How do you get from Disney’s Boardwalk Resort to Hollywood Studios?
If you are staying at the Boardwalk or planning a future visit, you probably want to know how to get to Hollywood Studios from the resort. Below I will detail FIVE specific ways you can make this journey.
But before you start reading, please know that you CAN NOT take the Disney buses from the Boardwalk Resort to Hollywood Studios. Many people mistakenly stand outside the Boardwalk waiting for a bus to Hollywood Studios that will never arrive. 🙂
Option #1. Take the Friendship Boats to Hollywood Studios!
A fun and relaxing way to get to Hollywood Studios from the Boardwalk Resort is to take the FREE boat transportation using Disney’s Friendship Boats.
To find the boat dock, walk out the back of the Boardwalk Resort. You will be standing on the quarter-mile wooden boardwalk that wraps around part of Crescent Lake. As soon as you get outside, look around, and you should see a large dock sticking out into the water. I can’t tell you whether the boat dock will be on your left or right because it depends on which side of the Boardwalk Resort you walk out from!
Regardless, you should see the dock, called Promenade Pier, immediately. Once you find it, walk there because that’s where you board the Friendship Boats to go to Hollywood Studios. 🙂
And don’t worry if you have a stroller, as they are allowed on the boats, but you must fold them. The Friendship Boats are also accessible for wheelchairs and motorized scooters.
How long is the boat ride from Disney’s Boardwalk Inn to Hollywood Studios?
You can expect to be at Hollywood Studios about 20-25 minutes after the boat leaves the Boardwalk. Please be aware that on your way, you will make TWO more stops before eventually getting to the theme park.
- First, you will go across the lake to pick up guests at the Beach and Yacht Club.
- Second, the boat will stop at Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Resort before heading to Hollywood Studios.
As you can see, the exact time it takes varies depending on how many guests are boarding or departing at each of these two stops.
The picture below is the dock where you get off the boat in front of Hollywood Studios. It’s also where you board the boat to return to the Boardwalk.
The worst part about taking the boats to Hollywood Studios is that you have to WAIT for a boat to arrive. This can be especially frustrating if you walk out to Promenade Pier and see a boat just pulling away. I know our family has made multiple mad dashes on 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 20 minutes.
But I’m going to tell you a secret that should reduce the time you spend waiting and riding on the boat to Hollywood Studios.
As I mentioned above, once you board the boat from the Boardwalk Resort, it makes two additional stops at the Beach/Yacht Club and then at the Dolphin/Swan Resort. The map below details the route the Friendship Boats take.
So my secret is that you don’t have to get on the boat at the Boardwalk. Instead, you can walk directly to the boat dock at the Dolphin/Swan Resort from the Boardwalk (Boat stop #2 on the map above).
The walk is short, and it takes less than 5 minutes. This strategy works exceptionally well if you just missed boarding a boat on Promenade Pier and you see it crossing Crescent Lake to the Beach/Yacht Club (Boat stop #1).
Option #2. Walk from the Boardwalk Resort to Hollywood Studios!
The best part about walking to Hollywood Studios from the Boardwalk is that you don’t have to WAIT for a boat. Once we start walking, our family knows that in approximately 15 to 20 minutes, we will be setting foot inside the theme park.
And finding the pathway is incredibly easy to find and navigate.
- First, you will walk out the front of the Boardwalk lobby.
- Walk straight until you cross the bridge over a small pond. When you reach the Boardwalk Resort parking lot, take a RIGHT.
- Continue on this sidewalk until you can get to the large waterway. As soon as you get there, turn LEFT.
- Follow the waterway and walk along this path all the way to Hollywood Studios. Make sure the channel is on your RIGHT-hand side. I think the walk is very pretty, and we typically see many interesting water birds in the morning and evening, such as Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, etc.
- You know you are going in the correct direction as the Tower of Terror gets closer and closer!
How long does walking from the Boardwalk Resort to Hollywood Studios take?
It depends on how fast you walk! The distance between the resort lobby and the park entrance is .8 miles (1.3 km). If you walk at an average pace, which is three mph, then it will take 16 minutes.
Option #3: Ride and relax on the Disney Skyliner!
If you don’t want to walk or take a boat to Hollywood Studios, you can also jump on the Disney Skyliner.
