Can You Use Your Own Transportation At Disney World?
Looking to know how you can use your own transportation at Disney World?
The short answer is yes, you can absolutely use your own transportation at Disney World.
I always loved road tripping to Disney and having the option of taking my own car wherever I needed to go, whenever I needed to go.
It allowed us to take advantage of some of the hidden gems most guests don’t get to explore.
This is especially useful when wanting to visit places off property too like Universal, Sea World, or a day trip to the beach.
However, some places charge for parking and others don’t, so if you’re bringing your own transportation for financial reasons, make sure to factor in the parking costs.
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Can You Use Your Own Transportation At Disney World?
Using your own transportation at Disney World is a great way to get around the property, but not a necessity.
There are so many ways to get around Disney World without bringing or renting a car.
Disney offers a variety of free transportation options including buses, boats, monorails, trains, and gondolas (aka the Skyliner).
There are also paid transportation options like rideshare services.
But if you want to bring your own car or rent one while you’re at Disney World, there are a few things you need to know that we are sharing below!
Free Parking at Disney World
If you are staying at a Disney Resort Hotel, including Disney Vacation Club resorts, overnight parking at your hotel and parking at the theme parks is free for the duration of your stay.
For a few years, Disney was charging hotel guests for overnight parking, but they have thankfully done away with that!
Both water parks (Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach) at Disney World also offer free parking.
Even Disney Springs offers parking for free!
If you’re a cast member or have a certain tier of a Disney World Annual Pass, you can get free parking at the theme parks.
If you have a dining reservation at one of the Disney hotels that you’re not staying at and you’re driving over, you can also park there for free in their short term parking spots.
These spots are usually near the front of the resort where guests would be checking in.
This only works if you have an actual reservation.
If you’re wanting to resort hop just to check it out or to dine without a reservation, they will likely turn you away.
You’ll either have to take one of Disney’s transportation options around or go park at Disney Springs for free, then take a Disney bus to where you need to go.
Sometimes if they’re not busy they will let you in when you’re a resort guest at any of Disney’s resort hotels but it’s not a guarantee!
3rd Party Parking at Disney World
If you’re going to the Swan, Dolphin, or Swan Reserve, parking works a little differently.
While they charge for parking here, you can get parking validated if you have an appointment at their Mandara Spa or if you’re dining at Amare, Il Mulino, Kimonos, Rosa Mexicano, Shula’s Steak House, or Todd English’s bluezoo.
Paid Parking at Disney World
If you’re visiting any of the theme parks, you will have to pay for parking unless you have some sort of benefit that covers parking, like the ones mentioned above.
Remember, those staying at a Disney Resort Hotel get free theme park parking, but you can pay the difference to upgrade to preferred parking if you’d like.
It would be about $15-$25 depending on the day.
As of Summer 2024, these are the parking rates at Disney’s theme parks:
- Standard parking for a car or motorcycle is $30 per day
- Preferred parking for a car or motorcycle is $45, $50 or $55 per day (price is seasonal)
- Oversized Vehicle Parking for a Shuttle, Limo, Camper Trailer, RV, Bus or Tractor Trailer is $35 per day
Another time you’d need to pay for parking is if you’re staying at or visiting the Swan, Swan Reserve, or Dolphin hotels.
While they’re on Disney property, they are 3rd party owned, so they operate a little differently.
As of Summer 2024, these are the parking prices for the Swan and Dolphin (including the Swan Reserve):
- Self-Parking is $36 per night, plus tax
- Valet Parking is $44 per night, plus tax
Note that there is a maximum 5-night charge for Walt Disney Travel Company Guests staying here – as in you booked your stay through the Walt Disney Travel Company.
Additionally, the resorts and hotels in the Bonnet Creek area and the Disney Springs Resort area each have their own fees for parking that change periodically.
Check with the individual one you’re staying at or visiting to get the most accurate prices and policies.
3 Tips For Theme Park Parking
Here are 3 things that will make parking at the theme parks easier and more manageable, especially if you’ve never done it before.
1. Complimentary Car Locator
Use the Car Locator service in the My Disney Experience app to remember where you parked.
It’s completely free!
2. Complimentary Trams
These trams are available at all 4 theme parks.
They will pick you up in the parking lot and drive you to the main entrance of the theme park.
These had gone away for awhile the last few years, but they have since returned to each of the parks.
This is great if you have younger kids or older adults who may not be able to walk long distances.
It’s also nice at the end of the night after you’ve already walked 20,000+ steps all day.
3. Designated Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
If you have an electric vehicle, you’re in luck!
Every theme park plus Disney Springs and a couple resorts offer designated EV parking spaces.
