Walt Disney World has so many fun and magical ways to get to the park. The question is: which one is best for you? Well, that all depends on where you want to go and how much time you have to get there. Come take a look at all the options that Disney offers to get you from point A to point B.
Monorail
Disney World and the monorail go hand in hand. You can’t imagine one without the other. The monorail has been the one of a kind “highway in the sky” since Disneyland opened in 1955. It was so popular and successful that it was used as the official park transportation of Walt Disney World when it opened in 1971. Walt Disney personally picked the monorail as the official ride system because he loved how futuristic it looked.
Pros
Monorails are uniquely “Disney”. There’s just something about stepping on that magical mode of transportation that makes you think to yourself “Vacation time!”. The monorail offers some amazing views as well. If you are staying at one of the monorail resorts (Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Polynesian Village Resort or the Grand Floridian Resort), you are always only a few stops away from the Magic Kingdom at any given time. Plus, this is the only mode of transportation that takes you directly through the middle of the Contemporary Resort! As of 2021, the monorail can take you to any of the monorail resorts, the Ticket and Transportation Center, Magic Kingdom and Epcot.
Cons
While the monorail is a really fun way to travel around Walt Disney World property, you are limited to where you can go. The monorail is great if you want to go to Magic Kingdom or Epcot but there is no way to get to Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom. Also, while the monorail can get you to Epcot, you have to transfer twice to do so. Recently, the monorails have been facing some issues and they have been down for maintenance or repair from time to time.
Boats
If you’ve ever wanted to travel around Disney World by boat, you’re in luck. Disney World has many lakes and lagoons on property and many different boats to help you get around them. Whether you want to take the ferry boat to Magic Kingdom, take a water taxi to select resorts, or take a friendship boat to Epcot and Hollywood Studios, you will have no shortage of options here.
Pros
Not only are the Disney boats a relaxing way to get around, they also boast some fantastic and unique views! What better way to get around Disney World than to sit back and relax on a boat? Disney boats are also fun-many boat captains are known to sing Disney songs to the guests. The boats can take you to Magic Kingdom from the Ticket and Transportation Center, Fort Wilderness Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and the Wilderness Lodge. The boats can also take you to Epcot and Hollywood Studios from Disney’s Boardwalk Villas, Disney’s Beach Club Villas, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, and the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resorts. Most boat routes run on 15-to-30-minute intervals.
Cons
Like the monorail, a big problem with Disney boats is that they aren’t available to go everywhere on Disney World property. Disney boats are also somewhat unpredictable and unreliable. They are not for people who have a tight, set schedule.
Buses
Walt Disney World has over 400 buses to get you where you need to go. Disney’s bus fleet is the third largest in the state of Florida! It is almost impossible to step foot onto Disney World property and not see a bus.
Pros
Disney always has buses running from 45 minutes before the parks open until one hour after the parks close. Disney buses also travel to all four parks, the resorts and Disney Springs. Disney buses are usually very clean, spacious and pretty comfortable. Guests who use Electronic Convenience Vehicles (ECVs) are able to board first which guarantees a spot for them to park their ECV. Many of the newer buses have USB ports for guests to charge their devices. Disney also updated their buses to have character wraps on the outside. Buses are large and can seat a lot of people. If you happen to be riding during a non-busy time of day, you will have plenty of room to relax and stretch out.
Cons
While the buses are very large, they often get really crowded at peak times of the day. Unlike the monorail or the boats, the buses are subjected to the main roads and are likely to be stuck in traffic. Perhaps one of the biggest cons of the bus system, is that if you miss your bus, you have to wait 10-20 minutes for the next one to come along. Disney usually is pretty good about letting people know if there are any issues with the buses so that you don’t waste your time.
Skyliner
Disney’s skyliners are the newest form of transportation at Disney World. Skyliners have opened up the skies to take guests to places that were only accessible by bus or car before. The skyliner is a fun and relaxing way to get around Walt Disney World. They are always moving and they go almost everywhere.
Pros
The skyliners are always moving and move at a good pace- they reach a top speed of 11 miles per hour. Skyliners are a very fun way to travel! They’re much more fun than taking the bus and they can take you to more places than some of the other modes of transportation. The skyliner views are some of the best views that you will experience on any mode of Disney transportation. This is also a very convenient way of transportation with easy on and off access. The “sky gondolas” are large enough to fit up to ten guests. They were designed to travel the shortest possible distance between two points. Skyliners have opened up a new hub of transportation to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. Guests staying at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort or Disney’s Riveria Resort will have quick, easy access to Hollywood Studios and Epcot.
Cons
Many of the gondolas are wrapped with pictures of Disney Characters which makes your view slightly obstructed. If you are afraid of heights, you should avoid this mode of transportation. There are also sudden stops sometimes on the skyliner which can leave you up in the air for a few minutes. The skyliners offer a lot of beautiful views that you normally wouldn’t see while walking around the park but with that- you also see a lot of the construction that Disney does an excellent job of hiding from the guests. There is also no air conditioning on the skyliner so if the ride does stop, it can get pretty hot.
Final Thoughts
Disney has many ways to get around property and all of them feel fun and magical. The best way to get to Magic Kingdom is, in my opinion, the monorail. Not only is it easy and fast, but it is exciting to stop at all of the monorail resorts on the way to the Magic Kingdom. The best way to get to Epcot is by either the Skyliner or the monorail. Again, they are both easy and quick ways to get there and they will offer the best views. The Skyliner is also the best way to get to Hollywood Studios as it is a direct line right there. Animal Kingdom is the park that is the furthest away and has the least amount of transportation options to get there. The best way (using Disney transportation) to get there is by either a bus. The Minnie Van will definitely be the fastest way but it will also set you back a few dollars. There is no wrong way to get around Walt Disney World property and you will find that the destination and the journey were both fun.
Posted by The Orlando Real on
Leave A Comment