BWV - MK Bus Route

[Maxwell]

Does anyone know the exact route that the MK bus takes in the morning. I have heard that the BWV is the last EPCOT resort stop. It is always packed by the time it gets to the BWV. Has anyone been recently?

Thanks.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

If you are traveling to MK for park opening or soon thereafter in the morning, it is possible that the bus will be empty when it arrives at the BW bus stop. During this busy time of day, there is a CM at the bus stop monitoring passengers as they walk up. As more passengers arrive heading to a particular park, the CM can order up an additional bus to handle the load. Later during the day, the bus to MK will have stopped at the YC and BC/BCV bus stops first. For our two most recent visits, the bus from BW to MK did not make a stop at the Swan or Dolphin bus stops, so the BW was the last stop prior to MK.

Ralph

 

[AEN]

I have posted two threads on this topic (sorry, I don't know how to attach a thread). But, what I said in those threads was that I was very disappointed with the bus service at BWV. Almost to the point where it was going to hold us up from our BCV purchase.

To summarize our experience;

We regularly had a long waits at BWV. If the bus(es) get filled at the previous 4 stops, they don't go by BWV. That doesn't bother me, because, I don't want to be teased. What bothers me is that they don't call for backup. Or if they do, those backups start at the other resorts.

We waited 35 minutes for a bus and missed opening. I even called from the bus stop phone.

On the one occassion when the CM was there from 7:30am, she indicated that no buses had been by for Typhon Lagoon in the hour an a half. And yes, she called from the bus stop phone.

I also have found that the drop off takes longer to get to BWV from Swan than it takes to walk. I got off the bus and beat it back by 10 minutes. It gets a little difficult when you have kids who are tired and/or sleeping.

I have voiced my opinion to customer service.

I hope that you have a better experience.

With all that said, I really liked BWV and ultimately let Disney take me away from reality and enjoy my stay. Because, that is what it is all about.

 

[KathyR]

The route is Swan then Dophin then YC then BC then BW.

Coming back it is most certainly faster to walk from the Swan if you are so inclined (most of the time we are ) It is a short walk maybe 5 minutes!

We did not experience any waits with the buses at BW 2 weeks ago! They were very efficient. There was someone there in the morning monitoring where everyone was going and what times the buses arrived/departed from the stop! I think they do a great job considering the amount of people they are moving on any given day! I would, however, like to see less resorts on the route, but certainly not a huge deal

 

[paults]

DW and I were at BWV in July and waited 45 min. before we saw the first MK bus come by and there were about 10 people there before us and they were waiting even longer. By the time a MK bus did come there were 35 to 40 people waiting by then and the CM didn't form any lines for different parks. If you got lucky and the bus driver stopped in front of where you were standing then you made it on the bus. It was every man, woman and child to fend for theirself. (what a mess). By the way about 10 buses came by for the water parks ( 70 % empty) in that 45 min span but nobody was going to those parks. Needless to say we didn't use BWV buses again, we just walked over to MGM and used the buses there.

PS: If using bus coming back to BWV get off at the S&D and walk.

 

[slp87]

We were there in March and never had to wait too long for a bus. I was trying to remember what happened on our MK morning...we had an early PS for Crystal Palace, so I can't help you with the early morning buses. I would really recommend the early PS, we were at the Tomorrowland rope before anyone else.

 

[PKS44]

Don't forget that our dues pay for those buses...more buses means higher dues...BUT now with BCV they are getting more dues money in general---so there should be more buses funded thru them or the dues should go down at BWV is the # of buses has not increased...

