Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort Transportation Guide
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is large, and knowing how to get around can make your stay easier. This guide covers transportation at Coronado Springs, including how to travel from the resort to the Walt Disney World theme parks, Disney Springs, and other popular destinations using complimentary Disney transportation.
We’ll walk through your options and what you need to know before you arrive. At the end of this guide, you can also find our free Disney resort transportation PDF, a handy reference to keep with you during your vacation.
Disney’s Coronado Springs Transportation Options
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort offers one transportation option: Disney’s Bus Service. It is the only moderate resort at Disney World with one transportation option. The resort also has four bus stops. Let’s look at how it works.
Coronado Springs to Magic Kingdom
You’ll take a bus from Coronado Springs to the Magic Kingdom. Buses for Magic Kingdom pick up guests in the following order: Casitas, Ranchos, Cabanas, and the shared bus stop between Gran Destino Tower and El Centro.
On the return trip from Magic Kingdom, the bus driver will drop guests off in the same order. So, if you need to pick up food or something from the gift shop, wait until the last stop. (Or you can exit at the Casitas and walk to El Centro.)
Coronado Springs to Epcot
From Coronado Springs, you’ll take a bus to Epcot. Epcot buses pick up guests in the following order: Casitas, Ranchos, Cabanas, and the shared bus stop between Gran Destino Tower and El Centro.
On the return trip from Epcot to Coronado Springs, the bus driver drops guests off in the same order. So, if you need to pick up something from the lobby, you’ll want to wait until the last stop. (Or you can exit at the Casitas and walk to El Centro.)
Coronado Springs to Hollywood Studios
You’ll take a bus from Coronado Springs to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Like the other theme parks, guests traveling to Hollywood Studios are picked up in the following order: Casitas, Ranchos, Cabanas, and the shared bus stop between Gran Destino Tower and El Centro.
On the return trip from Hollywood Studios, the bus driver will drop guests off in the same order. So, if you need to visit the lobby, wait until the last stop. Or if you want to exit at the first stop (the Casitas), you can walk to El Centro.
Coronado Springs to Disney’s Animal Kingdom
You’ll take a bus from Coronado Springs to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Like the other parks, the bus stops in this order: Casitas, Ranchos, Cabanas, and finally the shared bus stop between Gran Destino Tower and El Centro.
On the return trip from Magic Kingdom, the bus driver drops guests off in the same order. So, if you need to pick up food or something from the gift shop, you’ll want to wait until the last stop. (Or you can exit at the Casitas and walk to El Centro.)
Coronado Springs to Disney Springs
This one is different! If you’re going to Disney Springs, the bus stops at the shared bus stop between Gran Destino Tower and El Centro first. After Gran Destino, it travels to the Casitas, Ranchos, and Cabanas before returning to Disney Springs.
On the return trip from Disney Springs, the bus driver will first drop guests off at the shared stop between Gran Destino and El Centro. Then, it will continue to the Casitas, Ranchos, and the Cabanas.
Coronado Springs Bus Stops
It’s essential to understand how the bus stops at Coronado Springs work. Coronado Springs has four bus stops. When a bus arrives at the resort, it travels to a private back entrance and stops in the following order:
- Bus Stop 2 (Casitas)
- Bus Stop 3 (Ranchos)
- Bus Stop 4 (Cabanas)
- Bus Stop 1 (El Centro and Gran Destino Tower)
*Disney Springs buses are an exception to this rule. They stop at the resort’s front entrance (Bus Stop 1) and then travel to Bus Stops 2, 3, and 4. This bus doubles as the internal bus from El Centro to the Casitas, Ranchos, or Cabanas.
Over the years, we’ve tracked our average travel times to and from the resort. See our guide to the bus schedule at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.
Internal Bus at Disney’s Coronado Springs
While Coronado Springs doesn’t have a formal internal bus, you can take a bus to reach another destination inside the resort. Knowing how the buses run is an asset.
For example, any bus traveling from a village to a theme park will stop at Bus Stop 1, the shared stop between Gran Destino Tower and the resort’s main lobby, before it leaves for the park. So you can use this bus to get from the villages to the main lobby or tower. If you are unsure, you can always ask the bus driver if they will drop you off where you’re going. Just ensure you exit at the right stop. If you stay on, the ride will be long.
There’s always an exception to the rule. If you are at Gran Destino Tower and want to return to your village, take the Disney Springs bus. Theme park buses leave Gran Destino Tower and go directly to the theme parks. So board the Disney Springs bus if you’re leaving Gran Destino Tower and returning to one of the villages.
Bus Hours
Buses start running about an hour before the theme parks open. That one hour includes early theme park hours for resort guests.
Example: On a day that Magic Kingdom opens to the public at 9:00 a.m. (8:30 a.m. for resort guests), buses will run at approximately 7:30 a.m. (This time has been known to fluctuate anywhere from 60-90 minutes before the park opens.)
Buses continue to run up to an hour after the parks close. In our experience, Disney will get you back to your resort at the end of the night. You don’t have to rush out of the parks. Many gift shops stay open after the attractions close.
Wait times for the next bus depend on various factors. Over the years, we’ve experienced anything from long waits to excellent bus service at all of Walt Disney World’s resorts. A few years ago, Disney installed signs that show the estimated wait time for the next bus. These times are based on the bus’s proximity to the resort via Wi-Fi. For example, you might see the wait for your desired location fluctuate.
That could be because the bus stopped in traffic or at a light, or for other reasons. We have found that the posted arrival time is pretty accurate.
