What Is The Best Way To Get Around Disney World Without Renting A Car?
Looking for the best way to get around Disney World without renting a car?
I’m assuming this also means you don’t have your own car and will have to rely on Disney transportation or paid transportation like Uber.
Disney World has seemingly endless transportation options from buses, to monorails, to boats, and even the new Skyliner gondolas.
The best way to get around Disney World without renting a car will be to take advantage of all of these free transportation options.
Generally, the bus is going to be the best way to get around, but if your resort has another transportation option like a boat or the Skyliner, then that option is usually better than the bus.
In some cases it could be in your best interest to use another type of transportation service like the Minnie Vans, but it’s more of a luxury than a necessity.
Some places you can even just take a short 5-10 minute walk!
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What Is The Best Way To Get Around Disney World Without Renting A Car?
The best way to get around Disney World without renting a car depends on where you’re trying to go and when.
Disney World offers over half a dozen free transportation options throughout their property and where you’re staying and where you’re going will determine which options are available to you.
So let’s break down each transportation type and when each transportation type is best!
Free Disney World Transportation Methods + When To Use Them
The following transportation options are available for traveling between Disney resort hotels, theme parks, water parks, and Disney Springs.
You can use them as a resort hotel guest to get to the theme parks each day or just to resort hop for fun even if you’re not staying on property!
Disney Bus Transportation
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.
Disney Monorail Transportation
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.
Disney 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.
Saratoga Springs to Disney Springs is walkable and so is French Quarter to Riverside.
Disney Skyliner Transportation
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.
Disney Rideshare Transportation
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.
Walk
So there are actually a handful of places around Disney World where it’s actually quickest to just walk to your destination.
They’ve been mentioned previously, but let’s consolidate it all into one spot.
- Contemporary Resort/Bay Lake Tower <-> Magic Kingdom
- Polynesian Village <-> Transportation and Ticket Center
- Grand Floridian <-> Magic Kingdom
- Saratoga Springs/Treehouse Villas <-> Disney Springs
- Boardwalk/Yacht/Beach/Swan/Dolphin <-> Epcot/Hollywood Studios
- Art of Animation <-> Pop Century
- Port Orleans French Quarter <-> Port Orleans Riverside
- Riviera <-> Caribbean Beach
Sometimes the Disney Springs area boats cannot run due to low water tables, so when this happens, you can actually walk all the way from Disney Springs or Saratoga Springs to Old Key West as well.
You can walk it when the boats are running too, but I rarely see others do it.
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 nearly 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
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.
Where To Stay At Disney World
If at all possible, it is always best to stay at a Disney Resort Hotel.
These come with a bunch of additional perks and immerse you more in the Disney experience.
As a second choice, there are also a ton of partner hotels that are on Disney property, but aren’t owned by Disney.
For example, there’s all the hotels in the “Disney Springs Resort Area” along Hotel Plaza Boulevard and the Bonnet Creek Resort Area hotels.
Additionally, there is the Swan & Dolphin, Shades of Green, and the Four Seasons that are all on Disney property.
If none of those are available or are out of your price range, then I recommend local timeshare resorts.
They are available to non-timeshare owners just like a regular hotel would be, but they usually have more amenities like full kitchens, extra bedrooms, and more.
I’ve reviewed a ton of my favorites on another blog of mine called Timeshares, Resorts, and More.
These are some of the resorts I recommend checking out:
Aqua Sol
Aqua Sol is the furthest away.
It’s on the far side of Animal Kingdom, but it has it’s own mini water park and mini golf and a ton of other resort amenities.
The 2 bedrooms are recently renovated and absolutely beautiful and so spacious.
For the rooms themselves, this is my first choice.
Cypress Pointe
Cypress Pointe is just 5 minutes outside of Disney Springs and it’s my favorite place to stay when I can’t stay on property.
It’s one of the cheapest of the resorts and they have a really nice volcano pool and cafe.
I won a drawing for a free pool cabana for a day and made the absolute most of it!
Grande Villas
Grande Villas is actually right across the street from Cypress Pointe.
These two resorts actually share their amenities and guest access points with each other since they are both owned by Hilton Grand Vacations.
I enjoyed the pool deck area of Grande Villas because all of the amenities and entertainment were centrally located.
It’s usually pricier than Cypress Pointe, but the rooms are nicer.
Grand Beach
Grand Beach is on the south east end of Disney, closer to places like Wide World of Sports and Art of Animation, but still easily accessible to Disney Springs.
This resort looks like the Grand Floridian, so you might have seen it before when driving around Orlando.
The rooms are definitely a little dated, but the jacuzzi tub in the room is really nice and so is the pool.
It was one of the quieter resorts I’ve stayed in too.
Mystic Dunes
The last one I want to mention is a good compromise between all the resorts.
It’s usually pretty cheap, but not the absolute cheapest.
It’s about 15 minutes from just about any of the Disney theme parks, so it’s really convenient.
The resort is closer to more residential type areas and is really spacious.
There’s a golf course and it has more of a vacation resort feel than all of the others.
We’ve stayed here several times and it’s also the most convenient for us to visit family.
The Wrap-Up: What Is The Best Way To Get Around Disney World Without Renting A Car?
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.
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