How To Get Around Disney World Without Renting A Car

Trying to figure out how to get around Disney World without renting a car, without wasting hours waiting on the wrong bus?

Whether you’re flying in, avoiding sky-high rental fees, or just don’t want to deal with parking at the parks, getting around Disney without your own vehicle can feel overwhelming.

I’ve visited Walt Disney World hundreds of times without a car and know exactly which transportation options make your trip smoother and which can derail your day.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through every free Disney transportation system (buses, boats, monorails, and the Skyliner), plus when it’s actually worth splurging on extras like Minnie Vans or Uber.

You’ll learn how to choose the best route based on your resort, your park plans, and how much waiting around you’re willing to do.

Spoiler: sometimes, the fastest route is your own two feet.

Buses

Every Disney resort hotel offers bus transportation to its theme parks, water parks, and Disney Springs.

Some resort hotels have other transportation options that are more efficient, but for the most part, you’ll likely be taking the bus.

Below are some of the other transportation methods that some of the resorts have.

If it’s mentioned below, then it’ll be a better option than the bus.

If you don’t see your resort below, then just assume the bus is the best option.

Monorails

Disney’s monorail resorts include the Contemporary, Bay Lake Tower, Polynesian Village, and Grand Floridian.

The monorail also goes to Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and the Transportation and Ticket Center.

So if you’re going between any of the above places, the monorail will be the best way to get around Disney World, even if you have your own car.

Water Transportation (Boat, Ferry, and Water Taxi)

Several Disney resort hotels are along water ways connected to other resort hotels, theme parks, and Disney Springs.

Magic Kingdom Resort Area

Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake are the bodies of water outside of Magic Kingdom.

You can take boats, ferries, and water taxis between Magic Kingdom, Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Contemporary, Bay Lake Tower, the Transportation and Ticket Center, Wilderness Lodge, and Fort Wilderness.

For details on this specific area of Disney World check out our post on which Disney resorts have boat transportation to Magic Kingdom.

Epcot Resort Area

Another area of Disney property that has a boat system is between Epcot, Hollywood Studios, the Boardwalk, Yacht and Beach Clubs, and the Swan & Dolphin.

If you’re going to Epcot from any of these resorts, it’s actually quicker to just walk.

The boats can be kind of slow, but if one is already waiting at the dock and you’re wanting to go to Hollywood Studios from any of these resorts or Epcot, then the boat will likely be your quickest option.

Disney Springs Resort Area

The last area around Disney with a boat system connects Disney Springs with Saratoga Springs, Treehouse Villas, Port Orleans (French Quarter and Riverside), and Old Key West.

The boat is definitely the quickest way to get between all of these places.

At the time of your visit, Disney may be verifying valid resort reservations, dining reservations, or recreation reservations in order to board the boat at Disney Springs to go to these other resorts.

It’s possible to walk to Saratoga Springs and Old Key West from Disney Springs, but with this new system, they may also begin to restrict it without valid reservations.

Skyliner

We have a post that goes a little more in-depth about the Skyliner routes, but here’s a brief overview about when it’s most efficient.

The Skyliner resorts which consist of Art of Animation, Pop Century, Caribbean Beach, and Riviera do not offer bus transportation to Hollywood Studios or Epcot because they are all on the Skyliner route.

When going between these destinations, the Skyliner will always be your quickest option.

However, when the Skyliner is down for weather or maintenance, buses will become available and that will become your quickest option to get between these places.

You’ll remember that Hollywood Studios and Epcot are also connected by boat or just by walking.

Depending on how quickly your group walks, how long the wait is for a boat, and how long the wait is for the Skyliner, any of these options to get between Hollywood Studios and Epcot is efficient.

Personally, the Skyliner would be my last choice just because it does go down every so often and I wouldn’t want to be stuck up there.

Paid Rideshare Options and When To Use Them

If none of the free transportation options are appealing to you or just won’t get you where you need to go on time, there are a couple alternatives.

You could use a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft, which I’ve covered in another blog post about when it’s best to use these services.

