can i use the busses after checkout?

[torinsmom]

Getting a spot at DTD is a PAIN! I have had to circle around for 10-15 minutes every time I have driven there. And then it is a decent walk to get to the shops. I would definitely take the bus. Don't know which stop you would get off at though. Isn't it more towards the middle of DTD?

 

[dolphindan1]

Park at lit 2...we have never not found a spot in lot 2...and you will be right behind trex...Trust me its sooooooo much easier to drive and will save you alot more time

 

[MelissathePooh]

Getting a spot at DTD is a PAIN! I have had to circle around for 10-15 minutes every time I have driven there. And then it is a decent walk to get to the shops. I would definitely take the bus. Don't know which stop you would get off at though. Isn't it more towards the middle of DTD?

This - I don't know what kind of luck some people apparently have getting a parking spot here, but when we're there the lots are often full or we have to drive around following people to find a spot

We don't go at opening, but not necessarily in peak times either.

 

[chartle]

Getting a spot at DTD is a PAIN! I have had to circle around for 10-15 minutes every time I have driven there. And then it is a decent walk to get to the shops. I would definitely take the bus. Don't know which stop you would get off at though. Isn't it more towards the middle of DTD?

If you reread the OP they are going at 11:00 AM I don't think they will have much problem finding a spot at that time.

 

[torinsmom]

If you reread the OP they are going at 11:00 AM I don't think they will have much problem finding a spot at that time.

Most of the times I have gone were when I was going to Disney Quest, which opens at 11:30, so we were getting there around 10 or 10:30 and the lots were full even then. My trips have been in June and July, so take it for what its worth.

I hate Disney buses, but this is one place I would make an exception and take one.

 

[chartle]

Most of the times I have gone were when I was going to Disney Quest, which opens at 11:30, so we were getting there around 10 or 10:30 and the lots were full even then. My trips have been in June and July, so take it for what its worth.

I hate Disney buses, but this is one place I would make an exception and take one.

Was it all the lots or just around DQ? My experience is that the lots only fill up as the day goes on.

May be its a rush in the morning, dies down a bit, and then grows. I still don't think it will bad enough that it justifies taking a bus that would add maybe 30 minutes to the round trip.

 

[dolphindan1]

I think what people who say take the bus are failing to read is the part about it being departure day...taking the bus can take alot of time...i really doubt they want to spend a bunch of time or cutting there DTD time short because they have to leave an hour early to get back to there car to get on the road back to SC

 

[torinsmom]

Shouldn't be a long wait for the bus that time of morning, and the trip to DTD is about 15 minutes by bus if it stops at TL, right? It will take 10 minutes to drive it. I guess they could save the 15 minutes back to their resort? But if they are going to spend 10-15 minutes finding parking, that evens out the time. They would also need to get good directions of how to get to DTD from their resort and back to I-4 from DTD if they are driving. I've driven around WDW for the last 7 years now, and still can't get anywhere without my GPS, but maybe that is just me.

Chartle--I have parked in both lots that time of day and had trouble. Sometimes we park at the Marketplace, because that's where we end up after DQ. Sometimes we get there later and look for a spot around DQ. Those are usually easier to find, but it would be a long walk to T-Rex.

 

[KSDisneyDad]

Shouldn't be a long wait for the bus that time of morning, and the trip to DTD is about 15 minutes by bus if it stops at TL, right? It will take 10 minutes to drive it. I guess they could save the 15 minutes back to their resort? But if they are going to spend 10-15 minutes finding parking, that evens out the time. They would also need to get good directions of how to get to DTD from their resort and back to I-4 from DTD if they are driving. I've driven around WDW for the last 7 years now, and still can't get anywhere without my GPS, but maybe that is just me.

Chartle--I have parked in both lots that time of day and had trouble. Sometimes we park at the Marketplace, because that's where we end up after DQ. Sometimes we get there later and look for a spot around DQ. Those are usually easier to find, but it would be a long walk to T-Rex.

Wow...we stayed at the same resort complex as the OP on our last major visit and visited DTD three times (once going from resort to resort which took 1 1/2 hours one-way!!! ). The bus from the All-Stars to DTD took a minimum of 45 minutes each of the three times we did it. To drive would take no more than 15 minutes. On our third trip to DTD, I called a rental car agency to see about renting a car as it was so frustrating. In hindsight, I wish we had just called a taxi to save us time.

The return trips were just as bad IMO. The bus wait was long and when it did arrive, it seemed to have to stop multiple times at DTD before returning to the resort.

