Going from Disney World to Universal Orlando? How Preposterous!
I used to think so, anyways. I’ve been a Disney fan through-and-through for a very long time, and because of that, most of my love and knowledge is dedicated to the domestic Disney theme parks. But the more I invested myself into the world of theme parks and entertainment, the more I realized how much other theme parks like Universal Studios and SeaWorld have to offer.
I mean, with Universal Orlando’s theme parks and water park, there’s literally a whole different world of entertainment guests can experience!
And believe it or not, guests staying on Disney world property travel from Disney World to Universal Orlando more often than you think.
The opposite can also be said. Guests staying on Universal Orlando property often travel to Disney World. But with all the hotel and theme park planning, guests can’t forget to plan out their transportation options!
Here’s everything you need to know about getting from Disney World to Universal Orlando, including your different transportation options and how far and how long your travel time is.
In this article:
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Universal Orlando is 16 Miles from Disney World
When routing from the Transportation and Ticket Center to the Universal Orlando Parking Structure via Google Maps, that’s a total commute of 22 minutes with very minimal traffic.
With Orlando touted as the Theme Park Capital of the World, it may come as a surprise that Universal Orlando is so far from Disney World. However, this is understandable once you learn that in the early planning stages of Disney World, Walt Disney strategically chose his plot of land to be closer to 2 major roadways and farther away from what turned into a busy city. And of course, with Disney World covering the same land area as the size of San Francisco, the commute from Disney World to Universal automatically is a little long.
Let’s go over your different transportation options to get from Disney World to Universal Orlando.
Disney World to Universal Orlando Through Rideshare: Uber or Lyft
Using a rideshare like Uber or Lyft is a great transportation option if the only travel you plan to do outside of Disney World is going to Universal Orlando.
This is also the quickest and arguably the most convenient answer, allowing you to travel privately and with expected fees to be quite cost-efficient. Of course, how much you should expect to pay is dependent on a few factors, with some of the biggest factors being how many guests are going to Universal Orlando, the time of day you choose to travel, and your starting location. Having a bigger party, traveling during peak hours, or starting from a farther location all theoretically raise rideshare prices.
The following sample prices are for an Uber trip from the Transportation and Ticket Center to the Universal Orlando parking lot:
- Wait and Save (4 guests): $17.98
- UberX Share (1 guest): $15-$18.83
- UberX (4 guests): $18.98
- Uber Pet (4): $23.02
- UberX Priority (4): $23.45
- Comfort (4): $30.78
- UberXL (6): $34.23
- Car Seat X (4): $23.02
- Car Seat XL (6): $38.56
- Black (4): $71.55
Using a rideshare option like Uber or Lyft can be the easiest, most convenient way to go from Disney World to Universal Orlando.
Disney World to Universal Orlando: Renting a Vehicle
If you already have a rental car for your Disney World vacation, this will be your best option to get from Disney World to Universal Orlando.
I repeat: “If you already have a rental car…” While many Disney World guests use any of the convenient and complimentary Disney World transportation options to get around Disney property, there are those who also want to explore areas outside of Walt Disney World. If that’s the case for you, using your rental car to travel from Disney World to Universal Orlando can be quicker and more convenient than using rideshare.
That is, at a price.
You see, renting a vehicle not only costs its own fee, but also automatically gives you an extra fee of parking at both Disney World and Universal Orlando.
With parking at Disney World and Universal Orlando starting at $30, these parking costs a little less expensive than using UberX for a round-trip journey. However, these parking fees can be ignored if you’re an annual passholder at both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando, which in these cases is free. Regardless, the price of renting a vehicle in the first place is still significantly more expensive than using rideshare.
If you didn’t rent a vehicle for your trip, it doesn’t financially make sense to book a rental car just for transportation from Disney World to Universal Orlando.
Disney World to Universal Orlando: Hotel Shuttle Service
Believe it or not, this applies to guests staying on-property at a Disney World Resort hotel and guests staying at nearby Good Neighbor hotels.
