The Grand Floridian Walkway to Magic Kingdom (Photos + Distance)
Did you know you can walk between Disney’s Grand Floridian and Magic Kingdom? Thanks to a walking path that was added a few years back, you can! Below, we’ll discuss taking the walking path between the iconic flagship resort and the Most Magical Place on Earth. Along the way, we’ll preview photos of the scenic walk, discuss the distance, and tips for the best time to take advantage of the walkway.
The walking path begins at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa and wraps around Seven Seas Lagoon as it continues all the way to the Magic Kingdom. Before the path was installed, Disney’s Contemporary Resort and the neighboring Bay Lake Tower were the only resorts that offered a walking path to the Magic Kingdom.
However, now, guests staying at Disney’s Grand Floridian and Disney’s Polynesian can use the walkway to travel to and from the park. So, if you’re in the mood for a leisurely walk or want to escape the crowds, this serene connector is the perfect solution.
Guests staying or visiting the Grand Floridian can access the walkway to Magic Kingdom on the far side of the resort’s property. The path begins between Sago Cay and the resort’s convention center. When you exit the back entrance of Grand Floridian’s lobby (near the Grand Floridian Cafe), you’ll take a hard left. Then, you’ll continue past Gasparilla Island Grill as you veer slightly to the left. Signage indicates where the walkway to Magic Kingdom begins. The image below shows where the path starts immediately to the side of Sago Cay.
If you feel unsure about where you’re headed, my best advice is to stay in the same direction as the monorail track. It runs almost directly underneath the entirety of the walking path. You cannot miss it. (Sometimes, the monorail might even honk at you if you wave.)
Sago Cay is on the resort’s outskirts. It was the last outer building to be refurbished. Fresh landscaping was recently added around the building and the walkway.
Continuing, we depart the resort’s ground and travel through a fairly undeveloped area.
A small bridge crosses a stream that feeds into Seven Seas Lagoon.
In the distance, you can see Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
If you’re heading back to the Grand Floridian from the park, you’ll enjoy stunning views of the resort. It faces the lagoon and makes for a pretty photo spot.
It’s a peaceful journey. But when it’s 100 degrees out or anywhere comparable, you could melt along the way. Additionally, thunderstorms can approach rather rapidly. So it’s important to consider weather conditions before making the walk.
At the halfway point, you’ll come to a swinging bridge. It pivots across the canal to allow the Electric Water Pageant floats to pass through at night. Disney lists the times the water pageant passes in the My Disney Experience app. It passes each of the Magic Kingdom Resorts in the evening as it makes its way across Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake.
You’ll likely be able to see where the water pageant is stored on the opposite side of the bridge. In passing, you might not realize it’s there, so here’s a picture to give you an idea.
Looking back to the Grand Floridian from the walkway, here is a view before you reach the bridge.
You’ll walk through a few shaded areas. However, most of the pathway is in direct sunlight during the day.
Every few moments, a monorail glides by overhead.
You’ll encounter a few benches as you get closer to the Magic Kingdom.
However, you won’t run into any benches near the resort side of the path.
Once you reach Magic Kingdom, the walkway comes up alongside the resort boat launch.
Then, you’ll pass through the security area shared with guests visiting the Magic Kingdom via the resort boat launch. After heading through the security checkpoint, you’ll make your way to the ticket turnstiles before entering the park.
You’ll return to the walkway from Magic Kingdom as though you’re headed down to the Grand Floridian Resort’s boat launch. The walkway to Grand Floridian is on the far right of the dock.
Signage will point you in the right direction.
How Long is the Path Between Grand Floridian and Magic Kingdom?
From the lobby of Disney’s Grand Floridian to the Magic Kingdom, it’s approximately 0.70 miles. At an average pace, it takes about 15 minutes, which equals about 1700 steps. (We take this walkway regularly and have calculated the distance.)
Since the walkway opened, it’s become a tremendous benefit for anyone traveling between the Grand Floridian and Magic Kingdom. You no longer have to worry about waiting on any form of transportation to get to and from Magic Kingdom. Plus, when you leave Magic Kingdom at closing, you don’t have to worry about all the crowds. You might have to pass through some to get to the walkway. But you won’t have to wait in a mile-long line for the monorail or boat service.
Think about it. You’ve waited in line all day and are exhausted with worn-out children clinging to your side. Or maybe you are just exhausted. A broad, fresh-air walkway will get you back around the lagoon to Grand Floridian in about 15 minutes. I don’t know about you, but as long as I’m able, I’ll choose to up my step count a little more over standing in another long line. Plenty of lamp posts line the pathway, making it convenient to use at night.
Can You Walk from the Polynesian to the Magic Kingdom?
Unfortunately, as of this update, you cannot take advantage of the path if you’re traveling between Grand Floridian and the Polynesian. Due to the construction of the new DVC Hotel between the resorts, you’ll have to take the monorail or boat service between them. When the tower opens, you should be able to continue from the Grand Floridian to the Polynesian.
Can you Walk from the Transportation and Ticket Center to the Magic Kingdom?
In the past, we often walked from the Transportation and Ticket Center to the Polynesian, then on to the Grand Floridian and Magic Kingdom. However, due to the construction of the new Polynesian DVC Tower, this is currently not an option. Below are the stats for how long it took us. We’ll update this article when the path reopens.
This is a long walk. It takes us approximately 35 minutes to walk the entire distance (without stopping) from the front of the Transportation and Ticket Center to the Magic Kingdom. We would only recommend taking this long of a walk for leisure. For instance, you might go this way to stop at the resorts along the way.
We find the entire pathway pleasant. Of course, we enjoy being outside and taking long walks. It’s nice that it works out how all the various properties connect. When available, we often park at Magic Kingdom (TTC) and then walk to the Polynesian’s Great Ceremonial House to explore. I love to check out new items in the gift shop. Then, we’ll stop at the Grand Floridian and listen to the live piano player in the lobby. After that, it’s usually time for a bit of fun at Magic Kingdom. So, we’ll continue our slow crawl to the theme park.
A Quick Recap
- A walkway connects Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort with the Magic Kingdom.
- Guests staying at the Polynesian can also walk to the Grand Floridian and access the new walkway.
- A walkway from the Polynesian connects the resort with the Transportation and Ticket Center. Therefore, guests can walk from the TTC to the Magic Kingdom, but it’s a long walk!
Anyone looking for a scenic, peaceful walk (or possibly jog) will enjoy this area immensely. I highly recommend a sunset walk. Sunrise would also be nice for those of you who are early birds. But the massive benefit is not relying on Disney transportation when using the new walkway from the Magic Kingdom to Grand Floridian!
For more information about the resort, we have a complete guide that lists our articles:
Some of our articles for the resort include:
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort Restaurant Guide
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort Review
- The 2 Pools at Disney’s Grand Floridian (Photos)
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort Transportation Options
Resorts Gal specializes in providing information about Walt Disney World Resorts. You can browse our entire list of Disney World Hotel Reviews. It includes a variety of reviews for the following resort categories.
If you are planning a trip to Disney World, make sure to familiarize yourself with our Disney Dining Guide. Some of our most popular dining guides include Character Dining at Disney World, our Disney Signature Dining Guide, and the Best Restaurants at Disney Springs List.
Want to save time and energy on your vacation? Get a copy of our 5 best transportation tips for Walt Disney World.
In the Comments
Please comment below if you have any questions or thoughts about the Grand Floridian walkway to Magic Kingdom! Have you ever taken this route? We love to hear from you!
