How do you get from Disney’s French Quarter – Port Orleans Resort to Magic Kingdom?
If you are staying at Port Orleans French Quarter 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.
French Quarter to Magic Kingdom:
Option #1: Take the FREE Disney bus to Magic Kingdom!
Did you know that Disney World provides FREE bus transportation from the French Quarter Resort to Magic Kingdom? And the best part is that the bus stop is just a short walk outside the main lobby entrance. When you exit the front lobby, turn right and follow the walkway until you arrive at the bus stop.
When you arrive at the bus stop, make sure you find the correct line for the bus going to Magic Kingdom (Bus Station B). Don’t worry; signs clearly mark which bus station you need to stand at.
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 the bus stop showing when the next bus to Magic Kingdom is expected to arrive.
Once your bus leaves the French Quarter, arriving at Magic Kingdom should take about 15 -20 minutes.
As you can imagine, since the buses do not cost anything extra, it’s the most popular way to travel. However, at certain times of the day, such as the park opening, you might experience a bit of a line to board the bus. So make sure to give yourself plenty of time to arrive at Magic Kingdom for a reservation or show.
Lastly, the Disney buses will drop you off DIRECTLY in front of Magic Kingdom instead of Disney’s Transportation and Ticket Center. As you will see next, this is a HUGE advantage of taking the bus. 🙂
Option #2: Take an Uber from the French Quarter to Magic Kingdom
If you want to get to Magic Kingdom fast, using a rideshare service (Uber or Lyft) from Port Orleans French Quarter is easy. This option can save a lot of time, especially if you just missed the bus.
The easiest place to meet your driver is outside near the French Quarter front lobby, as there are plenty of spots for them to stop and for you to get in the car. Make sure you mark the location you want to be picked up CORRECTLY in the app to avoid delays.
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. 🙂 But this option is not free—the one-way fare from the French Quarter averages under $15.
It takes about 10 minutes to drive from Disney’s French Quarter Resort to Magic Kingdom. Another benefit of taking an Uber or Lyft is that they typically drive to Magic Kingdom faster than the slower Disney buses.
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, take the bus from the French Quarter or ride in a Minnie Van (Option #3)!
Option #3: Ride in a MINNIE VAN to Magic Kingdom
If you want to use a rideshare service to Magic Kingdom but avoid the Transportation and Ticket Center, you should consider taking a Minnie Van.
Disney World has partnered with Lyft 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 French Quarter, choose the 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. But in addition to getting dropped off directly in front of Magic Kingdom, here are a few additional 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 #4: 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 to Magic Kingdom has many of the same benefits as rideshares, such as not having to wait 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, 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 #5: Drive yourself to Magic Kingdom!
Getting in your car and driving yourself is an often overlooked way from Port Orleans French Quarter to Magic Kingdom.
The distance between these two locations is only 4.4 miles (7.1 km). The drive takes about 10 minutes, depending on traffic.
And here is the BEST news about driving yourself to Magic Kingdom…
As long as you stay at the French Quarter, 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 Port Orleans French Quarter Resort, as parking costs a minimum of $25 per day at each park.
But just like taking an Uber/Lyft, 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 the Disney Skyliner take me from Port Orleans French Quarter to Magic Kingdom?
The short answer to this question is NO. There is no boarding station for the Skyliner at the French Quarter, nor does the Skyliner travel to Magic Kingdom. The Skyliner only travels to two theme parks – Epcot and Hollywood Studios.
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 Port Orleans French Quarter to Magic Kingdom?
The short answer to this question is NO. First, the distance between the resort and Magic Kingdom is fairly long, at around 4.4 miles (7.1 km). And second, there are no walking paths that connect them. You must take one of the other options listed above!
Can I take the Disney boats from Port Orleans French Quarter to Magic Kingdom?
There is boat transportation at Port Orleans French Quarter, but the boat does not travel to Magic Kingdom. You can only take the Sassagoula Boats from the French Quarter to Disney Springs or Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort.
What is your favorite way to travel from Port Orleans French Quarter to Magic Kingdom?
Leave a COMMENT below!
