Actual Tried & True Travel Times on Disney Busses

[Hoopfamily]

Hey everyone,
We're leaving to stay at the BWI 10/23-10/30. Just trying to get some ideas on times. For example we have a ressie at Rainforest Cafe (AK) on 10/24 @ 8:30am. What time should we depart to be there at a reasonable time. Bear in mind I'm an always early never late kinda guy. Unfortunatly my DW, outlaws & DSF are not. Thanks.

 

[Olaf]

My two cents. Save yourself some grief and rent a car. We gave up on the buses a long time ago.

 

[Hoopfamily]

My two cents. Save yourself some grief and rent a car. We gave up on the buses a long time ago.

I've used the busses plenty, never really had trouble. But if you're paying for a car for us i'll take it.

 

[travelin' tigger]

Hey everyone,
We're leaving to stay at the BWI 10/23-10/30. Just trying to get some ideas on times. For example we have a ressie at Rainforest Cafe (AK) on 10/24 @ 8:30am. What time should we depart to be there at a reasonable time. Bear in mind I'm an always early never late kinda guy. Unfortunatly my DW, outlaws & DSF are not. Thanks.

Seriously, leave for the bus AT LEAST an hour before your reservation. Last thing you want to do is miss it!!

Also, I've heard from a few people that driving to AK for an early reservation can be hit or miss - sometimes the parking lot didn't open until late (8:15ish)!

HTH!!!

 

[Olaf]

I've used the busses plenty, never really had trouble. But if you're paying for a car for us i'll take it.

Good for you. Can't say the same. My vacation time is too precious, and I'm not going to waste it spending hours on those buses. Also, the Boardwalk can be on a 5-resort loop.

As far as a car goes, I've never paid more than $175.00 for a week. Hardly breaks the bank.

 

[LoraJ]

Good for you. Can't say the same. My vacation time is too precious, and I'm not going to waste it spending hours on those buses. Also, the Boardwalk can be on a 5-resort loop.

As far as a car goes, I've never paid more than $175.00 for a week. Hardly breaks the bank.

I agree. Especially if you want to park hop or visit different resorts for dinner. We wasted so much time one day going from our hotel -> MGM -> AK -> back to hotel. Total bus time 90 minutes.

 

[CleveRocks]

Good for you. Can't say the same. My vacation time is too precious, and I'm not going to waste it spending hours on those buses. Also, the Boardwalk can be on a 5-resort loop.

As far as a car goes, I've never paid more than $175.00 for a week. Hardly breaks the bank.

Good for you. Can't say the same. My vacation time is too precious, and I'm not going to waste it spending hours behind the wheel, dealing with traffic, getting into a hot car that's been baking in the sun, etc.

I spend every day of my regular life driving everywhere, so I'm THRILLED about having a week here and there where I can forget about even carrying a car key. I can rest my feet AND my brain while I relax on a bus and let someone wearing purple pants concentrate on the guy in the Plymouth Volare in front of us who's driving 28 mph in a 45 mph zone and has had his left turn signal on since Ocala.

 

[LoraJ]

What traffic?
I have yet to get stuck in traffic anywhere in the World while in a car. A nice private car with no one coughing and hacking all over me. And where I can sit. I commute 90 minutes a day in awful traffic. I find driving at WDW to be relaxing.

We do take the bus to PI so that I can have a little fun and be responsible. Bus wait time was 20 minutes to and back. But one time our resort bus never showed up to bring us back at 1am. The bus dispatcher put us on a POP bus and dropped us off after dropping them off.


ETA:
I think the only time we got stuck in traffic at WDW was when we were on a bus. The buses from CBR to DTD all go down some back road past SSR. There was an accident on that road. I was very jealous of all of the cars who were turning around and going back to use the main road. The buses just sat in the traffic. It took forever to get to DTD that day.

Also, above I had talked about 90 minute bus time, that was just waiting time, add another 15 minutes at least to each trip for travel time.

 

[Olaf]

Good for you. Can't say the same. My vacation time is too precious, and I'm not going to waste it spending hours behind the wheel, dealing with traffic, getting into a hot car that's been baking in the sun, etc.

If sitting around and waiting, and riding the buses is part of the fun of Disney World for you, far be it from me to spoil it. It's a simple cost/benefit analysis--what's your time worth? But honestly, if everyone who went to WDW rented a car, then there really would be traffic there.

 

[CleveRocks]

Olaf, I absolutely LOVE the photo in your signature.

 

[Olaf]

Olaf, I absolutely LOVE the photo in your signature.

Thank you.

 

[goofy4tink]

Okay...to answer the OP's question....if you have an 8:30 ADR at Rainforest, then I would plan on being at the BW bus stop at 7:00.

 

[Hoopfamily]

Thanks guys ( & gals). I have the info i needed. We did a car on the first trip, and I found waiting on the tram the same as waiting on a bus. I like the fact that I don't have to worry about the issues of having a car for the week.


By the way we leave in 10 days. Can't wait lotsa planning to do cya

 

[Rpsemont]

Personally, we usually rent a car, but if I didn't want to rent a car, and I had your situation, I would go to the bus stop at 7:45. If a bus didn't come in 15 minutes, I'd splurge and take the cab. The $20 is a worthy alternate to being at a bus stop at 7AM JMHO

 

[eeyore45]

We stayed at BWV - I always used the 15 min rule - and I wasnt disappointed once - the buses did arrive - very pleasant experience with busses at BWV compared to POR - (less crowded, but of course that could be due to the crowds? )

I too noticed that there were always taxis lined up at the entrance at BW - so it was on our minds if the bus didnt come, we're splurging... but never had to -

I also agree in the one hour rule tho - and the bus does hit all those other resorts - so you do have to zone out.... (and that early in the morning sometimes we'd be the only ones on the early am bus, but still did the loop!!)

 

[gigi1313]

we had 8:30 ressies at POR and we were coming from ASMu and we got to the bus stop an hour early (7:30) took the bus to mgm and another bus to POR and were there in plenty of time... so to get from one resort to one park, i'd say an hour is more than enough...

enjoy not driving, we did!!

p.s. another thought if you really want to scrape every last minute of sleep, take a cab, it should be about $15