When you’re at Walt Disney World Resort, transportation is never something that you’ll need to worry about. Disney World has multiple transportation systems to get you to and from the different theme parks, resorts, and Disney Springs. Transportation options include buses, boats, water taxis, ferries, the monorail, and Skyliner. The best part about Disney transportation is that it’s absolutely free! For guests looking to get from Disney World to Universal Orlando, the options become much different.
While it’s fantastic to have all of those different transportation options available to you while you’re on your Disney vacation, what options are available when you want to venture outside of Disney? The most popular place to visit in the area besides Disney World is Universal Orlando. This popularity will only increase with the upcoming Epic Universe– a brand new theme park at Universal Orlando.
As a frequent visitor of Walt Disney World, I have left the Disney Bubble many times and gone over to enjoy a day at Universal Orlando. Throughout these visits, I have used quite a few different transportation systems to get from Disney World to Universal Orlando and then back again. In this article, I’m going to go through all of the available transportation options in order to help you better plan your trip from Disney World to Universal.
Both Disney World and Universal Orlando are great theme parks and have so much to offer. It’s no surprise that so many visitors want to experience both destinations during their time in Orlando, Florida. In order to secure tickets at the absolute lowest price possible, we always recommend purchasing your tickets from Get Away Today. As an approved re-seller, Get Away Today is able to offer tickets to both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando at a price that is lower than anywhere else.
Not only does Get Away Today have incredibly priced tickets, they also have an amazing team. Their customer service and support can’t be beat. When you purchase tickets, you can rest assured that you and your order will be handled with the care and attention that you deserve.
If you would like further assistance with your trip, Get Away Today also offers concierge level vacation planning. Not only will they help secure your tickets at the best price possible, they will also assist with any other needs that you may have. Their agents will help book your resort, reserve dining, book additional experiences, and so much more. Contact them today and one of their experienced agents will begin helping you plan your Disney World and Universal Orlando vacation!
The exact distance from Disney World to Universal Orlando depends on where you are departing Disney World from. Depending on your plans, you may be headed to Universal from your resort, Disney Springs, or one of the theme parks. Your travel time will also depend on which transportation method you use. Your trip may be longer if you have multiple stops on your route. However, on average, a trip from Walt Disney World to Universal Orlando is generally about 15 minutes.
There are four different ways that you can get from Disney World to Universal. You can drive, take a rideshare, taxi, or bus. As I go over these different transportation methods, I’m going to include examples of pricing, vehicles, and different options that may be available to you.
If you already have your own vehicle with you at Disney World, or if you want more flexibility when you head over to Universal Orlando, you may want to consider driving there. If you don’t have your own vehicle with you on your Walt Disney World vacation, you can rent one.
Luckily, the route from Disney World to Universal is fairly simple. All you need to do is take I-4 East to exit 75A. After that, you will follow the signs to Universal Orlando’s parking garage.
When you drive to Universal Orlando, whether you’re in your own vehicle or renting one, keep in mind that you’ll need to pay for parking. Parking prices vary depending on the level you want and what vehicle type you have. Here are the current parking costs for Universal Orlando’s Parking Garage.
Did you know that Walt Disney World has a Car Care Center? The Car Care Center offers Repair Services, Roadside Assistance, and Car Rentals. A complimentary shuttle service is also available to take you from the Car Care Center to the Transportation and Ticket Center at Walt Disney Resort when you do not have a car available to use.
Disney World partners with Enterprise, Alamo, and National for their car rentals. The car rental area is located near Magic Kingdom. When you’re renting a car, a complimentary shuttle service is available to bring you from your Disney Resort or theme park directly to the car rental facility. You should schedule this shuttle service at least two hours in advance. In order to schedule your shuttle pick up, you’ll need to call (407) 824-3470 ext. 1.
Your rental car can be booked either online or by calling the car rental facility. Again, the number to call is (407) 824-3470. The facility is open from 7am-7pm.
Alamo offers an After-Hours Vehicle Return option. With this option, you will be able to return your rental car and then leave the keys in an After-Hours Drop Box. Keep in mind, if you drop your rental car off after the Car Care Center has closed for the day, you will not have the complimentary shuttle service available to you and you will need to arrange your own transportation back to your Disney Resort hotel, theme park, or Disney Springs.
