6 Disney World Transportation Options—Getting Around with a Stroller

There are many different ways to get around Disney World, depending on where you are staying and what parks you are headed to. Navigating multiple transportation options with a stroller can be daunting. We recently took our first family trip to Disney World and tested the different Disney World Transportation options; here's what we learned.

Complementary Disney World transportation options

Walt Disney World Monorail Transportation

While at Disney, we stayed at the Disney Contemporary Resort, which had a monorail stop right in the middle of the hotel. We could easily access the fourth floor and get a direct ride to the surrounding hotels and Magic Kingdom.

I loved that we didn't need to fold up our stroller when entering and exiting the train and that one was always only a few minutes away. An umbrella stroller or even some double travel stroller options fit comfortably on the monorail. It's a good idea to explore Disney World with a stroller, if you're wondering whether to bring yours. There's a lot of walking to do.

Keep in mind that strollers need to be smaller than 31” (79 cm) in width and 52” (132cm) in length to be permitted. Unfortunately, wagons and wagon strollers are not permitted within any Disney Parks.

TL;DR: Yes, bring your own stroller or rent a Disney stroller when you arrive.

Being able to go through the security checkpoint before getting onto the train was really convenient. As soon as we arrived at the park, we could go right to the entrance.

The Monorail loop stops at Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa or Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, and Magic Kingdom and the Transportation and Ticket Center. Suppose you are taking the EPCOT Monorail and the Express Monorail. In that case, they originate at the transportation and ticket center and offer express round-trip service to EPCOT and Magic Kingdom Park.

You can catch the Resort and Express Monorail 30 minutes before Magic Kingdom Park opens up until one hour after it closes. Similarly, the EPCOT Monorail begins running 30 minutes before EPCOT opens and stops two hours after EPCOT closes.

Walt Disney World Bus Service

The WDW Bus Service was the most readily available transportation we encountered when transferring between parks and the surrounding resorts. All pickup and drop-off areas are clearly labelled with the various destinations, corresponding bus numbers and where to catch them.

If you have a stroller, you need to fold it up before getting on the bus unless it is a medical stroller for Guests with disabilities; then, it is treated as a wheelchair.

Buses only run directly between some resorts and every theme park. For example, when trying to get to Disney Springs from Animal Kingdom, we needed to take a bus to Disney Saratoga Resort and then walk to the ferry that took us to Disney Springs. Unfortunately, the multiple transfers made the trip much longer than anticipated.

You can catch a bus between Disney Resort hotels and Disney theme parks 45 minutes before the parks open up until one hour after closing. Bus service between Disney Resort hotels and Disney Springs is available during Disney Springs operating hours—and ends one hour after closing.

To travel between parks, water parks and hotels, use the Get Directions feature in the MyDisney app, as the bus alone may not be the most direct route.

Walt Disney World Water Transportation

WDW water transportation (or water taxis) are a great way to get from several resorts to Magic Kingdom, EPCOT and Disney Springs. Find the well-marked boat dock and wait for the next ferry.

The drivers we met were delightful and helpful, ensuring everyone headed to the right destination. Although the boat was relatively small,  it was comfortable for the 15-minute ride we took from Disney's Saratoga Springs to Disney Springs.

Similar to the buses, strollers must be folded up and stored at the front of the boat for the ride. This is a pain so ensure you can easily carry all your belongings without the stroller.

Hours of operation vary subject to water and weather conditions. You can find all the resorts that use water taxis on the WDW site.

Disney Skyliner

The Disney Skyliner, or aerial gondola, is another fun way to travel between parks. We tested the Skyliner going from EPCOT to Hollywood Studios. Although the route wasn't direct, it was easy to transfer and catch the next gondola that went to Hollywood Studios.

It was neat to see the parks from a different perspective. My daughter thought the whole experience was pretty cool and loved trying to guess which character was painted on the outside of our car.

Strollers do not have to be folded up and can easily push right in. Each family had a gondola car, making it very roomy and comfortable. Although wagon strollers aren't permitted at Disney parks, I'm sure we could've fit our Jeep Wagon stroller in the gondola car.

The Skyliner stops at Disney's Art of Animation Resort, Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney's Pop Century Resort, Disney's Riviera Resort, Disney's Yacht Club Resort, Disney's Beach Club Resort and Disney's BoardWalk Inn.

Check the MyDisney App for routes and operating hours.

Alternative Paid Transportation options when visiting Disney World

Lyft's Minnie Vans

We had the opportunity to check out the Minnie Van service by Lyft, and it was a total treat. Each Minnie Van is decorated in red and white polka dots and comes with two car seats and an entertainment system for the kids to watch cartoons during the ride.

The drivers are all Disney cast members, full of Disney knowledge and tips. Our driver, Russ, was the most lovely driver we've ever had for a ride-share. He knew exactly what type of convertible car seat our daughter needed based on height and weight, knew how to install it properly and checked that she was buckled in properly.

This Disney transportation service can be booked directly through the Lyft app and provides rides to and from select locations within Walt Disney World Resort, including any hotel in the Disney Resorts Collection, Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort, Shades of Green, Walt Disney World Swan Hotel, Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel and Walt Disney World Swan Reserve.

The Minnie Van service operates from 6:30 AM to 12:30 AM daily but is subject to change, so check the app before booking. And yeah, it beats bus transportation by a mile.

Uber or Lyft

Uber or Lyft ride-shares are widely available throughout Disney World and can be a convenient alternative if your route requires multiple transfers between Disney-provided transportation.

Each park and hotel will have a designated area for pick up and drop off, except for Magic Kingdom. If you are taking an Uber or Lyft to Magic Kingdom, you will need to be dropped off at the Transportation and Ticket Center, and you'll need to take the Monorail or water taxi to get to Magic Kingdom.