There is a boarding station that is only a 5-minute walk from the Boardwalk. It is located at the International Gateway, which is the “back” entrance to Epcot. As you walk out the back of the Boardwalk Resort, take a right on the wooden boardwalk along Crescent Lake to get there. There are various signs that point you to Epcot.
Once you reach the International Gateway at Epcot, you will board a gondola at the Skyliner boarding station. Then, you will take a beautiful 15-minute ride in the sky, eventually delivering you to the Caribbean Beach Boarding Station. Once you arrive, you must leave your gondola and follow the signs to board another gondola to finish your journey to Hollywood Studios.
This second ride to Hollywood Studios is very short (6 minutes) and takes you directly to the front of the park. Below is the view as you approach!
How long does using the Disney Skyliner to go from the Boardwalk to Hollywood Studios take?
I estimate the journey will take about 30 minutes, assuming there are no lines at the boarding stations. First, you must walk to the Skyliner from Disney’s Boardwalk, about 5 minutes. Then the ride from the International Gateway to the Caribbean Beach Resort is 15 minutes. From here, you must get out and find the queue that goes to Hollywood Studios. Once you board this gondola, the ride is 6 minutes to Hollywood Studios.
There is a good chance you will encounter a line at one of the two Skyliner boarding stations, which can add considerable travel time.
Between the three options discussed so far, I HIGHLY recommend using the Friendship Boats or walking to Hollywood Studios rather than using the Disney Skyliner. Taking the Disney Skyliner to get to Hollywood Studios will almost always be the slowest option. I think the only reason to take the Skyliner would be because you have never ridden it before, as the ride itself is fun!
Option #4: Take an Uber, Lyft, or MINNIE Van to Hollywood Studios
If you want to get to Hollywood Studios fast, taking a rideshare from the Boardwalk is easy. This option can save time, especially if you missed a boat or don’t want to make the .8 mile (1.3 km) walk.
The easiest place to meet your driver is outside near the Boardwalk front lobby, as there are plenty of spots for them to stop and for you to get in the car.
The driving distance from Disney’s Boardwalk Resort to Hollywood Studios is only 2.9 miles (4.7 km), and the drive should take about 10 minutes, depending on the amount of traffic.
TWO rideshare companies operate in Disney World – Uber and Lyft. Between them both, 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.
One neat thing about using Lyft is that they have partnered with Disney World to provide MINNIE VANS, which are Minnie Mouse-themed mini-vans! While using the Lyft app inside the resort, choose Hollywood Studios as your destination. 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.
Option #5: Drive yourself to Hollywood Studios!
Getting in your car and driving yourself is an often overlooked way to go from the Boardwalk Inn to Hollywood Studios.
The distance between these two locations is only 2.9 miles (4.7 km). The drive takes about 10 minutes, depending on traffic.
And here is the BEST news about driving yourself to Hollywood Studios…
As long as you are staying at the Boardwalk, the parking at Hollywood Studios 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 Boardwalk Resort, as parking costs a minimum of $25 per day at each park.
Related Posts:
Can I take the Disney buses from the Boardwalk to Hollywood Studios?
No, Disney does not provide bus transportation to Hollywood Studios from the Boardwalk Inn. You must use one of the other methods described above!
It’s very common to find people at the bus stop, waiting patiently for a bus to Hollywood Studios that will never arrive. If you see this happening, please gently inform them of their transportation options now that you have read this post. 🙂
Can I take the Disney Monorail from Disney’s Boardwalk to Hollywood Studios?
No, the monorail does not have a boarding station at the Boardwalk, nor does the monorail travel to Hollywood Studios. If you want access to the monorail from your hotel, you must stay at the Contemporary Resort, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, or Polynesian Village Resort.
What is your favorite way to travel from Disney’s Boardwalk Resort to Hollywood Studios?
Leave a COMMENT below!
How long is the walk from the parking to the entrance of Hollywood Studios?
Hello Loren. The answer to your question depends entirely on where you park! If you are one of the first people to arrive or pay for preferred parking ($45-$55 per day) and you are close to the entrance, the walk is very short. But if you are towards the back of the parking lot, it can take up to ten minutes (estimated) to walk from your car to the entrance.