Transportation Problems That Could Ruin Your Disney World Trip

Finding your way around all of the Disney World parks and resorts can be confusing.

With so many modes of transportation available, like the monorail, buses, boats, the Skyliner, and ferryboat to take you around Disney World, it can be overwhelming. But what happens when things go “wrong” or you find yourself in a situation you didn’t expect? That can make the situation even worse…

Sometimes Disney World transportation problems are unavoidable — complications and problems can pop up unexpectedly. Just recently, Disney shared a notice that the monorail would be experiencing a delay in opening the next morning but if you didn’t happen to catch that last-minute update, it could throw a real wrench into your plans. Don’t worry– we’re here to help!

Let’s go over a few scenarios where transportation problems could arise that may try to RUIN your Disney World trip, and equip you with a few tips on how to overcome those challenges.

1. Monorail Randomly Shutting Down/Experiencing Issues

This is one that can happen fairly often so it’s a problem we’ve had first-hand practice with. Sometimes the monorail may need to stop due to issues, might get temporarily delayed, or may even have to CLOSE for a while.

When this happens, it’s important to adjust as quickly as you can. First and foremost, you’ll want to listen to the instructions of the Cast Member that’s monitoring the situation. They’re going to be your main resource in terms of helping you know what is happening and when the problem might be fixed.

Second, you’ll want to look for alternative transportation options that can still get you where you need to go. If you’re in Magic Kingdom, this might mean taking something like the Ferryboat back to the Transportation and Ticket Center to get to the parking lot or opting for a smaller resort boat (or even walking!) to get back to your Disney hotel (assuming it is on the monorail loop).

Disney may also offer buses or other alternatives to help usher people to their destinations as quickly as possible, so be on the lookout for those.

2. Skyliner Shutting Down Due To Weather or For Other Reasons

You might love taking the Skyliner transportation from your hotel to the other resorts and parks like Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT, but some unexpected (and some slightly more predictable) circumstances can happen that’ll make that impossible.

The Skyliner has experienced unexpected issues — like crashes — in the past. But beyond that, severe weather can also cause its closure — and that’s something you may be able to predict a little bit better if you take the time to search the upcoming forecasted weather. At times, the Skyliner may also shut down for several days as part of routine maintenance.

When a closure happens, Disney will typically run some buses to help you get to your next destination. If you’re at Disney’s Hollywood Studios or EPCOT, remember there’s also the Friendship Boat that’s available to take to you to a few Disney hotels and to hop between these two parks.

For everyone else, your best chances are taken on waiting on a bus, though notes that waits can add up as more folks head to the bus lines.

3. Not Realizing There Isn’t a Bus From The Parks To Disney Springs

Oh, boy! This is a big one. You’d think that there would be a bus directly from the theme parks to Disney Springs — it’s a common misconception that tends to trip people up all the time! But, that is NOT typically a bus route that you’ll find to be available.

Buses that arrive to and depart from Disney Springs generally just connect passengers to the Disney World hotels and select other spots (like Typhoon Lagoon). But you won’t generally find a bus from Disney Springs to Magic Kingdom, or from Magic Kingdom to Disney Springs.

So if you’re planning to get from EPCOT (for example) to Disney Springs, know that you’ll typically need to take a bus (or other form of transportation) from EPCOT to a hotel and then a bus (or other form of transportation, depending on what’s available) from the hotel to Disney Springs. In these situations, it might be really helpful to stop by a nearby hotel. For example, you could walk from EPCOT to Disney’s Beach Club Resort and hop on a bus from there to Disney Springs.

You could also drive to the parks yourself and then just drive your own car to Disney Springs if you’d like — that can be a big time-saver.

4. Orlando Traffic (If You’re Driving)

We get it– Disney resorts aren’t ideal for everyone’s budgets and the way they want to vacation. So if you’re planning on staying outside of Disney property, this tip is for you!

