Transportation Options that Will and Will Not be Available to Guests when Walt Disney World Parks Reopen

We are counting down the days for Disney Parks to reopen and we have all of the details on what transportation will and will not be available to guests. Will you be able to ride the monorail to Magic Kingdom and Epcot? Is the Skyliner running between Hollywood Studios and Epcot? Read on and we will answer those questions and more.

Magical Express

We recently reported that Magical Express service will be available to guests staying at Disney World and traveling to Orlando International Airport.

You can see that transportation update, along with merchandise updates HERE.

Monorail

A Cast Member I messaged confirmed the Express Monorail and the Resort Monorail will be open to guests beginning July 11th when Magic Kingdom opens.

She could not confirm if the monorail would be open prior to the 11th for Annual Passholder Preview Days or Resort Dining Reservations.

Dining Reservations opened today for guests that had an active dining reservation on or before September 2, 2020 that was cancelled. This includes both onsite and offsite guests that had dining reservations previously booked and then cancelled on May 28th.

The monorail loop that takes guests from the Transportation and Ticket Center to Epcot WILL NOT be available when the park reopens on July 15th. This could be due to maintenance that was postponed in January.

This means guests staying at resorts on the monorail loop that want to use Disney’s free transportation will have to travel to Epcot by bus. Epcot’s Taste of Food and Wine Festival will debut the same day the park reopens!

Skyliner

The Skyliner that made it’s debut last September will be open and running for guests to travel between Disney’s Riviera Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Hollywood Studios and Epcot.

Guests staying at Disney’s Boardwalk and Disney’s Beach Club Resort can walk to Epcot and take one of the Skyliner’s themed gondolas from Epcot to Hollywood Studios.

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort and Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort that are also accessible via the Skyliner are scheduled to open later this summer. You can find information on their reopening dates HERE.

Water Transportation

Ferryboats will be running to transport guests across the Seven Seas Lagoon from the Transportation and Ticket Center to Magic Kingdom. We love to take the ferryboat back to our car in the evening to catch one final glimpse of Cinderella Castle before returning to our resort.

The Water Taxi to Magic Kingdom will only be offered from the Polynesian, Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness. Guests staying at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa will need to take the monorail to Magic Kingdom.

We do not have a confirmed opening date for Disney’s Wilderness Lodge but guests staying at DVC resort’s Boulder Ridge Villas and Copper Creek Villas & Cabins that are located at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge will be able to use this water taxi dock.

Check out our article HERE for the latest information on what Disney Resorts are already open and tentative opening dates for several others.

Friendship Boats that travel to Epcot, Crescent Lake resorts and Hollywood Studios WILL NOT be a transportation option when the parks open. Guests staying at Disney’s Boardwalk and Disney’s Beach Club Resort can walk to Epcot and take the Skyliner from Epcot to Hollywood Studios.

Guests staying at Disney’s Riviera Resort and Disney’s Pop Century Resort can travel to both Hollywood Studios and Epcot via Skyliner.

Ferryboats to Disney Springs from Old Key West Resort and Saratoga Springs Resort are NOT open at this time.

Guests staying at Saratoga Springs Resort have the option to walk or take a short bus ride to Disney Springs. Old Key West Resort Guests will need to take a bus.

Minnie Vans

Minnie Van service will NOT be offered during the initial reopening. I hope that Minnie Vans become available soon because having an option for private transportation to the parks, airport, and dining reservations at Disney Resorts seems like a good idea during the current pandemic.

Uber and Lyft are alternative paid private transportation options that are available if you do not want to use Disney’s Transportation with other guests.

Buses

Bus Transportation is the primary way to travel around the Disney World Resort. Busses are the only option Disney is offering to travel to Disney Springs and Animal Kingdom from open resorts.

Skyliner resorts have limited bus transportation to Epcot and Hollywood Studios and are encouraged to utilize the gondolas. You can read those details HERE.

Busses do not travel between resorts. If you need to travel to another resort you will need to ask your hotel concierge for the easiest route. I usually travel to the nearest theme park and then hop on a bus to another resort.

Make sure you plan about 90 minutes to travel between resorts as you will usually have to transfer busses. Disney has stated that guests must now have a valid dining reservation to visit another resort.

We hope that we have answered all of your questions about Disney Transportation options that will be open when the parks reopen. If you have additional questions please ask us in the comments below, on the Kenny the Pirate Facebook Page, or in our exclusive KtP Crew Facebook Group and we will do our best to find the information to answer your questions!

Jess Watkins