One hour wait for AK bus

Eastern · Sep 30, 2016

If I am waiting more than 1/2 hour I will usually either mention it to one of the other bus drivers or look for one of those clipboard people who alway seem to be around the bus stops.

My biggest surprise about deluxe Disney hotels was that the bus service isn't any better than at the cheaper hotels; in fact, it's often worse.

Shelly F - Ohio · Sep 30, 2016

And this is why we rent a car.

kaytieeldr · Sep 30, 2016

ErinsMommy said:
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.

Very early - 6:30-8ish - 30 minutes is normal, typical, scheduled, whatever.

seashoreCM · Sep 30, 2016

... if you watch the buses that come to pick up from HS there's twice as many for other resorts than the monorail resorts.

In the morning, when full buses discharge at Hollywood Studios, most are going to go (empty or nearly empty) to nearby resorts to make their next filled up runs. That is, buses do not necessarily run between the same park and the same resort over and over. But for the park closing rush, the buses should be balanced for going full to the various resorts but most will have arrived nearly empty from nearby resorts. This "rectangular routing" of short leg empty, long leg full, short leg empty, etc. can result in spotty service back to some resorts in the morning. Thus you need to seek out a transportation supervisor at the park platform in those circumstances to find out when the next bus back to your resort will come and maybe redirect a bus for you.

I'm sure that most transit systems take buses off of various routes to serve a sudden demand. At least the Boston MBTA does. Should there be a sudden problem on the subway, buses will be commandeered off of their regular routes to take passengers around the section that is out of service. Yes, I have read complaints about long waits at and filled buses bypassing crowded stops in the street.

(copied from another forum) I still use the MBTA for practically all travel in Boston, although I had a car and drove practically all of the time on my last two or three Disney trips (because I stayed offsite and also went to offsite restaurants). However on those trips I stayed on site I usually used the buses. Now, once in awhile, given the choice, I drove to a water park so I could leave some clothing and other things in the car. Next time I run into a problem on the MBTA I should say over and over, "Things could be worse. I could be at Disney."

MillauFr · Oct 1, 2016

Too bad they didn't build all of the hotels and parks within walking distance of each other.

joelkfla · Oct 1, 2016

MillauFr said:
Too bad they didn't build all of the hotels and parks within walking distance of each other.

Too bad they won't build walkways between the hotels & parks that are within walking distance of each other.

MillauFr · Oct 1, 2016

joelkfla said:
Too bad they won't build walkways between the hotels & parks that are within walking distance of each other.

Agreed. Wilderness Lodge is an easy walk from Magic Kingdom if they would only build a path.

AngiTN · Oct 1, 2016

MillauFr said:
Agreed. Wilderness Lodge is an easy walk from Magic Kingdom if they would only build a path.

And even more so, GF

joelkfla · Oct 1, 2016

AngiTN said:
And even more so, GF

And then there are AK to AKL; CBR and Pop/AoA to DHS; and OKW & PO to Epcot. If you look at the satellite, they're physically close, although in some cases pedestrian bridges and/or boardwalks thru the conservation areas would be needed.

seashoreCM · Oct 2, 2016

These distances are greater than you would think if guests had to use the existing park entrances.

Maybe not so great that guests would not walk on a not too hot day but great in terms of construction, upkeep, and surveillance of walkways.

TxWriterMama · Oct 2, 2016

After a 20 min wait, I would have just stepped onto the first bus going to a park and transferred to an AK bus there.

MillauFr · Oct 2, 2016

seashoreCM said:
These distances are greater than you would think if guests had to use the existing park entrances.

Maybe not so great that guests would not walk on a not too hot day but great in terms of construction, upkeep, and surveillance of walkways.

They probably spend more in one day maintaining that crappy monorail then they do in a year for all of the walking paths. You can walk a mile in the average time you have to wait for the bus.

joelkfla · Oct 2, 2016

seashoreCM said:
These distances are greater than you would think if guests had to use the existing park entrances.

Maybe not so great that guests would not walk on a not too hot day but great in terms of construction, upkeep, and surveillance of walkways.

I know. Some would really require a 2nd gate to be practical. But some (like AK to AKL) are well under a mile, even using the current park entrance, if the path were routed smartly.

And I recognize that some of the paths that do exist, like between DS West Side & OKW at just under a mile, are barely used. But that bath is also barely publicized, and I think it officially closes at dusk (probably for wildlife safety, as it is lighted all the way.)

hsmamato2 · Oct 3, 2016

Eastern said:
If I am waiting more than 1/2 hour I will usually either mention it to one of the other bus drivers or look for one of those clipboard people who alway seem to be around the bus stops.

My biggest surprise about deluxe Disney hotels was that the bus service isn't any better than at the cheaper hotels; in fact, it's often worse.

this is true... at least IMHO.... every time we have to catch a bus from one of the pricier resorts, it feels like we have to wait longer.... and I always assumed that paying a higher price should mean excellent service.... if the 'standard' is every 20 minutes,from any hotel, it should definitely not be longer than that when you're paying 300+ to stay there/ride the bus. Yes, it does factor in, even in 'disney-logic'! and any longer than 20 mins, I alert any drivers/cm's I can find about an issue. Usually they reroute a bus where needed if alerted. (like if there are 3 AK buses,and no Ep for 1/2 hour)

akg1128 · Oct 3, 2016

I'm assuming not, but does anyone know if there is a transportation number you can call if you are in the middle of a long wait for a bus at one of the theme parks and no employees are around?

AngiTN · Oct 3, 2016

akg1128 said:
I'm assuming not, but does anyone know if there is a transportation number you can call if you are in the middle of a long wait for a bus at one of the theme parks and no employees are around?

I'm going to also imagine not.
Because can you imagine how many phone calls they'd get? With the impatience of the public these days they'd have people calling demanding a bus after 2 min.

TLSnell1981 · Oct 3, 2016

I've had bus drivers call for transportation when asked, but no one did on this occasion. I had to go inside the hotel and ask for help.

minijeanie · Oct 7, 2016

BarbieGal457 said:
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.

Room price has absolutely everything to do with it. I was referring to all rooms at Disney not deluxe. All rooms are overpriced and for paying that premium you should get premium service. OP didn't and neither did we a few days ago staying at BC. We waited over an hour for MK bus. Must of been at least 5 busses going to AK but none for MK. A guest standing with us complained and only then did a bus show 10 minutes later. I made decision next trip I rent a car. MDE was incredibly slow as well. It took 2 hours to get from airport to hotel. Never again

kaytieeldr · Oct 7, 2016

Okay, well, the average range for getting from the plane to the resort is 70-90 minutes on DME (MDE being something else entirely

), so some trips will be shorter, but some trips will be longer. Depends on the time of day, how many guests have to go where, what the smartest routing for the DME bus is...

Disney's transportation system is actually public transportation, albeit in a limited area. Public transportation users who pay $2,500+ a month rent, or a million plus dollars for a unit in large cities don't have a rertasonable expectation of superior service based on their living costs.

Any Disney guest is welcome to utilize the wide variety of transit options, including renting, Über, etc.

Huff · Oct 7, 2016

We waited just over 1 hour for bus from POR to HS. Several buses for all other locations including 2 at the exact same time showed up for MK. About 25 people were waiting for HS, only a couple got on any of the MK buses nor DS buses that came by.

One hour wait for AK bus

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