Bus times

[lhermiston]

Sorry if this has been asked elsewhere, but has anyone compiled the average time of bus trips from resorts to parks.

For example (and I'm pulling numbers out of the air):

Art of Animation:
To MK: 18 minutes
To EPCOT: 16 minutes
To HS: 15 minutes
To AK: 11 minutes

I would find this information highly useful when trying to select a resort. I know Contemporary is the closest to MK, but it's also farthest from AK. I'd really like find a centrally located resort that has low average travel times to each park.

 

[disd55]

All the Epcot resorts are in the middle of WDW. This is convenient, as the Beach Club, Boardwalk, Swan and Dolphin have boat service and walking trails to Hollywood Studios and Epcot. MK is accessible by bus, not too far. BB and AK aren't too far, neither are TL and DD. Caribbean Beach is also an Epcot resort but a little more out of the way.

 

[lhermiston]

All the Epcot resorts are in the middle of WDW. This is convenient, as the Beach Club, Boardwalk, Swan and Dolphin have boat service and walking trails to Hollywood Studios and Epcot. MK is accessible by bus, not too far. BB and AK aren't too far, neither are TL and DD. Caribbean Beach is also an Epcot resort but a little more out of the way.

Thanks. I've been looking into Caribbean Beach because of it's centralized location. However, some of the reviews I've read said the buses take really long because they pick up at several places at the resort.

 

[kaytieeldr]

The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World did, a number of years ago, and they print the chart in every edition.

 

[lhermiston]

The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World did, a number of years ago, and they print the chart in every edition.

Oh, no kidding! I must have missed that.

*goes off in search of 2012 Unofficial Guide*

 

[disd55]

Thanks. I've been looking into Caribbean Beach because of it's centralized location. However, some of the reviews I've read said the buses take really long because they pick up at several places at the resort.

CBR is huge. 7 bus stops, and I've heard buses are always crowded. Although, Beach Club, Boardwalk and Swan/Dolphin share buses sometimes, but it's still not as busy as CBR.

 

[disnut8]

Sorry if this has been asked elsewhere, but has anyone compiled the average time of bus trips from resorts to parks.

For example (and I'm pulling numbers out of the air):

Art of Animation:
To MK: 18 minutes
To EPCOT: 16 minutes
To HS: 15 minutes
To AK: 11 minutes

I would find this information highly useful when trying to select a resort. I know Contemporary is the closest to MK, but it's also farthest from AK. I'd really like find a centrally located resort that has low average travel times to each park.

One thing also to remember is those are the TRAVEL times. You also need to factor in the WAIT times. We've been at Pop Century and watched as an Epcot bus pulled out. We were the first in line for the next bus and waited the full twenty minutes. No big deal for us but if the travel time was 10 minutes, our total time just increased to 30 minutes.

Also, like it was noted, if you are on a shared bus line, you have to factor in stopped at the resorts. For example - you stay at the Swan and get on a bus which then stops at the Dolphin, the Yacht Club, the Beach Club and then the Boardwalk before it pulls out. Or, even the internal bus at the moderates makes multiple stops so if you get on at stop #1, you will sit through until the very end.

If you use the Disney transportation, nothing is going to be carved in stone. Not when you leave your resort and not when you leave the park. We left Epcot after Illuminations and I expected to wait quite a while for our bus back to Pop Century. Sure enough, the line was huge and the bus pulled away before we could board. And another immediately came for us. We were back in our room by 10:00.

 

[nkereina]

The travel times will vary depending on the number of pick up points and resorts that share buses. And it's not always consistent. For example, POR has four stops and occasionally shares with POFQ. In the mornings, an empty bus will load up at POR at the main bus stop and won't stop at the other bus stops because it's full. If it heads straight to MK with no other stops, I'd say less than 10 min travel time. But if it's mid-day and the bus is less crowded, it will circle the other three stops at POR and may go over to POFQ, easily tacking on another 7-10 minutes.

If you want to be closest to a certain park, I would just look at a map and try to figure it out in terms of miles.

 

[Missytara]

I never choose a resort based on travel times to the parks; I base it on theming, so whether a bus takes 8-1/2 minutes to get to MK from one resort and 11 minutes from the other resort really isn't a deal breaker for me.

I try not to sweat the small stuff; too many variables here.

 

[buzznina]

I never choose a resort based on travel times to the parks; I base it on theming, so whether a bus takes 8-1/2 minutes to get to MK from one resort and 11 minutes from the other resort really isn't a deal breaker for me.

I try not to sweat the small stuff; too many variables here.

Ditto

 

[Cindy's Mom]

I never choose a resort based on travel times to the parks; I base it on theming, so whether a bus takes 8-1/2 minutes to get to MK from one resort and 11 minutes from the other resort really isn't a deal breaker for me.

I try not to sweat the small stuff; too many variables here.

perfection.

 

[mtnat]

Our laughing place has a transportation wizard. Someone here recommended it to me.

http://www.ourlaughingplace.com/aspx/twiz.aspx#.UZ-yS2S9Kc1

 

[buzznina]

Our laughing place has a transportation wizard. Someone here recommended it to me.

http://www.ourlaughingplace.com/aspx/twiz.aspx#.UZ-yS2S9Kc1

Just remember that the times do not include waiting for the bus or if the resort has extra bus stops.

 

[disnut8]

Just remember that the times do not include waiting for the bus or if the resort has extra bus stops.

Yep - see my post above.