Every Transportation Tip You Need to Know For Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the transportation options at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge before your stay. Whether you want to know the quickest route to Magic Kingdom or figure out how to get to Disney Springs for that dining reservation you have planned later in the week, we have you covered.
We recommend reviewing this entire guide before your vacation. If you want, you can bookmark it for quick reference during your vacation. If you’re already at Walt Disney World and are in a pinch, here are a few quick links to some of the main destinations.
- How to Get from Disney’s Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom
- How to Get from Disney’s Wilderness Lodge to Epcot
- How to Get from Disney’s Wilderness Lodge to Hollywood Studios
- How to Get from Disney’s Wilderness Lodge to Animal Kingdom
- How to Get from Disney’s Wilderness Lodge to Disney Springs
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge offers two forms of complimentary transportation. For some Disney destinations, you can take the resort watercraft, which we consider the most pleasant way to get around Disney World. Other locations will require you to take a Disney bus to reach your destinations.
Unfortunately, you won’t have immediate access to the resort monorail or Disney Skyliner. However, we’ll provide a few tips for taking advantage of this type of transportation further below.
By the time we finish, you’ll know where you can go from the Wilderness Lodge and the best way to get there. After all, you wouldn’t want to end up lost in the wilderness—well, in this case, the Wilderness Lodge.
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Transportation Options
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge offers the following forms of transportation.
- Resort Watercraft
- Disney Buses
You can travel directly to and from Disney’s Wilderness Lodge to the following Disney Destinations:
- Magic Kingdom
- Epcot
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Disney Springs
- Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground
Additionally, you can use Disney transportation to travel to Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach, and other Walt Disney World Resorts. However, most of these destinations require multiple forms of transportation. We’ll discuss details for traveling to popular destinations below.
How to Get to Magic Kingdom from Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
We’ll start by looking at how to travel from the Wilderness Lodge to the Most Magical Place on Earth, Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Two options are available for traveling to the park from the resort.
Boat Service Between Wilderness Lodge and Magic Kingdom
First, and our favorite, is the boat service that runs between Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Magic Kingdom. You’ll need to take one of the pathways from the back of the resort to find the boat launch.
Several paths lead to the boat launch. You’ll want to look for signs that indicate the correct direction. It’s pretty simple to find.
The path turns into a raised boardwalk that travels through the woodsy setting. Spanish Moss sways from the trees.
You’ll see the boat launch ahead of you when you get to the clearing.
Magic Kingdom’s dock is on the left-hand side of the platform. This is known as the red flag service. Another boat service is available on the opposite side of the dock, which we’ll discuss further below.
The red flag boat service operates up to a half-hour before the park opens (including early park benefits for resort guests) and runs until a half-hour after the park closes.
Since Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is a deluxe resort, guests can participate in early theme park benefits and extended hours on select nights. If you want to learn more, we have a separate article on the benefits of staying at a Disney World Resort.
Boat service runs up to an hour and a half after park closure. If you have a late dining reservation or end up in a long line before closing, don’t worry. Disney does an excellent job of ensuring their resort guests get back to the hotel. Boats stop running during inclement weather. However, if it’s only raining, the boat service continues operation.
When you arrive at Magic Kingdom, you’ll go through security clearance as soon as you exit the boat dock. On return, the Wilderness Lodge boat dock sits immediately outside the park’s entrance. (It’s Boat Dock One. You can’t miss it.)
Accessibility at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Most transportation options at Disney World accommodate guests with accessibility needs. Disney provides an overview of each form of transportation on their website. Learn More: Transportation and Mobility Disabilities at Disney World
Regarding Wilderness Lodge’s transportation options, the larger boats that travel to and from Magic Kingdom are usually okay. However, the resort watercraft loop might not be an option for those in wheelchairs and ECVs. It will depend on which type of boat is running and other existing conditions like the water level.
Bus Service to Magic Kingdom from Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Bus service is also provided from Disney’s Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom. The bus stop at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is down a path that starts at the side entrance of the resort. It’s the entrance closest to the Mercantile gift shop.
You’ll need to wait in the red zone (bus stop 1) for the Magic Kingdom bus. This stop is shared with a separate bus that travels to Fort Wilderness. So ensure you get on the correct bus.
How to Get to Epcot from the Wilderness Lodge
Bus service is provided between Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Epcot. This bus service is often shared between Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness. The bus picks up at Fort Wilderness’s main bus stop (The Outpost), then stops at Wilderness Lodge before heading to Epcot.
So, on the return trip, you will likely stop at Fort Wilderness first, making the trip significantly longer. (This is not the case 100% of the time. However, it’s pretty consistent between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. when fewer guests travel to and from the parks.)
