Do you think they should check resort IDs for the busses (especially DVC)

[sjdisneywedding]

I see what you're saying, sjdisneywedding. Makes sense.

Though I know there are people who will do this to save $8, parking at DTD to save a rather insignificant amount of money ( compared to the aggravation and inconvenience ) still blows me away. Hopefully most people will just pay the $8 for the convenience and the cheapskates will be few and far between.

It is insane isnt it, I would never even waste my time thinking of how to avoid the $8 never mind waste the time to ride all over the place on the busses.

 

[sjdisneywedding]

Directing people to walk to a resort like CR or YC/BC to catch a DTD bus from the resorts (not to the resorts), would alleviate some of this frustration. They would now be loaded on a bus with fellow revelers wanting to stay out and party, instead of with pooped park goers, many with sleepy children, that are just trying to quietly get back home and rest.

lol ok I changed my mind I like that way of thinking. hopefully the true DTD crowd irritates them a bit as sort of a punishment for cheating the system on skipping paying for parking

ill go with that

 

[JimC]

Yes, ID should be required.

 

[CarolA]

I voted yes. I think the SSR issue is going to get worse. It's not just the CMs, it is going to be people posting on the net also.

 

[DrTomorrow]

No.

WDW Transportation is a valid option for many more people than just resort guests.

For those in the it's.my.football crowd ("My SSR dues pay for this bus, so only SSR owners should ride it"), I'm not sure you want to go in that direction. This would mean that, if you're staying at SSR, but do NOT have a valid admission media, that you could ONLY ride the SSR buses. After all, you're not paying a penny for the non-SSR buses. See, slippery slope. And let's not start on the DTD/SSR/OWK boats....

Although I was one of the first to point this out last May - right after SSR opened - I don't believe that this is real problem; more importantly, I don't think that Disney does, either, at least not until SSR owners are left stranded at bus stops as SSR buses full of DTDers pull away....

 

[Plus4206]

Have you ever noticed how packed the parking lots are at DTD, yet you really don't see that many people ? People are just driving in from an off property location, avoiding the fee to park at a park and allowing Disney to be their personal taxi.

If Disney doesn't mind providing free transport for all those free loaders, that's their business. But when it starts affecting the people who are paying a premium price to stay on property, then something definitely needs to be done.

Disney doesn't want to do anything that will result in bad press in the local papers. They barely attempt to keep the freeloading parasites out of their pools. Heaven forbid Disney actually enforce a rule. The press would love to report how big bad Disney kicked mom & her 6 kids off the bus because they couldn't afford to stay at PC or AS.

 

[Plus4206]

Oh, and just to add an observation about showing ID: Back in '95 we had to show ID. It was our first time to WDW, it didn't bother us, we just kept our ID handy. Well, people are dense. Or stupid. Or just plain brain dead because it never failed that half the people didn't have their cards out and ready. Instead they waited till they were in the doorway of the bus and started digging thru strollers,backbacks,diaper bags,purses the size of Buicks, camera bags, yelling back to their DW/H "have you got them " etc.

Well, I'd better stop there or the next thing ya know you'll be seeing a post with a lot of asteriks in it and I'll be getting a PM from a Mod. Suffice it to say these people irratated me.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I agree that Disney should run buses to DTD directly from the theme parks to DTD. I mean, if they KNOW that people are parking there to avoid the parking fee at the theme parks, it seems pretty crummy that know they're acting like it's OK for the DVC members to pay to transport those guests (shown by the CMs who suggest people take the SSR bus to get to DTD), but they won't spend the money. Come on, Disney, suck it up and pay for it yourself! I'll bet Disney has lots more money to pay for the bus service than the DVC members do. It may not solve everything, but IMHO, it would help.

 

[3DisneyNUTS]

Have you ever noticed how packed the parking lots are at DTD, yet you really don't see that many people ? People are just driving in from an off property location, avoiding the fee to park at a park and allowing Disney to be their personal taxi.

If Disney doesn't mind providing free transport for all those free loaders, that's their business. But when it starts affecting the people who are paying a premium price to stay on property, then something definitely needs to be done.

Disney doesn't want to do anything that will result in bad press in the local papers. They barely attempt to keep the freeloading parasites out of their pools. Heaven forbid Disney actually enforce a rule. The press would love to report how big bad Disney kicked mom & her 6 kids off the bus because they couldn't afford to stay at PC or AS.

The sad part about this is that she is probably paying more for the offsite when you factor in car rental. There is honestly no reason to have a car if you stay onsite at WDW and do not leave WDW. The bus system is a great way to get around. Although we rent a car because I hate the cattle herd from the airport to the resort we barely use our car. This past week at WDW I use 1/4 of a tank of gas and I had to find an excuse on why to drive the car.

With this being said. Disney should be more diligent with the bus issue. Even a check of any id, park passes, resort id card would do more to discourage the freeloaders from attempting to ride or pool hop.

