Walt Disney World is massive, but the 43-square-mile resort is full of convenient (and free) transportation options to help you get around. Whether you’re planning your first Disney World vacation or have been to the Most Magical Place on Earth quite a few times, there’s still so much to learn to make sure you’re using Disney transportation most effectively.

Disney World Transportation Tips

I’ve been using Disney transportation for most of my life (my favorite photo with my grandparents is us standing at a Fort Wilderness bus stop in 2000), so I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve when it comes to catching the bus or hopping on the Skyliner. Here are my top Disney transportation tips to help you on your next vacation.

1. Know Your Options

You’ll find comprehensive transportation options across Disney World. If you’re trying to find your way around in the moment, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. I recommend spending some time ahead of your trip to study all the transportation options available — and which parts of the resort they connect. That way, when you’re actually at Walt Disney World, you don’t have to scramble to figure out which transportation to take.

Here’s a quick rundown of all the Walt Disney World transportation options:

• Buses: These connect most resorts to theme parks, water parks, and Disney Springs. Given its size, Disney’s Fort Wilderness has an intrabus system to get around the resort as well.
• Boats: You can catch a boat to and from certain parks and resorts at a number of spots around property. There’s also a boat that takes you down the Sassagoula River to Disney Springs from select resort hotels.
• Monorail: The monorail connects three resorts around the Seven Seas Lagoon, as well as Magic Kingdom and the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC). An express monorail stops nowhere but Magic Kingdom and the TTC (no resort stops). A separate monorail line entirely connects EPCOT and Magic Kingdom.
• Skyliner: The Disney Skyliner connects select resort hotels to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT (at the International Gateway entrance).
• Trams: Parking lots at Disney World are massive. You can use complimentary trams to get around more easily.

2. Line Up Early

If you’re rope dropping any of the four parks, you’ll want to line up for Disney transportation early. In general, transportation will start running about an hour before the parks open (but you can always verify with a Cast Member at your hotel).

However, people will begin lining up well before transportation starts running. Particularly during busy months and on weekends, you’ll want to get in line at least half an hour before transportation starts, if being among the first in the parks (and thus the first on the rides) is important to you.

Outside of rope dropping, you don’t need to plan to get in line early.

3. Bring Activities to Pass Time in the Lines

Lines for transportation at the start or end of a park day can get long, particularly if you’re waiting for a bus to take you home at night. If you’ve got little ones who get antsy, pack some activities like coloring books, handheld games, or favorite toys to help pass the time.

You can also play games like 20 Questions or I Spy.

4. Know When Disney Transportation Stops for the Night

Unfortunately for us party animals, Disney transportation doesn’t run all night—and certainly not from one hotel to another. I’ve had to rely on Uber or Lyft after a late night at Abracadabar at the BoardWalk area, and I’ve also met friends for drinks at the Dahlia Lounge at Gran Destino Tower and stayed long after transportation shut down.

If you don’t want to have to pay for a rideshare, make a note of what time transportation stops running to your resort. You can often catch a late bus from Disney Springs to your hotel, but the park buses won’t run late into the night.

5. Note the Monorail’s Direction

The monorail runs in a clockwise direction. Starting at Magic Kingdom, it goes to the Contemporary, TTC, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, and back to Magic Kingdom. If you’re having a resort-hopping day or trying to complete the unsanctioned monorail bar crawl, keep in mind which way it travels.

For instance, if you’re at the Poly and want to go to the Contempo next, you’ll have to go all the way around the loop. This isn’t usually a huge deal, unless you’re running late for reservations.

6. Anticipate Nerves on the Skyliner

The Disney Skyliner is slow moving and doesn’t go too high, but those with a fear of heights or enclosed spaces may struggle with Disney’s gondola system. Similarly, I’ve encountered plenty of families with young kids who were absolutely terrified of the Skyliner.

If you’re at a hotel on the Skyliner route, it’s your only option for getting to Hollywood Studios and EPCOT. If your little one has a meltdown and refuses to get on, you’ll need to call a cab to get to the parks.

