This past spring, Disney Springs started a new rule where guests using the bus system had to have a dining or hotel reservation for the resort they were going to. It was in place during a holiday weekend, likely to control the crowds and limit how many guests were able to use the free transportation and visit the hotels.
Disney Springs
While the rule stopped shortly after the holiday, we spoke to a Cast Member at Disney Springs who said it’s coming back and there’s no plan to end it.
We heard people online talking about the rule coming back, but we went to Disney Springs to see for ourselves. When speaking with a security Cast Member, we were told that the new rule is starting on June 28th. It will also include the boats in addition to the buses. Disney later added a sign advising guests of the new rule change.
Rule change
The transportation will still be available from Disney Springs, but you will need to show proof to be able to get on. You can show a hotel or restaurant reservation, but if you’re just coming to check out the resorts, you might run into some issues.
Blockades put up
What do you do when you want to visit the resorts? The easiest way to do so would be to park at one of the four theme parks and use the bus, boat, monorail, or Skyliner transportation to get to your chosen resort. If you’re not an Annual Passholder or hotel guest, you will have to pay for parking.
EPCOT parking lot
5 TIPS FOR THE DISNEY SPRINGS BUS RULE
Not wanting to pay for parking? You can take a rideshare option like Uber or Lyft, but you would still need to be dropped off at one of the parks, not the hotels. For a while now, resorts have required a hotel or dining reservation for your rideshare driver to drive you into the resorts. Heading to the closest theme park is the easiest way to get around for now.
Disney World Rideshare sign
This rule is likely coming back due to crowds. As we get into the summer months, everywhere around Disney World tends to get busier, and while we enjoy resort hopping, visiting all the different spots, and trying new food, it’s becoming a bit more difficult.
Westside Bus Loop
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Soooooo disappointed to hear. Disney just keeps shooting itself in the foot and ruining the experience! As Florida resident passholders, we love eating and shopping at the different resorts and Disney Springs as day visitors but the fun was taking a bus or boat from one point to another….because driving and parking can be a pain even if it is free. Driving especially is like driving in commuter rush hour and it’s sometimes easy to get lost. Our money…of which we spend a lot at wdw….is just as good as guests who stay overnight…. and we stay for a few days about once a month. Not only is Disney continuing to ruin each park…which is why we love the resorts and Springs so much….but now they’re insulting and offending a huge number of loyal Disney followers. But it seems they don’t care about that. I had high hopes for Josh but he’s turning out to be even worse than Iger!!! Why is Disney taking away the Magic????? 😕🙄😞😱😫😪🤑😭
Anyone shopping at Disney Springs is a Disney Guest! We should not be punished because of others. Resort Hopping is business for Disney. I always take the boat to Port Orleans French Quarter for Beignets. I like to go to the hotels to see their shops, have a new snack, see decorations and pin trade. Now because of this policy I am not able to do it. I have always done it in the past and neither the boats nor buses were extremely crowded. Shame on Disney Management for this policy. I fully understand for the busy times like Easter, 4th of July, etc. but to implement this year round is not necessary. All I can hope is someone on the Management Team recognizes this and re-evaluates the policy. In the end, Disney will lose money as people will not be spending at the resorts they hop to. Plus they lose because resort hopping is free advertising for them. I tell people to always go to French Quarter for Beignets or Captain Cooks for Tonga Toast. People want to see the resorts even if they cannot stay there. Please Disney – Re-evaluate this policy!
I hate this. We do a Christmas Decor hope every year. We start at the Springs then take transportation to each resort to look at the decorations, eat, and buy holiday items. I get the reasoning but this is going to end that tradition for many families and loss of income for Disney.
I agree with Cate, Bill and Becky, and probably many others who will comment. This is just another bad decision in a recent long list of bad decisions by Disney. What are they thinking?! We also loved visiting resorts at the holidays to see the decor and the gingerbread displays…. and to shop and eat….in other words, Disney, to spend money! Bill is correct about the buses and boats being mostly empty. I’ve only seen buses crowded when parks empty out and we avoid them then. But so what if they’re crowded. It’s a shame that a few people who feel entitled were listened to by Disney. Or is the real reason that Disney is just getting more greedy?
It doesn’t seem that Disney listens to the overwhelming majority of its longtime, loyal guests anymore. We comment and contact them but they still haven’t brought back Magical Express or Free Fastpass. Many of your fave foods are gone. Do you have their ear? Why do you think they don’t care about us? They mostly seem to be forgetting about how this company and wdw got started, and why, and pushing us to the curb who loved and stayed with them all these decades. Wdw is not just another amusement park. Traditions matter. I think Josh has grossly underestimated the impact this decision will have on so many levels. It will definitely deter us!
This is very disappointing and Disney will lose money for sure. My husband and I always Uber to the Polynesian, then monorail to the grand Floridian, and then monorail to the contemporary for dinner at California Grill on our arrival day. It is a tradition we have done for years, but now it looks like we will not be allowed to get to the Polynesian or the grand Floridian since we never have a car there. We will just Uber straight to the contemporary and Disney will miss out on sales at both of the other hotels. We enjoy having drinks and shopping before dinner. It’s really too bad and it is changing a tradition we treasured.
