Use the Speedway drop off point, it works well!

[The Mayor]

I'm surprised they got rid of the crosswalk with the amount of people that walk to the gas station.

They want to discourage people from saving money. Items at the Screen Door on the BW are 3-4 times more than the Speedway. The more people that walk over there the less profit for Disney.

 

[CarolynFH]

It appears there is a sidewalk from buena vista dr to the boardwalk. However, to get there from the speedway it appears that you need to do either one of two things if I follow this correctly:

1. Walk out the front of the speedway out to buena vista dr and walk along the road or on the grass to get to the intersection with epcot resorts blvd as it appears the sidewalk has been removed for this section. you can then cross epcot resort blvd. At that point you would go straight on the sidewalk up to the fork where you would stay to the right and down the path to the walking path to Hollywood Studios. Or after crossing epcot resort blvd you could hang a right onto a sidewalk that will take you most of the way to Boardwalk Resort although it looks like you might have to go onto the parking lot for a brief spell around the security gate.
2. Walk out the back side of the Speedway again on the grass or on the driveway and cross Epcot Resort Blvd by the Boardwalk resort sign. Hang a left back towards Buena Vista Dr on the sidewalk and then right at Buena Vist Dr and the follow the path to the fork as above. Alternatively, if you want to go to Boardwalk, once you've crossed epcot resort blvd just hang right and follow the sidewalk.

It looks like the picture from the OP was taken using this second option. It appears to be on epcot resort blvd heading towards buena vista dr with the speedway now on the left across the street.

Either way it appears that the trick is getting from the speedway to the epcot resort blvd. I don't see a sidewalk there from the front or back. But once you've crossed the epcot resort blvd there should be a sidewalk to both the Boardwalk and DHS.

Is that correct?

Yes, when we were there in November and December I made a point of checking, because I was confused by the Google map view as well. There is no sidewalk along Buena Vista Dr. from the Speedway to Epcot Resorts Blvd. and no crosswalk there, although there is a traffic light. So anyone walking from Speedway to DHS needs to cross Epcot Resorts Blvd. at some point, after which they can use the sidewalk that runs on the BW side of Epcot Resorts Blvd. to the sidewalk on Buena Vista Dr. and head west toward the canal.

 

[SL6827]

It appears there is a sidewalk from buena vista dr to the boardwalk. However, to get there from the speedway it appears that you need to do either one of two things if I follow this correctly:

1. Walk out the front of the speedway out to buena vista dr and walk along the road or on the grass to get to the intersection with epcot resorts blvd as it appears the sidewalk has been removed for this section. you can then cross epcot resort blvd. At that point you would go straight on the sidewalk up to the fork where you would stay to the right and down the path to the walking path to Hollywood Studios. Or after crossing epcot resort blvd you could hang a right onto a sidewalk that will take you most of the way to Boardwalk Resort although it looks like you might have to go onto the parking lot for a brief spell around the security gate.
2. Walk out the back side of the Speedway again on the grass or on the driveway and cross Epcot Resort Blvd by the Boardwalk resort sign. Hang a left back towards Buena Vista Dr on the sidewalk and then right at Buena Vist Dr and the follow the path to the fork as above. Alternatively, if you want to go to Boardwalk, once you've crossed epcot resort blvd just hang right and follow the sidewalk.

It looks like the picture from the OP was taken using this second option. It appears to be on epcot resort blvd heading towards buena vista dr with the speedway now on the left across the street.

Either way it appears that the trick is getting from the speedway to the epcot resort blvd. I don't see a sidewalk there from the front or back. But once you've crossed the epcot resort blvd there should be a sidewalk to both the Boardwalk and DHS.

That is correct.

 

[SL6827]

They want to discourage people from saving money. Items at the Screen Door on the BW are 3-4 times more than the Speedway. The more people that walk over there the less profit for Disney.

Yep, and I want to encourage everyone to go in and grab a coke, water, doughnut, something at the Speedway. We got some doughnuts and they were sooooo fresh that morning. We ate as we walked to HS. My daughter thought I was a loon at first and we laughed about it the whole way. It will be something she will remember long after I am dead and gone. And that there is a little extra magic that I wasn't really anticipating.

 

[msjprincess]

Was this for a 9:00 or 10:00 opening?

 

[SL6827]

Was this for a 9:00 or 10:00 opening?

9:00

 

[TwentyThingamabobs]

I did this twice in December for 10am openings and it worked really well. Got dropped off around 8am and I was 2nd in line at HS both times.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

Are you not allowed to be dropped off AT the Boardwalk anymore by Uber/Lyft? What about the Swan/Dolphin? Just trying to figure out why the Speedway would be better. Thanks!

