Walt Disney World is one of the country’s top tourist destinations and is located in the state of Florida. But where exactly is it located within Florida? And how far is it from a major airport or beach?
Disney World is located in central Florida and is conveniently located to other tourist destinations such as Universal Studios, beaches and more. However, be prepared that traffic will make even short journeys take longer than you might expect.
Disney World is Near Orlando
Specifically, Disney World is located in the heart of central Florida in the cities of Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake, which are approximately 16 miles from the heart of Orlando. That 16 miles comes to an estimated 20-to-30 minute drive with no traffic, but there’s almost always a decent amount of traffic.
Most usually refer to Disney World being in Orlando, but it’s technically not.
Disney World’s Proximity to Orlando Airport
Orlando International Airport is approximately 16 to 20 miles away from Disney World depending on the route. Trips between Disney World and Orlando International Airport usually take between 30 and 45 minutes depending on traffic.
The drive between Disney World and the airport isn’t a difficult one, but we’ll caution that any journey that uses I-4 can be unpredictable.
How Close is Disney World to a Beach?
Because Disney World is in the heart of Florida, it isn’t too close to any beaches. The nearest beaches are approximately a 70-minute to a 90-minute drive away, depending on traffic. The most common beach visited by guests from Disney World is Cocoa Beach, located south of Cape Canaveral on the Atlantic side of Florida.
Daytona beach is another option, but it is a bit further away than Cocoa Beach.
Is Universal Studios Close to Disney World?
It’s pretty easy to visit both Universal Studios and Disney World in the same trip. The two theme park destinations are about 10 miles apart, but the time to travel between the two can be significant because of the I-4 traffic.
We’ve seen trips between Universal and Disney World take as short as 15 minutes and as long as 40+ minutes. The joys of I-4. But, the drive is very doable and hitting both Universal and Disney is possible.
How Far Is Kennedy Space Center From Disney World?
Kennedy Space Center, and Port Canaveral as a whole, isn’t very close to Disney World. The two destinations are about 60 miles apart. You can expect to drive over an hour and even as long as an hour and a half to go between most Disney World resorts and Kennedy Space Center.
Visiting Kennedy Space Center while you’re staying at a Disney resort is very possible, but we’d recommend starting your day very early in order to maximize your time at Kennedy.