The most affordable of the convenient transportation options will most likely be a rideshare. The most popular rideshare companies are Uber and Lyft. The price of your rideshare will vary depending on how many passengers you have, what type of vehicle you want, distance of your trip, time of day, and sometimes how quickly you’d like your ride to arrive. If you’d like to lock in a certain time, you are able to schedule your ride in advance. This does however tend to raise the prices slightly as opposed to getting a ride right when you need one.
For the pricing examples, I’m going to pick a specific location at Walt Disney World Resort for the pick up location. I will be using Disney’s Pop Century Resort. These prices will reflect what it currently would cost me to get a rideshare from Disney’s Pop Century Resort to Universal Orlando’s parking garage. This will give you a bit of an idea of how much it may cost you when you’re planning your trip from Disney World to Universal Orlando.
Taxis are another transportation option when planning your trip from Disney World to Universal. Mears is one of the most popular taxi services in the Orlando area. Mears provides both Taxi Sedans and Taxi Vans. To request a taxi from Mears, you can call them at 407-422-2222 or use their web booker.
While looking at the prices for the Mears taxi service, I again set the pick up location for Disney’s Pop Century Resort and the drop off location for Universal Orlando. I was given the option of which vehicle I wanted. The vehicle options that I could select were Any Vehicle, Sedan Only, Van Only, or WC Van 4WC. I was then given a range for the price of a fare. The range that I was given was $40-$48. This fare range is for a one-way trip. You also have the option to schedule a return time if you’d like them to pick you back up from Universal and bring you back to Pop Century Resort.
The fare was not due at the time of booking. You pay for your fare once you are in the vehicle.
The lengthiest and the most inconvenient way of getting from Disney World to Universal would be traveling by bus. The only major upside to taking a bus is that the price is incredibly low. However, there is not a direct bus route from Disney World to Universal Orlando. You would have to transfer buses along the way. This would make the normally 15 minute trip much longer than necessary.
LYNX is a local bus transportation service in the Orlando area and an option for your trip from Disney World to Universal. For your day at Universal, you can choose from a Single Ride Fare or an All-Day Pass. All-Day Passes are valid from 4am on the purchase date to 3am the following day. If you’re wanting an All-Day Pass, you must ask the Operator for one when you board. Make sure that you let them know you want an All-Day Pass before putting your money in the farebox.
Single Ride Fares are $2 and All-Day Passes are $4.50. You can purchase a physical bus pass online or purchase a digital bus pass through the LYNX PawPass app.
The best transportation option for you from Disney World to Universal will be based off of your wants and needs. You may want the quickest option, most convenient option, or most affordable option. Each want and need that you have may make one of these transportation options more appealing to you over the others.
Since I usually don't have my own vehicle with me on my trips to Walt Disney World, I find rideshares to be the favorite option for my family and myself. I enjoy the convenience of rideshares and the prices are usually a lot more affordable than some of the other transportation options. Even more specifically, I prefer Lyft over Uber since they are usually a little cheaper and I've always had great experiences with them!
Which transportation option do you think you'll use on your visit to Universal Orlando from Walt Disney World? Don't forget, if you need help figuring out transportation or any other part of your trip, the amazing agents at Get Away Today can help you with all of your vacation planning needs! The only thing you'll have to worry about is having an amazing time at Disney World and Universal Orlando. Your agent will handle everything else!
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Discount Disney World and Universal Orlando Tickets
Both Disney World and Universal Orlando are great theme parks and have so much to offer. It’s no surprise that so many visitors want to experience both destinations during their time in Orlando, Florida. In order to secure tickets at the absolute lowest price possible, we always recommend purchasing your tickets from Get Away Today. As an approved re-seller, Get Away Today is able to offer tickets to both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando at a price that is lower than anywhere else.
Not only does Get Away Today have incredibly priced tickets, they also have an amazing team. Their customer service and support can’t be beat. When you purchase tickets, you can rest assured that you and your order will be handled with the care and attention that you deserve.
If you would like further assistance with your trip, Get Away Today also offers concierge level vacation planning. Not only will they help secure your tickets at the best price possible, they will also assist with any other needs that you may have. Their agents will help book your resort, reserve dining, book additional experiences, and so much more. Contact them today and one of their experienced agents will begin helping you plan your Disney World and Universal Orlando vacation!
How Far is Universal Orlando from Disney World
The exact distance from Disney World to Universal Orlando depends on where you are departing Disney World from. Depending on your plans, you may be headed to Universal from your resort, Disney Springs, or one of the theme parks. Your travel time will also depend on which transportation method you use. Your trip may be longer if you have multiple stops on your route. However, on average, a trip from Walt Disney World to Universal Orlando is generally about 15 minutes.
