Bus System for a Newbie

[BBpurl]

We have been to DW 3 times, but never stayed at a Disney property. We are making long term plans for a year from now. Our plan is to stay at a Disney resort with no car(s) this trip. There will be a total of 12 of us, parents, kids, and grandkids, ages 4 to 67.
I have read numerous threads about the bus system and gained a lot of information. But still have some questions.
1. We are looking at the Coronado Springs, Caribbean, Port Orleans-FQ, and Port Orleans-RS. It appears bus service to/from both Port Orleans resorts can be the most trying. Don't find too many complaints about the others. Is that everyone's experience?
2. Is there some where to get the bus stop order for each resort?
3. How difficult is it to get a bus with space for 12 going and coming resort to parks?
4. Are there any secrets to maximizing using the bus system?
5. To get from resort to resort, you must change buses somewhere. Is there a "best" place to do that?
6. Can you request specific rooms near the bus stops and/or food service?

 

[jaceraden]

We have been to DW 3 times, but never stayed at a Disney property. We are making long term plans for a year from now. Our plan is to stay at a Disney resort with no car(s) this trip. There will be a total of 12 of us, parents, kids, and grandkids, ages 4 to 67.
I have read numerous threads about the bus system and gained a lot of information. But still have some questions.
1. We are looking at the Coronado Springs, Caribbean, Port Orleans-FQ, and Port Orleans-RS. It appears bus service to/from both Port Orleans resorts can be the most trying. Don't find too many complaints about the others. Is that everyone's experience? I have heard complaints a plenty from each and every resort. Including the resorts that only have one stop and/or don't share with any other resorts.
2. Is there some where to get the bus stop order for each resort? With the exception of POR/POFQ, the other resorts you listed do not share buses with other resorts. POR/FQ share a lot of the time.
3. How difficult is it to get a bus with space for 12 going and coming resort to parks? It depends what time of day you are coming/going. I have never had a problem when I go nice and early and come home in the early evening. You can usually tell by the bus stop line up or lack thereof.
4. Are there any secrets to maximizing using the bus system? Give yourself plenty of time, do not get amped up about how long you wait/how many people waiting/how many strollers/babies/wheelchairs/people with personal space issues. Having a good attitude goes a long way. Disney bus service is much better than public transit but a lot of people either don't know that or seem to forget while on their disney vacation.
5. To get from resort to resort, you must change buses somewhere. Is there a "best" place to do that? This depends on which places you want to go. The monorail resorts and water buses factor in.
6. Can you request specific rooms near the bus stops and/or food service? Absolutely! Remember they are just requests and they can't always be granted. Picking a smaller resort like POFQ gives you a better chance of this due to the small resort size. The other resorts you've mentioned are quite spread out

Happy Planning!

 

[Sue M]

We have been to DW 3 times, but never stayed at a Disney property. We are making long term plans for a year from now. Our plan is to stay at a Disney resort with no car(s) this trip. There will be a total of 12 of us, parents, kids, and grandkids, ages 4 to 67.
I have read numerous threads about the bus system and gained a lot of information. But still have some questions.
1. We are looking at the Coronado Springs, Caribbean, Port Orleans-FQ, and Port Orleans-RS. It appears bus service to/from both Port Orleans resorts can be the most trying. Don't find too many complaints about the others. Is that everyone's experience?
2. Is there some where to get the bus stop order for each resort?
3. How difficult is it to get a bus with space for 12 going and coming resort to parks?
4. Are there any secrets to maximizing using the bus system?
5. To get from resort to resort, you must change buses somewhere. Is there a "best" place to do that?
6. Can you request specific rooms near the bus stops and/or food service?

1. We have stayed once at CBR (Jamaica is often first to be picked up) and POR 3 times. Usually use one of the 2 bus stops in the mansion section.
Never had problems with bus service at either resort.
The occas longer then usual wait, that can happen at any resort. 99% of the time WDW transportation works very well.

2. There are threads for all the resorts on this board, you could ask there. As mentioned, I know Jamaica is usually first pick up at CBR, and at POR the Mansion bus stops are generally the last before heading to the parks, but they don't always. Sometimes we've stopped at the main depot too.

3. I agree, generally if you leave at park closing, you may encounter longer lines, in which case you could always wait for the next bus if you don't feel all of you can get on, or you feel you must all ride in the same bus.

4. I agree, if you want to get to a park by 9:00 A.M. I'd plan to leave at 8:00
Give yourself plenty of time. Usually you'll get there early, but you won't be stressing.

