Can you go directly from DTD to the parks?

[BluOrchid2]

ARe there busses that go directly from Downtown Disney to the theme parks? or do you have to go to a resort first, and then to a park? Thanks!

 

[helenk]

The DTD buses do not go to the parks, they only go to the resorts

 

[safetymom]

No direct buses. You would go to a resort and then have to take a bus to the park. They did this to cut down on people parking at DTD to avoid the parking fee and then going to the parks.

 

[clkelley]

It is a quick walk (less than 10 minutes) to Saratoga Springs from Downtown Disney. You can take a bus to a park from there.

Carol

 

[CarolA]

And considering that several of us DVC members have already complained about using the SSR buses as mass transport I really hope that at some point they begin checking IDs there.

 

[athenna]

And considering that several of us DVC members have already complained about using the SSR buses as mass transport I really hope that at some point they begin checking IDs there.

I agree completly

 

[ncbyrne]

And considering that several of us DVC members have already complained about using the SSR buses as mass transport I really hope that at some point they begin checking IDs there.

I was told by the WDW agent that all onsite transportation (all busses, boats and monorail) was included with the purchase of the park passes. Is that incorrect information? Do you need to have a specific resort i.d. in order to use that resort's transportation services? What about if you have a PS #?

 

[snowiit]

I was told by the WDW agent that all onsite transportation (all busses, boats and monorail) was included with the purchase of the park passes. Is that incorrect information? Do you need to have a specific resort i.d. in order to use that resort's transportation services? What about if you have a PS #?

All onsite transportation IS included. I believe the poster is saying that you should not be parking in any resort that you are not STAYING at. They have become quite strict about this. Even if you have a PS at that resort they will give you a three hour parking pass, not allowing you to park there for the day and visit a park. They are wanting to keep the parking lots at the resorts open for the people who are actually staying there.
Nancy

 

[Deb & Bill]

I'm hoping that they close off the walkway to everyone except SSR guests.

 

[kirbsam]

All onsite transportation IS included. I believe the poster is saying that you should not be parking in any resort that you are not STAYING at. They have become quite strict about this. Even if you have a PS at that resort they will give you a three hour parking pass, not allowing you to park there for the day and visit a park. They are wanting to keep the parking lots at the resorts open for the people who are actually staying there.
Nancy

If you reread the post, the person was talking about walking to ssr from dtd, not parking there. It is pretty obvious he didn't talk about parking his car. The ssr people obviously do not want other people to use "their?" bus stop. I think this is pretty lame. Close off the sidewalk, so people can not walk there from dtd?? What is the deal with that. When you stay at Disney you have the option of going anywhere that disney transportation allows and using any bus stop you wish, even that of the sacred ssr...heaven forbid.

 

[Luigi's Girl]

ARe there busses that go directly from Downtown Disney to the theme parks? or do you have to go to a resort first, and then to a park? Thanks!

In the case of this OP coming from someone who is most likely staying onsite I think it's perfectly fine to walk to SSR or take a bus back to a resort in order to get to a park. However if an offsite guest were asking the question that would be a different story.

 

[dcgrumpy]

I'm hoping that they close off the walkway to everyone except SSR guests.

But any onsite guest is allowed to visit any resort and use the transportation. Plus I doubt Disney would want to discourage people to visit SSR. You never know, that person that takes a walk over there may decide they like it so much they want to buy into DVC.

 

[ducklite]

I'm hoping that they close off the walkway to everyone except SSR guests.

What about people going to have a meal there? Or visiting the spa? Regretfully there are legitimate reasons for people not staying at SSR to visit the resort, and closing off the walkway isn't going to solve the problem. What would work is to have to show a WDW Resort ID card to use the transportation from there. Anyone staying "off-site" either has their own vehicle or has transportation available from the hotel/resort they are staying at and as such has no reason to be taking the SSR bus.

Anne

 

[crisi]

I think its more likely the DTD lot would become a "pay to park" lot, with you getting free parking when you show your PI/Cirque/DQ receipt or a receipt from a shop showing you spent more than $50. Free parking - provided you are spending money at DTD venues.

