Disney World just made a temporary bus change for select resorts in anticipation of a popular summer promotion and perks for resort guests.
It’s not uncommon for transportation changes to be made as crowd levels and offerings increase, and this change will affect several popular resorts. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including new food offerings for a popular ride opening and a theme park rule change for pin trading.
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Disney World Expands Bus Transportation
Walt Disney World is celebrating Cool KIDS’ SUMMER from May 26 through September 8, 2026, with special offerings in the theme parks and exclusive perks at hotels aimed at families with young children. As part of these perks, four specific Disney World hotels are being designated as “Cool KIDS’ SUMMER Resorts” with new perks.
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The four Cool KIDS’ SUMMER Resorts are:
- Disney’s Pop Century Resort
- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
- Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
- Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
Along with these perks, guests staying at any Walt Disney World hotel, not just the four designated at Cool KIDS’ SUMMER resorts, can take advantage of free water park access from May 26 through September 8, 2026. During that period, guests receive free admission to either of Disney World’s two water parks, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon or Disney’s Blizzard Beach, on their check-in date.
In anticipation of this free water park perk, bus transportation to both water parks is being expanded for the four Cool KIDS’ SUMMER resorts. Guests staying at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside and Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter can utilize direct bus transportation to and from Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park.
Guests at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, and Disney’s Pop Century Resort can enjoy convenient direct bus transportation to and from Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park.
This is a change to bus transportation, as typically, there is no direct access to the water parks from Disney Resort hotels. All other Disney Resort hotels will still have to transfer buses at Disney’s Animal Kingdom for Blizzard Beach and Disney Springs for Typhoon Lagoon.
This bus transportation change will likely return to this schedule for all resorts once Cool KIDS’ SUMMER comes to an end.
Both Disney World Water Parks Now Open
Typhoon Lagoon reopened on May 12, and now both water parks are operating at the same time for the season. This aligns perfectly with the perk of free water park access for Disney Resort hotel guests on check-in day, which kicks off on May 26 and runs through September 8, 2026.
Typhoon Lagoon features a tropical theme with a massive wave pool and a mix of water slides. It’s the more traditional with theming of the two water parks. As for Blizzard Beach, this offers a different experience with a winter ski resort theme turned into a water park. This water park offers water slides, a large lazy river, and even a ski lift to get to the water slides.
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For guests not staying at the resorts with the expanded bus transportation this summer, they will need to transfer buses at Disney Springs or Disney’s Animal Kingdom. To get to Typhoon Lagoon, take a bus to Disney Springs and transfer to the Typhoon Lagoon bus. To get to Blizzard Beach, take a bus to Disney’s Animal Kingdom and transfer to the Blizzard Beach bus.
Bus service to/from Disney Springs to Typhoon Lagoon water park begins approximately 30 minutes before the water park opening and ends approximately 60 minutes after the water park closing. Bus service to/from Animal Kingdom and Blizzard Beach water park begins approximately 30 minutes before the water park opening and ends approximately 60 minutes after the water park closing.
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