There are four different ways that you can get from Disney World to Universal. You can drive, take a rideshare, taxi, or bus. As I go over these different transportation methods, I’m going to include examples of pricing, vehicles, and different options that may be available to you.
Driving from Disney World to Universal
If you already have your own vehicle with you at Disney World, or if you want more flexibility when you head over to Universal Orlando, you may want to consider driving there. If you don’t have your own vehicle with you on your Walt Disney World vacation, you can rent one.
Luckily, the route from Disney World to Universal is fairly simple. All you need to do is take I-4 East to exit 75A. After that, you will follow the signs to Universal Orlando’s parking garage.
When you drive to Universal Orlando, whether you’re in your own vehicle or renting one, keep in mind that you’ll need to pay for parking. Parking prices vary depending on the level you want and what vehicle type you have. Here are the current parking costs for Universal Orlando’s Parking Garage.
- Parking Prices
- Regular: $30
- RV/Bus: $40
- Prime: $50-$60 (Pricing is seasonal and may vary by day.)
- Prime Upgrade: $20-$30 (Pricing is seasonal and may vary by day.)
- Valet Parking
- Before 6pm (Pricing is seasonal and may vary by day.)
- $30 for 2 Hours
- $65-$75 for over 2 Hours
- After 6pm (Pricing is seasonal and may vary by day.)
- $30 for 2 Hours
- $40-$75 for over 2 Hours
- $75 for over 2 Hours on Halloween Horror Nights event nights
- 50% off Valet Parking for Preferred Annual Passholders (After first visit; Subject to Availability.
- Free Valet Parking for Premier Annual Passholders (Subject to availability.)
- Before 6pm (Pricing is seasonal and may vary by day.)
- Free Parking
- Free parking is available for matinee movie showings from 11am-6pm with the purchase of two or more matinee tickets to Universal Cinemark. You must first pay the Regular Parking fee when you arrive. The fee will then be reimbursed after you present your parking receipt. (Restrictions apply)
- Free self-parking is available after 6pm. (Additional restrictions may apply and are subject to change without notice.)
- Free self-parking is available after midnight on all Halloween Horror Nights event nights.
Disney World Car Rental Services
Did you know that Walt Disney World has a Car Care Center? The Car Care Center offers Repair Services, Roadside Assistance, and Car Rentals. A complimentary shuttle service is also available to take you from the Car Care Center to the Transportation and Ticket Center at Walt Disney Resort when you do not have a car available to use.
Disney World partners with Enterprise, Alamo, and National for their car rentals. The car rental area is located near Magic Kingdom. When you’re renting a car, a complimentary shuttle service is available to bring you from your Disney Resort or theme park directly to the car rental facility. You should schedule this shuttle service at least two hours in advance. In order to schedule your shuttle pick up, you’ll need to call (407) 824-3470 ext. 1.
Your rental car can be booked either online or by calling the car rental facility. Again, the number to call is (407) 824-3470. The facility is open from 7am-7pm.
Alamo offers an After-Hours Vehicle Return option. With this option, you will be able to return your rental car and then leave the keys in an After-Hours Drop Box. Keep in mind, if you drop your rental car off after the Car Care Center has closed for the day, you will not have the complimentary shuttle service available to you and you will need to arrange your own transportation back to your Disney Resort hotel, theme park, or Disney Springs.
Getting from Disney World to Universal Using a Rideshare
The most affordable of the convenient transportation options will most likely be a rideshare. The most popular rideshare companies are Uber and Lyft. The price of your rideshare will vary depending on how many passengers you have, what type of vehicle you want, distance of your trip, time of day, and sometimes how quickly you’d like your ride to arrive. If you’d like to lock in a certain time, you are able to schedule your ride in advance. This does however tend to raise the prices slightly as opposed to getting a ride right when you need one.
For the pricing examples, I’m going to pick a specific location at Walt Disney World Resort for the pick up location. I will be using Disney’s Pop Century Resort. These prices will reflect what it currently would cost me to get a rideshare from Disney’s Pop Century Resort to Universal Orlando’s parking garage. This will give you a bit of an idea of how much it may cost you when you’re planning your trip from Disney World to Universal Orlando.
