| Walt Disney World |
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| Theme parks |
| Water parks |
| Other attractions and areas |
| Resorts |
| Affiliated services |
| Transport |
Disney Transport is thepublic transit system of theWalt Disney World resort nearOrlando, Florida, United States. It offers guests a variety offare-free options to navigate the resort, including buses, theWalt Disney World Monorail System, theDisney Skyliner gondola lift system, andwatercraft. This network facilitates movement between the resort's four theme parks, its shopping district, and all Disney-owned lodging on the property. Additionally, Disney Transport operatestrams, providing assistance navigating large parking lots, and the Minnie Vanrideshare service (available for a fee), offering on-demand, point-to-point transportation. Disney Transport is the tenth-busiest transit agency by daily ridership in the United States.[5]
Direct bus service is provided from every Disney hotel to each theme park andDisney Springs, except where monorail, gondola, or watercraft service is available or walking is practical. Buses also operate between theme parks. This fare-free service is available to all Walt Disney World visitors and typically runs atheadways of every 25 minutes or less.[6][7][8] Bus service to the parks begins 45 minutes before opening and ends one hour after closing. Transportation between Disney Springs and the resorts is available during operating hours and continues for 90 minutes after closing.[9] Bus stations are located near park entrances, at the Town Center entrance of Disney Springs, and near the main lobbies of all resorts, with additional stops along roadways of more expansive resorts.[6]
The bus system operates on ahub-and-spoke model, with most routes running non-stop.[10] The four theme parks and Disney Springs serve as the primary hubs, providing transportation to and from Disney resort hotels, which act as the spokes of the system. Buses also operate directly between theme parks. Additionally, buses provide internal transportation within several larger resort properties.[d]
Direct bus service between resorts is not available unless they share a common route.[10] Similarly, bus service is not provided on routes already covered by the monorail, Skyliner, or watercraft.
Service to theBlizzard Beach andTyphoon Lagoon water parks, as well as theESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, is more limited. Buses run between Blizzard Beach and the Animal Kingdom hub, and between Typhoon Lagoon and the Disney Springs hub. The sports complex is only served by buses from thePop Century,Caribbean Beach, andAll-Star resorts.[11]
Each Disney resort featurespassenger information system that display real-time estimates for the next bus arrival to each destination.[12] This system usesGPS tracking to provide projected wait times, with buses typically arriving at intervals of 20 minutes or less.[6][12] Onboard, recorded announcements inform passengers about points of interest along the route along with upcoming stops, with GPS technology ensuring the appropriate messages play at the correct locations.[13] All buses are air-conditioned andaccessible, equipped to accommodate up to twowheelchairs ormobility scooters per vehicle.Strollers must be folded before boarding.[8]
Between 2014 and May 2016, dedicatedbus lanes were installed along Buena Vista Drive between Epcot Center Drive and Disney Springs. These exclusive lanes provide buses traveling to and from Disney Springs andTyphoon Lagoon with a separateright-of-way in the median of Buena Vista Drive, reducing travel times.[14][15][16]
Disney Transport operates a fleet of nearly 490 buses,[17] primarily 40-foot-long (12 m)Gillig Low Floor models. The fleet currently is the third largest fleet of any Florida transportation system, behind Miami'sMetrobus and theJacksonville Transportation Authority.[17]
In 2014, Disney experimented with adding 60-foot-long (18 m)articulated buses as a pilot project to increase capacity on certain routes.[18][19] However, no articulated buses have been purchased since that time. All Disney Transport buses run onR50 renewable diesel fuel.[20]
The system is supported by two bus depots: one near the Magic Kingdom Car Care Center and another on Recycle Way near Animal Kingdom.
