Transportation Problems at Walt Disney World Resorts that You Aren’t Thinking About

With any Walt Disney World resort hotel, there will be pros and cons to consider. Obvious factors that easily come to mind may include price, overall theme, amenities, dining, and the all-important variable: the pool!

However, there may be some aspects of the resorts you aren’t thinking about and that may not become apparent until you’re actually there.

Let’s get a jump on that with these not-so-great things you can run into at the resorts!

The Internal Bus Loop

All Disney World resorts offer complimentary bus transportation to and from the parks, water parks, and Disney Springs. This is an excellent perk that, regardless of where you are staying, you can take advantage of every day. But bus transportation isn’t without its flaws, and if you’re staying at one of the larger resorts, a lot of time can be added to your transportation because of internal bus loops.

Several of the Disney World resorts are so big that they run internal bus loops to shuttle guests from the far-flung areas of the resort to the more central locations and onward to the parks. These internal buses can tack on upwards of fifteen to twenty additional minutes, especially during the busy seasons. This can add up, both in the morning when all you want to do is get to the park and at the end of the night when all you want to do is sleep!

 

Resorts that are of particular concern when it comes to lengthy bus loops include:

• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort
• Disney’s Old Key West Resort
• Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
• Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
• Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

Also note that some Resorts might share buses, increasing your possible wait times. Port Orleans French Quarter and Port Orleans Riverside sometimes share a bus, and the All-Star Resorts routinely share buses.

Lack of Complimentary Transportation Options

As we mentioned before, each and every Disney World resort offers complimentary bus transportation. Beyond that, many of the resorts offer alternative complimentary transportation. This includes the Skyliner, monorail, boats, or even walking paths to get to the parks.

But these added transportation options do not extend to every resort. And when your only free way of getting around are the buses, that could lead to potential snafus when it comes to getting around in a timely manner.

The following resorts are the ones in which your ONLY complimentary transportation option are the buses:

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
• Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
• Disney’s All Star Resorts (Movies, Music, and Sports)

Likewise, there are a few resorts that offer complimentary boat transportation or walking paths to Disney Springs but offer no additional transportation to the four parks other than the buses:

• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort
• Disney’s Old Key West Resort
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort (Riverside and French Quarter)

Overall Noise and Foot Traffic

One of the great things about the Disney World resorts is that you can visit any of the resorts even if you’re not staying there. All guests are welcome to visit any and all Disney World resort! While this is a fantastic way to take advantage of some of the great dining, shopping, and entertainment offerings at the resorts, this could spell trouble for those actually staying at these popular resorts.

In general, the monorail resorts are going to experience heavier foot traffic than most of the other Disney World resorts because they are so easily accessed via Magic Kingdom’s monorail station and the Transportation & Ticket Center monorail station. These include:

• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Due to their close proximity to Magic Kingdom and the plentiful amenities and dining options, these are popular destinations for guests. Tons of folks will stop by ‘Ohana or Chef Mickey’s for breakfast before hitting the parks, and the Grand Floridian lobby is an attraction in and of itself, especially during the holiday season.

So, if you want the ultimate Magic Kingdom convenience by staying at one of the monorail resorts, be prepared to see all kinds of ‘guests’ throughout the day, in addition to hearing the noise they many bring with them.

Now that Disney’s Skyliner gondola system is up and running, those resorts may also see an uptick in visits from visiting guests. The Skyliner resorts include:

• Riviera Resort
• Caribbean Beach Resort
• Art of Animation Resort
• Pop Century Resort

Resorts not on the Skyliner but near International Gateway may also see an increase in foot traffic from Skyliner riders who want to explore. Those Resorts include:

• BoardWalk Inn & Villas
• Beach Club Resort
• Yacht Club Resort
• Swan & Dolphin Resorts

Here’s a fun challenge: what is your LEAST favorite part about your FAVORITE Disney World resort? Is it far from the parks? Can it get noisy with guests? Let us know in the comments!

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