Disney Bus Woes

[carj]

We just returned yesterday. We stayed at All Star Sports. We used the buses about 1/2 the time and our rental car the other half. DH was there for work so he would sometimes drop us off and we would ride the bus home. We never waited more than 5 minutes for a bus. Not sure if that was just good timing or what.

The only crowded bus that we experienced was at midnight from the MK. We had to stand on that one. Other than that, the buses were fine. (We even had a double stroller that I was managing solo.)

I think that with children, I prefer to have a rental car. It is just nice to be able to relax a bit more in the car rather than a bus.

 

[TruBlu]

We just got back last week. The buses at POFQ were the worst ever! We waited for HOURS for buses, then were crammed in to capacity. It was not fun at all! We changed our plans several days just to avoid the bus as much as possible. It really is a big problem.

We waited almost an hour for a Downtown Disney bus while 3 Epcot buses came to the stop.

 

[5 for WDW]

My husband and I were at OKW for three days the first week of June. The bus service from the resort to the parks was okay. Not great but not terrible.

The buses from the parks back to the resorts were terrible though! We never waited less then 45 minutes for a bus. At any time of the day. Both nights we were there, there was transportation people at the stop. They had each person that walked on line fill out a form that stated when we arrived on line and what time the bus pulled up. We gave it back to them as we were about to board the bus. They said it was due to many complaints about bus service.

We stayed at SSR in September for 10 days and we had the best bus service we ever had in a WDW resort. I hope they get the kinks worked out before we stay there again in December!

 

[cranbiz]

OK,

This new testing phase has created many more problems than solutions, hopefully, it will be sorted out soon. Disney is not outsourcing bus transportation nor are they cutting the number of buses on the road or cutting back on routes. The computers are not there to sound alarms if the bus is speeding, the alarm was something else (probably the wheelchair ramp not locked)

IF you are dissatisfied with the bus service, this is what all of you need to do when you have a problem with the bus service.

Call or visit your resort front desk and speak to a Resort Guest Service Manager. Be factual and don't whine. Provide that GSM with facts not fiction about your waits and about your displeasure. Don't go in looking for comps, that will accomplish nothing. Please, if your wait was 15-20 minutes, don't complain. Thats our stated service goals.

The only way to fix the current issues with the computer systems and current dispatch procedures is to have the resorts complain. Please don't cuss out the driver. It's not our fault that you have extended waits.

I will say, if your vacation was "ruined" by slow bus service, you may need to rethink what a vacation is.

 

[TruBlu]

I think they should put clocks at the bus stops. Several times it felt like we had been waiting forever, but it was actually only a few minutes. (Most of the time when it felt like we had been waiting forever - we actually had. )

 

[bonybroad]

We stayed at POR in April, and it was dreadful. The worst was waiting 1hour for the bus to MK. We waited and waited and waited. Finally, a group of five people (me included) went inside and asked what was going on. We had a bus in about 10 mins. During that time we watched bus after bus for AK, but it was EMH in MK. We didn't make it there until 9:30, so much for EMH for us!!

 

[gortman65]

Thanks for the tip, cranbiz. Out of curiosity, is there a list of front desk phone numbers for each resort available online somewhere? Not the numbers that route you to a call center, but to the actual front desk(s)?

I would guess that the growing pains with this new dispatch/control system must be as taxing on the drivers as it is for the customers.

OK,

This new testing phase has created many more problems than solutions, hopefully, it will be sorted out soon. Disney is not outsourcing bus transportation nor are they cutting the number of buses on the road or cutting back on routes. The computers are not there to sound alarms if the bus is speeding, the alarm was something else (probably the wheelchair ramp not locked)

IF you are dissatisfied with the bus service, this is what all of you need to do when you have a problem with the bus service.

Call or visit your resort front desk and speak to a Resort Guest Service Manager. Be factual and don't whine. Provide that GSM with facts not fiction about your waits and about your displeasure. Don't go in looking for comps, that will accomplish nothing. Please, if your wait was 15-20 minutes, don't complain. Thats our stated service goals.

The only way to fix the current issues with the computer systems and current dispatch procedures is to have the resorts complain. Please don't cuss out the driver. It's not our fault that you have extended waits.

I will say, if your vacation was "ruined" by slow bus service, you may need to rethink what a vacation is.

 

[gortman65]

TruBlu,

Good suggestion. You've inspired me to use the timer feature on my watch during our upcoming trip. I'll start it when we arrive at the bus stop so my imagination doesn't get the best of me!

I think they should put clocks at the bus stops. Several times it felt like we had been waiting forever, but it was actually only a few minutes. (Most of the time when it felt like we had been waiting forever - we actually had. )

 

[Anjelica]

I will say, if your vacation was "ruined" by slow bus service, you may need to rethink what a vacation is.

