Disney’s Polynesian Transportation Guide (Options for 2026)
Location really matters at Disney World, and the Polynesian has one of the best spots on property. Between the monorail that goes right through the resort, boats heading straight to Magic Kingdom, and buses to the other parks, you’ve got options.
But knowing which transportation to use and when can make a big difference in how your day goes. In this guide, I’ll walk through exactly how transportation works at the Polynesian and a few tips that can save you time during your stay.
Polynesian to Magic Kingdom (3 ways)
#1. Take the Monorail!
One of the best benefits of staying at the Polynesian is the convenient access to the monorail.
Incredibly, there is a boarding station for the monorail right inside the Great Ceremonial House, which is the resort’s lobby. To find the monorail platform, head to the SECOND floor inside the main entrance.
Before getting on the monorail to head to Magic Kingdom, you will go through security at the Polynesian. But this is actually a great benefit because it means you DON’T have to go through security once you arrive at Magic Kingdom. As you can imagine, the Polynesian security line will be much shorter than the one at Magic Kingdom.
When you leave Magic Kingdom to head back to the Poly, make sure to get on the “Resort Monorail.” The Resort Monorail operates in a circle and stops at the Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Magic Kingdom, and Contemporary Resort.
The map below shows where the Resort Monorail stops as it travels in a circle.
Depending on which building you are staying in at the Polynesian, it might make sense to board the monorail at Disney’s Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) instead of the Great Ceremonial House.
Check out this map below of the Polynesian to see what I mean:
If you stay in either of the buildings circled in red, it’s probably a shorter walk to the TTC than to the Great Ceremonial House. At the TTC, you can quickly board a monorail that goes DIRECTLY to Magic Kingdom, which avoids stopping at the Grand Floridian. This is called the “Express Monorail” since it only goes between Magic Kingdom and the TTC.
#2. Take the water taxi to Magic Kingdom!
A unique way to get to Magic Kingdom from Disney’s Polynesian is to take a boat across the lake, Seven Seas Lagoon.
To find the boat dock, you must walk out of the back of the Polynesian and head towards the beach. Once you get to the beach, turn left and keep walking until you see the boat dock.
Once you board a boat and leave the Polynesian, you will go directly to Magic Kingdom. It’s roughly a 10-minute ride across the lake until you reach the park. If you take the boats on the way home, know that you will first stop at the Grand Floridian before returning to the Polynesian.
And don’t worry if you have a stroller, as they are allowed on the boats, but you must fold them. The boats are also accessible for wheelchairs and motorized scooters.
The worst part about taking the boats to Magic Kingdom is that you have to WAIT for a boat to arrive. This can be especially frustrating if you walk out to the pier and see a boat just pulling away. In my experience, you can expect a new boat to arrive approximately every 15-20 minutes.
#3. Walk from the Polynesian to Magic Kingdom!
Lastly, it’s also possible to walk to Magic Kingdom from the Polynesian.
There is a paved pathway that goes around the western side of the lake. First, you must take the walkway from the Polynesian to the Grand Floridian.
Then, you will join the walkway that connects the Grand Floridian to Magic Kingdom. Just make sure that the lake is always on your right-hand side. The walk is peaceful, with stunning views of the various resorts around Seven Seas Lagoon.
The walking distance between the Polynesian and Magic Kingdom is 1.4 miles (2.3 km). Walking at an average pace of 3 mph should take you about 27 minutes to make the journey.
My favorite time to use the walking path is on the way BACK to the Polynesian because you don’t have to WAIT for transportation. If you have ever left the Magic Kingdom after the fireworks, you know how busy every transportation option becomes. There are long lines for the monorail and boats.
Polynesian to EPCOT
Take the Monorail
Taking the monorail is the only way that Disney provides to get to Epcot from the resort.
But please read below carefully because there are TWO different places you can board the monorail from the Polynesian. Understanding the differences between the two monorail platforms, depending on where your room is located!
First, I want you to look at the map below of the Polynesian Resort. I labeled the locations of both monorail platforms.
Getting on the monorail at either of these locations will get you to Epcot (eventually).
But walking directly from the Polynesian to the Epcot Monorail at the Transportation and Ticket Center typically saves you lots of time!
That’s because the Epcot Monorail, as the name suggests, goes directly to Epcot with no other stops. Once the Epcot Monorail leaves the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC), it heads south to Epcot. This ride takes about 12 minutes to get to Epcot.
