Please remember that this article was written prior to the CoVid-19 pandemic and some items discussed may not currently be available. We are anticipating most, if not all, experiences and attractions to return to the parks when Disney fully reopens.
This is likely a topic that you weren't even going to consider. The truth is, it may be one of the most important things to think about as you plan your trip.
Booking your dining and fast-passes are crucial, but if you don't have an understanding of traveling around the Disney Resort area, you will risk being late or missing experiences all together. Not knowing what travel options are available or how they work will cause delay, stress, and frustration. Read on to see our thoughts and tips regarding transportation at Disney.
Getting There:
The first thing to consider is how you are getting to Disney World because that can greatly impact how you arrive and what you have available.
Driving: This is a matter of personal preference and proximity. Driving will likely be cheaper but also more time consuming. I have driven plenty of times and there are some pros and cons to consider beyond the travel time. There is a parking fee associated with parking your car at the resort. Value -$13/night, Moderate- $19/night, Deluxe- $24/night. This does allow you to use your vehicle to drive to the parks each day and they will waive the parking fee at the park so you can travel on your own schedule and eliminate the need for utilizing the Disney Transportation.
Flying into MCO: This will likely be the more time effective option or even the only option for you to travel to Disney. Hakuna Matata if this is the case. Disney has got you covered so you can travel to and from the airport and all around the Disney property at no cost. The only catch is you need to make sure you fly into Orlando International Airport (MCO) to be eligible for a free ride on the Magical Express. The Magical Express will take you to and from MCO straight to your Disney Resort. They even have a luggage service that will take your bags straight to your room so you can avoid the baggage claim and head straight for your vacation. Make sure to pack everything you need for the day in your carry-on (including those Magicbands) as your bags will be several hours behind you. As an alternative to the Magical Express, you can take other shuttle systems, rent a car, or grab an Uber or Lyft, including Minnie Vans, to get to Walt Disney World at an additional cost.
Flying into Other Airports: There are many airports in the area that my make sense to fly into depending on your location and the options available. Tampa, Ft. Meyers, and Orlando Sanford are all options, but you are not able to utilize the Magical Express from any of these airports. You will need to have transportation set up to and from the resort and will need to take care of all of your baggage.
Getting Around:
It is important to understand the following transportation options and know what is available to you from your Resort before you arrive. Making sure you plan enough time to travel is crucial to understanding when to be up and ready for the day, when to leave for your next experience and how to travel efficiently.
Complimentary Transportation:
Monorail: This is the Icon when it comes to Disney transportation. For those of you that don't know what this is, it is a train system that is elevated on a concrete rail. It provides some neat sight lines around the loops, is air conditioned, and is stroller and wheelchair accessible. It is located in the Magic Kingdom area and is composed of 2 routes and 3 loops. Starting out at the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC), the first route includes the 2 loops that encircle the Seven Seas Lagoon to get visitors to the Magic Kingdom. One of these loops is an "Express Loop" providing stops only at the TTC and Magic Kingdom. The other loop on this route provides access to the Grand Floridian, Polynesian, and Contemporary Hotels in addition to the TCC and Magic Kingdom. The other monorail route starts at the TTC and provides access to Epcot. These routes are continuously running throughout the day from an hour before park open to well after park close depending on the events. They will stop for severe weather for the safety of the passengers.
Skyliner: This is the newest form of transportation at Walt Disney World. These are wire guided, enclosed cars similar to those you would see at a nice ski resort. They have been put in place to provide another form of transportation in the Epcot and Hollywood Studios area. This system is broken down into 3 "lines" that all come together in a hub station at the Caribbean Beach Resort (CBR). The first line runs from the island between Art of Animation and Pop Century to the CBR hub, the second line runs from the CBR hub to Hollywood Studios, and the third line runs from the CBR hub to Epcot with a station at the new Rivera Resort. Anytime that you go to the CBR hub, you will need to get off of the car you came in and board a car on the line with your destination, unless you want to go back to where you came from. These cars do not have air conditioning, but do have ventilation through the windows and are designed to reflect as much heat from the sun as possible. The longest run on this system would be from the AoA island to Epcot and that will take you roughly 15-18 minutes.
