Disney World has implemented a new transportation rule, and well, guests aren’t happy.
Disney Bus
Disney has stopped allowing any guest to hop on the free bus and boat transportation from Disney Springs to the hotels and has started checking for hotel and dining reservations. This new rule has made it difficult for guests to visit the hotels without having a booked stay, meaning if they just want to walk around, check out the quick service, or do anything else without a direct reservation, they have to get to the resorts a different way. We’re breaking down the rule right here and seeing how it’s really affecting guests.
Let’s start by defining the actual rule. At Disney Springs, you are not able to board the buses or boats without a hotel room or dining reservation. Does this mean you can’t go to the resorts at all if you don’t have a stay booked? Nope! It just means you can’t use the Disney Springs buses or boats to do it.
©Disney
Disney also said that you will be asked to show your valid room key and either your dining or experience reservation. With an experience reservation, you may board the bus or boat up to 2 hours before your reservation time.
Disney Springs transportation rules.
How can you get to the resorts? You’re not going to be able to drive there without reservations, and this rule has been in place for a long time. If you do have a dining reservation, you can show the reservation and your ID to the security guard and park easy peasy.
Inside a Disney Bus
If you don’t have a reservation, you can park at one of the theme parks before taking the buses, Skyliner, monorail, or even walking to the hotels. For Annual Passholders, this isn’t too much of a setback because free parking is included with your pass. For those who don’t have one, you’ll need to pay for parking at the theme parks before using the transportation.
EPCOT parking lot
What about rideshare? Even though you’re not technically parking, you cannot typically have your rideshare drive straight to the resorts. You’ll also need to be dropped off at a theme park. You won’t have to pay for parking, but you will have to pay for your rideshare.
Rideshare Pick-Up and Dropp-Off at EPCOT
Some of the hotels also have exceptions. For example, if you’re heading to grab beignets at Port Orleans — French Quarter, you just have to show your ID and say that you’re grabbing that fried sugary goodness.
BEIGNETS!
The best way to go to the hotels right now is to park at one of the four parks and then take the transportation to the resorts. You can also walk to some of the resorts in the EPCOT and Magic Kingdom area.
You can WALK to Magic Kingdom from the Contemporary!
In the meantime, make sure you keep following Disney Food Blog for more tips and tricks on how to handle your next Disney World vacation. We’re in the parks every day experiencing every rule change for ourselves, so we’re bringing all the best strategies right to you.
FULL GUIDE TO RESTAURANTS AT DISNEY SPRINGS
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Just another Disney disappointment for guests. We parked at DS, enjoyed some retail and then went to resorts to have a beverage and small plates at various lounges and when in season, enjoy the Christmas decorations during that time. We would spend more during that time overall than going to a sit down restaurant!! Sad!
What if you are staying off property and go to one of the parks. Of course you park there. But you want to go to the Springs for lunch or dinner. Can I take a bus to the Springs? And can I then take a bus to a resort switch busses to get back to the park and either go back in the park or to my car? If the answer is to drive to the Springs since no bus runs from the Springs to a park, as a park guest sinxe I have a park ticket, I can’t use the transportation which is what everyone is saying the busses are for.
Exactly what I stated in a previous comment Noreen just proved me RIGHT! Disney has now cut people from spending money. LOL It will be interesting to see the resort revenue loss. The FREE Disney bus to a resort allowed people to SPEND MONEY where they normally wouldn’t! So now, they won’t!
Hi Jeffrey. If you are not staying at one of the Disney Resort properties, you will not be able to board a bus to ANY resort at Disney Springs. If you do not park at Disney Springs and choose to park inside one of the theme parks, you’ll need to find alternate transportation back such as a rideshare or taxi. You will be able to board busses everywhere else, however, just not at Disney Springs.