A Guide to Disney Springs Transportation and Parking

Now that the holiday shopping season is upon us, you may want to put a visit to Disney Springs on your holiday to-do list. Unless you have eight tiny reindeer, there’s a few ways to get to Disney Springs depending on where you are coming from. Let’s talk about the bus transportation, water taxis, and even the best places to park if you’re driving. 

Bus Transportation

Any of the on-site hotels offer bus transportation to and from Disney Springs. It is important to note that transportation from some hotels at certain times of year result in routes with stops at the water parks, usually Typhoon Lagoon since it is right across the street. Most Disney-owned hotels have buses that show up about every 15-20 minutes. Most Disney resorts are about an average of a 10-minute bus ride to and from Disney Springs. The addition of bus-only traffic lanes on Buena Vista Drive do make for a much smoother and swifter ride to the Sprangz (as the kids say).

Bus Stations at Disney Springs 

Long ago, in the days of Downtown Disney, the bus stations were inconveniently located and cramped. Now with the transformation into Disney Springs there is one bus terminal at Town Center. This central location within Disney Springs is aptly named Town Center as it is somewhat the hub of activity. There are 18 load zones and the arrival experience provides a nice view of Disney Springs. 

A second bus loop is at The Marketplace. This bus loop is used primarily by off-property hotels and Disney Springs / Hotel Plaza Blvd area hotels. It is also where taxis and ride share services can drop off or pick up their guests. 

Driving and Parking 

If you have a car with you while you are staying in Orlando, you may want to consider driving to Disney Springs to have the convenience of your car. The exceptions to this would be in the evening hours and weekends, since parking can be very busy at Disney Springs, and if your hotel’s bus stop is easier to get to than the parking lot. Getting into Disney Spring via a car is not usually an issue; it’s leaving that can take a while.

There are three parking garages and three surface parking lots. Each parking lot and garage is named after a different fruit that Florida grows and tends to export. The garages are named Orange, Lime, and Grapefruit, and the surface lots are Strawberry and Watermelon. There are two additional lots, Lemon which is for valet parking and Mango which is preferred parking. 

The parking garages are especially convenient thanks to the technology that indicates where the available parking spots are located. Digital message boards along Buena Vista Drive will indicate when garages and surface lots are full. Overhead LED lights above every parking spot (aside from the roof level) are red when the spot is occupied and green when it is available. 

There is a loving debate online as to which parking garage is better, Orange or Lime. Pretty much no one loves Grapefruit Garage since it is across the street from Disney Springs and requires additional walking time. Lime Garage is better if you intend to spend more of your time shopping at the Town Center area, or in The Marketplace. Orange Garage is better if you plan to dine at The Landing or spend time at The West Side, or if you are arriving via I-4 West as there is a direct connection from the Disney Springs exit (#67 toward Epcot/Disney Springs).

If you’re driving to Disney Springs on a busy night or weekend you may want to consider Preferred Parking, which is available daily from 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM for $10 in the Mango Lot, located near the NBA Experience.

There is also Valet Parking if you’re looking for the ultimate in convenience and indulgence. It is $20 plus tax, not including gratuity. There are three locations: 

• Near the Orange Garage 10:00 AM to 2:00 AM
• On West Side near the Cirque du Soleil theater 4:00 PM to 2:00 AM
• In the Lemon Lot near the World of Disney store 10:00 AM to 2:00 AM

If you’re looking for the best driving directions from you GPS system, the GPS location of Disney Springs is 28.3702539, -81.5209851. 

Ride Sharing / Taxi 

If you are using a ride share service, you can be dropped off at the West Side Bus Loop or the Marketplace Bus Loop on the east side. Traditional taxis can drop off here too and can be picked up at the West Side, Town Center, and Marketplace. Minnie Van Service can be picked up and dropped off at many locations throughout Disney Springs including the bus loops. 

Water Taxi and Boats

The most scenic way to travel to and from Disney Springs is by boat. Disney’s Port Orleans Resort (French Quarter and Riverside), Disney’s Old Key West, and Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort (including the Treehouse Villas) each offer water taxi service to and from Disney Springs. From Disney’s Old Key West and Saratoga Springs resort your water taxi will arrive at Disney Springs at The Landing, and will depart back to the resort from this dock as well. Port Orleans guests will be dropped off and picked up from the boat dock at The Marketplace. 

Internal boat transportation between the three Disney Springs boat docks is available via a dedicated water taxi, that makes continuous rounds between the three boat docks. The West Side boat dock is for the internal Disney Springs water taxi only. 

Walking

Guests staying at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort can walk from the resort over to Disney Springs. There is an exit near along the resort’s road, near The Paddock and Congress Park sections of the resort. The sidewalk will take guests over to The Marketplace. Hotel Plaza Blvd / Disney Springs Area Hotel guests may also decide to walk to Disney Springs via the sidewalks on Hotel Plaza Blvd and the pedestrian bridges which will lead them to The Marketplace. 

More Information

• Bus service from Disney Resort hotels runs from around 9:15 AM before opening until 1:00 AM.
• Return service to Disney Resort hotels ends at 2:00 AM.
• One-way bus service from the Disney theme parks operates daily from 4:00 PM until 11:00 PM or 2 hours after theme parks close, whichever is earlier.
• Bicycle racks are available near the bus loop at the Town Center.A summary of Disney Springs transportation can be reviewed in this infographic: