10/29-11/5 Saratoga Springs bus transportation problems

[jsm715]

Well, it sounds like if SSR buses are going to be utilized by so many non-SSR guests (either with or without Disney's approval), Disney needs to allocate additional buses for SSR. While I realize that people who buy WDW tickets are entitled to use WDW transportation, I doubt that Disney wants park guests parking at Downtown Disney when they really intend to spend the day at the parks. Whether Disney approves of people using the SSR buses this way or not, something needs to be done so that SSR guests don't have experiences like ours.

OKW is another large DVC resort, and I haven't been hearing the same sort of complaints about bus transportation there, so it appears the Downtown Disney "problem" is definitely a factor.

 

[tjkraz]

While I'm sure there is some issue at SSR with people from the DTD area riding, I think the other issue is that SSR is HUGE resort. Lots of rooms means lots of people, and maybe their management is under utilizing the transportation system. Maybe they need to hear a few complaints from members before they "fix" it.

Size of the resort is not an issue. There are many bus routes at WDW which service even more guest rooms.

BWV + BWI + Dolphin + Swan has more rooms than SSR

BC + BCV + YC has more rooms

BLT + CR has more rooms

The Value resorts each have thousands of rooms

The issues are bus service frequency (which WDW transportation controls) and non resort guests using buses to avoid parking fees. I agree with Sammie...complain to DVC, bring it up in surveys, mention it to resort managers. It's certainly not an irreparable problem.

 

[heynowirv]

Bill,
You just hit it on the nail!!! We are the ones who pay for the system and they need to know that.
Thanx for putting it so simply,
Irv

 

[toocherie]

The "fix" is easy--charge for parking at DTD with validations for a purchase over a certain amount.

 

[Sammie]

The "fix" is easy--charge for parking at DTD with validations for a purchase over a certain amount.

Exactly.

 

[Deb & Bill]

The "fix" is easy--charge for parking at DTD with validations for a purchase over a certain amount.

Or WDW resort guest parking pass.

 

[Sammie]

Anyone who purchases a WDW park ticket is entitled to use the transportation system.

Actually it does not state anywhere they are entitled to use "resort" transportation. They are allowed to use theme park transportation.

Disney made this mess by eliminating the theme park buses to Downtown Disney. They did it because too many people were parking there and not paying to park at the theme parks and people were walking from the Plaza Hotel Blvd hotels and using DD buses to get to theme parks.

They don't seem to care it simply pushed the same problem they were having over to SSR.

If Disney is going to use SSR as a way to get theme park guests to DD, they need to cover the cost of extra buses.

 

[dmoore22]

Or WDW resort guest parking pass.

or WDW DVC resort room key.

 

[Deb & Bill]

or WDW DVC resort room key.

Wouldn't someone parking a car at DTD who was a WDW Resort guest already have a WDW Resort Guest Parking permit?

 

[dmoore22]

Wouldn't someone parking a car at DTD who was a WDW Resort guest already have a WDW Resort Guest Parking permit?

I'm cynical. I can forge a parking pass quite easily with my notebook and portable printer. A Resort Room Key is another matter.

 

[Wigit12]

We were there 10/16-22. Our main problem was getting back to SSR from EPCOT in the afternoons. Busses were crowded each morning so they knew there were plenty of people heading to EPCOT (F&W!!) I have never before been on a standing room only bus mid-afternoon in October. We waited over 45 minutes one day. (after waiting 30-35 minutes that morning) People were livid. Many of us went directly to the Front Desk to inform them of the problem. We saw 3 busses for OKW before our showed.
I am a big fan of Disney Transportation and never rent a car but this week was extremely frustrating.
Someone there told us they're still having trouble with the computer system they installed 2 years ago but that seems like an easy excuse.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We were there 10/16-22. Our main problem was getting back to SSR from EPCOT in the afternoons. Busses were crowded each morning so they knew there were plenty of people heading to EPCOT (F&W!!) I have never before been on a standing room only bus mid-afternoon in October. We waited over 45 minutes one day. (after waiting 30-35 minutes that morning) People were livid. Many of us went directly to the Front Desk to inform them of the problem. We saw 3 busses for OKW before our showed.
I am a big fan of Disney Transportation and never rent a car but this week was extremely frustrating.
Someone there told us they're still having trouble with the computer system they installed 2 years ago but that seems like an easy excuse.

It's good you complained to the front desk. Now you need to complain to Member Satisfaction as well.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

The "fix" is easy--charge for parking at DTD with validations for a purchase over a certain amount.

If they are ever to do that they should only charge the guests staying offsite because those would the guests who would park at Downtown Disney to use the buses from Saratoga Springs, so why should the guests who park there legally that plan to visit their stores and restaurants need to pay a fee for the mistakes of others? Personally I doubt WDW will ever charge guests to park at Downtown Disney because unlike the 4 parks it's free to enter their complex with the exception of going to Disney Quest or the AMC Theatre. Although if they ever decide to charge for parking then it should be free for those who are onsite guests, have Annual Pass and DVC members currently staying onsite. So the only guests who should pay are those staying offsite, which means it would be the same rules they have when parking at the theme parks.

