Last Updated on August 18, 2024 by Happily Ever Park Hoppers
Resort Hopping from Shades of Green
Staying at Shades of Green and wanting to explore some Disney Resort Hotels? Resort Hopping is a fun way to enjoy all that Disney has to offer but does take a little bit of planning and prior knowledge. This post is here to help you get an idea of how to navigate Walt Disney World Resort and understand how to get to where you need to go.
What is Resort Hopping?
Resort Hopping is the act of visiting one or more Disney Resort Hotels, outside of the one you’re staying at, during your Disney trip. Whether you’re heading to another resort for a dining reservation, grabbing a snack/drink from a Quick Service restaurant or Lounge, wanting to explore another resort to take advantage of activities, looking at the decorations, or taking in the overall ambiance, resort hopping is just that.
Who can Resort Hop?
Anyone can. Disney Resort Hotels are completely open to the public. You do not need to be a guest of a resort to walk around, shop, or dine at a Disney Resort Hotel.
How do I Resort Hop?
How, is a little more complex? Because each resort has different transportation options, how to get to certain Disney Resort Hotels is going to be different. And because Shades of Green is not technically a Disney Resort Hotel and has its own transportation, knowing how to resort hop to certain Disney Resort Hotels takes a little more explanation.
Important: Resort Pool Hopping is NOT permitted. Only registered guests of a given resort have access to that resort pool.
First things first, using Disney Transportation is completely free and available to anyone. There are several different modes of Disney Transportation.
Disney Transporation Options:
- Disney Bus
- Disney Skyliner
- Monorail
- Water Transporation
-Ferry Boat
-Water Taxi (Boat Launch/Friendship Launch)
** Minnie Van™ is another form of Disney Transporation but is a ride-share service operated through the Lyft app and is a PAID service.
Minnie Vans also come equipped with 2 car seats or if you need an Accessible Minnie Van, they can accommodate 2 mobility devices and will have 1 car seat.
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Resort Hopping to Monorail Resorts
If you are looking to resort hop to any of the three resorts on the Monorail Loop, there are really only a few ways to get to those resorts.
The three Monorail Loop Resorts are:
1. Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
2. Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
3. Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Take a Shades of Green bus and go to the Transportation & Ticket Center (TTC) and board the Resort Monorail to the resort.
- Take an Uber/Lyft/Minnie Van directly to the resort.
- If you have a vehicle, drive yourself.
– Parking at the Monorail Loop Resorts will require you to have a dining reservation. You will likely be given a parking pass for a few hours. - If you are going to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, you can walk from the TTC to the resort.
- Heading to a Monorail Loop Resort from Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, or Disney Springs? Take a Disney Bus.
- Heading to a Monorail Loop Resort from EPCOT? Take the Monorail to the TTC, get off the Monorail, and board the Resort Monorail.
Resort Hopping to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge & Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
Heading to either Disney’s Wilderness Lodge or Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground? It’s important to know that these are two separate resorts. To get between those two resorts you would either have to take a Disney bus or Boat (or drive).
Resort Hopping from Shades of Green your options are:
- Take a Shades of Green bus to the TTC, and board the Monorail or Ferry boat to Magic Kingdom. Head over to the RESORT LAUNCHES and get on a boat to the resort you are going to.
*Make sure you board the correct boat. While this option is FREE, budget for at least an hour for transit time. - Take an Uber/Lyft/Minnie Van directly to the resort.
- If you have a vehicle, drive yourself.
-For Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, if you are headed to Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, you will have to park at the front of the resort in the main parking lot and take an internal Disney Bus from the Outpost Depot to the Settlement Depot.
– Only guests with dining reservations will be allowed to park at either Disney’s Wilderness Lodge or Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. - Heading to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge or Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground from Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, EPCOT, or Disney Springs? Take a Disney Bus.
Resort Hopping to Disney Skyliner Resorts
There are several Disney Resort Hotels on the Disney Skyliner route, seven to be exact.
1. Disney’s Riviera Resort
2. Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
3. Disney’s Pop Century Resort
4. Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
5. Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
6. Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
7. Disney’s Beach Club Resort
Looking to head to any of those resorts via the Disney Skyliner? Your resort hopping options from Shades of Green are:
- Take the Shades of Green bus to Disney’s Hollywood Studios (it will stop at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park first, then Disney’s Hollywood Studios). Board the Disney Skyliner at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. You will then stop at the Transfer Station/Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.
-From there you can walk over to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.
– Board the EPCOT line which will take you to Disney’s Riviera Resort, or the International Gateway which allows you to walk to Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, Disney’s Beach Club Resort, or Disney’s BoardWalk Inn.
– Board the Value Resort line which will take you to Disney’s Art of Animation Resort or Disney’s Pop Century Resort.
Looking to head to any of those resorts another way? These are your options:
- Take an Uber/Lyft/Minnie Van directly to the resort.
- If you have a vehicle, drive yourself.
– Parking at the Disney Skyliner Resorts will require you to have a dining reservation. - Heading to a Disney Skyliner Resort from Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, or Disney Springs? Take a Disney bus.
Resort Hopping to Disney Springs Resorts
There are four Disney Springs area resorts. They are located on the Sassagoula River which is connected to Disney Springs. Those resorts are:
Resort Hopping from Shades of Green to a Disney Springs Resort, your options are:
- Take the Shades of Green bus to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, walk over to the Disney Busses, and get on a bus that takes you directly to the resort you want to go to.
- Take the Shades of Green bus to Disney Springs, walk over to the Disney Busses, and take a Disney Bus directly to the resort you want to go to. OR Walk over to the East Side of Disney Springs, board the ferry at the Marketplace, and use the water transportation to get to the resort you want to go to.
- Take an Uber/Lyft/Minnie Van directly to the resort.
- If you have a vehicle, drive yourself.
-Because these resorts do not have access to a park, the option to park without a dining reservation might be possible. Parking enforcement can vary depending on the resort/cast member/time of year. The only exception is Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter because it does not have any table service restaurant. If you tell the gate guard you are there to get some Mickey Beignets, you shouldn’t have an issue (but again, there is no guarantee). - Hopping to a Disney Springs Resort from any of the parks? Take a Disney Bus directly from the park to the resort.
Resort Hopping to All Other Resorts
If you are looking to resort hop to a resort that isn’t on the Monorail, Disney Skyliner, near Disney Springs, what does that leave?
Resort Hopping to one of these resorts from Shades of Green, your options are:
- Take the Shades of Green bus to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, walk over to the Disney Busses, and get on a bus that takes you directly to the resort you want to go to.
- Take an Uber/Lyft/Minnie Van directly to the resort.
- If you have a vehicle, drive yourself.
-Because these resorts do not have access to a park, the option to park without a dining reservation might be possible. Parking enforcement can vary depending on the resort/cast member/time of year.
When in doubt, use the app!
If you are trying to utilize FREE transportation, avoid paying for ride-shares, and don’t want to risk not being able to park but aren’t sure how to navigate to a specific resort, use the My Disney Experience app.
From the map, change your category option to RESORT HOTELS, find the resort you are trying to go to, and tap “Get Directions”. From there, the app will tell you all the available Disney Transportation options.
If you are trying to get to any other resorts not covered here, please leave a comment and I will do my best to help you navigate to where you want to go.
Spreading magic one post at a time
Kristin