Disney Buses

[Happyinwonerland]

It depends on where I'm going. We did a 3 nigt trip at AoA last month and used the buses to get to MK. I liked that it was so much faster than going to TTC, standinnin insane sevirity lines, then catching and monorail or ferry; at the end of the night it was nice to just go from park to room without all of that nonsense in reverse.

For the other parks, I prefer to drive, mostly because Disney transit takes so long to get from a to b. And of course on our day trips, we just drive and don't use the buses.

 

[skyblue17]

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.

Of course not all day, but if there is a 15 minute line for FP return (known to happen!), mostly likely you don't swear off ever booking FP for that ride again. I just think it's funny that people would probably have no problem waiting 20 minutes for the fireworks to start, surrounded by other people also waiting for the fireworks to start, but draw the line at waiting for a bus.

I'm not suggesting that there are no cons to the bus, but trying to imagine if every family with toddlers wanted to take ride shares instead. Then we'd have people announcing how they can't stand waiting 20 minutes for a ride share to show up, and maybe they should start taking the bus.

Also, genuinely, if a young couple takes the last available seats, ask if your kid can sit instead? As someone who takes public transit constantly, I am sometimes in my own zone when I am on it and simply don't notice everyone around me. Double if I'm tired, like most are after a day at the parks. My guess is most people aren't going to refuse to let a toddler sit if asked.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Also, genuinely, if a young couple takes the last available seats, ask if your kid can sit instead? As someone who takes public transit constantly, I am sometimes in my own zone when I am on it and simply don't notice everyone around me. Double if I'm tired, like most are after a day at the parks. My guess is most people aren't going to refuse to let a toddler sit if asked.

Ah the age old "you look like you can stand" clause.

In my day to day life I'm not walking 20,000-30,000+ steps in a hot theme park for the whole day. Chances are I'm barely able to stand. I don't mind standing on public transit elsewhere as a tourist but even as much activity I do on vacation a theme park trip is in another galaxy in terms of exhaustion of my feet.

 

[Moliphino]

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.

That's one benefit of staying at a Value. There is a line for the bus at the resort, no free for all.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

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.

I can't say it never happened because we never rode it but that's been a Pro of the Values because they have dedicated lines with chains and metal dividers guiding people. The Con is uncovered bus stop though.

 

[KMarston]

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?

I doubt it was that much as we stayed at a monorail hotel last trip which meant EPCOT and MK were easy. Even the day we took Minnie Van to DHS we took a boat to Epcot, then Monorail to MK then boat to The Poly. Considering what Disney charges for parking now it’s not that much. We Uber a good bit at home in the case we might have drinks with our meal so it doesn’t seem odd to us.

Staying at Epcot Resort for the first time and we’ll Minnie Van to MK and Uber to AK. Walk to EPCOT and DHS.

 

[luvsJack]

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!

Do the Disney parks have a designated place for Uber, Lyft and taxi pick ups?

At Universal, out where the buses pick up there is a lane dedicated to these. Its right by the sidewalk and there are TMs right there too which I liked. We used a taxi after leaving City Walk late one night, and it was very simple. There was a line of taxies waiting and I know that earlier in the evening there were Uber drivers picking up. It didn't seem chaotic at all honestly. One would just have to wait until their driver can pull up to the stop. If I had to guess, Disney probably has a similar process.

As for your last sentence, its not the "waiting a few minutes" for us. Its the overcrowding of the buses and the waiting for as much as an hour for a bus.

 

[luvsJack]

That's one benefit of staying at a Value. There is a line for the bus at the resort, no free for all.

Key words there "AT THE RESORT".

ETA: I see where she did say "free for all" in the mornings.

 

[LSUmiss]

Of course not all day, but if there is a 15 minute line for FP return (known to happen!), mostly likely you don't swear off ever booking FP for that ride again. I just think it's funny that people would probably have no problem waiting 20 minutes for the fireworks to start, surrounded by other people also waiting for the fireworks to start, but draw the line at waiting for a bus.

I'm not suggesting that there are no cons to the bus, but trying to imagine if every family with toddlers wanted to take ride shares instead. Then we'd have people announcing how they can't stand waiting 20 minutes for a ride share to show up, and maybe they should start taking the bus.

