One hour wait for AK bus

[joelkfla]

I know some bus managers (unfortunately, not all) who would immediately commandeer 2 or 3 buses if they knew a bus hadn't been by in an hour.

IMO, they should program the computer system to immediately page the duty manager when there's been no bus for a destination within 25 minutes.

 

[minijeanie]

I am sorry you had to wait so long. Considering the price you pay for a room there is no reason you should have to wait that long.
Last few trips I have decided to stay either BW, Dolphin, or BC So I can walk to either epcot or HS.
then I do MK side so I can boat or monorail to MK
The only problem is AK and then I drive,

For me this is the only reasonable solution if you want to stay inside the parks. I am leaving tomorrow for my 14th trip but I think my next trip will be staying outside for most of the time and inside for 1-2 days. For me Disney has drove me away due to room prices

 

[kandb]

We stayed at the BC in August. The bus to AK didn't come for 45 minutes from when we arrived at the bus stop. Coming back that same night, we waited over 30 minutes but there were a lot of people in front of us that were waiting a lot longer and they were really getting annoyed and many were getting off the line and going to the dolphin/swan bus stop because they didn't want to wait anymore. It was really annoying and was a waste of time.

 

[crazedprincess]

It's a lot more silent than it used to be.

 

[CAS239]

Reason why I'm glad we always have a car when we go. Every time we've waited for a bus, it's never been short. There's no sense in waiting 20min or more when I can drive to the next park and be there before a bus ever shows up.

 

[gdrj]

Is there any advance warning if the monorail is down? One of the main reasons we are staying at the contemporary is the monorail. Might rethink it and stay at an Epcot resort instead.

Since you can walk to MK from Contemporary it is the best choice if visiting MK mostly. If you are planning to visit EPCOT/HS primarily Boardwalk/BC/YC is ideal. Of course you have to deal with the busses to MK which can be an issue. IMO most times the Busses run fairly well, there is always going to be that time you had to wait forever.

 

[gdrj]

Buses at Contemporary were always horrible. Waited for half an hour in 2015 for HS.

Am I reading this right you waited 30 minutes? Since busses are typically 20 minutes not sure if that is classified as horrible. Now if you said 1 1/2 hours that is a different story.

 

[ErinsMommy]

Am I reading this right you waited 30 minutes? Since busses are typically 20 minutes not sure if that is classified as horrible. Now if you said 1 1/2 hours that is a different story.

Yes but it was first thing in the a.m. to make an ADR. Sorry but 1/2 hr wait time first thing in a.m. wasn't acceptable. Add to that the long waits coming back from HS to the CR. Maybe its just the distance from HS to CR and the surrounding resorts that's just given low priority because if you watch the buses that come to pick up from HS there's twice as many for other resorts than the monorail resorts.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

That is why we stay at the Epcot resort hotels. At least once every trip there is a late bus. It gets really frustrating when one bus keeps going by while the crowd accumulates for the missing bus. I always take Uber to the water parks. The roundabout way for the bus is ridiculous. Less than $15 to the TL from BC. Can't be the elimination of the wait.

 

[aleksandr]

And, that is why you should have a car. I know it sounds snobbish but I dealt with public transportation growing up in NYC and I vowed never again. Granted, we drive to Disney every year so we can't not have a car, but even when we used to fly we'd rent a car. I couldn't imagine coming out of a theme park for the day, hot and tired, and then having to wait in line for a bus to drive all over Disney property before getting to my hotel.

 

[xiphoid76]

Uber is the way to go - very cheap to transport your family from resort to resort or attractions. I have had bad luck with the bus system as well, so always now use Uber. Usual wait time is 5 minutes or less and they cost between 5-10 dollars for your whole party.

 

[AngiTN]

And, that is why you should have a car. I know it sounds snobbish but I dealt with public transportation growing up in NYC and I vowed never again. Granted, we drive to Disney every year so we can't not have a car, but even when we used to fly we'd rent a car. I couldn't imagine coming out of a theme park for the day, hot and tired, and then having to wait in line for a bus to drive all over Disney property before getting to my hotel.

