Buses at AKL slow?

[cseca]

Hi,
I'm thinking of trying out AKL on my next trip but I heard that the buses aren't very efficient.
Is that true?
Could you tell me your experience?

Thanks so much!

 

[allaboard]

We never found the waits at AKL too long, except for the day that we had just missed the bus we wanted ... and it seemed to be about 15 - 20 min. for the next one.

 

[nucpharm29]

We also never seemed to have a problem with the busses at AKL--but it's Murphy's Law that the bus you want will always be the last one arriving!

 

[ciera321]

We never had a problem with the buses at AKL, in fact they were very efficient!!!

 

[onceuponadream]

We were at AKL Thanksgiving week of 2004 and no problem at all with the busses. We loved that there was only one bus stop and it was a nonstop ride unlike when we stayed at the Yacht Club or Swan.....

 

[cseca]

Thanks so much everyone!
I just want to be prepared for the worst ...

 

[OKW Lover]

Hi,
I'm thinking of trying out AKL on my next trip but I heard that the buses aren't very efficient.
Is that true?
Could you tell me your experience?

Thanks so much!

You probably heard this because the AKL is so far from the other parks that the bus takes a bit longer. But I don't think the service is any worse than the other resorts.

 

[dmslush]

We used the bus service this last time, and will never drive our car to the parks again! We loved the AKL bus system. It was alway pretty quick and efficient.

 

[Servants of Evan]

Are the AKL busses slow? No they go about the same speed as all the others.







Sorry, it's been a long day...

 

[Nik's Mom]

We stayed at AKL in May and decided to give the buses a try. Well, it was the best decision we made! Service was great. Our longest trip was a 30 minute ride to DTD. All other trips were quick, with little wait for the bus to arrive.

 

[Kayleebug]

We had a different experience. We had to wait at least 30-40 for busses most of the time. One day, we were meeting my in-laws at MGM. They stayed off property on Int'l Drive. We left our rooms at the same time (we were calling on cell phones so we could meet), and they drove to MGM, parked, bought one day tickets, and were inside waiting on us for 10 minutes before we got there from AKL. It was the first week of December. Maybe they didn't have as many busses running because it is considered a slower time????

 

[cdpa4d]

The AKL buses suprisingly seem very efficient. We just returned and we spent 2 nights at AKL. We didn't wait more than 15 minutes for a bus. We spent 5 nights at the Boardwalk and the bus service was very bad. I know the Boardwalk shares buses with the Swan and Dolphin so that maybe part of the problem. It literally took us 45 minutes to get to Downtown Disney from the Boardwalk. Those 2 properties are just not that far away to justify a wait that long.

 

[Gabe's Mom]

We stayed @ AKL over President's Day week and thought the bus service was very efficient. It was very nice to leave the parks and go to a sign that only had your resort on it, no drop offs anywhere else. That being said, I did feel the distance of AKL from most of the world. I would definately stay there again, but we are going in September and I chose CR because of the location.

 

[Nik's Mom]

When did you go, Kaleebug? Maybe time of year does make a difference. I would have gone crazy waiting for a bus that long on a consistent basis.

 

[luvfigment]

I went there last Aug and did not have a problem. I think the longest we waited for a bus was 10 mins or so. One of the pluses was, as mentioned, the fact that AKL is the only hotel on the stop and then there is only one stop. The longest ride for us was to DTD at about 25-30 min and MK was only 20 min or so for us. Hopefully it will be the same when I go in June.

 

[ksc37]

I guess I'm in the minority, but when we stayed at the AKL in 2004, we found the buses unreliable. We waited 35 minutes at the MK one afternoon, and about 40 minutes at the AK at closing (they were only running one bus at closing... poor planning, I think). In the MK case, it turned out that one bus left and it never returned , finally a bus came from another resort stop (where no one was waiting) and drove a bunch of disgruntled folks back to the resort.

We did find that the bus stops at the resort itself were uncrowded, and we didn't usually wait long in the morning.

But from what I've read, we're in the minority.

 

[terryo]

stayed feb 06. no probs with bus transport...longest wait 10 mins....worth the wait

 

[Aristomommy]

We were there last September. Only one occasion that I found worth complaining about. Usually we waited btw. 0-15 minutes which I found acceptable. One day I took DS back to the hotel from MGM for a nap. We agreed to meet DH and DD for Fantasmic. After waiting 30 min. I went to the front desk to see what was the matter since the show was beginning in 45 min. They said no more busses were coming, but couldnt' tell me what time the last bus usually runs. So we missed Fantasmic. I thought the busses would run both ways until closing? Maybe because it was slow season they did not, but I was upset. We did a split stay at CR and found the monorail to be more of a hassle than the bus at AKL.

 

[MissionMouse]

November-December 2005, average wait 20 minutes at the lodge and at the parks.

 

[pepe of ohio]

A couple of trips ago, we stayed the first 3 nights at AKL before moving to the Poly, Poly didn't have all the nights we wanted, and after those 3 nights, it was enough of AKL. Walk to room was way too far. As for bus issues, early morning, walking to bus stop and seeing alot of people waiting for buses isn't a great feeling. Stuffing 40 people on a bus with another 20 wanting to go is not a vacation. You either cram on or wait and others that just wander down to the stop and get on before others sitting and waiting is just rude. Most time, we just settled on a bus going anywhere with less people and park hopping from there. Buses were far and few inbetween, waited alot and to try to schedule where you needed to be at a certain time, very hard. Everything in AKL moves bus bus, very time consuming, first and last stay there. Prefer Poly or WL, more options on transportation to anywhere on property. We never use a car or care to rent one, we rely on Disney transportation always. That being said, when the sun goes down, AK is closed, so its buses to everywhere, not much to do around the lodge, very few walkways, whole back of resort is Savannah, and lobby tends to get crowded fast with people having no place to go.