Interesting tip in Southern Living magazine...

[POOHsie]

I agree with the previous posters that say this is a collossal waste of time (did I spell that right? lol).

Only one "l" in colossal. Got your meaning, tho. LOL

 

[bytheblood]

How cheap does one have to be to waste that much extra time to save $14?
BD

 

[notnothin]

You are completely correct. There are zero busses that run from DTD to any theme park - for this very reason. Southern Living should be ashamed of themselves.

I agree, I couldn't believe it when I read that article!

 

[cvjw]

People are following the tip. Just back this past weekend from 2 weeks at the world. Our last week, we stayed at KV. The bus from Kidani to DHS has a mandatory stop at Blizzard Beach. We were trying to make rope drop at DHS, and thought people on our bus would get off at Blizzard Beach, but instead, when the bus stopped, lots of fully clothed people got onto our bus for the ride to DHS. BB had not even opened yet, so it was obvious the people had not parked at BB to utilize the waterpark, they parked there for the free transportation (and parking) to DHS. My first thought was about the Southern Living article. BB closed at either 5 or 6 o'clock that night, so I hoped the people didn't know this, and then couldn't catch a bus back to their free parking space at BB.

 

[FigNewton]

How cheap to one have to be to waste that much extra time to save $14?
BD

Amen to that. A shuttle from DTD to the Parks is a huge waste of time. Especially If the only reason you are doing it is to save the $14 parking fee...

 

[whacked]

1. Ride bus from water park to save $14.

2. Pay $15 to take cab to water park when the buses no longer run to the water park which closed before the theme park.

 

[MickeyNicki]

I believe lots of people are doing this....the last 2 years the DTD parking lot has been insane and completely full from lunchtime on...it never used to be this way.

I remember my FIL would stay at the Double Tree and walk across the street to DTD and use the buses to get to the resorts...just get on the first bus that pulls up and then get off at that resort and catch another bus to the parks

 

[sydneysmom]

How cheap to one have to be to waste that much extra time to save $14?
BD

I totally agree !! I swear, it seems like lately there's been a ton of posts on questions on how to get around paying at Disney. How about just delay your vacation and save up ? Seems logical to me.

It's better than using your old refillable mugs, dining from the condiment tables, bringing your own hamburger buns (so you can slice that one burger amoung the family), while you claim your 8 year old is 3, all while parking for free at DTD. but hey, maybe it's just me.

 

[rwdavis2]

I totally agree !! I swear, it seems like lately there's been a ton of posts on questions on how to get around paying at Disney. How about just delay your vacation and save up ? Seems logical to me.

It's better than using your old refillable mugs, dining from the condiment tables, bringing your own hamburger buns (so you can slice that one burger amoung the family), while you claim your 8 year old is 3, all while parking for free at DTD. but hey, maybe it's just me.

Great response! If someone has to do these types of things they should definitely re-think the entire idea about going to Disney. We all can't have everything we want all the time.

 

[Hesky]

You could park at DTD and walk to the Wyndham Hotel or some other DTD area resort. It's a five minute walk and they have buses to the parks every half hour. When you get on the bus, they don't check if you're a guest at the hotel.

Not saying it's the best way to get the parks, but if you are staying offsite and want to save the $14, it would be better than taking two buses.

 

[Goofy_Girl]

I went to the southern living website and found the WDW tips. All the rest are great! They explain how fast passes work and tell you to get there at rope drop. I hate that this one bad piece of advice keeps getting put out there!

I agree, it makes me feel bad for a first time visitor to follow this advice and end up losing alot of time and in the end feel disappointed.

 

[jrtoastyman]

How cheap to one have to be to waste that much extra time to save $14?
BD

This, exactly. I like saving money as much as the next guy, but if someone were to offer me $14 to stand around and/or ride buses for a couple of hours when I was on vacation, I'd probably tell them where they could shove that $14. What an incredibly short-sighted tip.

 

[bumbershoot]

Does this mean Southern Livings's kitchen organizing tips are also bad?

Because I was blown away by "look for small nooks that can used for storage".

And to think that I've been drywalling over "small nooks" instead of using them for storage.

