Calling all those with bus transportation only resort experience! Timing for early morning bus crowds?

[Farro]

We are staying at Gran Destino and it's only bus transportation. We will be last pick up stop on way to parks, so we plan to avoid the busy times in the morning (thanks fast pass plus!). If we end up doing a rope drop, we'll probably Uber.

Keeping that in mind - if parks open at 9, in your experience what time is the biggest rush time and what time do the crowds start to lessen a bit for the bus at your resorts? Mornings only.

Will use your answers to plan out our fast pass times.

thanks!!!

 

[trishadono]

We are staying at Gran Destino and it's only bus transportation. We will be last pick up stop on way to parks, so we plan to avoid the busy times in the morning (thanks fast pass plus!). If we end up doing a rope drop, we'll probably Uber.

Keeping that in mind - if parks open at 9, in your experience what time is the biggest rush time and what time do the crowds start to lessen a bit for the bus at your resorts? Mornings only.

Will use your answers to plan out our fast pass times.

thanks!!!

For years and at all the resorts value to deluxe , I use the same bus strategy:
if I want to be there for RD I’m to the bus stop 45-50 mins prior to opening. So for 9am I want to be there 8:15 or before.

Has worked well for years,

 

[dansdad]

For years and at all the resorts value to deluxe , I use the same bus strategy:
if I want to be there for RD I’m to the bus stop 45-50 mins prior to opening. So for 9am I want to be there 8:15 or before.

Has worked well for years,

Same here.

 

[sofa828]

Anyone know how early the buses start running during the 6am EMH in September for Galaxy's edge? I'm assuming there will be buses available at 5am, but I don't ever remember the parks opening that early so I'm not sure!

 

[Ohanaof3]

I stayed at Coronado Springs (2016) before they built Gran Destino. We were at the second last bus stop. Almost all of the time in the morning, the buses would bypass our stop because they were so full from the prior stops. We would wait 45 min to over 1 hour before a bus for our park stopped to pick us up.

I even got stuck once because as I was returning from Disney springs, the bus drove past my stop as he filled up with people getting on, and I almost had to go back to DS! He was kind enough to drop me and another family at the main lobby.

Hopefully, things have improved. Maybe check with the front desk to see the order of how the buses pick up, and if they go to the lobby first, it might be worth walking there to catch the bus. Or consider taking Uber/Lyft if you have something early booked.

 

[Disney Frenhines]

Anyone know how early the buses start running during the 6am EMH in September for Galaxy's edge? I'm assuming there will be buses available at 5am, but I don't ever remember the parks opening that early so I'm not sure!

When they open early they will provide buses, it's EMH so it'll just be resort guests who can get in, so don't worry about getting there. I'm planning to be at the bus stops no later than 5:15am for DHS EMH.

 

[LovesTimone]

If we were having breakfast at the resort food court, normally we would use that bus stop at guest services, not walk all the way back to the room, in the evenings, sometime we will get off at the food court, if we are wanting a snack, and drink.. or... picking something up for breakfast in the room for the next day..

If you are dead set on RD... I would just plan for that morning, to use Uber or Lyft... alot less stress.... or if you are planning on character dinning before the park opens I would uber or lyft over...

I always suggest and hour and 45 min's to 2 hours to get you were you are going... from hotel door to destination, whether it's inside the parks or Disney Springs... Going Park to Park... at least a hour... If you are trying to make an ADR at another park... I suggest a little longer... so that you are on time...

I really don't think that there is a definite formula on the timing on the buses... you could walk up and there is no-one waiting, or there could be several large groups ahead of you, or family with a loved one in a wheelchair, or the bus might drive by as it is full and on its way to the park...

 

[vinotinto]

With a 9:00 am opening, buses are fullest 7:45 -10:00 am. When we've taken the bus at 10-12, it's usually more pleasant. Also, evening buses to parks can get congested, around 5:00-7:00.

 

[Rowlf the Dog]

I stayed at Coronado Springs (2016) before they built Gran Destino. We were at the second last bus stop. Almost all of the time in the morning, the buses would bypass our stop because they were so full from the prior stops. We would wait 45 min to over 1 hour before a bus for our park stopped to pick us up.

I even got stuck once because as I was returning from Disney springs, the bus drove past my stop as he filled up with people getting on, and I almost had to go back to DS! He was kind enough to drop me and another family at the main lobby.

Hopefully, things have improved. Maybe check with the front desk to see the order of how the buses pick up, and if they go to the lobby first, it might be worth walking there to catch the bus. Or consider taking Uber/Lyft if you have something early booked.

I stayed at CSR in mid-March, I also was at the second last bus stop. Had only one time a problem with a full bus, but the next came not even 10mins later. I always paid attention to the actual times at MDE, which was really reliable.

 

[Figment Mom]

I'm a Disney transportation only, rope drop only person, except on my arrival day.

