This Disney World Transportation Hack May Surprise You, But It’s Totally Allowed!

Walt Disney World was designed with a vast transportation infrastructure, and in the nearly 55 years since the resort opened, that system has only grown.

As the system has developed, with buses, boats, Monorails, and the Skyliner gondola system traversing the property, a number of transportation hacks have developed, all of which are technically within Disney World’s rules. These are some of my favorites, which I’ve discovered over many years of visiting the “Most Magical Place on Earth.”

Let’s begin with a few Monorail tips. The Walt Disney World Monorail has been a central artery of transportation around the resort since opening day back in 1971. The line mainly circles the Seven Seas Lagoon, linking the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC), the Polynesian Village Resort, the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, the Contemporary Resort, and the Magic Kingdom. There’s also a track that runs between the TTC and EPCOT.

Monorail Hack #1: Take the Resort Line at Crowded Times

If you find yourself in the middle of a TTC crowd waiting to head to the Magic Kingdom in the morning — or waiting to leave the Magic Kingdom at night — it might be a good idea to take the resort line (which travels runs clockwise around the Seven Seas Lagoon and stops at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, in addition to the Magic Kingdom and the TTC) instead of the express line (which runs counter-clockwise around the Seven Seas Lagoon, and provides nonstop service between the Magic Kingdom and the TTC). Believe it or not, during busy times, the former may actually be faster than the latter.

Monorail Hack #2: Walk the Walk

If both Monorail lines are simply too crowded for you, there is a walking path around the Seven Seas Lagoon that connects everything, so you could walk to the Magic Kingdom, or at the very least walk to the Polynesian and hop on the Monorail or a boat there.

Monorail Hack #3: The EPCOT Experience

Admittedly, this hack is more for aesthetics and experience than saving any time or convenience. If you’re staying at a Walt Disney World hotel that’s not on the Monorail route, but want to have the experience of approaching the Magic Kingdom for the first time via Monorail, you can take a resort bus to EPCOT (neither Skyliner or Friendship Boat will work since you need to arrive at EPCOT’s front entrance) and hop on the Monorail there to head to the TTC, where you can in turn head to the Magic Kingdom.

Next, we’re moving from Walt Disney World’s oldest transportation method to its newest: The Skyliner gondola system. Originally opened in 2019, the system connects Pop Century, Art of Animation, the Caribbean Beach Resort, the Riviera Resort, Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT.

Skyliner Hack #1: EPCOT Resorts

While there are only technically only four resorts on the Skyliner line, the EPCOT Resort area hotels — The Boardwalk in particular — are only a short walk from the park’s Skyliner station at the World Showcase Port of Entry entrance. Meaning that anyone taking the Skyliner has pretty close to direct access to the Boardwalk and its dining and nightlife offerings.

Skyliner Hack #2: International Gateway from DHS

Speaking of EPCOT’s International Gateway entrance, if you have a desire to enter the park that way — like say wanting to rope drop Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure — but aren’t staying at a Skyliner resort, there is a way around it. Simply take a bus to Hollywood Studios, then hop on the Skyliner there. (This hack could also be applied to the Friendship boats, which sail Crescent Lake.)

Walt Disney World’s bustling transportation is massive, and features several — totally legal — hacks that can make a trip to the “Most Magical Place on Earth” run even more smoothly. Stay tuned to AllEars for more tips about your next trip to Disney World.

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What’s your best Disney World transportation hack? Let us know in the comments below.

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