 

[LisaTC]

Here's the comments section for the article if any want to inform them I may have written a word or two...

http://www.southernliving.com/travel/south-east/walt-disney-world-vacation-planning-ideas-tips-tricks-00417000073299/comments-index.html

also, if you go to the Magazine site and go to the bottom to Magazine customer service you can email the editor...might be interesting.

 

[MamaLema]

We stay off site, so we spend $98 in parking for 7 days. I could not even imagine parking at the water park, waiting for the bus to a resort, waiting for a bus from the resort and doing it all over again when you leave

My kids have a hard enough time walking to the tram after a long day

 

[walkdmc]

This was stolen from "notfrostyjosh" in a 1/2011 post in response to a "Budget Disney Travel" article in Frommer's I believe. I loved it so much, I searched for it and FOUND IT!!

For your enjoyment, by notfrostyjosh:

I would have to think this is the author's ideal day at Disney.

Begin by arriving at Downtown Disney at 10:30am. Park car. Check weather - it's cloudy. Wait 25 minutes to get on "shuttle" to Animal Kingdom Lodge, his favorite theme park.

Realize that Animal Kingdom Lodge is a resort, not a theme park. Since it's now raining and he is a "fly by the seat of his pants" sort of guy, he rides shuttle to Hollywood Studios, which is hosting both evening Extra Magic Hours and Fantasmic. This is great because it turns out he loves Fantasmic. "Looking beyond the biggies," he opts to see Sounds Dangerous, his favorite attraction. No wait. Great show. Enjoys Prince Caspian next. Great film. He tears up a little.

It's time for Fantasmic. Oops, it's rained out. Gets in line for Toy Story Mania instead - 110 minute wait.

Time to return to Downtown Disney to pick up car. Waits for one hour for Downtown Disney "shuttle." It doesn't come. Asks when Downtown Disney "shuttle" will arrive - is told it never will. Needs to get on a "shuttle" to a resort and then switch "shuttles" to Downtown Disney. He is staying at All-Star Movies, so he decides to go there. Is told that he could have parked for free at any theme park because he is staying on property. Sadness ensues.

Waits 20 minutes for All-Star Movies Bus. Then 20 minutes for Downtown Disney bus.

Car is gone.

 

[Maestra99]

Here's the comments section for the article if any want to inform them I may have written a word or two...

http://www.southernliving.com/travel/south-east/walt-disney-world-vacation-planning-ideas-tips-tricks-00417000073299/comments-index.html

also, if you go to the Magazine site and go to the bottom to Magazine customer service you can email the editor...might be interesting.

Great info LisaTC, I might be tempted to write a word or two!

Glad to see I wasn't the only one doing a double-take when I read this. I can't help but wonder how many families will think they're clued in to some secret, insider advice by following that "tip," only to be in for a rude awakening when they find out it doesn't exactly work that way. All coming from an otherwise well-respected and trusted publication.

 

[sunsetbeachgal]

At WDW, to me time is money. Period. To attempt to save $14 by trying to outsmart the parking fee, when the vacation itself is so expensive? I don't get it! Shame on Southern Living for giving such tacky advice and potentially costing someone lots of precious time on their vacation...

 

[Rekenna]

I've seen this tip a couple of times in various published articles. I even had our Dr. say, "You can park at DTD and not have to pay to park and go to the Parks!". Um, no-you can't, she meant well.

Whenever we take a trip to WDW or elsewhere I plan the parking fees into our budget (we have always stayed onsite at WDW, so this hasn't been a factor but, I have thought about staying offsite and have considered the cost of parking into the budget).

Also, I agree-what a time waster! Oh, well-if all of those people would just come to the DisBoards they would learn the truth!

We could tell them, in Darth Vader voice "You cannot park at DTD and catch a bus directly to the Parks."

 

[blessedby3]

We just returned last week from our WDW vacation and went to DTD 3 times. Each time it was a nightmare to find parking there. If people are parking there for free and using the Disney busses, this would explain a lot!! We would literally spend 10-15 mins stalking people looking for a spot--as were about 8 other cars at the same time in the same location. Very frustrating
Southern Living should not be posting information like this. It makes it much harder on those of us who are playing by the rules!