Buses at the POR

[ndgqccmiller]

We are trying to decide weather to do two rooms at POP or one a POR. In all my searching and reviewing I keep reading that the buses are awful. At the POP we enjoyed the fact of not having to move our car for a full week. At home I'm a mom of three and all I do is drive. What are the opinions out there about POR and buses?

 

[ThreeAngels]

I have no experience with Pop and I know I've heard bad things about the buses at POR, but we stayed there last October and had no problems. We did have to stand on some occasions and it was always disheartening seeing the very long lines to return to POR from the parks, but it just wasn't that bad. Overall, we just loved staying at POR. So much so, that we're staying there again on our next trip. We'd highly recommend it.

Have fun on your trip!

 

[CastleCreations]

We've stayed at POP and at POR, we've had good and bad experiences at both. POR definately has a longer wait time for the busses. The last time we waited almost 40 minutes... What's up with that? But the hotel is prettier, and is more charming. POP is fun, busy, bright, and my kids love it. If your goal is to get to the parks, rather quickly, stay at POP, if you want to hang out at the hotel and take in the the scenery, stay at POR...
My 2 cents...LOL

 

[ndgqccmiller]

Thanks for the input. I guess I should tell you we are a family of five when we leave it will be dh, me, ds11, dd8, dd4. We are planning to go Oct 2008. Keep the opinions coming!

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

I have stayed at POP and POR as a pp stated both have their pro's and con's. Truthfully we didn't have that much trouble at POR when we were there in dec. POP on the other hand when leaving the parks the wait was for ever. We always used the bus stop at the lobby and one night the POR line was longer than the POFQ line so we rode that bus back and walked over to POR. While we were at POP in Aug the line leaveing the park was so bad that they had two sections that were completely overflowing w/ people. If you plan on spending time around the resorts some I wouldn't worry so much about the busses and decide which atmosphere you want more b/c the con's for the busses are randomly everywhere.

 

[susie19]

When we stayed at POR in January, it seemed what ever bus we wanted that day took the longest time to come around. Didn't matter what day it was or what park we were going to, we just had to wait. Murphy's Law. I would rather take the buses instead of drive and park anyday!

 

[PollyannaMom]

Stayed at POR in May '07 and really had no trouble with the busses. I don't remember having to stand much - a few times DH gave his seat to someone with a small child, or someone else did for us. Maybe we just came back at odd times.

Only one morning did we have the Murphy's law thing - where *every* bus came before ours. Usually that was pretty good, too.

And the resort itself was gorgeous. I loved it!

Also, I really don't know what's like yet to have older kids (DS is only 6) but I can't imagine I'd sleep well if we were split up over 2 different hotel rooms. So if were me I'd go with POR.

 

[SqueakyMouse]

Recently, we have only stayed at POFQ (which shares buses with POR) during busier times of the year. Our experience with the buses there was really bad -- crowded buses, infrequent buses, and long lines to leave the parks (no matter what the time). However, we enjoy this resort so much that it outways the risk of having to wait for buses again. We will be returning (this time to POR -- where I haven't stayed in years and years!) in a little over a week. We decided that we would just drive to all of the parks (except MK) if our bus experience is just too aggravating.

 

[Nanisashi]

We stayed at the POR in May and absolutely loved it. The scenery, the food court etc,etc. We never waited for more than 5 minutes for a bus leaving or coming back from any of the parks. We would always use the main POR bus stop, because if the bus gets to full it will go straight to the park and not stop at the other designated POR stops.

 

[mjkaferle5]

We are trying to decide weather to do two rooms at POP or one a POR. In all my searching and reviewing I keep reading that the buses are awful. At the POP we enjoyed the fact of not having to move our car for a full week. At home I'm a mom of three and all I do is drive. What are the opinions out there about POR and buses?

I tend to think that the POR "bus problems" are usually during the off-season. There are fewers folks at Disney, so there is more bus sharing going on.

When we went in last year, June '06, we had absolultely no problems with the buses. There were a couple of times that busses arrived at POR pretty full (I assumed these busses stopped by POFQ first), but we still got on. The majority of the time, the busses arrived empty. Plus we never stopped at all of the POR bus stops on the way out. We went straight to the parks. So I would assume that there were multiple busses working the multiple stops at POR.

The busses really were great for us. When I hear about other peoples problems with them, I feel like we stayed at a different resort!! I just really think is depends on the time of the year that you go.

 

[princesskimberella]

We have stayed at POR in October and January and never had any problems. Leaving the parks was at most 20 minutes wait. I love POR it is jsut quiet and peaceful.
Now my SIL and family stayed at POP in May and she said she woud never stay there again. No matter what tim eof day coming or goign they always had to wait at least 30 minutes, and one night it was over an hour to leave MK. She also said it was quite loud at the resort.

 

[kelma]

Hi! I can't really offer any guidance - we stayed at POP last Sept and LOVED it, but we haven't stayed at POR yet (this Sept ). The only time we waited for a long time for the bus was leaving one night after the fireworks.

I'm sure you know this, but you'd have to get 2 rooms at POP, which may or may not be connecting, while you could stay in one room at POR. I loved the idea of having 2 rooms, but the possibly not connecting part made us choose POR this time.

Either way, I'm sure you'll have a magical trip

 

[kelma]

We have stayed at POR in October and January and never had any problems. Leaving the parks was at most 20 minutes wait. I love POR it is jsut quiet and peaceful.
Now my SIL and family stayed at POP in May and she said she woud never stay there again. No matter what tim eof day coming or goign they always had to wait at least 30 minutes, and one night it was over an hour to leave MK. She also said it was quite loud at the resort.

I think this probably had a lot more to do with the time of year you all went. Your aunt went at a much busier time of year than you did. When we stayed at POP in Sept., during free dining, we never had any problems getting to the park, at most 15 minutes or so, and only had problems getting home that one night after the fireworks, but honestly it looked like all the resorts were waiting. We also didn't find it loud at all when we went. We were in building 70 in an end room and I never heard anyone, including our neighbors, the entire time we were in the room. Not trying at all to discount your aunt's experience, just wanted to say we had a completely different one

 

[LegoMom3]

Another vote for POR. Stayed there last September - the only bus "problem" we had was trying to get to Epcot on an EMH night but that was our fault for making an ADR for Germany on such a night! Never, ever did we otherwise have a problem getting on a bus or waiting terribly long.

Now, we've never stayed at POP, but did stay at ASMovies and the bus waits there were terrible. I'd do POR again in a heartbeat.

And just as a fun little aside, POR has a boat you can take to Downtown Disney, and that's neat especially at night!

 

[jenrein]

We stayed at POR on April and had no bus problems. The only thing I did not like were the groups of families who took up half the bus with their 4 strollers and little drooly kids.

 

[Andrea from PA]

Back in Dec 2005 we stayed at POR. We have elected to do the same this Dec. The only problem we had was after Illuminations at Epcot on a non-EMH evening.

This time around, I've budgeted Taxi $ and won't be afraid to use it. Well worth not renting a car & taking buses. So be it if we spend $20 one night when we are too tired to wait for buses.

Never stayed at POP, but we LOVED the relaxing beauty of POR & opted to have 5 of us in one room there instead of 2 rooms in a Value resort.

Compare prices of 2 rooms or family suite to one room at POR & you may come to same decision we did -- POR with a taxi budget "just in case"!