 
We always take a taxi to and from the waterparks from our hotel. It's like $12 each way, I am sure Uber is cheaper.

It takes so much less time and you get a direct ride to and from the waterpark.
 


As unbelievable as it sounds, unless Disney has changed the bus pattern recently, what @Capang has said above is absolutely correct. I’m a water park fan and they’ve made it a total PITA with this setup! Uber/taxi/lyft/Minnie Van is more the way to go if an option for you, on at least one of the legs of the journey.
 
As unbelievable as it sounds, unless Disney has changed the bus pattern recently, what @Capang has said above is absolutely correct. I’m a water park fan and they’ve made it a total PITA with this setup! Uber/taxi/lyft/Minnie Van is more the way to go if an option for you, on at least one of the legs of the journey.
I'm not sure it's true, but I heard that Minnie Van service is NOT an option from the water parks. Your right, the term should be PITA! There are only 2 waterparks, is it really too much to ask for guests who spend so much to stay onsite to not be forced to change buses and wait twice to get back to their rooms?
 
I like to go to a Waterpark during the day and then go to a park in the evening, but I would never go to a park, then a Waterpark, then back to a park. That's too much IMO, even if you are driving yourself.
 
I like to go to a Waterpark during the day and then go to a park in the evening, but I would never go to a park, then a Waterpark, then back to a park. That's too much IMO, even if you are driving yourself.
Yes, exactly. We love to spend the morning at a waterpark and then a park in the evening. But I would never use a waterpark as my midday break.
 
I would not consider going to a water park a relaxing midday break. First, there's the transportation issue. At this point, we only take uber/lyft to and from water parks. You will also find that lines really build throughout the day at the water parks so if you want lesser crowds, you need to go at RD. Then there's the wet bathing suit issue. We always bring dry clothes and small toiletries so we can shower. You could put your wet items in a park locker if you really want to go to a park afterward. We really like going to the water parks at RD, going back to our resort to freshen up and then hit a park late afternoon/evening.
 
Agreed with the others! We like to do later FPs in general so if the weather works out we will do a water park in the morning. We like to uber to BB ($7 from BWV) and bring along a change of clothes and put them in a locker. We will then shower and change and take the bus over to AK for park fun. It takes the best advantage of the transportation situation IMO but to each their own!
 
Besides the transportation hassle, I've never found a water park to be relaxing with all those steps up to the slides and tubes to carry! The wave pool is a work out too! Maybe if my family liked to hang out on a tube in the lazy river...

Our AP included the water parks for years. We'd always go first thing when it opened or in the hours before it closed when less people were there and less wait times for slides.
 
Thanks for all the ideas folks, but when I say use a waterpark as a break, I meant by hanging out by the lazy river or wave pool and laying out in the sun. I don't see why that should be any different then hanging out at a resort pool (except for the transportation issues - which is why I'm trying to figure out a way around that...)
 
Thanks for all the ideas folks, but when I say use a waterpark as a break, I meant by hanging out by the lazy river or wave pool and laying out in the sun. I don't see why that should be any different then hanging out at a resort pool (except for the transportation issues - which is why I'm trying to figure out a way around that...)

Nothing wrong with that plan from my perspective. Just adds transportation and clothing logistics, but those are easy enough to manage.

One time last year me and DS went to AK in the morning, then cabbed to BB after noon (spent the afternoon there mostly in the wave pool and lazy river), showered/changed then cabbed to Epcot for dinner and ended up staying through Illuminations. With just two of us it was easy enough to manage a bag with clothing. Brought a plastic bag to hold the wet clothes.

It was a great day!
 
Nothing wrong with that plan from my perspective. Just adds transportation and clothing logistics, but those are easy enough to manage.

One time last year me and DS went to AK in the morning, then cabbed to BB after noon (spent the afternoon there mostly in the wave pool and lazy river), showered/changed then cabbed to Epcot for dinner and ended up staying through Illuminations. With just two of us it was easy enough to manage a bag with clothing. Brought a plastic bag to hold the wet clothes.

It was a great day!
Funny you should mention that exact scenario (AK Park to BB), because I have heard (and please correct me if I am wrong) that there IS a direct bus from AK to BB and back. If so it seems like a fairly relaxing deal. Anyone know if that is the case?
 
Funny you should mention that exact scenario (AK Park to BB), because I have heard (and please correct me if I am wrong) that there IS a direct bus from AK to BB and back. If so it seems like a fairly relaxing deal. Anyone know if that is the case?

Yes, there is a bus from AK to BB and back. That’s how (mostly) everyone has to get from resort to BB... take a bus to AK and then switch to the bus to BB.

I’m trying to remember why we took a cab from AK to BB on that particular day. It might have been before they changed the water park bus arrangement, or we might have just been trying to save a few minutes - can’t quite remember.
 
Rent a locker when you get there, make sure you bring ziplocs for the wet clothes.

We packed our "nice enough for a restaurant" cover-up clothing with us, changed,, and hopped on the bus to the park we had an ADR at. Ok, really, DH made the ADR on his phone while we were on the bus, on the way to EPCOT. :D It worked fine for us, it should work fine for you! :)
 

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