Different strokes. We can't imagine coming out of the theme park, waiting on the tram, finding the car, getting in the 100+ degree oven that is said car, finding our way out and back to the resort.

 

[AngiTN]

Uber is the way to go - very cheap to transport your family from resort to resort or attractions. I have had bad luck with the bus system as well, so always now use Uber. Usual wait time is 5 minutes or less and they cost between 5-10 dollars for your whole party.

We use them any time we are going Resort to Resort. And at times, back to the parks after a break if we are running behind. DHs idea of being on time is to leave our room at the time I say we need to be on the bus

 

[SaintsManiac]

I stay on site so I don't have to drive AT ALL. Part of being on a Disney vacation is that I do not have to get behind the wheel. I have a terrible commute to and from work, so I refuse to drive on vacation.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

If you can't handle waiting then yes you need a car. Not the same as saying that EVERYBODY needs a car. Part of public transportation is waiting. and Disney is my designated driver. Sometimes Uber.

 

[Lalalyn]

Uber is the way to go - very cheap to transport your family from resort to resort or attractions. I have had bad luck with the bus system as well, so always now use Uber. Usual wait time is 5 minutes or less and they cost between 5-10 dollars for your whole party.

How do you deal with Uber if you have young kids who are still in car seats? I have one in a booster and two in convertible carseats.

 

[AngiTN]

How do you deal with Uber if you have young kids who are still in car seats? I have one in a booster and two in convertible carseats.

It probably wouldn't be a valid option for you. Unless you can provide your own, like a Bubblebum (booster replacement)
In FL, Uber and Lyft drivers are the ones required to ensure their passengers abide by the car seat laws. Which are under 6 must be in a car seat. Taxi's are different in that drivers are not subject to fines, the parents are.
So it sounds like you'd need 2 car seats and a booster if your other is under 6, and Uber drivers won't have 2 seats. Some will have 1 they can provide at an upcharge but you would have to request it specifically and waits for them can be longer than a car without car seats.
Lyft won't be an option at all, the do not have a car seat service at this time.

 

[BarbieGal457]

I am sorry you had to wait so long. Considering the price you pay for a room there is no reason you should have to wait that long.

I'm not sure what differences in room prices have to do with one's time spent having to wait for transportation. Of course the deluxes do have monorail access for the most part, but if it's down, it's down, and buses I'm sure have to be rerouted to handle it which adds on extra time. We had to wait over an hour for a bus to Disney Springs last December...it happens and your room price or location should have nothing to do with what resorts get extra buses when certain features are down. Does it stink to wait? Sure, but it's very rare. In all my tons of trips that was the only time I've ever waited more than 20 minutes for a bus.

 

[KrazeeK120]

Different strokes. We can't imagine coming out of the theme park, waiting on the tram, finding the car, getting in the 100+ degree oven that is said car, finding our way out and back to the resort.

I'm not sure that these are really valid concerns. If you prefer Disney transport, that's completely fine, but driving is fine as well.

-Waiting on the tram is no different than waiting on the bus, and in many cases, we just walk to our car rather than waiting for the tram.
-These days, car air conditioning works incredibly fast. The car is cool within a few minutes.
-It's not like the exits are hidden. It's not hard to "find your way out" or around Disney property. The signage is very, very good.

I get that there are people who prefer Disney transport, but I like knowing I'll have a seat in my own vehicle and don't have to deal with tired, cranky people outside of my own family. I'm not guaranteed a seat on a Disney bus. What I am guaranteed at park closing is to be packed like a sardine onto a bus with sweaty strangers. These are facts, not opinions. Again, I get that there are people who don't mind this type of scenario. But, I've experienced it and I didn't like it. Other than to and from MK, driving is going to be faster most of the time, and I like to get where I'm going ASAP. My husband and I have agreed that driving ourselves is much more relaxing for our family.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Moving to the Transportation forum as this has morphed into a general transport thread.