Disney Buses

[kaytieeldr]

know from many many threads waiting less than 5mins for a bus countless times is abnormal

Does the bus arrival option on the app only work if you're at the bus stop?

 

[tzolkin]

I'm guessing people often think about the average it can take a bus. I know from many many threads waiting less than 5mins for a bus countless times is abnormal if you take other people for their words. Disney uses an average of 20mins on their website and for sure you'd get buses taking less time than that. But if you take the average based on all the threads and comments out there I think that can give an edge for driving because you're not waiting on anyone for the vehicle other than whatever time it takes to get to the car. Sure you've got the parking attendant, actually parking, getting on the tram, and then to the entrance but if you waited 10,15,20,25mins for a bus you've begun to eat up any lead you might have had by being able to be dropped off straight at the entrance.

That makes sense and I certainly agree about there being many factors involved. I think that's why it really comes down to personal preference. If you're going strictly on time, that will, of course, be the day where you wait 45 minutes for a bus or you get stuck in traffic. If you had made your choice simply to save time, you would definitely be disappointed in that instance.

I had always understood it to be that the buses are supposed to arrive approximately every 20 minutes, so in theory (definitely not always in practice) that should be the maximum amount of time you wait not the average. Sure, you may be the unlucky person who always arrives just as the bus has left and has to wait the full 20 minutes every time, but you may also be the very lucky person for whom a bus arrives immediately after you get to the stop every time.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

That makes sense and I certainly agree about there being many factors involved. I think that's why it really comes down to personal preference. If you're going strictly on time, that will, of course, be the day where you wait 45 minutes for a bus or you get stuck in traffic. If you had made your choice simply to save time, you would definitely be disappointed in that instance.

I had always understood it to be that the buses are supposed to arrive approximately every 20 minutes, so in theory (definitely not always in practice) that should be the maximum amount of time you wait not the average. Sure, you may be the unlucky person who always arrives just as the bus has left and has to wait the full 20 minutes every time, but you may also be the very lucky person for whom a bus arrives immediately after you get to the stop every time.

You're right I think Disney says 'every 20mins' or so. I know from others that may be the goal but they are failing in it lol by other people's opinions. 'Course if nearly every time you're at that 15-20min mark I could see how that might frustrate someone.

 

[rotlex]

You're right I think Disney says 'every 20mins' or so. I know from others that may be the goal but they are failing in it lol by other people's opinions. 'Course if nearly every time you're at that 15-20min mark I could see how that might frustrate someone.

I think my biggest issue this past trip was MK buses at park closing. On at least two nights we waited just over an hour due to the sheer number of people in the cattle chutes waiting for the bus. Going through at least 3 bus fulls of people, waiting 20 minutes or so in between each bus. I really don't normally complain, but that was absolutely ridiculous.

I know MK is the worst for closing, but man, they really need to figure out a better system, somehow, lol.

 

[maxiesmom]

I'm guessing people often think about the average it can take a bus. I know from many many threads waiting less than 5mins for a bus countless times is abnormal if you take other people for their words. Disney uses an average of 20mins on their website and for sure you'd get buses taking less time than that. But if you take the average based on all the threads and comments out there I think that can give an edge for driving because you're not waiting on anyone for the vehicle other than whatever time it takes to get to the car. Sure you've got the parking attendant, actually parking, getting on the tram, and then to the entrance but if you waited 10,15,20,25mins for a bus you've begun to eat up any lead you might have had by being able to be dropped off straight at the entrance.


For all of those reasons I don't see driving as being a huge advantage. And you have missed that along with parking you then have to walk to the tram stop, and then may have to wait 2 or 3 trams before one has room for you. That is a good bit of time wasted right there. And you have to do the same when leaving the park, only now you have to find your car, and then try not to melt as you get into your steaming hot vehicle.

 

[Summer2018]

I think my biggest issue this past trip was MK buses at park closing. On at least two nights we waited just over an hour due to the sheer number of people in the cattle chutes waiting for the bus. Going through at least 3 bus fulls of people, waiting 20 minutes or so in between each bus. I really don't normally complain, but that was absolutely ridiculous.

I know MK is the worst for closing, but man, they really need to figure out a better system, somehow, lol.

That is the worst part for me too. I can walk for miles, but standing for an extended period of time gives me a terrible backache. Maybe if they put in benches so we could sit in line instead of standing in line.

