Transportation Options at Walt Disney World

Maggie Ballantyne4.2.19Do not let transportation be something to stress about before your Walt Disney World vacation. After taking a complimentary ride on Disney’s Magical Express from the airport to your resort, there are multiple options for transportation once you are on property. With all of these options, I do not find it ever necessary to rent a car while on my vacation.Complimentary Forms of TransportationThe Disney busses are the most obvious form of transportation across property and they can be found everywhere! It does not matter which on-property hotel you are staying at, there is a bus that can take you to each of the four theme parks or Disney Springs. When you arrive at the bus stop at your hotel (the concierge at check-in will tell you where this is located), there are TV monitors that show the arrival times of the next busses.If you have someone in your party that needs to travel in a wheelchair, on a scooter, or in a stroller, these busses can accommodate you! The cast members will ask you to fold up your strollers for the ride.When you leave one of the four parks or Disney Springs each hotel will have its own bus terminal. Follow the signs and you will be brought right back to your hotel! These busses are direct and will not make stops at the end of the night.The Monorail “Disney’s Highway in the Sky” is another complimentary form of transportation. There are three resorts on property that are located on the monorail line. When you stay at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and Disney’s Contemporary Resort, you can go through a very short security line at your resort, board the monorail, and take it right to the Magic Kingdom. If you want to go to Epcot, you can take that same monorail from your resort to the Ticket & Transportation Center and switch to the monorail that will take you to Epcot.Unlike the Disney busses, you do not have to fold your strollers up. The monorail is very accommodating to scooters and wheelchairs as well. If you ask a Cast Member, they can provide you with a ramp.I love riding the monorail even if I am not staying at one of these resorts. Especially during the holidays, I love to hop on and hop off to go exploring and grab a drink at each resort. If you have a dining reservation at one of these resorts, you can hop on the monorail when you are done and take it to Magic Kingdom and Epcot for a quick transfer!Taking a boat on Disney property is probably the most leisurely form of transportation, but it is one of my favorites! My favorite boat ride to take is in between Disney’s Port Orleans and Disney Springs. My sister and I took it from the French Quarter over to Disney Springs and back and had a great time. The wait was shorter than waiting for a bus, plus we got to see some great views! It is a beautiful ride! This boat is also available from Old Key West and Saratoga Springs.The following resorts have access to the Magic Kingdom via a boat: Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, and Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. There is also a Ferry that is available from the Ticket & Transportation Center over to the Magic Kingdom.Additional Forms of TransportationMinnie Vans: New to Disney is the Minnie Van Service. These cars, driven by Disney Cast Members, can be ordered and paid for through the Lyft app. These are a great option if you want to go directly from one resort to another as no other form of Disney transportation does this.  I used this service when I was running late for a dining reservation. I was staying at Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter and needed to get over to Disney’s Caribbean Resort for lunch. In the past I would have taken the Disney bus over to the Magic Kingdom, got off, switched busses, and gone over to the Caribbean Beach Resort. If I chose this option on this particular day, I would have been late and potentially missed my dining reservation. Instead I ordered the Minnie Van, it arrived in minutes, and I was early for my reservation. The Cast Member was very nice and provided me with a phone charger. It is also important to note that Minnie Vans also offer complimentary car seats for young children.  If you are taking a Minnie Van from the Magic Kingdom back to a resort, they have their own loading station in the bus terminal.  Coming Soon!In the fall of 2019, Disney will be opening its first Gondola System and will connect Epcot and Hollywood Studios to select resorts. I can’t wait to give it a try! If you want help strategizing the best ways to get around the Disney property, please contact me at maggie@wishesfamilytravel.com or follow me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wishesfamilytravelmaggie