Navigating Transportation in Disney World

Are you planning a trip to Walt Disney World and finding it a little…confusing and complicated? Don’t worry! I’m here to help. I’ve already written about when to go and where to stay, so this week’s Disney information is about transportation in Disney World.

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Transportation in Disney World 101

Rule #1 Always give yourself at least an hour to get from one location to another in Disney World. Unless you’re staying in a resort within walking distance to your destination, getting around the Disney property is not a quick undertaking.

Rule #2 The Skyliner is the most efficient means of transport BUT it does not run in inclement weather. Plan ahead and pay attention to the weather. For example: don’t walk all the way to the back of Epcot to catch the Skyliner if its beginning to thunder, it will most likely be shut down and your time is better spent walking to the front of the park to catch a bus instead.

Rule #3 Strollers must be closed up to take a Disney bus. Be courteous to other visitors and have your stroller folded and everything ready to go when the bus arrives. Strollers can remain open with your child in them on other transportation so long as there is the space.

Rule #4 You can drive your own car to most Disney World destinations.
Things to consider:
-There is a parking fee for the Parks as well as Disney Springs.
-The rules for parking at a resort you are not staying in (say for a dining reservation) are ever evolving. Be sure to do some Googling prior to your trip to determine the best way to arrive to another resort.
-If you drive to the Magic Kingdom you will park at the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) and must then take a boat or the monorail to actually get to the front gates. If you are arriving early in the morning the boat will most likely be your only choice. Returning to the TTC later in the evening will involve waiting in long lines at the Magic Kingdom.

Disney’s Skyliner

What: A gondola system connecting several locations in Walt Disney World. As pictured above, the gondolas transport you high above the buildings. Some routes even take you over the roadway!

Where: Stations are located at Epcot and Hollywood Studios as well as the following resorts: Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Riviera Resort.

Pros:
-Parties of four or more will most likely not need to share a gondola with another party.
-Strollers can remain open.
-Lines move very quickly or are non-existent since the Skyliner is constantly loading. Guests needing to load slowly or with a wheelchair or scooter can do so easily. Special gondolas can be pulled to the side for these guests without adding to the loading time for the queue.

Cons:
-The Skyliner is weather dependent. It will not run with storms or high winds.
-If you are afraid of heights this will be terrifying and I would choose another method of transportation.
-Some routes require a transfer. This is not a big deal and moves very quickly, but can be confusing if you are unaware or not paying attention.

The Monorail

What: Actually several monorails with two different lines, the monorail system runs quickly to many locations in the Walt Disney World Resort.

Where: Monorail stations are located in Epcot, the Magic Kingdom, the Ticket & Transportation Center (TTC), Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

Pros:
-The Monorails load faster than the bus system.
-Guests with strollers/wheelchairs/scooters do not have to transfer.
-The “soundtrack” is the stuff of Disney World legend (and t-shirts and coffee mugs and….)
-Riding the Monorail through the Contemporary Resort is very cool.

Cons:
-The line for the Monorail can be extremely long at certain points in the day.
-There are two Monorail lines which can be confusing. You may need to transfer lines at the TTC depending on your destination.
*Line 1: Magic Kingdom, Contemporary Resort, TTC, Polynesian Village Resort and Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
*Line 2: TTC & Epcot
-Currently, the Monorail line from the TTC does not open until 30 minutes before the Magic Kingdom opens.

The Walt Disney World Bus System

What: A system of buses (like a city bus) that connects to most locations in the Walt Disney World Resort.

Where: You can find bus stops at all Walt Disney World Resorts, Disney Springs, the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. Service is also included at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach water parks.
Note: Bus stops at Value resorts can be a long walk from your actual room. Similarly, the Value resort bus stops at the Parks seem to be the furthest away from the main gates.

Pros:
-Buses are complimentary if staying at a Disney resort. They are the only form of included transportation to Disney Springs and the water parks.
-They are well-marked. Disney buses have their destination clearly written on the front, so there is no confusion.
-Some resorts have wait-time boards to let you know when the next bus should arrive.

Cons:
-The buses in Disney World can get extremely crowded. There’s nothing like trying to hang on to a sleeping toddler while standing on a Disney bus at the end of the night. Hopefully someone will give you a seat in this situation…but don’t hold your breath.
-You must transfer from a stroller or wheelchair.
-Loading and unloading can be a slow process, making lines and wait times even longer.
-Buses can get extremely crowded at the value resorts, especially for the Magic Kingdom or a park with early entry hours.
-Buses are supposed to come about every 15 minutes…but sometimes they don’t…
-The bus stops are outside and often uncovered. This leaves you open to the Florida elements, be it the hot sun or a crazy thunderstorm.
-There is no resort-to-resort transportation. If you need to get to another resort you will have to take a bus to Disney Springs or a theme park and transfer to the second resort from there.

