Resorts Gal Routes: Disney’s Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom (Options with Times)

If you stay at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, you’ll want to know your options for visiting Magic Kingdom. Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is only a short boat or bus ride from the Most Magical Place on Earth. However, one of these routes requires an additional stop along the way.

Below, we’ll discuss taking the resort watercraft and bus from the Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom, including the return trip. We’ll also compare each route’s average time so you’ll know how long it takes. This article is part of our Resorts Gal Routes series, where we examine individual routes between popular destinations at Walt Disney World.

Route 1: Taking the Boat from Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom

The boat dock at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is behind the resort along Bay Lake. A raised wooden walkway leads to the dock from behind the Copper Creek Springs Pool. It takes approximately 12 minutes to reach Magic Kingdom by boat. When you arrive at Magic Kingdom, you’re dropped off directly in front of the park’s entrance. You couldn’t be any closer! However, you must walk through a security clearance before you reach the ticket entry area. For details on accessibility and the types of boats, see our photo walk-through of this route.

Return Route: This return route is the same, taking approximately 12 minutes.

Route 2: Taking the Bus from Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom

You can also take a bus from Disney’s Wilderness Lodge to Magic Kingdom. While we prefer the boat, the bus route is a decent alternative. However, you will want to know that the bus service between Wilderness Lodge and Magic Kingdom is shared with Fort Wilderness. So when the driver picks you up at the Wilderness Lodge, they will take a back road to the Settlement at Fort Wilderness. After picking up at Fort Wilderness, they continue to Magic Kingdom. The average total time we’ve tracked for this route is 12 minutes. But it’s important to note that the additional stop can vary based on guests loading/unloading. For instance, a parent might take extra time collapsing a stroller, or someone might need assistance loading an ECV. These types of things are common and to be expected when using complimentary transportation at Walt Disney World.

Return Route: The return trip by bus from Magic Kingdom to Wilderness Lodge is much shorter because the driver stops at Wilderness Lodge first on the way back. We have tracked an average travel time of 6 minutes for this route.

The Resorts Gal Spin

We almost always prefer to take the boats because of the scenic journey. However, if I’m in a hurry to return to the Wilderness Lodge, I take the bus. Wilderness Lodge has the very first bus stop at Magic Kingdom, immediately next to where the Minnie Vans drop off.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, the boat and the bus are viable options for visiting Magic Kingdom from the Wilderness Lodge. Of course, one is more pleasant than the other. For more information, you might enjoy our entire transportation guide for Disney’s Wilderness Lodge or these other Resorts Gal Routes:

• RG Routes: Disney’s Polynesian to Magic Kingdom
• RG Routes: Disney’s Grand Floridian to Magic Kingdom
• RG Routes: Disney’s Contemporary to Magic Kingdom

In the Comments

Did you find this post in our Resorts Gal Routes series helpful? Have you ever taken either of these options or have any questions? Let us know in the comments section below.