Boats: There are 2 forms of boating systems used around Walt Disney World and you need to make sure you know where these connect to so that you are not surprised when you get on the boat at your resort. The first will be the large ferries that transport visitors from the Ticket and Transportation Center to Magic Kingdom. These docks are clearly marked at each location and can take up to 600 visitors on each boat. Normal wait times are 10 - 20 minutes most of the day and there is a 3rd boat added at opening and closing of the park. In addition to the ferries, there are smaller pontoon style boats that operate between the Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Contemporary, and Wilderness Lodge resorts and the Magic Kingdom. In the Epcot area, there is boat service that runs from Hollywood Studios to the Swan and Dolphin Hotels to the Boardwalk area resorts (Boardwalk, Beach Club, and Yacht Club) to the back of Epcot (World Showcase). This is a linear route, so once it completes the route, the boat will turn around and do the route in reverse. Make sure you are catching the boat going the right direction. Last but not least is the boat service to Disney Springs. These boats will connect the 2 Port Orleans resorts, Saratoga Springs, and Old Key West with the Disney Springs area.
Bus: This is the most common form of transportation used by visitors at the Walt Disney World resort hotels. The bus system connects every hotel with every park, unless there is monorail or boat service available. Make sure that you know the transportation options available at your resort to each park. Every resort will have at least one bus stop and most will have monitors showing when the next bus to each area will arrive. DPI Pro Tip: You can also see the bus times at your resort hotel on the My Disney Experience app. Each resort will have dedicated routes to each park and to Disney Springs/Typhoon Lagoon and run roughly every 10 -15 minutes. There is also bus service from park to park, except between Magic Kingdom and Epcot (Monorail), from the parks to Disney Springs, and from the parks back to the resort hotels that run all day from an hour prior to park open until after park close. Keep in mind that there is no service from Disney Springs to the parks. This was done for multiple reasons, but a lot of people still do not know.
Walking: There are a few resort hotels that are close enough to the parks that Disney has put in walking trails. You can currently walk from the Contemporary to Magic Kingdom and go through security with out all of the mass transit lines. This walk will take you about 10 minutes, but it could save you a ton of time especially at park open and close. Disney is in the process of building a path from the Grand Floridian to Magic Kingdom, which will essentially provide walking access to the Polynesian and Shades of Green as well. You can also walk between the same locations as the boat access in the Epcot area. This connects Epcot to Hollywood Studios with about a 20 minute walk.
Other Options:
Minnie Van: This is a Disney service provided through the Lyft app. These uniquely wrapped vehicles operate within the resort limits and provide direct, time saving transportation to basically anywhere on Walt Disney World property. They do cost more than a standard Uber or Lyft vehicle, but come with Disney customer service and access to closer drop off and pick up points at the parks. They can also be booked for transportation to and from Orlando International Airport and the Port Canaveral Cruise Ship area as well for more personal transportation options. These are the only off property locations that the Minnie Vans will go, so don't expect to ride in one to Universal Studios or Sea World.
Uber/Lyft or Taxi: For those still looking for more options, you can use traditional Uber, Lyft, and taxi services to get around the Walt Disney World area. Most will offer a wide variety of vehicle options at different price ranges. The downside to using these services is that thy have designated drop off and pick up points that may be farther away than the Disney transportation gets you and when you are going to Magic Kingdom, prepare to go through the Ticket and Transportation Center to get to the park. What is nice about these options is that they will go outside of the resort and provide access to the airports and cruise terminals as well.
When you are planning your vacation to Walt Disney World, getting from place to place is half the battle. For most of our clients new to the WDW resort area, we tend to get them to an area and try and keep them there for most of the day limiting the chances for transportation headaches. Once you gain some experience, moving from park to park becomes easier and planning to park hop becomes normal to some. Knowing what goes where, and when, gives you a huge advantage in planning more complex vacations.
Ready to take the next step? Fill out our information form on the Booking Your Trip page and let's talk about your Disney adventure. If you are looking for more information, the Disney Planning Insights Podcasts and Princesses and the Mouse Blogs provide more information to help you plan your next Disney vacation.
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