Disney World Transportation Guide: How to Get from Magic Kingdom to EPCOT

When Walt Disney World first opened in 1971, the resort’s transportation system was built around the Magic Kingdom theme park, with a monorail line and watercraft fleet built around transporting guests from the property’s first two hotels and Transportation and Ticket Center to the park.

That changed in 1982, when Disney opened the resort’s second theme park, EPCOT Center. The company expanded the transportation system to include the new park, making travel between the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT an essential part of the Disney experience. Over the next 40 years, Walt Disney World added numerous new methods of transportation, while at the same time keeping some of the original ones up and running.

So, with that in mind, how can a guest travel from the Magic Kingdom to EPCOT today? Let’s find out…

Monorail from Magic Kingdom to EPCOT

The original and best-known method of traveling from the Magic Kingdom to EPCOT is the Walt Disney World Monorail, though it’s not quite as direct a route as one may think. First, you’ll need to board either the Monorail at the Magic Kingdom station or a watercraft at the dock – both of which are located just outside the park’s entrance – and travel to the Transportation and Ticket Center. From there, board the EPCOT line of the Monorail, which will take you directly to the station located right outside the park’s entrance.

Disney Bus Service from Magic Kingdom to EPCOT

If riding the monorail isn’t your thing, you can travel, albeit indirectly, from the Magic Kingdom to EPCOT via bus. Simply walk from the Magic Kingdom to any of the resort hotels around the Seven Seas Lagoon – the Contemporary (the closest), Polynesian Village, or Grand Floridian – and hop an EPCOT bus from there. There’s also a second option bus if you so choose: Take the bus from the Magic Kingdom to the BoardWalk Inn Resort, then walk or boat over to EPCOT International Gateway entrance and enter through the World Showcase.

Driving from Magic Kingdom to EPCOT

Driving from the Magic Kingdom to EPCOT entails taking the Monorail, a watercraft, or about a 30-minute walk to the Transportation and Ticket Center (where the Magic Kingdom’s Parking lot is located), then driving the 4+ miles to EPCOT. Note, as with all Walt Disney World theme park parking, you’ll only need to pay once when parking at multiple parks on the same day.

Ride Share from the Magic Kingdom to EPCOT

Uber, Lyft, and traditional taxis are available to travel from Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. As with the monorail or driving options, ride share involves taking the Disney World Monorail or a watercraft from the Magic Kingdom to the Transportation and Ticket Center. Once there, head to the designated Uber and Lyft pickup area to call a car. From there, it’s simply a matter of enjoying your ride to EPCOT, where you’ll be left at the designated drop point. While other options we have outlined here are free, you are responsible for paying for your rideshare.

Minnie Van Options from Magic Kingdom to EPCOT

Walt Disney World’s in-house ride share service – Minnie Van – is available for travel from Magic King to EPCOT. In fact, it’s arguably the more convenient ride share option since – unlike the aforementioned Uber and Lyft, Minnie Vans have a dedicated pickup area outside the Magic Kingdom park itself, so no ride to the Transportation and Ticket Center is required. That convenience will cost you more than a “normal” Lyft ride, though.

Which of these is your preferred way of traveling from the Magic Kingdom to EPCOT? Let us know in the comments below.