How to Get from Park to Park at Disney

The Skyliner is the coolest way to get from one park to another. At least for free.

Disney World has a very robust transportation system that allows guests to move about the entire property without the use of a car. You can get almost anywhere if you take enough buses. The transportation system is primarily designed to get you from a resort to a park. However, you can also travel from each park to another park, making park hopping a lot easier. There are several options depending on the park of origin and the park you’re trying to get to .

How to Get from Park to Park at Disney World

The easiest way to get from park to park at Disney World is by bus. Each park can be accessed by the other 3 parks via a Disney bus. Important note: currently, you are unable to park hop until 2PM. The buses that run between the parks won’t run until shortly before 2PM, and you must have a valid Park Hopper ticket to board. Be warned, when traveling to Magic Kingdom, the buses will only drop you off at the Transportation and Ticket Center. You’ll still have to take a ferry or monorail to Magic Kingdom.

If you look closely this bus is headed to Magic Kingdom. You better chase it. (Photo Cred: Ashley, https://flic.kr/p/3k4p9r)

Driving and Parking at Disney World

Obviously, if you brought a car, you can always drive from park to park. Parking is free for Disney resort guests. Those staying offsite only need to pay for parking once a day. Tip: Magic Kingdom is the worst park to drive to. You’ll have to park at the Transportation and Ticket Center, then board a boat or monorail to get to Magic Kingdom.

Using a Minnie Van at Disney World

Another option to get anywhere in Disney World is the Minnie Van service (clever pun, indeed). This is a special rideshare service that you book through the Lyft app. Unlike a typical Lyft, you can only travel on Disney property, only ride in a Minnie themed car, and every car has two car seats for the kids. However, unlike the other options listed here, it’s not free.

The Minnie Van. Technically a Chevy Traverse, but we’ll let is slide. (Photo Cred: Martin Lewison, https://flic.kr/p/2hP9897)

Now, let’s go over some of the unique ways to get between each park.

How to Get from Epcot to Magic Kingdom (or get from Magic Kingdom to Epcot)

Besides taking the bus, there’s only one free Disney transportation option to get between Epcot and Magic Kingdom. You can get from Epcot to Magic Kingdom via the monorail. You board outside the front entrance of Epcot (near the big golf ball/Spaceship Earth), travel to the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC), and switch trains. The second train will pass by the Polynesian and Grand Floridian Resort before getting to Magic Kingdom.

The monorail giving a nice view of Epcot.

Monorail from Magic Kingdom to Epcot

To get from Magic Kingdom to Epcot via the monorail, simply do the reverse. Board the monorail outside the entrance to the TTC (passing Contemporary this time). Change trains at the TTC and make your way to Epcot. We always try to ride the monorail at least once every trip. There’s something magical about seeing the castle appear in the distance at MK or riding through the park at Epcot. We like to take it at least once per trip.

Second Dad to the Right transporting a sleeping Third Baby to the Right at the TTC.

It takes about 15 minutes to get between Epcot and TTC and about 10 minutes to get between the TTC and Magic Kingdom. Therefore, it’s about 25 minutes of total travel time, but this doesn’t include any walking or waiting during the train transfer. Near open, close, or near 2PM (park hopping time) you may see larger crowds that will slow you down.

Second Dad to the Right on the monorail with a princess and an illegally wide stroller (retired after new rules).

Here’s a possibly faster option. Take a bus from Epcot to the Contemporary Resort, and walk to Magic Kingdom—or walk from Magic Kingdom to Contemporary and take the bus to Epcot. Whether this is faster or not depends on your walking speed and bus availability. If you’re leaving Epcot and see the Contemporary bus available, hop on it.

How to Get from Hollywood Studios to Magic Kingdom (or get from Magic Kingdom to Hollywood Studios)

Besides the bus, there really isn’t a way to get from Hollywood Studios to Magic Kingdom and back again. Your only other alternate option is to take a bus to Contemporary (or from Contemporary) and walk to Magic Kingdom. Don’t forget that the bus between Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios is really a bus between the Transportation and Ticket Center and Hollywood Studios. To get to and from Magic Kingdom and the TTC, you’ll have to board a boat or take the monorail.

Apparently, the bus is a great place to take a nap.

How to Get from Hollywood Studios to Epcot (or Epcot to HS)

Hollywood Studios and Epcot are the two parks that are closest together. Therefore, they have the largest amount of unique transportation options between them. Besides taking a bus from one park to the other, you can also take a boat, the Skyliner, or even walk.

