Transportation – Magic Mouse Press

Using Extra Magic Hours at Walt Disney World is one of the best ways to avoid crowds, and save time on your Disney vacation. Extra Magic Hours allow some guests early entry, or the ability to stay past official park closing - thus strongly reducing park crowds. In the past, you could only Extra Magic Hours by staying at one of the Walt Disney World Resorts. But as of 2020, you can also get Extra Magic Hours by staying at a Disney Springs Area Hotel too! Disney Springs hotels Extra Magic Hours are an amazing new benefit to take advantage of on your future Disney trips. These Disney Springs Hotels Have Extra Magic Hours: B Resort and SpaBest Western Lake Buena VistaDoubletree Suites Disney Springs AreaHilton Buena Vista PalaceHilton Lake Buena VistaHoliday Inn Disney Springs AreaWyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista Staying at a Disney Springs Hotel nowadays gets you almost all of the same benefits of staying at a true Walt Disney World Resort, but typically for less money! Keep reading for all of the need to know details about Disney Springs hotels Extra Magic Hours. Including how to get to the parks in time for morning Extra Magic Hours or how to get back to the hotel late at night after evening Extra Magic Hours. Disney Springs Hotels Extra Magic Hours And Other Benefits Extra Magic Hours rotate daily between theme parks, and from morning to evening hours. Make sure to check the schedule for your trip in advance on the Disney website, or on the My Disney Experience App. While planning, make sure to keep in mind that Extra Magic Hours are for verified hotel or resort guests ONLY. All of the 7 official Disney Springs hotels listed above do have access to take advantage of the scheduled Extra Magic Hours. These hotels are considered Good Neighbor hotels in Disney’s eyes and therefore receive almost the same treatment as official Disney hotels. (Really the only thing missing is the Disney decor and transportation). Other Benefits Of Staying At A Disney Springs Hotel: Other than being able to take advantage of Extra Magic Hours while staying at a Disney Springs hotel, there are also a few other benefits to be aware of also. Here are the most important ones to know: 60 Day Advanced Window: for booking FastPass selections before your trip (same as all of the Disney World resorts)Shuttle service every 30 minutes to the Disney parks Access to official Disney merch in your hotel Disney Springs area coupon book for Disney Springs hotel guests only "Disney Springs" by Rain0975 is licensed by CC BY-ND 2.0 How To Get To Or From The Parks For Extra Magic Hours At A Disney Springs Hotel One drawback of staying at a Disney Springs hotel and using Extra Magic Hours is the transportation options. While Disney Springs hotels do offer a shuttle every 30 minutes to the theme parks, I’m not sure that I would rely on that for traveling to Extra Magic Hours. Especially if you’re attempting morning Extra Magic Hours. To fully take advantage of Extra Magic Hours, and to make getting up early or staying up late worth it, I recommend to be present in the parks for the FULL Extra Magic Hour(s). This requires being at the park even before Extra Magic Hour starts because you will need to make sure you get through park security in time to still be able to enjoy it. And counting on a shuttle that only runs every 30 minutes, in my opinion, does not give you the best odds. I have listed more information about the Disney Springs hotel bus service below, with additional transportation options, so that you can choose what is best for you! And with that in mind, here are all of the transportation options between the parks and the Disney Springs hotels to consider: Transportation Options Between Disney Springs Hotels And The Disney Parks: 1. Disney Springs Hotel Shuttle Bus (From The Hotels): Run by the company MEARS, a longstanding Disney transportation partner, these shuttles stop at all 7 of the official Disney Springs Hotels. Bus Schedule and Routes: Each shuttle runs to two different parks. In the past, the schedule has been consistent:One bus to Animal Kingdom, and then EPCOT; and one bus to the Ticket and Transportation Center (Magic Kingdom or EPCOT) and then to Hollywood Studios. Busses begin running 60 minutes prior to park opening time (including Extra Magic Hours) and stop running 90 minutes after the latest park closing time (including Extra Magic Hours). The bus spends about 5 minutes or less at each hotel stop before heading to the parksPlanning Tip: If you’re heading to morning Extra Magic Hours, check the bus schedule in advance. From my