Guests choose which Resorts they want to stay at for a number of reasons. Most of the time the price of the room is the number one reason Guests choose one Resort over another.
But, that isn’t always the case.
Sometimes, convenience to the places you will be spending the majority of your time makes the most sense.
A few miles may not seem like a big deal at the time of booking, but if you’re waiting for one of the transportation vehicles to loop back around,
it can make a huge difference.
It’s not unusual for it to take close to an hour to travel between the Parks and your Resort.
The Buses
Disney buses transport Guests to every Disney-owned Resort on Property. While this is incredibly helpful, it’s also the most popular mode of transportation, meaning long lines.
The only exception to this may be in the morning at the Transportation and Ticket Center. Magic Kingdom doesn’t have its own Parking Lot, so you must park there. From the TTC, you have a choice between the Bus, the Monorail, and the Ferry. When the Monorail and the Ferry lines are long, check the buses! Guests often forget this option when they see the Monorail and Ferry.
But since we’re looking at convenient (and faster) ways to make it to your Resort, I’m focusing on the other modes of transportation. But, if your bus is at the station and has no line, by all means, hop on!
Related Post: Bus Times Now Available on The My Disney Experience App
The Most Conveniently Located Resorts In Walt Disney World
If your family is like mine, you spend most of your time in the Magic Kingdom. While we love all 4 Parks, Magic Kingdom is the one we always plan 2 full days for during our week-long trips.
And that’s simply because we love it the most.
But, with all the amazing festivals that Epcot has now, you may want to be close to Epcot to taste all that delicious food and beverages Epcot offers.
And with the brand new Lands that Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios has built in the past few years, I can see how Guests would want to be close to those Parks.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Resorts located closest to Hollywood Studios being sold out of rooms later this year, once an opening date for Galaxy’s Edge is announced.
Magic Kingdom
Walking Distance
- Bay Lake Tower
- Contemporary Resort
Monorail
- Grand Floridian Resort
- Contemporary Resort
- Polynesian Village Resort
Ferry
- Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground
- Grand Floridian Resort
- Polynesian Village Resort
- Wilderness Lodge
Epcot
Walking Distance
- Boardwalk Inn
- Beach Club
- Yacht Club
- Swan Resort
- Dolphin Resort
Monorail
- Grand Floridian Resort
- Contemporary Resort
- Polynesian Village Resort
Friendship Boat
- Boardwalk Inn
- Beach Club
- Yacht Club
- Swan Resort
- Dolphin Resort
Skyliner (coming Fall 2019)
Since the Skyliner is not open yet, only time will tell as how fast you can make it to the Parks from your Resort. When it opens, there will most likely be very long lines.
- Caribbean Beach Resort
- Riviera Resort (opening Dec 2019)
- Art of Animation
- Pop Century
Hollywood Studios
Walking Distance
- Boardwalk Inn
- Beach Club
- Yacht Club
- Swan Resort
- Dolphin Resort
Friendship Boat
- Boardwalk Inn
- Beach Club
- Yacht Club
- Swan Resort
- Dolphin Resort
Skyliner (coming Fall 2019)
- Caribbean Beach Resort
- Riviera Resort (opening Dec 2019)
- Art of Animation
- Pop Century
Animal Kingdom
Because of where Animal Kingdom is located, and the amount of space needed for the animals, unless you drive your own car, or pay for a ride service (Like the Minnie Vans), the bus is inevitable.
Animal Kingdom doesn’t connect to the Monorail, waterway, and walking to even the closest Resort is still pretty far.
However, if you want the shortest ride back to your Hotel, Animal Kingdom Lodge is your best bet.
Why stay closer to the Parks?
Small Children
If you have little ones, staying at a closer Resort enables you to easily go back to your Resort when they need to take a nap or they’re getting overstimulated.
Never underestimate how tired a child gets at Disney. My son, who was 9 at the time, was full of energy in the Park, but as soon as we got on the bus, he fell asleep.
While he was ok being woken up, smaller children may not be as happy being told they need to walk back to their room when they’re exhausted.
Avoid the crowded buses
As I said earlier, Disney buses have a tendency to get very crowded. If you stay closer to the Parks, you can avoid the bus and take another mode of transportation.
If there’s one thing I hate, it’s standing on a crowded bus for 20 minutes after walking around the Parks all day.
Rope Drop
If you’re someone who likes to get into the Parks right as it opens, staying close to your favorite Park would obviously make this easier.
Transportation is always very busy in the morning, so the closer you are to the Park, the better.
Fireworks
Guests tend to make a mad dash to the exit as soon as the fireworks end, resulting in long transportation lines.
Avoid the crowds altogether and watch them from your Resort. There are many Resorts that are in eyesight of the fireworks. What’s even better is that these Resorts also pump in the music from the shows, so you understand what’s going on, even if you can’t see the whole show.
