Hi Joyce Marie,
Allow me to extend you a warm welcome to planDisney! We are so excited to see that you are planning your first
Walt Disney World Resort vacation. As a frequent Disneyland Resort Guest, you know that getting around Walt Disney World Resort takes a different strategy since there are a few more
transportation options and more distance between destinations. So, let’s get you on your way!
One of the great benefits of staying at
Walt Disney World Swan Hotel is its location, so you are already ahead of the game when it comes to getting an
Early Entry start because you won’t need to wait at all for my favorite mode of transportation–your feet! There are well-lit, mostly flat walking paths from the Walt Disney World Swan Hotel to both Disney’s Hollywood Studios (about a 10–15-minute walk) and EPCOT’s International Gateway entrance (less than a 10-minute walk). On your return at the end of the day, I would walk back from EPCOT and take the
Disney Watercraft Service from Disney’s Hollywood Studios for a lovely little ride along the canal you walked next to earlier in the day.
Now, to travel to Magic Kingdom Park, you have a couple of options. You could take bus transportation provided by the Swan Hotel (which is not managed by Disney). The bus will drop you off at Disney’s Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) near the transfer area, which is close to the monorail and ferryboat queues. You will then ride either the
Express Monorail or the Ferryboat to the entrance to Magic Kingdom Park. Your personal car may be the preferred mode of travel since standard theme park parking is complimentary for Guests of the Swan Hotel. Just know that you will have to travel either by walking or riding a tram to the transfer area of the TTC and then take a monorail or ferryboat ride from the TTC to the park entrance, but you will have more control over what time you depart from the hotel.
Finally, getting to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park is one where I usually prefer to take my car if I’m trying to arrive early. Of course, you can also take a bus from your hotel since they drop off near the front entrance to the park, so you have a little quicker access to the coveted turnstiles!
Joyce Marie, since the bus transportation from the Walt Disney World Swan Hotel is offered by an outside company and not Disney transportation services, you will need to confirm the start time each day with the hotel staff, but it typically begins one hour before theme park opening. All Disney transportation begins 45 minutes prior to theme park opening time and up to 1 hour after Disney theme park closing time. Additionally, buses operate until 11:00 PM from the Disney Springs area.
I know that’s a lot of maneuvering, Joyce Marie, but I hope it helps you plan your most magical vacation to The Most Magical Place on Earth! Please stop back by and let us answer any other questions you may have.
Remember, it all started with a Mouse,
Shannon