Walt Disney World On-Site Transportation Information

Walt Disney World Transportation

Complimentary transportation throughout the Walt Disney World Resort is available to Guests of Walt Disney World Resort hotels. There are many different modes of transportation available to get you around to the theme parks, water parks, Disney Springs, and hotels. Each mode of transportation is unique and some are so special that kids may consider the transportation an attraction in itself.

There are four major transportation options for guests to choose from. First is the Walt Disney World Bus Service.  Second, there is the Walt Disney World Water Transportation.  Third and fourth, the Disney Skyliner and Walt Disney World Monorail Service offer a bird’s eye view as you travel!

For guests looking to navigate their way around the Walt Disney World Resort, we have a handy cheat sheet available.

In addition, for those with little ones (or those who like to collect things) Disney has Transportation Collectors Cards available. There are 18 cards in all and are supposed to be pretty hard to come by. Anytime you are using Disney transportation ask a cast member if they have any Collectors Cards around.

Bus Service Water Transportation Monorails Disney Skyliner Miscellaneous

Walt Disney World Bus Service

Complimentary Bus Service

Buses are going to be the major source of transportation for most guests, as most areas throughout the Walt Disney World Resort, including Disney Theme Parks, Disney Water Parks, Resort hotels and the Disney Springs area, are accessible by bus. Some bus routes may require transfer from one bus to another. This is especially true when attempting to travel from resort to resort. To accomplish this, guests will often need to visit one of the four theme parks or Disney Springs and then catch a bus to their final resort destination.

Disney buses run approximately every 20 minutes from all Walt Disney World onsite resorts. Each bus stop features a sign indicating the destinations that particular bus will travel to. Also, the marquees on top of each bus will indicate destinations. In addition, bus stops now provide estimated times of arrival for buses as well.

With the Walt Disney World Bus Service, guests are invited to relax and enjoy the ride on the complimentary, air-conditioned bus service.

Tips from TheMouseForLess:

• Official Disney Transportation operates according to theme park operating schedules. If relying solely on Disney Transportation during your Walt Disney World vacation, be cognizant of park hours.  For example, buses typically only run anywhere from 60-90 minutes after a park closes for the night. This is something to keep in mind if you have late dining reservations and are utilizing only Disney transportation to get back to your resort.
• For those visiting Disney Springs, buses operate until 2:00 a.m. from the Disney Springs Area.  This time may change seasonally.

Walt Disney World Water Transportation

Enjoy a leisurely cruise on Walt Disney World water transportation options, which include ferryboats, water taxis, and more. If you are in the mood for a laid back approach, water transportation is the right choice for you. For many, it is one of the best ways to travel; however, do keep in mind that only select areas are accessible via boat. If traveling by boat is an option, it’s a great way to slow down and take in the vacation time.

Magic Kingdom Park

Ferryboats

Ferryboats connect the Transportation and Ticket Center to the Magic Kingdom. There are three boats available for guests to utilize. They are known as the Richard F. Irvine, the General Joe Potter, and the Admiral Joe Fowler. These boats have an upper and lower level that are connected by interior stairways.

Hours of operation typically begin 30 minutes prior to park opening (including Early Theme Park Entry.) In the evening, the ferries typically operate until one and a half hours prior to park closing (including Early Theme Park Entry.) Ferry wait times are typically between 10 and 20 minutes.

Water Cruisers/Motor Launches

The Walt Disney World Resorts located near the Magic Kingdom have both water cruisers and motor launches available to reach them. Those resorts include:

• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
• Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

Each route operates approximately 30 minutes prior to park opening (including Early Theme Park Entry) until one and a half hours after park close. Not every route stops at every resort, but each launch is labeled indicating which resorts the boats will be stopping at.

Private Water Taxi

There is a private water taxi available for guests at the Grand Floridian Resort. This service will take guests to any destination around the Seven Seas Lagoon. This taxi service costs $20 each way. Boats can accommodate up to 10 guests. The boats can be acquired at the Grand Floridian Marina.

Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Friendship Boats

For both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the watercraft that runs between these theme parks along Crescent Lake and are known as Friendship Boats. Friendship Boats are accessible to five different resorts. Unlike the Magic Kingdom water launches, the Friendship boats do stop at each of the resorts along the way, as well as at both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The resorts include:

• Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
• Disney’s Beach Club Resort
• Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
• Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
• Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel

Tips from TheMouseForLess:

• If you don’t feel like waiting for the Friendship boat to take you between these resorts and either Epcot or Disney’s Hollywood Studios, there is a walking path that connects everything together.
• There are also Friendship boats that take you across World Showcase Lagoon inside Epcot theme park. Launches begin at the World Showcase Plaza and head to either the Germany Pavilion or the Morocco Pavilion. To get ready for the nighttime fireworks at Epcot each night, the last boat across is at 7:30 p.m. This is a great option for guests who want a relaxing way to get across the lagoon without having to walk “around the world.”

Disney Springs Area

Ferries

Many of the Disney Springs adjacent resorts can access the Disney Springs shopping area by ferryboat. These resorts include:

• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort—French Quarter
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort—Riverside
• Disney’s Old Key West Resort
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

General Watercraft Tips:

• Do keep in mind that watercraft transportation is dependent on weather conditions. If conditions are poor, watercraft transpiration may be suspended.
• Sometimes, depending on your destination, walking may be faster. If you are in a hurry and there is an adjacent pathway, consider walking instead.