Personally I think at SSR ids should be checked. The Congress Park stop should not become the gateway to DTD or the new transportation hub for those trying to avoid a parking fee.

 

[jarestel]

I agree that Disney should run buses to DTD directly from the theme parks to DTD. I mean, if they KNOW that people are parking there to avoid the parking fee at the theme parks, it seems pretty crummy that know they're acting like it's OK for the DVC members to pay to transport those guests (shown by the CMs who suggest people take the SSR bus to get to DTD), but they won't spend the money. Come on, Disney, suck it up and pay for it yourself! I'll bet Disney has lots more money to pay for the bus service than the DVC members do. It may not solve everything, but IMHO, it would help.

Excellent point, Simba's Mom. If Disney wants to boost DTD/PI attendance. let them fund it, not SSR owners.

 

[iwaseeyore]

Does anyone have numbers to support that only money from SSR dues pay for SSR busses?

I'm sure there are no such numbers and that if it ever comes to light we'll see that DVC dues pay only a portion of the transportations costs.

 

[CapeCodFam]

I believe having valid admission media to parks and/or a resort key entitles you to full use of WDW transportation. DTD is not parking restricted like the resorts are. Sounds acceptible to me.

Call us guilty too: We go from BWV to epcot and/or mgm just to catch a quick transport to another resort's restaurants. Does anyone really take a bus to DTD to catch a transfer.....

 

[LIFERBABE]

Does anyone have numbers to support that only money from SSR dues pay for SSR busses?

I'm sure there are no such numbers and that if it ever comes to light we'll see that DVC dues pay only a portion of the transportations costs.

Agreed! I would have to see the breakdown in transportation costs to make a statement that only SSR members/guests should use the busses. I think if we were paying 100% of the busses, our dues would be much higher. I for one am not willing to pay for exclusive bus service to keep a few cheap people out that dont want to pay parking.
I have better things to do with my vacation dollars.

 

[OneMoreTry]

I agree that checking IDs on buses would cause more problems than it's worth. WDW has enough restrictions as it is. (If they decided to do it, a think a card-scanner would be reaonably quick.)

Maybe DVC members should have an implantable device in their forearms that can be scanned for identification.

I do think that guests of a resort should have an exclusive area to park -- whether they be DVC members or cash-paying.

 

[MrTerrorChair]

I believe the last year that they checked IDs was 1993. We were staying at the then Disney Inn (Shades of Green, now), and every time we got on a bus to anywhere, we flashed the ID (remember the year they did pictures?). The next year we stayed at DL and no IDs were required. The park was generally growing and the drivers didn't seem to have the time because it was a little more rushed. I've not noticed any ID checks since then.

 

[crisi]

I suspect that the Swan/Dolphin charge for parking is going to force Disney's hand on this. Disney can't have Swan Dolphin guests using the YC/BC/BW parking lots to save themselves the parking fee. So they are going to have to figure out a way to control this.

I suspect DTD parking/buses are Disney's smallest problem. I suspect the MK resorts have the biggest headaches, followed by the Boardwalk (but I'm eating breakfast at Spoodles (before spending the day at Epcot/MGM)), Y&BC and then the DTD problem. It certainly is an issue - and one Disney is going to have to figure out a way to deal with. The bus problem, which is the OP complaint, is really just an effect of the parking problem.

 

[MiaSRN62]

I voted "no" to show a voice for offsite guests. We were strictly offsite until about '98-'00. Any offsite guest with a Hopper or AP should be able to jump on a bus to the WL from MGM if they (i.e.) have a PS for Whispering Canyon. Also, we've both driven and parked at and taken the bus to Y&B to dine there. I've taken the resort monorail from the MK to have lunch or dinner at GF or Poly etc.
I agree with CapeCodFam :

I believe having valid admission media to parks and/or a resort key entitles you to full use of WDW transportation.

Unfortunately, the above examples I gave don't solve the problem of people using the SSR busses to skip the parking fees. I sympathize with this problem, and also the potential mass of people using the SSR parking lots to gain access to DTD via the pathway there. But I can't see punishing all offsite guests who don't abuse the system. Another example: in '98 or '99, we took an OKW bus to Olivia's for the Pooh character meal. We were legitimately patronizing OKW and feel our Hoppers validated that. I think WDW would alienate alot of folks if they restricted offsite guests or even people coming from another WDW resort. We haven't always had our car with us.

 

[DVCPAT]

No.

at least not until SSR owners are left stranded at bus stops as SSR buses full of DTDers pull away....

Be careful what you wish for. I’ve seen the transportation at BWV and VWL deteriorate once the resort sells out. They seem to be making an effort to improve BWV, which I’m glad to see.

I wouldn’t be surprised if SSR and OKW don’t end up sharing a few bus routes. It’s perfectly normal for Disney to save money in transportation especially if the resort occupants don’t mind. I wonder if Disney could place connecting roads between SSR and OKW so the busses could efficiently travel between them?