ART shuttle was a nightmare

[Mom of three]

Ive used ART for many years. It's cheap, easy and has never let me down. However the new system they are running is complex, frustrating and extremely unorganized. Literally every other person utilizing it also expressed their frustration.

Between certain hours in the morning and evening (6:30-10:30 I believe), it was a fixed route, about every 20 min. Easy.

BUT...those in between hours, you had to utilize the "on demand" system. Basically like requesting an Uber, but you don't have any information other than your drivers name, and you were picked up at a different stop (#14 and #15). Where it got frustrating was, busses would pull in and get bombarded with people not knowing if that was their bus or not, or where it was going, when the next one would be along, etc. because there were no indicators. The driver would call out names that had requested a ride. Most of the time none of the names they were calling were actually there. What made it even worse is that random busses were taking people anywhere and everywhere. And by random I mean not in their designated stops, so everyone was always confused.

There are two different apps that you need in order to utilize the shuttle, one for your tickets and the other for the route map/on demand service.

I wanted to share this information because I knew there had been changes and tried to do as much research on it prior to our trip, I didn't find much, but I wasn't prepared for this.

 

[GBRforWDW]

Ive used ART for many years. It's cheap, easy and has never let me down. However the new system they are running is complex, frustrating and extremely unorganized. Literally every other person utilizing it also expressed their frustration.

Between certain hours in the morning and evening (6:30-10:30 I believe), it was a fixed route, about every 20 min. Easy.

BUT...those in between hours, you had to utilize the "on demand" system. Basically like requesting an Uber, but you don't have any information other than your drivers name, and you were picked up at a different stop (#14 and #15). Where it got frustrating was, busses would pull in and get bombarded with people not knowing if that was their bus or not, or where it was going, when the next one would be along, etc. because there were no indicators. The driver would call out names that had requested a ride. Most of the time none of the names they were calling were actually there. What made it even worse is that random busses were taking people anywhere and everywhere. And by random I mean not in their designated stops, so everyone was always confused.

There are two different apps that you need in order to utilize the shuttle, one for your tickets and the other for the route map/on demand service.

I wanted to share this information because I knew there had been changes and tried to do as much research on it prior to our trip, I didn't find much, but I wasn't prepared for this.

Thanks so much for sharing. I was looking at the planning app and was wondering why I could only get routes for certain times. I think we'll only need it for one round trip, but that sounds crazy and if we plan ahead, could probably walk, but it's an hour by foot. Uggh.

When scheduling during off hours, is there a number to call or you can request in the app at the specific time you need it?

 

[TikiTikiFan]

Ive used ART for many years. It's cheap, easy and has never let me down. However the new system they are running is complex, frustrating and extremely unorganized. Literally every other person utilizing it also expressed their frustration.

Between certain hours in the morning and evening (6:30-10:30 I believe), it was a fixed route, about every 20 min. Easy.

BUT...those in between hours, you had to utilize the "on demand" system. Basically like requesting an Uber, but you don't have any information other than your drivers name, and you were picked up at a different stop (#14 and #15). Where it got frustrating was, busses would pull in and get bombarded with people not knowing if that was their bus or not, or where it was going, when the next one would be along, etc. because there were no indicators. The driver would call out names that had requested a ride. Most of the time none of the names they were calling were actually there. What made it even worse is that random busses were taking people anywhere and everywhere. And by random I mean not in their designated stops, so everyone was always confused.

There are two different apps that you need in order to utilize the shuttle, one for your tickets and the other for the route map/on demand service.

I wanted to share this information because I knew there had been changes and tried to do as much research on it prior to our trip, I didn't find much, but I wasn't prepared for this.

Thank you for the feedback! We're traditional ART users too and I was wondering how that weird on demand system would work.

I'm hoping as things pick up they'll bring the routes back as they were... We usually take an afternoon break and this sounds like a mess.

 

[Mom of three]

Thanks so much for sharing. I was looking at the planning app and was wondering why I could only get routes for certain times. I think we'll only need it for one round trip, but that sounds crazy and if we plan ahead, could probably walk, but it's an hour by foot. Uggh.

When scheduling during off hours, is there a number to call or you can request in the app at the specific time you need it?

You request it in the app and you can either schedule it out or request "now" which was usually 15-30 min, sometimes quicker.

 

[GBRforWDW]

You request it in the app and you can either schedule it out or request "now" which was usually 15-30 min, sometimes quicker.

Thanks! I did end up finding the spot in the app, but good to know it could take 15-30 minutes.

 

[Mom of three]

Thank you for the feedback! We're traditional ART users too and I was wondering how that weird on demand system would work.

Same! We've used it for years and have always taken the "Clementine" line bus, but Clementine goes somewhere else now and we had to take the Hotel Circle Line.

 

[Bucketfoot]

Does anyone have recent some more recent experience with ART service? It has worked wonderfully for us in the past, but since we will often leave the park for awhile in the middle of the day, it sounds like this may make things more difficult right now (trip is planned for early November).

 

[GBRforWDW]

Does anyone have recent some more recent experience with ART service? It has worked wonderfully for us in the past, but since we will often leave the park for awhile in the middle of the day, it sounds like this may make things more difficult right now (trip is planned for early November).

We went early August and it was still a pain. I really hated it and only had to use a couple times.

