Disney Springs Transportation Guide (With Important 2023 Updates)

One of the most challenging things about visiting Disney is figuring out the best way to get around. And sometimes, you might want to leave a park or a hotel to visit Disney Springs.

So in this article, we’ll preview the Disney Springs transportation options in detail. We’ll discuss how to take a bus, water taxi, or walk to Disney Springs where applicable.

Additionally, I’ll provide a few tips for parking at Disney Springs. Thankfully, the parking decks at Disney Springs are free to use. However, there are a few things you’ll still want to know in advance.

If you haven’t visited Disney Springs lately, you might be surprised at how much the place has grown. Those with dining reservations at this venue will want to have an idea of the restaurant’s location before visiting.

This article was updated on March 18, 2023.

Disney Springs Transportation Options

Depending on your departure location, you have several options for traveling to Disney Springs. The most common is a Disney bus.

However, a few resorts offer water taxis to Disney Springs. And you can walk to Disney Springs from one of the resorts.

However, if you plan on doing a little shopping, you might consider taking your car if you have it with you. It’s nice to store packages in your vehicle instead of carrying them all day.

If you are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort, bus transportation is provided to Disney Springs. In some cases, boat transportation will be your primary means of getting to the venue. However, in the event of inclement weather, all resorts offer a bus to Disney Springs.

When you reach Disney Springs via bus transportation, you’re dropped off at Town Center. Town Center is conveniently located at the center of Disney Springs.

In the past, the bus dropped off at The Marketplace, located at the far end of Disney Springs. That area is now a drop-off and pick-up point for various car services like Lyft and Uber.

Disney moving the primary bus stop to Town Center has positively impacted guests visiting Disney Springs. The new location helps cut down on having to walk the entire length of the venue to get to the opposite end.

Of course, you can still walk the entire venue, but the layout of Disney Springs is now more of an oval shape. So you can make a loop of the whole place if you want without doing any backtracking.

So if you’re headed to a dining reservation, you’ll want to know whether or not to head left, right, or straight when you enter Disney Springs from Town Center.

Per Disney’s website, buses begin running from the resorts 30 minutes before Disney Springs opens and continue until 1.5 hours after it closes. Disney’s bus schedule is available here.

Unfortunately, the theme park bus to Disney Springs is not available at this time. In the past, a bus ran from the theme parks to Disney Springs after 4:00 p.m.

However, buses do not run from Disney Springs to any theme parks.

Further down, in the tips section, I’ve added details on how to leave a theme park and get to Disney Springs. It’s a relatively simple process and will save you a few dollars over using a car service.

Disney Springs Parking

As mentioned above, there is no cost to park at Disney Springs. There are several garages and lots.

The parking garages are as follows:

Lime
Grapefruit
Orange

The Orange garage is located on the West Side of Disney Springs. This parking garage has an exit near the Coca-Cola Store. A few restaurants nearby include Jaleo, Wolf Gang Puck, and Chicken Guy!

Related: Jaleo Review at Disney Springs

The Lime Garage is at Town Center and exits near The Polite Pig restaurant. Disney fans tend to argue that Lime is the better of the two garages.

Location-wise, the lime garage is preferable to me. However, I often feel like I’m in an episode of the Fast and Furious when trying to find a parking space there. It can be very competitive.

Grapefruit’s garage is across the street from the venue and has a raised crosswalk over the street for access.

Additionally, a Strawberry, Watermelon, and Mango parking lot are available. Preferred parking costs $10.00.

Valet parking is available to guests on the following days and times:

Monday through Thursday: 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Friday through Saturday: 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Sunday: 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Valet parking is available near Cirque du Soleil. It costs approximately $20.00.

Lastly, anyone using rideshare or a car service gets dropped off at the old Marketplace Bus Loop on the east side of Disney Springs.

Water Taxis to Disney Springs

Select resorts offer water taxis service to Disney Springs. Those resorts are as follows:

Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa
Old Key West
Port Orleans Riverside Resort
Port Orleans French Quarter Resort

Water taxis drop guests off at The Marketplace boat dock at Disney Springs. If you want to learn more about this service, we have a breakdown of the boat ride between Disney Springs and the Riverside Resorts. That is the longest of the boat routes.

