Best Hotels with Free Disney Shuttle Service

Staying at an off-site hotel during your Walt Disney World vacation can save money. What are the best hotels near Walt Disney World with free shuttle service?

You are planning your Walt Disney World vacation. While doing that, you want to decide where to stay during your holiday. The Orlando area offers every level and style of hotel.

One critical decision for your Walt Disney World vacation revolves around where to stay in the Orlando area. Still, many hotels are very close to Walt Disney World Resort, which the Disney Company does not own and operate. Many of these housing options offer complimentary shuttle service to Walt Disney World Resort. Would staying at one of these hotels near Disney World work for your vacation?

The Walt Disney World Resort provides many fantastic hotels for guests to enjoy. One of the most significant benefits derived from staying at a Walt Disney World hotel involves the complimentary transportation service to the theme parks and other locations around the resort. This perk allows guests to visit theme parks and then freely take Disney transportation back to their hotel to relax and recharge.

Are You Considering Staying “Off-site” During Your next Disney World Vacation?

What about groups that stay off-site? Are there hotels that offer free shuttle service to the Walt Disney World theme parks? How practical would this be for your next Disney World vacation? Will staying “off-site” work for your next Disney World vacation? Is staying at a non-Disney-owned hotel worth it in terms of money? How reliable are hotels with free Disney shuttle service?

Those common questions should be considered when planning your next Walt Disney World vacation. Many quality non-Disney-owned hotels provide excellent accommodations and free shuttle service to the Walt Disney World Resort. Sifting through the facts about which hotels to choose can feel overwhelming. In fact, not all Orlando area “off-site” hotel shuttle services are equal.

In some cases, Orlando hotel shuttle services to Walt Disney World’s four theme parks end up being more of a hassle than they are worth. In addition, some local hotels charge a fee for these shuttle services, and some have very limited schedules. Guests should be cautious about checking every detail about the hotel shuttle service if they need a free Disney shuttle for their stay.

Saving Money: Main Reason to Stay at a Non-Disney Owned Hotel with Free Disney Shuttle Service

The key reason to consider staying off-site, as opposed to at one of the many Walt Disney World hotels, pertains to cost. Staying off-site saves money and usually offers more spacious rooms. However, you will need a plan regarding transportation to and from the theme parks.

Would staying at an off-site Disney World hotel with a shuttle service to the Disney theme parks save money on car service or ride-share expenses? For those staying off-site, many hotels in the Orlando area provide shuttle service to the Walt Disney World theme parks. If those shuttle schedules fit your plans for visiting the theme parks, this hotel feature can save your group significant money on transportation fees.

The cost of traveling to and from Disney’s theme parks makes off-property hotels less economical and, in some cases, more time-consuming. So, if you decide to stay at a non-Disney hotel, choosing one that offers shuttles (preferably free) to Walt Disney World makes sense.

Quick Warning About Those Resort Fees and Parking Fees

Walt Disney World-owned and operated hotels no longer charge parking fees for guests. Also, the common practice of adding resort fees to the room charge does not happen at Walt Disney World-owned and operated hotels.

However, almost all non-Disney-owned hotels near Walt Disney World have parking charges and resort fees that cannot be avoided. When booking your stay at one of the hotels with free Disney shuttle service, you should consider these extra costs when deciding whether to stay “off-site.”

Orlando Hotels with Free Shuttles to Walt Disney World

This resource seeks to suggest some of the better Orlando hotels with free shuttle service to Walt Disney World’s four theme parks. For many of these non-Disney-owned hotels, the shuttle service changes to some extent each year and during different times of the year. As previously mentioned, we suggest confirming the shuttle schedules with your hotel when planning your stay due to potential schedule changes.

Despite that, our suggested Orlando hotels with Disney shuttle will make transportation easier while staying off-site. In fairness, nothing can compete with staying on-site in terms of transportation. However, if staying at a non-Disney-owned off-site hotel saves you significant money, it might be worth it for your visit.

The Magic Kingdom Issue with Off-site Hotel Shuttle Service

If your theme park vacation includes a trip to the most popular theme park in the world, Magic Kingdom, then transportation to that theme park involves some complicated issues. A considerable advantage of staying at an on-site Walt Disney World relates to the transportation advantages to the Magic Kingdom.

The Magic Kingdom continues to be the most popular theme park in the world. Based on its design and location, guests driving to Magic Kingdom must park in the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) area. This includes any ride-share service you may select from your off-site hotel.

From there, guests take the Disney Monorail or a ferry boat across the lagoon to the Magic Kingdom. This process takes significant time, depending on the season and time of day. In contrast, guests staying at Disney-owned hotels can use Disney transportation directly to the Magic Kingdom, bypassing the TTC.