Riding on the bus going to a park early in the morning can actually be enjoyable, especially if you have an entertaining bus driver. It is an entirely different experience at park closing when you are exhausted and it is standing room only.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

For all of those reasons I don't see driving as being a huge advantage. And you have missed that along with parking you then have to walk to the tram stop, and then may have to wait 2 or 3 trams before one has room for you. That is a good bit of time wasted right there. And you have to do the same when leaving the park, only now you have to find your car, and then try not to melt as you get into your steaming hot vehicle.

I haven't missed anything--I gave my experience already regarding the trams and including the one or two traveling party that always missed it because of xyz and I said there was always a tram not far away.

The parking trams we never had issues with because they were coming frequently enough. The thing with the parking trams is that they have a small defined route. The buses, even if they have multiple coming, still have to pick people up,exit the park and go onto their destination when leaving the parks. For parking trams their destination is the parking lot and only the parking lot. Time of day though yes you may have less frequent parking trams as you can have with buses.

We went in September (both in 2011 and 2017) and there were days with heat index well over 100. I beg to differ on the car part especially at night and in the early morning but even in the afternoon when we got back to it to park hop no where near having a good decent number of equally hot bodies around you in a bus. Roll down the windows (so long as it's not raining) for a moment, then turn on the A/C--you're all good. In a bus full of people, especially at night when tempers can flare, you're tired and exhausted having a bunch of people up against you has never felt good no matter where I've visted (other places like NYC, DC, etc you just deal with it because public transit is the way to go there). A/C blasting in the bus does not equate to a cool body either. This is the same I do here at my house where it presently feels like 101-no different than day to day life here in the summer. My car, comfort-wise with heat, will beat out a bus full of people especially if you add in standing people and bags taking up space, etc.

As far as finding your car--that is why I took pictures or texted myself where we parked our car not only the area, but also the space number and any other visual clues

Pros and cons to either method as it will always be that is for sure.

 

[Christine]

I know and I have read that too, but I'd love for someone to conduct a study. In order for driving to be faster, the amount of time to get through the booth to pay for parking, park your car, and make it to the gate would have to be less than the average amount of time people wait for the bus. There have been a few times where we have waited a ridiculous amount of time, but there have also been countless times where a bus pulled up within less than 5 minutes. In those cases, I believe it would be faster to take the bus than to drive (because it would take more than 5 minutes to make it from the parking lot entrance to the gate.)

It's certainly possible that my parents are just slow, but I would think they would at least try to beat us once to prove that they're right about driving being faster. We have also beat my brother driving several times but he has young kids so it probably takes him longer to get them into their carseats.

The only time we have "raced" with us driving was on our last trip, but that was MK so can't accurately compare to the other parks. DH and I were pretty determined-- we left the park before the rest of the family (they were leisurely getting a snack and using the restroom) and we literally ran to the car (which was parked closer in the handicapped lot so no trams), but they still beat us and were already taking showers and relaxing by the time we got back to the room.

We tried to use the buses last year (had our car with us though). My dad was trying to minimize walking so he was using the bus, we the car. I can guarantee you, we beat him to the Contemporary from Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and DHS *every* time. We didn't try racing to MK because we all took the monorail there.

 

[tzolkin]

You're right I think Disney says 'every 20mins' or so. I know from others that may be the goal but they are failing in it lol by other people's opinions. 'Course if nearly every time you're at that 15-20min mark I could see how that might frustrate someone.

Yes, there were two times on our last trip where we waited a ridiculous amount of time for a bus (once a full hour, and once approaching that long). I can definitely see how if that happened one of your first few times using the buses where you may think that's the usual amount of time the buses take and say "never again!"

 

[Duchie]

We typically use the buses when we go. The biggest gripe I have is when someone on a scooter rolls up (which lately always seems to happen). Even if we have been waiting a while, and the scooter person just got there, the scooter (and their ENTIRE family) will be loaded first. Gets annoying when you've already been waiting a long time.

I get the appeal of driving to most of the parks, but just not MK. Driving all the way there, parking, waiting for a tram, then walking all the way around to then wait some more for a monorail or a boat..... All that walking and waiting just seemed to add up to more time than it would have for the buses.

 

[dizneefan13]

Well, when you're bringing your 86 year old mother along because she still LOVES Disney, and she HAS to use an ECV, you do what you gotta do. Yeah it sucks you have to let the ECV and party on first, but my husband and I can't let her ride the bus by herself. I know this annoys a lot of people in the bus line, but I'm not sure how it could be improved. I bet a lot of people wish they'd just ban ECV's.

There is no way in hell I'll rent a car when going to DW. We take a boat or monorail when we can, and can't wait to try out the new skyliner. But the buses have been good in our experience, for the most part. We just consider it a part of the vacation and don't think about it much. oh and we also Uber sometimes, especially when we stay at Disney Springs.