Walking to Disney Springs

Walking is my favorite form of Disney Springs transportation. Guests visiting Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort can walk to Disney Springs.

You’ll find the walkway to Disney Springs near the Congress Park section of Saratoga Springs. It’s a beautiful walk along the water, and you can see Disney Springs in the distance.

All you have to do is follow the path toward The Marketplace.

In the distance, you can see Paddlefish, The Boathouse Restaurant, and the volcano part is Disney’s Springs Rainforest Cafe.

When you reach the end of the walkway, you’ll cross a bridge and enter the Marketplace at Disney Springs. There you will go through a security checkpoint before entering the venue.

Additionally, guests of the hotels around Disney Springs can use one of the raised pedestrian bridges to access Disney Springs. These footbridges are on the opposite side of Disney Springs, close to Lake Buena Vista Drive.

Water Taxis at Disney Springs

Unfortunately, the water taxis service that takes guests from one end of Disney Springs to the other end has yet to return. At this time, all water taxis coming to and from the resorts drop off at The Marketplace boat dock.

So far, we’ve talked about how to get to and from Disney Springs. Now I would like to share a few tips for using the transportation at Disney Springs to get around during your visit.

Disney Springs is so expansive that you could easily walk a long way to reach your desired destination. Thankfully, water transportation is available in three different areas of Disney Springs. The boat docks are located in the following areas:

The Marketplace
The Landing (not open)
West Side (not open)

The Marketplace boat dock is in the middle of the bridge between Saratoga Springs and Disney Springs. So if you’re walking over from Saratoga Springs and headed to The Landing or West Side, you might consider taking the boat.

Or, if you’re shopping in The Marketplace and want to save a few steps, you might want to locate the boat dock to travel to the opposite side.

Remember that the boats will likely not save you time, but they help with tired feet.

I prefer to walk. But if you are not acclimated to walking long distances, especially in the heat, you might elect to wait and take a boat over to that side of the venue. And it is a pleasant boat ride.

The Marketplace Dock will head to West Side first and then travel to The Landing before returning to the Marketplace. All of the water taxis travel in this direction.

The most important thing you’ll want to know is which landing is closest to your desired destination.

Therefore, if you’re at The Landing or West Side, you might elect to take a boat back to The Marketplace. And if you’re heading back to a resort, you’ll unload here and join the designated line for it.

Disney Springs Transportation Tips

Before we wrap things up, I wanted to review the basics of using Disney Springs transportation. Additionally, I’ll share a few tips for using various transportation to get to Disney Springs.

Anyone visiting Disney Springs can use the transportation available even if they are not staying on the property.

Here are the main factors you’ll want to know when heading to Disney Springs.

There is no cost to visit Disney Springs
Parking is free at Disney Springs.
All Walt Disney World Resorts provide bus transportation to and from Disney Springs during operating hours.
Guests staying at Saratoga Springs have the luxury of being able to walk or boat over to Disney Springs.
Guests staying at Saratoga Springs, Port Orleans Riverside, French Quarter, Old Key West, and the Treehouse Villas can take a boat to Disney Springs.
Water taxis provide transportation to three different ports within the Disney Springs area. (*Service is not operating at this time.)
There are no buses from Disney Springs that travel directly to a Disney theme park.

Additionally, I have listed a few ways to get to Disney Springs after leaving a Disney theme park.

From Magic Kingdom to Disney Springs:

Walk to Disney’s Contemporary Resort and take a bus to Disney Springs.
Take the resort monorail to the Contemporary, Polynesian, or Grand Floridian and take a bus from that resort to Disney Springs.
Take a bus from the Magic Kingdom to any resort. Then stay at that bus stop until the next bus to Disney Springs arrives. (Some resorts will be out of the way distance-wise.)
Take the bus from the Magic Kingdom to Saratoga Springs Resort, get off at the “Congress Park” bus stop, and take the walkway to Disney Springs.

From Disney’s Animal Kingdom to Disney Springs:

Take a bus to Animal Kingdom Lodge (the closest resort to Animal Kingdom), and then take a bus to Disney Springs.
Take the Saratoga Springs Resort bus from Animal Kingdom, get off at the “Congress Park” bus stop and take the walkway to Disney Springs.
Catch any bus from Animal Kingdom to a resort. Then, stay at that bus stop and take the next bus to Disney Springs. (Keep in mind some resorts will be out of the way.)