| Model | Photo | Numbers | Qty | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gillig Low Floor |  | 4956–4962 | 7 | 2007 |
| 4963–4983 | 21 | 2008 | ||
| 4985–4999 | 15 | 2009 | ||
| 5010–5022 | 13 | 2010 | ||
| 5023–5069 | 47 | 2011 | ||
| 5071–5121 | 51 | 2012 | ||
| 5122–5145 | 24 | 2013 | ||
| 5158–5199 | 42 | 2015 | ||
| 5200–5206 | 7 | 2016 | ||
| 5207–5212 | 6 | 2017 | ||
| 5213–5288 | 75 | 2019 | ||
| 5289–5379 | 90 | 2024 | ||
| New Flyer Xcelsior XD60 | .jpg) | 5146–5151 | 6 | 2013 |
| Nova Bus LFS | .jpg) | 5000–5009 | 10 | 2010 |
| Nova Bus LFS Articulated |  | 5152–5157 | 6 | 2013 |
Disney Skyliner is agondola lift system connecting four Disney resort hotels and two theme parks. Opened in 2019,[21][22] the Skyliner has three lines radiating from a central hub located at theCaribbean Beach Resort. These lines extend to:[23][24]
Each gondola cabin seats up to ten guests and is wheelchair-accessible. The gondolas travel at 11 miles per hour (18 km/h) and do not have air-conditioning systems, although there are windows and floor vents through which air can be circulated. At each station, cabins can be pulled aside, allowing disabled riders to board without delaying the cabins behind them.[22]
Complementing the bus network, is theWalt Disney World Monorail System, one of the iconic features of the resort. This fare-free service operates three lines departing from theTransportation and Ticket Center (TTC).[7][8][25]
The system utilizes twelveMark VI monorails.[25][26] Aportable ramp at each station bridges the vertical gap between the platform and the monorail, ensuring accessibility for wheelchair users.[8]
The monorail system debuted in 1971 with the Magic Kingdom Resort and Express lines and expanded in 1982 with the addition of the Epcot line.[26][25] As of 2013, it remains one of the world's busiest monorail systems, transporting over 150,000 guests daily.[27]
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The resort maintains a fleet of watercraft to move guests between various Disney resorts and parks. These ferries are also free to ride.[6] While some routes duplicate bus or monorail routes, the watercraft provide a scenic, albeit slower, way to travel from one location to another.[8]
Strollers can be transported aboard all of the vessels, ferries, motor cruisers,Friendship boats, and River Cruise Ferries are accessible when water conditions are favorable. Motor launches cannot accept motorized or unfolded wheelchairs.[28]
The boats with the highest capacities are the large ferryboats that cross theSeven Seas Lagoon between theTransportation and Ticket Center and the Magic Kingdom. The three ferries are clad in different trim colors and are named for past Disney executives. They are the two twinMagic Kingdom-class ferries, theRichard F. Irvine (red trim) and theAdmiral Joe Fowler (blue trim) along with theKingdom Queen-classGeneral Joe Potter (green trim).[29][30]
Each ferryboat can carry up to 600 guests and are staffed by three crew members. During park opening and closing, all three ferries operate, if available. During all other times, two ferries operate with wait times between 10 and 20 minutes in most cases. The crossing takes just six minutes, but each trip can take 10–12 minutes with departure and docking.[8][30]
Motor launches and motor cruisers link the resorts alongBay Lake and the Seven Seas Lagoon, using colored flags to indicate the route. The six motor launches are smaller vessels that are not accessible to people with mobility disabilities and are namedAdventurer,Explorer,Mariner,Navigator,Seafarer andVoyager. The four motor cruisers are larger vessels that are accessible and are namedBon Voyage,Castaway's,Mermaid I, andTradewinds.[31][30]
The gold flag route connects the Magic Kingdom to theGrand Floridian andPolynesian using one launch and one cruiser. The green flag route links the Magic Kingdom toFort Wilderness using two cruisers. The red flag route connects the Magic Kingdom toWilderness Lodge using one launch and one cruiser. The blue flag route provides continuous circular service between theContemporary,Fort Wilderness andWilderness Lodge resorts using two launches, and is therefore not accessible to people with mobility disabilities.[8][32][30][33]
Sassagoula River Cruise Ferries, which also have colored flags as route indicators, transport passengers fromDisney Springs toDisney Springs Resort Area hotels located along the Sassagoula River using a fleet of 15 vessels namedAzalea Bloom,Bayou Princess,Blossom Queen,Buena Vista Queen,Crescent City Queen,Delta Lady,Florida Queen,Jazz Lady,Jazz Queen,Louisiana Lady,Magnolia Blossom,Memphis Miss,Saratoga Queen,Sassagoula Sunset, andSouthern Breeze.[30]
The green flag route connects Disney Springs withOld Key West, the blue flag route travels between Disney Springs and theTreehouse Villas viaSaratoga Springs. The yellow flag route takes people between Disney Springs andPort Orleans–Riverside, while the purple flag route travels between Disney Springs and Port Orleans–French Quarter. At times of lower traffic, the yellow and purple flag routes combine to travel between Disney Springs and Riverside via French Quarter.[8][2]
Friendship boats connect the International Gateway entrance of Epcot to the Hollywood Studios via theEpcot Resort Area hotels:BoardWalk,Beach Club/Yacht Club andSwan/Dolphin.[2] They also connect Epcot'sCanada andGermany pavilions in the World Showcase section.[34] The eight vessels are namedFriendship I throughFriendship VIII.
