Time on Disney Bus From Art of Animation to Magic Kingdom

These tips volition help you salvage time using Walt Disney World's transportation systems with shortcuts, fastest routes, and info about the buses, boats, monorails, and gondolas. WDW's transit network can be convoluted, but this guide breaks things downward and makes it easy. Nosotros'll besides offer the latest equally of 2022 on efficiency of transportation around Walt Disney World. (Updated April 20, 2022.)

Walt Disney World claims that transportation departs every xx minutes from the resort hotels to have guests to the Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom and Epcot making getting around simple. In theory, that'south true. While this is frequently the instance, it'southward often not. You lot should always plan on transit taking more time than expected. Additionally, the monorail is not as reliable equally it in one case was, with breakdowns and unscheduled maintenance occurring more ofttimes.

In terms of updates to this Walt Disney World transportation guide, let's start with the good news. All of the infrastructure work to transform the roads, theme park arrival experience, and more is now finished and makes navigating Walt Disney World easier than ever. This has been ongoing for the concluding few years, and is not bad news for anyone who rents a machine or drives themselves. At that place's fifty-fifty more good news, which is a change of pace from last time we updated this…

By and large, transportation is running smoothly in one case you become to Walt Disney World. There are nonetheless lengthy lines for the Skyliner around park opening and closing, merely they motion quickly since the system is so efficient and high chapters (aside from during storm-induced shutdowns).

Information technology'south a similar story with the buses. The downside is that you might once again exist packed like sardines for rope drib or at the end of the nighttime, merely the upside is undeniable. No more than continuing in line waiting for ii or three buses and taking 45 minutes just to get picked up. Midday things are more than or less the same equally before—lower usage, a seat for everyone, and no lines.

Additionally, Walt Disney World no longer has as pronounced of a driver shortage. Buses are at present abundant, and dispatched with regularity. Staggered park opening and closing times help with this, and the jitney service at Walt Disney Earth is besides more than or less back to normal. Still not perfect, but it never was.

As other Bandage Member shortages are existence resolved, Walt Disney World is scaling upwards operations and resuming normalcy elsewhere. One such way is with the return of Minnie Vans in Summer 2022.

The state of affairs with rental cars has also improved. As a reminder, when travel essentially stopped, the rental car industry sold off more a one-half a meg cars to generate cash they needed to survive the crisis. Although demand has now returned, rental auto companies accept been irksome to rebuild their inventory because of supply chain issues facing the auto industry.

Orlando International Airdrome ended up selling out of cars for many travel dates during tiptop season dates last twelvemonth, with astronomical rates for other dates. We're at present seeing these prices fall, but it remains to be seen whether the same trouble will arise once again this summer.

Similarly, the Uber or Lyft shortages have started to resolve themselves, with more drivers starting to render to the apps. Wait times are downwardly as a result, and there are far fewer instances of no drivers being available at all. (We've had no issues whatsoever when using ride-sharing around Walt Disney World recently.)

With that said, prices are still elevated. It's likely that this is going to be the "new normal" with Uber and Lyft, as costs had gradually increased over the course of several years pre-closure, and analysts have suggested that Uber and Lyft simply have long-term viability with higher rates.

The bad news is that Disney's Magical Express has officially ended, and so you lot'll need to find a different fashion to get from Orlando International Drome to Walt Disney World. Mears Connect and the Sunshine Flyer are the summit picks, both being indirect tertiary political party replacements for Disney's Magical Limited.

For the full range of choices, run into ourAerodrome Transportation to Walt Disney World Guide. While some guests volition be perfectly suited past a limo or machine service, more than will be better off with a shuttle, Uber, rental automobile, or something else. As always, information technology's good to crisis the numbers and do a bit of legwork yourself–rather than simply booking what's presented to you on DisneyWorld.com and assuming the money-hungry company is looking out for your best interests.

With those updates out of the manner, let's start with an overview of transportation at Walt Disney Earth, followed by tips and hacks for efficiently navigating the 43 foursquare miles of the sprawling vacation circuitous…

WDW Transportation Overview

Given the abundance of transportation, it's easy to have a Walt Disney World holiday without renting or even using a auto. Simply using an aerodrome shuttle, stay in a Walt Disney World resort hotel, and apply Disney transportation during your stay.

Of class, yous maydesire to hire a car. We have an entire post titled Tips for Renting a Auto at Walt Disney Earth that covers the ins and outs of renting a car. Suffice to say, if you don't like waiting at all, similar to be in control, and don't mind driving while on vacation, renting a automobile is probably for you. This is doubly true if you e'er want to exit Walt Disney Globe property–so a rental automobile becomes almost essential.

