The Wonderful World of Transportation

Ellen and I have been called Disney geeks on more than one occasion. We cannot argue. So what is the depth of our geekiness? Well, we have been know to spend an entire day on property, here in Central Florida, doing nothing but riding the various modes of transportation. It’s mostly for me seeing as how I am a “planes, trains, and automobiles” kind of guy. I am constantly amazed by the logistics of it all.

Needless to say, you don’t need a car if you’re coming to Disney World and staying on property. Even if you want to take a day or two and go off-property, you can rent a car right from Disney, with free transportation between your resort and the car rental center. If you do drive in, you could leave your car parked and not use it again until you’re ready to head home.

Here is a breakdown of all the modes of transportation on Disney’s Florida property (NOTE: this doesn’t include non-Disney options, like taxis and public buses, or things that are considered attractions):

Ferry Boats – Meant to recreate the NY ferry experience of the early 20^th century, three of these 600-passenger vessels carry guests between the Magic Kingdom’s (MK) Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) and the entrance to the MK.

Launchers – Smaller boats, almost like water taxis, run two different routes. One travels daily in a circuit between the Magic Kingdom, the Grand Floridian, and the Polynesian. The other runs a continuous circuit between Wilderness Lodge, Fort Wilderness, and the Contemporary.

Cruisers – Disney calls these larger boats that run between the Magic Kingdom and Wilderness Lodge/Fort Wilderness ‘cruisers’. Both resorts have dedicated routes with exclusive service.

Friendship Boats – These boats run in the Epcot area. Two carry passengers around the World showcase, one from the front to the German pavilion, the other from the front to the Moroccan pavilion. A second set of Friendship boats runs from Epcot to the Boardwalk, then on to the Yacht & Beach Club resorts, the Swan & Dolphin, and Hollywood Studios. It follows the same route back to Epcot.

Water Taxis – Water taxis fill the waters in and around Disney Springs. One taxi route makes a continuous loop with three Disney Springs stops. Separate boats run from Disney Springs to both Port Orleans French Quarter and Port Orleans Riverside.

Monorail – The famous monorail runs three routes. The Express Monorail runs exclusively between the TTC and the Magic Kingdom. The Resort Monorail makes a continuous circuit that includes the TTC, the Polynesian, the Grand Floridian, the Magic Kingdom, and the Contemporary. The third monorail line runs between the TTC and Epcot.

Buses – Disney’s fleet of around 300 buses can carry you just about anywhere and everywhere on property. On average, buses arrive and depart every 10-20 minutes depending on time of day and destination.

NOTE: The launchers on Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake ARE NOT handicap friendly. They cannot accommodate ESVs or non-collapsed wheelchairs. The cruisers are handicap accessible, but they are challenging. All other transportation options are fully accessible and easy-to-use.

 

Getting From Here to There

As previously mentioned, you don’t need a car if you plan to stay on-site. There are transportation options to get you to and from any destination on property. Below we have broken down the options by resort:

Abbreviations used: MK – Magic Kingdom, EP – EPCOT, AK – Animal Kingdom, HS – Hollywood Studios, DS – Disney Springs, BB – Blizzard Beach, and TL – Typhoon Lagoon.

NOTE: Disney transportation options are subject to change at their discretion. You will never be left stranded, but weather, breakdowns, maintenance, etc. may render some options unavailable at any time. Please confirm transportation at your resort if you are at all concerned.

Magic Kingdom Area		EPCOT and Hollywood Studios Areas
Disney’s Contemporary Resort Bus: AK, HS, DS, BB, TL Boat: Fort Wilderness Campground Monorail: MK, EP, Polynesian Resort, Grand Floridian Resort		Disney’s Beach Club Resort Bus: MK, AK, DS, BB, TL Boat: HS, EP, Swan and Dolphin Hotel, Boardwalk Inn Monorail: Not available
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground and Resort Bus: EP, AK, HS, DS, BB, TL, Wilderness Lodge Boat: MK (Note: MK is accessible by bus with a transfer to Wilderness Lodge.) Monorail: Not available		Disney’s BoardWalk Inn Bus: MK, AK, DS, BB, TL Boat: HS, EP, Swan and Dolphin Hotel, Yacht and Beach Club Hotel Monorail: Not available
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Bus: AK, HS, DS, BB, TL Boat: MK Monorail: MK, EP, Contemporary Resort, Polynesian Resort		Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort Bus: MK, EP, AK, HS, DS, BB, TL Boat: Not available Monorail: Not available
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort Bus: AK, HS, DS, BB, TL Boat: MK Monorail: MK, EP, Contemporary Resort, Grand Floridian Resort		Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel Bus: MK, AK, DS, BB, TL Boat: EP, HS, Yacht and Beach Club, Boardwalk Inn Monorail: Not available
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Bus: MK, EP, AK, HS, DS, BB, TL, For Wilderness Campground Boat: MK, Contemporary, Fort Wilderness Campground Monorail: Not available		Disney’s Yacht Club Resort Bus: MK, AK, HS, DS, BB, TL Boat: EP, HS, Boardwalk Inn, Swan and Dolphin Hotel Monorail: Not available

 

Animal Kingdom Area		Disney Springs Area
Disney’s All-Star Resorts (Sports, Music, Movies) Bus: MK, EP, AK, HS, DS, BB, TL Boat: Not available Monorail: Not available		Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside Bus: MK, EP, AK, HS, DS, BB, TL Boat: DS Monorail: Not available
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Bus: MK, EP, AK, HS, DS, BB, TL Boat: Not available Monorail: Not available		Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter Bus: MK, EP, AK, HS, DS, BB, TL Boat: DS Monorail: Not available
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort Bus: MK, EP, AK, HS, DS, BB, TL Boat: Not available Monorail: Not available

 

ESPN Wide World of Sports Area
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort Bus: MK, EP, AK, HS, DS, BB, TL Boat: Not available Monorail: Not available		Disney’s Pop Century Resort Bus: MK, EP, AK, HS, DS, BB, TL Boat: Not available Monorail: Not available

–Matt and Ellen Gerwitz