How do you get from Disney’s Boardwalk Resort to Epcot?
If you are staying at the Boardwalk Inn or planning a future visit, you probably want to know the different ways to get to Epcot from the resort. Below I will detail THREE specific ways you can make this journey.
But before you start reading, please know that you CAN NOT take the Disney buses to go to Epcot from the Boardwalk. Many people mistakenly stand at the bus stop waiting for a bus to Epcot that is never going to arrive. 🙂
Option #1. Walk from Disney’s Boardwalk to Epcot!
One of the BIGGEST benefits of staying at the Boardwalk Inn is that you can walk to Epcot. I can’t stress this point enough, as the walk is very short and only takes about 5 minutes! Seriously, it’s an amazing feeling not having to wait for a boat or bus to arrive. 🙂
Finding the walkway that leads you to Epcot is incredibly easy to find.
- First, you will walk out the back of the resort onto the wooden boardwalk next to Crescent Lake.
- Once there, turn right and start walking. At this point, Crescent Lake will be on your left.
- Keep heading straight until you cross over a bridge. When you can’t walk straight any further, turn right.
- Now keep heading straight until you get to the entrance of Epcot. The entire journey is only .4 miles (.65 km), so you don’t have far to travel. You will also see signs that let you know you are heading in the correct direction.
Please be aware that you are not entering Epcot at the front main entrance by the iconic giant ball.
Instead, you are entering the International Gateway, which is located at the BACK of the park. When you enter through the International Gateway, you will be near Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure in the France area of the World Showcase.
Here is a map of Epcot so you can see where you will enter the park when you stay at Disney’s Boardwalk.
How long does walking from the Boardwalk to Epcot take?
The distance between the resort and the park is only .4 miles (.65 km). Your walk should take under 10 minutes.
Option #2. Take the Friendship Boats to Epcot!
A fun and relaxing way to get to Epcot from the Boardwalk Resort is to take the FREE boat transportation using Disney’s Friendship Boats.
To find the boat dock, walk out the back of the Boardwalk Resort. You will be standing on the quarter-mile wooden boardwalk that wraps around part of Crescent Lake.
As soon as you get outside, look around, and you should see a large dock sticking out into the water. I can’t tell you whether the boat dock will be on your left or right because it depends on which side of the Boardwalk Resort you walk out from! 🙂
Regardless, you should see the dock called Promenade Pier. Once you find it, walk there because that’s where you board the Friendship Boats to go to Epcot.
Pay attention to the signs so you board the correct boat. To go to Epcot, you will wait in the queue on the right. The line on the left will take you to Hollywood Studios.
And don’t worry if you have a stroller, as they are allowed on the boats, but you must fold them. The Friendship Boats are also accessible for wheelchairs and motorized scooters.
How long is the boat ride from Disney’s Boardwalk Inn to Epcot?
The boat ride is VERY short, only lasting about 3 minutes. Luckily, the boat does not make any additional stops after leaving the Boardwalk and goes straight to Epcot. And just like walking, you will arrive at the International Gateway entrance to Epcot.
The picture below is the dock where you get off the boat in front of Epcot. It’s also where you board the boat to return to the Boardwalk.
The worst part about taking the boats to Epcot is that you have to WAIT for a boat to arrive. This can be especially frustrating if you walk out to Promenade Pier and see a boat just pulling away. 🙂 In my experience, you can expect a new boat to arrive approximately every 20 minutes.
When our family goes to Epcot from the Boardwalk, we always end up walking because it’s so quick. Even though the boat ride is short (~3 minutes), you rarely walk out to the pier to see a boat just pulling up. You almost always have to wait at least a little bit for the next boat to arrive.
And even when a boat arrives, you have to wait for guests who are already on the boat to disembark. Plus, it takes a few additional minutes to get all the new passengers onto the boat to find a seat before finally leaving the pier.
But the Friendship Boats are entertaining to ride, so if you don’t care about the additional time, they are a fun option. They can also save your legs from additional walking!
Option #3: Take an Uber, Lyft, or MINNIE Van to Epcot
As I mentioned before, I think the best way to get to Epcot from the Boardwalk is to walk there and enter through the International Gateway.
But if your plan is to do something towards the front of the park, like riding Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind, then you have a pretty long walk to get there! It’s about a mile (1.6 km) from the Boardwalk Resort to the front entrance of Epcot, which is roughly a 20-minute walk.
If you want to avoid such a long walk, it’s easy and inexpensive to use a rideshare service, such as Uber or Lyft, to drive you to the front entrance of Epcot.
The easiest place to meet your driver is outside near the Boardwalk’s front lobby, as there are plenty of spots for them to stop and for you to get in the car.
The driving distance from Disney’s Boardwalk Resort to Epcot is only 3.2 miles (5 km), and the drive should take about 10 minutes, depending on the amount of traffic. There is a designated drop-off area at the front of Epcot for rideshares.
TWO rideshare companies operate in Disney World – Uber and Lyft. Between them both, there are a lot of drivers cruising around. Almost every time I’ve used a taxi to go to the parks, I’ve had to wait less than 10 minutes to get picked up.
One neat thing about using Lyft is that they have partnered with Disney World to provide MINNIE VANS, which are Minnie Mouse-themed mini-vans! While using the Lyft app inside the resort, choose Epcot as your destination. Then order the Minnie Van to come and pick you up.
While this option is fun, as you can see above, it is more expensive than a regular Lyft vehicle.
Related Posts:
What is the FASTEST way to go from Disney’s Boardwalk to Epcot?
Without a doubt, the fastest way to get to Epcot from the Boardwalk is to walk. It’s only .4 miles (.65 km) away and takes under 10 minutes. Just remember that you enter through the International Gateway at Epcot. That means you will be at the back of the park near France and the United Kingdom in the World Showcase.
Can I take the Disney buses from the Boardwalk Inn to Epcot?
No, Disney does not provide bus transportation to Epcot from the Boardwalk. You must use one of the other methods described above!
It’s very common to find people at the bus stop, waiting patiently for a bus to Epcot that will never arrive. If you see this happening, please gently inform them of their transportation options now that you have read this post. 🙂
Can I take the Disney Monorail from the Boardwalk Resort to Epcot?
No, the monorail does not have a boarding station at the Boardwalk. If you want access to this transportation option from your hotel, you must stay at the Contemporary Resort, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, or Polynesian Village Resort.
What is your favorite way to travel from Disney’s Boardwalk Resort to Epcot?
Leave a COMMENT below!
