Disney’s Animal Kingdom Transportation Map, Locations, and Options
If you’re planning a visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, it’s a good idea to know how transportation works. You’ll have a couple of options when coming and going from the park. However, Disney’s bus service is the only complimentary transportation option at the theme park. Otherwise, guests can drive and park, take a Minnie Van or car service, or get dropped off by an off-site hotel bus. Below, we’ll discuss these options and their proximity to the entrance.
We’ve created a map with the entrance layout below to serve as a resource. When facing the entrance, guests visiting via Disney Resort buses or Minnie Vans are dropped off on the left side of the park. Those who drive will park on either side of the tram path, as shown in the photo below. Off-site hotel buses and car services like Lyft and Uber pick up to the immediate right of the park’s entrance. A long sidewalk is available outside the park where guests wait for their rideshare or taxi.
Resort Buses at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park
Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s resort bus stop is divided into three sections. The deluxe and deluxe villa resorts are in the center station, gates 10 through 26. It’s important to note that many of these resorts (not all) share a bus service with another resort. For example, the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian share a bus service. So, if you’re staying at either resort, you’ll stop at the Polynesian first on the way back and then the Grand Floridian. You’ll want to pay attention and exit at the right stop. Over the years, numerous guests have complained about “deluxe resorts sharing bus services.” The complaint is likely from people not knowing about the extra stop beforehand. So, I try to mention it as much as possible.
The following resorts typically share a bus service for Disney’s Animal Kingdom:
- Disney’s Grand Floridian and Polynesian
- Disney’s Contemporary and Wilderness Lodge
- Disney’s Beach Club, Yacht Club, and Boardwalk
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and Kidani Village
If you’re park hopping from Disney’s Animal Kingdom to another park, you’ll want to walk to the station on the far left. At the end of the station, you’ll find a bus service to the following parks:
- Magic Kingdom
- Epcot
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios
*Buses for park-hopping begin running at 10:00 a.m. We have an in-depth guide that details the Disney Resort’s Bus Schedules if you want to learn more.
Minnie Vans
The Minnie Van service drops off and picks up at the first bus stop at the center station. This will be the closest drop-off point to the park’s entrance from the resort bus station.
Parking and Trams
Guests who park in the Animal Kingdom’s parking lot will likely want to take the tram. Trams do not service the designated parking lot for guests with disabilities and preferred parking. However, that lot is near the park’s entrance.
Per Disney: Designated parking areas are available throughout Walt Disney World Resort for Guests with disabilities. A valid disability parking permit is required.
Parking lots at Disney’s Animal Kingdom are Unicorn, Dinosaur, Giraffe, and Yeti. The Butterfly and Peacock lots are on the opposite side of the tram path. They are behind the disability lot. You’ll likely want to take the tram if you park in Dinosaur, Giraffe, or Yeti. It’s a considerable distance in the direct sun to get to the park’s entrance. Is the tram faster? It depends on how many guests are waiting and how quickly they fill it. But in most cases, when I walk, I often beat the tram, but not by much.
If I’m in Butterfly or Peacock, I almost always walk to the opposite end of the row (where it says car pick-up area on the map below) and take the sidewalk into the park. But if you park near the tram path, the tram is almost always your best bet, especially if you’re unfamiliar. One way to look at it is the tram allows you to sit down and takes you where you need to go.
The trams drop guests off near the resort bus stop at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The park’s entrance is just ahead. You’ll want to remember where you parked so you can exit at the lot closest to your car when you leave. We usually take a picture of the name and row number where we parked. A car locater is also available in the My Disney Experience app.
Related: Parking Lots Trams at Disney World
Private Car Pick-Up and Off-Site Buses
If you’re visiting from an off-site hotel that offers transportation to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you’ll get dropped off to the right of the park’s entrance. This bus stop is small and shared with other hotels. The buses typically line up in parking spots nearby. You’ll want to have a schedule with the drop-off and pick-up times. This bus stop is exceptionally close to the park entrance.
If you’re reviewing your off-site hotel bus schedule and see that it only drops guests off at the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC), you’ll need to read this article: What to Do if Your Off-Site Hotel Bus Only Drops Off at the TTC.
Private car services like taxis, Lyft, and Uber pick up along the sidewalk outside the park’s entrance. When leaving the park, you’ll take the sidewalk to your left. This area runs out to the Butterfly and Peacock parking lots, and the sidewalk gets congested when the park closes. If you have to cross the street to get to your car or the off-site bus stop, please look carefully—many of the car services zip in and out through this area.
Final Thoughts
We do many walk-throughs of these routes to provide you with this information. I hope this was helpful in your planning process. If you’re staying at a Disney Resort Hotel, make sure to get a copy of our transportation guide for your resort. We consider it one of our best planning assets. You can find the list of guides in our Disney Resort Hotel Transportation Guide.
For more on transportation at Walt Disney World, you might enjoy:
- Magic Kingdom Transportation Map and Options
- Epcot Transportation Map Locations and Options
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios Transportation Map and Options
Want to save time and energy on your vacation? Get a copy of our 5 best transportation tips for Walt Disney World.
In the Comments
Did you find this article helpful? Do you have other questions about transportation locations and options at Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Let us know in the comments section below.
