Let’s be real: Animal Kingdom is the introvert of the Disney World parks. It likes to be left alone, far away from the chaos of the Magic Kingdom toll plaza or the EPCOT resorts.
Note: This guide is part of our complete Ultimate Disney World Transportation Guide. If you are trying to figure out how to get around the entire resort, start there.
Because it is so far removed from the rest of the “World,” getting here is actually pretty simple, mostly because you don’t have many choices. There are no monorails to break down, no boats to wait for, and no Skyliners to get stuck on during a thunderstorm.
You are basically looking at two options: The Bus or The Car.
Whether you are rushing to rope drop Flight of Passage or just trying to get to Nomad Lounge before the waitlist fills up, here is how to get to the gates without losing your mind.
Quick Cheat Sheet: How to Get to Animal Kingdom
If you are currently sweating at a bus stop wondering if you should just call a Lyft, start here.
Coming From | Best Option | Why It Wins |
|---|---|---|
All Disney Resort | Bus | It’s free, it’s air-conditioned, and it drops you right at the front gate. |
Magic Kingdom | Bus (after 10 a.m.) | Skips the TTC and takes you door-to-door. |
EPCOT | Bus (after 10 a.m.) | Direct from the front entrance (after 10 a.m.). |
Hollywood Studios | Bus (after 10 a.m.) | Simple and direct. |
Driving / Uber / Lyft | Front Gate Drop Off | Great option here because the drive is long and buses can get crowded. |
Running Late / Stressed | Uber/Lyft | The bus ride to AK is long from most hotels. If you are cutting it close, pay for the speed. |
From Your Disney Resort Hotel
Unlike the other parks where I have to break down complex Skyliner transfers or boat routes, this section is going to be very short.
You are taking the Bus.
No matter if you are at a Value resort or the Grand Floridian, the bus is the only free Disney transport that goes to Animal Kingdom.
The Strategy: Because Animal Kingdom is geographically far from almost everything (except Animal Kingdom Lodge), the bus rides can be long, sometimes 20+ minutes once you leave your hotel.
- Rope Dropping: If you want to be at the front of the pack for Avatar: Flight of Passage, you need to be at your resort bus stop 60–90 minutes before Early Entry starts.
- The AK Lodge Exception: If you are staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge (Jambo or Kidani), you have it easy. The bus ride is about 5 minutes. Enjoy your sleep.
From EPCOT to Animal Kingdom
How you get to Animal Kingdom from EPCOT depends on how you exit EPCOT.
The Bus (From the Front)
Go to the bus loop at the front of EPCOT (near Spaceship Earth). Buses to Animal Kingdom usually start running around 10:00 a.m.
- My take: This is the best free option. Just remember, if you are deep in the World Showcase (like Japan or France), it is a long walk to the front buses.
The Beach Club Hack (Rideshare)
If you are in the back of EPCOT (World Showcase) and don’t want to walk all the way to the front, exit via the International Gateway. Walk 5 minutes to the Beach Club Resort lobby and call an Uber from there.
- My take: This saves you a mile of walking and gets you into a car faster.
From Magic Kingdom to Animal Kingdom
These two parks are the farthest apart, so settle in for a journey.
Take the Bus (Don’t Uber)
Head to the bus loop right outside the Magic Kingdom gates.
- Why it wins: The bus picks you up at the Magic Kingdom gate and drops you at the Animal Kingdom gate.
- Why Uber loses: If you try to Uber, you have to leave Magic Kingdom, cross the lagoon to the TTC, find the car, and then drive 20 minutes to Animal Kingdom. The bus skips the TTC entirely.
From Hollywood Studios to Animal Kingdom
This is a standard park-to-park transfer.
The Bus
Head to the bus loop. It’s simple, free, and direct.
Rideshare (Uber/Lyft)
Because both of these parks have easy-to-access parking lots (no monorails blocking the way), taking an Uber between them is actually very fast. If you just missed a bus, spending the $15 on an Uber is worth it to save 20 minutes of waiting in the heat.
Park Hopping and Transfers
Ready to head to your next park?
Since Animal Kingdom is further out, you have to take a bus to get to Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, or Hollywood Studios. There is no Monorail or Skyliner here.
Driving, Uber, & Minnie Vans
Driving Your Own Car
The Animal Kingdom parking lot is massive and hot. You will absolutely need to take the tram from your car to the front gate unless you get lucky with a preferred spot. If you aren’t staying at a Disney resort (where parking is free), you’ll have to pay the daily rate ($35 + ~$20 more if you opt for preferred).
Standard Uber / Lyft
The rideshare drop-off loop is right near the front entrance.
- My take: Because Animal Kingdom is so far away, I often Uber here just to guarantee I have a seat. Standing on a swaying bus for 25 minutes after walking 20,000 steps is not my idea of a magical day.
Minnie Vans
Minnie Vans drop you off at the bus loop, which is slightly closer than the Uber lot, but not by much. Save the cash unless you need the car seats.
Skye’s Take
Animal Kingdom is the park where I am most likely to pay for an Uber.
Why? Because the bus rides are long, and at the end of the day, that bus stop feels hotter than the surface of the sun. Plus, the Rideshare dropoff spot here is the closest of any of the parks, so it’s actually worth the money.
If you are on a budget, the Bus works perfectly fine. If you value your sanity and air conditioning, treat yourself to a Lyft.
And whatever you do, don’t try to walk here. The only thing walking on the highway is the Yeti.