Hi Elizabeth,
Welcome to planDisney! You have already figured out one of my favorite Magic Kingdom hacks. Making that early morning reservation at the
Crystal Palace lets you get into the theme park before the crowds arrive and ensures you get an epic photo in front of Cinderella Castle without anyone in the background.
Disney's Art of Animation Resort offers bus transportation directly to Magic Kingdom. All
theme park transportation will typically begin 45 minutes before the theme park opens to guests. The bus ride from Art of Animation to Magic Kingdom typically takes about 20 minutes so if you want to be able to enter the theme park and make it to your reservation at a leisurely pace, this may be a little bit of a rush but it is doable. You will need to check the
My Disney Experience app for bus pickup times at your resort, and make sure you are down at the bus stop early for the first bus pickup to make this option work.
If you are like me and hate rushing, you can also order a rideshare service to pick you up at your Resort hotel. They will have to drop you off at the Transportation and Ticket Center for a quick monorail ride over to Magic Kingdom. I schedule my pick-up to ensure that I arrive at Magic Kingdom 45 minutes before the theme park opens so I can get to my reservation with plenty of time to stop for that magic shot in front of Cinderella Castle. Disney offers a
Minnie Van Service through Lyft that adds some extra whimsy to your rideshare but they only seat 5 guests. Other rideshare services do offer vehicles that can accommodate your entire party and they are super easy to order while at Disney World.
Happy Planning,
Jenna