The Disney Bus Guide You Have Always Needed
The Walt Disney World campus covers enough land that you can fit more than 50 Disneylands in it!
Obviously, navigating your way around Disney can prove challenging. You’ll be at the mercy of the mercurial Disney bus system throughout your visit.
Bus Transportation
So, here’s the Disney bus guide you have always needed.
What Are the Basic Facts about Disney Buses?
Disney bus
Disney thoughtfully provides free transportation around the entire Walt Disney World campus.
Guests primarily use the buses to move between Disney resorts and theme parks.
Photo: Disney
However, you’ll also find bus routes for the water parks, Disney Springs, and the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex.
Disney continuously runs buses to and from the theme parks until an hour after closing.
Blizzard Beach
So, you’ll have plenty of time to ride what you want and then grab a bus on your way out.
The same rule applies to water parks. Buses run until 60 minutes after the water parks close for the evening.
Blizzard Beach
Speaking of which, night owls should know about the Disney Springs rules. Buses run back to Disney resorts until 2 a.m. You can plan your visit around that timeline.
Each morning, the general rule is that the buses operate 45 minutes before a specific park’s opening.
Magic Kingdom Entrance
Other facts do come into play, though. As a pro tip, you should either check My Disney Experience for bus information or ask a hotel clerk about that day’s bus schedule.
Also, when you stay at Disney resorts, My Disney Experience will display when various buses will arrive at the hotel.
Photo: Disney
I’ve found this information invaluable over the past few years. You’ll know whether you have time to stroll leisurely or rush to the bus station!
Important Rules and Policies
Strollers
Obviously, Disney happily welcomes families traveling with small children. You should know the stroller rules, though.
The bus driver will expect you to fold your stroller and stow it in a way that doesn’t obstruct the aisles for others.
Stroller
In fact, for the convenience of others, you should fold the stroller before boarding.
Don’t worry, though! If the cast member notices that you haven’t done it correctly, they’ll gently instruct you on what you need to do.
ECV
Similarly, the buses allow medical strollers and electric conveyance vehicles (ECVs). In fact, you can rent the latter at Disney, just like baby strollers.
Each Disney bus allows two ECVs per ride. Some buses can hold three, but it’s a statistically small number of buses equipped in that fashion.
ECV
So, if you’re waiting in line and notice two or more other ECVs, one guest probably must wait for the following bus.
However, this rule does not apply to manual wheelchairs that fold. They’re the same as baby strollers in the eyes of Disney.
Photo: Touring Plans
At each bus stop, Disney will have specific waiting areas for people using ECVs and other wheelchair-accessible products.
Disney does this so that the bus driver may identify your needs quickly. The cast member will lower the ramp on the bus so that you may board.
Usually, people with ECVs and the like board first, but it does vary by the bus driver.
Is There a Set Schedule for Disney Buses?
Photo: Bus Map
Hahahahahahaha! No.
Yes, I know it’s irritating. For whatever reason, Disney lacks transparency with regard to bus arrival times at theme parks.
As I mentioned, you’ll find them at some hotels. For whatever reason, Disney doesn’t offer the same service at parks, the place where it’s most needed.
Disney will tell you that you’ll rarely wait more than 15-20 minutes for a bus. Frequent park guests will have a good laugh at that.
Photo: Disney
Playing Bus Roulette is probably my least favorite part of a Disney park visit. Sometimes, I’ll walk right on a bus, and everything’s right with the world.
Alas, whenever my feet are killing me and I’m sweaty and sleepy and gross, that’s the time when my hotel bus never arrives.
Disney Bus
Meanwhile, the buses for the hotel where I almost booked will appear repeatedly.
Disney’s bus system works best when you have an excellent sense of humor. If you don’t laugh, you’ll cry.
Do All Disney Hotels Offer Bus Service?
Photo: www.tripadvisor.com
The answer to this is technically yes, but it comes with several caveats.
For example, let’s say that you’re staying at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. This hotel operates a monorail station on the Grand Canyon Concourse.
Photo: Yesterland.com
For this reason, Disney won’t offer bus service to and from Magic Kingdom. After all, the monorail will take you there anyway. Why would you need a bus?
However, let’s say that the monorail requires repairs on a given day. If it’s not running, the Contemporary WILL provide bus service to Magic Kingdom.
Photo: Disney
Similarly, Disney’s Beach Club doesn’t offer bus service to EPCOT since you’re staying right beside the park’s International Gateway entrance.
These rules apply to any resort that operates an alternative form of transportation.
Skyliner
If there’s a Disney Skyliner or monorail option to a park, the hotel presumes you’ll use that instead.
I realize this policy is a bit confusing. Again, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask a cast member!
Do Buses Ever Crash?
Photo: CBS News
That got a little dark. I probably don’t want to look at your browser search history, do I?
Anyway, the answer is yes. Bus crashes happen, even at Disney. No professional driver goes their entire career without the occasional mishap. The problem when you work for Disney is that any incident immediately becomes a headline.
Disney buses
So, we know from experience about a few that MickeyBlog covered.
As I apparently said four years ago, I’m amazed this doesn’t happen more often. I mean, even the PeopleMover cars occasionally wreck!
How Do the Buses Stay So Clean?
Disney Bus
I don’t pretend to be an expert on car washes. I mean, you can usually write your name in the dust on my SUV. But I can watch YouTube videos!
That’s how I know about Westmatic Corporation. According to this clip, Disney bought a pair of Westmatic 4 Brush bush wash systems a decade ago.
The video also indicates that Disney performs more than 400 automated car washes each day!
That’s 146,000 bus washes per year and nearly 1.5 million since Disney added Westmatic as its vendor.
Disney Buses
Here’s a first-person video of a Disney bus going through the Westmatic:
I’m shocked by how fast that bus wash is. It takes me several minutes at the car wash.
I guess Disney prioritizes speed in all things…except the time we spend waiting on buses.
Photo: MickeyBlog
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Feature Photo: Disney Parks Blog