Boat from Epcot to Hollywood Studios

To take a boat, you can board one at the front of Hollywood Studios on the left. To board at Epcot, you will need to use the back entrance between France and England. It’s called the International Gateway, but I call it the English Channel. Pause for laughter. The ride takes about 30 minutes, and boats run every 15-30 minutes. So, you’re looking at a travel time of 45-60 minutes unless you’re lucky and a boat is waiting for you. It takes awhile because it also stops at resorts along the way. This is far and away the slowest way to go, but it’s about the experience, right?

One of the boats from Epcot to Hollywood Studios. (Photo Cred: Brian Holland https://flic.kr/p/e7f8Cc)

Can you take the Skyliner from Epcot to Hollywood Studios?

You sure can. To take the Skyliner (the newest and most fun option), head to the back of Epcot (English Channel again) and the front left of Hollywood Studios. It’s hard to miss the gondolas moving by in the air. Once onboard the Skyliner, you’ll have to transfer to your desired destination at Caribbean Beach. You can pass right through Riviera without getting off. You have to transfer because your gondola is headed back where it came from, and you have to choose to go to a park or to Art of Animation/Pop Century.

It takes 17 total minutes of riding time to get from Hollywood Studios to Epcot or vice versa. This does not include the time spent in line at your park of origin or time spent waiting at Caribbean Beach. On the whole, this is usually a much faster option than the boat. However, the Skyliner will stall for high winds, inclement weather, or someone having difficulty boarding. If you’ve ever been on a ski lift, you probably know how bad an unprepared person can foul up a gondola ride.

A rare character interaction: Second Dad to the Right met Tinker Bell on the Skyliner

Walking from Epcot to Hollywood Studios

The last option for getting from Hollywood Studios to Epcot or from Epcot to Hollywood Studios is to walk. Just like the boat and Skyliner, you will depart from the back entrance of Epcot or the front entrance of Hollywood Studios. You’ll pass by the Boardwalk (which is fun place to visit with shops and restaurants) and the Swan and Dolphin hotels to get there. While there’s signage directing you to each resort and park. I recommend checking your GPS periodically to make sure you didn’t wander in the wrong direction towards the pizza window or something. The walk is about 1.1 miles, which is a leisurely 20 minutes, a fast…whatever your mile time is, or a couple of hours if you sightsee at the Boardwalk.

The Boardwalk is a cool place to check out. (Photo Cred: Chad Sparkes https://flic.kr/p/Gyg8AJ)

How to Get from Animal Kingdom to Magic Kingdom, to Hollywood Studios, or to Epcot

This one is easy. Take the bus. There’s no walking options (unless you’re wandering down the highway). There’s no boat, no Skyliner, no monorail, and no Banshees (Sivako!!) that will take you to any other park. There are buses, there’s your car, and there’s other people’s cars (rideshare). They should probably do something about this in the future. I want to ride an elephant gondola to the Dumbo ride. They’ve already got the elephant on the entrance.

The Entrance to Animal Kingdom, where they could install a Dumbo Skyliner to Magic Kingdom (Phot Cred: Jeremy Thompson, https://flic.kr/p/2obJ7Y9)

Further Reading

If you want to know more about how to do stuff at Disney, check out my article on how to use Genie Plus or my explanation of Disney World.

Quick Note About Traveling With Strollers

A lot of my readers have small children and use strollers. Disney likes to keep parents on their toes by having different rules for strollers on every type of transportation. So, here’s a quick guide.

Can you take a stroller on a bus at Disney?

Yes, you can take a stroller on the bus, but you have to get your kids out of it and fold it up. Apparently, it’s a DOT rule, so don’t try to fight it.

Can you take a stroller on a boat at Disney?

Yes, you can take a stroller on a Disney boat, and you can leave it open with the kids in it. However, if it’s really crowded, it might be easier for you to fold it and hold your child.

Can you take a stroller on the monorail at Disney?

Yes, you can take your stroller on the monorail at Disney. You can leave it open and leave your kids in it. Folding it and holding your kids might make it easier to slide into a crowded train car, but I’d just wait for the next one.

Can you take a Stroller on the Skyliner at Disney?

This is the tricky one. You can leave a single stroller open, or a tandem (front/back) double stroller. However, you have to fold a side-by-side double stroller.