This Map Shows 7 Oddly Efficient Shortcuts at Disney World Monorail Resorts

I’ve been walking you guys through some of the best shortcuts in Disney World park by park, and now it’s time to do the resorts!

If you’re staying at one of Disney World’s Monorail resorts, you’re probably paying a pretty penny. The Polynesian Village Resort, Grand Floridian Resort, and Contemporary Resort are some of the most beloved hotels on property, and one of the best ways to make your stay even better is by navigating those properties like a PRO.

Polynesian Village Resort

Starting out at the Polynesian Village Resort, you may not have known it, but this hotel connects directly to the Transportation & Ticket Center, AKA Magic Kingdom‘s parking lot. If you’re staying closer to the TTC than to the Polynesian lobby, it might actually be faster for you to walk to the transportation hub, go through security, and take the Monorail from there.

This is particularly useful if you’re traveling to EPCOT. If you board the Monorail at the Polynesian, you’ll have to go through the Grand Floridian, Magic Kingdom, and Contemporary stops before you hit the TTC, where you’ll still have to swap Monorails. Cut out the middle man and board at the TTC instead.

This next one is a shared shortcut between the Polynesian and Grand Floridian. Many fans know that there’s a walking path that connects the two locations, though it can be tricky to find if you’ve never used it before. If you’re starting at the Polynesian, walk all the way to the far end of Island Tower, then take the path heading toward the Wedding Pavilion. Follow the pathway along the beach side for the most direct route.

This walk may not always be faster than boat or Monorail transportation, but it can save a lot of time during crowded hours, and it has incredible scenery and views when the weather is nice.

See the Guide to the Polynesian Village Resort Here!

Grand Floridian Resort

Now, for the THIRD part of the walk that’ll connect you all the way from the TTC to Magic Kingdom — the path from Grand Floridian to the park! Yes, that’s right, you could walk straight from the parking lot to the park entrance, though it’ll likely take you 45-60 minutes to do so.

Go all the way to the end of Grand Floridian property, past Gasparilla Island Grill, and you’ll spot a sidewalk that continues on behind the Sago Cay building. Simply follow the path along the water until you get to Magic Kingdom. You’ll go through park security by the water taxi entrance.

See the Guide to the Grand Floridian Resort Here!

Contemporary Resort

Wouldn’t you believe it, you can actually walk to Magic Kingdom from ALL the Monorail hotels! Contemporary has the shortest path, though it usually still takes about 10 minutes to do the walk since there’s a traffic light by the highway. Enter the walkway between Guest Relations and the bus depot. The path will be straightforward if you’re walking to the hotel, but if you’re leaving from Contemporary, make sure to start your walk by the hotel’s bus stop, then take the sidewalk toward the guard shack.

One of the best shortcuts at the Monorail resorts is the sky way bridge from the Contemporary to Bay Lake Tower. To take this covered bridge, either enter from the 4th floor of the Contemporary or the 5th floor of Bay Lake Tower. For those staying at the tower, this gives direct access to the level where you’ll board the Monorail.

Coming from the main building of Contemporary but you parked over by the Garden Wing? Instead of walking outside in the sun or rain, you can often cut through the convention center by going to the 2nd floor of the hotel, then taking the escalator down to the convention center. We don’t recommend using this one if there’s a convention going on that you could interrupt, but when the center is empty, it’s a simple cut-through. (It’s really best if you’re parked closer to the front of the convention center/Garden Wing parking lot, though.)

Last but not least, we’ve got to remind you about a transportation shortcut! Typically starting around 3PM each day, water taxis begin running between the Contemporary Resort, Wilderness Lodge, and Fort Wilderness Resort. This is a great, easy transportation option if you’ve got dinner plans at one of the other resorts. These usually run until about 10:45PM.