5. Going from resort to resort, you will have to transfer at a park. So go to the nearest park to what resort you want to be at. For example, if you want to get to GF, I'd take the bus to MK, then transfer either to GF boat, or monorail. If you want to go to AKL, or Kidani, take a bus to AK, and transfer to AKL/Kidani bus. To get to one of the Epcot resorts, bus to DHS, then transfer to the Friendship boats to BWI, BC or YC. Taking a bus to Epcot requires park entry, and you'd have to walk through Epcot to the WS exit to get to the resorts. O.K. if you were planning on going to Epcot anyway.

It also depends on what time you are going. Bus service stops an hour after park closing. Then you'd have to use DTD as a hub to transfer.

6. Once you decide on which resort you are staying at, take a look at the resort map- Allears.net has them. Then you can have a location request added to your reservation when you make it. But remember they are requests, not guarantees. Since you are traveling with so many, you can have the reservations linked, and noted as traveling together so they will try to have your rooms near each other.

One of the nice things about having WDW transportation vs car rentals, IMO, is that with you traveling with a lot of people, it gives everyone some independence. If one or a few are ready to leave, and some aren't ready, it's not a problem, those who are ready to leave can just hop on the WDW bus back to the resort. Easy.

 

[fla4fun]

The first thing to realize is that most people are going to come to a board like this and share the challenges they faced on their vacations. For every one poster with a challenge, there are hundreds of people who are riding boats, buses and monorails with no issues at all. So don't let the fact that there are some complaints turn you off to using the bus system.

The key thing to remember is that you won't always get a seat, especially during peak times of the day. This applies to all forms of Disney transport - I've been on standing room only boats and monorails as well as buses. Since you have a large party, you need to have a plan in case you do get separated (some on one bus, some on another). Sometimes it can be difficult to see through the windows of the buses to know whether the bus is near capacity, and sometimes it is difficult to get off a bus once you are on it. With the exception of the DTD buses, there should be buses to the same destination about every 20 minutes, so you won't be separated for long (DTD buses seem to always take twice as long as anything else, regardless of where you're staying).

If you can travel before or after the peak opening and closing rush, you will find it less stressful.

POFQ usually is the first pick up and drop off on the PO bus route, and they only have one stop because the resort is smaller than POR. I prefer POFQ over POR because of the smaller size - there really isn't a bad building because everything is close. If I were rating your choices based on transportation alone, I would probably pick POFQ first, CSR second, POR third, and CBR fourth.

 

[Missytara]

Remember most people that use the bus system don't normally take public transportation and get frustrated with the wait times often. Also in our society, we are used everything being instanteous, so after two or three minutes, people will begin to complain.

Don't be surprised if you are standing in a bus line, and another couple is behind you for a minute or two. The next people will come up in line and ask how long they have been waiting and seriously, they will say they have been there for at least ten or fifteen minutes.

I have seen people complain literally after they have waited three minutes for a bus; some husband will grab everyone and look for some other mode of transportation, much to the chagrin of the wife and kids.

Also, take advantage of the other types of transportation - not just the buses. Take an afternoon break and do the monorail loop - or take the boat from DHS or Epcot and do the BC/YC/BW loop. It is a nice way to take a break and do something relaxing.

Don't pick a resort based on the buses; pick which theme you like and go for it.

Quite frankly, I stay at POR every year and have never experienced some of the things others have said, but I normally go alone and slightly off-peak times and have never had a bit of trouble.

 

[wdwrich]

5. To get from resort to resort, you must change buses somewhere. Is there a "best" place to do that?

You've received good advice from the previous posters, but be aware that if you have to travel "resort to resort" after the parks close, you will have to make the transfer at DTD and that can take as much as 1 to 2 hours for the complete trip.

 

[goofy4tink]

There really is no resort with bad bus service...some may be a bit better, but that's about it.
I've stayed at POR many times...have never had a bus issue. Here's the secret....figure on waiting for the bus for 20 mins. Then, when the bus arrives after only a 5 min wait, you'll be thrilled. Seriously.....the buses are not the fastest way to get around. But, they are easy and efficient. Especially when going between parks and resorts.

You can ask for a room that is closer to a bus stop. Be aware that the moderate resorts have multiple bus stops around the resort...maybe up to 5.

If you are at a resort, for dinner for example, and you want to bus back to your resort..you will need to find an open park. Take the bus there, then transfer to the bus going to your home resort. Now, if there are no parks open at this point, you are going to have to bus to DTD, and take your resort bus from there. And that can take awhile. Normally, I would suggest getting a cab..but you have a large number in your group, so that may not be cost effective.


