The service information below is correct at the time of writing - 4 December 2011. However, services do change from time to time, so anyone intending to use bus services should check independently before their visit. The website address for LYNX buses in Orlando is www.golynx.com .
Lake Buena Vista refers to a large area which in general is not well served by public buses. There are two locations, though, which do enjoy a good, frequent bus service. These two areas are both to the immediate north of I4 - Hotel Plaza Boulevard, and Palm Parkway. Please note - if you are not within what you would consider walking distance to these locations, there are no other useful bus routes elsewhere in Lake Buena Vista.
Public buses in the Greater Orlando area are operated by the city under the "LYNX" branding. There are many interlocking routes and the system is designed around the potential need to change buses to reach a given destination. LYNX bus stops are around 200 yards (or metres) apart on average. LYNX operates a request stop system - you have to clearly signal the driver if you want to get on, and ring the bell when you want to get off. All buses are wheelchair-friendly. LYNX stops are indicated by a pink paw-print logo and each stop shows the route numbers that call there. All buses stop at all stops along their route (except in very few locations where, for example, it's necessary for the bus to be in a certain lane to make a turn and so it can't access the stop).
PALM PARKWAY
This street is served every 30 minutes by LYNX service 50. In the one direction, this route continues along Hotel Plaza Blvd to DownTown Disney and onwards to Disney's Transportation & Ticket Center. You can transfer on Hotel Plaza Blvd. to LYNX 111 (see below). In the other direction it serves Sea Harbor Drive (for Sea World and transfers to other areas - see below) and on to DownTown Orlando.
To get out and about from Palm Parkway, see the instructions below. If the directions require you to use bus 50, then you can catch it on
Palm Parkway. If you need to take bus 111 then you will first need to get to Hotel Plaza Blvd (either by walking or by taking bus 50 towards Disney and transferring across the street when you reach Hotel Plaza Blvd.)
HOTEL PLAZA BOULEVARD (aka "DownTown Disney Area Hotels")
This street is served by both LYNX bus routes in the area - 50 and 111. Service 50 serves DownTown Disney and onwards to Disney's Transportation & Ticket Center in the one direction, and in the other direction, serves Palm Parkway and onwards to Sea Harbor Drive (for Sea World and transfers to other areas - see below) and on to DownTown Orlando. Service 111, also every 30 minutes, also serves DownTown Disney and the Transportation Center, and, in the other direction, serves Westwood Blvd and a mini-interchange close to the Convention Center on International Drive, before continuing, via the expressway, to the Florida Mall and Orlando International Airport.
ATTRACTIONS
Disney Attractions - Bus 50 or 111 to Disney's
Transportation & Ticket Center. Use Disney's free bus/boat/monorail
to the parks.
DownTown Disney - walkable, really; but otherwise bus 50 or 111.
Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure - easiest route
is bus 111 to the Florida
Mall; transfer there to bus 37 to Universal. 37 is every 30
minutes Monday - Friday, every 30 minutes (at different times) on Saturday, and hourly on Sunday/Holiday dates. Overall trip time is about 90 minutes.
Sea
World/Aquatica/Discovery
Cove - bus 50 direct. Trip time about 20 minutes. For
Discovery Cove, go to Sea World and then use their free shuttle service.
Busch
Gardens - this is way outside the area covered by LYNX buses.
To get here, you'll need the Busch Gardens shuttle express which picks
up at several places in the area. The easiest pick up location to get
to from Lake Buena Vista is at Sea World (see above). This is a once-per-day
scheduled service, but you need to book in advance by phone or online to
be sure of getting a seat. The price is very low and it's free for
holders of certain multi-park admission tickets (e.g. the type of
Orlando FlexTicket which includes Busch). This service is not part of
LYNX, but you can, of course, use LYNX to get to the pickup point if
necessary. More details and online bookings here https://secure.mearstransportation.co...
SHOPPING AND OTHER VENUES
Florida Mall - bus 111 direct;
trip time about 30 minutes.
Premium Outlets - Vineland Avenue - bus 50 to its first stop on Sea Harbor Drive
(about 15 minutes - ask the driver); cross the street and take an 8
going back the other direction.