If possible, go to Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom on your first day and encourage your child to ride one of the “big kid” rides: Barnstormer at Magic Kingdom or DINOSAUR at Animal Kingdom are good choices. Then, the next day, if they express nerves about the Skyliner, remind them how brave they were on the rides the previous day—and let them know the Skyliner is a cinch compared to those!

If your kid has conquered Peter Pan’s Flight, that’s a great comparison to make, as they “flew high above London and Never Land” aboard the pirate ship in Magic Kingdom. The Skyliner should feel quite the same!

7. Pack Warm Clothes for the Buses

Disney World bus transportation is crucial. At some point on your trip, if you’re visiting all four parks (or the water parks or Disney Springs), you’ll probably be on a Disney bus. They are the most common form of Disney transportation, after all.

And they are cold.

You might not think you need warm clothes for Disney World, but if you’re someone who gets chilly easily, I recommend a thin hoodie to wear on the bus, which you can simply roll up and store in your park bag once you’re back out in the swampy Florida humidity.

8. Use Sister Resorts and Other Stops When Buses Are Busy

As vast and complex as the Disney bus transportation system is, the buses can sometimes take a while, particularly during peak times (morning and night). Sometimes, it makes sense to use a nearby resort’s bus stop as long as the resorts are connected.

For instance, if you’re staying at an All-Star Resort and your bus hasn’t come yet, but another All-Stars bus just showed up, consider hopping on (if there’s room). You’ll get dropped off at the wrong All-Stars hotel, but they’re all connected by walking paths, and they aren’t too far apart. All-Star Music is in the center, which is why it’s my favorite of the three to book—if you use one of the other two’s buses, you’re only one resort away when you get dropped off.

This trick also works with Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter, though the walk between the two is longer.

Finally, if you’re in the parks and want to go to Disney Springs (or vice-versa), you’ll find there are no direct buses between the two. Instead, I catch a bus to or from Saratoga Springs, which is only a five-minute walk from Disney Springs.

9. Consider Walking

Getting your steps in at Walt Disney World is easy, and not just at the parks. Many resorts have beautiful walking paths that connect them to other areas. Here are some of my favorite paths:

• Hollywood Studios to EPCOT (and vice-versa): Disney World’s boat transportation is fun, and it’s always lovely to use the boat service between EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. These two parks are also connected by the Skyliner. But if lines are long or I’m feeling like a light jog, I actually love to walk the path between these two parks.

• Port Orleans: The two Port Orleans Resorts are connected by a peaceful walking path along the river. Sometimes, you’ll pass a horse-drawn carriage along this path—the clop-clop of the horse hooves and the buzzing bugs are the only sounds late in the evening.

• Saratoga Springs and Disney Springs: Guests staying at Saratoga Springs can easily walk to Disney Springs. No boat necessary!

• Contemporary to Magic Kingdom: If you’re staying at the Contempo and want to rope drop Magic Kingdom, skip the monorail. You’re most likely to be first in line if you walk the path connecting the Contemporary and Magic Kingdom.

10. But Remember That You Can’t Walk Most Places

When you look at a Disney World map, you might think you can walk from one resort to another, especially if they’re close by. However, many are separated by large, multi-lane roads, and there simply isn’t a way to get from one to the other.

The Riviera Resort, for instance, looks so close to EPCOT, but you’ll have to hop on the Skyliner; there’s no walking trail! Similarly, though Caribbean Beach Resort is a stone’s throw from Hollywood Studios, there’s a bunch of protected wetlands in between; you’ll need to take the Skyliner for this route as well.

You can always ask Cast Members about walking paths from your home resort, but chances are good, to get most places, you’ll need to use Disney transportation.

