Charter Buses

[carisdcnj]

Ok, so I will likely use the charter buses in the morning from hotels to WP to Cali Grill and then guests back to hotel. We are planning to have a DP in Epcot the same night. I believe it has a 3 hour minimum. Are we paying for the buses even when we aren't using them? Is there an additional "minimum" if we want to use the buses at night again?

 

[lurkyloo]

It's a 5-hour minimum, and yes, you pay for them even when you aren't using them. For example, we paid to have buses idling from the start of our ceremony through the end of our reception b/c we took a Friendship boat from the ceremony to the reception.

If you want another charter for the DP and there's a break between your reception and the DP (i.e., reception ends at 3pm, DP starts at 8:30pm), you have to pay for a whole 'nother 5-hour minimum.

Depending on your group size and the number of hotels for which you need pickups, you may be able to avoid chartering by using a combination of one-way or round-trip buses or using mini-buses or using vans.....

 

[carisdcnj]

It's a 5-hour minimum, and yes, you pay for them even when you aren't using them. For example, we paid to have buses idling from the start of our ceremony through the end of our reception b/c we took a Friendship boat from the ceremony to the reception.

If you want another charter for the DP and there's a break between your reception and the DP (i.e., reception ends at 3pm, DP starts at 8:30pm), you have to pay for a whole 'nother 5-hour minimum.

Depending on your group size and the number of hotels for which you need pickups, you may be able to avoid chartering by using a combination of one-way or round-trip buses or using mini-buses or using vans.....

Geez.... I was kinda against the DP buses, figuring people will be spending the day in the parks and wouldn't want to go back to their hotels just to be bused to Epcot. I was going to recommend people try and eat dinner that night in Epcot to save time. Thanks!

 

[lpizzuro123]

Our ceremony was at 9:00 in Epcot and our reception was from 10:00 to 3:00 at Atlantic Dance Hall. We had the bus pick up our guests at our resorts (both POFQ and The Boardwalk) and transport them to Epcot and then over to our reception and then it sat waiting for everyone to leave the reception and head back to their resort. The bus left at 2:00 if anyone wanted to go back early (I think 3 people did) and then at around 3:30 for the end of the reception.

We had a dessert party in Epcot later that night from 8:30 to 9:30. We had everyone that was staying in POFQ take Disney transportation to Epcot and meet a guide at the front of the park and walk everyone into the UK for the party. We had everyone staying at The Boardwalk walk over to the International Gateway and meet a guide there to walk them in. We had to pay for an extra guide because we used two locations to get into the park but this way we did not have to pay for a bus. My DH and I were staying at The Boardwalk and they let us walk in through the International Gateway. As the UK is right when you go through this way we had no problem walking in in my gown.

We gave out wristband to eveyone at the reception to allow them into Epcot for the dessert party. No one really went to the park that day as by the time our reception was over everyone went back to their resort to change. I know some people used the pool, some took a nap and some got something to eat. We paid the viewing fee ($12.50) per person for the party.

Linda

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

I am chartering the buses as well. It made more sense for me to pay for the pick up at hotels, transport to the WP, wait, transport to CG and then leave and then I am paying for another round of buses for the dessert party. The only bad part is that guests are having to take Disney transport from the reception to their hotel, but since we're right in the Contemporary, which has the monorail running through it, I figured that would be fine. I am also having a guest who worked at WDW be the "escort" to the buses and monorails and directing guests on how to get back to hotels. I don't know exact costs, but it was sig. less than paying for buses from 12-5 for reception.

 

[lurkyloo]

Ooh - I really like your idea of having an experienced guest serve as a transportation escort! I know if I were a Disney newbie I'd find it really helpful.

 

[daveyc150]

We're not having a bus in the evening for the dessert party, all our guests have park passes so we're all just meeting in the UK at the correct time and then plan to go to Jelly Rolls afterwards!