When nosotros rent a machine at Walt Disney World, we typically use Hotwire for car rentals and book ane of their "blind" Hot Rates. Renting a car can reduce waits and commute times, but we've institute that not renting works better for us. Consider your circumstances and decide whether you might want a rental car. Your mileage may vary.

We've establish Uber and Lyft to be great alternatives to renting a car at Walt Disney Earth. You tin read some of our tips for using Uber and other ride-sharing services in the mail Uber & Lyft at Walt Disney Globe Tips. Plus, if you're new to using the rideshare service, yous tin can get a free ride on Lyft via this link.

In improver to Uber, Lyft, and rental cars, Walt Disney World offers a private point to point transportation service called the Minnie Van. You tin read our full Minnie Vans Tips & Review post hither, just suffice to say, it's an efficient and themed option for those who don't intendance almost price. If you're on a tighter upkeep, it'due south not for you.

Let'due south presume y'all don't desire to hire a car, nor do yous want to use Uber or a Minnie Van. Once y'all arrive at your resort hotel, you tin can rely upon Disney transportation.

The nearly mutual form of transportation is Disney buses, which are fairly self-explanatory. These run from every single hotel to at least some of the theme parks, except where alternating transportation such every bit boats or the monorail are available. Buses are the least glamorous and most frustrating form of transportation, and we try to avoid them to the extent possible, but they get the job done.

Several resorts, especially those well-nigh Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, also offer gunkhole service to the parks they're near. This is reasonably efficient, every bit nearly of the boats make multiple stops. It's also very leisurely and a pleasant experience. Who doesn't love a boat ride?!

Well-nigh every resort that offers boat service is also within walking distance of those aforementioned parks. Walking can be more efficient than taking a boat, but information technology's plain too more tiring and work.

Some hotels around the Magic Kingdom–K Floridian, Contemporary, and Polynesian–also offering monorail service to Walt Disney World's iconic castle park. The monorail also connects to Magic Kingdom via the Ticket & Transportation Center, which is essentially Magic Kingdom'southward parking lot.

From the Ticket & Transportation Centre, guests can board the monorail to Epcot. This means that the aforementioned monorail resort guests tin access EPCOT via monorail with a transfer. Fortunately, the Epcot monorail line is back up and running!

Our favorite transportation option is the Disney Skyliner gondolas. These connect Pop Century, Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach, and Disney's Riviera Resort to Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios!

Our personal experiences with the Disney Skyliner have been positive. We embrace initial impressions in our Skyliner Gondola Review: Walt Disney World'south Nearly Magical Flight on Earth article, and have subsequently used the Skyliner gondolas endless times.

Transportation to the theme parks, h2o parks, and Disney Springs begins approximately two hours prior to that park's opening time and all transportation runs until approximately 1 hour afterwards the parks shut.

If you're still in the park one hour and 5 minutes after the park close, worry not, as Disney won't leave you stranded at a park. Sometimes it's closer to 2 hours later the parks close when transportation ends. All forms of Disney transportation have unload and load zones very close to the park entrance, making them more than accessible than the parking lots for each of the parks.

If you lot're planning to rely on Walt Disney World Resort transportation rather than renting your own car or utilizing a taxi, be sure to give yourself at least 1 full hour of transport time to become where ever y'all wish to go. Typically, it won't take this long, but on occasion it can (it has taken us over an hour and near ii hours on multiple occasions).

Best Hotel for Transportation?

If you won't take a car at Walt Disney Globe, the first time you should think virtually transportation is earlier you book a hotel. There is no one "best" hotel for transportation to all of the Walt Disney Earth parks, but hither are a few factors that you should consider in your booking decision:

• Whether the hotel has non-bus transportation to a park
• Distance from the hotel to each park (with weight given to the parks you'll be visiting virtually)
• Whether the hotel has an internal bus system
• Whether the hotel shares buses with another hotel

Not-Bus Transportation – Hotels with non-bus transportation to the parks earn bonus points because buses are, generally, less efficient (and libation) than non-bus transportation. Monorails provide transportation to Magic Kingdom and Epcot; boats provide transportation to Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios; Disney's Brute Kingdom is accessible only via motorbus.

Hotels on the monorail loop are Grand Floridian, Contemporary, and Polynesian Village Resorts. Each of those hotels likewise has boat service to the Magic Kingdom, as do Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness Campground.