Paul

 

[carone0318]

Is that written somewhere about our dues paying for those buses. The only place that I could really believe that the dues pay for those buses is OKW. If my dues are the only thing that pay for those buses, then there should be no one from BWI on that bus, nor should we be stopping at S & D, BC or YC, because they are not DVC (well now BCV). I find it hard to believe that it is just our dues paying for those buses. If that is the case, then my dues are paying for a whole lot of gas that it shouldn't be paying for too. I am not doubting what you said, but I was just wondering if it is documented somewhere that that is where part of our dues go. Maybe I am in a fiesty mood today, but if it is my dues for that bus, I don't want anyone else on it, just DVC stayers. I can not see a direct correlation between increasing the number of buses with an increase in our dues, there are too many external factors to consider. What if they had to increase bus service to BWV because there is a convention at BWI, should my dues pay for that increase - heck no. I don't know the answer to the question, but I sure do have a lot of reasons to fight it.

Feeling fiesty today in miserable NJ

 

[PKS44]

The entire cost of the buses is SHARED between all the resorts that use them..that includes the YC/BC BCV S, D, BWI and BWV. SO, no we are not the ONLY ones paying for the buses- but if they add buses they are not going to ONLY pass the cost on to one part of the group sharing the expenses...the added cost will be shared as well and will increase our dues. If you look at the financial statement there is a line for transportation costs- that is the buses and the Friendship boats. And I repeat--- IF they have not added any buses (or boats) since BCV, then the dues should have a decrease because the cost of the buses is spread over more people with the addition of BCV.

Paul

 

[ahoff]

We have always been lucky, I guess, in regards to waits for the MK bus at BW. We were just down over Halloween, and never had a wait longer than 10 minutes tops, usually much sooner. I even commented to the wife how we always seemed to get at the stop just as the bus was getting there, and that included trips to Ak also, and also return trips. Last stay over Thanksgiving week we made it to HDD so fast, every step of the way was a walk on!

And yes, we always walk from the Swan on returns, seems like everyone is doing it.

 

[AEN]

Where do we get a copy of the financial statement? Is it DVC or WD?

I am an accountant and dig those things.

 

[DebbieB]

The budget for next year should be in the mail anytime now. Last year transportation was .1848 per point at BWV.

 

[ClarabelleCow]

while at OKW 2 weeks ago, there were CM's making notes on clipboards tracking buses. Something that I don't understand, when you buy your park passes, it also includes "Disney Transportation" when you rent a room it included "Disney Transportation" when you bought DVC you got "Disney Transportation" now I am hearing the dues goes toward "Disney Transportation" isn't this kind of like double taxing???? Maybe I'm not saying this right, but shouldn't this be an operating expense coming direct from disney and not DVC??

 

[Ralph&Pam]

want2buydvc,

Yes, this is an operating expense, but Disney must recover the cost of transportation from guests in one way or another.

As the system works, Disney Transportation costs are shared by park admissions fees and room fees (you can use Disney Transportation if you are staying at a WDW resort, independent of going to the parks). The DVC provides lodging and access to Disney Transportation as do various resort hotels (like BWI). Thus DVC contributes to the cost of transportation and we in turn pay this through our dues. The service is provided to DVC members so DVC members pay the cost. For example, people staying at the Swan and Dolphin (not operated by Disney) pay for their transportation through their room fees. DVC members pay dues rather than per night room fees.

Presumably, Disney could restructure the park admission fee so it covers all
Disney Transportation costs, raising park admission (by a small amount) and lowering (very slightly) lodging costs. This would not correspond to the reality of the situation, however, since many park guests do not use much in the way of transportation (in fact, off-site guests may pay for transportation over and above their park admission in the form of a separate fee to use their hotel-provided transportation or in the daily fee to park at the parks) while WDW resort guests use much more. Distributing the cost of transportation across both park guests and resort guests (which includes guests in both groups at the same time) is certainly more consistent with the way the service is used.

Ralph

 

[Greg K.]

We had no trouble hitching a ride from the BW to MK late in the morning just last week (first week of November).

But then there was the trip back to the BW.

We cheerfully walked over to the MK bus stop and waited. And waited. And waited. Buses dropped people and then vroomed off. Again and again. And again. It was a good (or bad) 40 minute wait for a bus. And then a 20 minute ride to the BW. We were not happy campers.