What You Need to Know About the Disney World Transportation System: Disney World 101

One thing Disney World is really great at is moving people. They have an entire Disney World transportation system designed to get you where you need to go anywhere on Disney property.

This includes all of the parks, all of the resorts, and Disney Springs.

And the best news is, it’s FREE for everyone, whether you’re staying at a Disney World Resort or not.

Here’s what you need to know to make your way around Disney Property with the Disney World Transportation system.

Buses

Buses are the most readily available form of transportation in Disney World. The go to every park (including water parks), every Disney World Resort, and Disney Springs.

Typically, buses being operating 45 minutes before the parks open and end one hour after parks close.

Sometimes Disney may limit service if there’s another mode of transportation available (this often happens at the Skyliner resorts), so always double check your transportation plan once you’re on property.

To learn more about Disney’s bus transportation, check you this page on Disney’s website.

If you’re unsure about anything, just ask a Cast Member.

Skyliner

The Skyliner allows you to be transported over Florida in an aerial gondola. The Skyliner only goes to Epcot and Hollywood Studios and is only available at select resorts.

But if you’re staying at Pop Century, Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach, or Riviera Resort, you can take advantage of this transportation system!

The Skyliner starts running one hour before the parks open and runs ninety minutes after the parks close. However, you should know the hours operation can vary based on the weather.

You can visit Disney’s website for more details.

Monorail

Disney World has 3 monorail lines that can take you between the Magic Kingdom Resorts, Epcot, and the Magic Kingdom.

More specifically, you can take a monorail to and from The Contemporary Resort, The Grand Floridian, The Polynesian Village, the Transportation and Ticket Center, Epcot, and Magic Kingdom.

The Resort Monorail and Express Monorail start running 30 minutes before Magic Kingdom opens and stops for the day about an hour after Magic Kingdom close.

The Epcot monorail starts running 30 minutes before Epcot opens and stops running about 2 hours after Epcot closes.

All monorails run continuously throughout the day.

Boat

Boats are available to take you to select locations around Disney World.

In the Magic Kingdom area, you can catch a boat to the park from Fort Wilderness, the Grand Floridian, The Polynesian, and Wilderness Lodge. You can also take boats between the Contemporary, Fort Wilderness, and Wilderness Lodge.

For Epcot and Hollywood Studios, you can take boats from the Boardwalk, the Beach Club, the Yacht Club, the Swan and The Dolphin.

You can also access Disney Springs by boat from Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, Port Orleans Riverside, and Port Orleans French Quarter.

Most routes run on 15-30 minute intervals, but it’s important to know that weather and water conditions can impact hours of operation.

Ferry

The ferry is only available if you’re traveling from the Transportation and Ticket Center to Magic Kingdom.

Basically, you’re only going to be taking a ferry if you drive to Magic Kingdom and park. Then you’ll take to ferry or the Monorail from the Transportation and Ticket Center to the park itself.

This is a great option if you’re traveling at a busy time. The Ferry may be a bit slower than the monorail, but it also holds more people. So it might get you there faster overall if it’s crowded.

Tips

Give yourself plenty of time

Disney World is massive. It’s about the size of San Fransisco. And while Disney’s free transportation is pretty efficient, it can still take some time to get you where you need to go.

Give yourself plenty of time to get around, especially if you’re trying to make a dining reservation or a Lightning Lane you don’t want to be late for.

If you’re really pressed for time, or don’t want to be reliant on the the Disney World Transportation system, you may want to consider a ride service or renting a car.

Travel on off hours

If you’d rather sleep in and get to the parks mid-morning, or skip the fireworks and head back to your hotel for an early night, you will experience way less crowds.

Granted, busses might not run as frequently during these times, so the previous tip still applies. But if you make it a point to travel during off hours, you’re likely to reduce your travel time and have a more peaceful experience.

Be patient during busy times

Disney World transportation is always going to be the most crowded just before the park opens and just after the park closes. During these times, plan to give yourself extra time and be patient.

It may take a few full busses or monorails to get to where you need to go.

Plan to walk once you arrive

Disney is a lot of walking and this is true even if you take Disney Transportation. You get dropped off within walking distance to the park or your destination, but you often have to walk a bit more the park or hotel entrance.

This is doubly true if you’re headed to a restaurant at one of these resorts or the parks. The restaurants are rarely going to be near the entrance, so give yourself time to walk to where you need to be.

Consider transportation options when choosing your resort

Each resort has different transportation options. Some even have walking paths to 1-2 parks so you can skip Disney Transportation all together.

And while the resorts with more options might be more expensive, it might be worth it to you if you can a) fill the room and b) save time on transportation.

If you want a breakdown of transportation options at each resort type, check out this post.

If you’re stranded, ask a cast member

Should you find yourself stranded in a park after Disney Transportation stops running for the night. Fear not! Find a Cast Member, tell them your situation, and they should be able to help you get to where you need to go.

Important note

You can’t take luggage on Disney Transportation. However, if you’re staying at a Disney World Resort Hotel, you can leave your luggage with bell services if you’re checking in or out of your hotel on a day you’re also going to the parks.

Getting to Disney World from the Airport

Disney World no longer provides transportation to and from the airport. But if you’re looking for options, check out this post on 7 Ways to Get to Disney World from the Orlando Airport.

Do you have experience with the Disney World Transportation system? Tell me about it in the comments!