What about a Resort Hopping Bus?

[theelebowski]

For those who come in from out of town and stay on property, with no personal transportation I have one question. Wouldn't it be nice to get a resort hopping bus? For me one of the great things about a DV is checking out the Resorts and restaurants. That can be hard if you are at your resort, maybe to shower or relax before resort hopping and you have to take a bus back to one of the Parks just to hop back on to head to the Resort you wanted to experience. Sometimes it can be quick and other times both sets of busses can arrive or depart with large waits on both ends. Now although it doesn't feel magical usually the Bus System is just about that when you consider all of the people they move around. I respect the job that the Drivers and Managers do to make this logistical feat as smooth as it is, but could that extra route or two make it that much smoother?

Say they have a Route that stops at 3-4 resorts and they hit a central hub then from there you hop on a bus going to those resorts your looking for 3-4 stops depending on where you want to go. Now maybe this only shaves 5 to 25 Minutes off of a Guests travel, to me that is worth it as a guest. Could it also cut the traffic at the Park bus stops as well and would it make a big enough impact for Disney?

We hop under the current set-up and use the Bus System and do fine. This was just a thought I had, which I'm sure others have had as well. Does anyone know if this was ever tried before? Does anyone think that this could work? Just a thought, take care all.

 

[bookgirl]

I guess it would be nice but to tell you the truth I don't tend to have time for much hopping. I do try to try different resorts for meals and to look around but rarely just plan on extended resort hopping, so the current bus system works okay for me.

 

[Clare Voince]

I love to resort hop on the monorail, and I'd probably visit more resorts if it were more convenient to get to them, but.. I really can't stand the buses. It would certainly help people who want to dine at other resorts too, but I don't think there would be a big enough of a demand for them.

 

[okilydokily]

I wish they weren't such sticklers so much on parking at the resorts. I always drive, and no, I don't want to park at the TTC and take a bus to the resort. I want to just look around for a 1/2 hour, eat something and see the place. I know parking can be limited at some places, but they seem to always have room for valet. Plus Disney themselves don't do a good job of enforcing their own time limits which would relieve some of the problems.

I can see some of the close ones, like GF or CR being more cautious with who they let park, but they all get weird when you say you just want to check the place out. I should just start lying about what I am doing.

 

[Dorisk3]

The resorts are getting super weird about just walking around now. We've had to lie ourselves when we wanted to see the gingerbread houses at the various boardwalk resorts. The one guy at the Yacht Club was actually arguing with me about not being allowed to walk around the Boardwalk area and parking there. I get that the parking is for resort guests, of course they should have priority, but it is funny that valet for a charge is always magically available!
But back to the original topic, Disney is way too cheap to do something like that. As it is, they often have the deluxes sharing buses, no way will they run a bus for people to see the hotels for free.

 

[a742246]

When we are not doing a theme park day, we do a DVC resort pin trading and hopping day or two. If we are staying at BWV we usually walk around the lake then stop by BC, Swan and Dolphin, check out the pins at numerous places (my wife loves to pin trade), then take a boat ride to HS to hop on a bus to one of the MK resorts, have lunch and repeat the process of pin trading, go to the next resort on the monorail again pin trade, our last stop is usually GF (after 4:00) where we listen to the music and pin trade. From there we go to OKW pin trade, take the boat ride to DS, pin trade, then head back to BWV. We usually do this around Christmas time to see the different decorations at each resort, it really is a fun non park day!

 

[loves to dive]

While it would be a nice perk I can't begin to imagine the cost of it, which would mean prices would have to increase. We love to resort hop and make a point of doing it every trip (been going for over 30 years). We just pick a level we want to visit (deluxe, moderate or value) since the bus stops tend to be grouped that way and hop on the first bus that arrives. Sort of a resort roulette. Then on the way back, we just hop on whichever bus comes first for the parks, since we always have park hoppers we then go and spend a little time at whatever the park is and go from there. By the way, we always have a car since we always drive down and don't ever get in it after we've parked it except if we are doing a split stay. We used to valet park but lately I've started self parking and trust me, those valet lots are twice the size of the self parking lots. If they let people who wanted to resort hop park in the self parking, there really wouldn't be any room for the guests. I've never had any problems from any CMs in the resort when visiting, they'll ask if they can help me and I'll tell them I'm just checking the place out and they are always very helpful.

 

[Eldon_Brasche]

I agree with the OP on this as I actually had the same idea a few years ago. The thought process behind my thinking is that if I wanted to consider staying at a resort, having a tour (if you will) would be a great way for Disney to showcase all that a particular resort has to offer in order to entice guests to stay. For those staying off-property, it may just sway them to stay on-property in the future. Partnered with a DVC tour, it may even sell more time shares.

 

[supersnoop]

Many of the park buses stop at multiple resorts. Go to the bus stop and ask each driver where he's headed next.

 

[minnie mum]

Say they have a Route that stops at 3-4 resorts and they hit a central hub then from there you hop on a bus going to those resorts your looking for 3-4 stops depending on where you want to go

I can't imagine the logistics of something like this. There are more than 25 resorts run by Disney. How many buses would you have to run to efficiently get people from every resort to every other resort? And where would these transfer "hubs" be located? Under the OPs scenario, one might get on a bus, travel to several other resorts before getting to a hub, transfer to another bus at a hub, then stop at a few more resorts before finally getting to ones destination.

OR

You hop on a bus, go to a park, and hop on another bus to your destination.

Which would take longer? The only way the OPs scenario works to your advantage is if your start point and your destination are located on the same route and not separated by multiple other resorts on that route.