11. Get a Rental Car

While Disney’s complimentary transportation is wonderful, you don’t have to use it. Whether you’re staying off-property, plan to drive to the beach, or simply want to spend a day or two at Universal Studios, having a car can be nice (and it certainly makes rope dropping easier),

Even if you’re staying on property, having a car might be nice: You get free parking at your hotel and at the parks; Disney Springs parking is always free.

If you’re driving down to Walt Disney World, you can, of course, bring your own car. But you can easily arrange for a rental car at the Orlando International Airport or even at Walt Disney World. There are three rental agencies available on property near Magic Kingdom:

• Enterprise
• Alamo
• National

These can be great for a day trip to Universal, the beach on either coast, or simply a tour of the greater Orlando area. You can even get a free shuttle to and from your hotel when renting from one of these rental offices on Disney property.

12. Make a Note of Where You Parked

If you’re driving your own car or a rental, parking at Disney World is easy. But in the morning, amid all the excitement, it’s tempting to rush to the park entrance without thinking twice about where your car is. At the end of a long day, the last thing you want to do is wander the parking lot, feet dragging, with no clue where you parked.

Always take a photo, leave a note in your smartphone about where you parked, or use your preferred map app’s “find parked car” feature. And in case your phone dies (though I recommend getting a Fuel Rod at Walt Disney World to make sure that doesn’t happen), share the coordinates or photo with a companion while you still have a full battery, to be safe.

13. Consider a Minnie Van or Rideshare

If you don’t have your own car or a rental car but you also want more private transportation around the resort, you can always call an Uber or Lyft to take you anywhere on property.

Lyft also partners with Walt Disney World to offer the Minnie Van Service, which is a red van with white polka dots that can take you all around the resort. Even better, these vans are designed to accommodate wheelchairs and car seats.

14. (Maybe) Plan Ahead for Airport Transportation

Gone are the days when Disney World Resort guests got complimentary shuttle service to and from the Orlando International Airport (RIP Magical Express). That means families may need to plan ahead.

If you’d like to take the affordable (but alas, not free) shuttle service from Mears, you should book in advance. The shuttle will take you directly to your hotel on your arrival date and will pick you up with more than enough time on your departure date to get you back to MCO. Mears also offers one-way transportation if you don’t need roundtrip.

This shuttle service is super affordable if there’s just one or two of you traveling, but if you’re in a larger group, it may actually be more affordable to take a taxi, Uber, or Lyft — and you don’t need to book that in advance.

In fact, I like to get a rideshare from the parks, go to a Publix to load up on groceries, and then take another rideshare to the parks. You’ll just need a plan for your luggage while grocery shopping.

Pro Tip: There are some luxury transport services that include a short stop at a grocery store (and you can leave your luggage in the trunk).

15. Think About Transportation When Booking a Resort

My last — but maybe most important — tip is to think about Disney transportation before booking a hotel. If you’re planning to stay on property, your choice of lodging is about way more than which Disney hotel has the best pool or nicest views. You’ll also want to think about transportation.

For instance, if your family will be spending extra days at Magic Kingdom, you might want a hotel on the monorail loop. EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios fans would do better to book a resort on the Skyliner route. Though if you plan to keep the party going after a day at EPCOT somewhere on the BoardWalk, you’ll want an EPCOT-area hotel that lets you walk to EPCOT and the nighttime entertainment around Crescent Lake—no transportation needed.

Some hotels are notoriously worse for transportation than others. The All-Star Resorts, for instance, only have bus options, and they’re far away from most parks (but close to Animal Kingdom). Many fans criticize the Port Orleans bus system, but I’ve never had a problem getting on a bus quickly—and I love the boat to Disney Springs.

Think about which type of transportation your family would prefer most and which areas of the resort you’ll spend the most time (and thus which transportation options are most convenient). This can help you pick the right Walt Disney World Resort Hotel for you.

Need More Help Planning?

Transportation is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to planning a trip to Disney World. For more help, get a copy of WDW Magazine’s “Perfect Park Planning” issue or enlist the assistance of a (free!) Disney Travel Agent to plan your trip from start to finish.