experience, if you’re on the first bus out in the morning, and are heading to the first park on the bus route, you will arrive with plenty of time. If you’re heading to the second park on the bus route, it will be cutting it close. Consider the options below if you want to have the best rope-drop odds. 2. Official Disney Transportation Bus From Disney Springs Shopping Center: This is the bus service that is provided by Disney itself, and runs from the Disney Springs shopping area. This bus service will not pick up or drop off at the Disney Springs hotels. Which means you’ll need to walk to/from the bus with this option. I have the hotels ranked by walking distance in this article down below. Bus Schedule and Routes: Busses only run directly to the theme parks in the evenings. If you’re using this option in the morning/midday you’ll be required to make a transfer at a Disney Resort. Therefore, I would only recommend this option in the evenings. Busses run from the Disney Springs shopping center directly to the Disney theme parks from 4:00pm - 11:00pm (or one hour after the theme parks close, whichever is earlier). Busses start running to the Disney resorts from Disney Springs shopping center starting between 10:00am - 10:30am and continue until about 1:00am. Planning Tip: Because this service is limited and requires a transfer if you’re traveling in the morning/midday, I don’t recommend this option. I think you’re better off using the hotel shuttle or one of the other two options listed below. I would only use this service for return in the evenings (and if I wanted to stop by Disney Springs also for some shopping). "Disney Bus" by LunchboxLarry is licensed by CC BY 2.0 3. Taxi, Minnie Van, Lyft, Uber, Or Other Rideshare Service: Using a rideshare or taxi service for transportation to/from the Disney Springs hotels to the parks is most definitely the option I would choose myself. It is the most convenient and the option that gives you the most control. Schedule and Routes: Any of these rideshare or taxi services will be available at any hour of the day, and will go directly to the destination that you specify, saving you time. Planning Tip: If you’re heading to morning Extra Magic Hours, plan to call your taxi or rideshare a bit earlier than you think you will need to. Drivers can be limited in the mornings, and giving yourself some extra wiggle room eases some of the morning stress of getting there. 4. Driving Your Own Vehicle: If you drove yourself or if you have a rental car, go ahead and drive it to the theme parks too! While you will have to pay for parking, which is about $25.00 per day, this is the most stress-free option of the four listed here. You are in full control of when you leave, and the cost of parking is about the same as a roundtrip Uber/Lyft with tip. Planning Tip: Leave earlier than you think you might need to. This is because there are several hold-ups along the way you might not anticipate such as traffic, waiting to pay for parking, taking the parking lot tram to the park gate, going through security, etc. If you're still in the planning phase and are considering renting a car, check out this article where I list all of the car rental options available that have rental desks in Disney Springs hotels! Disney Springs Hotels Ranked By Distance To The Disney Springs Bus Stop With a name like “Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels” you would think that you could easily walk to and from the Disney Springs shopping center from these hotels. And you certainly can! However, some of the hotels are much closer than others. While I would not recommend walking to Disney Springs and taking the Disney bus transportation as your main method of transportation during your vacation, it can still be a good option depending on your needs. Here is a ranking of the 7 Disney Springs hotels based on which is the closest walking distance to Disney Springs shopping center: Disney Springs Hotels Ranked By Walking Distance to the Town Center Disney Springs Bus Stop (Behind The Coca Cola Store): Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista: 0.7 miles one-way; about 15 minute walkWyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista: 0.7 miles one-way; about 15 minute walkHilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace: 0.8 miles one-way; about 18 minute walkHoliday Inn Disney Springs Area: 0.8 miles one-way; about 18 minute walkB Resort and Spa: 1.0 miles one-way; about 20 minute walkBest Western Lake Buena Vista: 1.0 miles one-way; about 21 minute walkDoubletree Suites Disney Springs Area: 1.1 miles one-way; about 24 minute walk