How do you get from Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort to Disney Springs?
If you are staying at Fort Wilderness, you probably want to know how to get to Disney Springs from the campgrounds and cabins.
Below, I will detail FIVE specific ways you can make this journey.
Fort Wilderness to Disney Springs:
Option #1: Take the FREE Disney bus to Disney Springs!
Did you know Disney World provides FREE bus transportation from Fort Wilderness Campground to Disney Springs? Being able to jump on and off these buses is one of the best benefits of staying at a Disney World Resort.
You must first find the bus stop to use the buses to get to Disney Springs!
But doing this is a bit harder than you might think due to the INCREDIBLE SIZE of Fort Wilderness.
The campsites, cabins, and activity areas encompass over 700 acres. To put that into perspective, Fort Wilderness is way bigger than Disney Springs, which takes up only 120 acres! 🙂
The bus stop you need to find is located at the front of Fort Wilderness. It is called the Outpost Depot, and this is where you get on the bus to Disney Springs. It’s also the bus stop you must use to visit the Disney World theme parks.
You will find the Outpost Depot in front of the Trail Blaze Corral, which is where you take trail rides on the Disney World horses. 🙂
Unfortunately, because of the vast size of Fort Wilderness, you will likely have an incredibly long walk to get to Outpost Depot from your campsite or cabin.
Luckily, Disney has an internal bus shuttle that travels around Fort Wilderness.
Below is a picture of one of the internal bus stops at Fort Wilderness. In addition to the Outpost Depot, you can take them anywhere you need, such as the Meadow Trading Post, the Marina, the pool, the campfire area, etc.
Below, you can look at a PDF map of Fort Wilderness Campground. At the bottom right is where the Outpost Depot is located. I counted 12 bus stops for the internal shuttle, so you will have no problems finding them.
Taking the internal shuttle to the Outpost Depot will add time to your journey to Disney Springs. Many guests rent golf carts during their stay to help travel around Fort Wilderness faster. In addition to saving time, having a golf cart at your disposal is LOTS of fun. 🙂
When you arrive at the Outpost Depot bus stop, you will find a screen showing when the next bus to Disney Springs is expected to arrive.
Bus service to Disney Springs operates when they are open and ends 1 hour after closing. 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.
Since the Disney buses are free to ride, it’s the most popular way to travel to Disney Springs from Fort Wilderness. You can expect a bit of a line to board the bus at certain times of the day, such as around dinner. So, give yourself plenty of time to get to Disney Springs 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 Fort Wilderness, Disney Springs is 4.4 miles away (7.1 km). The bus ride should take about 15 minutes, depending on traffic. Just a warning that traffic can get pretty heavy as you get closer to Disney Springs.
Option #2: Take an Uber from Fort Wilderness to Disney Springs
If you don’t want to wait for the bus, using a rideshare service (Uber or Lyft) from Fort Wilderness Resort is easy. Just open the app and select Disney Springs as your destination, and you will be matched with a driver within seconds.
Make sure you mark your location CORRECTLY in the app to avoid any delays. Uber and Lyft drivers are not allowed to pick you up directly at your campsite or cabin. You must meet them at the front of Fort Wilderness.
The best place to get picked up is near the Fort Wilderness Reception Outpost, which is very near the Outpost Depot bus stop. There is plenty of space for your driver to stop and pick you up.
The driving distance from Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort to Disney Springs is 4.4 miles (7.1 km), and the drive should take about 10 minutes, depending on the amount of traffic. Another benefit of Uber or Lyft is that they can drop you off on the west or east end of Disney Springs, depending on the shops or restaurants you want to visit.
- Click HERE to view a printable map of Disney Springs. This map can help you determine the best place to park, depending on the shops or restaurants you want to visit.
I have found the one-way fare from Fort Wilderness averages under $15.
If you have limited time to travel to Disney Springs, I think it is money well spent!
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. 🙂
Option #3: Take a TAXI to Disney Springs
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 Fort Wilderness 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.
And just a reminder that you must meet your taxi at the front of Fort Wilderness, near the Outpost.
Option #4: Ride in a MINNIE VAN to Disney Springs
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!
A big benefit of using a Minnie Van is 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.
Another huge advantage of taking a Minnie Van is they are authorized to enter Fort Wilderness and pick you up DIRECTLY at your campsite or cabin. This will save you a lot of time since you don’t have to take the internal shuttle to the front of Fort Wilderness, which you must do if you use a traditional rideshare.
Taking a Minnie Van home is also nice because they can drop you off right at your place. If you have tired kids, waking them up after a long day to get them on the internal shuttle at Fort Wilderness can be a pain.
To schedule a Minnie Van, choose Disney Springs as your destination while using the Lyft app. 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. Here are a few additional benefits of a Minnie Van.
- 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 Disney Springs!
Getting in your car and driving yourself is an often overlooked way from Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground to Disney Springs. It’s probably the fastest way to travel since you don’t have to wait for someone to pick you up. 🙂
The distance between these two locations is 4.4 miles (7.1 km). The drive only takes about 10 minutes, depending on traffic.
One nice thing about Disney Springs is that parking is FREE! Seriously, it’s rare for anything to be free at Disney World. 🙂
There are multiple parking lots and garages when you arrive at Disney Springs. Pay attention to where you park, as some of these lots are HUGE, and it can be hard to find your car again.
- Click HERE to view a printable map of Disney Springs. This map can help you determine the best place to park, depending on the shops or restaurants you want to visit.
Related Posts:
Can I take the Disney Monorail from Fort Wilderness to Disney Springs?
No, the monorail does not have a boarding station at Fort Wilderness. In addition, the monorail does not travel to Disney Springs. The monorail only travels to two theme parks – Magic Kingdom and Epcot. If you want to use the monorail from your hotel, you must stay at the Contemporary Resort, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, or Polynesian Village Resort.
Can the Disney Skyliner take me from Fort Wilderness to Disney Springs?
The short answer to this question is NO. The Skyliner does not travel to Disney Springs. Additionally, there is no boarding station for the Skyliner at the Fort Wilderness Campgrounds.
If you want a Skyliner boarding station at your hotel, stay at the Riviera Resort, Caribbean Beach Resort, Art of Animation, or Pop Century.
Can I walk from Disney’s Fort Wilderness to Disney Springs?
The short answer to this question is NO. First, the distance between the resort and the theme park is long at 4.4 miles (7.1 km). And second, there are no walking paths that connect them. You must take the bus, a taxi/rideshare, or drive yourself to get there!
Can I take the Disney boats from Fort Wilderness to Disney Springs?
While there is boat transportation at Fort Wilderness, the boat does not travel to Disney Springs. You can only take the boats from Fort Wilderness to one theme park – Magic Kingdom.
What is your favorite way to travel from Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort to Disney Springs?
Leave a COMMENT below!
