How do you get from Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort to Magic Kingdom?
If you are staying at Saratoga Springs or planning a future visit, you probably want to know how to get to Magic Kingdom from the resort.
Below, I will detail FIVE specific ways you can make this journey.
Saratoga Springs to Magic Kingdom:
Option #1: Take the FREE Disney bus to Magic Kingdom!
Did you know Disney World provides FREE bus transportation from Saratoga Springs to Magic Kingdom? Being able to jump on and off these buses is one of the best benefits of staying at a Disney World Resort.
To use the buses to get to Magic Kingdom, you must first find the bus stops at Saratoga Springs. Because Saratoga Springs is such a big resort, there are five different locations where you can board the buses. The good news is that no matter where you stay within the resort, you shouldn’t have a very far walk to find one of them.
Here are the FIVE different bus stops, listed in the order they PICK UP guests at Saratoga Springs:
- #1. The Grandstand
- #2. The Carousel
- #3. The Paddock
- #4. Congress Park
- #5. The Springs
Below is a map of where you can find each bus stop at Saratoga Springs.
Bus service to Magic Kingdom typically begins 45 minutes before the park opens and ends 1 hour after it closes. Once they start, the buses run continuously throughout the day. I have found that you can typically expect a bus to arrive around every 20 minutes.
You will find a screen at all the bus stops showing when the next bus to Magic Kingdom is expected to arrive.
Since the Disney buses are free to ride, it’s the most popular way to travel to Magic Kingdom from Saratoga Springs. You can expect a bit of a line to board the bus at certain times, such as in the morning around the park opening. So make sure to give yourself plenty of time to arrive at Magic Kingdom for a reservation or show. Our family usually leaves our room about an hour before we want to arrive, just to be safe.
Once your bus leaves Saratoga Springs, it should take about 20 minutes to arrive at Magic Kingdom.
But please be aware you will probably be on the bus longer than 20 minutes, depending on which stop you board the bus.
That’s because you must wait as the bus drops off and picks up guests at the other stops before finally leaving for the theme park. For example, if you get on the bus at The Grandstand (Stop #1), it’s estimated that it will take about 15 minutes to get through the rest of the stops within Saratoga Springs before finally leaving for Magic Kingdom.
One strategy that some guests use is walking directly to one of the last bus stops, which would be Congress Park (#4) or The Springs (#5). They do this to avoid spending additional time on the bus.
But I want to warn you that this plan could backfire.
During busy times, such as in the morning, the bus may already be full of guests by the time it reaches these last stops. If that happens, the bus will drive by, and you must hope the next one has room for you. 🙂
Despite these challenges, there is one HUGE benefit of taking the Disney buses to Magic Kingdom.
When you arrive at the park, the bus will drop you off DIRECTLY in front of Magic Kingdom. As you will see below, many of the other transportation options must take you to Disney’s Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) instead. Once you arrive here, you have to finish the journey to Magic Kingdom another way. You will learn more about the TTC next!
Option #2: Take an Uber from Saratoga Springs to Magic Kingdom
If you don’t want to ride on or wait for the bus, using a rideshare service from Saratoga Springs Resort is easy. Just open the app and select Magic Kingdom as your destination, and you should be matched with a driver within seconds.
Because Saratoga Springs is such a big resort, make sure to mark your location CORRECTLY in the app to avoid any delays. No matter which building you are staying in, a large parking lot is nearby, offering plenty of room for your driver to pick you up.
The driving distance from Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort to Magic Kingdom is 5.7 miles (9.2 km), and the drive should take about 15 minutes, depending on the amount of traffic. Another benefit of taking an Uber or Lyft is that they typically drive to Magic Kingdom faster than the slower Disney buses.
Between Uber and Lyft, there are a lot of drivers cruising around. Almost every time I’ve used a rideshare to the parks, I’ve had to wait less than 10 minutes to get picked up. 🙂
I have found the one-way fare from Saratoga Springs averages under $15.
The best part about using a rideshare service while staying at Saratoga Springs is that you don’t have to deal with your bus stopping at multiple places within the resort before finally leaving for the park. You also don’t risk the bus being full when it arrives at your bus stop.
But there is one big disadvantage of using a rideshare service when you go to Magic Kingdom…
Your driver is NOT allowed to drop you off directly in front of the Magic Kingdom. Instead, they must take you to Disney’s Transportation and Ticket Center.
Once you are here, there are TWO ways to complete the journey to the Magic Kingdom.