 

[Christinac6]

It’s easy to do this without passing by the guard entrance to the BW resort. Cross Epcot Resorts Blvd. to the west side of the roadway, then use the sidewalk along the road to the entrance to the BW resort that is used by the buses. Continue along the sidewalk that passes in front of the BW Convention Center Building and then down the stairs to the lower BW level. That stairway takes you to the Village Green area of the resort. Continue on to the IG at Epcot. The sidewalk along Epcot Resorts Blvd. is the one I use to walk to the Speedway to purchase supplies when we stay at BWV. Prices for beer, wine, pop, and bottled water are much better than in the Disney gift shops.

Hello,
I’m looking at an Aerial view of boardwalk. I see the bus stop and to the right is the convention center and it looks like a covered pathway with a gazebo in the middle that connects the two. Do you take the covered bath that looks like it heads to the main entrance to BW? Is that the pathway you walk through to get to Village Green?thank you!

 

[joelkfla]

Hello,
I’m looking at an Aerial view of boardwalk. I see the bus stop and to the right is the convention center and it looks like a covered pathway with a gazebo in the middle that connects the two. Do you take the covered bath that looks like it heads to the main entrance to BW? Is that the pathway you walk through to get to Village Green?thank you!

Yes, that will lead to the stairway down, which is just to right of the main entrance.

But if your destination is DHS, the shorter path is along the main road, Buena Vista Dr., to the bridge over the canal. Just before crossing the bridge, take the path to the right which leads down to the DHS-Epcot Connector walkway.

 

[OKW Lover]

Are you not allowed to be dropped off AT the Boardwalk anymore by Uber/Lyft? What about the Swan/Dolphin? Just trying to figure out why the Speedway would be better. Thanks!

There shouldn't be any problem being dropped off at BW by Uber/Lyft/taxi. I suspect people fear that the guard won't let them in unless they have a ADR at BW. If that's a concern, then there is no guard shack at the Swan so its a good alternative.

 

[Christinac6]

Yes, that will lead to the stairway down, which is just to right of the main entrance.

But if your destination is DHS, the shorter path is along the main road, Buena Vista Dr., to the bridge over the canal. Just before crossing the bridge, take the path to the right which leads down to the DHS-Epcot Connector walkway.

Thank you so much, yes I was asking for Epcot and thank you for the tip for DHS!

 

[goofy4tink]

I'm surprised they got rid of the crosswalk with the amount of people that walk to the gas station.

There just aren't that many people walking over there to buy groceries. Those of us that stay at BWV realize that there is no crosswalk where we cross (at the entrance to BW at the guard shack). We are careful when crossing and it can get dodgy when in the gas station lot since a lot of drivers just don't pay attention!!!!

 

[The Mayor]

There just aren't that many people walking over there to buy groceries. Those of us that stay at BWV realize that there is no crosswalk where we cross (at the entrance to BW at the guard shack). We are careful when crossing and it can get dodgy when in the gas station lot since a lot of drivers just don't pay attention!!!!

Very true. The parking lot is a lot more dangerous at times than crossing the street.

 

[Christinac6]

Yes, that will lead to the stairway down, which is just to right of the main entrance.

But if your destination is DHS, the shorter path is along the main road, Buena Vista Dr., to the bridge over the canal. Just before crossing the bridge, take the path to the right which leads down to the DHS-Epcot Connector walkway.

Hello have another Q if you don’t mind. If we want to start at the entrance the Entrance at Epcot instead of the international gateway is it better to Uber or take the bus from the hotel. Not sure what time Uber would let us get dropped off? Thank you!

 

[Ross Kratter]

Hello have another Q if you don’t mind. If we want to start at the entrance the Entrance at Epcot instead of the international gateway is it better to Uber or take the bus from the hotel. Not sure what time Uber would let us get dropped off? Thank you!

If you're more concerned about getting in earlier, Disney buses are always allowed in earlier than general traffic, including Ubers.

 

[nkereina]

Star Wars was of no interest to us on this trip. Just walked through that area once. Know nothing about that brand.

My point was that back in the summer/fall, people were primarily using Speedway as an Uber drop-off point so that they could get to the DHS line early before the parking lot opened and buses/Skyliner started running. By doing this, they were among the first at the gates and into the park which ensured they were on/off Runaway Railway (among others) prior to the 10am posted opening time. During that time, RotR boarding groups were released right at 10am, so it was important to be in the park and not occupied at that time in order to obtain a boarding group. However, in November, RotR boarding groups started releasing at 7am, so there's no longer a need to be IN the park by 10am, which gives people more flexibility. Because of that, there's no need to use the Speedway as a drop off point IMO since the urgency of being in the park to get things done early is no longer present.

There will certainly be commandos who want to be among the first in the park, in which case the Speedway drop off is fine. But I was just pointing out to others that they don't need to be inconvenienced or hassle with that if they are ok being in the park around opening rather than at opening. The point of trying to accomplish XYZ all before 10am isn't really as important now.