The buses at WDW can sometimes be efficient, but the ones to DTD seem to never be efficient in our experience. Perhaps one can get lucky, but I'd take a sure thing (my own car) over rolling the dice on the buses working smoothly to a place where they are notoriously slow getting to and fro.

If you are directionally challenged and cannot read signs, then please take the bus. It's very easy to get around WDW IMO as the signs are well-marked. Getting from the All-Stars to DTD is easy. Just go straight out of the all-stars and stay on that road until you reach DTD.

 

[TDC Nala]

There is no way it will take only 10 minutes to take a bus between the All Stars and DTD. The buses do not drive straight down Buena Vista, they take a roundabout route around OKW and SSR so they can approach the Marketplace entrance first.

There are two bus stops at DTD, Marketplace and the former Pleasure Island. Also, DTD buses add Typhoon Lagoon to the loop when it is open. The Pleasure Island stops are also one of the places where the bus drivers switch shifts. If there is a shift change in progress the bus may stay at that stop longer than it takes to just load the bus.

 

[torinsmom]

Our resort was Pop, so maybe that's why it was quicker? Pop has their own bus. It did stop at TL and at the Marketplace stop before the other stop, but it wasn't a long ride, like I said around 15 minutes. I didn't see what resort the OP was staying at.

FWIW, I am NOT directionally challenged. I find the area very confusing without my GPS.

 

[Brian_WDW74]

I've moved this thread to the Transportation board.

 

[KSDisneyDad]

There is no way it will take only 10 minutes to take a bus between the All Stars and DTD. The buses do not drive straight down Buena Vista, they take a roundabout route around OKW and SSR so they can approach the Marketplace entrance first.

There are two bus stops at DTD, Marketplace and the former Pleasure Island. Also, DTD buses add Typhoon Lagoon to the loop when it is open. The Pleasure Island stops are also one of the places where the bus drivers switch shifts. If there is a shift change in progress the bus may stay at that stop longer than it takes to just load the bus.

And also don't forget that at the All-Star Sports, the bus will most likely also stop at AS Music and AS Movies before leaving the AS Complex. That alone may take 15 minutes. Add on their round-about way to get to TL and then on to DTD and the multiple stops at DTD, it took a long time to reach DTD from the All-Stars. We actually don't like WDW bus service, but decided to try it again last time to save some $$. We found that it really wasn't too bad afterall for the major parks. However, to DTD we about went crazy!!

That said, our overall experience has led us to rent a car again this coming trip. We don't enjoy standing on buses which we found ourselves doing most of the time. If we wanted a seat, we sacrificed time and then often, we'd still find someone who needed a seat more than us so we'd give up our seats to them anyway. Regardless, I know there is a large group of guests who love giving up their car keys for a week at WDW. We just don't find that relaxing. Different strokes - that's all.

Our resort was Pop, so maybe that's why it was quicker? Pop has their own bus. It did stop at TL and at the Marketplace stop before the other stop, but it wasn't a long ride, like I said around 15 minutes. I didn't see what resort the OP was staying at.

FWIW, I am NOT directionally challenged. I find the area very confusing without my GPS.

WDW roads can be a little confusing, but the signage is excellent. Love those big purple signs! Even if you make a mistake, you can get right back where you need to be quite quickly by reading the signs.

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

By your choice of words, you make it sound like a much farther walk than it really is. You DON'T have to walk "the entire length of DTD" to get from the bus stop to T-Rex Cafe ... you have to walk the entire length of DTD MARKETPLACE. There's a big difference between walking the entire length of Downtown Disney (which consists of Marketplace, the former Pleasure Island, and Westside) and walking the entire length of one-third of Downtown Disney.

Personally, I wouldn't drive in order to avoid THAT walk. And actually, depending on where you are able to get a parking spot, your walk from your parking spot to T-Rex might be about a quarter to a third of the distance from the bus stop to T-Rex.

Doesn't matter. There is no need to push extra walking on your departure day. Walking that distance with a 2 and 4 YO is worth it to us. If they are only going to DTD to eat and not shop, there's no reason NOT to make that drive. It's silly not to.

They will have to check out, load their stuff up, wait for a bus, wait for the bus to get there, then walk the marketplace. Not worth it IMO.

Getting a spot at DTD is a PAIN! I have had to circle around for 10-15 minutes every time I have driven there. And then it is a decent walk to get to the shops. I would definitely take the bus. Don't know which stop you would get off at though. Isn't it more towards the middle of DTD?

OP is going early enough in the day that the parking lot won't be as full.

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

PS - the map I gave OP has I4 on it.