I would hope no one would feel that their vacation was "ruined" by slow bus service but I know of all the really positive and great things about our last trip that is the one thing that sticks out to me the most - and obviously not positively. I don't think its unfair for folks to state that they were "unhappy" with the times they had to wait, etc.

I do agree that no one should cuss or be rude to a bus driver as it really isn't their fault, etc. but I tell you I would love to have had a chat with the "white van" person at the front of Epcot and DHS bus stops Not to yell or scream but to understand how buses are routed, etc and if there is manual intervention by the person in the "white van" why had no bus come for our stop/location 30-45 minutes into waiting while others had 2-3 buses already stop for theirs. I think if you act in calm and rational matter its better for all parties and honestly is the right thing to do.

I will say this though - I am probably going to drive down this coming Christmas Holiday and take my own transportation to several of the parks partially due to this past experience. We have several early morning breakfasts and I don't want to chance missing any of them, etc. This past May's experiences is a contributing factor in us either renting a car if flying or just driving down and using our own transportation.

BTW - I do like the user who stated they should have a clock or something right there at the stop so that folks don't blow things out of proportion in terms of times waited, etc. I think it would even help Disney as people can see right there (when they get the glitches fixed) that hey - look - I only waited xx minutes and there is a bus already.

 

[cranbiz]

Anjelica, you are right.

Folks should be able to be displeased with slow service when in the past it was not. I don't have an issue with that. I don't have an issue with a factual report.

What I have an issue with is those who jump on the bandwagon, never rode a bus and say me too. I have a problem with those who state that they have been waiting over an hour when in reality it has been 20 minutes. ( yes, it does happen and a lot) For example, one route we are driving under this phase of testing is DTD-POP-Studios-POP-DTD. This route can be run in 40 minutes from start to finish. One day I pulled into POP from DTD and picked up for Studios. A guest was just arriving at the DTD stop and had just missed the bus so they were first in line (and I can't forget the really ugly shirt he was wearing). I left for Studios, dropped off and reloaded to head back to POP. Time leaving POP for Studios to time arriving POP for DTD 20 minutes. First thing out of the guests mouth when I pulled up to POP was, "where have you been, I have been here for over an hour"

The vans at the parks are coordinators who do different things depending on which park you are at. At MK, they are dispatching by computer and by visual rules. The computer will tell the dispatcher which run is due next based on the time of last dispatch. If a load zone is overly busy, the dispatcher has the ability to pull the next arriving bus to service that load zone. At Studios, the coordinator does not dispatch but has a small pool of buses available in case the load gets large in a load zone or a dispatched bus has an issue. Studios and DAK do not "own" buses any more. Dispatches for those parks are handled by either DTD, Epcot or MK. (like the DTD-POP-Studios-POP-DTD route I used above)

Again, Legitimate wait time bus complaints (either at the resort or the parks and please don't complain about waits during a park exit), please speak to a Resort GSM, safety issues, etc. speak to a Transportation GSM.

 

[cloverkat]

I've never understood why people would further delay an already
late bus by stopping to complain to the driver when he or she gets there.
Many times there is a line of people behind them waiting to board but they can't because
the people in front of them are blocking the aisle while they stop and vent at the driver.

 

[TruBlu]

I've never understood why people would further delay an already
late bus by stopping to complain to the driver when he or she gets there.

Me either! We were always so happy to see them coming that the boys would cheer the driver. They even hugged a couple of them.

 

[Anjelica]

Again, Legitimate wait time bus complaints (either at the resort or the parks and please don't complain about waits during a park exit), please speak to a Resort GSM, safety issues, etc. speak to a Transportation GSM.

Sincerely - thank you. I for one appreciate your explanations as its nice to know how it works on the other side of the coin. I also appreciate you taking time out to let folks know the proper way to communicate longer than expected wait times. I know there is probably nothing more frustrating then not speaking with the appropriate parties.

 

[goofy4tink]

OK,

This new testing phase has created many more problems than solutions, hopefully, it will be sorted out soon. Disney is not outsourcing bus transportation nor are they cutting the number of buses on the road or cutting back on routes. The computers are not there to sound alarms if the bus is speeding, the alarm was something else (probably the wheelchair ramp not locked)

IF you are dissatisfied with the bus service, this is what all of you need to do when you have a problem with the bus service.

Call or visit your resort front desk and speak to a Resort Guest Service Manager. Be factual and don't whine. Provide that GSM with facts not fiction about your waits and about your displeasure. Don't go in looking for comps, that will accomplish nothing. Please, if your wait was 15-20 minutes, don't complain. Thats our stated service goals.

The only way to fix the current issues with the computer systems and current dispatch procedures is to have the resorts complain. Please don't cuss out the driver. It's not our fault that you have extended waits.

