boardwalk villa transportation issues

[KANSAS]

i hope that Boardwalk owners, will not be offended. But I hated the transportation issues at the Boardwalk. I will never stay there again. I am so more satisified at OLD KEY WEST

HERE are my complaints.
#1. Only water shuttle transportation to EPCOT, no bus as a second option. If you are at spaceship earth, you have to walk across the entire future world and much of WORLDSHOWCASE to get the water taxi back to BOARDWALK.

#2. The Bus transporation was terrible to and from Magic Kingdon on Saturday of this week. I had to wait 53 minutes to get a bus to Magic kingdom, from BoardWalk, at 815 in the morning.

#3. On Friday of this week. I had to wait 71 minutes, to get a bus, from Magic kingdom at 315 in the afternoon, back to BOARDWALK.

#4. When you try to get from Boardwalk to DOwntown disney by the time, by the time the bus had gone , from SWAN, DOLPHIN, Beach and yacht, no room, sitting or standing for people waiting at boardwalk to go to Downtown disney.

ON thursday evening, so many people waiting at boardwalk and so few seats or standing, by time bus, came by to take people to DOwnTOwn DIsney. I had to wait for third Downtown disney bus, from Boardwalk, to ahve space available to get on.

Here is my complaint. Boardwalk,one of most expensive places to stay at Walt Disney World and seemed to me the people at ALL STARS had more buses and more direct transporation.
i.e. straight from all stars resorts to MK,DTD,EPCOT,MGM or AK.

I understand Boardwalk owners, are going to criticize me, for this thread. But I am extremely mad!!!

 

[lenshanem]

I'm hoping to switch our ressie form BCV to BWV this week because I want to try out all the DVC resorts. I'll be curious to hear comments. I thought I read it is better to catch the buses over at Swan or Dolphin and to get off there, too??? How far is this walk?

 

[KANSAS]

LENSHENMEN
It is funny that you posted this. We did get off at SWAN, because we good walk quicker, back to our villa on back side of WDW Boardwalk Villas,
than ride thru dolphin, yacht,beach and then back to Boardwalk bus stops.

Please do not change your reservation, our Boardwalk unit was #1133 at it was a much much longer walk, than, when I have stayed at Beach CLUB VILLA. I think the height of BEach club makes less walking an issue, than how boardwalk is layed out.

But, if someone, has more experience, please disagree.

 

[Nanajo1]

You get no criticism from me. I would be very unhappy with those wait times. As a BWV owner I am not satisfied with the bus service, particularly with sharing with so many other hotels and being the last for pick up. I think Disney needs to reassess the bus situation for the EPCOT area hotels.
We usually walk to EPCOT and MGM so I can't comment on the boat service.

 

[KANSAS]

nanajo I

interesting comment, about walking all the way to Disney MGM
do you do this for excercise? or do you think it is quicker than boat ride?
are you frustrated, that only boat ride to Disney MGM or EPCOT And not bus as second option? particularly, when you compare cash rates with BAORDWALK AND ALLSTARS???

 

[KANSAS]

nanajoI

What really dissapointed me, when you are on Future World side of EPCOT, you ahve to walk all the way across to get water shuttle back to Boardwalk??

 

[Nanajo1]

I must confess. When I said we walk I meant DH walks and I ride my ECV! But DH is a walker and we find we often beat the boat to MGM. ( After Fantasmic we always beat the boat leaving MGM) It is a pleasant walk, a little longer than the walk to EPCOT but doable. We own at both OKW and BWV and expect sevices to be comparable.

 

[MdmMim]

Another BWV owner here not happy with the bus situation. I walk to MGM, too, and often make it before the boat (which stops at each hotel, like the bus.) If I need a bus, I sometimes walk to the Swan, and I always get off the bus at the Swan. It's just easier to walk, no matter how tired I am.

The fact that there are no buses to MGM or Epcot doesn't bother me--they'd be too crowded. I don't understand five hotels sharing a bus.

 

[JimC]

When we stay at BCV we walk to both Epcot and MGM. The boat dock for YC/BC is further than Epcot from BCV. The walk to MGM is not that long -- 20 minutes maybe and is quite pleasant walking along the canal. The ability to walk to two main parks is a reason why we opted for BCV.

We took the monorail from Epcot to go to the Poly for Dinner. Easy walk across Epcot and a great ride back to the T&TC, then a very short walk to Poly.

When we took buses to MK, AKL, or DD we did notice the 7 resort (Swan, Dolphin, YC, BC, BCV, BW, BWV) issue. Buses were very crowded and the rides longer because of the number of stops. I believe that there used to be three routes (Swan/Dolphin, YC/BC, BW) before the travel problems force Disney to initiate cutbacks. Hopefully as attendance picks up service will be restored.

 

[KANSAS]

MDMMIM
I think you hit it on the spot, 5 hotels, sharing one bus, is a major problem.

I expected to be criticized from Boardwalk owners, who usually tell me to chill.

I am enjoying that some others agree with me.

