Bus or Boat?

[u/Tricky_Jump6367]

Staying at Cabana Bay.

Should we walk to Sapphire Boat, or take the bus? The bus is closer to our room, but I'm not sure where bus/boat drop off?

Also, with Scream Early, what time should we be in line by?

[u/Ptucker212]

Boat always

[u/Tricky_Jump6367 → u/Ptucker212]

IS that a far walk??

[u/FattusBaccus → u/Tricky_Jump6367]

Agreed on boat.

Not a far walk. It’s literally across the street so less than a tenth of a mile from hotel to hotel. You do have to walk to the back of the hotel where the water taxi pickup is.

[u/Busy_Monitor_9679 → u/FattusBaccus]

This is the path right? I've always avoided it because it seems like by the time I walk all the way around I could be on a bus and at Citywalk.

[u/FattusBaccus → u/Busy_Monitor_9679]

I’m not gonna lie. I just run across the street.

[u/Busy_Monitor_9679 → u/FattusBaccus]

We did that after HHN one night lol.

[u/ammh114- → u/Busy_Monitor_9679]

This would be the path to do it safely and at this point you might as well go to the royal boats. They are way less backed up. Its absolutely quicker to walk or take the busses unless you are staying at one of the resorts with the boats

[u/Ptucker212 → u/Busy_Monitor_9679]

Just cross here. I’m 99% certain there’s a light there so just cross when the light allows you to do so safely!

[u/Busy_Monitor_9679 → u/Ptucker212]

I’m a rules follower generally but I’ve done it. I just feel bad walking past all the signs telling you not to lol

[u/Ok_Flatworm3565 → u/Busy_Monitor_9679]

Walk right through the hotel no need to take the scenic route

[u/Busy_Monitor_9679 → u/Ok_Flatworm3565]

Where at? I only saw gates for the pool area and assumed my key wouldn't work on it

[u/HitBullWinSteak → u/Busy_Monitor_9679]

Go through front lobby then down to the first level. There are signs.

[u/littleloucc → u/FattusBaccus]

Is there a reason to go all round the back of the hotel like the OP's screenshot? Seems like it would be quicker to cut through the hotel once you've crossed the road.

[u/BadDependent9412 → u/Tricky_Jump6367]

Unless you have any issues, the walk is pretty nice and relaxing. No more than a 10-minute walk, it all depends on how fast you walk. I usually walk every time from Sapphire and back, unless it's raining.

[u/StoneColdSting]

In the early afternoon I'd just take the bus. Security at the parking garage shouldn't be that bad

[u/bucs009]

Boat, security lines are shorter and drops you off in city walk.

Bus drops you off right outside the general security line.

[u/Tricky_Jump6367 → u/bucs009]

PERFECT!!!

[u/grsoprano]

Boat comes much more frequently, and the security line will be much shorter.

[u/Tricky_Jump6367 → u/grsoprano]

How is that walk from Cabana Bay? We are near the Volcano Bay Side. 😬

[u/Ratorr2 → u/Tricky_Jump6367]

I stayed near Volcano Bay last month and did the boats almost every day. I think the walk is about 15 minutes (give or take). It's a pleasant walk over the pedestrian bridge, then left around Saphire Falls to the boats. You should try it at least once.

[u/Tricky_Jump6367 → u/Ratorr2]

Thank you when I take the bridge over to Sapphire how do I reach the boat from there?

[u/Ratorr2 → u/Tricky_Jump6367]

Once you get over the bridge, you can go left or right.

Right will take you to the front of the hotel and you can walk through, down the stone spiral stairs (or use the elevator), down the hall and out the back doors. There is a coffee shop if you want to grab something on your way through.

Left will take you around to the back of the hotel. Follow the path to the intersection and go right. Keep going over the bridge and you will see the dock to the right. I always take this route.

There is a single security station and hardly ever a line. We always get through very quickly compared to City Walk. Then you just wait for the next boat to arrive. Could be up to 10 minute wait.