| Type | Photo | Route | North/west terminal | Intermediate stops | South/east terminal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferry (3 boats) |  | Magic Kingdom | None | Transportation and Ticket Center | |
| Motor launch (6 boats) Motor cruiser (4 boats) | .jpg) .jpg) | Gold (1 launch, 1 cruiser) | Before 3 p.m.: Clockwise operation betweenMagic Kingdom,Polynesian Village &Grand Floridian. After 3 p.m.: Counterclockwise operation between Magic Kingdom, Grand Floridian & Polynesian Village. | ||
| Green (2 cruisers) | Magic Kingdom | None | Fort Wilderness | ||
| Red (1 launch, 1 cruiser) | Wilderness Lodge | ||||
| Blue (2 launches) | Clockwise operation betweenContemporary, Fort Wilderness & Wilderness Lodge. | ||||
| River Cruise (15 boats) | .jpg) | Yellow/Purple | Port Orleans–Riverside (Yellow) | Port Orleans–French Quarter (Purple) | Disney Springs–Marketplace |
| Blue | Treehouse Villas | Saratoga Springs | |||
| Green | Old Key West | None | |||
| Red | Disney Springs internal counterclockwise operation between Marketplace, West Side & The Landing. | ||||
| Friendship boats (8 boats) | .jpg) | Epcot–International Gateway | BoardWalk Beach/Yacht Club Swan/Dolphin | Hollywood Studios | |
| Epcot–Canada | None | Epcot–Germany | |||
Disney Transport operates a fleet oftrams that shuttle guests between parking lots and the main entrances of theme parks (except Magic Kingdom, where trams drop guests off at the Transportation and Ticket Center.[4][7] The trams provide an alternative to walking, especially for longer distances. The trams are not wheelchair accessible, instead guests with mobility disabilities are directed to park close to the main entrance.[8]
There are six tram lines across the four theme parks:[4]
The original tram tractors, purchased in 1969, were powered bycompressed natural gas (CNG).[35] However, these tractors encountered frequent technical issues, leading to a custom-designed replacement fleet in 1972.[36] These initially ran on CNG as well, but were later converted to diesel fuel due to operational challenges. Over time, technology improved, allowing the trams to be converted back to CNG in the late 1990s and early 2000s.[36]
For enhanced safety, outward-facing speakers and doors were installed on all tram cars in late 2010 and 2011. In the mid-2010s, Disney replaced the entire tractor fleet with a model based onJBT AeroTech's tractorsused to move aircraft.[37]
Disney Transport operates an on-demand rideshare service called the Minnie Van, launched in 2017. Minnie Vans provide direct, door-to-door transportation within the resort and select nearby areas.[23][38]
Guests can choose between standard SUVs, which seat up to six passengers and include withchild safety seats, or accessible vans, which accommodate four passengers with space for two wheelchairs or other mobility devices.[39][40]
Minnie Vans are booked through theLyft mobile app but are operated by Disney Transport employees. The service uses a distance-based pricing model and offers a more private and personalized travel experience compared to Disney's complimentary transportation options.[41] Additionally, Minnie Van riders enjoy the benefit of being dropped close to theme park entrances.
The resort previously hosted the smallWalt Disney World Airport, also called the Lake Buena VistaSTOLport.[42] During the early 1970s, scheduled passenger service was operated by Shawnee Airlines withde Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter turboprops, which hadSTOL (short takeoff and landing) capabilities on flights to Tampa and Orlando.[43][44] The airport is no longer in operation, but the landing strip still exists and is currently used as space for offices and storage.
From late 1973 to early 1980, theFort Wilderness Railroad provided transportation within the Fort Wilderness Resort usingsteam locomotives.[45]Ties from the2 ft 6 in (762 mm)narrow-gauge line remain in place along certain sections of the railroad's formerright-of-way.
Watercraft provided service to theDiscovery Island zoological attraction from its opening in 1974 to its closure in 1999.[46]
From September 25, 2013, to September 25, 2015, Disney Transport has been involved in 27 total accidents that have been reported to theFederal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, including two fatal accidents and nineteen others involving injuries.[1]
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