Disney Springs Restricts Resort Access in 7 Days, Leaving Some Disney World Guests Behind
If your Walt Disney World vacation includes a stop at Disney Springs, you’ll want to pay attention to an important transportation change arriving next week.
Beginning June 28, Disney will start enforcing new rules that affect how guests travel between Disney Springs and Disney Resort hotels. While the change has been discussed throughout June, many vacationers may not realize the new policy is now only days away.
The biggest thing to know is that not everyone will be affected equally.
Guests staying at Disney Resort hotels will continue to enjoy access to Disney Springs buses serving other Disney resorts. That means resort guests can still visit different hotels for dining, shopping, recreation, or sightseeing without major changes to their plans.
The same transportation access will also remain available for guests staying at Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin and Shades of Green.
However, visitors who are not staying at a qualifying resort will face new restrictions.
For years, Disney Springs has served as a popular starting point for guests looking to explore Disney hotels. Whether someone wanted to visit a restaurant, check out a themed lobby, or spend time at a resort lounge, Disney Springs often provided a convenient transportation connection.
Starting June 28, that convenience will become more limited.
Under the new rules, guests without a qualifying hotel reservation will not be able to freely board buses from Disney Springs to Disney Resort hotels. Instead, transportation access will require specific reservations that meet Disney’s requirements.
There is one important exception.
Guests with valid dining reservations or qualifying Enchanting Extras reservations can still use transportation from Disney Springs. However, Disney will only allow transportation access within two hours of the reservation time.
That same two-hour window will apply to water transportation as well.
For guests planning restaurant visits across Walt Disney World, this may require a little more preparation than before. Arriving too early could mean waiting until the reservation window opens before transportation becomes available.
The good news is that resort hopping itself is not disappearing.
Current information indicates that transportation hubs located at Disney’s theme parks will continue operating normally. Guests looking to visit Disney resorts can still use transportation connections from the parks rather than relying on Disney Springs.
As summer crowds continue arriving at Walt Disney World, these transportation changes could catch some visitors by surprise. Families who haven’t reviewed the updated policy may discover their usual travel plans no longer work the same way.
With June 28 quickly approaching, now is a good time to double-check your transportation plans before arriving at Disney Springs. A little preparation today could save valuable vacation time next week.