But if you’ve never used them before and are nervous about the potential safety issues, there is a great alternative!

Minnie Vans

Minnie Vans are Disney’s own rideshare service that they operate through Lyft.

It holds up to 6 people and has 2 car seats available for no extra fee.

Again, you can only go to places on property.

You cannot use a Minnie Van for airport pickups or drop offs.

Minnie Vans can also accommodate wheelchairs and ECVs.

Special Mention: Bike Rentals

Disney does offer bike rentals, but they can’t really be used to get from one place to another.

You can rent by the half hour and take it around the resort you rented it from, but you can’t take it out on the road or anything like that.

Some resorts are connected by the bike path though so you can still use the bike rentals to see other resorts during a leisurely ride.

You still have to return your bike back to where you got it from though.

Some examples:

• Port Orleans French Quarter and Riverside
• Old Key West and Saratoga Springs and Disney Springs
• Boardwalk, Yacht Club, Beach Club, Swan, and Dolphin

Disney World Transportation Tips and Tricks

Here are my top 3 tips for getting around Disney World without renting a car.

1. Beat the Crowds

If you’re wanting to rope drop the theme parks, you’ll want to be at your bus stop, Skyliner station, boat dock, etc., 30 minutes before it starts running in the morning.

When you check in to your resort they’ll give you all of your resort information, so you’ll know what time your transportation options are running.

This is when the lines will be the longest, so you’ll want to be close to the front of the line if rope dropping is important to you.

2. Fold Your Strollers and Wheelchairs

Most of the transportation options will require you to fold up strollers unless they’re being used as a wheelchair for a child.

This allows more people to get onto the bus or boat and prevents and fire hazards from being in the way.

While you’re standing in line waiting do this.

Don’t wait until you’re boarding to do this because you’re just making it take longer for everybody else too.

I think only the ferry from the Transportation and Ticket Center to Magic Kingdom doesn’t require folding strollers.

Some of the smaller boats require folding up wheelchairs too because of the space they take up and giving other passengers an emergency exit route.

So basically, my advice is to take care of what you need to while you’re waiting instead of doing it all while everyone is trying to board.

3. Resort Hop During Your Vacation

Being Disney Vacation Club members, we’ve been going to Disney World multiple times a year for over 30 years now.

We love to split our stays around property based off of the parks we’re visiting or down time activities we want to do.

We book 2-3 nights at any of the Boardwalk area resorts when we want to go to Epcot and Hollywood Studios so we can just walk right in.

Then when we want to go to Magic Kingdom, we book a monorail resort, Wilderness Lodge, or Fort Wilderness.

Again we’re able to just walk, take a boat across the lake, or take the monorail.

When we want to just have fun days, we book at Disney Springs area resort so we can walk between all of these, take the boat, and be near Typhoon Lagoon.

Recent Transportation Changes Around Disney World

Depending on how long it’s been since you’ve been to Disney World, there may be some new changes you’re not aware of.

The biggest one for me is that they’ve moved security for the monorails.

It used to be they only had security at the entrance of Magic Kingdom.

Now you have to go through security before getting onto any monorail.

This means security is at the Transportation and Ticket Center and each resort.

When you’re resort hopping just for fun around the monorail resorts this gets tedious, but it’s all for better safety and security!

The newer metal detectors that they use pick up on umbrellas, so if you’re carrying one, you have to take it out of your bag before going through security.

Then you’ll have to hold it away in front of your body as you go through security.

If you’re unsure what to do, security will instruct you about this anyway, so don’t worry too much about it.

Getting Around Disney World With Wheelchairs, ECVs, and Strollers

I touched on this a little bit earlier, let’s give a little more context for each situation if you’re traveling with a wheelchair, ECV, or stroller.

Buses

These accommodate wheelchairs, ECVs, and strollers.

However, they are limited in how many ECVs they can accommodate at a time.

Different buses can hold different numbers, but it’s usually like 1-2 ECVs, maybe some can do 3-4 now.

