These Walt Disney World transportation tips are sure to help ease the process of getting around, saving you time along the way!
Knowing how Disney World transportation works can be a little tricky, but our tips are here to help!
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Walt Disney World is more than a destination–there are destinations within destinations.
With four theme parks spanning 43 square miles of land, there is more than enough to occupy your time.
That’s to say nothing at all of the additional shopping, dining, entertainment, recreation, and a multitude of themed resort hotels!
No matter how much time you have to spend at Walt Disney World, you may never get to do it all! That’s why time management is so important, especially while you are getting around from place to place.
Whether you take the highway in the sky, or one of Disney’s many waterways, here are some time-saving Disney World transportation tips to help you make the most of your visit!
Disney World Monorail
Probably the most iconic and eagerly-anticipated form of transportation when you come to Disney World is the monorail. It’s almost like its own attraction!
However, it’s important to know where the monorail travels in order to best make use of it.
Unfortunately, the monorail hasn’t changed much in many years. That includes the tracks that were built for it. So it doesn’t go everywhere in Disney World.
There are only two monorail lines, a testament to the days of the past when Walt Disney World consisted of only two theme parks–Magic Kingdom and Epcot.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Disney’s Magic Kingdom
The first monorail line circles the Seven Seas Lagoon and stops in front of the Magic Kingdom.
If you’re a guest at one of the Disney hotels on the monorail, such as the Polynesian Village, Grand Floridian, or Contemporary Resort, you’ll have a monorail station right at your hotel, which is super convenient!
The second monorail line goes from the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) over to Epcot. This is the fastest way to EPCOT if you are staying at one of those three hotels. It’s also the best way to park hop from Magic Kingdom to EPCOT (and vice versa).
The monorail can be a great way to arrive on time at your dinner reservations if you plan to dine at either park, or at one of the three hotels stationed along these two lines.
Places the Monorail Services:
- Parks: Magic Kingdom and Epcot
- Resorts: Polynesian Village, Grand Floridian, and Contemporary Resort
Use the Monorail When:
- Going to Magic Kingdom from the Transportation and Ticket Center
- Park hopping between Magic Kingdom and Epcot
- Going to Magic Kingdom or Epcot from Polynesian, Grand Floridian, and Contemporary Resorts
- Going from Magic Kingdom or Epcot to dine at Polynesian, Grand Floridian, or Contemporary Resorts
Disney World Skyliner
Disney’s Skyliner is the newest form of Disney Transportation, but unfortunately it isn’t without problems.
Although it makes a very convenient way to zip through the sky and bounce from EPCOT to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the gondola system does have history of breaking down and even crashing.
Although nobody has been injured in a Disney skyline crash, these unexpected events can delay passengers for hours, which can hugely derail plans.
Of course, these events don’t happen extremely often, so while the chances are low, it is slightly risky in terms of time management.
If you prefer, you can take a boat or walking path instead of the Skyliner.
There is a walking path that runs from Disney’s Boardwalk Inn to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The walk from EPCOT to DHS is only about 20 minutes. That’s about the same as a drive, incidentally.
The Skyliner is generally the best way to get from Art of Animation and Pop Century to EPCOT or Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s also a great way to resort hop and see several resort hotels in a relatively short time.
One thing I recommend while resort hopping is to try a little bit of counter service food everywhere you go. The EPCOT resort area includes lots of delicious options at the Riviera, Caribbean Beach, Boardwalk and Beach Club.
Places the Skyliner Services:
- Parks: Epcot (International Gateway) and Hollywood Studios
- Resorts: Caribbean Beach, Art of Animation, Pop Century, and Riviera Resorts. From Epcot, you can also walk to the Boardwalk, Yacht Club and Beach Club locations, though these don’t have their own Skyliner station.
When to Use the Skyliner:
- Park hopping between Epcot and Hollywood Studios
- Going to Epcot or Hollywood Studios from Caribbean Beach, Art of Animation, Pop Century, and Riviera resorts.
- Resort hopping for dining between Caribbean Beach, Art of Animation, Pop Century, and Riviera resorts.
Disney World Bus Service
The Disney World bus service is available between every Walt Disney World Resort hotel and Disney Springs, as well as between Disney Resort hotels and the theme parks.
One thing you don’t want to do is board the wrong bus! They are labeled, so this is an unlikely mistake–except under one circumstance: Animal Kingdom Lodge and Animal Kingdom Park.
Resort buses and theme park buses should be in separate waiting areas, so just read the bus stop signs carefully before you go wait in the wrong spot, or ask a cast member for assistance if needed.
Do note that buses from Disney Springs do not go to the parks. These buses only shuttle guests between Disney Springs and the resort areas.
That doesn’t mean you can’t transfer to a theme park bus once you get to a resort, but this takes a lot of time.
So although parking at Disney Springs is free, don’t be tempted to park there and shuttle to the theme parks. The small cost savings not worth the time!
Where the Buses Service:
- Between Disney Resort hotels and Disney Springs
- Between Disney Resort hotels and the theme parks
- From All-Star Movie Resort and Coronado Springs Resort to Blizzard Beach
- From Animal Kingdom to Blizzard Beach
When to Use the Bus System:
- When traveling between your resort hotel and Disney Springs
- When traveling between your resort hotel and theme parks for which other modes of transportation are not available (such as Skyliner, Monorail, etc.)
- When traveling from your resort hotel to Blizzard Beach
Water Taxi and Launch Boat Tips
My favorite way to get around Disney World in most circumstances is by water launch, boat, and ferryboat service. It’s so scenic and relaxing!
The downside is that water transportation can often be a very slow process.
The ferry boats move slowly to begin with. Then there’s the waiting for the boat to dock, boarding, waiting to leave the dock…so it may not be the best choice if you’re in a hurry.
My general rule of thumb is, if you don’t see your boat when you approach the dock, don’t wait for one. Unless you have a lot of time to spare, there is likely something faster you can take.
Even walking might sometimes be a better option than the wait time needed for water transportation. This is especially true with the resorts and parks in the Epcot area around Crescent Lake.
If you are staying at Fort Wilderness or Wilderness Lodge, the launch boats are the best way to get to Magic Kingdom. These water taxis will take you right up to the gate.
These boats are also a great way to explore the resorts around Bay Lake which are adjacent to the Seven Seas Lagoon.
There are also boats in Epcot called Friendships, which travel two different routes.
One route for these boats travels from EPCOT to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
The other Friendship route is for transportation within Epcot, traveling from the World Showcase Plaza across the World Showcase Lagoon over to the Morocco pavilion.
This can provide a unique vantage point for photos, and is a great time-saver if you aren’t wanting to hit every pavilion.
However, if you’re wanting to visit all of the pavilions around the lagoon, then you’re better off walking the loop.
Where Water Transportation Services:
- Parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios
- Resorts: Fort Wilderness, Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Wilderness Lodge, BoardWalk villas, Beach Club villas, Yacht Club, Dolphin and Swan Hotels, Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, Port Orleans Riverside and Port Orleans French Quarter
When to Use the Water Transportation System:
- When traveling between Magic Kingdom and the TTC, Grand Floridian, Polynesian, and Wilderness Lodge
- When traveling between Epcot and Hollywood Studios (if you don’t want to risk a delay on the Skyliner)
- When traveling from Epcot or Hollywood Studios to BoardWalk villas, Beach Club villas, Yacht Club, Dolphin and Swan Hotels
- When traveling between Disney Springs and Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, Port Orleans Riverside, and Port Orleans French Quarter resorts
- When you need a shortcut to the other side of World Showcase in Epcot
Uber Tips
When you visit Walt Disney World, make sure you have the Uber app downloaded on your phone.
Although it isn’t an official mode of Disney World transportation, it’s worth considering as a method to save you time during your stay.
Since Disney’s Magical Express is no longer available as airport transportation, you may want to consider Uber for that.
Uber is also a great way to enjoy the benefits of having a car without paying a rental or parking fees. You can use it in a pinch to save both time and money, especially if you need to go off-property during your stay.
Note: When taking Uber to Magic Kingdom, it used to be possible to say you want to go to the Contemporary Resort (which was faster than being dropped off at the the TTC).
However, Disney has cracked down on who they let into the parking lots, so there is a chance they may not allow you into the parking lot if you don’t have hotel reservations.
The same was true for a sly side entrance into EPCOT via the International Gateway, by telling Uber you wanted to go to Beach Club. Again, this is less reliable now that more restrictions are in place.
If you don’t want to wait at a transportation stop for Disney transportation, you can use Uber to get to the park or your last minute Disney dining reservations more quickly.
Ubers are generally very responsive and always nearby, and you can also request car seats!
Where Uber Services:
- All theme parks and Disney Springs
- All resort hotels
- Areas off-property, such as the Orlando International Airport, lodging, local shopping and dining, etc.
When to Use Uber:
- Your lodging is off-property and has limited transportation options.
- You want to travel more quickly between Disney resort hotels, without hopping connections between bus/monorail/boat.
- You’re in a hurry and don’t want to wait for Disney transportation.
Using Disney World Transportation Tips to Your Advantage
During your trip, these tips can help save you time and help you get from place to place more quickly.
Not only that, but they can save you some leg power, which is helpful for keeping your Disney feet happy!
If you’re planning to do some driving, be sure to also check out our Disney World parking guide!
More Helpful Vacation Planning Resources:
- How the Disney Payment Plan Works
- Is Disney’s Memory Maker Service Worth the Cost?
- How to Stay Cool at Disney World
- Best Ponchos for Disney World
- Must-Know Disney World Tips
Be sure to save this article to your Disney vacation board on Pinterest!
