Walt Disney World has a few great forms of transportation. First, there are the Disney motor coaches that service the resorts and the parks. Of course, the iconic monorail runs a route to the Magic Kingdom resorts as well as Epcot. Finally, there are boats to many destinations on Disney property as well. How do you know what is the best for your family? Or what if you are staying at one resort but dining at another? Where do the buses run, and how is the best way to get around property? This week, we are going to look at the best uses of Disney transportation, in hopes that you spend less time in transit and more time in the Disney parks!
Do Walt Disney World motor coaches run amongst the parks? Yes, absolutely! That is the beauty of a park hopper ticket, and many guests “hop” from park to park via Disney buses. You do not need to take the bus back to your resort just to transfer to another park bus to get where you need to go. The Disney motor coaches do not run routes between the parks and Disney Springs, or from one resort to another. But they do run from park to park.
We are staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge, but we have dinner at the Grand Floridian. What is the best route to take? The easiest would be to take the Magic Kingdom bus from Animal Kingdom Lodge. When it drops you off at Magic Kingdom, you can then take the monorail or the water taxi to the Grand Floridian. Just a tip…..the Grand Floridian is the last stop on the monorail from Magic Kingdom, while it is the first stop using the water taxi.
How can I save time on transportation? Consider alternative routes. For example, the Grand Floridian tip I shared previously. Another one to consider is walking to Epcot from Disney’s Hollywood Studios. I know that walking is the LAST thing anyone wants to do more of at Disney, but in some cases, this can be faster than the bus or the boat. The Contemporary is about a 5-mintue walk from Magic Kingdom, which is much faster than the monorail. Did you know you can walk from Art of Animation to Pop Century? When waiting for a bus to those resorts, take the one that comes first and make the short walk to your resort.
Do any resorts share buses? Yes. There are a few cases when a resort shares a bus. If a resort offers an alternative mode of transportation, there will not be bus service, or it will be very limited. A great example of this is the monorail resorts. I have seen where the Polynesian, Wilderness Lodge, and Grand Floridian share buses to some parks. If they are on the monorail, there is no bus to Magic Kingdom or Epcot, and they’ll likely share buses to one of the other parks. This isn’t a bad thing, just something to be aware of when planning your time. If you have “sister resorts”, such as the All Stars, they will share buses. Often the bus stops at All Star Sports first, and will fill up. So if transportation is a concern, avoid the All Stars particularly during peak travel times. Sometimes, the Port Orleans resorts will share buses. I have seen this during certain times of the year, and then not during others. I think it just depends on crowds.
How much time should I allow to travel across Disney property? I think 45 minutes to an hour is great. When you are trying to get to a dining reservation, I’d plan on giving yourself 90 minutes. You have to walk to the bus stop, wait for the bus you need, and then ride it. Plus, get off the bus at the park, make your way through the gates and to your restaurant. Another thing to account for is any transfers you need to make if you are traveling from resort to resort.
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