What to Expect as Resort Transportation Verification Goes Into Effect at Disney Springs

We stopped by Disney Springs today, June 28, to see how the new resort transportation verification process works and what guests should expect when visiting.

Starting today, guests visiting Walt Disney World have to verify a hotel, dining, or activity reservation before using resort transportation from Disney Springs. To clear the verification checkpoint at Disney Springs, you will need to hold one of the following:

A confirmed resort recreation activity booking (such as a boat cruise)
An active Walt Disney World resort hotel reservation
A confirmed dining reservation at a Disney resort hotel

Verification Process

As guests approach the bus terminal area at Disney Springs, they'll notice barriers funneling them into the verification walkway area. Cast Members are standing by to scan tickets/resort reservations.

As guests approach the bus terminal areas at Disney Springs, they’ll notice barriers funneling them into the verification walkway. Cast Members are standing by to scan tickets/resort reservations.

You cannot access the bus terminal area for the resorts at all without passing through the verification zone.

For Gates 1-9, on the Town Center side, there is a Cast Member with a scanner between Gates 1 and 2. Gate 1, which is for Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Golden Oak, was not being regulated during our visit. For Gates 2-9 on the Orange Garage side, there is a Cast Member with a scanner at the end of the queue row.

Guests heading to Gates 10-25 on the Orange Garage side also have one Cast Member with a scanner. You cannot access the bus terminal area for the resorts at all without passing through a verification zone.

At the Sassagoula River Cruise boat dock, barriers are in place to streamline guests to the main entry point for ticket/reservation verification.

At the Sassagoula River Cruise boat dock, barriers are also in place to streamline guests to the main entry point for ticket/reservation verification. After verification, you will walk right up to the boat entrance area.

The verification warning signs have been updated from the previous iteration, from a few weeks ago, which had “Beginning June 28, 2026” on it. Now the signs read:

Walt Disney World Transportation service from Disney Springs to Disney Resort hotels is available for guests staying at a Disney Resort hotel or visiting one with a valid dining or experience reservation.

The signs are located near the boarding areas at the buses, the stairway to the bridge to the Marketplace section of Disney Springs, and the Sassagoula River Cruise boat dock.

While there were signs coming from Disney Springs, we didn’t see any signs alerting guests going to Disney Springs from Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. It is possible this could create confusion and lead to guests being stuck at Disney Springs down the line.

Transportation Verification

Following preliminary tests around the New Year and a more robust trial run during the busy Easter season, the verification process was expected to return. During the recent trial windows, Cast Members were stationed at the Disney Springs bus loop scanning MagicBands and tickets.

The process was deemed highly successful at freeing up bus capacity for actual resort guests. More importantly, it directly targets a long-standing practice of day guests parking for free at Disney Springs and using resort transportation to bypass the theme park parking fees.

Currently, these verification checks will be restricted entirely to Disney Springs. However, Disney is reportedly evaluating whether it is feasible to expand this scanning process to other transportation hubs and alternative transit methods across the property in the future.

What do you think about this new verification program? Let us know on social media!

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.