Walt Disney World now offering paid Express Transportation between theme parks

Disney World Express Transporation
Express Transportation now allows Walt Disney World guests pay to park-hop without passing through the front gates.

If returning to the front of the park for a free ride puts a crimp in your park-hopping plans, Walt Disney World is now offering an Express Transportation option that will pick guests up inside their theme park gates and deliver them across property, for a price.

(UPDATE: The Express Transportation add-on service will suspend operation beginning Aug. 23, 2017.)

If you have tickets with the Park Hopper option (or a Walt Disney World Annual Pass), adding Express Transportation allows access to special buses that take you directly to the drop-off location inside the theme park you want to visit next—with no waiting to reenter at the gate. Participating guests make their way to designated Express Transportation check-in location, where a Cast Member will escort them backstage to their bus.

Express Transportation buses depart approximately every 30 minutes, and are available each day from 10 a.m. until park closing. The busses travel directly between each of the theme parks—with no other stops along the way, and let guests off inside the main gate. Check-In Locations are in the Magic Kingdom park near the exit of Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin; in Epcot at the est side of Spaceship Earth; in Disney’s Hollywood Studios at the courtyard in front of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith; and in Disney’s Animal Kingdom park near the entrance to Kilimanjaro Safaris.

Purchase of the Express Transportation option gives unlimited transfers between all 4 theme parks for either one day, for $15 per person, or seven consecutive days for $24 per person. You can buy Express Transportation tickets at all 4 theme park ticket windows and Guest Relations, Disney Springs, Disney Resort hotel concierge locations, Walt Disney World Swan Hotel and Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel ticket desks, and kiosks at Express Transportation check-in locations.

For more on the future of bus transporation at Walt Disney World, watch this video of a prototype Sorcerer Class vehicle displayed during the recent Destination D event:

Prototype Sorcerer Class Disney Transport Bus shown at Destination D
MouseFanTravel

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

16 Comments

  1. I have never had to pay for transportation costs for going from a park to a Hotel or another park. I believe that the cost of the Park hopper tickets should cover any cost of transportation. No I do not plan to pay additional fo any so called express transpotation from one park to another on property.

  2. So Disney creates a service for which they let you pay significantly more (the ‘hopper’ pass) to compensate for the use of transportation, because anything else doesn’t cost Disney money. But their underdeveloped transportation system is a constant frustration. Instead of making that part better they create another money grab by introducing a bit more bearable system. And their “guests’ love it. That is just great business sense. It already worked by creating insufficient quality viewing area’s, unbearably long lines for characters and the list goes on. Every time the solution is another high price/low value scheme and not creating multi level viewing area’s, higher capacity rides or meet and greets and travel systems that don’t frustrate. It’s magical that most guests don’t see the trick.

  3. A slightly different way to look at it. If you have a member in your party who would be trying to minimize the amount of walking, the extra money might be worth it. Plus no bag check or enterance line. For a four day stay, two people, that $12 per day.

  4. It is all about supply and demand. This is an interesting service they’re rolling out. I’ll be interested to know if it succeeds or not (will park-goers adopt this?). Being able to skip park entrance lines will be very attractive to most people trying to maximize their time in the parks each day.

  5. As an avid Walt Disney World fan and visitor,(14 visits since 1982 for at least a week each trip), I firmly believe that they are on the verge of pricing the average family out of being able to visit WDW. This “Transportation Option”, as well as many other price increases over the years,especially over the past 3-4 years, only serves to reinforce my thinking.

    Park Hopper for 8 people / 7 days = $552
    “Express Transportation” for 8 people / 7 days = $192

    I WILL NOT use this “Option” upon my next visit. Quite frankly, I do not believe that it will expedite travel that much. We will “wing” it…….

  6. I for one would not be interested in this but I do see it being beneficial to those who like to enter the park with bags. That is the number one reason for delays entering parks but there is a line for “Guests With No Bags” (This is me) that moves along pretty fast unless you are randomly selected for “Additional Security Screening”.

  7. I think its pretty genius. My bet is that soon it won’t even be a paid option, but included with Park Hoppers. Of course, that’ll be the day that the Park Hopper option jumps up by 10%+ but hey, it includes that now LOL.

    The reason why its great is that its a win-win. In the past, doing Park Hopper made little sense unless you frequently came back to your Hotel as trying to go from Space Mountain to Rock n Rollercoaster would be a 90 minute, 1.5+ mile exhausting journey walking all the way back, the bus wait/ride, then have to go through security again and then walk all the way to the back of the park. Now, you avoid all security and avoid all of the walking.

    It works great for Disney too because they are able to sell far more Pass Hoppers (which again means it’ll be an even more expensive option) and also smooth out crowds. No more 10/10 level at MK and 5/10 at AK – people will flow between parks to “chase” the lower crowd parks. It also helps reduce the clog around security.

  8. I used this when I was there last weekend. It was wonderful! I will pay to use it every time I go to the Parks. It saves you so much time! I love it.

  9. This worked splendidly for my husband and me on our visit in mid December.
    We were able to skip the ticket and security lines at all parks except the first we visited.
    This made it easy to visit three or four parks in one day easily. Ertainly hope they keep this option!

  10. Would be nice for DVC members since we are suppose to be able to get great discounts and
    specials. Have not seen too many never see free dining or real discount dining

  11. Come on Disney your getting ridiculous with your pricing. I don’t think I’ll be back. I brought my 5 yo and girlfriend for 8 days over $5000. Insanely overpriced. By the way we drove no flights included. Also stayed off property.

  12. This is a great option. They still have the free shuttles, this is just a premium service for those who want to skip security and bag check all the time.

    Jpall, you need to learn to budget, thats a LOT of money for a disney trip for 3 people off property.

  13. Hey great post! I hope it’s alright that I shared it on my FB, if not, no worries just let me know and I’ll remove it.
    Either way keep up the great work.