Hi DFB, do you know if we will be able to use Disney transport from the parks to Disney Springs, whilst not staying at a Disney hotel? We like having a shorter day at the park then going over to DS to shop & eat then Uber back to the hotel. Many thanks for any help.
I understand why local AP holders would be upset. There is an alternative, however, to go to TTC/Park for free (as with DS) and ride transportation there. Not an AP holder, I guess you have to pay to park at TTC/Park and carry on your day. It’s not hard to find a negative about Disney, especially with all the changes that have occurred in the last 6 years. We want what we had. If you acknowledge that Disney is a business for Profit you can either accept the changes or decline them. I’m not happy with the many changes over the years as an out-of-state “Mouser”, but I’m still happy and fortunate to be able to visit often. There are so many folks that only dream of what we do. Find the good, because there’s so much there ,and be happy.🙂
I’m confused. Does this mean that if I’m staying at a Disney resort I can take a bus to ANY resort, or would I only be allowed to board the bus to MY resort?
I hope this rule does not apply to me who has a reservation this fall at Disney World Swan Hotel. We always have breakfast at Trattoria al Forno and then take the Boardwalk bus to the parks or Disney Springs. Likewise we take the bus back to the Boardwalk after and shop or grab a pizza on the Boardwalk before going back to the Swan.
I am hearing different things online some saying it won’t pertain guests staying at the Swan or Dolphin and others contradict that.
Can you tell me what is true?
Thank you
I read in the comments, ‘Anyone shopping at Disney Springs is a Disney Guest,’ and that’s correct. But Disney could also argue, ‘Anyone parking for free at Disney Springs just to go to a park is a thief,’ and that would also be true. It’s true that it is a very unpopular decision and, as others say, it will also bring additional problems for Disney… but saying that it’s for ‘crowd management’ is missing the elephant in the room.
Like Bill mentioned above, my spouse and I would like to visit Disney Spring early in the morning, take the boat to Port Orleans French Quarter for Beignets. With the new restrictions going into place now there’s NO WAY TO GET THE BEIGNETS. The SCAT CAT’S CLUB CAFE is a quick service location. You can’t make a reservation for it to be able to take the bus, boat, or even drive to it. And there’s no way to walk to it. Way to go Disney. You spend all this time promoting the Port Orleans French Quarter as the way to get the Mickey Beignets and now you shut out any way to get there.
I see it as great news and a good (overdue) move on Disney’s part. Resort transportation is for resort guests (resort meaning a resort hotel, not the overall WDW). The fact that Disney doesn’t let locals or passholders drive & park at resorts they’re not staying at tells you something – outsiders are not welcome. With a dining reservation you’re no longer an outsider, but that will be for a limited period of time (to eat the meal – probably 2 or 3 hours at most). People paying to stay at the resorts, whether it’s a value or a deluxe, shouldn’t have to deal with transportation seats occupied by locals or people staying offsite. Similarly, when there are special items like the gingerbread houses or Easter eggs, or Halloween activities, etc – those are for resort guests and not the general central Florida area. Someone on social media commented that Disney is NOT a public park – it’s a private business. He or she hit the nail on the head in my opinion.
What if we started out at the Transportation Station? Don’t they have buses to hotels, or is it just Parks. It’s been a while since I needed the Transportation Station. Couldn’t you take the monorail to Epcot or Magic Kingdom and then find the bus stop for the hotel you want to visit? There must be a way around this dumb rule.
Hot take but honestly I’m a fan. Resorts should be for resort guests. Having resort spots clogged up with people who aren’t staying at the resort is so frustrating because you spend a lot of money to stay on property. And it’s not even saying you can’t go to the resorts – you can still easily do it from the parks. It doesn’t cost AP’s anything extra because parking is included so it’s not a hit to them. It will make the resorts a little calmer and easier for the people who spend high dollar to be there.
Maybe this will open up some parking at DS for people who actually go there to shop and dine! Too many people were exploiting the free parking and spending the day elsewhere! The recent crowds at POFQ for the beignets is insane! Do people actually think it’s fair to crowd resort amenities when you’re not even staying there? The people who have paid to stay there have to suffer! I blame the influencers and social media for this! I’m hoping an exemption will be made for people who hold an AP. We’ll see what happens!
Question – the sign reads “for guests staying at a Disney Resort Hotel…..” – so does that mean if you are staying on property (AKA Disney Hotel) you are still ok to use the buses to go to “any Disney hotel” or just the hotel in which you are staying?
I like many others enjoy resort hoping while there – yes we stay on property, but like to visit many other resorts during that trip for food, shopping, views, etc. and using the buses at Disney Springs after a day of shopping is the easiest method.
I agree with all of the commenters above. Disney is going to lose revenue because of reduced foot traffic at the resorts. In addition, I wonder how this is actually going to help with traffic as reservations will need to be verified before people can even board a bus and that takes time. Disney needs to start rethinking long-term before it loses business from people like me who have been coming to Disney since 1971
So, I guess we have to be careful not to park at one of the parks and then get stranded if we take a bus/boat to Disney Springs.
crazy.
