Taxis & Ride Service Tips

Taxis or on-demand ride services like Uber & Lyft can save you time at Walt Disney World (and to a lesser extent at Disneyland California) and improve your comfort level — both of which increase the value of your vacation! While Disney has a FREE transportation system at Walt Disney World (mostly buses, but also boats, monorails and skyliners), occasionally it’s not terribly convenient or can take a long time. We’ve compiled information about Disney World and Disneyland taxis and ride services – a fare estimator, the best usage, and general tips below.

Jump To:

On-Demand Ride Service (Lyft) Tips (applies to both Disney parks)

General Advice for Walt Disney World

If the price of a rental car is expensive at the time you plan to travel, in some cases it will be cheaper to use a shuttle, towncar, van or limo to get to and from the airport, and then use taxis or Lyft to get around while you’re at Walt Disney World. By using taxis instead of a rental car you don’t have to worry about parking fees, valet tips, or accident insurance. Plus, you will be dropped off at the front gate (except at Magic Kingdom, see below), won’t have to remember where you parked, and your family will not have to climb into a hot car!

Using a taxi or Lyft is especially terrific if you have little ones and decide to stay late in a theme park to enjoy the fireworks. Instead of rushing out with the crowds after the show and waiting for three Disney buses before it’s your turn, you call a cab and get those tuckered-out kids back to the hotel in a fraction of the time. Keep in mind that if your kids need a car seat, most ride services don’t provide them because of the complexities of handling different-sized children. There are some exceptions you can read about in the on-demand ride service section below.

Even if you’re staying on property, a taxi or Lyft can drastically reduce the hassle factor of going out to dinner at Disney’s resorts (including the Hoop Dee Doo Revue dinner show), since there is no direct resort-to-resort transportation.

The longest trip you could take on Disney property should seldom exceed $35 (tip included) for a taxi, or $17 for the basic level of Lyft. To get a general idea, you can use the Ride Guru site, which gives pretty good estimates by actually measuring out likely driving routes. We would advise you to round up: we’ve found fares can be 10%-20% higher at times because of construction, traffic, or drivers taking a less optimal route. During peak times, ride services can have surge pricing that can be 2X the normal price or more (we have not heard of surge prices that high at Disney World, but that could change as more people use these services).

One key caveat for the Magic Kingdom: taxis, on-demand ride services and private vehicles can’t drop off or pick up at the Magic Kingdom front gates (except Minnie Vans); the normal taxi and rideshare drop-off area is across the lake at the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC). You then have to take a monorail or ferry to the main gate. Most of the time it is easier to just get dropped off or picked up at the Contemporary (or the Bay Lake Tower, right next door) and take the walkway that connects the Contemporary to the Magic Kingdom. It’s about a 10 minute walk to the main gate, which is only about 5 minutes longer than the walk from the furthest bus stop at the Magic Kingdom. Occasionally, the Contemporary will turn away anyone who isn’t staying there, to keep traffic congestion down, and then you’ll most likely have to head to the standard dropoff point at the TTC.

Taxi Tips for Walt Disney World

If you choose to use traditional taxis to get around at Walt Disney World, here are some tips to remember:

Lyft Tips for Walt Disney World

Disney’s Minnie Van Service at Walt Disney World

Disney has an on-demand ride service at Walt Disney World called “Minnie Vans” available for everyone at Walt Disney World Resort. Normal hours of operation are 6:30 am to 12:30 am daily. 

General Advice for Disneyland California

Disneyland Resort itself is quite compact, and there’s no real reason to take a taxi or Lyft anywhere from one part of Disneyland to another. You can walk from one end to the other in less than 15 minutes, and that’s if you stroll. You may want to use a taxi or Lyft to travel between Disneyland and the airport or another attraction like Knott’s Berry Farm or Universal Studios Hollywood, though we recommend checking Ride Guru for a cost estimate; depending on the airport or attraction, the taxi fares can be very high. If you have small children, do keep in mind that taxis and on-demand ride services rarely carry car seats, and if they do there’s no guarantee they’ll be the right size. If you plan to travel a bunch in Southern California with children, we recommend bringing your own car seats (and probably renting a car, as it will take time to set up and remove the car seat in each taxi or other vehicle you use).

Taxi Tips for Disneyland

Lyft Tips for Disneyland