Transportation Options and Tips for Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort (Everything We’ve Learned)
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa is a gigantic resort that covers a lot of ground. We have stayed at the resort several times over the years, and I would say that other than Fort Wilderness, it’s been the most challenging resort to learn about transportation.
Sure, your main transportation option will be taking a bus to and from the theme parks. But you’ll want to identify the bus stop nearest your room location. Not only that, if you’re spending a few days or more at Saratoga Springs, you will want to know how to use the bus system to your advantage.
Trust me, just because you can walk from the resort to Disney Springs doesn’t mean you would want to walk that distance if your room is in The Carousel. You’d probably want to take a bus from The Carousel to the walkway closest to Disney Springs. That’s just one example. With Saratoga Springs sitting on over 65 acres, we have several scenarios to discuss.
For anyone planning a stay, we recommend reviewing this transportation guide before your trip and saving it in case you need a quick reference during your visit. All of the tips and information in this article are from our practiced experience. When we stay at a resort, we ride all the routes, ask lots of questions, and take photos to share our experiences.
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Transportation Options
The following forms of transportation are available to guests of Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa.
- Buses
- Water Taxis
- Walking
Saratoga Springs to Magic Kingdom
You’ll need to take a bus from Saratoga Springs to Magic Kingdom. Upon arrival at the resort, you’ll want to locate the bus stop nearest your room. Each section of the resort has a bus stop. The Magic Kingdom bus stops in the following order when it arrives at the resort:
- The Grandstand
- The Carousel
- The Paddock
- Congress Park
- The Springs
So, if you’re at The Springs bus stop, you’ll be picked up last. However, you’ll immediately leave the resort. On the return trip, you’ll be the last stop before the bus leaves the resort again.
Saratoga Springs to Epcot
You’ll take a bus to visit Epcot, similar to Magic Kingdom. The Epcot bus stops in the same order every time it arrives and departs the resort:
- The Grandstand
- The Carousel
- The Paddock
- Congress Park
- The Springs
Note: In the mornings, when it’s busy, Disney will have extra buses servicing the resorts. There might be times when a bus is too full to pick anyone else up. So, Disney will radio another bus to come in and pick up where that bus left off. This also often happens for guests in ECVs or wheelchairs. If the bus driver cannot load you, they will call someone else.
Saratoga Springs to Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Once again, the Hollywood Studios bus makes the same stops when it arrives and departs the resort.
- The Grandstand
- The Carousel
- The Paddock
- Congress Park
- The Springs
Saratoga Springs to Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Lastly, buses to and from Animal Kingdom continue in the same order as the other theme parks.
- The Grandstand
- The Carousel
- The Paddock
- Congress Park
- The Springs
Saratoga Springs to Disney Springs
One of the perks of Saratoga Springs is being so close to Disney Springs. You can walk, boat, or take a bus from Saratoga Springs to Disney Springs.
Boat to Disney Springs
For starters, the boat dock at Saratoga Springs is at The Springs. It sits adjacent to the golf course. If you’re staying at the resort, you can walk to the Carriage House (the lobby) and then walk through the back of the lobby (or around it) to get to the boat dock. It sits immediately behind The Turf Club and the Pro Shop.
You can also take a bus to The Springs and walk to the boat dock. For instance, if your room is in the back of The Paddock, you might board a bus to Magic Kingdom and then exit at The Springs. But make sure to tell the bus driver that’s what you plan to do. If, for some reason, the bus fills up, he might not make it to The Springs.
Walk to Disney Springs
Most guests will enjoy the walkway from Saratoga Springs to Disney Springs. That article details how you can walk to Disney Springs with a map and photos. But most will want to take a bus to the Congress Park bus stop and exit.
A sign sits directly behind the bus stop that points to the walkway. You’ll stay straight until you reach the water, and then take a left toward Rainforest Cafe. Within a few minutes, you’ll cross a bridge and reach The Marketplace entrance to Disney Springs.
Bus to Disney Springs
Guests can also take a bus from Saratoga Springs to Disney Springs. This bus doubles as the resort’s internal bus and works differently from the other routes.
This bus leaves Disney Springs and enters the resort in a different area. It then travels in this order:
- The Springs
- The Grandstand
- The Carousel
- The Paddock
- Congress Park
- Disney Springs
*If you’re at The Springs and want to take a bus back to your room, you can take the Disney Springs bus. You cannot do this on any of the other buses because they leave Saratoga Springs after The Springs stop. If you’re confused, always ask the bus driver. They generally know the routes and will get you in the right direction.
Bus Schedule at Saratoga Springs
Per Disney, “Bus service between Disney Resort Hotels and Disney Theme Parks begins 45 minutes prior to opening and ends one hour after closing.” That time includes extended theme park hours in the morning for resort guests and extended evening hours for deluxe resort guests.
When you arrive at the resort bus stop, you’ll notice the wait times for the next bus are posted. We have found that the wait times are pretty accurate. They are transmitted to the sign via a signal from the bus’s location. So, if you notice a fluctuation, it’s probably because the bus stopped at a light or ran into traffic. Buses generally arrive every 15-20 minutes.
Treehouse Villas Bus
If you’re staying in the Treehouse Villas (this is a unique accommodation that is booked separately), you’ll have to take a bus from the Treehouse Villas bus stop to The Springs. From there, you can take a bus to wherever you’re going. When you return, you’ll exit at The Springs and board another bus back to the Treehouse Villas.
