I’m a bit nervous after someone posted it took them 2 hours to get back to the B hotel from the parks recently. Is this the norm or if not, how long does it usually take? Also, how long does it take in the morning to get to the parks? We like to arrive at least an hour before RD
Also is there a direct bus from parks to DS? Maybe faster to take that? We are staying at B resort, not sure how far walk is from DS to B resort
I think there are bad luck stories like that for every bus to every resort (including wdw resorts). For every "it took me two hours to get to DS hotel" story, it seems there's a similar one for a wdw hotel. It's a crap shoot and a bit about luck either way. Both systems will have their off days.
There is a bus after 6 pm that runs until DS closes around 2 am so ... Yes, at night returning to B if the bus isn't working for you then you can take the bus to Disney Springs .. then take a bus to hotel or walk. Walking isn't bad to any of the DS hotels and it's a nice walk. DS did this a few times when staying at B. ** There is a sticky at the top of the Orlando Forum with all the DS bus info on it. BELOW
The bolded request isn't going to be possible using the Disney Springs Hotels transportation. Bus service begins 1 hour before opening. Although it can change, it's usually one bus going to Epcot followed by Disney's Hollywood Studios. The other bus goes to the Transportation and Ticket Center (monorail/ferry to Magic Kingdom) followed by Disney's Animal Kingdom. The B Resort and Spa is on the "A" route. The "A" route goes: Hilton Lake Buena Vista --> Holiday Inn Disney Springs --> B Resort and Spa --> DoubleTree Suites --> first theme park --> second theme park --> (restart loop). For the B Resort and Spa, the bus will pick up about 10 minutes and 40 minutes after the hour. (e.g. 8:10am, 8:40am) You'll drive about 2 minutes to the DoubleTree Suites and make a quick stop before heading to the first theme park. It's about 20 minutes to either Epcot or the Transportation and Ticket Center. Add another 25-30 minutes to reach the second theme park on the route. Taking the first bus should get you to any of the four theme parks before the official opening...but not by a lot. If you have to be there one hour in advance, you'll need to arrange for other transportation.
Google Maps says 21 minutes (1.0 mile) from the Disney Springs Bus Loop to the B Resort and Spa. It's the blue dots in this image. (Ignore the alternate route. It's a little funky because Google doesn't know exactly where sidewalks/paths are around Disney Springs.) Link to this Google Map: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/28..../@28.372198,-81.5163448,16z/data=!4m2!4m1!3e2
I've been worried about this, too. We stayed on-property our last visit, so I don't know what or how to navigate the TTC. In fact, I've been debating switching to an on-property resort (at the cost of losing a lot of space for the same price) just to know where I'm going better. Everyone says you can uber, but with a $25 a day rate to park, I hate adding to travel expense. Has anyone driven themselves to the parks?
At our last stay at the B (May 2018), we ended up driving to the parks. I had forgotten how easy it is to do this, loved getting to our car in the evening and driving back to the resort with a quick walk to our room. We are AP holders so no parking fees at the parks. The only thing I missed was the ease of park hopping, we had to make sure we ended up where we started. I didn't miss getting around by the Disney buses at all. Be sure to use Google maps to find the shortest route.
Yes, making the transition from on site to off site makes a difference getting to the MK. We stayed on site for many years before shifting to off site so I understand your concern. Yes, it adds a bit of time but it is not difficult to navigate. You tram in from the parking lot just like the other parks. You will go through bag check as soon as you enter the TTC. Then you have a choice of taking the monorail or the ferry (or sometimes a bus) over to the MK. As you enter the TTC the ferry is off to the left, the monorail basically straight ahead and the bus off to the right. There are always Cast Members there directing people, especially if either the ferry or the monorail is closed. Personally I prefer the ferry. I like the leisurely cruise across the Seven Seas Lagoon.