Storybook Dining Late Reservation & Transportation

[apxstitch]

I can't believe my luck, I've just scored a 8:30 pm reservation for Storybook Dining after checking every single day for the past 5 months! Now I'm wondering how long the buses/boats will be running in order to get back to my resort at the All Stars? I know there is no direct route and that I would have to first go to a park and then to my resort if I use Disney transportation. Should I just Uber/Lyft instead? Is it safe doing that solo? I've never used a ride share service before and admit that it makes me a little bit nervous. How would you plan getting back to your resort?

 

[Starwind]

I can't believe my luck, I've just scored a 8:30 pm reservation for Storybook Dining after checking every single day for the past 5 months! Now I'm wondering how long the buses/boats will be running in order to get back to my resort at the All Stars? I know there is no direct route and that I would have to first go to a park and then to my resort if I use Disney transportation. Should I just Uber/Lyft instead? Is it safe doing that solo? I've never used a ride share service before and admit that it makes me a little bit nervous. How would you plan getting back to your resort?

check how late MK is open that night, and assuming it is open late, your best transportation option is either:

Bus to MK, Bus to all stars

or for the more scenic option

Boat to MK, clear security, walk to buses, bus to All Stars

If MK is not open late, in December I, solo, took Lyft to and from AKL > WL < AKL to meet up with some friends for an hour at WL.

Cost was about US$13 each way and the trip was about 12 minutes each way.

If you use https://ride.guru/ you can guestimate what the cost of your trip would be. You can also use the Lyft app and plug in your starting and end destinations and see what the cost would be "right now" for the trip, just dont request the trip !

I have done both uber and lyft solo many time and it has been fine. In Orlando, FL apparently has high standards for ride share, so I feel comfortable using it. YMMV. Other jurisdictions may not be as strictly regulated, so if you want to use it elsewhere do some research.

A normal taxi is also an option, as is the Minnie Van service, which you order using the Lyft app. But Minnie Van is expensive - that same AKL > WL trip that was $13 with Lyft would have been about $40 with Minnie Van. One way.

SW

 

[apxstitch]

check how late MK is open that night, and assuming it is open late, your best transportation option is either:

Bus to MK, Bus to all stars

or for the more scenic option

Boat to MK, clear security, walk to buses, bus to All Stars

If MK is not open late, in December I, solo, took Lyft to and from AKL > WL < AKL to meet up with some friends for an hour at WL.

Cost was about US$13 each way and the trip was about 12 minutes each way.

If you use https://ride.guru/ you can guestimate what the cost of your trip would be. You can also use the Lyft app and plug in your starting and end destinations and see what the cost would be "right now" for the trip, just dont request the trip !

I have done both uber and lyft solo many time and it has been fine. In Orlando, FL apparently has high standards for ride share, so I feel comfortable using it. YMMV. Other jurisdictions may not be as strictly regulated, so if you want to use it elsewhere do some research.

A normal taxi is also an option, as is the Minnie Van service, which you order using the Lyft app. But Minnie Van is expensive - that same AKL > WL trip that was $13 with Lyft would have been about $40 with Minnie Van. One way.

SW

Thanks, I checked and Magic Kingdom closes at 8pm, Epcot closes at 9pm that evening. I guess I could always take a bus to Disney Springs? I think I'm going to try Uber or Lyft though. Will it make a difference that it is my first ride to how quickly I'm picked up?

 

[Starwind]

Thanks, I checked and Magic Kingdom closes at 8pm, Epcot closes at 9pm that evening. I guess I could always take a bus to Disney Springs? I think I'm going to try Uber or Lyft though. Will it make a difference that it is my first ride to how quickly I'm picked up?

Nope, no difference. The app will tell you how long until pickup. I find it best to be read to be picked up [i.e. in the lobby ready] when I ask for it, as the range can be anywhere from a couple minutes to 10 or 15 worst case, but if it is that couple minutes you don't want to be in your room and have a five or six minute walk ahead of you to get to the lobby. Also, you can check in the app ahead of time to get an idea of what the waits are like, but until you actually make the request you won't know for sure, just the ballpark.

SW

 

[isabellea]

Maybe you can ask for a female driver? I don't know if that's possible with Lyft or Uber... Last time we had a problem and took a Mears taxi from CR to WL for our Storybook dinner reservation. No wait as they were already at the resort.

 

[Sue M]

Thanks, I checked and Magic Kingdom closes at 8pm, Epcot closes at 9pm that evening. I guess I could always take a bus to Disney Springs? I think I'm going to try Uber or Lyft though. Will it make a difference that it is my first ride to how quickly I'm picked up?

What time does DHS close that night? Also check to see if a park has EMH that night. Otherwise Lyft or Uber is best bet. For some reason Disney Springs is the worst connection!

 

[AngelDisney]

Thanks for posting! I didn’t know about this new character dinner offering. I would definitely try to get an ADR for it. Hope you have a magical time!

 

[kiford]

If you're not comfortable with a ride share (I don't personally use them either), you can take a taxi or Minnie Van which, even though it uses the Lyft app isn't really a Lyft ride share. Personally, I'd say use a taxi because the Minnie Vans are expensive - far more than a taxi. There are almost always taxis out front of the hotels or just ask the valet there to call you one and it'll be there pretty quickly. I don't think we've ever paid more than $20-25 and usually less depending on where we're going to and from. That's what we do when we go to Victoria & Albert's if we're not staying at the GF (not taking the bus in a long dress and high heeled shoes!) or if we go for a later dinner. Lately, I've been trying to schedule only late evening dinners at Disney Springs since the buses there run late at night.

 

[Donald - my hero]

If you're wanting to stick to the free Disney transportation it's easy -- take the bus to Disney Springs and then transfer to your resort bus. Buses run to and from the Springs till well after midnight.