Uber
- UberX – $24.95
- Up to 4 People
- UberXL – $34.03
- Up to 6 People
- Comfort – $29.48
- Up to 4 People
- Newer cars with extra legroom
- Uber Pet – $29.41
- Up to 4 People
- Pets allowed
Lyft
- Lyft XL – $26.65
- Up to 6 People
- Lyft – $19.68 or $21.55 (two options were available with a 1 minute wait difference)
- Up to 4 People
- Extra Comfort – $21.35
- Up to 4 People
- Roomier and quiet
- Wait and Save – $16.85
- Up to 4 People
- Ride will arrive within 15 minutes
- Black – $54.76
- Up to 4 People
- Professional Driver
- Black SUV – $82.10
- Up to 6 People
- Professional Driver
Taxi Service from Disney World to Universal Orlando
Taxis are another transportation option when planning your trip from Disney World to Universal. Mears is one of the most popular taxi services in the Orlando area. Mears provides both Taxi Sedans and Taxi Vans. To request a taxi from Mears, you can call them at 407-422-2222 or use their web booker.
While looking at the prices for the Mears taxi service, I again set the pick up location for Disney’s Pop Century Resort and the drop off location for Universal Orlando. I was given the option of which vehicle I wanted. The vehicle options that I could select were Any Vehicle, Sedan Only, Van Only, or WC Van 4WC. I was then given a range for the price of a fare. The range that I was given was $40-$48. This fare range is for a one-way trip. You also have the option to schedule a return time if you’d like them to pick you back up from Universal and bring you back to Pop Century Resort.
The fare was not due at the time of booking. You pay for your fare once you are in the vehicle.
Busing from Disney World to Universal Orlando
The lengthiest and the most inconvenient way of getting from Disney World to Universal would be traveling by bus. The only major upside to taking a bus is that the price is incredibly low. However, there is not a direct bus route from Disney World to Universal Orlando. You would have to transfer buses along the way. This would make the normally 15 minute trip much longer than necessary.
LYNX is a local bus transportation service in the Orlando area and an option for your trip from Disney World to Universal. For your day at Universal, you can choose from a Single Ride Fare or an All-Day Pass. All-Day Passes are valid from 4am on the purchase date to 3am the following day. If you’re wanting an All-Day Pass, you must ask the Operator for one when you board. Make sure that you let them know you want an All-Day Pass before putting your money in the farebox.
Single Ride Fares are $2 and All-Day Passes are $4.50. You can purchase a physical bus pass online or purchase a digital bus pass through the LYNX PawPass app.
What's the BEST Wat to Get From Disney World to Universal?
The best transportation option for you from Disney World to Universal will be based off of your wants and needs. You may want the quickest option, most convenient option, or most affordable option. Each want and need that you have may make one of these transportation options more appealing to you over the others.
Since I usually don't have my own vehicle with me on my trips to Walt Disney World, I find rideshares to be the favorite option for my family and myself. I enjoy the convenience of rideshares and the prices are usually a lot more affordable than some of the other transportation options. Even more specifically, I prefer Lyft over Uber since they are usually a little cheaper and I've always had great experiences with them!
Which transportation option do you think you'll use on your visit to Universal Orlando from Walt Disney World? Don't forget, if you need help figuring out transportation or any other part of your trip, the amazing agents at Get Away Today can help you with all of your vacation planning needs! The only thing you'll have to worry about is having an amazing time at Disney World and Universal Orlando. Your agent will handle everything else!
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Getting from Disney World to Universal Orlando Q&A
Is there a shuttle from Disney to Universal Studios?No, there is not a specific shuttle or route that goes directly from Disney to Universal Studios. You can, however, get from Disney World to Universal Orlando by driving, using a rideshare, taxi, or bus.
How much is an Uber ride from Disney World to Universal Studios?
An Uber ride from Disney World to Universal Studios will cost around $25-$35. The price will vary depending on your pick up location, number of passengers, type of vehicle, and type of day.
Can you stay at Disney World and go to Universal?
Yes, you can stay at Disney World and go to Universal! There is not a specific mode of transportation that runs exclusively between Disney World and Universal, but you can get from Disney World to Universal by driving, using a rideshare, taxi, or bus.
Can you park hop from Disney to Universal?
There is not a specific park hopper ticket that will grant you entrance into both Disney and Universal. You are, however, more than welcome to go from Disney to Universal and enjoy both theme parks in a single day. Just make sure that you have a valid entrance ticket for both!
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