The buses are my least favorite mode of transportation in Disney World, but sometimes they are a necessary evil!

Water Transportation in Disney World

What: Several different types of boats that travel between various places within the Walt Disney World Resort.

Where: Boat transportation is available through these various routes:
-Between the TTC and The Magic Kingdom
-Between Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. Those three resorts plus Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows also have boat service to and from The Magic Kingdom.
-Between the Epcot Resort area and Hollywood Studios (Via the FriendShip Boats)
-Betweem Disney’s Old Key West Resort, Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside & French Quarter and Disney Springs (Via the Sassagoula River Cruise).

Note: Boats for recreational excursions or fireworks cruises are also available for rental.

Pros:
-The lines for boats usually move quickly early in the morning (not as much in the evenings).
-Strollers/wheelchairs/scooters do not need to transfer.
-It can be a far more relaxing experience than other forms of transportation.

Cons:
-The line to leave the Magic Kingdom to get back to the TTC in the evening is very long.
-I’ve often met a few bugs on a boat on a warm evening!

Minnie Vans, Ubers & Lyft

What: Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft also run within Disney World. When you’re on resort property and use the Lyft app, you may be able to also hire a Minnie Van! When we used the service, the front desk at our resort had to give us access within the app. Our Minnie Van (seen above) had an all-in-one car seat available and Disney music playing. It was more expensive then a regular Lyft, but I liked the piece of mind that the vehicle was driven by a Disney Cast Member versus a random person when traveling with little ones.

Where: Rideshare vehicles can pick up and drop off from any resort. If you do not have a room or dining reservation they may not be allowed past the security booth at a resort. Rideshare can also transport you to the theme parks, Disney Springs, or anywhere else on property.

Pros:
-A private ride. No sharing a bus or monorail car with a bunch of sweaty, cranky Disney guests.
-Booking a rideshare is so much more convenient when you need to get to a resort for a dining reservation or special event. Avoiding the transfer from one Disney mode of transportation to another is worth spending a few extra dollars in my opinion.
-Rideshares are often faster than Disney transportation since it is door-to-door service and you aren’t waiting for others to board/get off.
-You can track where your rideshare is on the app. This helps alleviate stress when trying to make it to a reservation on time.

Cons:
-A rideshare costs money! When you’re spending so much money to take a Disney World vacation, spending more for transportation instead of using the included transportation is a hard pill to swallow.
-Using Uber or Lyft (not the Minnie Vans) can sometimes be a crapshoot. Once my husband and I took a Lyft from Disney to the airport and the driver had a surfboard in the car. There was hardly room for us and our luggage.

Driving your own Vehicle

What: As mentioned above in the ‘Transportation in Disney World 101’ section, you can of course, always just drive yourself to the parks!

Where: Parking is available at all resorts so long as you have a room or dining reservation. There are security booths and they will check your name and/or ID before allowing you to enter the property. Parking is also available for a fee at all theme parks as well as the parking garage at Disney Springs.

Pros:
-You are able to come and go whenever you want without waiting on Disney transportation. The one caveat to this is at the Magic Kingdom where you still must use the monorail or ferry to get between parking at the TTC and the front gates of the park.
-Privacy. As with using a rideshare, you don’t need to worry about sharing your vehicle with sweaty tourists. If you drive yourself, you won’t even have to make awkward conversation with the driver!

Cons:
-At the end of a long day in the Parks you will still have to drive yourself back to your resort. When you take Disney transportation you can let someone else concentrate on the traffic.
-Once again, you will be paying an extra fee for parking instead of using the included Disney transportation.
-Your car will have been sitting in the Florida sun all day long while you are in the parks. When you get back it will be nice and toasty warm (read: stifling hot). If you use Disney transportation they are fairly cool (as cool as possible given the amount of people and doors opening and closing often).

How will you get around in Disney World?

Here are some questions to ask yourself when planning your transportation in Disney World:

Are you staying on-site? If not you will need to drive yourself or hire a rideshare to get to the Parks. You can use Disney transportation to go from the Parks to other areas on the property.

Staying in a resort on the Disney property? What type of transportation is offered at your resort? My personal order of preference is as follows:

1)Walking! (Bam! Fooled you, crazy new option has entered the game!) Several resorts are actually within walking distance to some of the Parks.
2) Skyliner
3) Boats
4) Monorail
5) Buses
6) Rideshare

My advice is to have an itinerary for each day. Decide ahead of time how you will get to each location on property. Winging it is not a good way to have fun in Disney! Have a particular question? Feel free to comment and I’d love to help you out.

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