 

[Jennasis]

We drive our car. The only time we take the bus is from our resort to MK (to avoid parking at the TTC and the extra trek). We love driving on property. It is easy to navigate and we prefer quickly being able to get around and always having a seat.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yeah it sucks you have to let the ECV and party on first, but my husband and I can't let her ride the bus by herself.

I don't think anyone has an issue with your party size. It's the groups exceeding the "suggested" limit (of five plus the mobility device user) who all board with this one person, then grab a good number of seats ahead of guests who'd waited in line.

 

[dizneefan13]

Oh, we've got attitude from some people waiting in line already when we arrive after them and can get on first. Some people say things like "oh great" or give a look. But I don't care. That's not my problem. My problem is seeing that my Mom is safe, and that we are following the rules. But MOST people understand and most are nice.

 

[luvsJack]

Oh, we've got attitude from some people waiting in line already when we arrive after them and can get on first. Some people say things like "oh great" or give a look. But I don't care. That's not my problem. My problem is seeing that my Mom is safe, and that we are following the rules. But MOST people understand and most are nice.

With it just being the three of you, I don’t understand people giving you attitude at all. They should just be thankful that they don’t need the ECV.

But I will say, once when we were at Pop, it got very frustrating to get up early and get to the bus stop, wait for the bus and it finally gets there and here comes a huge family with someone in an ECV They get on first and there goes the whole bus because of one family. I get the reasoning behind it and that’s fine. But otoh, it doesn’t take the entire family to ride with the one person. So while I don’t envy the family or the one person, it was still frustrating honestly. But there isn’t a perfect answer either.

 

[DisneyOma]

We drove the seven hours for decades. We used our car to get to parks except Disney Springs and those busses were a nightmare! Now that we bring our young grandson, we fly, DME, then bus to parks or minivan because of the car seat! If we go from park to resort we Minnie Van home.

This trip with DH and I, no busses, we’ll Uber or Minnie Van. And we’ll uber to and from the Airport as well.

I just use Uber. Don't have to deal with buses and don't have to drive. Win/win.

How much does using Uber cost for an entire trip? Minnie Vans are pretty pricey, and you have to wait for them too, right?

I did the bus thing ONCE and won't do it again- I hate having to wait for a bus, when I want to leave I want to go, not hang around waiting in a line for a bus. Plus I HATE being on any type of public transportation with people body to body, I like my space.

And yet you go to WDW? LOL!

 

[skyblue17]

How much does using Uber cost for an entire trip? Minnie Vans are pretty pricey, and you have to wait for them too, right?

And yet you go to WDW? LOL!

Personalized transportation is sustainable for now but if more people start using Uber and Lyft, there will be longer wait times for those as well. Not to mention that pickups can be a nightmare in crowds at in demand times (anyone who has used a high profile airport knows what I'm saying), especially when it's dark and distinguishing vehicles is more challenging.

And yeah, it's kind of funny that people spend all day in a crowded park, waiting various lengths of times for various rides and attractions, draw the line at waiting a few minutes to leave!

 

[LSUmiss]

Personalized transportation is sustainable for now but if more people start using Uber and Lyft, there will be longer wait times for those as well. Not to mention that pickups can be a nightmare in crowds at in demand times (anyone who has used a high profile airport knows what I'm saying), especially when it's dark and distinguishing vehicles is more challenging.

And yeah, it's kind of funny that people spend all day in a crowded park, waiting various lengths of times for various rides and attractions, draw the line at waiting a few minutes to leave!

For us, with a toddler, we don’t spend all day waiting in lines. We book TS & FP & mostly stick to that. So, I can’t deal with the bus nonsense. We usually drive or take a boat or monorail or Minnie van. I also can’t deal with the bus free-for-all when you’re going to the parks. Bus comes & ppl push & shove to get on even when they got to the bus stop after you. Last trip, I got to try to hold onto my toddler & stand during Mr. Bus Driver’s Wild Bus Ride b/c a young couple pushed ahead of me & took the last available seats. No thank you.

 

[KMarston]

How much does using Uber cost for an entire trip? Minnie Vans are pretty pricey, and you have to wait for them too, right?

I really don’t know, $15 or less a trip plus tip. The Minnie Vans are more expensive. We’ve used Uber with car seat before. We’ve never waited more than five or ten minutes.

 

[DisneyOma]

So, $30 a day, with a 7 day trip, $210. If you park hop it goes up to $315. If you go back to the resort for a break, $420. That seems like a lot of money?