Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is a breathtaking resort modeled after the National Park lodges of America’s Northwest. At the Wilderness Lodge, guests and visitors can catch an erupting geyser, a movie under the stars, a fantastic view of the nightly Electrical Water Pageant, or a bottle of ketchup at the delicious and rowdy Whispering Canyon Cafe.
While Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is closer to the Magic Kingdom than any other parks, there are still multiple ways to get there, each with its benefits and drawbacks. In this guide, we’ll go over all your options when traveling from the Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom and lay out the pros and cons for each.
Getting From Disney’s Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom: Your Options
Because Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is close to Magic Kingdom and sits near the water, there are quite a few options for traveling between the two. The most popular are bus and water taxi, but you could also use Disney’s Minne Van Service, another rideshare service, or arrive by car.
Disney World Bus Service
Disney World’s bus service is a free and convenient way to get from the Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom.
The bus stop at the Wilderness Lodge faces the entrance of the hotel. Exit the lobby through the doors closest to the Mercantile and the Buttons and Bells arcade and follow the covered walkway until you come to the bus stops. Buses for the Magic Kingdom stop at bus stop 1.
Disney Transportation buses from the Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom arrive every 15-20 minutes. The bus ride takes around seven minutes and will drop you right in front of the Magic Kingdom park.
Water Taxi
Getting from the Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom by water taxi takes around 10 minutes. It is a little slower than the bus, but the views from the water cannot be beaten, especially at night with either the Electrical Water Pageant or the fireworks over Cinderella’s castle.
Past the Silver Creek Springs Pool and to the left of the Fire Rock Geyer is a wooden walkway that leads to the boat dock. Get aboard the Red Flag boat to travel from Disney’s Wilderness Lodge to the Magic Kingdom. Boats begin operating a half hour before the Magic Kingdom opens and runs until an hour and a half after the park closes.
The red flag launch typically runs a smaller boat and a cruiser. If you have an ECV, you’ll have to wait for the cruiser to be able to get to the Magic Kingdom, which could take you longer to arrive. If you need wheelchair-accessible transportation while trying to get to the Magic Kingdom for an event or reservation, you may want to consider taking the bus instead.
Disney’s Minnie Van Service/ Rideshare
Disney’s Minnie Van service is an adorable rideshare service. The vans are driven by friendly and knowledgeable Disney Cast Members and are great for the times when you want a little more privacy or space when getting to the park. They have complimentary car seats for children under six.
To order a Minnie Van, open your Lyft app, choose your destination, and you will see the price and be able to order your ride. It will still take around seven minutes, but the Minnie Van service will take you straight to the Magic Kingdom. It is a good option for the times when sleepy or cranky family members can’t handle a bus or boat.
You can also use Uber or regular Lyft service, but they will not be able to take you straight from Disney’s Wilderness Lodge to the Magic Kingdom. For the price and the extra time it will take to get to the Magic Kingdom from the Transportation and Ticket Center, it’s not typically the best option.
Car
If you’ve driven your car to Disney World as part of a road trip or have decided to rent a car once there for the extra freedom and flexibility, a nightly parking fee is applied to your hotel bill. You will then be able to park within the resort at no additional charge.
There is no parking at the Magic Kingdom itself. You can drive to get there, but you’ll be parking at the Transportation and Ticket Center, which means the trip will take longer. You’ll still need to take one of Disney’s public transportation options to get to the Magic Kingdom from the Transportation and Ticket Center.
If you’re trying to avoid public transportation for any reason, your best bet is to use Disney’s Minnie Van Service.
Getting From the Transportation and Ticket Center to the Magic Kingdom
Disney World’s bus service and the red flag water taxi are free transportation options that will take you directly from Disney’s Wilderness Lodge to the Magic Kingdom. They will usually be the quickest and most convenient way to get back and forth.
However, if you decide to go by car or any rideshare other than Disney’s Minnie Van Service, you will find yourself at the Transportation and Ticket Center with two options to get to the Magic Kingdom.
Ferryboat
Ferries to the Magic Kingdom from the Transportation and Ticket Center leave every 10-20 minutes. The ferryboats are double-decker boats that are larger than the red flag boats. However, bench seating is limited. It is a beautiful ride but a less direct and more time-consuming way to get from the Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom.
Monorail
Riding the monorail through the sky and hurtling towards the Magic Kingdom is an exciting experience for the whole family. However, getting from Disney’s Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom by monorail through the Ticket and Transportation Center is not the most direct way.
You should make time for at least one monorail ride during your vacation. If you’re park hopping, spending some of your time at EPCOT, or catching a character breakfast at the Contemporary, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to see and ride the monorail.
When it comes to deciding how to get from the Wilderness Lodge, choose the option that fits your family’s needs to get you to Magic Kingdom as quickly as possible.
Check out some of our other guides for more information on how to get the most out of your Disney World vacation:
- The Ultimate Guide To Stroller Rental At Disney World
- How Much Do You Need To Budget For Food At Disney World
- What Is The Best Age To Take Kids To Disney World?
- How Many Disney Parks Are There In Florida?
More about our TFVG Author
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- Benni Hollowayhttps://www.thefamilyvacationguide.com/author/benni/
- Benni Hollowayhttps://www.thefamilyvacationguide.com/author/benni/
- Benni Hollowayhttps://www.thefamilyvacationguide.com/author/benni/
