Busses from SSR

[jpolak]

As someone who is new to using the Disney busses and making our first trip during a real busy time, I was wondering since we are renting a car if it might be better to drive to the parks instead? This is also our first time staying at SSR does the size of this resort negatively impact the busses? Thanks.

 

[Chuck S]

There are several internal stops, just like at OKW. While I haven't stayed at SSR, we have always stayed at OKW and usually have a car. The busses from OKW are fine, but we usually do drive to the parks because we have Mom's wheelchair lift and the handicap parking is convenient...however do NOT drive to MK, always take the bus, it is faster than transferring from parking space > tram > boat or monorail, no matter where you are staying.

Without Mom's wheelchair lift, we would probably take the busses almost everywhere.

 

[SaratogaShan]

I think the bus service at SSR is fairly efficient because they have "dedicated" buses. It is nice not having to share with another resort.

 

[murcor]

My family never rents a car, because of the awesome bus system that Disney has. We have stayed at SSR the past three years at busy times, New Years, and it is so convienent to use the buses.

I wonder why people drive their own vechicles to the parks

I think SSR has the best bus system. They dont share buses with any other resorts, that means direct to your park. If you want to go to another resort, skip over to downtown disney and they have buses direct to the hotels. Very simple.

 

[jpolak]

Great! We had good luck with the busses the last time, but that was the end of August. I was a bit nervous it being Presidents week, but if they were good at new years I am sure we will be fine. I am really looking forward to our first trip "home".

 

[jdvm]

I don't think the time of year would have anything to do with it. Disney transport is pretty good a deciding when to put more busses on the road. We always have a car (we stay at Old key West) and we like being able to park right outside our room. Also, we often go off property and to places on Disney property that you really can't efficiently use the busses for (like to another resort for dinner).
John

 

[Jimbo]

I think SSR has the best bus system. They dont share buses with any other resorts, that means direct to your park. If you want to go to another resort, skip over to downtown disney and they have buses direct to the hotels. Very simple.

I agree. Another thing that makes SSR's bus service so good is that its stops are set up so that more than one bus can load at a time.

Although the bus service was generally very good when we were at OKW in October, only one bus can load at a time there. We were waiting for a bus at the Hospitality House, and a bus for a different park arrived. A woman tried to get on with her ECV, and was having a terrible time (it seemed like she hadn't used one before). It took about 10 minutes to get the bus loaded, and in the meantime 3 or 4 more buses were stacked up behind that bus. That wouldn't happen at SSR.

 

[tkd lisa]

Another plus to bus transportation to/from SSR is that the bus stop at most of the parks is very close to the park entrance. If you drive, you may have to take the tram to the back end of the parking lot. By that time, you could very well have been back at SSR, depending on how busy the bus stop was. Not to mention that it's very easy to get turned around driving in WDW after dark. The signs aren't really easy to see, and you are manuevering around all the people heading off site.

We used SSR buses during F&W festival (over a weekend), and only filled up a bus once. And that was at EPCOT after Illuminations, and as they filled that bus up, another one pulled up to take the extra folks, so we didn't wait at all.

I can probably count on one hand all the times I've driven to a park this year when we stayed onsite. And I've spent about 20 nights there this year.

 

[Starr W.]

As someone who is new to using the Disney busses and making our first trip during a real busy time, I was wondering since we are renting a car if it might be better to drive to the parks instead? This is also our first time staying at SSR does the size of this resort negatively impact the busses? Thanks.

We were there over Thanksgiving(cash ressie) and the bus service for SSR was great. Their are a number of stops at the resort, we were at Congress Park, 2nd to last and always got a seat on the way to the parks. Direct shot to the park and back plus no sharing with another resort. Now we did have a few ride the bus back in the evening to get to DTD.

DH loved SSR so much(really dismayed about our trip to VWL and having to bus share) and the service that we ended up buying into DVC.

 

[Questforthemouse]

We were there this past Jan 1st to Jan 6th. WDW was very busy and SSR was sold out all week. We didn't have a vehicle. Stayed in the Springs section (4th stop on the bus loop)...never waited more than 8 mins for a bus and always had a seat (never had to stand) even though we were the 4th stop.

 

[Disney MAINEiac]

I think the bus service at SSR is fairly efficient because they have "dedicated" buses. It is nice not having to share with another resort.

I agree we found the bus service at SSR to be slightly better than that at other resorts for this reason. Also make sure to use the buses when going to the MK it goes direct to the park entrance and if you drive you must go through the T&T and then take the monorail or the ferry, a real hassle IMHO

 

[tomandrobin]

We have yet to have a problem at Saratoga with the buses. We think the bus service is great at the resort!

Much better then when we stayed at Port Orleans and Swan Hotel.

 

[jpolak]

Wow thanks! I knew I could count on my fellow DISers to help put my mind at ease. The point about the bus stop being close to the park entrance is a great one. When we stayed at VWL I felt like every bus stop was sooo far from the park entrance.