If you have not experienced the magic of Walt Disney World, you may not know that Disney provides free transportation to get to and from the parks, hotels, as well as Disney Springs. There are also payable options if you’re in a pinch and don’t have time to wait for a Disney bus.
Below we are going to go through the best transportation options around Walt Disney World, tips for getting to and from the airport and even our favorite way to get around the magic.
Airport
First off lets talk about getting to and from the airport because no one wants a delay to kick off their Disney vacation. There are many different options to get you to your resort which include renting your own car to reserving a round trip seat with one of the many shuttle services in the Orlando area. Check out all our tips on Planning A Walt Disney World Vacation to get more details and a quick look at a couple of our favorite options.
Disney Bus Service
Okay, now on to getting around Walt Disney World! The most common mode of transportation throughout “The World” are Disney buses. Buses are located at every resort, park and even Disney springs. Not only will buses practically take you anywhere and everywhere you want to go within the Disney property, they are also wrapped in the cutest Disney characters! It’s so much fun trying to guess which one is going to stop, pick you up, and take you on to your next destination.
Once on property, you can check the bus arrival times either on the My Disney Experience Application or one of the electronic screens that are displayed at most resorts. If you miss your bus don’t worry, Disney buses run continuously throughout the day so it won’t be long and you’ll be on your way. If your looking to get from your Disney resort to Disney Springs the buses operate during normal operating hours and end 1 hour after closing. Click here to access park hours and events.
The bus service between resorts and theme parks starts 45 minutes prior to park open and ends 1 hour after closing. If you have little ones and are traveling with a stroller they are permitted but must be folded prior to riding.
The buses are also wheelchair/electric conveyance vehicle (ECV) accessible so you don’t have to worry if you require extra assistance when getting from location to location. Please keep in mind that some stops will require you to transfer buses before you arrive at your final destination so do your homework before heading out for your next adventure.
Disney Boats
There are several locations that let you enjoy the leisurely cruise of Disney’s water transportation. You can enjoy a relaxing ride to Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Disney Springs. This is one of our favorite ways to travel around Walt Disney World due to it’s tranquility especially early in the morning or late at night during it’s final trips before shutting down operations for the day. Some of our best days off from the parks have been spent cruising around Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon making pit stops at the 5 different resorts surrounding the lake.
There are several different boat styles offered and depending on when and where you are going will determine the style you’ll get to experience. Honestly, there is nothing better than enjoying the beautiful sights and sounds as you float along to your next destination with a gentle breeze blowing through your hair.
Please note, Disney’s water taxis typically run on 15 to 30-minute intervals from Magic Kingdom park, Epcot and Hollywood Studios and begin transporting guests roughly 1 hour before the park opens to 1 hour after the park closes.
Hours and operations do depend on the weather and are subject to change at a moments notice. Parents are allowed to bring strollers on the boats, however they must be folded prior to entry and stowed away out of the aisles with the exception of the Disney Ferry which goes between Magic Kingdom and the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC). To get a full list of resorts and parks with water transportation access, check out Walt Disney Worlds Water Transportation page.
Disney’s Monorail
One of the best and most fun ways to get around Disney is by utilizing the Monorail System. My kids are always so excited when they get an opportunity to ride the Monorail. Within minutes the monorail will connect you to popular areas such as Magic Kingdom, Epcot and several of the Disney Resort hotels. The Monorail System is a free public option so you don’t even need a park ticket or resort reservation to experience. We’ve always enjoyed hopping from resort to resort using this transportation experiencing the different sights, food, and drink offerings along the way.
The Monorail System makes the following stops:
Magic Kingdom park, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Grand Floridian Resort, Polynesian Village Resort and the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC).
The Monorail begins operation 30 minutes prior to the opening of Magic Kingdom and Epcot. The Monorail System closes 1 hour after the Magic Kingdom closes and 2 hours after Epcot closes.
Disney’s Skyliner
The Skyliner is our absolute favorite way to travel around Walt Disney World. For starters, its an attraction all on its own! I can’t even tell you how many times we rode the Skyliner on our last trip. Our kids loved it so much and asked to ride it any chance we had. Now, if you’re afraid of heights I will say this is probably not the form of transportation for you as the gondolas travel at heights of up to 60 feet depending on where you are heading.
Each gondola is uniquely wrapped with different scenes, attractions and characters from the most popular Disney Movies. I’m not going to lie, we have a list of which ones we have been in and just like the new buses, we always love trying to guess which one we will end up in. The best part has to be peacefully gliding across the sky as you soak in the beautiful views of Walt Disney World. Depending on where you are headed, you can see things like Galaxy’s Edge, the Epcot “ball,” and a few of Disney’s popular on property resorts such as Disney’s Riviera Resort.
The Skyliner connects Disney’s Hollywood Studios to the International Gateway at Epcot as well as several resorts hotels: Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Caribbean Beach Resort, Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Riviera Resort.
The Skyliner operations will vary depending on weather conditions. Strollers are allowed and most will fit without being folded. The Skyliner is wheelchair accessible as well, so just ask a cast member for assistance upon arrival.
Minnie Vans
There are many different traditional options that aren’t free which you can utilize when you’re in a pinch and need to get somewhere quick however, I will briefly touch on a Disney option that offers personalized transportation to select areas within Walt Disney World.
The “Minnie Van” service which is sponsored by Lyft can connect you to select Walt Disney World locations. The service can be accessed through the Lyft app and offers varying prices depending on location and distance of where you are headed. For more information and up to date details such as hours of operations click here.