Disney Transport Using BIG Buses

[ddrasmus1]

So I am at disney and I have traveled multiple times on a mears motercoach from AoA to the theme parks and back. They have a little disney transport sign in the front windshield but that's it. Has anyone else experienced this? I have never seen disney do this before.

 

[fairy8i8]

I saw that too the end of May! Maybe they didn't want to buy a bunch of new buses and contracting them was cheaper? AoA is really popular right now, but maybe they are expecting demand to even out in a few years? Maybe all their money is tied up in FP+ stuff? Who knows, but it was different. At least they are willing to hire contractors rather than let the waits for buses get too long!

 

[ghtx]

I strongly suspect that they are contracting these buses out temporarily during the busiest times of the year (e.g. now). Seems like a good idea.

 

[Robo]

I strongly suspect that they are contracting these buses out temporarily during the busiest times of the year (e.g. now). Seems like a good idea.

Yes. It happens many times throughout the year.

 

[castleri]

Last trip to WDW in April one of the CM's asked what I thought of the new bus colors - will try to find pix and post it. Apparently they are changing the colors to gray and red - maybe they are taking so many out of service to change the colors and are using these other ones while it is done. He said the gray was because it didn't show the dirt as easily and the red is really bright at night. Guess that is to reduce possible accidents?

 

[ilovedisneyworld]

the mears buses and the lake mary buses are contracted out during busy season. We rode a lake mary bus in March.

 

[TJBerry]

I strongly suspect that they are contracting these buses out temporarily during the busiest times of the year (e.g. now). Seems like a good idea.

Yes, they do contract them out. Our last couple visits, we had trips on virtually empty buses and had nice conversations with the bus drivers about using coach buses instead of WDW buses.

 

[disnut8]

Yes. It happens many times throughout the year.

Yep - check it out after Illuminations. A Disney bus rolled out and I thought we'd have to wait another twenty minutes. Nope. A Mears bus rolled up and off we went in about two minutes.

These are also used during marathon times between resorts and ESPN Wide World of Sports. It's not very uncommon.

It really doesn't matter to me - just get me from the resort to the park and back. I don't care who carries me.

 

[PeterPanic]

Disney only uses there own buses for the fixed destinations within the grounds. Those run all day, every day and are staffed with the needed numbers of drivers. They would cover the resorts, theme parks, water parks and DtD.

Anything that is just a once a day thing like the Backstage Tour, or longer distance runs like cruises, Magic Express, or, perhaps, this one you are referring too, would have Mears contracts to cover them. The buses, even those that have some Disney paint schemes, (Cruise or ME) are buses that are owned by Mears and leased, with driver, to Disney.

 

[minnie mum]

Last trip to WDW in April one of the CM's asked what I thought of the new bus colors - will try to find pix and post it. Apparently they are changing the colors to gray and red - maybe they are taking so many out of service to change the colors and are using these other ones while it is done. He said the gray was because it didn't show the dirt as easily and the red is really bright at night. Guess that is to reduce possible accidents?

Mouseplanet had a photo of the new paint scheme in their WDW Update today. Could be that part of the reason for the Mears buses is to replace those getting the new paint job. And the other part of the reason is just the huge summer crowds.

OT, but does anyone know when the new articulated buses are due to go into service? Not until the new bus stops at MK are finished?

 

[castleri]

found my pix - not sure I care for the color scheme but do understand their reasons.

 

[TJBerry]

Disney only uses there own buses for the fixed destinations within the grounds. Those run all day, every day and are staffed with the needed numbers of drivers. They would cover the resorts, theme parks, water parks and DtD.

Anything that is just a once a day thing like the Backstage Tour, or longer distance runs like cruises, Magic Express, or, perhaps, this one you are referring too, would have Mears contracts to cover them. The buses, even those that have some Disney paint schemes, (Cruise or ME) are buses that are owned by Mears and leased, with driver, to Disney.

They use contracted buses wherever they are needed. I've seen them in the middle of the day from resorts to the parks and especially at park closing.

 

[katt789]

They have these for the busier parts of the year and they usually come out a few days before the rush is expected to hit!

We ended up on one to DHS in Dec of '11 and it was only us on the entire thing!

 

[freckles04]

We ended up on a coach bus after Wishes last August. The seats were so comfy that DS when straight to sleep and I almost did. Best bus ride of the trip... although that feeling of bliss after a day in MK ending in Wishes may have skewed my opinion

 

[Luvchefmic]

re-new color buses to me it looks too bright in the picture I saw them and its more a gray and maroon in fact I commented the bus drivers "costumes" now match the bus anything is better than those old purple pants things Not sure how I feel about the new color of the bus, in some ways it looks "classier" KWIM ? In other ways not so Disneyesque

 

[PeterPanic]

re-new color buses to me it looks too bright in the picture I saw them and its more a gray and maroon in fact I commented the bus drivers "costumes" now match the bus anything is better than those old purple pants things Not sure how I feel about the new color of the bus, in some ways it looks "classier" KWIM ? In other ways not so Disneyesque

The one big thing about that color scheme is that the red portions of the bus are reflective. That greatly improves the safety of the bus at night because they are more likely to be seen as soon as someones headlights shine on them. Other than that big plus, I think that I really like the color scheme. It certainly showed more imagination then the old white buses with the Disney logo. I give it a thumbs up.

 

[N365PA]

We rode a contract bus last christmas from the T&TC to the Magic Kingdom. That was too busy a day for my liking!