You usually won’t have to wait for multiple buses to be able to get on with an ECV, but during peak times it’s definitely possible.

The best alternative would be an accessible Minnie Van if you’re on a time crunch and can’t wait for multiple buses.

Monorails

These also accommodate ECVs, strollers, and wheelchairs.

Each monorail car can only fit so many, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen them so full that someone in an ECV would have to wait for the next monorail.

If you’re able to, fold up your stroller or wheelchair to make more room during busy times.

If you’re not able to, that is totally fine as well, everyone understands!

Boats

This depends on the type of boat you’re taking.

The ferry accommodates wheelchairs, ECVs, and strollers.

The cruisers, which are the covered boats, also accommodate wheelchairs, ECVs, and strollers.

Water launches and water taxis, which are the boats that look like old sailing ships cannot accommodate ECVs at all.

These boats accommodate wheelchairs and strollers, but you must be able to transfer out of them.

These are only on the some of the boat routes around Magic Kingdom.

We go into full detail in our boat transportation post.

Skyliner

The Skyliner is also fully accessible for wheelchairs, ECVs, and strollers.

There is even a special loading area for those that need the extra time for boarding and un-boarding.

Rideshare

You can request a Minnie Van that can accommodates an ECV through the Lyft app.

Regular Minnie Vans also have room to fold up a wheelchair or stroller.

If you have several in your group, you may have to take multiple vans.

Other rideshare services like Uber or the regular Lyft vehicles may or may not accommodate wheelchairs, strollers, or ECVs.

You’ll just have to check with each one when you’re on the app.

Transportation Options For The Airport And Other Orlando Theme Parks

All of Disney World’s transportation options only take you around the Disney property.

If you’re wanting to go to the airport, Universal, Sea World, or anywhere else in the Orlando area, you’ll have to pay for some form of transportation.

These are the most commonly used transportation methods.

LYNX Bus System

LYNX is Orlando’s public bus system.

They have stops at the Transportation and Ticket Center and at Disney Springs.

Then from there you can follow the bus route to wherever you need to go.

They even have a route now that goes between that airport and Disney Springs.

Shuttles (Like Mears Connect)

This is one of the better options for airport pick ups and drop offs.

Mears Connect is like a charter bus that will make a few stops around Disney to take everyone to the airport.

It’s free for children 2 and younger, $13 for children, and $16 for adults each way.

Sun Rail

Sun Rail is the commuter train that goes through the Orlando and Kissimmee area, but doesn’t have any stops within Disney World.

I-Ride Trolley

This trolley stops all along International Drive, also known as I-Drive.

It’s not connected to Disney World at all but if you take other transportation from Disney to this area, then you can use the trolley to further get around.

It runs from 8 am – 10:30 pm daily and is only $6 for a day pass.

If you buy a multi-day pass it gets cheaper for each day.

You can get to places like Icon Park, the outlet mall, the convention center, and Universal with only about a 20-30 minute wait in-between trolleys.

LYMMO Downtown Circulator

This is a bus that runs through Downtown Orlando, which is a good 30 minutes away from Disney.

You can get to Lake Eola and the Phillips Performing Arts Center by taking this service.

Gray Line Orlando

Gray Line is a tour company that can take you on excursions out to other areas like the Kennedy Space Center or airboat rides.

Brightline is a high speed rail service that runs from the Orlando airport all the way down the east coast to Miami.

It’s not connected to Disney, but once you’re at the Orlando airport there are a ton of options for getting to Disney.

Is It Better To Rent A Car Or Use Disney’s Free Transportation?

So to summarize all of this information, generally the bus will be the best way to get around Disney World without renting a car.

Some resorts are in walking distance of each other and some of the theme parks, so if you’re there, just walk.

Some resorts have boats, monorails, or the Skyliner, so if your resort has that, take it!

These are all free options!

If you’re really in a time crunch and need to get somewhere ASAP, there’s also rideshare, specifically the Minnie Vans.

To get a comparison on the time savings between taking Disney’s transportation versus driving your own car, check out our post about which option is better for your trip.

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