Chip and Dale buses gone

[Master Gracey]

The Chip and Dale buses that provided internal campground transportation have been shut down. The Boone and Crockett bus routes have been expanded so that each Boone bus covers its former route, plus a portion of the Chip and Dale routes. The same is true for the Crockett. Both buses still stop at Wilderness Lodge and the TTC. They run in opposite directions through the campground.

Guests looking for a bus ride to Pioneer Hall or a trading post must now share a bus with those going to/from the theme parks. During the past week there has been a lot of consternation at the bus stops. The route signs at each stop are confusing, buses are very crowded, and lines are long.

This can't last. Look for more changes soon.

 

[DVCDAVE]

This is an outrage !!! Bring back the trams !!! I am glad you told us, I was going to book a March vacation and reserve a cabin for two days, now I will just book a resort room only. Ei$ner is ruining this place, he has got to go.

 

[Kermit]

How dumb is that! I understand they need to save money, but that's just a little too far. I'm glad I picked a preferred site for my next trip. I guess I need to call and tell them I'd prefer a loop near the Settlement area than the Meadows. Oh, wait. They don't let you call in requests now either!

Surely this will be one change that won't last. The buses will be too crowded, and it will take too long to get where you're going.

 

[#1 TITANS FAN]

When I was at FW last month, twice it took over 30 minutes on very crowded buses to get from the Settlement Depot to loop 1500 because they had consolidated the Chip and Dale routes into one route. This sounds even worse. The second time it happened was the first and last time I ate at Trail's End; I really liked the restaurant but I just didn't want to take that long to get back to my site. It almost seems like they're trying to coerce you into renting the golf carts. For E- night I drove over to PO-FQ and used their bus; it was a lot easier plus their foodcourt runs a late night menu from 10 til Midnight.

 

[TinkerbellRules]

I didn't like the transportation before they did this. We always drove ourselves. This sounds even worse! I've heard the transportation from all of the resorts are suffering as well. Long, long lines. What are they trying to do? Get us to go to Universal? I don't want that! If everyone decides to drive to the parks themselves, it'll create an even bigger problem!

 

[campingcorgi]

The night before we checked out-June 5-AFTER we turned in the golf cart my mom and I went to the late hayride. It was a mess trying to get a bus back to 1700 afterwards. All the crowds from the beach (water pagent) were trying to get buses, but the buses were all arriving full from the parks! We watched 4 buses arrive and perhaps 5 people get on each. We walked--it took us 30 minutes but the wait for the bus would have been worse!

Really, though, why don't they do the trams. It would seem to make more sense--you could add extra cars when you needed them, or just run a short tram during the off times. You might get a little wet during those afternoon storms, though. Hmmmm.....

Barbara
just back and 341 to go!

 

[Lisa P.]

I would think that this has potential to be a good thing... IF they don't cut way back on the total number of buses altogether. I remember waiting through three or four buses at times, before the one we wanted arrived. It seemed silly, confusing and wasteful to me that there were four separate bus routes. We figured it out okay but I remember a lot pf people finding it hard to get used to. Many times, we had to wait for a certain bus to get to the parks, while mostly empty internal buses circled the place. And changing buses multiple times to get to the parks is a drag. It's the main reason so many people who stay at FW use their cars to get everywhere but MK.

So IF they actually start using those (previously) internal buses to run the Boone & Crockett routes, with a small number of additional stops, it may go better for most people in the long run. Change is hard, but this makes sense to me. OTOH, if they simply eliminate those buses (& the staff to run them), it would make an already (only) fair transportation system much, much worse. I'd like to wait & see. JMHO.

 

[IDreamofEeyore]

I preferred the trams over the busses anyway...it just seemed much more efficient and easy. I can't believe they would cancel Chip and Dale without bringing the trams back in their place!

Has anyone heard rumors of what the replacements will be...the Crockett and Boone just won't cut it!

 

[Rhonda]

Well, there are a LOT of campsites/cabins at FW - so I'm thinking they've probably added a few more buses to the Boone & Crockett routes.

Personally, I like it better this way because you don't have to transfer buses at the Settlement Depot! I can sleep all the way to my site!

 

[lisapooh]

Unless they change the routes I don't like this at all. The Boone bus goes out to TTC before coming back to the Pioneer Hall area. Why have to go out to TTC and then to WL before getting to Pionner Hall?
I know people will say get a golf cart but unfortunately they do not have any way to carry a power wheelchair. This s--ks

 

[Lisa P.]

Perhaps with the addition of stops to the previous Boone & Crockett routes, the Crockett may include a stop near your favored loop and provide you with more direct service to Pioneer Hall. That may be a suggestion worth writing to FWC about.

 

[lisapooh]

Current route doesn't bring the Crockett bus into the Cabin loops. Runs by 2100 but handicapped cabins are in loops 2500 and 2800. It would require a major reroute. Either that or reverse the direction of the Boone bus so it exits at Pioneer Hall and not the Reception Center. I will be contacting Disney about this.

 

[sltrawick]

Just got back yesterday and I have to say out of all the years we have gone to FW.....the bus system this time was terrible.

We were in the 900 loop and from the settlement you are suppose to get on the crockett bus to take us to our 900 loop (which would have been the second stop)....well....3 crockett buses came and when we inquired...they said you need the boone bus.....well, boone then told us we need the crockett....so there we sat for about 1/2 hour and finally my dh got the next crockett bus driver and told him to get on the horn to his dispatcher and find out what the heck is going on. Well, the driver did and the dispatcher WAS aware of it and made an all call to the crockett bus drivers that they basically had screwed up and get it in gear because by now...there were about 20 people all wanted to go in the same direction as we did.

They had alot of new drivers or drivers that had been doing the AK route for 4 years now thrown into the FW route. They need better training or something...this was terrible.

 

[TmnsnMD]

My DH said there was no need for a golf cart, there was a pretty good bus service to take us were we wanted to go, that it would be a waste of 200 + $. When he hears all the problems that everyone is having with the buses we may just add that $200+ to our budget.

I do hope things get better! I hope as our campers come back from FW they keep us updated on the problem.

 

[Andrew_Lubow]

I emailed Disney on the bus situation. Here's the reply I got back.

Dear Andrew,

Thank you for contacting WALT DISNEY WORLD!

Fort Wilderness has advised us that they have indeed purchased more Boone and
Crockett buses, and that they will run on a more frequent basis.

If you have questions or need further assistance, feel free to contact us.

Please include your full name, E-Mail address, and reservation number if
applicable on all correspondence, and allow up to 72 hours for response to
E-Mail.

Thank you - and have a DISNEY day!

Sincerely,

Laurie Russell

Online Guest Service
WALT DISNEY WORLD
P.O. Box 10100
Lake Buena Vista FL 32830-0100



Original Message Follows:
-------------------------

I have a reservation for a Ft Wilderness campsite this coming December. I'm
hearing disturbing reports that the Chip and Dale internal busses have beeen
discontinued. How is the campground's internal transportation being improved?
I've hear from campers the remaining Boone and Crockett busses are infrequent,
overcrowded and usually standing room only now. Do you plan to add more Crockett
and Boone busses or put the trams back in that were used at one time at the
campgrounds?
__________________________________________________________