Park passes entitle you to use transportation. What annoys SSR guests is people from DTD filling their buses so they need to wait - particularly when you aren't supposed to use DTD as a "free parking lot." But that is Disney's problem in making sure there are adequate buses and making sure people don't use DTD as a free lot.

 

[clkelley]

I agree, off-site folks should NOT park at DTD and go to the parks from there. (The only exception would be Annual Passholders who get free parking anyway, and ONLY if they are planning to end their day at DTD).

However, it is perfectly alright to have even a one-day, one park ticket and park at the (Name your park) lot, then take a break for lunch using Disney Transport at ANY resort or venue at WDW where a guest can spend money, including taking a bus to SSR and walking to DTD, then returning to (Name your park), by the same means.

Not all of these off-site folks have their own vehicle to get around Disney property. Some are walking over from Hotel Plaza Boulevard, and also some are taking hotel-provided transportation from off-site hotels, some are tour groups where the bus drops them off in the morning and picks them up at night.

Honestly, I would think the fewer private vehicles driving around WDW property, the better. Easier for the buses to get around, fewer accidents, etc., smoother travel time between destinations.

Carol

 

[clkelley]

Anyone staying "off-site" either has their own vehicle or has transportation available from the hotel/resort they are staying at and as such has no reason to be taking the SSR bus.

Anne

I tried to say this in my previous post, but didn't word it very well. The off-site hotels that provide transportation to WDW do NOT have internal transportation around WDW, and most of them do not provide a way to get to DTD. At the most, the off-site hotel transportation drops you off at a park in the morning and will pick you up from the same park in the afternoon. These guests have as much right as any other Disney guest to leave that park and explore other areas of the Disney property before their hotel shuttle comes to pick them up.

Until WDW starts either offering a transportation pass for sale or checking park tickets and resort IDs, it will remain the same.

Carol

 

[Deb & Bill]

The problem with non-SSR guest taking the SSR bus to get to DTD is that they don't have any idea where to go to get to DTD. There is no signage (and I hope they don't put it up) for non-guests to wander the resort at their leisure. I don't have any problem with someone coming to SSR to use the spa or to dine (whatever that may mean) at Artist's Pallet (not table service only counter service). But I really don't like non-guests just wandering around the resort.

In June we stayed at SSR for 7 nights. Several times in the evening people got on the bus at MK to go to DTD. When they started to get off the bus at the Carriage House stop, they had no idea where to go to get to DTD. So they waited at the busstop to catch the bus to DTD.

If you think about the other resorts that are spread out like SSR (OKW, CS, PO, CBR), the only entry into the resort is through the main gate where your license plate is logged down or on a bus, where you can easily see the main building for the resort. People don't ride the CS bus so they can walk over to BB. They don't ride over to AKL so they can walk over to AK.

To me, it's just as easy to hop a bus to a resort, then get the bus from the resort to DTD. And not as much as a security risk either.

 

[clkelley]

People don't ride the CS bus so they can walk over to BB.

Actually, I have ridden a bus to CS to walk over to Blizzard Beach. Blizzard Beach was closed, but Winterland/Summerland course was open, so that was the only option to get there.

I have also ridden a bus to Blizzard Beach from All-Stars, then walked to CS to eat breakfast at Pepper Market.

Carol

 

[Sammie]

ARe there busses that go directly from Downtown Disney to the theme parks? or do you have to go to a resort first, and then to a park? Thanks!

I would take a resort bus to the resort closest to the park you are trying to get to. I would not walk over to Saratoga Springs as suggested, unless you are planning to shop there, etc. Why do any extra walking especially when it is hot.

 

[Caskbill]

Keep in mind that SSR is not a regular Disney resort, but is a Timeshare, paid for by members who purchased there.

The DVC busses are paid for by Member's annual dues, not by Disney in general. That is why DVC has the right to limit DVC busses to DVC members only and not to the general public. This is a fine point, but not widely understood.

This is also why they could put up a gate on the walkway to DD, which would require room key access to open.

Hopefully things will never get out of hand to the point where others overload the DVC systems, making such steps necessary and/or being demanded by the DVC owners.