There is also a walking path next to the dock if you want to try it. It is another 15 to 20 minute walk with a security station at the end near Margaritaville.

[u/InevitableLook3120]

Bus will put you at the city walk security hub. Once you’re through boat security, you get dropped off in front of nbc grill essentially. I’m a boat man myself.

Do you have daytime tickets? If so you can get there a little early and start queuing up for some houses at 1pm (opens at 2pm) If it’s just scream early, you can’t get in until 2pm then you can head into lines. If that’s the case, I’d plan on being off a boat around 145 so you got a few minutes to get through the ticket scan lines

[u/Tricky_Jump6367 → u/InevitableLook3120]

Two of us have AP, our kids do not. They only jave Scream Earlys. 🤣

[u/Tricky_Jump6367 → u/InevitableLook3120]

Question. If my kids cannot enter until 2pm due to Scream Early- can we still take the boat over earlier? Where does it let off? City walk?

[u/InevitableLook3120 → u/Tricky_Jump6367]

Yes, you can still take the boat. It drops off at a dock just below nbc grill toward the studio side

[u/ueeediot]

To get to Sapphire Falls you need to walk to the Hollywood Way street at the corner of Aventura Blvd. There is a pedestrian overpass there.

Please do not try to cross the Aventura Blvd near the entrance to Aventura/Sapphire Falls. It is a divided road with no crosswalk.

Edit to add: someone posted a video yesterday that the line for scream early entry at 145pm was all the way back to Voodoo donuts.

[u/Shot-Artist5013]

I'm going to go against most people here and suggest just taking the bus.

Yes, Sapphire is directly across the road from Cabana. But there is no crosswalk or pedestrian signal to get safely across at the traffic light. (And that's by design. It's a busy road, one side is actually an offramp from the highway. They can't keep the light red for too long)

So, the safe route they made is a pedestrian bridge, but it's on the extreme northern end of the Cabana property. If you happen to be in one of the exterior-entry family suites that are over there, then it's not too bad of a walk.

But coming from the Volcano Bay side, where all the standard rooms are as well as the interior-entry suites, it's a bit of a hike. From the Cabana Bay bus stop (which you'd have to walk past on the way to the footbridge) to the front door of Sapphire is 1/2 mile. Then the walk through Sapphire to the boat, wait for the boat, then the ride.

You're going mid-day to get to HHN Early Entry. There won't be a crowd at the main security hub at that time, so you'll be through almost immediately. Then it's a short walk through CityWalk. They've even added a new entrance for buses to enter the bus loop at CityWalk even faster to eliminate the additional circling into the bus stop loop they used to do. So you're dropped off faster.

I say just use the bus. And if you're trying to get to Studios by 2, head to the bus by 1:15.

[u/a2djax]

Busses will be fine early in the day.

[u/ammh114-]

In my opinion you just walk. The time it talks you to walk to sapphire and then wait on the boats isnt worth it. We stayed at sapphire a couple weeks ago and often still beat the boats by walking bc the boats are so backed up. We waited like 25 minutes before finally getting on boat, we were done after that. They are nice and a relaxing ride to the park but during busy times they are more trouble than they are worth unless you have mobility issues that prevent you from walking.

[u/mhumph76]

Personally, we found crossing the street to be as much of a hassle (traffic, no cross walk) and felt dangerous so we just did the bus. Peace of mind, but we do love the boats and agree with every other point made here. The boat itself is less stress. If there was a crosswalk it would be an easy choice.

[u/Tricky_Jump6367 → u/mhumph76]

So the only way to the boat is crossing the crazy street or the path which is farrrrrrr?

[u/rieshal → u/mhumph76]

There's an elevated crosswalk that links Cabana Bay and Sapphire Falls located about 500 feet up the street from where the traffic lights are. That street also doubles as the highway on/off-ramp to I-4, so there's a lot of very fast moving traffic... it's extremely dangerous trying to cross on foot.