Here are all the EV parking spaces at the theme parks:
- Magic Kingdom park: 5 spaces—one space at the front of the Medical Parking Lot and 4 spaces at the front of the Zurg Parking Lot
- EPCOT: 4 spaces at the front of the Journey Parking Lot
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park: 4 spaces in the Medical Parking Lot
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 4 spaces at the front of the Mickey Parking Lot
Bringing an Electric Vehicle?
Just above, we listed where you can park an electric vehicle at the theme parks, but let’s look at where else you can park an EV and how to use the charging stations.
Disney Springs offers free parking and they have just over a dozen designated EV stations.
- 3 spaces on the 5th floor of the Orange Garage
- 3 spaces on the 5th floor of the Lime Garage
- 3 spaces on the 3rd floor of the Grapefruit Garage
- 4 spaces in the Watermelon Lot (near Cirque du Soleil)
A few of the Disney Resort hotels offer EV charging spaces as well.
These include:
- Coronado Springs: 6 spaces in general parking near ADA spaces
- Riviera: 2 spaces in general parking near ADA spaces
- Wilderness Lodge: 2 spaces in general parking near ADA spaces
I would imagine more will be added as they’re needed.
How to Charge Your EV at Disney World
You have to use a credit card or a pre-ordered ChargePoint card to use the EV charging stations at Disney World.
Essentially, you just can’t use cash.
You can get the pre-ordered card if you want at chargepoint.com
As of Summer 2024, the cost of charging your EV at the stations at the resort hotels is $0.35 per kwh.
The maximum service amount you’re allowed to receive in one sitting is $1.50.
If you’re charging your EV at Disney Springs, the rate is $0.40 per kwh for 20 minutes, then it is $0.30 per minute until you move your car.
If you leave your car for the day in a charging spot, the charging will automatically stop once the battery is fully charged, so you don’t necessarily need to come back to your car to check on it.
You’ll actually get an alert from ChargePoint on your phone when the car is fully charged.
Bringing Your Own Transportation For Guests With Disabilities
As long as you have a valid disability parking permit you can use the designated parking spaces throughout the property whether you’re at a resort hotel, theme park, or Disney Springs.
When you go through the Auto Plaza entering each theme park parking lot, ask about the disability parking lot if you need one.
These are a section of parking spaces much closer to the front of the parking lot to mitigate the extra time and effort it takes when using a wheelchair, scooter, or other mobility device.
If you don’t have a parking permit, you can ask the cast members that are directing cars in the parking lot for a spot at the end of the row that is closest to the tram.
This way you don’t have to walk far to the tram and the tram will then take you to the park entrance.
Know Before You Go
When paying to park at Disney World, parking fees are non-refundable and this includes preferred parking as well.
Parking is somewhat limited, so you’re not always guaranteed availability.
Truly the only time this would likely be a concern is visiting on Christmas or New Year’s Eve and you’re trying to park at Magic Kingdom at noon.
There may be some other one off occasions or special events happening that could fill parking lots but it is VERY rare.
You are allowed in and out privileges when you pay for parking at the theme parks.
So this allows you to pay one time and then you can park hop or just leave and come back to the same park later in the day without having to pay again.
However, just because you got into the parking lot once doesn’t guarantee a spot for you when you come back.
Again, this really only applies to major holidays or one off special events.
Nervous about driving around Disney World?
The last thing I want to say here is that Disney World is huge!
If you’ve never driven here before, you’ll want to use a GPS to get around.
There are many signs directing you where to go but they’re not always super specific.
For example, you may see a sign for the “Epcot Resort Area”, but if you don’t know what “area” your resort is in, that will mean absolutely nothing to you.
Generally, the theme parks and Disney Springs will be on most signs since that is what the vast majority of drivers will be looking for.
Traffic patterns have changed over the last decade to accommodate more visitors and to help with the flow of traffic.
There are lanes specifically for buses that visitors cannot drive in.
They are very obviously labelled and separated from the main road, so it should be very easy to avoid accidentally getting into these lanes.
Speed limits and rules of the road are taken VERY seriously on property.
For example, if you’re a cast member and you get a ticket on property you will likely be fired.
My last tip is to just be a defensive driver here.
There are many people driving around that have no idea where they’re going, they’re distracted by kids in the car or by looking around, and there are many foreigners.
So just be aware and maybe have your passenger be an extra set of eyes and ears for you!
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: Can You Use Your Own Transportation at Disney World?
Using your own transportation at Disney World is a great way to get around on your own schedule.
The more you visit, the easier it’ll be to navigate.
There are a lot of ways to park for free on property, especially if you’re staying at a Disney Resort hotel.
Just always be cautious of what’s going on around you and follow the rules of the road!
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