Calling C&D Express: Info Required on OKW Buses...

[mjstaceyuofm]

C&D Express: Over on the News & Rumours forum when we were having the ol' monorail debate, you set us all straight on how the bus system works. Thanks for that info. Following up on that, I have a quick question on the OKW buses. If I recall correctly, they run on the "flex" system and not the MOD system. (Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong - anybody....) Assuming that's the case, what are the intervals for buses at OKW to the various parks... 10 Minutes? 12 Minutes? 15 Minutes? 20 Minutes? Do they run at a higher frequency during opening and closing?

I have somewhat of a vested interest in OKW as it is my home DVC resort. The last time we actually stayed at OKW was May 2000, well before the MOD system you described to us was up and running. At that time, I thought the bus service to & from OKW was adequate, although those shared routes with AK and BB seemed to take forever...

Thanks in advance Tyler.

Anyone else who'd like to correct my info or add on, please feel free. Also, anyone have any experiences to relate regarding OKW transportation?

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

During the morning, busses are dispatched every 15 minutes. (They are typically dispatched on the :15 minute mark from the theme park. Actual arrival time may vary)

During the slow afternoons, it can be as many as every 17 minutes. During park exits, there is no set interval. Typically a bus will be dispatched to the load zone... sit for 10 mins... and then take off. The next bus will then go in, sit for 10 mins, and take off.

 

[megaelch]

Just back from a 1 week stay at OKW and had very bad experiences with the bus services at OKW, in the afternoon they did run in 20-30 min. intervalls, one day i gave up going to Magic Kingdom at all after waiting so long, if you have a rental car, use it for transportation ! It might be a little bit better in the morning, but when i want to go to a park or escape the humid heat i want to do it in a reasonable time. Actually from / to Epcot it was just one bus going the route in both directions
The interval of service especially of the timeshare hotels is determined by the money the members want to spend on transportation services, as a OKW CM told me, and OKW is definately saving money to keep the dues low !!!

( By the way the members did decide they do not need a lifeguard at the pool .. wonder what happens after the first incident that costs someones health / life )

Stephan

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by megaelch
Just back from a 1 week stay at OKW and had very bad experiences with the bus services at OKW, in the afternoon they did run in 20-30 min intervalls

Well, 30 mins is the posted interval. However, having driven many OKW runs this past week, I can tell you it was more along the lines of 15 mins that may have felt like 30. I know this because each time that I would enter OKW, I'd see the bus in front of me just leaving. As I left, I'd see the bus behind me just entering. That's how I know things are running on schedule.

Originally posted by megaelch
Actually from / to Epcot it was just one bus going the route in both directions

With the way Flex Dispatch is set up... that's not the case. Buses are not on fixed routes. Each time a bus goes into Epcot, they get dispatched to a new location. If they're running exactly on time, they might receive the same dispatch. But not always.

The only time there is a fixed route bus for OKW is between 7:00am-9:00am. There are two buses that run. Bus 1 is dispatched at :00 and :30 from Epcot, and Bus 2 is dispatched at :15 and :45 from Epcot.

Originally posted by megaelch
The interval of service especially of the timeshare hotels is determined by the money the members want to spend on transportation services, as a OKW CM told me, and OKW is definately saving money to keep the dues low !!!

Never trust anything about transportation, unless it comes from someone wearing purple pants.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

( By the way the members did decide they do not need a lifeguard at the pool .. wonder what happens after the first incident that costs someones health / life )

Very few of the Disney resorts have lifeguards. If it does not have a slide, it does not need one. We are not saving money by not having a lifeguard, we are saving money at OKW by not having a slide.

Yes, members pay for bus transportation, however, I have found if you read the posted times for a bus, they are there when they say there are going to be. Reading the bus schedule handed to you at check in, or reading the ones in the bus stops would have made you better prepared to withstand the heat by letting you know when to arrive at the bus stop. 30 minutes is a reasonable wait in the off times. Half the time the busses are empty in the afternoon and early evening.