Is getting to DTD as big as a pain as everyone says?

[carriemn]

I have read/heard getting to DTD is a major pain. We are staying at the Poly...please advise Thanks!

 

[boomhauer]

Not in the least bit. No more difficult than getting to a theme park. If you're driving, parking can be a pain, but that's it.

The buses pick you up and make 2 stops - Marketplace and Pleasure Island. It's a piece of cake.

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

Huh? You wait for the bus, get on the bus, ride the bus, and get off when the bus arrives at DTD.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

My family and I find that the buses from the Magic Kingdom Resorts to Downtown Disney take forever and that includes coming back to you're Resort. So that is why we always take our own transportation, because we can get there in 15 minutes and not 45 minutes - 1 hour when taking the Disney Transport buses.

 

[Lynne M]

I think you've been seeing people recommend against using DTD as a bus-switching hub when you're trying to go from resort to resort. I know I've given that advice.

This is because the DTD buses tend to take awhile to get there, and they seem to run less frequently than the theme park buses. So, it can take a pretty long time to go from resort to resort if you're changing buses at DTD.

But, just going from your resort to DTD and back? Not bad at all.

 

[gonemousin']

It's not specifically difficult to get to DTD from the Poly...but it WAS painful for me. We attempted to go to DTD and waited at the Poly bus stop for almost an hour...I went into the concierge (while my family waited at the bus stop)...the concierge called dispatch to let them know that a bus hadn't been by for an unreasonable amount of time and assured me that one would be there soon...we waited another hour...it never came. We gave up and went back to our resort. During that entire two hour wait, we saw four buses for AK, none for MGM, and one for EPCOT. There was an angry mob forming by the time we gave up and left. We never had a problem getting a bus from Pop Century. Although, we did have a LONG wait for a DTD bus when we stayed at the Grand Floridian...but it did eventually arrive (45 minutes maybe).

 

[lyzziesmom]

I have a related question: Can you get to DTD from the parks? If I have an ADR at Planet Hollywood and I am at MK that day, can I get a bus from MK to DTD? I'm pretty sure I read that DTD buses do not go to the parks due to people parking at DTD for free and then going to a park, but I'm unclear on whether the buses go the other way, from the parks.

Thanks!

 

[seashoreCM]

A two hour wait for a bus? I kinda' think each needs a post mortem analysis.

I would hope it is just an aberration and not something that occurs day in and day out.

I'm told that there is a new bus dispatching system either coming soon or gradually being implemented. Anyone want to spill the beans on how it will improve on things like this?

Does the new system have any "man on the street" feedback mechanism? Like a phone number guests can call?

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[Principessa Alba]

Not in the least bit. No more difficult than getting to a theme park. If you're driving, parking can be a pain, but that's it.

The buses pick you up and make 2 stops - Marketplace and Pleasure Island. It's a piece of cake.

Wow I couldn't disagree more. For some reason, a 5 minute drive from the Poly turns into a half hour bus ride. It's maddending!

We got so sick of it we took a cab a few times and then broke down and rented a car for our trips. (Makes it easier to get to AKL for dinner at Jiko too).

We have never had trouble getting a parking space.

 

[Andyjo0930]

I have a related question: Can you get to DTD from the parks? If I have an ADR at Planet Hollywood and I am at MK that day, can I get a bus from MK to DTD? I'm pretty sure I read that DTD buses do not go to the parks due to people parking at DTD for free and then going to a park, but I'm unclear on whether the buses go the other way, from the parks.

Thanks!

As far as I know, buses do not run from any parks to DTD. From MK, you would either have to go to one of the hotels on the monorail and catch the bus from there, or go to the transportation center and catch the bus there for DTD.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I always have a rental car, DtD is one of the places I use it.

 

[MomofKatie]

The buses aren't difficult, per se, but they can take a looong time. We much prefer to drive to DTD- we've never had a tough time finding a parking place.

 

[estherhead]

How much would a cab from AS Sp to DTD be? I waited FOREVER once to get a bus from POP to DTD. It was terrible. We gave up & went to get our own car. That was the only time I ever tried to bus to DTD. This time we'll be without a car and I'm nervous about the AS transfer to there & TL.

 

[NeverSayNever]

I am wondering about the cab scenario too...

We will be staying at GF and were thinking of going to DTD after nap late one afternoon and using a taxi both ways.

Any idea on how easy this is to do, cost and is it time efficient over the buses?

Thanks!

 

[Traveliz]

I am one who would agree that getting to DTD from the Poly is a bit of a pain - seems like the buses aren't as frequent, and then they stop at another hotel and Typhoon Lagoon plus both DTD stops so although the buses do get you there it is often a timely process.

IF I have a car I ALWAYS take it to DTD.

Liz

 

[Spectro is #1]

Not in the least bit. No more difficult than getting to a theme park. If you're driving, parking can be a pain, but that's it.

The buses pick you up and make 2 stops - Marketplace and Pleasure Island. It's a piece of cake.

Wrong!!!!
This bus will also stop at another resorts and Typhoon Lagoon. The resort stop changes once and a while but the bus will most likely be shared with one other resort. We were there in June and we had to stop at the Contemporary and Typhoon Lagoon.

From DTD during TL hours it took us an hour to get to the Poly.
plus you run the risk of sitting in a wet seat too!
This of coarse is not a problem after TL closes but you should be aware of it.

 

[boomhauer]

Wow I couldn't disagree more. For some reason, a 5 minute drive from the Poly turns into a half hour bus ride. It's maddending!

We got so sick of it we took a cab a few times and then broke down and rented a car for our trips. (Makes it easier to get to AKL for dinner at Jiko too).

We have never had trouble getting a parking space.

I'm not too certain how it is from Poly as I've never stayed there. Now that you mention it, I do recall having a long bus trip from WL on a visit there to DTD. Numerous stops. It was annoying. The buses from All Stars and Pop are direct and take about 10 minutes.

Only reason I have a tough time finding parking sometimes is I like to park at the Marketplace, and that's the most crowded section (parking wise.) There's always plenty of parking spaces open by the West Side.