If you’re staying at a Disney World Resort hotel, you’re able to book a shuttle via the Mears Transportation Group, the same company that partners with Disney to take guests from Orlando Airport to Walt Disney World. However, after getting a price quote from the Mears Transportation website to get from Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa to the Universal Orlando parking structure, you can see how pricey it is to make this trip:
- Standard Sedan (3 passengers, 4 luggages): $83.60
- Standard SUV (5 passengers, 6 luggages): $83.60
- Standard Van (8 passengers, 10 luggages): $83.60
The lesson? Using a paid shuttle service from a Disney World Resort hotel to Universal Orlando is by no means a cost-efficient travel option.
On the flip side, there are a lot of hotels in the Orlando/Kissimmee area that offer complimentary shuttle service to both the Disney World and Universal Orlando theme parks. However, not all of these hotels offer shuttle service to 1 or both theme parks, so if you choose to go through this route, make sure to check with your hotel if they offer this service. Additionally, many of these shuttle services only operate at certain times of the day and sometimes require guests to reserve the shuttle service in advance, making it very inconvenient at times.
In the end, using a hotel shuttle service isn’t likely to be your best option.
Disney World to Universal Orlando Through Taxi
Contrary to popular belief, taxis indeed still exist!
Okay, all joking aside, some guests do still prefer using a taxi service since they’re conveniently located outside of their hotel and guests don’t necessarily need to use their smartphone to reserve one. Similar to using rideshare like Uber or Lyft, these taxi services can get you from Disney World to Universal Orlando in the quickest, most efficient way possible. And there are several different taxi companies operating in the Orlando area, with the Mears Transportation Group being the biggest.
For clarification, the taxi service offered by Mears Transportation is different from the private shuttle service we discussed earlier which is also offered by Mears.
And while the taxi service through Mears is cheaper than its private shuttle service, it’s still pricey.
Mears Transportation Group operates several taxi brands including Checker Cab, Yellow Cab Company, and City Cab Company, all with identical rates. Most taxis carry between 4 and 8 passengers depending on the vehicle used. A price quote through the Mears Taxi website to get from Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa to the Universal Orlando parking structure reveals a price that starts at $58.
All-in-all, hailing a taxi is still sets you back more money than it costs to use rideshare.
Rideshare is Your Best Option to Get From Disney World to Universal Orlando
Not only is rideshare quick, convenient, and easy, but it’s also your cheapest option to get from Disney World to Universal Orlando.
Using our sample pricing of $18.98 for UberX, this saves you about $39 compared to taking a taxi and saves you about $65 compared to taking a private shuttle. And assuming you have to pay for theme park parking, the round-trip cost of using rideshare is just slightly more expensive than the cost of parking. This is not even taking into consideration the cost of renting a vehicle in the first place.
All things considered, rideshare is certainly your best option to get from Disney World to Universal Orlando.
But here’s another bit of food for thought: Why not split up your vacation and spend a few nights at a Universal Orlando resort?
Universal Orlando has a lot of great amenities, experiences, and dining options to offer. And if you’re already planning on visiting the Universal Orlando theme parks, it may make more sense to reserve a room at a Universal Orlando resort to make your trip to the Universal Orlando theme parks quicker, more convenient, and possibly cheaper. Think of it like a split stay where you stay a few nights at a Disney World Resort hotel and then another few nights at a Universal Orlando resort.
That way, you get the best of both worlds!
Of course, if all this talk of different travel options makes your head spin, working with an experienced travel advisor like the agents at Get Away Today will put your mind at ease.
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While there are shuttles that go from Disney World to Universal Orlando, there are no complimentary shuttles that start at a Disney World Resort hotel or theme park. In order to take a shuttle from Disney World to Universal, guests will have to book in advance and pay a fee.
You can certainly stay at Disney World and go to Universal Orlando – in fact, many guests plan their vacations this way when visiting Orlando. Many guests also spend several nights at a Disney World Resort hotel before transferring over to stay at a Universal Orlando resort.
While you are able to park hop from Disney World to Universal Orlando, the transportation will cost a fee and you will need to make sure to have separate theme park tickets to both Disney World and Universal Orlando. Guests are not able to buy 1 specific park hopper ticket to get into both Disney World and Universal Orlando.
It can cost as low as $17.98 to Uber from Disney World to Universal, specifically from the Transportation and Ticket Center to the Universal Orlando parking structure. This is for Uber’s “wait and save” option, which accommodates 4 guests. Additionally, it can cost as high as $71.55 to take Uber’s “Uber Black,” a more luxurious rideshare option.
