disney transportation ?

[oregondisneyfans]

We are new to this and have not been yet so I have a question regarding the buses to the parks. As I understand you get a schedule when you check in. Now does each bus have the destination listed on it- Animal Kingdom, Epcot, etc? Also does the bus go directly to the park or does it go to the transportation center and then you transfer from there? Thanks for the help in advance

 

[Chuck S]

Buses go directly to the parks, not the TTC. Yes, there is a destination posted on each bus, similar to standard city buses. Buses may stop at other resorts to load unload passengers, this is true at the EPCOT area DVC resorts. OKW and SSR have dedicated buses, but there are several stops inside each resort. I think VWL/WL also have dedicated buses, but I'm not sure.

 

[MrShiny]

Basically the buses run every 10-20 minutes. You will get a "schedule," but it tells you little more than that (except for the routes that don't run all day).

The buses start an hour or so before park opening and run a few hours after closing.

The bus stop at each resort and at each park has multiple spots. Each spot will have a sign saying what park/resort the buses that park their handle.

Each bus has an electronic sign on the outside telling it's destination. Occasionally, they won't change these until they park, meaning you won't know where the bus is going as it approaches (just where it came from).

I hope that answers your question! Allow 30-40 minutes for a direct bus, and allow 60-90 minutes for a route that requires a connection.

If going from resort to resort, the best route is usually to go to the closest open theme park and then from there to the destination resort.

Note if you get a dining reservation before the park opens, buses may not be running. Ask at Guest Services of your resort.

 

[byoung]

Always use the buses, it's part of the majic of DISNEY.

 

[spiceycat]

at some of the resort bus stops, all the buses stop at the same place.

at others - VWL/WL - their are particiular places for the buses to stop - READ THE SIGNS.

sometimes buses share - like the Epcot buses - BC/YC/BCV can share with BW and D/S at times. Sometime they don't.

Coming back to the bus after being at the parks all day. At each bus station there is a sign (before the bus stops) that tells where each bus will stop.

read it.

bus stops have been know to change - you would hate to walk all the way over to bus stop 12 - only to find that your bus didn't stop there any more.

so read the sign before you go to your stop.

 

[momsgoofy]

The previous poster is 100% on target when they said..."Read the signs"!

It is probably the biggest reason people complain about the bus service at WDW...they just haven't read the signs.

As stated, as you exit the parks and DTD, at night there are boards listing the bus stop #s and which resort (or location) corresponds to that stop...BUT they do change from time to time. For instance, the night we left MVMCP at MK, the CMs were out there changing them as we walked by...so always look to be sure!

Each bus has a lighted sign on the front of the bus and on the side right next to the front door...like a city bus...read it! It tells you where the bus is headed. Some busses do have multiple stops...for example...
IF the bus says "Downtown Disney" it will stop at 2 locations in DTD; Marketplace and the West side (between Pleasure Island and Planet Hollywood), but the Marketplace stops service earlier than Westside...the bus driver typically announces this as you pull up to the DTD stops.
Some resort busses do share...i.e. the Yacht, Beach, Boardwalk, Swan, and Dolphin...may share a bus together or they may have only 2 resorts sharing one bus, or sometimes they have one for each, but usually Swan and Dolphin always share. The bus for Grand Floridian shares with either Wilderness Lodge, Polynesian, or Contemporary...these 4 share routes.
IF the bus shares a route...ALL the resorts will be listed on the bus sign on the bus...so READ IT!

Some bus stops share resorts...
for example at Epcot...bus stop #4 is the loading area for both SSR and OKW...there is only ONE line though, so you might find a group waiting for SSR then a few waiting for OKW and so on in the same line...keep your eyes peeled for the appropriate bus...again READ THE SIGN on the bus...so you get on the appropriate bus.
DTD does this alot...I think it's bus stop #3 that SSR, Contemporary, Polynesian, Wilderness Lodge share...in any case there is a sign telling you which bus stop # for which resort...but at DTD they are not dedicated to ONE resort, so again read the sign on the bus to be sure you are getting on the correct bus.

Getting from resort to resort...you will have to go from resort A, to one of the 4 parks, MK, MGM, Epcot, or AK, or to DTD and transfer to a different bus to get to resort B...it's not hard...just takes time.

The WDW bus transportation is not hard to figure out at all...just read the signs, and know when the bus service begins and ends at any location you will be at....the early ADRs at the parks...they do have bus service, but always check to be sure the time they start. If you have never used the system, it takes a day or so to get aclimated, but it's a great service! If you are familiar with any city bus system, then it should be a piece of cake. We live in rural America where bus systems are non-existent and love WDW bus transportation.