 

[hakepb]

We were there 10/16-22. Our main problem was getting back to SSR from EPCOT in the afternoons. Busses were crowded each morning so they knew there were plenty of people heading to EPCOT (F&W!!) I have never before been on a standing room only bus mid-afternoon in October. We waited over 45 minutes one day. (after waiting 30-35 minutes that morning) People were livid. Many of us went directly to the Front Desk to inform them of the problem. We saw 3 busses for OKW before our showed.
I am a big fan of Disney Transportation and never rent a car but this week was extremely frustrating.
Someone there told us they're still having trouble with the computer system they installed 2 years ago but that seems like an easy excuse.

As I said, I think the busses take too long to drive from SSR to EPCOT, should be one of the closest parks to SSR, but seems like one of the longest routes.
Instead of essentially going Vacation Club way then North on EPCOT blvd, (3.2 mi) the busses go Vacation Club to then turn south to Buena Vista, past DHS, then North on World drive, then East on EPCOT blvd. That has to be tripling the distance....

 

[jsm715]

We were there 10/16-22. Our main problem was getting back to SSR from EPCOT in the afternoons. Busses were crowded each morning so they knew there were plenty of people heading to EPCOT (F&W!!) I have never before been on a standing room only bus mid-afternoon in October. We waited over 45 minutes one day. (after waiting 30-35 minutes that morning) People were livid. Many of us went directly to the Front Desk to inform them of the problem. We saw 3 busses for OKW before our showed.
I am a big fan of Disney Transportation and never rent a car but this week was extremely frustrating.
Someone there told us they're still having trouble with the computer system they installed 2 years ago but that seems like an easy excuse.

Wigit12, it sounds like you had an almost identical bus experience at SSR as we did - only we arrived 1 week after you left. It was quite frustrating, and for our friends who were visiting WDW for the first time, it didn't leave a good impression.

 

[toocherie]

If they are ever to do that they should only charge the guests staying offsite because those would the guests who would park at Downtown Disney to use the buses from Saratoga Springs, so why should the guests who park there legally that plan to visit their stores and restaurants need to pay a fee for the mistakes of others? Personally I doubt WDW will ever charge guests to park at Downtown Disney because unlike the 4 parks it's free to enter their complex with the exception of going to Disney Quest or the AMC Theatre. Although if they ever decide to charge for parking then it should be free for those who are onsite guests, have Annual Pass and DVC members currently staying onsite. So the only guests who should pay are those staying offsite, which means it would be the same rules they have when parking at the theme parks.

They charge for parking after 3 hours in DTD in California--and give two more hours validated if you eat at a table service restaurant. What are the chances that you are not going to spend money in Florida DTD when you are there? (unless you are only there to go over to SSR and use the bus system, of course). BTW==DTD in Calif. is "free" too--except for the movie theatre.

 

[ddoconnell]

We have stayed several times at SSR and this is the first year that we have ever had trouble with the bus system. It was only when we went to EPCOT. Getting there was fine, but returning mid afternoon was horrible! We waited more than 45 minutes for a bus....even with me calling the resort and transportation from line! Then they crammed 70+ people on the bus when it finally arrived!

DH had stayed behind with some of our party to hit a few more countries for F&W and he had a wait of at least 45 minutes with me calling transportation and member services from the villa!

I went over to the concierge and spoke with 2 managers and they apologized and said they would look into it. We didn't have problems the rest of the week, but that really was not a "magical" end to our day!

Even with this, I would still stay at SSR because we just love the peace and quiet after the craziness of the parks!

 

[hakepb]

We have stayed several times at SSR and this is the first year that we have ever had trouble with the bus system. It was only when we went to EPCOT. Getting there was fine, but returning mid afternoon was horrible! We waited more than 45 minutes for a bus....even with me calling the resort and transportation from line! Then they crammed 70+ people on the bus when it finally arrived!

DH had stayed behind with some of our party to hit a few more countries for F&W and he had a wait of at least 45 minutes with me calling transportation and member services from the villa!

I went over to the concierge and spoke with 2 managers and they apologized and said they would look into it. We didn't have problems the rest of the week, but that really was not a "magical" end to our day!

Even with this, I would still stay at SSR because we just love the peace and quiet after the craziness of the parks!

I'm now convinced they changes the bus route (fast route requires switching from r to l lane in less than a mile) but they do not realize that the route change needs 2x as many busses between SSR and EPCOT.

 

[jsm715]

They charge for parking after 3 hours in DTD in California--and give two more hours validated if you eat at a table service restaurant. What are the chances that you are not going to spend money in Florida DTD when you are there? (unless you are only there to go over to SSR and use the bus system, of course). BTW==DTD in Calif. is "free" too--except for the movie theatre.

This would be a good idea to implement in Florida. It would allow people to come shop and dine at DTD without having to pay for parking (regardless of where they are staying), and it would prevent off-site park guests from using DTD parking and SSR buses to avoid paying for parking at the parks.

 

[Pixieflip]

We were at SSR from 10-10-10 to 10-16-10 and had exactly the same issues. Waaaaay overcrowded buses. Long waits. And a ridiculously long wait for a bus after a day at Epcot. One night we waited so long for a bus that we started in broad daylight, watched the sun set and were in total darkness before a bus came.

It never occurred to us that people would park at DTD for free and use the SSR buses. Wow. I agree, we should have to show our DVC room key.

And there should be more buses. How hard is that??