How to Get to Disney Springs from Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Say you’re spending the day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and the park is scheduled to close by 6:00 p.m. It’s been a relaxing day spent leisurely touring the park, and everyone feels up to continue the evening at Disney Springs. You secure a dining reservation. Now, you only need to figure out how to get there. You could take a bus back to your resort and then take another to Disney Springs, but you wonder if that’s the quickest way. The answer is that it will largely depend on where you’re staying. You can indeed take a bus to any resort from Disney’s Animal Kingdom and then take another bus to Disney Springs.
Every resort at Walt Disney World offers bus transportation to Disney Springs. That said, some resorts are out of the way, and we prefer a few over others. Below, we’ll discuss these routes and when you might use them.
Route 1: Take a Bus to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and Transfer to Disney Springs
If I’m leaving Disney’s Animal Kingdom for Disney Springs, I will almost always choose this route. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is next to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. It’s approximately a 6-minute bus ride from the park to the resort. Since the resort is so close to the park, its buses tend to arrive more frequently. Often, we’ll see a bus pulling away, and a new bus arrives within just a few minutes.
You’ll board the bus and take it to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge-Kidani Village. The bus has two stops. The first stop is Kidani Village, and the second is Jambo House (the main lodge). You can exit at the first stop, Kidani Village, and then board the next bus to Disney Springs. The bus stop will have a wait times sign that displays the time for the next bus to Disney Springs. The bus ride from Kidani Village to Disney Springs takes approximately 18 minutes.
Route 2: Take a Bus from Disney’s Animal Kingdom to Saratoga Springs and Walk to Disney Springs
You can also take a bus from Disney’s Animal Kingdom to Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa. Saratoga Springs is a large resort with many bus stops. Once you reach the resort, you’ll exit at the Congress Park bus stop. It’s the fourth stop. The first three stops are the Grandstand, the Carrousel, and the Paddock.
You’ll see a sign from the Congress Park bus stop that says walkway to Disney Springs. Follow the short path through the resort and walk toward the water. You’ll soon take in this stunning view of Disney Springs. Once you see this view, you’ll take the walkway to your left. It leads to the Marketplace entrance of the venue. This is also where you’ll find the boat docks.
Related: Walking from Saratoga Springs to Disney Springs
Other Options
If you’re leaving Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the resorts between the park and Disney Springs include the Skyliner Resorts: Disney’s Pop Century, Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach, and Disney’s Riviera. The Epcot Resorts are also convenient: Beach Club, Yacht Club, and Boardwalk. Or the Animal Kingdom Area Resorts would work: Coronado Springs or any of the All-Stars (Movies, Music, and Sports).
The resorts near Magic Kingdom are out of the way: Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Contemporary, Wilderness Lodge, and Fort Wilderness.
Lastly, you could take a bus to the Disney Springs Resorts. We’ve already discussed Saratoga Springs, but these resorts include Old Key West, Port Orleans Riverside, and Port Orleans French Quarter. You can take a boat or bus to Disney Springs from any of these resorts. So, this is an option if you want to take the river cruise for pure enjoyment. However, it will take longer.
The Resorts Gal Spin
As you can see, getting to Disney Springs from Disney’s Animal Kingdom will take some time. I would allow 45 minutes to an hour for total travel time. So consider that when planning your departure and any reservation times. You will also want to know how you’ll get to the restaurant once you reach Disney Springs. If you’re unfamiliar with the layout of Disney Springs, it could take some extra time to find your way around.
One last note: The quickest option for traveling to Disney Springs from Animal Kingdom is a car service like a Minnie Van, Uber, or Lyft. Our routes focus on using complimentary transportation offered by Disney. Minnie Vans pick up at Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s bus stop, and car services pick guests up on the sidewalk outside the park. When you exit the park, the sidewalk will be to your left, and the bus stop will be to your right.
Final Thoughts
I hope this edition of Resorts Gal Routes helped you figure out the best way to get from Disney’s Animal Kingdom to Disney Springs. For more of this series, you might enjoy:
- The Quickest Way from Disney’s Beach Club to Hollywood Studios
- How to Get to Disney’s Boardwalk from Everywhere on Property
- Disney’s Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom (Timed Routes)
- How to Get from Port Orleans French Quarter to Disney Springs
You might also enjoy our Resorts Gal Routes series, which shares some of our favorite routes to popular Walt Disney World destinations.
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
Do you have any other questions about getting to Disney Springs from Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Let us know in the comments section below.
