RUMOR: Overhaul coming to Downtown Disney

[dcibrando]

Thank you for bringing this up. Far too often I'm trying to bus back from DTD to Beach Club and I have to wait two or three cycles to get on since so many people hitch along to get to Epcot or wherever they're going. Clogs it up real nice.

The Saratoga Springs bus (from the parks to SSR - or really to DTD) is insane at night. I have complained so many times having to wait for additional busses or having to stand with an infant while all the DTD travelers take up the SSR busses because Disney doesn't run a DTD bus from the parks.

 

[Jason71]

I would guess that it's a smaller percentage than what we might think. DTD bus service is not as frequent as the service between the resorts and parks. Add to that the fact that anyone wanting to get from DTD to a park would have to get a bus to a resort first.

Or walk to Saratoga Springs. There's a reason the Marketplace lot is largely full by 9:59 a.m. even though most DTD stores don't open until 10:00.

 

[Shmily1]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but how would that make the parking lot less crowded? Wouldn't that only increase the number of cars in the lot, since those staying offsite would need to arrange their own transportation and be more likely to drive themselves?

Because there are those that stay off property, park their cars at DTD, then ride the buses to the parks to avoid paying the $14 parking fee. This takes up parking spaces for those that are there to actually enjoy DTD but spend time circling the parking lots to find a spot to park.

 

[beer dave]

But multi-day ticket guests and annual passholders also pay into the system. A portion of the ticket price is also paid into the overall transportation system.

Of course any pass with any kind of a park hopper option has the right to use the bussing system-- it would be hard to park hop without it.

The point is that they don't necessarily have the right to park in parking lots that are not designated as "park" parking lots for the day and jump the bus to whichever park they want to go to. I would love to see the above system (paid parking at DTD after certain time alotments) inplememted for the new parking garage if it happens.

 

[mamaprincess]

The Downtown Disney parking lots at the Disneyland Resort (California) are gated. The lots provide 3 hours of free parking without validation or 5 hours of free parking with a table service meal at one of the Downtown Disney restaurants. Beyond these free limits, there's a rather steep parking charge.

That means guests can enjoy dinner, a movie, and shopping at Downtown Disney with free parking. But guests who try to use a Downtown Disney parking lot for a theme park day will pay dearly.

It's a pricing model that would also work at Walt Disney World's Downtown Disney.

That would be perfect especially since they already have it benchmarked.

 

[Chuck S]

Of course any pass with any kind of a park hopper option has the right to use the bussing system-- it would be hard to park hop without it.

The point is that they don't necessarily have the right to park in parking lots that are not designated as "park" parking lots for the day and jump the bus to whichever park they want to go to. I would love to see the above system inplememted for the new parking garage if it happens.

My comments were in response to suggestions that resort ID or encoded wristbands be required to board a resort bus. I was pointing out park hoppers and APs that they pay into the transportation system, and if those payments are reduced or eliminated based upon restricting access to the entire system, then the shortfall would be made up through a dues increase for DVC resort owners and an increase in room rates for the cash resorts. The costs associated with running the bus system to the resorts on a 20 to 30 minute schedule all day are fixed. The buses will run, empty or full and the resorts will be charged.

The best solution is not restricting bus access, but charging for parking at DtD. But there would still be those that walk to SSR from the DtD resort hotels because the Disney resort transportation is better.

 

[lthiesfeld07]

I would like this much needed change!

As for me, I did enjoy the "key card" access to Pleasure Island. Maybe that is something they will reconsider?

 

[beer dave]

My comments were in response to suggestions that resort ID or encoded wristbands be required to board a resort bus. I was pointing out park hoppers and APs that they pay into the transportation system, and if those payments are reduced or eliminated based upon restricting access to the entire system, then the shortfall would be made up through a dues increase for DVC resort owners and an increase in room rates for the cash resorts. The costs associated with running the bus system to the resorts on a 20 to 30 minute schedule all day are fixed. The buses will run, empty or full and the resorts will be charged.

The best solution is not restricting bus access, but charging for parking at DtD. But there would still be those that walk to SSR from the DtD resort hotels because the Disney resort transportation is better.

I wasn't suggesting restricting bus access-- I was suggesting restricting parking access.

Apparently we are in agreement.