Taking the Boat Between Disney’s Grand Floridian, the Polynesian, and Magic Kingdom (Photo and Map)

This guide discusses taking the resort boat service between Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Magic Kingdom with a stop at the Polynesian. We’ll review where to locate the boat docks, tips for using this service, and what to expect. After all, part of the fun of a Disney World vacation is taking advantage of Disney’s many transportation options. Depending on your location, you can take gondolas, buses, monorails, and more to and from the parks and resorts. Another favorite, possibly the best option, is taking a boat. Of course, many kinds of boats sail the waters of the vacation kingdom of the world.

The boat service between Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Magic Kingdom is shared with Disney’s Polynesian. We’ll start at Magic Kingdom and work our way back to Grand Floridian. When you exit Magic Kingdom, you’ll stay to the right. Grand Floridian’s boat dock is past the monorail station along the walkway that leads back to the resort. Here is a photo of the area.

A large covered pavilion offers a shaded place to wait for the next boat. The overhead signage indicates you’re getting in line to visit Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa or Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. It also lists the names of a few restaurants: Narcoossee’s, Citricos, and ‘Ohana.

This boat service typically begins half an hour before the park opens and continues until 45 minutes after the park closes. It does not run during inclement weather. If, for some reason, the boats aren’t running, you can also take the monorail or walking path to the Grand Floridian. The photo below shows where the walking path begins to the right of the pavilion.

We take this boat rather often and have found that, on average, two boats simultaneously run the route. When you arrive at the boat dock, most will be able to see the Grand Floridian’s dock in the distance. You can usually see the location of one of the boats running the route. If you cannot see the second boat, it’s likely somewhere around the Polynesian. An island blocks the view of the Polynesian boat dock.

The boats that typically run this route are open-air and require that guests step down into them. You will need to collapse any strollers or wheelchairs to board this boat. The photo below shows a yellow boat traveling between the Wilderness Lodge and the Magic Kingdom. Those boats are capable of boarding ECVS and regular wheelchairs. Occasionally, they run the Grand Floridian route. But for the most part, we see the open-air boats running between the Grand Floridian and Magic Kingdom. They seat approximately 30 guests.

It’s a short ride across the water to the Grand Floridian. But it’s every bit as pleasant as you can imagine.

Once the boat is docked, the captain asks guests to remain in their seats until he or she lets down the rope. Then, anyone traveling to the Grand Floridian is asked to exit the boat. Afterward, the captain allows anyone waiting to board the boat. The boat then travels next door to Disney’s Polynesian before returning to the Magic Kingdom.

Here is a view of the boat dock, looking back to Magic Kingdom. Some guests enjoy watching fireworks or the Electrical Water Pageant from the dock in the evening.

Here is a photo from the dock looking back to the resort. Narcoossee’s restaurant is on the left side of the dock, and Conch Key is on the right. Those with room assignments in Conch Key will have a short walk to the boat dock.

Here is a map showing the boat’s path when traveling to and from Magic Kingdom.

Use the Grand Floridian Boat Service When:

• Visiting Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa from Magic Kingdom
• Visiting Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort from Magic Kingdom
• Visiting Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort from the Grand Floridian

If you’re staying at the Grand Floridian, we often take the boat to the Polynesian and then return via the monorail. You might also enjoy taking a scenic walk between the resorts.

Final Thoughts

We hope you enjoyed these photos and tips for taking the Grand Floridian boat service to and from the Magic Kingdom. It’s an excellent way to get a breath of fresh air and take in scenic views! If you have plans to stay at the Grand Floridian, don’t miss our Grand Floridian Transportation Guide. For more on boat services, you might enjoy our Complete Guide to Boat Services at Disney World. Check back with Resorts Gal soon for more planning details!

In the Comments

Have you ever taken the resort boat between the Magic Kingdom and the Grand Floridian? Let us know in our comments section below.