You can easily walk from the Magic Kingdom to the Grand Floridian Resort to the Polynesian Resort and back again. And while walking more on your Disney Vacation may not sound like your idea of a good time, it’s one of the BEST ways to get around. Especially if it means you can stay out of the bus lines and monorail lines. With some of the best reasons to visit these resorts, on your Magic Kingdom day, here is everything you need to know about the walking paths near Magic Kingdom.
While not heavily advertised, you’d be surprised by just how many walking paths at Disney World can you get almost everywhere you need to go. And in our case, almost everything we need on a Disney trip. It all started one day while eating yet another Dole Whip at The Polynesian with the realization that we would have to finish our favorite treat before we got back on the monorail. We were traveling back to Magic Kingdom but wanted to stop at the Grand Floridian Resort on the way. Luckily, there is a Disney Walking Path from The Polynesian Resort to the Grand Floridian Resort and then all the way back to Magic Kingdom. And since these are Disney Resorts within walking distance of Magic Kingdom, we were able to enjoy the rest of our dole whip after all.
If you’re at Magic Kingdom and heading to the Disney Monorail Resorts you have your pick of several. While the closest resort to Magic Kingdom Park is Disney’s Contemporary Resort. which you can also walk to, we’re going the other direction today. Here’s how you can get to the walking path from the park to the resorts.
Walking from Magic Kingdom to the Grand Floridian Resort
At Magic Kingdom Park, just outside the park, there are several transportation options; the buses, monorail, and boats. If you look to the right, just past the “Resorts Monorail” sign you will see a gate that leads to the walking path from Magic Kingdom to the Grand Floridian Resort.
Just head to the path, and start walking. This path is not heavily lines trees, so it’s best for walking when it’s not blazing hot out! And we know, it’s Florida, but there just aren’t enough trees to make a 20 minute walk possible when it’s 104 degrees out.
How long does it take to walk from Magic Kingdom to the Grand Floridian Resort?
Walking to the Grand Floridian Resort from Magic Kingdom takes about 20 minutes.
What will you see on the Disney Walking Path to the Grand Floridian Resort?
On this walk you’ll get to catch the breezes off the gorgeous lagoon, and marvel at the Grand Floridian Resort beyond.
Stop at the Grand Floridian Resort
When you finally reach your destination you can walk inside to the Gasparilla Island Grill to try any of the New Snacks at Walt Disney World. And of course, you can also just hang out in Disney’s Grand Floridian lobby. We also love the Enchanted Rose Lounge for drinks and truffle fries. And if you’re looking for somewhere last minute, Citricos Lounge is also absolutely fantastic. We love the bartender there and you can even order appetizers as you lounge in the gorgeous Mary Poppins setting.
See the Grand Floridian Wedding Pavilion
When you reach the Grand Floridian Wedding Pavilion you’ll notice the monorail and a driveway and all sorts of things you have never seen before. By all means, if you haven’t had your own wedding at Walt Disney World, take this time to pretend you had and strike a pose in front of the gorgeous Wedding Pavilion Gates! And if you keep walking, then the Polynesian Resort appears in the distance.
Walking from the Grand Floridian Resort to The Polynesian
As part of the latest addition onto the Polynesian Resort, the DVC villas are set to complete in 2024 and the walking path in that area should be back to normal. Hence making the Magic Kingdom to Polynesian Resort walkway unobstructed. This means you can walk from MK, stop at Grand Floridian, and then head to the Polynesian for even more of a resort day.
If you’re just headed to the Polynesian, then you can end up there a number of ways. The Polynesian Resort is home to the Kona Cafe, which has one of the Best Breakfasts at Walt Disney World. Of course, you don’t need a reason to visit the Polynesian Resort, but we really love that Mimosa Flight at Kona Cafe! And if you’re up for Dole Whip, you can find that at the Pineapple Lanai, just near the pool. Whether you’re arriving via monorail or arriving by boat from Magic Kingdom, the path is easy to find once you get there.
Walking Path to the Grand Floridian and Polynesian Resorts
Once you’ve had your fill at these resorts you can catch the monorail back to Magic Kingdom, walk back or grab the boat. The path typically doesn’t have crowds, and it’s a great way to add more steps to your day.
We hope you liked this mini photo tour of the walking path from the Polynesian Resort to the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. These tend to be our two favorite resorts on Disney property so spending more time between the two is always a goal for us! Have you found any secret paths that lead anywhere? We also love the path from Epcot to Hollywood Studios simply to avoid the buses! If you’re staying on The Disney Boardwalk, we highly recommend just using that path as well.
Rochelle Mariah is a writer, designer and photographer with an MLIS in Information Science and a B.S. in Arch and Design. Determined to make Planning a DIY Disney Vacation easier she makes lots of lists and drinks lots of coffee. When not designing apparel at Polka Dot Pixie Shop, she's watching old movies and planning the holidays. She has been traveling to Disney destinations since 2010.
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