Also, genuinely, if a young couple takes the last available seats, ask if your kid can sit instead? As someone who takes public transit constantly, I am sometimes in my own zone when I am on it and simply don't notice everyone around me. Double if I'm tired, like most are after a day at the parks. My guess is most people aren't going to refuse to let a toddler sit if asked.

Actually we do avoid FP rides with long lines (Buzz is one of the worst). As for ride share, you don’t have to queue up in line & just wait. I can walk him around in the stroller while we wait. We actually wait about 15-20 min for ride share. It’s not about how long we wait as much as how we have to wait & what happens when transportation does finally arrive. And, they give you a much better estimation of when they will arrive. I think a lot of ppl with toddlers do similar things to mitigate the transportation issues (stay on monorail, or Epcot area, drive, etc).

As far as the couple, of all ppl, an elderly woman offered me her seat which I declined & the couple watched & heard our conversation & offered nothing. They weren’t in the zone. They were just rude. And, had they not pushed ahead of me to get on before me when they knew they arrived to the bus stop last, I wouldn’t have cared.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Key words there "AT THE RESORT". The stops at the parks are the same as every other one. Free for all. Besides, even where there is chains and dividers, the lines at the parks can go well beyond those dividers and people do try to push to the front of the line. If @LSUmiss is saying "at the end of the day" then she isn't talking about from the resort.

Umm the poster you are talking about did say : " I also can’t deal with the bus free-for-all when you’re going to the parks."

The way her post read her story about the couple pushing sounded like it was going to the parks though that can be just how it was worded. It's not a perfect world ya know? Dividers at least give a stronger social cue (than just people forming a line themselves) that there is a dedicated formed line..can't help that there will be some people at some point in the history of them being there that decide to ignore it. Looking at it in one way it's better than nothing.

 

[LSUmiss]

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?

For us we usually stay on the monorail. We did not have a good experience at Poly last trip so we plan to “downgrade” to Coronado next time & take rise share or drive since we won’t have the monorail. Even if we spend the extra $200-$300 on ride share, it’s still cheaper than staying at Poly for us.

 

[Moliphino]

Key words there "AT THE RESORT". The stops at the parks are the same as every other one. Free for all. Besides, even where there is chains and dividers, the lines at the parks can go well beyond those dividers and people do try to push to the front of the line. If @LSUmiss is saying "at the end of the day" then she isn't talking about from the resort.

As the PP pointed out, the post I quoted specified "when you're going to the parks". And it's not a free for all from any park to the resort as there are lines.

 

[LSUmiss]

Key words there "AT THE RESORT".

ETA: I see where she did say "free for all" in the mornings.

No, I was actually talking about from the resort. I might have said it wrong. I’ll have to go check my post. It was from the Contemporary. But, I agree with you that it can happen anywhere.

 

[luvsJack]

Umm the poster you are talking about did say : " I also can’t deal with the bus free-for-all when you’re going to the parks."

The way her post read her story about the couple pushing sounded like it was going to the parks though that can be just how it was worded. It's not a perfect world ya know? Dividers at least give a stronger social cue (than just people forming a line themselves) that there is a dedicated formed line..can't help that there will be some people at some point in the history of them being there that decide to ignore it. Looking at it in one way it's better than nothing.

Already corrected my post.

 

[skyblue17]

Ah the age old "you look like you can stand" clause.

In my day to day life I'm not walking 20,000-30,000+ steps in a hot theme park for the whole day. Chances are I'm barely able to stand. I don't mind standing on public transit elsewhere as a tourist but even as much activity I do on vacation a theme park trip is in another galaxy in terms of exhaustion of my feet.

Basically in the sense of you don't know if you don't ask. I was on a crowded subway recently and got pretty ill while the train was stuck between stations. I NEEDED to sit or else I might've passed out. I had to ask if anyone in the seats in front of me minded if I sat instead. I'd rather gamble on someone being able to stand than suffer in silence. I get it's different after a day at the parks, but you still don't know if you don't ask.

 

[luvsJack]

No, I was actually talking about from the resort. I might have said it wrong. I’ll have to go check my post. It was from the Contemporary. But, I agree with you that it can happen anywhere.

No you didn't, I read it wrong because I know that from the parks can be a free for all too. There will be so many people waiting that there is just a crowd beyond any thing that guides the crowd.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Do the Disney parks have a designated place for Uber, Lyft and taxi pick ups?

