Here’s how to use Disney World’s free bus transportation system to get from theme parks to resorts and beyond (without winding up confused.)
With regular, well-timed routes, convenient pickup and drop-off locations for every resort and theme park, and cool air-conditioned interiors, Disney World’s buses are a great option for just about every family. Best of all, relying on Disney’s own bus transportation system means you never have to worry about driving and navigating yourself – and it’s free, if you’re staying on-property.
However, if it’s your first time using Disney’s bus transportation, it can get confusing – especially as you try to figure out the unique quirks of timing your bus rides and wrangling your kids. So, we’re sharing everything we’ve learned over our many, many years of visiting Disney World and hopping on buses to provide everything you need to know.
Everything You Need to Know About Disney World Buses
- Where Do Disney World Buses Stop?
- Bus Schedules and Availability
- Disney World Bus Transportation FAQs
Where Do Disney World Buses Stop?
Disney buses go pretty much everywhere you might want or need to go on-property at Disney World. They travel to each one of the four theme parks, the two water parks, Disney Springs, and each of the hotels (or, a central location for a few hotels near one another, in some cases).
Take a look at all of the different places you can pick up a bus within Walt Disney World Resort below.
Photo by Judd Helms
Taking a Disney Bus to the Theme Parks
It’s super simple to get from your hotel to any one of Disney World’s theme parks. All you have to do is head to your designated bus stop, find the bus route for either Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, or Magic Kingdom, and board.
The resort bus stops are clearly labeled, so it’s easy to figure out where you need to wait in order to catch the correct bus. Estimated bus arrival times are also posted, which helps clarify when you can expect the next bus to swing by and pick you up.
Tip: You can also check the My Disney Experience app before you leave your hotel room! In the app, tap into the name of your resort to see bus arrival times so you know exactly when to head down. Just make sure to keep crowds in mind; during peak seasons, you may need to arrive at the bus stop early as lines do form.
Still not sure you’re picking up the right bus? Look at the bus windshield. The bus route (or destination) is clearly noted right at the top of the windshield so you don’t accidentally board the wrong one.
You do not need to get off and transfer if you’re simply headed from hotel to theme park. However, you may have a few stops along the way to pick up additional passengers – you can stay seated (or standing) and relax.
Taking a Disney Bus to Disney World Resorts
Whether you’re ready to head back to your hotel for the evening or want to hop over to one of the Disney Resorts to enjoy a meal, bus transportation is a breeze. You can pick up a bus to any of the resorts right from the theme parks, Disney Springs, and even other resorts.
The process is just like taking a bus to a theme park from a resort. You’ll look for the appropriate bus pickup spot, check the next expected arrival time, and hang out until your ride arrives. You’re likely to have stops along the way, but otherwise it’ll be a quick, seamless ride.
Note: Getting back to your resort can involve a lengthy wait if you’re trying to use bus transportation during peak times (like post-fireworks at Magic Kingdom). So, prepare for a wait – and for multiple buses to come by – before you’re able to get on one and head back to the hotel.
Taking a Disney Bus to the Water Parks
Disney World’s bus transportation system will ferry guests from Disney Resort hotels to the water parks. However, there’s a big catch: There are only two direct bus routes from Disney Resort hotels to either Disney World water park.
You can take direct bus transportation from Disney’s three All-Star Resort hotels (All-Star Movies, All-Star Music, and All-Star Sports) and Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort to Blizzard Beach.
If you aren’t staying at any of these hotels and would like to go to Blizzard Beach, you’ll need to pick up a bus at your hotel that’s headed to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. There, you’ll get off the bus and wait for another to ferry you from the theme park to Blizzard Beach.
Want to head to Typhoon Lagoon? There isn’t a direct bus route. Instead, you’ll need to pick up a bus at your hotel that’s headed to Disney Springs. Once you arrive at the Disney Springs stop, you’ll need to transfer onto a bus for Typhoon Lagoon.
Because there are fewer buses and bus routes to and from the two water parks, it’s important to remember that they differ from theme park bus transportation. Whereas you can easily find direct bus routes from various Disney Resort hotels to each theme park, typically you must transfer if you’re headed to the water parks via bus.
Additionally, only one of Disney World’s water parks is typically open at a time. So, during part of the year, you can only take bus transportation to Blizzard Beach; during the rest of the year, you’ll only be able to head to Typhoon Lagoon.
Taking a Disney Bus to Disney Springs
Getting to and from Disney Springs via Disney World’s bus transportation is a breeze. Every Disney Resort hotel offers a direct route right to Disney Springs, so it’s the same process you’d follow to get to the theme parks.
Like most bus routes, you won’t need to get off or transfer as you head from your hotel to Disney Springs (or vice versa), but you may have some stops along the way.
Disney World Bus Schedules and Availability
Photo by Judd Helms
At Disney World, buses run continuously, which means they stop by at regular intervals throughout the day and into the evening – and they run pretty late, so you don’t need to worry about finding alternate transportation if you’re staying out at night.
Here’s an overview of what time Disney World buses begin running on their routes and when service ends for the night:
- Buses to and from theme parks start 45 minutes prior to opening and end 1 hour after closing
- Buses to and from Disney Springs start at opening and end 1 hour after closing
- Buses to and from Animal Kingdom to Blizzard Beach start 30 minutes prior to water park opening and end 1 hour after closing
- Buses to and from Disney Springs to Typhoon Lagoon start 45 minutes prior to water park opening and end 1 hour after closing
A good rule of thumb is to expect buses to start running at least 30 minutes before anything in the resort opens and up to 1 hour after closing.
And if you aren’t 100 percent certain when buses start or end their service for the day, check the My Disney Experience app! It’ll tell you when you can start picking up buses at your resort for the day.
Disney World Bus Transportation FAQs
Is Disney bus transportation free?
Disney bus transportation is free for all guests. You don’t have to be staying at a Disney World Resort hotel to use the buses; you can stay off-property and take advantage of them to get to and from theme parks, to Disney Springs, or to different resorts. Just remember where you originally parked your car!
Do you need to tip Disney bus drivers?
No, you don’t need to tip Disney’s bus drivers – or boat or monorail drivers, in fact. The Cast Members don’t expect tips and may not accept tips, even if you try to offer one.