From Disney’s Hollywood Studios to Disney Springs:

Walk or take a Disney Friendship Boat to the Boardwalk, Beach Club, Yacht Club, or the Swan and Dolphin Resorts. Then take a bus to Disney Springs.
Take the Saratoga Springs Resort bus from Hollywood Studios, get off at the “Congress Park” bus stop, and take the walkway to Disney Springs.
Catch any bus from Disney’s Hollywood Studios to a resort. Then stay at that bus stop and take a bus to Disney Springs. (Use this tip with discretion. Some resorts will be really out of the way from this location.)
Take the Disney Skyliner to any available resort. Then head to that resort’s bus stop and take a bus to Disney Springs.

Related: Disney World Skyliner Resorts

From Epcot to Disney Springs:

Walk or boat to Disney’s Boardwalk, Beach and Yacht Club, or the Swan and Dolphin Resorts. Then take a bus to Disney Springs. This can be done by exiting Epcot at the International Gateway. The International Gateway exit is between the United Kingdom and France Pavilions of the World Showcase.
Use the Disney Skyliner system at Epcot’s International Gateway to visit a Disney Resort. From that resort, head to the bus stop and take a bus to Disney Springs.
Take the Saratoga Springs Resort bus from Epcot and get off at the “Congress Park” bus stop. Then take the walkway to Disney Springs.
Catch any bus from Epcot to a resort, stay at that bus stop, and take a bus to Disney Springs. (Some resorts will be further travel distance using this tip.)

*All of these travel tips can be great when transportation at Disney is running smoothly. However, some of these scenarios might end up taking longer than expected. For example, bad timing or other unforeseen issues could lengthen travel times.

My best luck has always been taking the bus to Saratoga Springs and walking to Disney Springs. This tip eliminates the possibility of having to wait on two different buses.

If you elect to take the resort bus to Saratoga Springs from a theme park, here is a picture of the bus stop where you will disembark.

Saratoga Springs is a massive resort with several bus stops. By the time they finally call Congress Park over the speaker system, you might be a bit worried about finding your way over to Disney Springs. Fear not. This walkway sits directly across from the bus stop.

See how the sign even states Disney Springs with an arrow pointing down the pathway?

And within just a few moments, you’ll see this view of Disney Springs.

And here is the bridge you will cross to enter Disney Springs from Saratoga Springs Resort.

Final Thoughts: Transportation at Disney Springs

Hopefully, these Disney Springs transportation tips will come in handy on your next visit. For many, the journey is the biggest part of the fun, especially at Disney World.

Make sure to visit our Disney transportation page for the complete list of reviews on getting around Disney property.

We’ll finish with a few photos of the water taxis and views!

Below we have a look over to Saratoga Springs from a water taxi.

Related: Saratoga Springs Resort Review

And here is the view back towards Disney Springs.

You can see several Disney Springs restaurants in the distance.

The water taxis have seating that resembles park benches.

Make sure to pick a good spot!

Are you planning a Disney vacation? Read over our Disney World Hotel Reviews to begin planning your next stay. Some favorites include

Not for sure if you want to stay on-property? You might like one of these articles:

Our most popular articles include the Loungefly Disney Ultimate Backpack list and our Disney World Character Dining Guide.

Make sure to leave a comment below with your thoughts or any tips you might have on transportation at Disney Springs.

13 Comments

Lisa says:

June 1, 2022 at 10:54 am

I understand that bus transportation is provided to Disney Springs from Disney Resorts, but you don’t specify if transportation is provided to return to the resort. I know this probably seemsike a stupid question, but I just want to make sure. Does Disney provide bus transportation from Disney Springs to the Disney Resorts?

1. Amber says:
  
  June 1, 2022 at 11:01 am
  
  Hi, no your question is understandable. Buses travel from Disney Springs to the Disney Resorts. There’s a huge bus stop in front of the Town Center area at Disney Springs. It’s next to the same area where they drop you off. There are signs that indicate the bus stop number for each individual resort.
  
mike says:

July 7, 2022 at 1:54 pm

Just a bus warning for leaving Disney Springs. One year we took Disney Spring bus to Boardwalk Resort which is 5-10 minutes straight down highway. It took 65 minutes w/ stops at every Epcot hotel & resort first lol.