I will say, if your vacation was "ruined" by slow bus service, you may need to rethink what a vacation is.

Thanks for the imput...I know it helps others to see what is going on, and that the drivers are fully aware of the guests displeasure. Everyone who has a wait of more than 25-30 mins should make a mental note to talk to the front desk.

I think they should put clocks at the bus stops. Several times it felt like we had been waiting forever, but it was actually only a few minutes. (Most of the time when it felt like we had been waiting forever - we actually had. )

I'm always timing things in WDW...especially transportation stuff. But, I don't need a clock at the bus stops, I just use my watch. When one is standing there, eagerly anticipating their fun day at MK, it's hard to think that you've only been standing there for 8 mins..it really feels much longer. I know, I've been there. So now I always note the time I arrive at the bus stop...just so that I don't get all antsy.

 

[tomerin]

if my memory serves me correctly, i beleive the new bus computer dispatch system was put in place last summer. i seem to recall how many of the bus drivers on the POFQ route had to many times answer qustions of where is this bus going because of the bus marquee being blank. i apologize if this was mentioned in earlier posts. so if they are still having issues with the new system then maybe its back to the drawing board or just go back to the old system.

i remember on our last trip becoming so annoyed at a very long wait with many other guests that i finally left the line and walked over to the "unmarked white van", where the dispatcher sits and asked him politely when is the next bus coming. he said he wasnt aware of the long wait and would send a bus over asap. i told him rather politely that maybe if he got out of his nice airconditioned van and walked around and waited with the guests that he would have a better feel for what the actual bus wait times are. we actually had a nice conversation about the buses, he seemed genuinely interested in what i had to say. he did say it is really hit or miss because they really have to guess as to just how many people are going to leave a park at some point in the day and if the lines become massive where do you pull and extra bus from. well then he told me i had to go because my bus was finally arriving. felt better after our conversation but with all of the modern technology like GPS and cell phones etec, it just seems to me that they still could do a little bit better.

it is just me or does it seem that the absolute worst bus service is when you are leaving Epcot Center? the large majority of our long waits have been when leaving here

still all in all they do a pretty decent job of moving massive amounts of people for the better part of 19 hours a day.

 

[tomerin]

I've never understood why people would further delay an already
late bus by stopping to complain to the driver when he or she gets there.
Many times there is a line of people behind them waiting to board but they can't because
the people in front of them are blocking the aisle while they stop and vent at the driver.

this has always amazed me whenever i see this. when this happens i always pass a pleasant remark to the driver to make them feel better. its not the drivers fault.

next time look at how others already on the bus sit. 1 to a bench with packages filling the vacant seat so it takes time for them to move the packages so you can sit which holds up the loading process. so if people would just use old common sense the whole process could move so much faster

 

[weluv M&M]

If I decide to rent a car to avoid all this, what is the cost of parking? We are staying at AKL. Do resort guests park for free at the parks? Renting a car then adding parking cost every day may not be in the budget.

 

[Suzimom]

You don't pay for parking at the parks when you are a resort guest. You are issued a parking pass good for your length of stay.

 

[cranbiz]

if my memory serves me correctly, i beleive the new bus computer dispatch system was put in place last summer. i seem to recall how many of the bus drivers on the POFQ route had to many times answer qustions of where is this bus going because of the bus marquee being blank. i apologize if this was mentioned in earlier posts. so if they are still having issues with the new system then maybe its back to the drawing board or just go back to the old system.

You need to remember, this is a massive project with many components. It had been divided into phases. Right now, we are in stage 3 called disruptive recovery mode (and yes, it's disruptive). This is to test and work out the bugs in case of a total system failure. (like we had last year for about 4 hours)

You can see that many of the earlier technical bugs like no marquee, spiels, routes etc have been addressed. You are interfacing 3 totally different systems from 5 different manufacturers into the bus and then there is the infrastructure on property. The system has been in testing now for just over a year with almost 400 unique defects addressed, 15 major software release updates and countless minor updates. It still has a long way to go but I have seen improvements over the last year.

I still feel that it can work, I'm just not happy with the lack of cast interaction with out guests that is now the norm with this system (unless you are on my bus)

 

[cranbiz]

this has always amazed me whenever i see this. when this happens i always pass a pleasant remark to the driver to make them feel better. its not the drivers fault.

next time look at how others already on the bus sit. 1 to a bench with packages filling the vacant seat so it takes time for them to move the packages so you can sit which holds up the loading process. so if people would just use old common sense the whole process could move so much faster

Another thing that can be done to speed up bus loading is to load back to front. Guests on first head to the back and then fill the seats coming forward. Guests that have to sit in the middle of the bus make it harder and slower to fill the bus. People....... for 10 minutes in your life, where you sit is not going to make a damn bit of difference. Work with us and we will get you to your resort / park faster.