Premium Outlets - International Drive - bus 50
to its first stop on Sea Harbor Drive (about 15
minutes - ask the driver); from the same stop take an 8 going the same
direction as the 50. OR bus 111 to the Destination Parkway interchange; transfer there to bus 42.
International
Drive generally -
bus 50 to its first stop on Sea Harbor Drive (about
15 minutes - ask the driver); from the same stop take an 8 going the
same direction as the 50. OR bus 111 to the Destination Parkway interchange; transfer there to bus 42. While you are
there, if you want to hop
about, use buses 8 or 42, but when eventually connecting back to
Disney, you need to be on an 8 to get right to the stops near Sea World
where the 50 also calls; or on a 42 to Destination Parkway to transfer
to bus 111. Note that International Drive also has the I-Ride trolley
service. LYNX passes and transfers aren't valid on trolleys.
Mall
at Millenia
- go to Premium Outlets - International Drive as above then take bus 24 to Millenia. 24 runs
only once per hour and stops fairly early so do check the schedule
Orlando
International Airport - bus 111 direct; trip time about 55
minutes. If starting out at the airport, note that the LYNX stops
are located
on the A-side of the Main Terminal, on the Ground Transportation Level
(Level 1), at Commercial Lane spaces A38-A41
Kissimmee (for "Old Town", Celebration, etc.) and shopping at WalMart - Use either 50 or 111 to Disney's Transportation & Ticket Center. From there, LYNX 56 will take you to the outskirts of Celebration (about 10 minutes), Old Town (about 15 minutes) and the WalMart Supercenter at Vine St
Kissimmee (about 35 minutes). Ask the driver where to get off if necessary. (Bus 56
runs right along US192 in Kissimmee
between Celebration and Vine St before terminating at Osceola Square,
so you can use it to visit other venues in this area. There are several
Flea Markets and many restaurants, for example).
WalMart (alternative) - Bus 111 to the Florida Mall; transfer there to 37 which passes the WalMart supercenter on John Young Parkway. The bus stop is at the rear of the store. Buses in both directions use the same stop. 37 is less frequent - only once per hour - on Sundays.
LYNX SCHEDULES (TIMETABLES)
Download schedules for all these
and other LYNX services at
http://www.golynx.com/travel-informat...
Note that schedules only give scheduled times at certain timing
points. There are many stops in between these.
LYNX
FARES AND PASSES
If you're going to make more than 8
one-way trips over more than 3 days in a 7-day period,
then get a weekly pass - $16 for a week's unlimited use. These have to
be bought in advance; probably the
easiest way to do it is on the website http://www.golynx.com/fares-passes/
(pick the $16 7 day pass). They will mail to overseas addresses. Or
you can get them at the Official Visitor Center on International Drive
(by trolley marker #20, 1/2 a block north of Bahama
Breeze set at the
back of a parking lot and indicated by an orange, blue and black "i"
sign). In any case, passes are validated on the bus the first time of
use and the period of validity starts then.
Otherwise, LYNX
costs:
$2 each person one-way regardless of distance. Transferring
buses (eg from 50 to 8 at Sea World for the outlets) is at no extra cost
so long as you ask for a transfer ticket when you board and pay.
or
$4.50
for an all-day ticket (if you are going to make more than 2 one-way
trips in a day)
You can buy one-way fare and one-day passes from
the driver. No change given. If buying a Day Pass, tell the
driver you want one BEFORE you start feeding money into the machine.
FINALLY
All
the services mentioned above have a daytime frequency of every 30
minutes or better except where stated and run every day of the week,
including holidays. Most also run well into the evening and mostly at
similar frequencies. The last 50 towards Lake Buena Vista, for example, leaves Sea
World at around 11pm daily and they are every 30 minutes beforehand.
But do study the schedules for precise timings to minimise waiting and
note that the number 8 bus stops running earlier in the evening on Sundays.
It's
worth emphasising that LYNX bus drivers are mostly helpful, patient and
co-operative for the most part and will answer questions and give
guidance. You will quickly get the hang of it.