Disney Bus vs. Skyliner: Which Should You Take?
Updated regularly based on current transportation patterns
If you're staying at Pop Century, Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach, or Riviera, you have two ways to reach Hollywood Studios and EPCOT: the bus or the Skyliner. Both work. Neither is universally faster. The right choice depends on when you're traveling and what's happening at the station when you get there.
Here's how to decide.
The Quick Answer
For Hollywood Studios: The bus is often slightly faster door-to-door, but the Skyliner is more predictable and more enjoyable. Unless the Skyliner line is very long or weather is threatening, most guests prefer the Skyliner.
For EPCOT: The Skyliner is usually the better choice — it's a direct ride to International Gateway with no transfer. But if you need EPCOT's main entrance (front of park), the bus drops you there instead.
For Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom: The Skyliner doesn't go to these parks. Take the bus.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Factor | Bus | Skyliner |
|---|---|---|
| Goes to Hollywood Studios | Yes (direct) | Yes (transfer at Caribbean Beach) |
| Goes to EPCOT | Yes (main entrance) | Yes (International Gateway / back entrance) |
| Goes to Magic Kingdom | Yes | No |
| Goes to Animal Kingdom | Yes | No |
| Typical wait | 10-25 minutes | 5-15 minutes (midday) |
| Wait predictability | Low — could be 3 min or 28 min | Medium — continuous loading |
| Weather dependent | No | Yes — closes for lightning/high winds |
| Air conditioned | Yes | Yes |
| Ride experience | Utilitarian | Scenic, fun |
When to Choose the Bus
You're going to Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom
This isn't really a choice — the Skyliner doesn't serve these parks. The bus is your Disney transportation option here (unless you want to Skyliner to EPCOT and then monorail to Magic Kingdom, which adds complexity and time).
You want EPCOT's main entrance
The Skyliner drops you at International Gateway, which is the back of EPCOT between France and the United Kingdom in World Showcase. That's perfect if you're heading to Remy's Ratatouille Adventure or a World Showcase dining reservation. But if you need the front of the park — Spaceship Earth, Guardians of the Galaxy, Test Track — the bus gets you to the main entrance directly.
Weather looks threatening
The Skyliner closes during lightning and high winds. If storms are building and you have a time-sensitive reservation, the bus is the safer bet. You won't always know the Skyliner is closed until you're standing at the station — and by then you've already committed the walk.
The Skyliner line is wrapped around the station
Rope drop mornings and park closing are peak Skyliner times. If you arrive at the station and the queue extends well outside the covered area, the bus may get you there faster. The tricky part is that you can't see the bus line and the Skyliner line at the same time — they're in different locations. By the time you walk to one and find it long, the other might have cleared.
You need reliability above all else
Buses run in every weather condition, every day. They don't close for lightning or wind. If making your reservation on time matters more than the experience of getting there, buses are the dependable choice.
When to Choose the Skyliner
It's midday
The Skyliner's best hours are roughly 10 AM to 5 PM, when most guests are already in the parks. Lines are short, gondolas arrive continuously, and the whole experience takes 15-25 minutes to Hollywood Studios or EPCOT. This is when the gap between Skyliner and bus is most obvious — the bus might come in 5 minutes or 25 minutes, but the Skyliner is almost certainly under 10 minutes of waiting.
You're heading to EPCOT's World Showcase
The Skyliner's International Gateway drop-off is genuinely better than the main entrance for World Showcase destinations. You step off the gondola and you're already there — no walking past Spaceship Earth and through Future World.
You want the experience
The Skyliner is fun. Aerial views of Disney property, air conditioning, a smooth ride. For first-time visitors especially, it feels like part of the vacation rather than just a way to get between points.
You're at Caribbean Beach or Riviera going to Hollywood Studios
From these two resorts, the Skyliner to Hollywood Studios is direct — no transfer needed. It's typically 10-15 minutes total, which is hard for the bus to beat.
You have some schedule flexibility
If you're not racing against a reservation and can afford the possibility of a 20-minute wait during peak times, the Skyliner is the more pleasant option. When it's flowing smoothly, it's the best transportation experience at Disney.
The Transfer Question
For guests at Pop Century or Art of Animation heading to Hollywood Studios, the Skyliner requires a transfer at Caribbean Beach. You ride to the hub, exit, cross to the Hollywood Studios platform, and board again.
This transfer adds 5-10 minutes to your trip. It's not complicated — signs and cast members direct you — but it's a factor.
From those same resorts to EPCOT, there's no transfer. The Skyliner runs directly through Caribbean Beach and Riviera stations to EPCOT's International Gateway.
The transfer time is the main reason bus-to-Hollywood-Studios is competitive with the Skyliner from Pop Century and Art of Animation. Without that transfer, the Skyliner would win almost every time.
The Weather Factor
This is the biggest practical difference between the two options.
The Skyliner closes during lightning, high winds, and sometimes heavy rain. When it closes, Disney runs backup buses — but those buses aren't positioned for the sudden surge of redirected guests. Waits for the backup buses can be significant.
Buses, meanwhile, run through virtually everything.
If you're checking the weather and see afternoon thunderstorms in the forecast (common in Florida from June through September), build extra buffer into your Skyliner plans or default to the bus for time-sensitive commitments. The challenge is that Florida storms can form quickly — the forecast might say 30% chance, and an hour later you're watching lightning from the station.
Morning Rope Drop: A Special Case
Rope drop is the one time buses might consistently beat the Skyliner.
At Pop Century and Art of Animation, the Skyliner line builds quickly before park opening. Hundreds of guests are heading to Hollywood Studios simultaneously, and the line can stretch 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, Disney runs frequent buses during the rope drop window. You might walk past a long Skyliner line and catch a bus that's boarding right now.
The honest answer is that the "best" choice at rope drop changes morning to morning. One day the Skyliner line is 25 minutes; the next day it's 10. The bus might arrive as you walk up, or you might wait 20 minutes. What you see when you get there matters more than any general advice.
The Verdict
For most guests at Skyliner resorts heading to EPCOT or Hollywood Studios, the Skyliner is the default choice. It's more enjoyable, more predictable during midday hours, and drops you closer to World Showcase.
But the bus wins when: weather is questionable, you need EPCOT's main entrance, it's a crowded rope drop morning and the Skyliner line is long, or you're going to Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom.
The real skill isn't picking one mode forever — it's evaluating what's happening at the moment you need to travel. Check the Skyliner line when you arrive at the station. If it's short, take it. If it's long, walk to the bus stop and compare. The best choice is the one that gets you moving sooner.
For help comparing your options based on where you are and where you're going, see how the app handles this decision.