You shouldn't have any issue having all of you on the bus. I would recommend not heading for the bus about 30 mins prior to park opening. A ton of guests get the buses between 45 and 30 mins prior to park opening. Head there either more than an hour prior, or wait until after the park opens. SAme thing at the end of the day....everyone heads to the buses when the park closes....if you can hang out in the park, just for 20-30 mins, you will have a shorter wait at the buses. Or, leave an hour prior to park closing.

 

[maxiesmom]

Don't pick a resort based on the buses; pick which theme you like and go for it.

This exactly.

Pick your resort based on which one appeals to you the most. Don't try to guess which one has the best bus service, because they all have great bus service days, and they all have not so great bus service days.

Look at things like size of the resort (POFQ is small while the other 3 Moderate resorts are very large) which theme appeals to you most (beach maybe, or southern charm?) and even check out the different food offerings each resort has to offer. Pick that way, don't pick based on the buses.

 

[TDC Nala]

Any resort can have bus problems. If you are using the buses, the resort you choose won't really make that much difference. Therefore it doesn't make much sense to try and pick the resort that has the "best" bus service.

If you are traveling resort to resort and switching buses, give it at least an hour. One one instance in October it took me an hour and a half to travel between the Beach Club and Animal Kingdom Lodge, changing at AK. That sort of thing doesn't happen ALL the time, but if there is someplace you need to be at a certain time you need to plan for it. Sometimes it's best to pick an open park that is nearest your destination...but sometimes that doesn't work the way you think it is going to work, for various reasons.

 

[ncc1701]

Just to add my 2 cents We just got back from POFQ last week.In the morning (around park openning times) we did not share the bus with POR.
We did when coming/going in later in the day.We didn't stay in the parks until closing so I don't know if each had their own bus or not.
On advantage to POFQ and POR is the boat to DTD which ran every 10 mins. in the evening. Altho you may need to wait for a boat or 2 to get on it makes a nice change from the buses.

 

[Missytara]

Just to add my 2 cents We just got back from POFQ last week.In the morning (around park openning times) we did not share the bus with POR.
We did when coming/going in later in the day.We didn't stay in the parks until closing so I don't know if each had their own bus or not.
On advantage to POFQ and POR is the boat to DTD which ran every 10 mins. in the evening. Altho you may need to wait for a boat or 2 to get on it makes a nice change from the buses.

I have told people many times the advantage of staying at POR is the option of DTD transfer. It makes it wonderful to catch dinners at the resorts and not have to go all the way back to a park to transfer. You can go back to DTD and then have a wonderful relaxing ride back to POR whenever you are ready.

 

[tanyaandallie]

This exactly.

Pick your resort based on which one appeals to you the most. Don't try to guess which one has the best bus service, because they all have great bus service days, and they all have not so great bus service days.

Look at things like size of the resort (POFQ is small while the other 3 Moderate resorts are very large) which theme appeals to you most (beach maybe, or southern charm?) and even check out the different food offerings each resort has to offer. Pick that way, don't pick based on the buses.

I 100% agree. I utilized bus service at CBR, POR, POFQ and WL. I personally did not find any one resort had far better or worse bus service. At every single resort we had awesome bus service, mediocre bus service and terrible bus service. It just depends on the day, the time, the moon, your luck, etc. You just never know when you go to the bus stop if you are going to have a GREAT bus day or a terrible one! Overall we have been happy with bus service.

 

[Sammie]

Have to agree with Goofy4tink.

I would never pick a resort because of transportation. No resort has a great advantage over any other and many times it is simply pure luck.

 

[buzznina]

With the number of people in your group I would go with POFQ. Since it is the smallest resort and since there is decent chance that the rooms will not be grouped together, it will be easier to keep the group together. One bus stop where you get picked up and dropped off first also means easier for groups. JMO

 

[Missytara]

You've received good advice from the previous posters, but be aware that if you have to travel "resort to resort" after the parks close, you will have to make the transfer at DTD and that can take as much as 1 to 2 hours for the complete trip.

Actually, that is one advantage to staying at OKW, SSR, POFQ, or POR (where I stay). I always do a dinner at a resort and then take the DTD bus - the water taxi runs every 10 minutes after 4:00 pm, so it is a pretty good alternative and doesn't take too long.

 

[BBpurl]

Thanks everyone for all the great information.