It’s easy to walk to the TTC from anywhere in the Polynesian. No matter which longhouse you are staying in, head east toward the TTC. You will see many signs on the walkway that point you in the correct direction.
Once you arrive at the Transportation and Ticket Center, make sure to board the Epcot Monorail. You will also see signs for the Express Monorail, which goes directly to Magic Kingdom, and the Resort Monorail, which we will learn about next.
You can also take the Resort Monorail to Epcot from the Polynesian.
This is the monorail boarding station located inside the Great Ceremonial House (Polynesian lobby) that takes you to Magic Kingdom. The boarding platform is located on the second floor, right above the main entrance.
The reason that it’s called the Resort Monorail is that it stops at all the Magic Kingdom area resorts. The monorail travels in a big CLOCKWISE circle around the Seven Seas Lagoon.
As you travel around Seven Seas Lagoon, you will finally arrive at the Transportation and Ticket Center. And once you get here, you must get off the Resort Monorail and get in line to board the Epcot Monorail to go to Epcot.
The journey on the Resort Monorail from the Polynesian to the TTC can sometimes take up to 20 minutes! And then, of course, we had another 12-minute ride on the Epcot Monorail to finally get to the park.
Even if you are staying on the western side of the Polynesian Resort, I think it’s 100% worth walking to the TTC to get directly on the Epcot Monorail.
Polynesian to Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and Disney Springs
The reason that I grouped these three places together is that the transportation is exactly the same!
Take the complimentary Disney shuttle
Disney World provides FREE bus transportation from the Polynesian to Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and Disney Springs. They don’t offer the buses to EPCOT or Magic Kingdom because they offer other options, which I listed above.
The bus loading area is just a short walk outside the entrance to the Great Ceremonial House (main lobby). When you exit out the front, turn left and follow the walkway until you arrive at the bus stop.
The bus stop is located next to Lilo’s Playhouse Laundry Room. As you can see below, it’s also smaller than the bus stop at most of the other Disney resorts.
Bus service to Hollywood Studios typically begins 45 minutes before the park opens and ends 1 hour after it closes. Once they start, the buses run continuously throughout the day. I have found that you can typically expect a bus to arrive around every 20 minutes.
You will find a screen at the bus stop showing when the next bus to Hollywood Studios is expected to arrive.
Once your bus leaves the Polynesian, it should take about 15 minutes to arrive at Hollywood Studios and Disney Springs. It’s slightly farther to get to Animal Kingdom.
At certain times of the day, such as when the park opens, you might experience a bit of a line to board the bus. So make sure to give yourself plenty of time to arrive for early entry or a reservation.
Polynesian to Disney’s Water Parks
You will also take the Disney shuttle buses to get to either Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach. But normally, there is NO direct service from the Polynesian.
That means you have to take a bus from the Polynesian somewhere else, then get on another bus to each water park.
Here are specific instructions:
- Blizzard Beach: Take the bus to Animal Kingdom. Get off the bus and find the shuttle going to Blizzard Beach.
- Typhoon Lagoon: Take the bus to Disney Springs. Transfer from the bus and to find the shuttle going to Typhoon Lagoon.
Take an Uber/Lyft from the Polynesian
If you don’t want to ride on or wait for the bus, using a rideshare service (Uber or Lyft) from Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is easy. Just open the app and select your destination, and you will be matched with a driver within seconds.
There is plenty of space for your rideshare driver to stop and pick you up outside the main lobby.
Our family loves using rideshares to get around Disney World
Sometimes we don’t feel like waiting for a bus, or we need to get somewhere faster for early entry or a reservation. It’s especially helpful for the parks that are only serviced by the bus shuttles at the Polynesian.
The one-way fare around Walt Disney World averages about $15. In my opinion, if you have limited time to travel somewhere, it is money well spent!
I know some people don’t like using Uber or Lyft because they don’t know about the person driving or don’t feel comfortable using the app. If this describes you, calling a traditional taxi company for a ride is easy.
Driving yourself from the Polynesian
Some guests prefer to drive their own car around Disney World. One huge benefit of staying at the Polynesian is that parking does not cost anything at either the hotel or the theme parks! Free parking is an incredible benefit of staying at Polynesian Village, as parking costs a minimum of $35 per day at each park.
If you’re thinking about staying at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and want help deciding if it’s the right fit for your family, I’d love to help. From choosing the best room location to building a park plan that makes the most of the monorail and boat access, we’ll make sure every detail is covered.
Planning with us doesn’t cost you anything extra, and you’ll have a Disney expert in your corner from the moment you book until you’re back home.