Additionally, all monorail loop hotels are also within walking distance of Magic Kingdom.

This used to just be true for Disney's Contemporary Resort, but a new bridge is now open up that connects the Grand Floridian and Polynesian Village Resort to Magic Kingdom. This path can be tricky to detect, and then be on the lookout man for signage (or ask a Bandage Member if you lot don't see it).

Boat service to Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios is available to and from BoardWalk Inn, Yacht & Beach Lodge Resorts, and the Swan & Dolphin (non-Disney) Hotels. These resorts are also inside walking altitude of both parks.

Skyliner gondola service is available from Pop Century, Art of Blitheness, Caribbean Beach, and Rivera Resorts to Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Distance – Hotels that offer non-bus transportation do so because they're closest to the parks to which they offer the transportation, and so that gives yous an idea of where those hotels are located.

For other hotels, refer to this Google Maps view of Walt Disney World to determine bodily distances from hotels to the parks. The Value Resorts and Disney's Animal Kingdom Resort are located the farthest from every park except Disney's Animal Kingdom. Walt Disney World is a large place, and this difference in distance is non negligible.

Internal Bus Systems – Internal transportation is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it's nice to be able to take a jitney from most your room to the lobby or nutrient court, peculiarly at the spread-out resort-hotels. On the other manus, if you're going to a park, that means either waiting for two buses or making multiple stops on your way to the park.

In full general we find transportation to take longer when there'southward an internal system. Hotels with internal systems are Caribbean Beach Resort, Coronado Springs Resort, Port Orleans Resort Riverside, Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, and One-time Key W Resort.

Shared Buses – Unfortunately, at that place'south no simple reply here. Whether buses are shared depends upon how decorated Walt Disney World is. The less decorated, the more than likely shared transportation volition be used. As a general rule, none of the hotels above that have internal bus systems (except Fort Wilderness) take shared buses, but other hotels tin can at times.

Due to personal preferences, in that location's no one-size-fits-all "best" resort-hotel at Walt Disney World for transportation. It all depends upon which parks y'all'll visit most, whether y'all'll have a rental car, and your tolerance to walking. For example, from a transportation perspective, Brute Kingdom Lodge is a pain for us, because it's really far from everything (except Brute Kingdom) and information technology has two stops. To someone who visits Animate being Kingdom a lot, it might be the best hotel! So know which parks you want to visit virtually on your trip, figure out which hotel will piece of work best for your circumstances, and book accordingly.

Hotel-to-Hotel Transportation

While Disney attempts to make its internal transportation from resort hotels to the theme parks reasonably user-friendly, the aforementioned is non true with regard to using Disney transportation to go from resort hotel to resort hotel. Instead, you will need to go from your resort hotel to a park and then take hold of transportation to the resort hotel y'all're intending to visit. This can make dinner reservations at resort hotels that are not your own peculiarly difficult.

For this reason, many people just dine at the resort hotels on the monorail loop (every bit visiting them for dinner tin can be a nice change of pace from a busy day in the Magic Kingdom) or in Epcot's Resort Area on Crescent Lake (as visiting them is a short walk from the International Gateway archway to Epcot, and can also make a overnice change of pace from a busy day at Epcot).

If you lot are planning on dining at any other resort hotel and are leaving from your resort hotel or returning to your resort hotel after, you may want to consider utilizing a taxi for transportation. Taxis are readily bachelor (and if non, the resort can call one for you lot) at Disney resort hotels, and usually cost around $15-25 ane way within the Walt Disney World Resort (obviously, the price varies based upon altitude).

When relying on Disney transportation to go from one hotel to another hotel via at to the lowest degree i jitney, you lot volition want to requite yourself at to the lowest degree 1.v hours for transportation times. Commonly, it'll take around an hour. Unfortunately, quite often information technology takes the total hour and a half. And so don't ignore the recommended transportation times Disney provides to you when you make those Advance Dining Reservations!

