Disney makes it easy to get around property without a car, but there are so many options it can quickly get confusing. Here’s a rundown of all the transportation options in Walt Disney World with some tips to help you find the best one for your needs.
1. Monorail
Monorail
The monorail at Walt Disney World is so popular that some guests will ride it just for fun. The automated warning to stand clear of the doors (“Por favor mantengase alejado de las puertas”) is even featured on a t-shirt. Despite the novelty factor of the monorail, it’s still a means of transportation that’s essential for many guests staying on property.
Walt Disney World has three separate monorail tracks.
- Resort Monorail – Stops at the Magic Kingdom, Contemporary Resort, Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Polynesian Resort, and Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC)
- Express Monorail – Stops at the Magic Kingdom and TTC
- Epcot Monorail – Stops at Epcot and the TTC
Benefits of the Monorail:
It’s clean, air conditioned, and just plain fun. Getting on and off the monorail is a great way to do some resort hopping around the grandest hotels on property. Walt Disney World has a collectible set of transportation cards for the monorails, so ask Cast Members here if they have any on hand.
Drawbacks of the Monorail:
Thanks to its massive popularity, the monorail can get extremely crowded during peak hours (typically around park opening and closing and at dinnertime). The monorails can also experience electrical problems from time to time and briefly stop on the tracks. Though this is rare, the cars get stuffy very quickly without air conditioning.
2. Bus
WDW Bus
You can get to and from nearly any destination on property by bus, but you may have to make one or more transfers to do it. The theme parks, water parks, resort hotels, and Downtown Disney are all serviced by Disney buses.
You can enjoy direct park to park transportation via the following routes:
- TTC to Animal Kingdom
- TTC to Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Epcot to Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Epcot to Animal Kingdom
- Animal Kingdom to Disney’s Hollywood Studios
You can get to Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports from:
- All-Star Sports, Music, and Movies Resorts
- Pop Century
- Caribbean Beach Resort
You can get to Downtown Disney, any Disney theme park, and the Disney water parks from any Disney resort, and vice versa. This means that guests staying at a Disney resort will enjoy direct transportation to and from nearly any destination on property. If a bus isn’t available from your resort to a certain park, it’s probably because a monorail or boat services this route.
Benefits of Buses:
Buses offer a free and air-conditioned way to get just about anywhere on property. In cases where direct transportation isn’t available, such as getting from Downtown Disney to a theme park, you can still make the trip with a transfer at a hotel.
Walt Disney World has a line of collectible transportation cards for the buses, so make sure you ask the drivers for these!
Drawbacks of Buses:
Buses lack the novelty of other forms of transportation so a crowded Disney bus is still just a crowded bus. This transportation option should be used as your last resort when you can’t use a monorail or boat to get where you’re going.
If your trip includes a transfer, see if you can use a boat to get at least halfway there. For example, you can take a ferry from Downtown Disney to various resorts and take just one bus ride from there to your final park destination.
3. Boat
Downtown Disney Boat
There are several boats on property that will take you from Disney resorts to parks and other destinations. Your boat options include the following.
Water Taxi to the Magic Kingdom from:
- Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
- Polynesian Resort
- Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground
- Wilderness Lodge
Ferryboat to the Magic Kingdom from the TTC.
Friendship Boat to Epcot or Disney’s Hollywood Studios from:
- Boardwalk Inn and Villas Resort
- Beach Blub Resort
- Yacht Club Resort
- Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
- Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
Friendship Boat from Epcot to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and vice versa.
Ferryboat to Downtown Disney from:
- Port Orleans French Quarter and Riverside
- Old Key West Resort
- Saratoga Springs Resort
Benefits of the Boats: The boats are a scenic way to travel from one destination to the next, and are particularly useful if you want to do some resort hopping. The boats and monorail go directly from resort to resort along their route, so you can hop on and off and check out different hotels. If you’re traveling by bus, you’ll have to transfer at a park to get from one resort to another.
Walt Disney World offers a collectible line of boat transportation cards featuring different watercraft. Make sure you ask for these!
Drawbacks of the Boats: The boats won’t operate if there’s lightning within 5 miles of the resort or high sustained winds. If it’s raining but the boats are still running, you can get wet. The smaller boats aren’t air conditioned.
4. Walking
Image: Disney
Though many guests don’t realize it, there are several opportunities for you to walk from one destination on property to another. You can walk from the Contemporary to the Magic Kingdom, for example.
There’s also a walking path that goes from Epcot to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, passing the Yacht and Beach Club, Swan and Dolphin, and Boardwalk.
Benefits of Walking: If you’re going from the Boardwalk, Yacht and Beach Club, or Swan and Dolphin to Epcot, walking is the most convenient option. Walking is also a quicker option from the Contemporary to the Magic Kingdom. Taking your own two feet saves you from waiting around for a bus, boat, or monorail and lets you avoid the hassle of emptying and folding up a stroller.
Drawbacks of Walking: Going all the way from Epcot to Disney’s Hollywood Studios is quite a hike. If it’s a hot sunny day you may end up exhausted before you even get to your destination.
5. In-Park Transportation
There are a few cases where you can use in-park transportation to give your legs a rest and get from one attraction to another with minimal effort.
The Walt Disney World Railroad at the Magic Kingdom circles the park with stops at Main Street, Frontierland, and Fantasyland. You can also make a full loop and use the train for entertainment purposes only.
The Wildlife Express Train at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the only way to get to and from Conservation Station.
The Friendship Boats in Epcot take you across the World Showcase Lagoon. There are docks in World Showcase Plaza on the Mexico side and Canada side as well as in Morocco and Germany. Which docks are open and what routes these boats take depends on the crowd levels, so check with your captain before boarding.
Benefits of In-Park Transportation: These options can save your legs from a long walk in the Magic Kingdom or Epcot, and they’re entertaining choices that can add a bit of scenic entertainment to your day.
Drawbacks of In-Park Transportation: Depending on the line and departure times, you could wait longer for your transportation than it would have taken you to walk.
As you’re planning out your vacation, take some time to consider the best and most comfortable options for getting from one place to another and you can enjoy a little bit of all the transportation options Disney has to offer.
