Tips When You Want to AVOID Taking the Walt Disney World Buses

Walt Disney World offers a wide variety of complimentary transportation options to get you from point A to point B. Whether you’re traveling to or from the theme parks, your resort hotel, water parks, or Disney Springs, the most common form of free Disney transportation is going to be the Disney bus system.

The buses offer a convenient way to get around, but they aren’t always everyone’s first choice when it comes to transportation. Depending on when you’re visiting, the buses can also be a bit cumbersome in terms of waiting for one to arrive !

If you’re aiming to avoid using the Disney World buses, we have a few tips to keep in mind!

Know which Disney World hotels have the buses as their only transportation option to and from the parks.

Every Disney World Resort hotel has at least one complimentary mode of transportation to and from the theme parks as well as Disney Springs and the water parks. However, there are a number of hotels where your ONLY free transportation option to get to the theme parks is going to be the buses.

The list is pretty short, but resorts that only offer bus transportation include Disney’s All Star Resorts (Movies, Music, and Sports), Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. At every other resort hotel, there’s at least one alternative mode of transportation to at least one other destination in Disney World (though not always to the parks).

A few resorts have walking trail or boat access to Disney Springs, but you would need to take a bus still to get to all four theme parks. These include Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, Disney’s Old Key West Resort, and Disney’s Port Orleans Resort (French Quarter and Riverside).

Keep in mind that at almost every resort, the bus will be your only option to get to a particular destination. Take Disney’s Beach Club Resort for example. You have pedestrian access to EPCOT, you can take the Skyliner to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and you can take the Monorail from EPCOT if you want to hop to Magic Kingdom. But if you want to get to Animal Kingdom, your only free option will be the buses.

So buses aren’t 100% avoidable if you’re sticking strictly to Disney-provided transportation.

Become an expert at other transportation options available to you.

Like we mentioned before, there are a number of transportation options available to you. These include the Monorail, the Skyliner, and boats for other Disney-provided transportation. You can also walk to a number of destinations depending on where you’re starting and where you want to go.

You can also take an Uber or Lyft or a taxi around Disney World as well. These aren’t complimentary options, but a rideshare or taxi could be a quicker way to reach a destination while avoiding the buses at the same time. You and your travel party would need to determine whether or not it’s worth the added cost.

Keep in mind the current bus situation between the parks and Disney Springs.

If part of your vacation plans include taking a trip or two to Disney Springs, you may have no choice but to hop on the buses at least once (unless you decide to opt for a rideshare or taxi).

Keep in mind that if you want to get from a theme park to Disney Springs, you cannot take a bus to get there directly. Currently, your options would be to travel from the park to a resort and then take a bus from there to Disney Springs or to hire a rideshare if you want to avoid buses altogether.

Consider renting a car on your next vacation to avoid buses (and other Disney World transportation) entirely.

Your final option to avoid buses entirely is to drive to Disney World in your own car or to rent a car when you arrive at Orlando International Airport. Keep in mind that Disney World transportation is free, which can be a huge cost savings if you’re considering bringing or renting a car.

On top of rental car fees, there are also the overnight parking fees at the resorts (or daily theme park parking fees if you’re staying off property) as well as the cost of gas.

Bringing your own car does offer more flexibility in your travel plans. You can essentially come and go whenever you please, and you don’t have to wait for a bus or a boat to come around to pick you up! If you’re on the fence on how much public transportation you feel comfortable using, a car could give you peace of mind.

Click here to see our comparison of renting a car versus using Disney transportation.

Are the buses 100% avoidable in Disney World? Sure, if you know what your options are — and if you’re willing to pay for an Uber or two. If your goal is to keep transportation free, however, you’ll likely need to hop on a bus a few times during your vacation. If you plan ahead, you may be able to catch buses at off-peak travel times for a quieter experience!

Click here for all of the ways you can get to Magic Kingdom right now in Disney World!

What is your preferred mode of transportation to get around Disney World? Let us know in the comments!