If staying at a non-Disney-owned hotel, you should expect your shuttle service to take you to the Transportation and Ticket Center. As a result, you should plan for more time to reach the theme park fun of Magic Kingdom. Also, scheduling more time to return to your hotel when leaving the Magic Kingdom would be best.

On a more positive note, the shuttle services from many non-Disney-owned hotels drop off guests as close as the Disney-owned hotel shuttles to the other three Walt Disney World theme parks. In some cases, the drop-off from non-Disney-owned hotel guests is even closer than Disney transportation options.

What About Early Theme Park Admission to the Walt Disney World Theme Parks?

Some non-Disney-owned hotels also provide guests with this privilege. This makes a great perk. However, the Disney “partner” off-site hotels offer early morning transportation that is less reliable than that of Disney-owned hotels. We suggest considering that when planning to stay at a non-Disney-owned hotel with a free shuttle to the Walt Disney World-owned (“on-site”) hotels.

Non-Disney-Owned Hotels with Early Theme Park Advantage

Below is the current list of non-Disney-owned hotels with early theme park entry privileges. All the following Orlando hotels also provide Disney shuttle service:

• Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
• Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
• Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
• DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando
• Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando Lake Buena Vista
• Four Seasons Resort Orlando
• Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace
• Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista
• Holiday Inn Orlando Disney Springs
• Shades of Green® on Walt Disney World® Resort
• Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek
• Waldorf Astoria Orlando
• Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista (and Wyndham Lake Buena Vista)
• Renaissance Hotel Orlando – Lake Buena Vista (Formerly the B Resort)

All these Orlando hotels with free Disney shuttle service reside technically on Walt Disney World property.  Also, some sit very close to at least one Walt Disney World theme park or Disney Springs.

A list including every hotel in the Orlando area with a shuttle service to the Walt Disney World theme parks would be incredibly long. We will start with the Orlando hotels with early theme park entry as well as free Disney shuttle service for this resource. After that, we will describe some of the better options without that advantage that are worth considering.

Inequality of Shuttles to Walt Disney World

Remember, not all shuttle services to Walt Disney World are equal.  An Orlando hotel with a free Walt Disney World shuttle service with only one pickup and drop-off time each day quickly becomes impractical for everyday use.  Also, some free Disney shuttle services take you to the TTC, no matter which Disney theme park you plan to visit.

Our suggested list primarily includes hotels with either consistent shuttle service or several pickups and drop-offs to Walt Disney World theme parks. Now, we will present our list.

Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels

Even though the name of these hotels makes one think that Walt Disney World owns these hotels, that is not true. The Swan and Dolphin Hotels are owned and operated by the Marriott Corporation. Also, a smaller, more upscale hotel, The Swan Reserve Hotel, exists near these hotels, and it has the same advantages regarding early entry and free Disney shuttles.

Since these three hotels are operated by Marriott, Marriott Bonvoy members can use their accumulated points to earn perks and discounts on nights staying at these hotels. The Swan and Dolphin Hotels often offer discounts for Florida residents, teachers, law enforcement, military, and Disney annual passholders. The nightly hotel rates start around $250, with varied pricing based on the time of year.  These hotels also offer some excellent table service dining.

Location, Location, Location

The best aspect of these non-Disney-owned hotels revolves around their location. They reside in the Epcot Resort area and provide complimentary transportation. However, you can walk to either Epcot or Disney’s Hollywood Studios from these hotels. Also, a complimentary water taxi service offers access from the Disney resorts’ dock, running approximately every 25 minutes to and from Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

These hotels are considered Deluxe-level hotels on the Walt Disney World scale. Based on this, guests staying at any of these three Marriott-run hotels can access “Extended Evening Hours” on select nights. This means more time in the theme parks and shorter queues for attractions.

The Swan and Dolphin (and Swan Reserve) offer a great location, several transportation options, and extra perks. These hotels make a good choice for those looking for Disney Deluxe hotel advantages at a possibly lower price than the other Disney Deluxe hotel options.

However, these hotels charge high parking and resort fees for every room booked. Once again, these hotels offer shuttle service to the Transportation and Ticket Center, not directly to the Magic Kingdom theme park.

Shades of Green

Our next suggestion for a non-Disney-owned hotel with a free shuttle to the parks requires special qualifications. To stay here, you need to be part of a military family. Shades of Green at Walt Disney World provides high-quality resort accommodations for only United States Military members and their families. The United States Department of Defense owns this hotel near the Magic Kingdom.

This hotel offers a scheduled shuttle service to the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) for guests visiting the Magic Kingdom and Epcot. However, Shades of Green provides a shuttle service in the morning directly to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney Springs.

Guests staying here should know that the transportation back to Shades of Green may involve going to the TTC using Disney transportation before returning to your hotel. After that, the official Shades of Green bus picks up at the TTC every 20 minutes.