Tom says:

March 28, 2023 at 4:26 am

I have read that an option for the quickest way to get from Disney Springs to EPCOT is by taking the Disney bus back to the Swan Hotel, and then walking to EPCOT, with a walk of little less than a mile (0.7 miles), and is then about a 15 minute walk, which I don’t mind
Is this still an option?
Are these buses still located at the Marketplace Bus Loop, on the east side of Disney Springs and if so are they easy to find?
Will the bus simply say Swan Hotel on the front of it, or is there something else to look out for on the front of the bus?

1. Amber says:
  
  March 28, 2023 at 8:01 am
  
  Hi, you would want to take the bus from Disney Springs back to Beach Club. It’s a much shorter walk. We recently left Epcot one day to have a late lunch at Disney Springs. We walked out of Epcot at the International Gateway and took a bus from the Beach Club to Disney Springs, and then returned to Epcot the same way. It’s about a 5-minute walk from Beach Club’s lobby to Epcot.
  
Karen Brown says:

March 29, 2023 at 2:55 pm

It sounds like the Disney Resort buses that go to/from Disney Springs are available to anyone, regardless if you are staying on/off the property? Is this correct? Also, it appears Lynx has buses at Disney Springs that go near offsite Marriott properties? Where would I find more information on Lynx? Thank you!

1. Amber says:
  
  March 29, 2023 at 3:08 pm
  
  Yes anyone visiting Walt Disney World can take advantage of the transportation options offered at the resorts or theme parks. Unfortunately, I don’t have any information for Lynx. However, the Marriott hotels will have any options for transportation listed on their individual websites. It really depends on which hotel you choose. Have a fun trip!
  
  1. Karen Brown says:
    
    March 29, 2023 at 4:17 pm
    
    Hi Amber, thank you for your response. So If I am wanting to save $$ on transportation I could take Lynx to Disney Springs, then take the Disney bus to the Beach Club Resort (for free), then take the water taxi (for free) to Hollywood Studios?? I know it will involve more time, but being by myself there is no hurry… BTW, what time do the Disney Resort buses start running FROM Disney Springs? Thx!
    
    1. Amber says:
      
      March 29, 2023 at 6:49 pm
      
      You are welcome. It sounds like you enjoy traveling at your leisure, as do I. As far as resort buses from Disney Springs, they will be slower to pick up from the venue than drop off first thing in the morning. I would imagine there aren’t many people leaving at opening time, so you might have to alter your route a little bit.
      
Karen Alessi says:

March 29, 2023 at 2:56 pm

Hi Resorts Gal,
Thanks for this thorough transportation article! Our vacation starts next Monday.
Is this a good plan?… we are staying the Hilton Buena Vista Palace, which is right across from Disney Spring. It’s an official Disney hotel with a shuttle to all the parks. We want to have lunch at Gyser Point. Should we take our shuttle straight to Ticket and Transportation ctr. then take the ferry to Wilderness Lodge ? Or is there a better option?

1. Amber says:
  
  March 29, 2023 at 3:15 pm
  
  If it were me, I would probably walk to the bus stop at Disney Springs and catch a direct bus to the Wilderness Lodge. However, it is a bit of a walk from your hotel to the Disney Springs bus stop. (I think I touched on this in our Hilton Buena Vista Palace Review.)
  
  If you take the shuttle you’ll get dropped off at the TTC. Then you’ll have to take the ferry or monorail to Magic Kingdom, go through security, and then take a boat to the Wilderness Lodge. So this isn’t a terrible option, but make sure to give yourself plenty of time to do either.
  
  Have fun!
  
Karen Alessi says:

March 29, 2023 at 3:28 pm

Thanks so much!! We’ll do your first option.

1. Amber says:
  
  March 29, 2023 at 6:44 pm
  
  You are welcome. You might consider how early you leave too. If Disney Springs hasn’t been open long, there might not be a ton of buses returning to the resorts yet.