 

[CarolMN]

Sorry you found the bus transportation so poor during your stay. I am a BWV owner and agree that bus service there is sometimes quite disappointing. We've had better bus service when we've stayed at one of the All Star Resorts and PO-FQ (only non-DVC on site hotels we've stayed at). Poor bus service is one of the reasons that I rent a car when staying at the BWV. However, self parking at BWV is also a problem, but I won't go into that here - it's your thread!

If you haven't already, please, please, please write a letter to the Boardwalk General Manager. Your complaint was detailed enough for someone to actually look into what happened and perhaps it will help convince resort management that there is a problem. (I don't think that they believe there is a real problem - from the response I got to a letter that I wrote, it appears that the management just thinks that some guests have unreasonable expectations).

The more people/members who politely complain with details of date and times, the more likely it is that the managment will do something. Posting here will do absolutely no good (other than warn others what to expect).

Thanks!

 

[JOC]

Here's the link to a thread posted on the Transportation board by someone who recently stayed at BWV and had bus issues:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=462874

 

[JVL1018]

I am a Boardwalk owner and far from being offened--I totally agree with you, the bus situation at the BWV is the pits.
The only thing I disagree with is the bus to Epcot. I understand the walk from SE to Int'l Gateway isn't the shortest, but it's along the same lines for people who are in World Showcase across the lagoon and need to get to the front for a bus. That doesn't bother me at all.
Also we always walk to Epcot and to MGM, and have always beaten the boats. I like to walk so it doesn't bother me.

 

[DISNEYWORLDBORN2SHOP]

I agree that the buses at BWV can be an issue. Sometimes we go and they are horrible and sometimes it is fine. It is just absurd that so many deluxes have to share one bus.

As for Epcot and MGM we always walk. The walks are rather pleasant and the boats are slow. We also like being able to come and go as we please without having to wait on a bus/boat/monorail. However, I see no difference in having to walk from Spaceship Earth to the back of World Showcase to catch a boat than to be in the France or UK pavilions and having to walk to the front of Future World to catch a bus or monorail. Six of one, half dozen of another.

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

I am a BWV owner also and I laugh when people are critical of room sizes and long hallways because we know it has the greatest location of any resort. I often think to myself that the real issue at the BWV is the terrible transportation. I always make note of it on any room surveys and always let someone know when it is bad, and it usually is. It is a shame that we have to try to beat the system by exiting at the Swan or base our decision to walk to MGM on where the boat is. As someone has said, there are just too many deluxe resorts for only one bus to do all of the picking up.

HBC

 

[lenshanem]

Please do not change your reservation, our Boardwalk unit was #1133 at it was a much much longer walk, than, when I have stayed at Beach CLUB VILLA. I think the height of BEach club makes less walking an issue, than how boardwalk is layed out.

KANSAS, I wanted to switch from BCV to BWV because we've already stayed at BCV and never at BWV. Thsi is for a June trip and the 7th month window opens on Tuesday for us. I'm also going back to BCV in July with my parents and brother. I will keep thsi ressie cause I think my girls will ahve a balst at SAB with their uncle. Was it that bad you really think I shoudl keep the JUne BCV ressie, too?

 

[KANSAS]

lENSHEMAN
if you get villa #1133 at BOardwalk, you will hate it!

but, i hope that you do not and ahve a wonderful time at Boardwalk and not find out like me, you will never stay at Boardwalk ever again and always stay at Beach club.

I just felt I had to walk so much more to do anything at boardwalk, that Beach Club, but some boardwalk owner, will probably disagree with me??

 

[KANSAS]

lensheman
will you take a rental car from Boardwalk to downtown disney?
or ride the bus?
if you ride the bus, around 600 PM

You will find no room, for your family and if there are 40 people waiting at boardwalk bus stop, it will take you
2 to 3 disney buses, to get on the Bus to Downtown disney

I really like beach club, easy walk to epcot
and fourth bus stop, not last like boardwalk.

everyone was so damn mad, at Baordwalk bus stop, trying to go to Downtown disney

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

Shan,

I know you didn't ask me but I'm going to jump in and strongly suggest that you try the BWV. I own at three DVC resorts (BWV, VWL and BCV) and I believe it is the best for a variety of reasons. I think you have to experience it for your self. The transportation has always been an issue for me (the only issue) but it's not a reason not to try one of the highest rated time share resorts in the world according to many sources.

HBC

 

[zurgswife]

As a BWV owner...I realize these complaints have been around for a long time....fortunately for me I haven't experienced problems to the extend that you did on your most recent trip....

I very much enjoy the walk to MGM...very rarely take the boat, and I also enjoy the walk to Epcot...haven't even thought about the distance from future world to BWV.....lastly we usually rent a car so...DTD we do by car, as well as AKL.....the only time we take the bus is MK....haven't had much of a problem....

This time we aren't renting a car....way too expensive over Christmas....So, we shall see what riding the bus holds in store for us...

Thanks for your input...

ZW