With a flight landing at 7:55, I found myself heading to the MK at 9:30 or so. (9 am opening)

The bus lines at Pop for MK were very long. I got on the 3rd bus (and these were the big double slinky buses).

Not sure when those lines dissipated. And of course bag check and tapstyle lines are longer at that time, too.

Maybe start with 10:30 FPs? You'd have until 11:30 to use the first one.

 

[Farro]

With a 9:00 am opening, buses are fullest 7:45 -10:00 am. When we've taken the bus at 10-12, it's usually more pleasant. Also, evening buses to parks can get congested, around 5:00-7:00.

Thanks, that's what i was thinking, maybe we wont even get to stop until after 10 am.

 

[Farro]

I'm a Disney transportation only, rope drop only person, except on my arrival day.

With a flight landing at 7:55, I found myself heading to the MK at 9:30 or so. (9 am opening)

The bus lines at Pop for MK were very long. I got on the 3rd bus (and these were the big double slinky buses).

Not sure when those lines dissipated. And of course bag check and tapstyle lines are longer at that time, too.

Maybe start with 10:30 FPs? You'd have until 11:30 to use the first one.

Yes, maybe starting fast passes 10:30 or 11. Thanks!

 

[Disneylover99]

Anyone know how early the buses start running during the 6am EMH in September for Galaxy's edge? I'm assuming there will be buses available at 5am, but I don't ever remember the parks opening that early so I'm not sure!

On Christmas morning when MK opened at 6am, the first bus arrived at POFQ at 4:51am. Sadly, we missed it. The next bus arrived around 5:10am. Check the bus wait times on MDE. The bus arrival time popped up at about 4:30am.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I like to use Lyft for anything really early unless it's MK. For a 9am opening at MK we get the bus stop by 7:20.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

For years and at all the resorts value to deluxe , I use the same bus strategy:
if I want to be there for RD I’m to the bus stop 45-50 mins prior to opening. So for 9am I want to be there 8:15 or before.

Has worked well for years,

This is what we do also. It always works well. We arrive before RD with enough time to go through bag check and scan in and still be in the parks within 5 minutes of opening.

 

[indoshakespeare]

POP to Epcot. 9 AM opening, 8 AM PPO, first bus arrived at 7.30 AM

 

[kaytieeldr]

I always suggest and hour and 45 min's to 2 hours to get you were you are going... from hotel door to destination, whether it's inside the parks or Disney Springs... Going Park to Park... at least a hour... If you are trying to make an ADR at another park... I suggest a little longer... so that you are on time...

Genuinely curious why you recommend almost twice as long between resorts wnd parks as between parks? It's still just point-to-point, with the same number of internal bus stops.

 

[saskdw]

With a 9:00 am opening, buses are fullest 7:45 -10:00 am. When we've taken the bus at 10-12, it's usually more pleasant. Also, evening buses to parks can get congested, around 5:00-7:00.

We spent 75 plus nights at CSR between 2010-2016 and this is our observation as well. Once the rush is over we've never had a problem with buses passing by because they were full. Two of our trips we were using the last stop which is now the tower stop where you are staying.

If you're worried about it you can always walk the extra 5 mins to the first pick up at Casitas 4.

 

[LovesTimone]

Genuinely curious why you recommend almost twice as long between resorts wnd parks as between parks? It's still just point-to-point, with the same number of internal bus stops.

I am talking from leaving the door of your resort room to walking through the turnstile Magic band scanned and finger print and you are in the park time line.. so you shut the resort door, and head to the bus stop, 10 to 20 minutes walking maybe longer if you stop to take pictures or forget something and someone has to go back to get it... you arrive at the bus stop and the bus has just left... and its crowded at the bus stop... 20 minutes wait and another bus show up, and its to full to get on... another 20 minutes... so as of right now... so you have been at the bus stop for 40 minutes adding in the walk... 10 to 20 more you are somewhere between 50 to 60 minutes and you haven't even gotten on a bus yet... Yay the bus pulls up, and you are able to get on this bus... depending on which park, and the route taken by the bus driver who takes the route that Disney tells them to take... your ride can be 15 to 30 minutes... So now you are at 65 to 90 minutes.... arriving at the bus station, parking and disembarking the bus... then you have to walk, go through security which you have to stand in line most of the time, lets say 5 to 15 minutes then stand in line at the turnstiles again 5 to 10 minutes ... and if everything works right meaning that everyone is ready to go with their bags and that all the magic bands are working proper on all the guest ahead of you as well as your magic bands are working..., 75 to 115 minutes...

There are all kinds of things that take up time, taking pictures, forgetting something, needing to buy something, someone needs to head to the restroom, waiting for the buses....You can't just count the ride time on the bus... its all the other stuff that you need to take into consideration...

 

[EEEEE]

Take a car if you can. The free bus service that Disney provides is a really nice perk, but I've just found that in a week long vacation you will end up spending so many hours just waiting for a bus. I love the speed, convenience and freedom of having a car.