Saratoga Springs to Disney’s Water Parks
Usually, Disney requires guests to take a transfer bus to its waterparks. If this system is in use, a sign at the bus stop will indicate you must transfer buses.
- To get to Typhoon Lagoon, you’ll take a bus to Disney Springs, then a transfer bus to Typhoon Lagoon.
- To get to Blizzard Beach, you’ll take a bus to Animal Kingdom, where you’ll transfer to Blizzard Beach.
Both routes will work the same on the return trip. *You probably do not want to walk from Saratoga Springs to Disney Springs to catch the water park bus. It’s a long walk, and you could easily get turned around if you’re unfamiliar with Disney Springs. The bus to Disney Springs will drop you off immediately next to the bus for Typhoon Lagoon.
Saratoga Springs to other Disney Resorts
Lastly, I wanted to discuss the best ways to get to a few popular resort destinations for touring or dining reservations. I don’t know about you, but we tend to spend a good deal of time resort-hopping.
Saratoga Springs to Nearby Disney Springs Resorts
If you want to visit one of the resorts near Disney Springs, you can walk to the Marketplace Boat Dock. It sits on the bridge between Saratoga Springs and Disney Springs.
You’ll have the following options:
- Take a water taxi from the Disney Springs Marketplace to Old Key West Resort, Port Orleans-French Quarter, or Port Orleans-Riverside.
An alternative would be to take a bus to Disney Springs and another bus to one of these resorts. (Hint: You can do this to get to any resort, but it won’t always be the most efficient route.)
Saratoga Springs to Disney’s Boardwalk
If you want to travel to Disney’s Boardwalk Inn or other Epcot Resorts, take a bus from Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Epcot Resorts include Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, Disney’s Beach Club Resort, and Disney’s Swan and Dolphin.
From Hollywood Studios, you can walk to the Boardwalk or take a Friendship Boat. You’ll want to return to Saratoga Springs in the same manner. However, if you’re staying out past theme park hours, you might have to order a car service (i.e., Lyft, Uber, Taxi, or Minnie Van) if the buses are no longer running.
Saratoga Springs to the Skyliner Resorts
If you want to ride the Disney Skyliner (for leisure), take a bus from Saratoga Springs to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and board the Skyliner. We have a separate guide that details the route. Stops include Caribbean Beach Resort, Art of Animation, Pop Century, Riviera Resort, and Epcot’s International Gateway.
*Remember these tips are subject to Disney’s transportation hours of operation.
Saratoga Springs to the Monorail Resorts
Additionally, most guests will want to visit the monorail resorts for dining or touring. You can take a bus from Disney’s Saratoga Springs to Magic Kingdom to do this. From there, you will have to walk through security at Magic Kingdom. Then you can walk, boat, or monorail to the following resorts:
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa (walk, boat, monorail)
- Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort (boat, monorail, technically can walk via the Grand Floridian walkway to Magic Kingdom)
- Disney’s Contemporary Resort (walk or monorail)
Alternatively, you could take a bus from Disney’s Saratoga Springs to Hollywood Studios. Then, take a bus from Hollywood Studios to any of the monorail resorts.
Saratoga Springs to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness
Additionally, you can take a bus to Magic Kingdom for Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. Once you arrive at Magic Kingdom, take a bus or the red flag boat to either resort.
*During inclement weather, you’ll have to take a bus from Magic Kingdom to Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness. Hopefully, you’ll get to take the boat, though. It’s a pleasant ride and part of the fun.
Saratoga Springs to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
To visit Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, we usually take a bus to the Animal Kingdom and then a bus from the Animal Kingdom to the Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Note that the bus makes two stops at the Lodge. The first is Kidani Village, and the second is Jambo House. You’ll want to know which location is your intended destination.
Airport to Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort
Lastly, you must arrange transportation to the resort when traveling from the Orlando International Airport (MCO). Disney no longer offers transportation between the airport and the Walt Disney World Resort.
One of the most popular travel methods is Mears Connect, which provides a bus service to and from the airport to the Disney Resort Hotels.
Tip: If you need to travel outside of complimentary transportation hours, you can order a car service (e.g., Lyft, Uber, Taxi, or Minnie Van). We try to avoid the extra expense as much as possible. But if we had late dining reservations or something comparable, we would take a car service back to our hotel.
Accessibility at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort
Most transportation options at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort accommodate guests with accessibility needs. Disney provides an overview of each form of transportation on their website. Learn More: Transportation and Mobility Disabilities at Disney World
All bus stops at Disney World have a separate spot for guests in wheelchairs and ECVs to wait. Additionally, the water taxis accommodate most wheelchairs and ECVs.
Final Thoughts on Transportation at Disney’s Saratoga Springs
Hopefully, you found this article helpful in planning your Walt Disney World vacation. We are in the parks several times a week, and it never fails that we run into guests who have no idea how to get where they are going. These guests have inspired us to create these resort hotel transportation guides.
For more details about Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa, you might enjoy the following:
Want to save time and energy on your vacation? Get a copy of our 5 best transportation tips for Walt Disney World.
What Do You Think?
Did you find this transportation guide for Disney’s Saratoga Springs helpful? Please share your thoughts, experiences, and questions in the comments below. We value your opinion and can assure you other readers do as well.
