How do you get from the Art of Animation to Magic Kingdom?
If you are staying at Art of Animation or planning a future visit, you probably want to know the best ways to get to Magic Kingdom from the resort. Below I will detail FOUR specific ways you can make this journey. 🙂
Option #1: Take the bus!
Did you know that Disney World provides FREE bus transportation from the Art of Animation to the Magic Kingdom? And the best part is that the bus stop is right outside the Art of Animation entrance. Just turn right when you walk outside of Animation Hall. You can’t miss it!
When you walk to the bus stop, make sure you find the correct line for the bus that is going to Magic Kingdom. Don’t worry; there are signs clearly marking where you need to stand.
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.
At the bus stop, you will find a screen that shows when the next bus to Magic Kingdom is expected to arrive.
As you can imagine, since this does 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 you give yourself plenty of time if you have dining reservations or don’t want to miss the fireworks!
Option #2: Take a taxi (Uber or Lyft)
If you don’t want to take the bus, it’s very easy to take a taxi from the Art of Animation to Magic Kingdom. The easiest place to meet your driver is outside Classic Hall near the front lobby, as there are plenty of spots to park and jump in the car.
Once you are in the car, the drive from the Art of Animation to the Magic Kingdom is 5.6 miles (9.0 km) and should take between 15-20 minutes, depending on the amount of traffic.
There are MANY drivers for Uber and Lyft cruising around Disney World. Almost every time I’ve used a taxi to go to the parks, I’ve had to wait less than ten minutes to get picked up.
Please know that your driver will drop you off at Disney’s Transportation and Ticket Center, not directly at Magic Kingdom.
Once you are here, there are two ways to complete your 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 ten minutes long!
If you want to avoid the Ticket and Transportation Center and get dropped off directly in front of the Magic Kingdom, you must take a Disney bus or a Minnie Van.
Option #3: Take a MINNIE Van
If you want to take a taxi 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!
Using this option will be more expensive than using a regular Lyft vehicle, but the biggest benefit is that you will get dropped off directly in front of the Magic Kingdom! Minnie Vans are the ONLY rideshare authorized to do this.
While using the Lyft app inside the Art of Animation resort, choose the Magic Kingdom as your destination to see the price. Then order the Minnie Van to come and pick you up! But just a warning, as you can see below, using a Minnie Van is more expensive than a normal Lyft vehicle.
Option #4: Drive yourself!
Getting in your car and driving yourself is an often overlooked way to go from the Art of Animation to Magic Kingdom. 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 5.6 miles (9.0 km). The drive is about 15-20 minutes long, depending on traffic.
And here is the BEST news about driving yourself…
Assuming you are staying at the Art of Animation, 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 theme parks does not cost anything.
But just like taking an Uber/Lyft, you MUST park at the Transportation and Ticket Center to get to Magic Kingdom.
Once you are parked here, you can either 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, then you must take a Disney bus or a Minnie Van)
Related Posts – Art of Animation:
Can I take the Disney Skyliner between the Art of Animation and Magic Kingdom?
The short answer to this question is NO.
A huge benefit of staying at the Art of Animation is that you can walk to the Disney Skyliner. But there is no way to go to Magic Kingdom this way. The Skyliner only goes to two parks, Hollywood Studios and Epcot.
Can I walk from Art of Animation to Magic Kingdom?
The short answer to this question is NO. First, the distance between the resort and Magic Kingdom is fairly long. Second, there are no walking paths that connect them. You must either take the bus, a rideshare/taxi, or drive yourself!
Is there boat transportation from Art of Animation to Magic Kingdom?
No, Art of Animation does not provide boat transportation anywhere. If you want to take a boat to Magic Kingdom, you must stay at the Contemporary Resort, Polynesian Resort, Grand Floridian Resort, Wilderness Lodge, or Fort Wilderness.