This Orlando hotel with free Disney shuttles is an excellent choice for military families, often costing half the price of a comparable Walt Disney World hotel. Still, the transportation included with your hotel stay at this location frequently receives lower scores from guests we have spoken with.

Bonnet Creek Area Hotels with Free Disney Shuttle Service

Several other non-Disney-owned hotels reside on Walt Disney World property. One area west of the Disney Springs shopping, dining, and entertainment complex serves as home to several excellent hotel options with free Disney shuttles. Those hotels in the Bonnet Creek area are:

• Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek
• Waldorf Astoria Orlando
• Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek

Each of these hotels offers quality amenities. As you might imagine, with the reputation of some of these hotel chains, the price and hotel quality rank high. The free shuttles to the four Walt Disney World theme parks (TTC drop-off if visiting Magic Kingdom) run regularly, usually hourly. These hotels also offer several excellent dining options.

Guests will experience excellent rooms. The overall hotel service often exceeds Disney’s level. Several amenities not commonly offered at Disney-owned hotels can be found here. Pricing for these hotels should compare to the moderate to deluxe level Walt Disney World hotels. Your PixieVacations travel advisor can guide you through selecting these or any of the hotels in our suggested list of hotels with free shuttles to Walt Disney World.

Four Seasons Resort Orlando

Perhaps the nicest hotel with free shuttles to Disney’s Florida theme parks resides nearby but is not owned by Disney. The Four Seasons Resort Orlando offers many amenities for guests to enjoy during their Walt Disney World vacation.

This resort provides guests with genuine five-star, top-of-the-line service and offers almost every amenity and luxury you can imagine. Four Seasons Resort Orlando is on Walt Disney World property, about three miles from Magic Kingdom and Epcot.

However, the free shuttle will drop you at the TTC. It runs on a continuous schedule, though. If you spot a shuttle bus from the Four Seasons, you will notice the unique design of its shuttle vehicles.

While staying at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando, guests enjoy a full-service spa, an 18-hole championship golf course, and a free kid’s camp. There’s also a relaxing adults-only pool and a water park with a lazy river on the property. The Ravello restaurant even offers an authentic Disney character breakfast on select days of the week.

Disney Springs Area Hotels with free shuttle service to Walt Disney World

Several hotels sit in the Disney Springs area along Hotel Plaza Boulevard. Sometimes, people state that there are eight Disney Springs hotels. They divided the Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista Hotel into two hotels based on the different room styles and layouts, making a total of eight. However, the official Disney Springs Hotel website lists seven hotels.

All seven hotels provide quality options for those wishing to save a little money. Depending on when you visit, one should expect to pay between $130 – $400/ night for standard rooms in this area. Several of these hotels contain suites that sleep bigger groups of people. You will find far more space in the rooms here than comparable rooms on Walt Disney World property.

Also, as the name suggests, the Disney Springs Hotels are near the Disney Springs complex. These hotels are excellent choices for vacationers who want to visit Disney Springs. Guests can take the walkway from these hotels to Disney Springs.

Popular Hiotel Chains Offer Free Disney Shuttles

Major chains operate these Disney Springs hotels. If you stay at one of them, you can possibly use hotel rewards points. So, for those who often stay at Marriott, Hyatt, or Hilton hotels, the Disney Springs hotels provide a place to use your reward points on vacation.

These seven hotels with free Disney shuttle service offer regularly scheduled shuttle service to each of the four Walt Disney World theme parks. The shuttles tend to run every hour, but during busier times, they run every half hour. You will need to schedule these at your hotel. Each uses a slightly different system, but the process is simple.

Disney Springs Area Hotels

The seven Disney Springs area hotels with free Disney shuttles are:

• DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando
• Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando Lake Buena Vista
• Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace
• Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista
• Holiday Inn Orlando Disney Springs
• Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista (and Wyndham Lake Buena Vista)
• Renaissance Hotel Orlando – Lake Buena Vista (Formerly the B Resort)

We have found the Drury Plaza Hotel earns the best reports from guests about its shuttle service among these seven options. The Drury Plaza also offers complimentary breakfast and a light meal in the early evening.

Are You Planning to Attend a Disney After-Hours Event?

Does your Walt Disney World vacation include enjoying one of the after-hours events? Were you planning to attend a seasonal event like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party? Most free Disney shuttle services from non-Disney-owned hotels do not run for these events, and these shuttles will not run late enough to be used after the event. This issue rings true for almost all non-Disney-owned hotels with shuttle service.

Other Orlando Hotels with Disney Shuttles – Walt Disney World Good Neighbor Hotels

Walt Disney World partners with many off-site hotels in a program called the “Good Neighbor” program. Many of the previously mentioned hotels participate in this program. All the Good Neighbor Hotels provide Walt Disney World Resort information and help with vacation planning for guests. This will usually be done at the hotel’s Disney Guests Services or Concierge Desk in or near the hotel lobby.