Per Disney, “Bus service between Disney Resort Hotels and Disney Theme Parks begins 45 minutes prior to opening and ends one hour after closing.” That time includes extended theme park hours in the morning for resort guests and extended evening hours for deluxe resort guests. (Reference: Bus Hours Disney)
How to Get to Disney’s Hollywood Studios from Wilderness Lodge
Bus service is also available to Disney’s Hollywood Studios from the Wilderness Lodge. It’s the blue zone (bus stop 2) at the resort. This bus service is often shared with Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
When the bus picks guests up at the Wilderness Lodge, it stops at the Contemporary on the way to Hollywood Studios. You’ll be the first stop on the return trip from Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
How to Get to Disney’s Animal Kingdom from Wilderness Lodge
Bus service is available to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge from the resort. This bus stop is in the green zone (bus stop 2). This bus also stops at Disney’s Contemporary on the way to the Animal Kingdom. It is one of the longer bus routes, so allow plenty of time.
How to Get to Disney Springs from the Wilderness Lodge
Per Disney, “Disney Springs buses begin running between Disney Resort Hotels and Disney Springs during Disney Springs operating hours—and end one hour after closing.” We have found (from personal experience) that buses generally start running to Disney Springs approximately 30 minutes before the destination opens, sometimes earlier.
So, use your best judgment. We have taken these routes many times, keep a detailed record of our travel times, and try our best to help our readers get to and from destinations efficiently. But sometimes, our experiences don’t line up with the stated times. So, we try to always provide the rules along with personal experience.
If you need to get to any Disney Destination outside complimentary transportation hours, you can take a taxi, car service, or Minnie Van for an extra fee. For a taxi, the valet at the hotel can call one. They are almost always readily available. Minnie Van’s can be ordered via the Lyft app.
How to Get to Disney Water Parks from Wilderness Lodge
At this time, you must take a transfer bus to Disney Springs and then reboard another bus to cross the street to Typhoon Lagoon. The trip is more of a hassle on the way back than there.
On the way back, you’ll have to locate the resort bus stop at Disney Springs. Then, you’ll be grouped in with guests who have been shopping at Disney Springs while you’re sporting damp hair and carrying a bag of wet clothes. To get to Blizzard Beach, you’ll take a bus to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Then, you’ll catch a transfer bus from the park to Blizzard Beach.
How to Get to Fort Wilderness from Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Formerly, guests could take a walking bath between Fort Wilderness and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. It closed a while ago for the construction of a new resort. However, that project has been on the back burner for quite some time, and the walking path remains closed.
Guests can, however, take a bus to Fort Wilderness. This bus travels between the resorts approximately every 15 minutes. It will drop you off at The Settlement Bus Loop. (The Settlement is within proximity of Hoop Dee Doo Revue.)
For the record, Fort Wilderness is a beast when it comes to getting around the resort. We have a separate guide that details how to get to and from Fort Wilderness.
Related: Transportation Tips for Disney’s Fort Wilderness
Lastly, you can take the resort boat launch from the Wilderness Lodge to Fort Wilderness. This is the blue flag launch on the right-hand side of the boat dock. It travels triangularly between Wilderness Lodge, Fort Wilderness, and Disney’s Contemporary between 3:00 p.m. and 10:45 p.m.
How to Get to Disney’s Contemporary from Wilderness Lodge
Additionally, you can take the blue flag watercraft from the Wilderness Lodge to Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Typically, two boats run this route. They both travel in the opposite direction.
So, depending on where you’re going, you might make an extra stop. Either way, it’s a quick roundtrip. Try our transportation guide for Disney’s Contemporary for more tips.
Wilderness Lodge to Other Popular Destinations
Here are a few tips for traveling to other popular Disney destinations.
- To get to the Polynesian or Grand Floridian, take the resort boat to the Contemporary and then take the resort monorail to either resort. Or you can take the bus to Magic Kingdom and then monorail, boat, or walk to either resort.
- For Disney’s Boardwalk (or the other Epcot Resorts), take a bus from the Wilderness Lodge to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Exit at Hollywood Studios and walk or take a Friendship boat to the Boardwalk.
- If you want to ride the Disney Skyliner, take a bus from the Wilderness Lodge 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, Art of Animation, Pop Century, Riviera Resort, and Epcot’s International Gateway.
- For Animal Kingdom Lodge, first take a bus to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. From there, take a bus to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. Note the first stop at Animal Kingdom Lodge will be Kidani Village. The second stop will be Jambo House.
