Can we use WDW Transportation?

[MScott1851]

We are going for just two days in September, because we have a couple of days on our Park Hopper Plus passes. This is my question.. We are staying at the DTD Hilton and have heard horrible things about their shuttles to the parks. Can we walk to DTD and hop on a Disney bus to the TTC and get on the monorail for our MK and Epcot visits? Or can we even use WDW transport? Or would it be better to take our rental car?

p.s. We are trying to see all four parks in one day, so I need the most time-saving method!

 

[sue Z]

Just be for warned that there is no longer any direct bus from DTD to any of the theme parks, including ttc. The buses from DTD only go to the resorts and then you would have to change there for the theme park of your choice!!
if you go to the contemporary you could walk over to MK or take the monorail to ttc!

You can use WDW buses from DTD, but you might even try using the buses from your hotel and if the return doesn't meet your needs then you could use the WDW buses just remember to transfer to a Disney resort hotel before going to DTD

 

[becka]

My understanding has been that you are entitled to full use of the WDW transportation with the purchase of any admission media (like your park hoppers).

It might end up being easy to use your rental car but that will be up to you.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Theme park and TTC buses to/from Downtown Disney were discontinued for this specific reason. Too many people were clogging our buses instead of using the ones provided. This made it difficult for our resort guests (the ones who paid for the bus) to get to Downtown Disney.

It should be noted that although we do not check ID's, Downtown Disney buses are technically only for Disney Resort guests. Park Hopper tickets only allow for park hopping transportation.


If you have a rental car, and do not wish to deal with the Hotel Plaza shuttles, use the rental. Using Disney Transport would require transferring at a resort, a process that could take some time, depending on connections.

 

[freediverdude]

I don't understand why people don't seem to like the downtown Disney resorts' bus system. I thought it was just fine- they are large motorcoaches similar to Greyhounds with comfy seats, and they seemed to run every half hour pretty much on the dot, so that I could actually time my departures. The resorts seemed to have nice covered waiting areas too, just like the Disney resorts. Myself I don't understand why all those people would walk over to the Disney bus terminal when all they had to do was step out the door of their resort....just my opinion I guess.

 

[bunnyfoo]

The buses used by DTD hotels are okay ... they run about every 30 minutes and drop you off a little further away than the Disney buses (parking lot) do. You could take the buses from DTD, but depending on the time of day, some of the buses might stop off at Typhoon Lagoon so it might not be any faster than waiting for the DTD bus.

 

[seashoreCM]

Guests with park hopper plus passes would need to be able to use Disney transportation to go between theme parks, Pleasure Island and water parks. For some trips it is necessary to make a connection at a resort.

Lack of direct bus service from PI to theme parks inhibits off site guests from parking for free near PI and circumventing the park parking fee, but it does increase bus passenger traffic at some resorts where connections are made.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by freediverdude
I don't understand why people don't seem to like the downtown Disney resorts' bus system.

I've seen first hand (as well as heard from guests ON the buses) that many of the drivers are maniacs on the road. I'll be doing 50 down World Drive (posted speed limit), and they'll zoom by me as if I'm standing still. The company also doesn't take care of thier fleet. The buses are all banged up, and don't run very well. Absolutely filthy on the exterior. Also... from what I'm to understand, thier buses are not approved for standee passengers, yet they overload the bus, and make about 30 people stand. (The difference with Disney's buses is that ours are transit style, designed with handrails to allow standees)

Obviously, a lot of people have found thier service to be quite satisfactory... but of course, there will always be the few that don't. *shrug* All a matter of personal opinion, I suppose.

 

[loopy]

For instance, I am arriving on a saturday, Im not buying my ultimate hopper til late sunday when my aunt gets there (shes the timeshare member) so am I allowed to ride Disney transportation on sunday before I get my pass? If so, does it cost anything? We are going to stay at Old Key West and thought a trip across the lake to DTD to shop would be a good way to spend the day til the rest of the family gets there and I wanted to take the ferry. Am I allowed to do that?

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Since you will be a resort guest, have fun, you wont have any problems.

We rarely check ID's anyway. The rules are just in place to prevent people from abusing the system. *shrug*

 

[erikthewise]

Fear not, loopy, you're legit, as Tyler points out.
In any case, there is no way to pay for WDW transportation even if you wanted to; they are not equipped for it. If you gave a driver money, they would almost certainly force you to take it back. If not, it would be a tip.

 

[seashoreCM]

A comment made by more than one author or editor of unofficial WDW guide books (paraphrased): "When choosing to stay on site or off site, be aware that, although off site hotesl may have shuttles to the theme parks, hotels may share a shuttle and if the shuttle is full you may have to wait for the next scheduled one."

Corey Sandler, author of some of the Econoguide guide books, mentioned that (in his 1998 edition) "Disney quietly offers a transportation only pass for about $2.50". Not sure whether this is still true.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

The first part is true... the second part is not.

 

[Legends of Horizons]

"Disney quietly offers a transportation only pass for about $2.50". Not sure whether this is still true.

Off topic, but; Didn't Disney used to offer just such a "transportation ticket"? I may be remembering this from way back in the 1980's, and it seems like it cost more than $2.50 even then.