How long does it take to get to the parks?
Here are estimated travel times from Coronado Springs to each park.
- Coronado Springs to Magic Kingdom (Approximately 12 minutes)
- Coronado Springs to Epcot (Approximately 9 minutes)
- Coronado Springs to Hollywood Studios (Approximately 8 minutes)
- Coronado Springs to Animal Kingdom (Approximately 9 minutes)
- Coronado Springs to Disney Springs (Approximately 15 minutes)
Water Park Buses To and From Coronado Springs
Occasionally, Disney offers direct bus service between the resort and Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon. However, that is rare. At the bus stop, the electronic sign will indicate which bus goes to which water park.
Usually, guests must take the bus to Disney Springs to travel to Typhoon Lagoon. When you reach Disney Springs, you’ll exit that bus and board a transfer bus to Disney Springs. Someone will be there to direct you to the correct bus stop. It’s not far.
However, when you leave Typhoon Lagoon, you’ll have to walk further to find the resort bus stop at Disney Springs. So make sure you have a change of clothes for the return trip.
For Blizzard Beach, take a bus to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, then board a transfer bus to Blizzard Beach. You’ll return the same way. (Often, Coronado Springs offers direct service to Blizzard Beach because the water park is so close to the resort.)
Coronado Springs to the Monorail Resorts
Most guests will also want to visit the monorail resorts for dining or touring. You can take a bus from Disney’s Coronado Springs to the Magic Kingdom. From there, you will need to walk through security at Magic Kingdom. Then you can walk, boat, or monorail to the following resorts:
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort (walk, boat, monorail)
- Disney’s Polynesian Resort (boat, monorail, technically can walk via the Grand Floridian walkway to Magic Kingdom)
- Disney’s Contemporary Resort (walk or monorail)
Coronado Springs to Disney’s Boardwalk
If you’re traveling from Coronado Springs to Disney’s Boardwalk or the other Epcot Resorts (Beach Club, Yacht Club, and the Swan and Dolphin), you can take a bus from Coronado Springs to Hollywood Studios.
From Hollywood Studios, you can walk to the Boardwalk or take a Friendship Boat. You’ll want to return to Coronado Springs in the same manner. However, if you’re staying out past theme park hours, you might need to order a car service if the buses stop running.
Those would be pretty late hours to keep. But the Boardwalk has a few adult-oriented places that stay open relatively late.
Coronado Springs to Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness
From Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness, you can take a bus to the Magic Kingdom. Once you arrive at Magic Kingdom, take a bus or a boat to either resort.
*During inclement weather, you’ll need to take a bus from Magic Kingdom to Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness. Hopefully, you’ll still get to take the boat. It’s a pleasant ride and part of the fun.
Coronado Springs to the Skyliner Resorts
If you want to take a ride (for leisure) on the Disney Skyliner, take a bus from Coronado Springs to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and board the Skyliner. We have a separate guide that details Disney’s Skyliner’s route. Stops include Caribbean Beach Resort, Art of Animation, Pop Century, Riviera Resort, and Epcot’s International Gateway.
*Remember, these tips are subject to Disney’s transportation hours of operation.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Disney’s Coronado Springs is a beautiful resort. Whether you’re staying in one of the villages or Gran Destino Tower, a bus stop should be reasonably close to your room.
We hope you enjoyed this preview of the bus times at Disney’s Coronado Springs. You might also enjoy our guide to Disney’s Coronado Springs or some of our other related content:
- The Best Room Locations at Disney’s Coronado Springs: We visit the resort to check out the best room request locations.
- Disney’s Coronado Springs Pools: Preview photos, pool hours, and other details for spending time at the resort’s pools.
- Disney’s Coronado Springs Restaurants: Learn about the resort’s dining options during your stay.
- Gran Destino Tower Review: We discuss our last stay at Gran Destino Tower, the interior hotel at Disney’s Coronado Springs.
Don’t forget to grab a copy of our free PDF below. Print it or save it to your phone for quick reference during your trip.
Get Your Free Resort Transportation Guide PDF for Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
✨ Select the button below to learn how to get your free copy and what other bonuses you’ll receive.
To learn more about the resorts, see our guide to the Disney World Hotels. You might also like our overview of dining at Disney World. Need to know how to get around? Our beginner’s guide to transportation at Disney World is one of our top resources.
For touring the parks, see our Disney World Rides and Attractions guide. It links to attraction guides for all four theme parks. If you’re just getting started, you might like our Disney World Vacation Planning Guide. It brings together the resources you need to plan your visit. Check back with ResortsGal.com for more updates.
Resorts Gal Disclaimer: All photos and information provided (including travel times) are based on our experience, time spent at the resort, and expenditures.
In the Comments
Do you have any questions about transportation to and from Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort? Did you find our guide helpful? Let us know in the comments below.
Do you happen to remember when the buses started running in the morning? Do they start early enough to make it to the parks for early access? Thanks!
Yes, from my experience they start running one hour before the park opens, including one hour before early access.
I’m going here for an event and I want to get here via riding the bus from the Disney park to the hotel. Would I need anything or do they only let guests of their resort ride with some kind of ticket?
Nothing is needed, you’ll get in line at the bus and board it when it arrives. But you’ll want to make sure to exit at the bus stop closest to where you’re headed. I assume that would be Bus Stop 1 (Gran Destino/El Centro), which is often the last stop.
Is there a bus to espn wide world of sports?
No, not unless one is specifically scheduled for a special event.