Quick Tips

• At that place is no parking at the Magic Kingdom. Instead, you park at the Ticket & Transportation Center lot, catching a tram to the Ticket & Transportation Middle, and and then take a monorail or ferry to the Magic Kingdom (this was done, amongst other reasons, then the Magic Kingdom has a "magical" introduction to guests).
• Because of this, even guests who hire their own cars may be amend off taking a passenger vehicle to the Magic Kingdom, every bit the Disney buses drop-off guests directly at the front entrance to the Magic Kingdom, bypassing all of the intermediate steps.
• If you're leaving ane of the parks right around closing, or after fireworks or a evening parade, consider waiting. Buses are especially bad at this fourth dimension of night, and the park'south gift shops are open for a brusque time after the parks official endmost time. Do your shopping so, instead of during the day, and leave a little later. Chances are, y'all'll still get back to your resort around the same fourth dimension, and you won't wait in line then long for a double-decker, monorail, or ferry in the process!
• Skyliner lines can announced long at the end of the night correct after park closing, but the Skyliner is incredibly efficient and the line moves quickly.
• You can walk from Disney's Contemporary Resort to the Magic Kingdom via a sidewalk. This walk takes about 5 minutes, and is much faster than taking the monorail.
• Yous can walk from Disney'south Polynesian Resort to Disney's Thou Floridian Resort or Shades of Green Resort via a sidewalk (and vice-a-versa).
• You lot tin walk from Disney'southward Polynesian Resort to the Ticket & Transportation Heart via a sidewalk. It'due south nigh a 5 minute walk, and will save you time over taking the monorail.
• You tin can also walk from the Grand Floridian to Magic Kingdom, meaning yous could also walk from the TTC, Poly, and Shades of Dark-green to Magic Kingdom–it'southward just a potentially long walk.
• If trying to take a taxi to the Magic Kingdom, instead of the Magic Kingdom, asking a drib off at Disney's Contemporary Resort and accept the 5 minute walk to the Magic Kingdom. A taxi "to the Magic Kingdom" will really drop you off at the Ticket & Transportation Middle.

• Guests of Caribbean Embankment Resort can also use the Skyliner station at Disney's Riviera Resort, which is more convenient in some cases.
• Generation Gap Span connects Popular Century to Fine art of Animation Resort; on the center of this bridge is where the Skyliner gondola station is located.
• This bridge provides quick access to the highly regarded Mural of Flavors food court at Art of Animation. This easy access as well means y'all can have whichever of the two buses arrives first when leaving the parks, if you don't mind a fiddling walking.
• You can walk from Disney'southward Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa to Disney Springs via a pedestrian bridge. It'due south about a 10 minute walk from Saratoga Springs, depending upon your location.
• The internal boats effectually Disney Springs have also made traversing this area, and the resorts effectually it, much easier than in the by.
• You can walk between any of the All-Star Resorts, but information technology'southward not always a 'simple' path. Withal, might be useful if buses are boring (and not shared) and one quickly arrives at a park for an All-Star Resort also the one where you're staying.

• You can walk from All Star Sports to Coronado Springs Resort via a walking path. Along this path, you can access Blizzard Embankment and McDonald's. All Star Sports to Coronado is virtually 30 minutes; it takes around 5 minutes to get to McDonald's from All Star Sports, and almost 15-20 to get to Blizzard Embankment.
• You tin walk from Disney'due south BoardWalk Inn, Yacht & Embankment Guild, and Swan & Dolphin resorts to Epcot's International Gateway (World Showcase) entrance, but you cannot walk from the forepart entrance of Epcot to whatever of these resorts, without going through the park.
• The FriendShips (boats) travel from the Crescent Lake resorts to Epcot and Disney'southward Hollywood Studios. The boat stops in this order – Boardwalk, Yacht Club, Swan & Dolphin, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Swan/Dolphin, Yacht Club, Boardwalk, and Epcot. If you're staying at or visiting Boardwalk, information technology'south much quicker to exit the ferry at the Swan & Dolphin and make the five infinitesimal walk to the Boardwalk if returning from Disney's Hollywood Studios (and vice-a-versa when the gunkhole stops at BoardWalk first and you're staying at the Swan or Dolphin).
• For park hopping between Epcot and Disney'south Hollywood Studios, your virtually efficient selection is the Skyliner (transferring lines at Caribbean Embankment), followed by your feet, followed by the FriendShips.
• Ferry transportation is available from Old Key West Resort, Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, Port Orleans Riverside, and Port Orleans French Quarter to Disney Springs.
• Buses don't travel betwixt Disney Springs and the theme parks. Instead, you'll have to take a omnibus to a hotel, then a passenger vehicle to a park if your ultimate destination is a park. By looking at other tips here (such every bit walking from the Contemporary to Magic Kingdom or walking from Disney Springs to Saratoga Springs), you can hands circumvent this and save time.
• Buses make multiple stops at Disney Springs. If the parks are closed and you want to visit another resort from your resort, your just option via Disney transportation is Your resort>Disney Springs>other resort. This volition accept you at to the lowest degree one hour, and more likely closer to two. Take a taxi instead!
• You can relieve money by parking your car at Disney Springs (free) and taking a passenger vehicle to a resort that is close to the park you lot're intending to visit, and and so walk or take some other coach from there, but this is a jumbo waste of time and, to some, morally reprehensible (I disagree from the moral perspective–I just think it's an idiotic idea). If your fourth dimension has any value to you, suck it up and pay for parking at the park you lot're visiting.
• Complimentary parking is bachelor at Disney'due south Contemporary Resort and Disney's Polynesian Resort for those who have dining reservations. These two resorts are convenient places to park when visiting the Magic Kingdom.
• The fastest fashion to get from Disney'southward Animal Kingdom to the Earth Showcase via motorcoach is taking a bus to BoardWalk or the Yacht & Beach Club and walking, due to the passenger vehicle route being more than efficient that way than from Disney'due south Fauna Kingdom to the front end of Epcot.
• Bus service isn't offered from resorts to parks when the resort offers alternative means of transportation (via the monorail or ferry).
• Skyliner resorts also offer omnibus transportation to Epcot and Disney'due south Hollywood Studios for those with fears of heights or gondolas, but information technology's much less efficient.
• When the All-Star Resorts share a bus, it stops at All Star Sports outset, and often will fill completely at that place. Information technology is thus the best All Star Resort during these times of yr.
• In addition to the My Disney Feel app having bus expect times from your resort, there are at present existent-time expect time boards for buses posted at the motorcoach stops for every Walt Disney Earth hotel). Nosotros have tested these on several of our past trips, and take plant them to be accurate within a few minutes.
• At that place are a lot of other "secret" fourth dimension-saving tips and tricks to Disney transportation, many of which I'm probably forgetting here. Delight share your tips in the comments.