 

[Skywise]

You can resort hop most of the deluxe resorts pretty easily with existing transportation. Resort -> MK then monorail to the resorts there and then boat to wilderness lodge/fort wilderness. For Epcot resort area, when staying around MK I've usually monorailed to MK and then gone to the resort or taken a bus to DHS and then walked/boated over to the boardwalk area.

 

[kip0992]

Back in the "good old days" this existed - hop a green flag bus for the Poly, red flag for the Contemporary, etc. Worked fine when there were only a couple of hotels...now (unless you happened to be going to one of the other resorts on a local loop) it would take way longer than just transferring at a park.

Back in the "good old days" they encouraged you to pool hop too...going to the other resorts and using the amenities was considered a big part of the "Vacation Kingdom" experience. These days it is pretty much just all about the parks...

 

[nilla]

It would be nice, but I can't imagine how it would ever work. Far too many resorts.

We just take a cab.

 

[nilla]

The resorts are getting super weird about just walking around now.

We took a cab from CBR to BC last year for dinner. At the gate, I had to hand the guard my Magic Band so he could verify we really had ADRs.

 

[bookgirl]

It's pretty easy to boat between WL, CR and FW. Monorail for CR, POLY, GF. The all three All Stars can be walked between and POP/AoA are easily walkable. A DTD boat will take you to PO/POR and the other boat does SSR and OKW (?). Really it's only the Mods that are a little harder to navigate.

I just do a park, plan a lunch at a resort, go back to a park and plan a dinner at another location. It's all about the planning. I spent one ticketless arrival evening just roaming around the various transportations options. I saw a lot of resorts and parks. LOL

 

[bumbershoot]

I wish they weren't such sticklers so much on parking at the resorts.

We haven't experienced this.

they all get weird when you say you just want to check the place out.

Nor this.

I can't imagine the logistics of something like this. There are more than 25 resorts run by Disney. How many buses would you have to run to efficiently get people from every resort to every other resort? And where would these transfer "hubs" be located?

But if they COULD work it out, there are some who would enjoy it!

At the gate, I had to hand the guard my Magic Band so he could verify we really had ADRs.

Not everyone carries MBs. Not everyone gets MBs. If you hadn't had it, then what?

They would have asked for ID and let you go through.

 

[Hopefully]

I can't imagine the logistics of something like this. There are more than 25 resorts run by Disney. How many buses would you have to run to efficiently get people from every resort to every other resort? And where would these transfer "hubs" be located? Under the OPs scenario, one might get on a bus, travel to several other resorts before getting to a hub, transfer to another bus at a hub, then stop at a few more resorts before finally getting to ones destination.

OR

You hop on a bus, go to a park, and hop on another bus to your destination.

Which would take longer? The only way the OPs scenario works to your advantage is if your start point and your destination are located on the same route and not separated by multiple other resorts on that route.

All I can think about is what it would add to the traffic in the area and what the pollution would do to the environment. I always budget for a few resort to resort taxis per trip. Over months it is not much.

 

[maxiesmom]

All I can think about is what it would add to the traffic in the area and what the pollution would do to the environment. I always budget for a few resort to resort taxis per trip. Over months it is not much.

I agree with you. Taxis are definitely the way to go if you are trying to do things quick and easy.

Also if they had to set up transfer hubs, then what would be the point of the resort hopping buses? You can do the same exact thing now using the normal resort buses. The current transfer points are the parks and the TTC. Easy enough to bus to Epcot and hop on the monorail to the Poly, for example. Or bus to the Disney Studios and boat to the Beach Club.

 

[theelebowski]

Back in the "good old days" this existed - hop a green flag bus for the Poly, red flag for the Contemporary, etc. Worked fine when there were only a couple of hotels...now (unless you happened to be going to one of the other resorts on a local loop) it would take way longer than just transferring at a park.

Back in the "good old days" they encouraged you to pool hop too...going to the other resorts and using the amenities was considered a big part of the "Vacation Kingdom" experience. These days it is pretty much just all about the parks...

Kip, Oh man I wish I could have experienced those good ole days. Although I enjoy all of what Disney has to offer now it would have been cool to be an adult and witness the park or parks back then. All I remember is being 9 or 10 and riding the monorail through the Contemporary and my jaw hitting the floor, it was a slight upgrade from the Red Roof Inn where we were staying. I do appreciate all of the comments, I know it would never happen but it would be nice to be able to go from resort to resort without a taxi or hitting the Park terminals.

Oh well just a thought and like I said, we get by under the current system and I'm still amazed at the logistics as they are. Walt did say "it's kind of fun to do the impossible", so maybe one day it will be even better than another bus hub.

 

[kip0992]

Kip, Oh man I wish I could have experienced those good ole days. Although I enjoy all of what Disney has to offer now it would have been cool to be an adult and witness the park or parks back then. All I remember is being 9 or 10 and riding the monorail through the Contemporary and my jaw hitting the floor, it was a slight upgrade from the Red Roof Inn where we were staying. I do appreciate all of the comments, I know it would never happen but it would be nice to be able to go from resort to resort without a taxi or hitting the Park terminals.

Oh well just a thought and like I said, we get by under the current system and I'm still amazed at the logistics as they are. Walt did say "it's kind of fun to do the impossible", so maybe one day it will be even better than another bus hub.

I was just a kid back then...I'm not THAT old!!!

It was a different "World" then though... You'd go for a week vacation and only go the the park (singular) for one or two days.