Final Thoughts
I hope you found this article helpful in planning a stay at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. You are in for a real treat! The resort is stunning, and the boat service to Magic Kingdom is one of the most pleasant ways to travel around Disney World.
For more details about the resort, you might enjoy:
- Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Review
- Copper Creek Villas Review
- Restaurants at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Geyser Point Bar and Grill Review
Preview all of our hotel transportation articles or our list of transportation options at Walt Disney World.
In the Comments
Do you feel confident about tackling the transportation options at the Wilderness Lodge? Is there anything this article didn’t answer for you? What is your favorite form of transportation at the Wilderness Lodge? Do you love that resort boat service? Please share your thoughts, comments, or questions below in the comments.
I really wanted to stay at Wilderness Lodge .The idea of having to stop at other resorts while paying for a Deluxe resort is not sitting well with me.
It’s not always the case, but it can happen. I’m in the parks often, and these experiences have happened to me. If you take the boat service, you shouldn’t have to deal with extra stops. However, given variable factors like crowds, the time of day, or if the monorail goes down, you could run into sharing a bus service with another resort.
Hi Amber! We are staying at the wilderness lodge for a solid week. And I was wondering if taking the bus to the Hollywood and Epcot is the better choice over taking the boat to magic kingdom then hopping on the monorail to get to Epcot? And the same route to Epcot then hopping on the skyliner to Hollywood when we visit that park. Am I overthinking this? Wasting time with all the jumping? Just curious what choice is best. Thank you for all your articles! They have been full of wonderful information. My wife and I have been planning this vacation for quite a while now and we’re about three weeks away to launch!
Hi, personally, I would take the bus from Wilderness Lodge to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. It’s important to know that there are two separate monorail lines at Walt Disney World. One loop includes the Magic Kingdom, but there’s a separate loop to Epcot. If you took a boat to Magic Kingdom, you’d have to board the monorail there and take it to the Transportation and Ticket Center. Then you would have to disembark and board a separate monorail to Epcot. Just guessing, I think that would take at least an hour.
You also mentioned hopping on the Skyliner to reach Hollywood Studios. It’s important to note that the Skyliner is located at Epcot’s International Gateway, not the front entrance where the bus to Wilderness Lodge drops off. So the method you mentioned probably wouldn’t work.
If you would like to ride the Skyliner, you could do so if you were park-hopping (must have park hopper ticket and hop after 2:00 p.m.) between Epcot and Hollywood Studios. Or you could walk out of either park and ride it at your leisure. When you got to the end, you could exit the Skyliner and get in the line to return to the park.
Hope this helps, and have a wonderful vacation!
Thank you so very much! Of everything I’ve been trying to plan this is what has been on my mind the most. Thank you again!!
You’re welcome.
Hi, Is there boat service from the RV resort to the Contemporary Hotel? We have grandparents staying in the RV resort that need to visit us in the Contemporary Hotel once or twice a day. If there is no boat service, maybe they could use our Contemporary resort parking pass (we won’t have a car) and drive their car back and forth? Thanks for your help.
Hi, since my last visit, the boat service has not returned, and I haven’t seen any news of it returning. I would think they could use one of your bands to drive back and forth. When we stayed at the Contemporary a few months ago, we used our bands to go through the automatic gates to park.
Hi, would it be possible to include a list of bus travel times from Wilderness Lodge to all the various parks, similar to your post for Animal Kingdom? Thanks a bunch!
Hi, I keep a log of times for future projects. Here is what I have for Wilderness Lodge:
Boat from Magic Kingdom to Wilderness Lodge (11 minutes)
Bus from Epcot to Wilderness Lodge (8 minutes)
Bus from Wilderness Lodge to Fort Wilderness (5 minutes) Continued from Fort Wilderness to Epcot (12 minutes) This time included waiting for the bus to load and unload at the Settlement.
Hello! Thank you for this detailed article. I’m wondering: Do you know if there is a step up/step down on the RED boats from Disney’s Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom? I know you mentioned it is usually accessible (if they use the larger boats), but is there any way of knowing before I hike all the way down there? (I use a walker and can do small or half-steps, but not full or larger steps.) Thank you!
Hi! Yes the red boats have a step in between the landing and the base of the boat. So it’s probably considered two steps down and two steps up. The larger boats are level and can accommodate ECVS, wheelchairs, etc. They do not require an extra step.
It has been my experience that the larger boats are always running from the Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom. Sometimes the smaller red boats run in between. So you might have to wait on the larger boat, but it probably wouldn’t be much longer. (I don’t see the larger boats run the route between Wilderness Lodge and the Contemporary and Fort Wilderness often.)