I like many other who stay on site think this is a great idea. Buses are always over crowded and hopefully this will ease the loads.
You want to use the transportation, pay your share.
We ALWAYS spend money when hoping resorts and then make a reservation to boot!!! Hear me Disney … that is MORE money!!!!
What doesn’t management understand? It is a really fun Disney thing to do , well used to be . You guys have destroyed the Golden Goose
Don’t understand why going from Disney Springs requires you to have a dining reservation etc. I thought the problem at the resorts was parking and that is why they required a dining reservation to get into the resort. Why does it matter how many people are shopping or browsing in the resort.
I LOVE this new rule! And while youe at it, chsrge 20 bucks to park at Springs for good measure! This loophle has been begging to be closed for a long time Thanks Disney!
Another reason for me to skip Disney, first time ever, this year and spend my time and money at Universal who seams to care more about their guests.
Sadly rules like this are put into place for safety reasons or because people abuse it. I remember when there was a great system for those who were handicapped until some tour groups and others cheated and abused it.
If anyone thinks that Disney actually cares about their guests, well it’s decisions like this that just continue to reaffirm the idea that they don’t. They continue to just drive their fan bases away. Every time I think they are turning a corner for the better they do something else that no one wants…Or take away another perk that everyone loves. That’s ok though. My money will still spend just fine at Universal. If enough people do the same thing and stop giving Disney our very hard earned money, then they won’t need to worry about running off their fanbase. We’ll already be gone.
I agree with what the other folks have said—this is not one of Disney’s best decisions.
But I do have a question. Let’s say I’m staying at Disney’s Coronado Springs and I make a reservation at a Disney Springs restaurant. I have dinner there and afterwards decide I’d like ti see YeeHa Bob over at Riverside, even though I’m not staying there. As Disney Resort guest, can I still get on the boat to Riverside from Disney Springs? It would be really disappointing if I couldn’t…
This has nothing to do with crowds and everything to do with money. That is the bottom line. Yes AP holders park for free at the parks but they don’t seem to care about us since we still need to make park reservations. This rules is for people visiting that don’t stay on property. Go pay to park at a park. Remember, it’s ALWAYS about money with Disney. It’s only time before the free parking is gone at Disney Springs.
I totally agree with previous comments – so disappointing not to be able to enjoy the hotel restaurants and cafeterias on a WHIM not planned !! And the beignets !!!
Seems to me that Disney and the wait staff will be losing money by limiting resident’s access to them. Many, local residents enjoy going out for a Disney meal on a WHIM . This is your “bread and butter” for those “slow” times.!!
So disappointing – but I hope they review this decision carefully before making it a law !!!
I’ve stayed at a Skyliner resort and had to wait quite a while for buses at DS because there were so many riders. I’ve also ridden with families who bragged that they park at DS to avoid paying the parking fee. They get off at the Skyliner and head to the parks.
I appreciate what Disney is trying to do. I save up and pay for the privilege of free transportation and they are trying to honor that privilege.
Perhaps with some calm communication with WDW, they will open it up to pass holders as well.
Like Bill mentioned above, my spouse and I would like to visit Disney Spring early in the morning, take the boat to Port Orleans French Quarter for Beignets then back for a day at the Springs. With the new restrictions going into place now there’s NO WAY TO GET THE BEIGNETS. The SCAT CAT’S CLUB CAFE is a quick service location. In fact there’s no sit down table restaurant at that resort. You can’t make a reservation for it to be able to take the bus, boat, or even drive to it. And there’s no way to walk to it. Way to go Disney. You spend all this time promoting the Port Orleans French Quarter as *the* place to get the Mickey Beignets and now you shut out any way to get there.
Hi Amanda! If you are staying at ANY Disney Resort, you will still be able to use the transportation at Disney Springs, regardless of whether or not that bus is going to the resort you’re staying at.
Hi SG! If you are staying at a Disney Resort, you can take the bus to ANY Disney Resort. 🙂
Hi Robert! We are not affiliated with Disney. We are a privately run blog. If you are staying at any of the Disney Resort properties, you can still take the boat from Disney Springs to Port Orleans.
Hi Janet! You will be able to take a bus from the parks to Disney Springs, but if you are not staying at a Disney Resort, you will still need to take alternative transportation (Uber, Lyft, etc.) back to your hotel.
Transportation capacity is finite. I’ve always stayed onsite at Disney resorts and it’s extremely frustrating when the lines for your resort bus are overcrowded and you get cut from entering because the line is too long. This has happened enough times that we started using rideshare back to our resort. What’s frustrating is paying the premium to stay onsite and not having access to transportation and amenities because “everyone” can use them. I applaud Disney for prioritizing onsite guests. Many real world hotels already do this by restricting access to amenities for hotel guests.
Also, my understanding is that parking at Disney Springs is a nightmare. People who want to park so they can dine or shop are competing with people who don’t want to pay for parking at the theme parks. I’m sure the restaurant and shop owners are not upset with this new policy, as it will close the loophole for those who have been using DS as free theme parks parking.