Many roads to Disney World are connected in some form or fashion to major highways and roads in the area. Florida can experience some really bad traffic on a good day, and things can get exponentially worse if an accident or other situation occurs.

So our first tip is to leave with PLENTY of time to get to your destination, whether that’s a park or a Disney hotel. You’ll also want to make sure you’ve mapped out another alternate route around the main traffic in case you need to detour down the line. And consider using your phone or other device to “run” the directions in advance (and see an estimated trip time) for the date/time you want to leave.

That can help you see what the expected driving time would be and give you a better sense of knowing whether that is a good time to leave or will place you in rush hour traffic.

5. Be Ready For Massive Waits for Disney Transportations At Peak Times

Certain times of the day just yield heavier crowds entering and exiting the Disney World parks, like when many guests are trying to get to the parks in the mornings, or when they’re all trying to get back to their hotels once the parks have closed (usually right after the fireworks end).

That can lead to LONG lines at the various forms of Disney-operated transportation.

If you’re an early riser and don’t mind getting to the parks extra early, then being one of the first to arrive at the bus stop can help you avoid some of the lines. Buses generally start service between Disney World’s hotels and the theme parks 45 minutes before opening time.

Otherwise, consider visiting the bus stop after the morning rush has slowed down. Sure, you’ll get to the park a little later, but if a more relaxed transportation ride is your choice, that can help.

During the evening, you’ll see lots of folks trying to leave Magic Kingdom right after the fireworks end, but if you don’t mind wandering around the park for a bit until the crowds die down, you might save yourself some frustrations and see a shorter transportation line. Buses generally stop running around 1 hour after the parks close, so just keep that in mind.

6. Staying At Big Hotels Where There Are Internal Bus Loops

Some of the Disney World hotels are massive — we’re talking SUPER BIG properties, like Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — Riverside, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Old Key West Resort, and Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort.

On the one hand, you might like the pricing at some of these hotels or some of their other features. But the internal bus loops are a big thing to consider. If you’re at one of the first stations the buses stop at, you might be sitting on that bus for a WHILE as it loops around the rest of the hotel. And if you’re at one of the last stations, you might find that much of the seating has been taken on the bus by the time it arrives, so you’ll have to stand.

If the goal is getting a seat and being one of the first to be picked up, consider booking a room at one of the buildings near the first stations. You can also look at how close the bus stations are to other hotel amenities to see what’s most important to you.

If having an internal bus loop is a no-go entirely, then it might be time to consider an alternative hotel!

7. Going from Hotel to Hotel

This next scenario is a bit tricky. If you’re trying to get from one Disney World hotel to another, you might end up being completely lost on how to get there because the buses that pick up guests from the hotels generally just run to the parks and Disney Springs.

If you’re planning to get from one resort to another (because you’ve got a dining reservation or something else) and plan to use Disney’s free transportation, you’ll first want to take a bus to the closest park or Disney Springs. From there, you’ll need to get in line for the next bus/transportation option that can drop you off at your ultimate hotel destination.

This can add a LOT of transportation time onto your trip, so it’s really important that you give yourself PLENTY of time to get to your reservation. Other alternatives include driving your own car to the hotel you want to visit, using a rideshare service, or opting for the Minnie Van service specifically.

8. No Parking Trams at EPCOT or Disney’s Hollywood Studios Still

It took us a while to welcome back the parking lot trams at Magic Kingdom (specifically at the Transportation and Ticket Center parking lot) and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, but you’ll be out of luck if you hope to find them at EPCOT or Hollywood Studios.

Our best advice for this scenario is one of two options. A Cast Member can assist you in purchasing preferred parking, which will put you closer to the front entrance of the park saving you some steps. Another option available is to get to the park early so you can park in some of the very first rows.

And there you have them — some transportation issues YOU might encounter and tips to help you master them all. For the latest in updates and news, stay tuned with us at AllEars!

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What’s your favorite mode of transportation to take around Disney World? Tell us in the comments!

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