The town of Kissimmee is not very far from Disney World and is becoming an increasingly popular place to stay. As Orlando hotels and home rentals get more expensive, Kissimmee attracts guests from out of town who don’t mind a longer commute to the Magic Kingdom and beyond.
If you’re planning a family vacation in Florida to Disney and want to save some money by staying in Kissimmee, you might be wondering how to get there. Is there public transportation? How long does it take to get to Disney World from Kissimmee? What routes are the fastest?
Here is a guide on the four main ways to travel from Kissimmee to Disney World.
We’ll also talk about how long each one takes, the prices of the various methods, and which is the best for your family vacation.
How To Get to Disney World From Kissimmee
To make the most of your family vacation, you want to spend as much time in Walt Disney World as possible. While Kissimmee has some amazing resorts and hotels for when you’re finished at the parks, it’s essential to know how to get there as quickly and economically as possible.
There are four possible ways to get to Disney World from Kissimmee: by rental car, taxi, public bus, or hotel shuttle.
Each of these methods has its pros and cons, but we’ll leave it to you to decide what’s best for you and your family’s vacation. Here are the main ways to get to Disney World from Kissimmee and their prices.
How To Get to Disney From Kissimmee by Car
Kissimmee sits 10 miles from Disney World and will take 20-30 minutes by car, depending on traffic and which part of Disney World you’re trying to get to. The closest park is the Magic Kingdom, but it takes a few minutes longer to get to Epcot or Animal Kingdom from Kissimmee.
Of course, that time is flexible, depending on where you are staying in Kissimmee. If you’re on the far side of the resort town, it may take as long as 40 minutes to make it to Animal Kingdom. Most of the rental houses and hotels are closer to the parks, so you probably won’t be driving for much more than half an hour.
To drive to Walt Disney World from Kissimmee, your first step is to navigate from your rental home or hotel to the interstate. Most routes will take you to W492 and I-4. Whichever direction you come from, you’ll end up on Osceola Parkway, which leads straight to the parks.
Once on Osceola, it’s difficult to miss Walt Disney World. There are signs everywhere, leading to the various parks. Although it takes a little longer to get to Epcot or Animal Kingdom, you can stay on Osceola Parkway until you reach the right park.
How To Get to Disney From Kissimmee by Taxi
If you didn’t rent a car, that’s no problem. There are several taxi services from Orlando and Kissimmee that work nonstop, driving visitors both to and from the parks. You can book a local taxi or call an Uber, Lyft, or other private courier services.
No matter which kind of transportation you choose, it will take the same amount of time that driving a car would (because you’re in a car). However, you might have to plan for some extra time to meet your taxi or Uber driver.
Whether you have a taxi or a private courier, you can save time on the day of your park visit by scheduling it ahead of time. This will ensure that a driver is ready for your estimated departure time, and you’ll be on time for the grand opening, big event, or shortest wait time on the new Star Wars ride!
Taxis and Ubers are exceptionally convenient if you don’t want to pay for parking. You can still leave whenever you want and don’t have to wait on a busy schedule. However, a taxi or Uber from Kissimmee to Disney will likely cost $30-$50, depending on the company and availability.
How To Get to Disney From Kissimmee by Bus
For Disney guests looking to save even more money, you’re in luck. Kissimmee has a public bus service that leaves every 30 minutes from a bus station downtown. Run by Lynx Central Florida Transport, this bus takes hundreds of folks to and from Orlando every day.
Bus tickets from Kissimmee to Walt Disney World cost $2 apiece and leave on a regular schedule. You’ll be able to track when the bus is arriving and plan your day around the cheap transportation from the city to the most magical place in the world.
However, the bus takes almost an hour to get to Disney World because of the stops it makes. It shouldn’t be too crowded (especially earlier in the morning), but it is a first-come, first-serve situation. If the bus is full, you’ll have to wait for the next one.
Going to Disney World on a bus might be exciting for a bit, but it is public transportation. If you’re tired after a long day at Disney, an hour-long ride with strangers might not be your idea of the perfect nightcap, especially if you have little kids. Plan accordingly and remember the commute back to Kissimmee.
How To Get to Disney From Kissimmee by Shuttle
If you are in a hotel room, don’t look at any of these options until you find out whether your hotel offers a complimentary shuttle to the parks. Most Kissimmee and Orlando hotels do, and it’s the most convenient way to get to the parks without paying anything extra.
Some hotels let you schedule a shuttle, but most have a running schedule, from sunup to sundown or later. Ask the front desk when the shuttle leaves, and arrive in the lobby 10-15 minutes before. Shuttles fill up quickly, and you don’t want to wait another half hour for the next shuttle.
Getting back to the hotel might be a little trickier, but you can find the hotel shuttle’s pickup location and make sure you’re there when they’re scheduled to leave. As long as you don’t miss the last shuttle, you won’t have to get a taxi or a more expensive trip back.
The shuttle is the cheapest way to get to Kissimmee from Disney (it’s free). Unfortunately, most rented condos or homes don’t have this option. It’s only for hotel guests and depends on the hotel chain’s policies.
So, What Is the Best Way To Get to Disney World From Kissimmee?
We’ve discussed hotel shuttles, taxis, rental cars, and buses, but what is the best way to make it to the most magical place on earth from the sunny town of Kissimmee? Well, it falls to you and your family.
When it comes to transportation, you know what will suit your family best. If they need private transportation like a taxi or your rental car, it might be worth it to pay more for the ride or parking. However, some families are down for the adventure on public transportation.
No matter how you end up at Disney World, you will enjoy the trip with your family and make some magical memories. All of this is part of the larger picture, which is the beauty of a family vacation to where the magic happens.
More about our TFVG Author
A seasoned traveller, Dad, and avid sports tourist, James foundered The Family Vacation Guide to share his expert vacation experiences- especially when it comes to being a travelling family man.
Featured in Travel articles such as Travel + Leisure, TripSavvy and SFGate, you know you're reading some of the best vacation tips online.
- James Brockbankhttps://www.thefamilyvacationguide.com/author/james/
- James Brockbankhttps://www.thefamilyvacationguide.com/author/james/
- James Brockbankhttps://www.thefamilyvacationguide.com/author/james/
- James Brockbankhttps://www.thefamilyvacationguide.com/author/james/