Transportation Review & Summary

Ultimately, I like Disney bus transportation. I like it because it allows me to kick dorsum and relax, without worrying nigh renting a car, navigating on foreign roadways, or breaking the "Disney bubble" and transporting me back to reality. This Disney bubble is an important thing for us. Actually important. Considering of it, nosotros are unlikely to regularly rent a auto at Walt Disney World.

On the negative side, the buses can be inefficient, especially for getting from resort to resort, and they aren't exactly the paramount of futuristic or cutting edge transportation methods, and have poor and too few routes. On the plus side, the buses don't cost anything actress, and are becoming increasingly efficient. Moreover, when used in tandem with an occasional Uber or Lyft, it's very easy to travel to Walt Disney World without renting a car.

The bus system at Walt Disney World is not perfect. At that place have been occasions where we've waited 45 minutes for a bus to show upward at our resort heading to a item park, and in the meantime, 4 showed upwardly for a different park. At that place accept been other times where lines have been and then long in the morning that it has taken three separate buses to eat the line in front end of united states of america. Other times still, we take multiple buses to get from hotel to hotel for a meal.

Every bit the wait time boards pictured higher up take become more and more widespread, we've noticed this has get less and less of an event. Presumably, these boards are tied into new technology Walt Disney Globe is using on the backend to more efficiently allocate its buses. Whatever the case, in the past few years, we've detect considerable improvements in Walt Disney Earth's passenger vehicle transportation. Whereas we would've given it a B- score 4 years ago, nosotros are now inclined to give it a B+. Nevertheless, some room for improvement, but pretty good every bit a whole.

Planning a Walt Disney Earth trip? If you're interested in learning more about hotels, our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page is a good place to start. For where to eat, attempt out our Walt Disney World Eatery Reviews page. If you desire to salve coin on tickets or determine which type y'all should become, read our Tips for Saving Coin on Walt Disney Globe Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique expect at unconventional things you should have on your trip. Once yous arrive at the parks, our Walt Disney World "Ride Guides" are great for determining what to practice and when to practise it. For overviews of all of these topics so much more than, the best place to start is our comprehensive Walt Disney Earth Trip Planning Guide to brand the nigh of your feel!

Your Thoughts…

What are your Walt Disney Globe transportation tips? Accept a "hack" that tin can salve considerable time off the norm? What's your favorite WDW resort from a transportation perspective? Whatever questions nearly the various forms of transportation at Walt Disney World? Practise you concord or disagree with our advice? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with the states–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so delight share your thoughts below in the comments!

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Source: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/disney-transportation-tips/