Good Neighbor hotels all provide transportation to the Walt Disney World theme parks. The schedule varies greatly between hotels, and some charge an additional fee. However, that is only a few of the Good Neighbor Hotels.

The other hotels on our list offer more limited free shuttle service schedules. For example, the service may only run once or twice per day. Thus, unlike the previously listed hotels, these hotels offer fewer pickups and drop-offs.

Unlike the ones listed earlier in this article, guests at the following Good Neighbor Hotels do not receive early theme park entry. You can find a complete list of Good Neighbor Hotels on the Walt Disney World website. This resource will not describe all of them. We have selected only a few with better-reviewed free shuttle service for your next Walt Disney World vacation.

Margaritaville Resort Orlando

The Margaritaville Resort Orlando looks like you would expect a Jimmy Buffett-inspired resort to look like. This resort hotel resides west of Walt Disney World.

Margaritaville Resort Orlando offers traditional hotel rooms and some cottages-style options with up to eight bedrooms. This laid-back island-style resort also includes several dining options, a vast pool complex, and plenty of on-site shopping and entertainment.

This hotel offers a limited free Disney shuttle service with morning and evening runs. However, this Walt Disney World shuttle will not allow you to arrive at your chosen Disney theme park for rope-drop. Plan for other transportation methods if you must be at one of the theme parks’ opening moments.

The most up-to-date shuttle schedule can be found on the Margaritaville Resort Orlando’s website. Still, Margaritaville Resort Orlando also offers limited shuttle service to SeaWorld Orlando and Universal Orlando Resort.

Rosen Inn Lake Buena Vista – Free Disney Shuttle Service

Several Rosen Inn Hotels exist in the Orlando area. These hotels offer reliable, no-frills hotel stays. You can often find discounts at these hotels. The Rosen Inn Lake Buena Vista, on Palm Parkway, is near the Walt Disney World theme parks. This can help lower ride-share costs or help you use your own vehicle.

This hotel presents guests with several on-site dining options. Other notable amenities include heated swimming pools and a kid’s splash pad,

Courtyard by Marriott Lake Buena Vista at Vista Centre

This Marriott hotel makes another good choice for those with Marriot Bonvoy Rewards. This hotel resides about a mile from Walt Disney World. This hotel on Palm Parkway contains standard rooms and one-bedroom suites.

Some advantages of this hotel include two swimming pools, a rock waterfall whirlpool spa, and a kiddie pool. Also, this Courtyard Marriot has an on-site table service restaurant and a lounge.

The shuttle service involves a single morning shuttle to each Walt Disney World theme park and one shuttle pickup in the late afternoon or evening. Still, this schedule varies based on the time of year and theme park operating hours. Also, if you rely on these free shuttles to Walt Disney World Resort’s four theme parks, you will not be at the park opening and probably cannot stay until the park closes.

Floridays Resort Orlando- Free Disney Shuttle Service

Floridays Resort Orlando is an all-suite resort. This makes it ideal for guests needing more space and looking to do more than just Walt Disney World on their vacation. Limited shuttle service to SeaWorld Orlando and Universal Orlando Resort is provided here if you want more than just Walt Disney World for your Orlando area visit. In addition, based on this property’s location on International Drive, guests can use the I-Ride Trolley to get around the Orlando tourist area.

Floridays Resort Orlando offers two and three-bedroom suites, which are well-suited for extended stays. These suites include clothes washers and dryers, a full kitchen, and a balcony overlooking the property.

The free shuttle schedule changes. Nonetheless, guests should expect to be taken to the TTC from this hotel. That will require them to spend more time reaching their chosen Walt Disney World theme park for the day. As a result, guests should budget more time to reach their intended theme park for the day.

Good Neighbor Hotels with Free Disney Shuttle Service

Several other hotels with the free Disney shuttle service function as part of this partnership with Walt Disney World. Your PixieVacation travel advisor can help you decide if one of the above or another meets your group’s needs.

Of course, none of these options compare to the Disney Monorail area hotels for efficient transportation to the four Walt Disney World theme parks. Still, staying “off-site” should save your group some vacation budget money. In fact, you might save enough to visit the Orlando area more often.

No matter where you decide to stay during your Orlando area vacation, you will make memories for a lifetime. Whether your Orlando area visit involves a hotel with a free Disney shuttle or not, the trained staff at PixieVacations can guide you through the planning process. They will also be there if something unforeseen happens. Of course, the services of PixieVacations cost you nothing since the theme parks and hotels pay them after your visit. We wish you an enjoyable time planning and visiting the Walt Disney World and the rest of the Orlando area.