At Universal, out where the buses pick up there is a lane dedicated to these. Its right by the sidewalk and there are TMs right there too which I liked. We used a taxi after leaving City Walk late one night, and it was very simple. There was a line of taxies waiting and I know that earlier in the evening there were Uber drivers picking up. It didn't seem chaotic at all honestly. One would just have to wait until their driver can pull up to the stop. If I had to guess, Disney probably has a similar process.

As for your last sentence, its not the "waiting a few minutes" for us. Its the overcrowding of the buses and the waiting for as much as an hour for a bus.

Disneyland does have a dedicated one though it can be a pain for rideshare and take a while. You have to do a U-turn for the majority of the direction people's hotels are on and then you wait in a line before turning into the rideshare pick up/drop off point. We used Uber all 3 days we went and one day one of the Uber drivers called us and asked if we just wanted to cross the street and he'd pick us while he waited in the parking area of a place (I'm blanking what establishment it was) just so he didn't have to do the U-Turn and wait in the line. We did and it shaved a tiny bit off Uber fare.

For WDW I don't believe they have dedicated drop off points set up through Disney (someone correct me if I'm wrong). With them having Minnie Vans at this point I don't know how strongly they want to invest in catering to an official drop off point for ride shares that aren't Minnie Vans.

For Universal they just announced that they moved rideshare and taxis, guest and team member drop off and pick up points to the 5th floor of the one of the parking garages, still a dedicated entrance and a parking fee won't be charged. I really don't know if that makes it easier for the rideshare drivers or not though.

 

[gwynne]

Basically in the sense of you don't know if you don't ask. I was on a crowded subway recently and got pretty ill while the train was stuck between stations. I NEEDED to sit or else I might've passed out. I had to ask if anyone in the seats in front of me minded if I sat instead. I'd rather gamble on someone being able to stand than suffer in silence. I get it's different after a day at the parks, but you still don't know if you don't ask.

Well, emergency medical needs certainly are understandable. Good you asked for assistance.
Back to usual park days...
If there is a general need for a seat, then I am the one who stands up. My DH remains seated because that is what is safest for him.
We have waited for a less crowded bus more than a few times. We don't pack ourselves into standing room only and then hope someone will give up their seat.

 

[luvsJack]

Disneyland does have a dedicated one though it can be a pain for rideshare and take a while. You have to do a U-turn for the majority of the direction people's hotels are on and then you wait in a line before turning into the rideshare pick up/drop off point. We used Uber all 3 days we went and one day one of the Uber drivers called us and asked if we just wanted to cross the street and he'd pick us while he waited in the parking area of a place (I'm blanking what establishment it was) just so he didn't have to do the U-Turn and wait in the line. We did and it shaved a tiny bit off Uber fare.

For WDW I don't believe they have dedicated drop off points set up through Disney (someone correct me if I'm wrong). With them having Minnie Vans at this point I don't know how strongly they want to invest in catering to an official drop off point for ride shares that aren't Minnie Vans.

For Universal they just announced that they moved rideshare and taxis, guest and team member drop off and pick up points to the 5th floor of the one of the parking garages, still a dedicated entrance and a parking fee won't be charged. I really don't know if that makes it easier for the rideshare drivers or not though.

Taxis will continue to use the City Walk bus loop which is where I was talking about.

Moving Uber and Lyft pick up, it will be a pain at first but once everyone gets used to the idea, it will be just as smooth as it was before. Its in the North Parking Garage for City Walk so not any father away just got to go a bit different direction.

I highly doubt Disney will do anything to make another service easier to use. Which is really a shame because it can also be for the safety of THEIR guests.

 

[Summer2018]

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!

1. I don’t spend all day in a crowded park. I go at rope drop and leave when the crowds arrive.
2. I don’t wait in long lines. I use FP and wait no longer than 10-15 minutes.
3. When we used to stay all day leaving at night, the waits were far longer than a few minutes.

After walking miles in the Florida heat & humidity, especially if you have an overtired, fussy, young child, your blisters have blisters, and all you want is bed, standing in excessively long lines for a bus and probably not getting a seat can be a pretty lousy way to get back to your resort.

I choose to be more comfortable now that I am older. It is, after all, my vacation.