#1: Take the monorail
The first way to get to Magic Kingdom from the Transportation and Ticket Center is by taking the famous Disney monorail.
The monorail runs continuously throughout the day. Service begins 30 minutes before the park opens and ends an hour after the park closes.
#2: Take the ferry
Another way to finish traveling to the Magic Kingdom is to board the ferry. These boats have two seating levels and can fit many people.
The ferryboats leave approximately every 10-20 minutes. Once you depart, the boat ride is only 10 minutes long!
If you want to avoid the Transporation and Ticket Center and get dropped off directly in front of the Magic Kingdom, you must take the bus from Saratoga Springs or ride in a Minnie Van (Option #4)!
Option #3: Take a TAXI to Magic Kingdom
I know some people don’t like using Uber or Lyft because they don’t know about the person driving or don’t feel comfortable using the app. If this describes you, calling a traditional taxi company for a ride is easy.
Taking a taxi has many of the same benefits as rideshares, such as not waiting for a bus. But of course, you must pay for the taxi ride, where the Disney buses are free.
If you want to take a taxi from Saratoga Springs Resort, I recommend calling Mears Taxi, a well-known and trusted company in the Orlando area. You can even schedule and book your ride online.
One negative to taking a taxi is that you get dropped off at Disney’s Transportation and Ticket Center instead of the front of Magic Kingdom, similar to a rideshare service.
Option #4: Ride in a MINNIE VAN to Magic Kingdom
One fun thing about using the rideshare service Lyft is that they have partnered with Disney World to provide MINNIE VANS, which are Minnie Mouse-themed mini-vans!
This option will be more expensive than a regular Lyft vehicle, but Minnie Vans have a really big benefit.
You will get dropped off directly in front of the Magic Kingdom instead of the Transportation and Ticket Center!
Minnie Vans are the ONLY rideshare/taxi authorized to do this and bypass the Transportation and Ticket Center.
While using the Lyft app inside the Saratoga Springs, choose Magic Kingdom as your destination to see the price. 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.
In addition to getting dropped off directly in front of Magic Kingdom, here are some other benefits of a Minnie Van,
- They are driven by DISNEY CAST MEMBERS. I know many people like this fact because the drivers are employees of Disney, which provides additional peace of mind.
- They can fit up to SIX people.
- Includes two car seats, which your driver will install for you.
- These vans can fit scooters and wheelchairs, but please pre-arrange your ride if you need this service.
Option #5: Drive yourself to Magic Kingdom!
Getting in your car and driving yourself is an often overlooked way from Disney’s Saratoga Springs to Magic Kingdom. It’s one of the fastest travel methods since you don’t have to wait for someone to pick you up. 🙂
The distance between these two locations is only 5.7 miles (9.2 km). The drive takes less than 15 minutes, depending on traffic.
And as long as you are staying at Saratoga Springs, the parking at Magic Kingdom is FREE! Unfortunately, many guests don’t realize (or forget) that if you stay at a Disney World Resort, parking at any of the parks does not cost anything.
Getting FREE parking at the theme parks is an incredible benefit of staying at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort, as parking costs a minimum of $25 per day at each park.
But if you drive yourself, you MUST park at the Transportation and Ticket Center to get to Magic Kingdom.
Once parked here, you can take the monorail or the ferry to complete your journey to the Magic Kingdom. If you want to get dropped off directly in front of the Magic Kingdom entrance, take the Disney bus or a Minnie Van.
Related Posts:
Can I take the Disney boats from Saratoga Springs to Magic Kingdom?
No. While there is boat transportation at Saratoga Springs, the boat does not travel to Magic Kingdom. You can only take the boats from Saratoga Springs to Disney Springs.
Can I walk from Disney’s Saratoga Springs to Magic Kingdom?
The short answer to this question is NO. First, the distance between the resort and the theme park is long, around 5.7 miles (9.2 km). Second, there are no walking paths that connect them. You must take the bus, a taxi/rideshare, or drive yourself to get there!
Can the Disney Skyliner take me from Saratoga Springs to Magic Kingdom?
The short answer to this question is NO. The Skyliner only goes to two parks, Hollywood Studios and Epcot. There is also no boarding station for the Disney Skyliner at Saratoga Springs.
If you want a Skyliner boarding station at your hotel, stay at the Riviera Resort, Caribbean Beach Resort, Art of Animation, or Pop Century.
What is your favorite way to travel from Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort to Magic Kingdom?
Leave a COMMENT below!
