Many guests go to Walt Disney World theme parks for the day, but some want to stay longer and experience everything the park has to offer. Naturally, that means they need somewhere to stay for their Disney vacation. But what hotels are in walking distance of Disney World parks? Let’s take a look.
Disney’s Contemporary Resort And Bay Lake Tower
Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Bay Lake Tower is perhaps the best location for anyone wanting prime access to Magic Kingdom. To get to the theme park from here, simply walk out of the front of the hotel and then follow the signs on the right. From here, the walk to the front entrance is only 10 minutes.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa And Disney’s Polynesian Resort
Walkways connect Disney’s Polynesian and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort to Magic Kingdom. It’s around a 25-minute walk for guests staying in the former and 15 to 20 minutes for those in the latter. (Disney built these walkways in 2020, so they may be new to you).
Honorable Mention: Shades of Green Resort
Shades of Green Resort is Disney’s Military Family Resort close to the Polynesian Village. This accommodation is available at special rates to members of the armed forces and their families, with reduced costs of rooms and restaurant food.
While there is a walking path that connects to the Polynesian – and therefore to the Magic Kingdom – it’s quite a hike at about 30-45 minutes of walking.
But, if Walking to Magic Kingdom from this location seems too far, there’s a shortcut: you can take the 10 to 15 minutes walk to the Polynesian, then catch a monorail from there.
Disney Yacht Club Resort And Disney Beach Club Resort
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and Beach Club Resort is another popular option. Accessing EPCOT is easy. Just walk for 10 minutes along the waterway until you reach the International Gateway.
Disney’s Boardwalk Inn and Villas
Disney’s Boardwalk Inn and Villas are prime locations for accessing Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT.
EPCOT is just a 5-minute walk – you can see the park from the Resort location. The Hollywood Studios are 15 to 20 minutes away by taking the path along the waterway.
Walt Disney World Swan And Dolphin Resort
Despite the name, Disney does not run the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort. It’s actually a part of the Marriott International hotel group. Even so, it is within walking distance of EPCOT (“Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow”) and Hollywood Studios, making it an excellent location for any family.
The walk to EPCOT takes around 10 minutes. Just take the bridge over the BoardWalk and follow the path to the resort’s International Gateway. For Hollywood Studios, take the path behind the entrance to the BoardWalk and follow it to the facility’s parking lot. It should only take 15 minutes.
Swan Reserve Hotel
The Swan Reserve Hotel is a relatively new accommodation option for those staying near EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. It’s part of Marriott International’s “Autograph” collection of Disney resorts and opened in 2021. From here, the walking time to both EPCOT and Hollywood Studios is approximately 20 minutes.
