We know spending time in the theme parks is what a Disney World vacation is all about, but you actually have to get to the parks first before you can hop in line for your favorite rides! Disney offers several complimentary transportation options for guests to take advantage of, including the Monorail, Skyliner, buses, boats, and even walking paths!

When you’re in Disney World, it’s super important to make sure you DON’T make transportation mistakes that could cost you time and cause some major headaches!

Don’t Think You Can Travel Directly to Disney Springs if You’re in a Park

As of this writing, guests are still unable to travel directly to Disney Springs by bus if you are at a theme park and vice versa. If you’re looking to take the bus from a park to Disney Springs, you’ll have to head to a resort hotel and transfer there to a bus that will take you to Disney Springs.

Another option if you want to get to Disney Springs a little quicker from the parks is to take a taxi or use a ride share service like Uber or Lyft. Just keep in mind that these are not complimentary options, but they could save you valuable time.

Click here for 6 tips for using Uber in Disney World!

Don’t Pick the Wrong Monorail

Disney World offers Monorail transportation around Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, which means there are multiple Monorail loops to choose from! You could easily wind up on the WRONG Monorail if you aren’t paying attention and reading those signs.

Be sure to know the difference between the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT Monorails. You won’t be able to take a Monorail directly from one park to the other; you’ll need to transfer at the Transportation and Ticket Center.

Also, there are TWO separate Monorail loops around Magic Kingdom! There’s an express loop that will take guests between Magic Kingdom and the Transportation and Ticket Center, and there’s another loop that will stop at each of the Monorail resorts: Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.

Here’s a useful tip! Sometimes, the Magic Kingdom Resort Monorail loop is actually faster at night because guests are often rushing to the express loop when the park closes! The resort loop DOES stop at the Transportation and Ticket Center, so while there are more stops, the resort loop may be a quicker option (with a shorter line) at the end of your day in Magic Kingdom.

Click here for Disney World tips that sound great…except when they’re not.

Don’t Miss Out on Time-Saving Transportation From TTC

Speaking of the Transportation and Ticket Center, there are some additional time-saving tips to keep in mind so you can spend more time in the parks and less time trying to get to the parks! For example, did you know that there are buses that take you to and from the Transportation and Ticket Center? They aren’t always available, but when they are, they can be the quickest way to get to Magic Kingdom!

Don’t forget that you can also take the Monorail and Ferry, providing you with multiple ways to get to the park.

Another hot tip to keep in mind is that if you’re staying at the Swan, Dolphin, or other non-Disney resort on property, you will actually be dropped off at the Transportation and Ticket Center when going to Magic Kingdom by bus — plan accordingly!

Should you take the Monorail to rope drop EPCOT? Click here to see what we’ve experienced!

Don’t Fall Victim to the Internal Bus Loops

Several resort hotels in Disney World have big, sprawling layouts — which can mean extra time on the bus when getting to and from the parks. These larger resort hotels have multiple bus stop locations, which can add quite a bit of time to your total transportation time to and from the theme park each day, both at morning and at night. Be sure to budget your time wisely!

This means that the building that you stay in at these resorts matters!! If you’re close to one of the last stops, you may wind up waiting through a few cycles of buses before you find one with empty seats. On the other hand, once you’re on the bus, you’ll depart from the resort quickly and be on your way to the parks.

There are other pros and cons to remember with the different stops at these resorts. The first stop in the morning means you get a first stab at seats, but you have to travel to all of the other stops.

Click here to read about why some guests hate certain Disney World resort hotels!

Don’t Forget About Walking If You’re Able!

Last but not least, don’t forget about the walking paths around Disney World! If you are able to walk, it may actually be a faster way to get from point A to point B. For example, EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are connected by a walking path, and it is often quicker than waiting for a boat or the Skyliner. 

If the resort you’re staying at comes with walking access to a park, it can give you the ability to leave your resort at the time you want in the morning (you don’t have to wait for any buses to start running!). Likewise, you can walk back to your hotel at your leisure without having to wait for a bus.

Don’t forget about the newest pedestrian walkway between Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa! This means that all three Monorail resorts are connected to Magic Kingdom via walkway, which is good to keep in mind if the Monorail and boats are busy.

Click here to read about some of the secret walkways that can help you avoid crowds in Disney World!

We hope these tips help you save some valuable time on your next Disney World vacation! Be sure to keep these recommendations in mind when choosing which transportation method you want to use, which resort you want to stay at, etc. And don’t forget to follow along as your vacation comes up for all of the latest news and updates from around Disney World.

What is your preferred mode of transportation around Disney World? Let us know in the comments!