Navigating the Magic: A Guide to Transportation at Disney World

I get asked a lot if a rental car is needed while at Disney World and Universal if they are flying in to Orlando. I’m happy to say that you absolutely do not need a rental car and that transportation at Disney and Universal is so easy!

Transportation from the Airport to Resort

The options for getting from the airport to your Disney or Universal resort hotel are boundless. You can take a shared service like Mears Connect, Sunshine Flyer, or the SuperStar Shuttle for the most inexpensive ride. These are motorcoach buses, similar to Disney’s former Magical Express. The biggest benefit to using this is the cost, but the greatest downside to using this service is the time it takes to get from the airport to your resort since there will likely be multiple stops along the way unless you’re lucky enough to be one of the first. There are also private transfers, such as Uber or Lyft (these are the next least expensive options), or town cars, SUVs, or vans that are on the higher end for cost. These are also your fastest options, so depending on your patience for waiting, plan accordingly!

Disney World Bus Transportation

Every resort on Disney property will require a bus to get to at least one or two of the parks. Depending on where you are staying, (All Star Resorts, Port Orleans, Coronado Springs, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Old Key West, and Saratoga Springs) your only option may be exclusively bus transportation to and from the parks. These begin running approximately one hour before park opening and through one hour after park closing. These will also take you to Disney Springs from the resorts. The buses take anywhere from about 15-25 minutes to get to any of the parks.

Using the Disney Bus to Park Hop

If you have a park hopper and plan to visit another park in the afternoon, you will sometimes be able to use the buses to get from one park to another, and at other times they may not offer them. Be sure to check the bus schedule boards near the bus stops for accurate information. If they are not offering transportation between parks, you can take a bus to one of the resorts and then transfer to the bus going to your desired park. This is also time-consuming, so consider Uber, Lyft, or Minnie Vans for alternative transportation.

Disney World Monorail

The monorail route runs along the following resorts and takes you to Magic Kingdom or Epcot: Contemporary, Polynesian Village, and Grand Floridian. It also makes a stop at the Transportation and Ticket Center to pick those up who are driving, and transfers over to Epcot. If you are staying at the Contemporary Resort or Bay Lake Tower, it may be faster to walk, as it is the first stop on the route to get to Magic Kingdom, and can take up to 20 minutes. When staying at Polynesian Village or Grand Floridian, it is about a 5-10 minute ride. If you’re going to Epcot, it’s around a 15 minute ride.

Disney World Skyliner

The newest addition to park transportation is Disney World’s Skyliner. This is an amazing attraction in itself as you glide above Disney World property on your way to Epcot or Hollywood Studios. The resorts that the Skyliner services are Pop Century, Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach, and Riviera. If you’re going to Epcot it drops you off back by the International Gateway, so you can also take this option if you are headed to any of the Epcot area resorts which are close by. On average, the ride from any of the resorts to Epcot or Hollywood Studios (or between the two parks) is between 15-25 minutes.

How do I get from EPCOT to Magic Kingdom?

A question I am often asked by guests (especially when staying on the skyliner) is “Can we use the skyliner to go to EPCOT and then ride the monorail to Magic Kingdom?” Unfortunately, this only works in some rare situations. The skyliner is located at the back entrance of EPCOT while the monorail is at the front entrance. This means you’d need to enter the park, walk through the entire park, exit the front and then board the monorail. The quickest way to get to Magic Kingdom is to Uber/Lyft while your next best option would be to use the Disney World buses.

Water Taxi and Friendship Boats

The water taxi takes you between Magic Kingdom and Wilderness Lodge, Fort Wilderness, Grand Floridian, and Polynesian Village. The friendship boats run between Epcot and Hollywood Studios, with stops at Disney World Swan and Dolphin, Yacht Club, Beach Club, and Boardwalk. These are a fun and relaxing way to sit down and enjoy the scenery as you float along to your next destination!

Disney World Minnie Vans Connect by Lyft

When going between Disney World resorts, it can get tricky, as you have to take some form of transportation to a park and then transfer to your resort of choice. This can be time-consuming, and if you’ve miscalculated your transfer time, you may be late for your dining reservation. This is where the Minnie Van service is a wonderful, and moderately-priced option. You can find Minnie Vans in the Lyft app, and they will also provide appropriate car seats for your little ones. This will significantly cut your transport time between resorts over using buses or any of the other modes of transportation.

Transportation at the Universal Orlando Resort

Universal also has convenient transportation between their hotels and CityWalk, which is the shopping, dining and entertainment district. You walk through here as you make your way into both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.

Universal Resort Bus Service

Getting between your Universal resort hotel and CityWalk is a fast ride on the bus. It doesn’t take more than 5-10 minutes, as all the hotels are a very short distance from the parks. The buses begin running about an hour or more before park opening and continue running till CityWalk closes. Some room and ticket packages have the one hour early park entry benefit, so be sure to be in line early for the buses so you can get to those early morning rides before the wait times go crazy!

Universal Water Taxis

The water taxis also take guests to CityWalk, and service Loews Sapphire Falls, Portofino Bay, Royal Pacific, and Hard Rock Hotel. They begin running 30 minutes prior to the one hour early park entry, and stop around 2:30 a.m. These are another relaxing means of transportation when you’re looking to take a break.

Figuring out how you’re going to get around while on your Disney or Universal vacation is relatively painless with the wide variety of transportation options available. And did you know your travel agent can help you navigate which mode of transportation is best for your family? We’d love to help you as you get started planning for your next trip! Head over to this form for your complimentary planning service today!