Disney Transportation 101: Your Guide to Getting Around the Magic Kingdom
Getting around the Disney parks can be difficult if you aren’t prepared. But the good news is that you can – and should! – take advantage of their elaborate transportation system. Whether you’re traveling to, from, or around the different parks, the Disney transportation system has you covered!
Delightfully Different Modes of Disney Transportation
Part of what makes the Disney transportation system fun is the variety of transport methods. The most iconic is the monorail, of course, which is similar to the wonderfully relaxing PeopleMover ride. But you might also find yourself taking to the water or floating above the crowds in a ski-lift-esque gondola!
The best part is simply that such a service helps melt away any stress about how you’re going to get around (which is big deal in a place as large as Disney World!). The Disney transportation system ensures your vacation is as happy as can be.
Disney World Monorail System: It’s Own Kind of Magic
Disney World is so big it has three separate monorail systems. While two of them take you to and from the Magic Kingdom, the third one takes you to and from EPCOT. The two Magic Kingdom monorails also help you get between the park and three luxurious Disney Resorts:
For this reason, many guests choose to stay at a Disney-owned resort. And to make it even more convenient, you can take the Magic Kingdom monorails to the Transportation Center where you can connect to the monorail that takes you to EPCOT.
Even if you drive to the park, you’ll still find the monorail service to be helpful. You can always board the Magic Kingdom Express from the parking lot (which happens to be at the Transportation Center) to get to the park’s main entrance. Then, whenever you’re done for the day, you can take the Magic Kingdom Express right back to your car. How nifty!
Disney Skyliner: I Can Fly! (Sort Of)
One of the newest ways to get around the park is to hop aboard the Disney Skyliner. Its home base is the Caribbean Beach Resort. With three lines to choose from, you’ll be able to get to EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and the Pop Century and Art of Animation Resorts. The EPCOT-bound Skyliner also takes you through the Riviera Resort. You can even transfer from one Skyliner car to another, making this an extremely convenient method of transportation!
Each Disney Skyliner car is a gondola, which can hold as many as 10 people at once. All gondolas have the space to accommodate a stroller or a wheelchair.
It’s worth noting that these gondolas take you as high as 30, even 40 feet, into the air! It makes for beautiful views, but if you’re afraid of heights, never fear, because you have other Disney transportation options too!
Disney Boats: Just Bobbin’ Along
If you’re afraid of heights but immune to seasickness, then consider using one of Disney’s many boats to get where you need to go!
The most well-known vessels are the ferry boats that take you to the Magic Kingdom. And what’s more fun than a ferry boat?? Gotta love those Tom Sawyer vibes. There are five boat routes to choose from just within the Magic Kingdom! (One of them takes you between Magic Kingdom and the Transportation Center.)
Taking a different route, you can travel between the Magic Kingdom and the Polynesian and Grand Floridian Resorts. Your other options include taking one boat to the Wilderness Lodge, or another one to the Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. In addition, you can take a water taxi between Contemporary Resort to the Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness.
Another way to get around is to take the EPCOT Friendship Boats. (Is that not an adorable name?!) These boats start their trips at Crescent Lake and take you all the way to the Boardwalk. From there, you’ll cross the lake before arriving at the Yacht and Beach Club, with the final destination being Disney’s fabulous Hollywood Studios.
There are also boats that can get you to Disney Springs, the park’s shopping center. (Home to Sprinkles Cupcakes and The Art of Disney!) With three boat stations located here, you can also travel to select resort hotels.
Each boat route is named after a color, so its pretty easy to keep track of where you want to go. For example, the red flag route takes you from one dock to the next. You can board the boat at the rear of the Rainforest Café and take it right to the heart of Disney Springs!
The yellow route takes you between Disney Springs and the Riverside and Port Orleans French Quarter. The green route is the easiest way to get to and from the Old Key West Resort. Then the blue route gets you to the Saratoga Springs area of the park.
When you travel along these waterways, you might just find yourself thinking about Disney’s other famous boat ride – “it’s a small world.” Feel free to sing as you sail to Disney Springs, we won’t judge!
Disney World Buses (AKA Modern Pumpkin Carriages)
The most popular form of transportation around Disney World may be its buses. However, you can’t necessarily always take them to get where you want to go. For example, if you can take the monorail from a particular resort hotel to Magic Kingdom, there won’t be a bus service offered to or from it. And in some cases, you may be staying at a resort that is within walking distance of the parks. Luckily, for those resorts, you can usually still take a boat to your desired destination.
Arrival & Departure Transportation
If you are flying in to go to Disney World, your destination airport will be the Orlando International Airport. From there you should be able to take a motorcoach bus if you are staying at a Disney Resort.
For this reason alone, many visitors to Disney World choose this option. As long as you are staying within the resort, getting to and from the airport is as easy as boarding the buses. You’ll be able to purchase standard or premium tickets to reserve your bus ride from Orlando International Airport and back.
There are also tentative plans for the future to launch a Disney transportation service called the “Brightline Train.” This would take you from the airport directly to Disney Springs!
However you choose to get around at Disney World, you’ll find the experience unforgettable. While some guests aim to try every mode of transportation offered, others have a tried-and-true favorite they swear by. Either way, we definitely advise visitors to use Disney transportation options to get the most out of their visit. After all, some forms of transportation can be as fun as the many rides and attractions!
What’s your favorite Disney transportation method? Take the monorail down to the comments below!
Cover Image
Photo: CL Photographs via Flickr
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