Greetings, Stuart, and welcome back to planDisney! Your
Walt Disney World Resort visit is getting closer and closer, so I hope you have those Mickey t-shirts packed. I just returned from the Most Magical Place on Earth, and the weather was perfect. You're going to have a fantastic time!
It sounds like you'll be staying at
Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside. This resort was where my family stayed on our very first visit, so it holds a special spot in my memories. An arched walkway bridge inspired my mom to tell the story of the billy goats and the troll, and my son still remembers that story over 20 years later!
This resort is beautiful and sprawling, so it has an internal bus system with about four stops. So, your travel time will depend on where you'll be along that internal route. My tip would be to ask about the internal routes at check-in. If the last stop is at the Main Building, my tip would be to plan to have a quick breakfast at the
Riverside Mill Food Court so you could easily hop aboard a bus after you eat.
Due to traffic, travel times can vary once you leave the Riverside property. But you can expect the bus ride to Magic Kingdom to be about 15-20 minutes. It will take about 10-15 minutes to get to EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios and about 20 minutes to get to Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park by bus.
Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park will be closed when you arrive, but
Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park will be open. One way to get to this water park is to take the bus from the resort to Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park. Look for the shuttle to Blizzard Beach for a 10-12 minute bus ride to some splashtastic fun!
Just so you know, you might have to wait for buses, so I usually allow about an hour to get to the theme park entrance. If I want to scan in at 9:00 AM, I'll be at the bus stop around 8:00 AM. Theme park buses usually start running about 45 minutes before the listed
Early Theme Park Entry time and will run about an hour after the last theme park closes.
You could also use a rideshare like Lyft or
Minnie Van Service to any destination. We've found them to respond quickly, and most drivers know their way around the property. This is a more pricey option, but it will typically cut your travel time in half.
My final tip is to take the
boat service from Riverside to
Disney Springs. The 20-minute boat ride is pleasant and relaxing, and there's so much to do at "The Springs." My husband and I love to grab a cookie at
Gideon's Bakehouse and browse
World of Disney on the evening we arrive. It's a magical way to ease into the Disney bubble.
Stuart, I'm sprinkling pixie dust and steering wheels so your trip rolls along smoothly. Please stop by
planDisney for any last-minute questions. I'd love to help!
Magic awaits,
Elaine