When you schedule an on demand ride, the app makes it seem like you're supposed to go to a random spot on a sidewalk, but really, the buses use the standard bus stops.

Your vehicle could be a van or SUV instead of a bus.

I had one ride that arrived 10 minutes early and I wasn't there, so had to schedule again, but it added 30 minutes to the departure time.

The buses that run on a schedule are fine and the app makes more sense when you're doing that.

For Disneyland, there's 15 stops, but if you just use Disneyland Main Transportation Center, it'll give you which stop to go to.



Ie. Use the top one rather than any that has a number after.

That's about all the tips I have

 

[kikismom]

Checking in again on this. Has anyone used ART recently? We are going in less than 2 weeks and typically go to the parks before opening, head to the hotel mid day for a break, and then back to the parks late afternoon until about 10 pm. We will Uber if ART is still a disaster.

Fun fact, after my 2017 trip I vowed never to use ART again because I hated it so much. I guess never say never!

 

[RJstanis]

I'm interested in this as well since I'm going around then and haven't decided where we're staying yet.

 

[abbeyroad6282]

I am wondering how ART is working too. I got a great deal at ALO Ayers for 10/1-10/3 but would need to take ART. All the closer rooms seem so expensive that first weekend of October but if ART is too "complicated," I may have to look at paying a bit more for somewhere closer.

 

[gelatoni fan]

I am wondering how ART is working too. I got a great deal at ALO Ayers for 10/1-10/3 but would need to take ART. All the closer rooms seem so expensive that first weekend of October but if ART is too "complicated," I may have to look at paying a bit more for somewhere closer.

ART works reasonably well if you go to the park in the morning and return in the evening. I had an issue last month trying to return to the hotel in the afternoon and just ended up taking an Uber after waiting over half an hour. The app kept saying a bus would arrive within a few minutes but it never did. Do not trust the schedule in the app as it is not accurate. Most of the hotel concierges should be able to help you with the two apps so that shouldn't be too big of an issue.

In the morning, the app works great with estimated times for the bus to arrive being accurate +/- 2 minutes. Later in the day, it's a guess if/when your bus will arrive.

If you are more than one person, I recommend taking Uber/Lyft. Three or more people just doing a round trip each day can actually be more expensive using ART.

 

[VandVsmama]

What a nightmare!

 

[kikismom]

ART works reasonably well if you go to the park in the morning and return in the evening. I had an issue last month trying to return to the hotel in the afternoon and just ended up taking an Uber after waiting over half an hour. The app kept saying a bus would arrive within a few minutes but it never did. Do not trust the schedule in the app as it is not accurate. Most of the hotel concierges should be able to help you with the two apps so that shouldn't be too big of an issue.

In the morning, the app works great with estimated times for the bus to arrive being accurate +/- 2 minutes. Later in the day, it's a guess if/when your bus will arrive.

If you are more than one person, I recommend taking Uber/Lyft. Three or more people just doing a round trip each day can actually be more expensive using ART.

That's what happened to us. We would wait 20 - 30 minutes for the bus any time except mornings. The app was always wrong.

We have 9 people so we have to do three Ubers is our issue. I personally love Uber/Lyft so that's my go to but I've heard it's not working well either.

I guess we'll see how ART is doing when we get there and see if we want to use it.

 

[gelatoni fan]

That's what happened to us. We would wait 20 - 30 minutes for the bus any time except mornings. The app was always wrong.

We have 9 people so we have to do three Ubers is our issue. I personally love Uber/Lyft so that's my go to but I've heard it's not working well either.

I guess we'll see how ART is doing when we get there and see if we want to use it.

The problem is that Uber/Lyft drivers are rejecting short trips. So if you're only about a mile (convention center or closer), I think it's better to just walk. That includes anything west of the freeway and north of Katella. I did wait like 10-15 min last month for my Uber to the Hampton Inn Garden Grove but it wasn't too bad.

Once you're 2 miles away and Uber/Lyft gets to be $10, it becomes easier to get a ride.

 

[helenk]

I am staying at Hotel Lulu and it is on the Grand Plaza Line. I have gotten the bus at 11:30 am and today at 12:30. I had no issues getting to the parks. In fact the bus driver today said that the bus runs until 11:30 at night and is perfect for leaving the park in the afternoon.

 

[kikismom]

I wanted to report back, we didn't use ART. We walked to the Toy Story lot each morning and afternoon when we went back to the park. We Ubered back to the hotel each afternoon and at night when we left the park for the day. We didn't ever have an issue getting an Uber but I did pay $25 to go one mile during surge pricing.

 

[ociana]

I wanted to report back, we didn't use ART. We walked to the Toy Story lot each morning and afternoon when we went back to the park. We Ubered back to the hotel each afternoon and at night when we left the park for the day. We didn't ever have an issue getting an Uber but I did pay $25 to go one mile during surge pricing.

What was your reason for the Uber instead of a ride back to the Toy Story lot?

 

[kikismom]

What was your reason for the Uber instead of a ride back to the Toy Story lot?

Saving our feet. Even with Ubering back we averaged between 22,000 steps a day for the tall people to 28,000 for the kiddos. I averaged 25,000 because I'm the shortest adult in the group. I would have preferred to Uber both ways personally, I have the Ubers built into my budget for up to four times a day since we always go back in the afternoon for swimming.