Bus service at AKL vs. staying at Boardwalk

[Gentry2004]

I've never stayed at AKL, and on our past several trips we've rented a car because we don't love the buses (the waiting, the crowds) - but we are thinking of giving the buses another try on our trip next year. I've read that AKL bus services is generally good, but at Boardwalk we'd be able to walk or take the boat to two parks, meaning less use of the bus. Also, does Boardwalk still share with BC/YC/S/D?

Or is bus service pretty much the same everywhere?

 

[Hopefully]

We love the Boardwalk area

I've never stayed at AKL, and on our past several trips we've rented a car because we don't love the buses (the waiting, the crowds) - but we are thinking of giving the buses another try on our trip next year. I've read that AKL bus services is generally good, but at Boardwalk we'd be able to walk or take the boat to two parks, meaning less use of the bus. Also, does Boardwalk still share with BC/YC/S/D?

Or is bus service pretty much the same everywhere?

Boardwalk does not share buses with YC/BC. We love the Boardwalk area

 

[dtstampz]

I realize it's luck of the draw, but during our December stay at AKL, we had terrible timing for bus service!
Ended up taking Lyft several times, just to be sure we'd make our ADRs. I love staying at AKL, but it would
be great to be able to walk to Epcot & DHS.

 

[heidijanesmith]

We like the Boardwalk bus service.

MK has a dedicated bus in the AM and this year dedicated in to AK in the AM. On the way home The AK bus stopped at BW and then on to the Swan/Dolphin.

We have had really good bus service at BW!

 

[Gentry2004]

Thanks all! Love the dining and theming at AKL, but hard to be the convenience of Boardwalk.

 

[Splashboat]

I've never stayed at AKL, and on our past several trips we've rented a car because we don't love the buses (the waiting, the crowds) - but we are thinking of giving the buses another try on our trip next year. I've read that AKL bus services is generally good, but at Boardwalk we'd be able to walk or take the boat to two parks, meaning less use of the bus. Also, does Boardwalk still share with BC/YC/S/D?

Or is bus service pretty much the same everywhere?

We almost always stay at AKV and BWV. BW shares buses with Swan and Dolphin for the parks. They also share buses with BC and YC for DS.
As far as the better buses, it is truly hit or miss. We have had good, quick service at both and we have also waited long waits at both. If it really is a problem, I would drive or you might be disappointed.

 

[disneygolfer1985]

I think it truly depends on when you are going. When going over the holidays, BW has dedicated bus service to both MK and AK. I have always preferred the Epcot resorts for being able to walk to 2 parks.

 

[Deb & Bill]

In our stays at AKV, we haven't had any problems with buses. To AK, it only took a few minutes. To Epcot was about 13 minutes. DHS would be a bit less than Epcot and MK would be longer than Epcot.

 

[AngiTN]

I've never stayed at AKL, and on our past several trips we've rented a car because we don't love the buses (the waiting, the crowds) - but we are thinking of giving the buses another try on our trip next year. I've read that AKL bus services is generally good, but at Boardwalk we'd be able to walk or take the boat to two parks, meaning less use of the bus. Also, does Boardwalk still share with BC/YC/S/D?

Or is bus service pretty much the same everywhere?

yes, bus service is the same all across property

We love the Boardwalk area
Boardwalk does not share buses with YC/BC. We love the Boardwalk area

yes they can. DS is always shared. For example.

I think it truly depends on when you are going. When going over the holidays, BW has dedicated bus service to both MK and AK. I have always preferred the Epcot resorts for being able to walk to 2 parks.

Not when you are going as in time of year but it does matter based on time of day. We stay at BWI almost exclusively and use the buses at all times of the year, including NYE, when it doesn't get busier. We have shared even then. During the day especially. But even then it's not hard and fast, where you know you'll share to MK or AK during certain hours and not share during others. DS is just about the only place were we've never not shared.

 

[disneygolfer1985]

Not when you are going as in time of year but it does matter based on time of day. We stay at BWI almost exclusively and use the buses at all times of the year, including NYE, when it doesn't get busier. We have shared even then. During the day especially. But even then it's not hard and fast, where you know you'll share to MK or AK during certain hours and not share during others. DS is just about the only place were we've never not shared.

Whenever we have gone over thanksgiving or Christmas, we have never shared a bus since 2014/2015 whichever year it was they made the change to give BW dedicated bus service. We typically come back in the afternoon and from what I can recall, we never shared. We must have been lucky before then if you have had to share before. I admit sharing in the past, but within the last 5 years I feel like BW has typically had dedicated service.

 

[pixiedustedme]

Whenever we have gone over thanksgiving or Christmas, we have never shared a bus since 2014/2015 whichever year it was they made the change to give BW dedicated bus service. We typically come back in the afternoon and from what I can recall, we never shared. We must have been lucky before then if you have had to share before. I admit sharing in the past, but within the last 5 years I feel like BW has typically had dedicated service.

Not quite 5 yaers. We stayed at Yacht Club in the summer of 2015, and shared buses with Boardwalk, Beach Club, Swan and Dolphin. So glad Disney changed that! It was a significant drawback of the Epcot resorts.

 

[AngiTN]

Whenever we have gone over thanksgiving or Christmas, we have never shared a bus since 2014/2015 whichever year it was they made the change to give BW dedicated bus service. We typically come back in the afternoon and from what I can recall, we never shared. We must have been lucky before then if you have had to share before. I admit sharing in the past, but within the last 5 years I feel like BW has typically had dedicated service.

Yeah, it's not most often but can happen (like I said, except for DS, which always shares). We often go to parks late, we rarely, if ever, rope drop. Most recent stay for us was April and we shared to AK. I'm not sure we did to MK. We only went for DAH and honestly, can't remember how we went. We may have even gone through Epcot and done the monorail, since I think we had lunch there before going

 

[Marionnette]

I was at both resorts in April. Why not do a split stay? BWI is great for its access to HS and Epcot. AKL is soooo close to AK that the bus ride is shorter than the wait.

But if I had to choose one or the other based on transportation alone, BWI would win. I hate the buses, too. Being able to just walk or take a boat to two parks wins out over using buses for every park. And don’t dismiss the fact that AKL shares a bus with Kidani Village (a h-u-g-e. DVC resort) and guess where it picks up/drops off first?!!