Taking the Boat Between Disney’s Grand Floridian and Magic Kingdom (Photo and Map)

As many of you know, part of the fun of a Disney World vacation is taking advantage of Disney’s many transportation options. You can take gondolas, buses, monorails, and more to and from the parks and resorts. Another favorite, possibly the best option, is taking a boat. Of course, many kinds of boats sail the waters of the vacation kingdom of the world. So, for this article, we will discuss taking the resort boat service between Disney’s Grand Floridian and Magic Kingdom. We’ll review where to locate both docks, tips for using this service, and what to expect.

The boat service between Disney’s Grand Floridian and Magic Kingdom is shared with Disney’s Polynesian. We’ll start at Magic Kingdom and work our way back to Grand Floridian. When you exit Magic Kingdom, you’ll stay to the right. Grand Floridian’s boat dock is past the monorail station along the walkway that leads back to the resort. Here is a photo of the area.

A large covered pavilion offers a shaded place to wait for the next boat. The overhead signage indicates you’re getting in line to visit Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa or Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. It also lists the names of a few restaurants: Narcoossee’s, Citricos, and Ohana.

This boat service typically begins half an hour before the park opens and continues until 45 minutes after the park closes. It does not run during inclement weather. If, for some reason, the boats aren’t running, you can also take the monorail or walking path to Grand Floridian. The photo below shows where the walking path begins to the right of the pavilion.

We take this boat rather often and have found that, on average, two boats simultaneously run the route. When you arrive at the boat dock, most will be able to see the Grand Floridian’s dock in the distance. You can usually see the location of one of the boat’s running the route. If you cannot see the second boat, it’s likely somewhere around the Polynesian. An island blocks the view of the Polynesian boat dock.

The boats that typically run this route are open-air and require that guests step down into them. You will need to collapse any strollers or wheelchairs to board this boat. The photo below shows a yellow boat traveling between the Wilderness Lodge and Magic Kingdom. Those boats are capable of boarding ECVS and regular wheelchairs. Occasionally, they run the Grand Floridian route. But for the most part, we see the open-air boats running between the Grand Floridian and Magic Kingdom. They seat approximately 30 guests.

It’s a short ride across the water to the Grand Floridian. But it’s every bit as pleasant as you can imagine.

Once the boat is docked, the captain asks guests to remain in their seats until he or she lets down the rope. Then, anyone traveling to the Grand Floridian is asked to exit the boat. Afterward, the captain allows anyone waiting to board the boat. The boat then travels next door to Disney’s Polynesian before returning to the Magic Kingdom.

Here is a view of the boat dock, looking back to Magic Kingdom. In the evening, some guests enjoy watching fireworks or the Electrical Water Pageant from the dock.

Here is a photo from the dock looking back to the resort. Narcoossee’s restaurant is on the left side of the dock, and Conch Key is on the right. Those with room assignments in Conch Key will have a short walk to the boat dock.

Here is a map showing the boat’s path when traveling to and from Magic Kingdom.

Use the Grand Floridian Boat Service When:

• Visiting Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa from Magic Kingdom
• Visiting Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort from Magic Kingdom
• Visiting Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort from the Grand Floridian

If you’re staying at the Grand Floridian, we often take the boat to the Polynesian and then return via the monorail. Of course, we prefer to walk between the resorts, but at this time, the walkway is closed for the construction of the new DVC Resort at the Polynesian.

Final Thoughts

We hope you enjoyed these photos and tips for taking the Grand Floridian boat service to and from the Magic Kingdom. It’s an excellent way to get a breath of fresh air and take in scenic views! For more details, you might also enjoy:

• Disney’s Grand Floridian Transportation Guide
• How Long Does the Monorail Take From Grand Floridian to Epcot
• Taking the Grand Floridian Walkway to Magic Kingdom (With Distance)
• Grand Floridian Transportation Map with Destinations

Or you might also enjoy our Resorts Gal Guide to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.

In the Comments

Have you ever taken the resort boat between the Magic Kingdom and Grand Floridian? Let us know in our comments section below.