Walt Disney World Resort Monorail Service

The Walt Disney World Monorail System was originally conceived as a public transport for the future. There are three separate beams that travel throughout Walt Disney World Resort and they all intersect with each other at the Transportation and Ticket Center. The three loops are the Resort Monorail Loop, the Express Monorail Loop, and the Epcot Monorail Loop. If the monorail is not available, alternate bus and watercraft transportation is available for guests.

TTC Coffee Kiosk

Resort Monorail Loop

The Resort Monorail Loop makes stops at the following locations:

• Magic Kingdom
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Transportation and Ticket Center
• Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa

The Resort Monorail Loop typically runs from 6:30 a.m. until one hour after park close

Express Monorail Loop

The Express Monorail Loop transports guests between the Transportation and Ticket Center and the Magic Kingdom. Transportation typically runs one hour prior to park open to one hour prior to park close

Epcot Monorail Loop

The Epcot Monorail Loop transports guests between the Transportation and Ticket Center and Epcot. Transportation typically runs one hour prior to park open until one hour after park close

Disney Skyliner

Since its opening on September 29, 2019, the Skyliner has given guests a bird’s eye view of the Walt Disney World Resort and connected Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios to four resorts – Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, and Disney’s Riviera Resort.

Guests can choose to board at any of these locations; however, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is the hub. Guests must get off at Caribbean Beach to get to any of the other locations that they are looking to visit. (Meaning, if you are headed from Epcot to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you’ll board the Disney Skyliner and be taken to Caribbean Beach, where you will then be instructed to get off that line and you will then need to get onto the Disney’s Hollywood Studios line.) The only line that Guests will not have to exit for is Disney’s Riviera Resort because this route is connected to the Epcot/Disney’s Caribbean Beach line.

The Skyliner consists of 300 gondolas in 8 bright colors that travel anywhere from 15 feet to 60 feet in the air. The Disney Skyliner includes cabins that feature artwork of your favorite Disney films, attractions and characters including Coco, The Haunted Mansion, Goofy, Finding Nemo, Mike and Sulley, The Seven Dwarfs, Beauty & the Beast, Star Wars, and more. Now, not every cabin is decorated, but a fair number of them are. Seating inside the Disney Skyliner consists of wooden benches capable of holding ten passengers, with accessibility for wheelchairs and strollers.

Trips from Skyliner resorts and theme parks will take between 5-15 minutes, depending on the distance you’re traveling.

One thing to keep in mind is that the gondolas themselves don’t have air conditioning.  However, the cabins were tailored to provide a comfortable ride for Guests in the Florida climate, as all vehicles will have cross-ventilation which is designed to provide sufficient air flow. Additionally, the windows of the gondolas are designed to reflect sunlight away from the vehicles, therefore maintaining a comfortable temperature inside the cabin.

Disney Skyliner Stops

• Epcot
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
• Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort (Main Hub of Skyliner System)
• Disney’s Pop Century Resort
• Disney’s Riviera Resort

Tips from TheMouseForLess:

• At the stations, while loading is a continuous process, the gondolas can become unattached from the line.  As a result, this allows Guests who need extra time to be able to board. There is a separate queue at each loading platform for Guests who require more time to board the gondola.
• There are bathrooms located at the Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort hub location.

Miscellaneous Transportation Methods

Minnie Van Service

The Walt Disney World Resort has introduced a personal ride service that allows you to get around quickly and comfortably while traveling in a Disney-owned and operated vehicle that’s themed to look like Minne Mouse. Cast Members drive these vehicles and they and are easy to request. You can do so using the Lyft app on your smartphone.

Here’s how it works:

• Open the Lyft app anywhere in the Walt Disney World Resort.
• Confirm your pickup location and tap “Select Minnie Van.” If the Minnie Van service doesn’t immediately display, swipe through vehicle type options until it appears.
• Track your vehicle on a map showing its progress. You’ll also see the vehicle number to help you spot your car.

Guests who need accessible Minnie Vans can request a vehicle by calling (407) 828-3500. Accessibility requests can be made 45 to 60 minutes prior to needed service. These accessible options accommodate Guests with standard wheelchairs, motorized vehicles and ECVs.

These vehicles include up to 2 complimentary child seats if needed. The Minnie Van hours of operation are from 6:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. daily, but hours of operation are subject to change. Pricing varies based on distance traveled from pickup location to requested destination within the Walt Disney World Resort. Guests can use the Lyft app to see the total cost and pay for the service.

Trams

For those guests who drive to one of the four theme parks and park in the parking lot, they have the option of taking a tram. These trams will pick you up at the end of your parking row and transport you to the park’s entrance (or in the case of the Magic Kingdom, to the Transportation and Ticket Center.)

Tips from TheMouseForLess:

• Before boarding the tram, strollers and wheelchairs must be folded.
• Make sure to note which row in which you parked.  At the end of the night, all the rows of cars look the same. So, make sure to take a photo, add it to your phone’s notes, text it to yourself, write it on a piece of paper, etc. Do whatever you need to do to remember where you parked. Also, the tram driver will also typically remind you of your parking location as you board the tram.