How do you get from Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort to Magic Kingdom?
If you are staying at the Polynesian or planning a future visit, you probably want to know how to get to Magic Kingdom from the resort.
Below, I will detail THREE specific ways you can make this journey. And the BEST part is they are all FREE.
But before you start reading, please know that you CAN’T take the Disney buses from the Polynesian Resort to Magic Kingdom. Many people mistakenly stand outside the Polynesian waiting for a bus that will never arrive. 🙂
Disney’s Polynesian to Magic Kingdom:
Option #1. Take the Monorail to Magic Kingdom!
One of the best benefits of staying at the Polynesian is the convenient access to the monorail.
Incredibly, there is a boarding station for the monorail right inside the Great Ceremonial House, which is the resort’s lobby. To find the monorail platform, head to the SECOND floor inside the main entrance.
Before getting on the monorail to head to Magic Kingdom, you will go through security at the Polynesian. But this is actually a great benefit because it means you DON’T have to go through security once you arrive at Magic Kingdom. As you can imagine, the Polynesian security line will be much shorter than the one at Magic Kingdom.
Once you board the monorail to go to Magic Kingdom, you will make one more stop at the Grand Floridian Resort to pick up additional guests. After you depart the Grand Floridian, it is only a minute or two until you arrive at Magic Kingdom.
Depending on which longhouse you are staying in at the Polynesian, it might make sense to board the monorail at Disney’s Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) instead of the Great Ceremonial House.
Check out this map below of the Polynesian to see what I mean:
If you stay in either of the longhouses circled in red, it’s probably a shorter walk to the TTC than the Great Ceremonial House. At the TTC, you can quickly board a monorail that goes DIRECTLY to Magic Kingdom, which avoids stopping at the Grand Floridian. This is called the “Express Monorail” since it only goes between Magic Kingdom and the TTC.
The monorail that stops at the lobby of the Polynesian is called the “Resort Monorail.” The Resort Monorail operates in a circle and stops at the Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Magic Kingdom, and Contemporary Resort.
It’s important to know this distinction when you LEAVE the Magic Kingdom. Getting on the Express Monorail will take you directly to the TTC, where you must walk on the short path back to the Polynesian.
If you get on the Resort Monorail, you will stop first at the Contemporary Lodge, then the TTC, before arriving back on the second floor of the Great Ceremonial House. The map below shows where the Resort Monorail stops as it travels in a circle.
Option #2. Take a boat to Magic Kingdom!
A unique way to get to Magic Kingdom from Disney’s Polynesian is to take a boat across the lake, Seven Seas Lagoon.
To find the boat dock, you must walk out of the back of the Polynesian and head towards the beach. Once you get to the beach, turn left and keep walking until you see the boat dock.
Once you board a boat and leave the Polynesian, you will go directly to Magic Kingdom. It’s roughly a 10-minute ride across the lake until you reach the park. If you take the boats on the way home, know that you will first stop at the Grand Floridian before returning to the Polynesian.
And don’t worry if you have a stroller, as they are allowed on the boats, but you must fold them. The boats are also accessible for wheelchairs and motorized scooters.
The worst part about taking the boats to Magic Kingdom is that you have to WAIT for a boat to arrive. This can be especially frustrating if you walk out to the pier and see a boat just pulling away. I know our family has made multiple mad dashes to the dock, attempting to board a boat that is preparing to leave. 🙂 In my experience, you can expect a new boat to arrive approximately every 15-20 minutes.
You can also take a ferry from the Transporation and Ticket Center to Magic Kingdom.
Take a look at the map above of the Polynesian. If you stay on the resort’s eastern end, you will notice that the boat dock is a fairly decent walk. If you want to take a boat to Magic Kingdom, it would be quicker to walk to the TTC and board the ferry that departs here.
The ferry is actually pretty fun to ride, and it is much bigger than the boats that leave from the Polynesian.
Option #3. Walk from the Polynesian Resort to Magic Kingdom!
*Currently, this option is not available. Disney is constructing the new Polynesian Towers so they have closed the walkway temporarily.*
Lastly, it’s also possible to walk to Magic Kingdom from the Polynesian.
There is a paved pathway that goes around the western side of the lake. First, you must take the walkway from the Polynesian to the Grand Floridian. Then, you will join the walkway that connects the Grand Floridian to Magic Kingdom.
If you get confused while walking, your best bet is to follow the monorail track. The walkway tends to stay underneath the track or very close to it. There are also numerous signs at the Grand Floridian pointing you in the correct direction to Magic Kingdom.
Just make sure that the lake is always on your right-hand side. The walk is peaceful, with stunning views of the various resorts around Seven Seas Lagoon.
The walking distance between the Polynesian and Magic Kingdom is 1.4 miles (2.3 km). Walking at an average pace of 3 mph should take you about 27 minutes to make the journey.
My favorite time to use the walking path is on the way BACK to the Polynesian because you don’t have to WAIT.
If you have ever left the Magic Kingdom after the fireworks, you know how busy every transportation option becomes. There are long lines for the monorail and boats.
But walking along the pathway back to the Poly is peaceful and relaxing. And if you are walking at night, it’s usually nice and cool. You also don’t have to worry about fitting or folding your stroller into an incredibly cramped space!
Related Posts:
Can the Disney Skyliner take me from the Polynesian Resort to Magic Kingdom?
The short answer to this question is NO. There is no boarding station for the Skyliner at the Polynesian, nor does the Skyliner travel to Magic Kingdom. If you want a Skyliner boarding station at your hotel, you must stay at the Riviera Resort, Caribbean Beach Resort, Art of Animation, or Pop Century.
Can I take the Disney buses from the Polynesian to Magic Kingdom?
No, Disney does not provide bus transportation to Magic Kingdom from the Polynesian Resort. You must use one of the other methods described above!
It’s possible that you may find someone at the bus stop, waiting patiently for a bus to Magic Kingdom. If you see this happening, please gently inform them of their transportation options now that you have read this post. 🙂
What is your favorite way to travel from Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort to Magic Kingdom?
Leave a COMMENT below!
