Does anyone else find it ridiculous ...

[grimley1968]

that there is no place to go on Disney's own website to get up-to-date and complete information on how their internal transportation system works?

I do.

We have constant debates on here, and other boards, about how to get from this place to that using Disney transportation. A lot of people tell you to look up Disney transportation options using the OurLaughingPlace wizard, which is outdated, and sometimes simply erroneous.

Why can't Disney, with all the money they have for media content development, come up with a transportation "wizard" of their own on that site? At the very least, they could borrow the OLP wizard idea, and simply update it to include ALL options and all the correct information.

Their site designers seem to love using Flash, Shockwave, etc. Those kinds of development tools are almost tailor-made to show off their transportation system, but they don't do it.

I find it amazing that Disney, with all the corporate self-promotion skills they bring to the market, can't effectively tout their own free internal transportation system.

It has not affected me too much in a negative way, as I've searched on here and other places for years on the best ways to get from A to B, as well as figured it out by trial and error. But it doesn't have to be this way.

Sorry. Rant over.

 

[goofy4tink]

I figure that even those CMs at the front desk give out incorrect transportation info, as do the Disney Dining people. I can't imagine how Disney would be able to put anything on their site and have it kept current. The transportation system is so very fluid that trying to pin it down is like trying to catch mercury.
I still thinkthat asking those who have 'been there, done that' is the best way to figure it all out. Can't you just see it?...the guest goes to the official site, gets the info on the best way to get from point A to point B..but finds when they actually get there, it's all been changed. Or, that because they just missed the bus, they have to add close to 25 mins to the time Disney gave them.
It would be nice, in a perfect world, to have some current transportation info someplace where we could all access it. But, alas and alack...nothing seems to be out there.

 

[grimley1968]

I figure that even those CMs at the front desk give out incorrect transportation info, as do the Disney Dining people. I can't imagine how Disney would be able to put anything on their site and have it kept current. The transportation system is so very fluid that trying to pin it down is like trying to catch mercury.

It could be done, and without that much difficulty, IMHO. Supposedly those buses are being outfitted with GPS and/or RFID to identify where they are and their routes. I'm not saying they need to put live data on their site, but they could certainly take historical data, as recent as say the last week, and put it on that site, converting trip manifests into moving map types of routing displays for people to read. It could show average times from stop to stop, the stops on a route from A to B, and even crowd data.

I think the reason Disney's own CM's often can't give accurate transportation information to guests is because they, like the guests, have no central place to look it up and get informed on it.

If they can make a Fastpass system work in the parks, they can easily do what I'm talking about.

 

[goofy4tink]

If someone posts a question here, on the DIS, as to the best way to get from, lets say, POP to BC for dinner, there will be a multitude of folks who will give that poster the correct info. I can't, not for the life of me, figure out why the WDW CM's can't figure out the transportation system in order to give out info...correct info...when asked by a guest. They should know this stuff. Where would a guest go, at their resort, to find out the best way to get to someplace in WDW? To the front desk or conceirge of course. And they won't get the right answer there, all the time.
Yes, it would be nice, and probably pretty simple for WDW to put a system in place for the guest to find their way around the area. You're absolutely right....LaughingPlace did it, but it is out of date, so not very usable.

 

[cranbiz]

For WDW transportation info call 407-WDW-RIDE. I have posted this before.

 

[grimley1968]

For WDW transportation info call 407-WDW-RIDE. I have posted this before.

I'm sure that's a useful service, but it would be better on their website in a graphical format, so people can do a little research on transportation before getting to WDW, without having to go post here for information. We then get information from other DISers which, while certainly helpful and useful, is often then debated because hardly anyone knows absolutely for sure, unless we're talking about monorails or boats.

I just don't wish to call a 407 number for this, then have to write it down, etc. It's much better on a website for me.

They do a lot of fairly complicated things on the website (resort booking, personalized maps, personalized vacation itineraries), so showing transportation routes on the website should be a cake walk for them. But then, they don't really do the resort booking all that well (buggy as all get out), so maybe what I'm asking for is too much for those web designers. But I've seen sites that do similar route reporting, using simple Google maps.

Those maps they have on there, while not exactly to scale, are beautiful. They could at least have one or more transportation maps.

But there is absolutely no reason at all that they can't do something like what OLP does on their website, but of course updated more often.

 

[tiki23]

But there is absolutely no reason at all that they can't do something like what OLP does on their website, but of course updated more often.

I don't know how easy it would be for Disney to do this, but it would certainly make sense!

Some kind of hand-out they could give to guests would be very welcome. DH had a heck of a time getting the boys from POP to the Yacht Club marina last trip, even with the directions I gave him that I had researched online before we left home.

 

[grimley1968]

Here is one of many, many threads that would be totally unnecessary if the WDW website had a real transportation section/wizard on it.

 

[grimley1968]

I don't know how easy it would be for Disney to do this, but it would certainly make sense!

If OLP does it (although out of date and wrong sometimes), why would Disney not be able to do it?

I swear I think Disney's budget for their website design and maintenance must not be any higher than my small company's budget.

I don't mean to be harsh, so I apologize if I'm coming across that way.

 

[dburg30]

Isnt WDW transportation 'fluid' meaning they do monitor it and change it basically on the fly when certain areas seem heavier then others? If that's the case, unless you were monitoring it 'live' somehow, I dont see what good having it on their site would be? Now, maybe I've totally mis-understood what you are suggesting, and if that's the case, ignore me and continue

 

[grimley1968]

Isnt WDW transportation 'fluid' meaning they do monitor it and change it basically on the fly when certain areas seem heavier then others? If that's the case, unless you were monitoring it 'live' somehow, I dont see what good having it on their site would be? Now, maybe I've totally mis-understood what you are suggesting, and if that's the case, ignore me and continue

I think they do change it on the fly to a certain degree, and I think it is monitored.

However, I simply want information on their website about how to get from A to B, which doesn't seem to exist, and it seems to lead to constant debate, and sometimes misinformation, on here. Debate topics: Are there park-to-park buses? Are there resort-to-resort buses? Are there MK buses from WL? Are there EPCOT buses from Poly? What buses go to the TTC? It goes on and on.

For instance, how do you get from Poly to EPCOT? I know: walk over to the TTC, then catch the direct EPCOT monorail. Easy, right? Not so easy if you're not familiar with the layout of Poly, the TTC, etc. The OLP wizard would be helpful, but for this route, it has 3 options, 2 of which include using the resort monorail loop you'd have to go clockwise all the way around to the TTC), and one using a bus to EPCOT from Poly which I don't think exists any longer, if it ever did. But there is no listing on that site to simply walk to the TTC and catch the EPCOT monorail, which is about twice as fast as any options listed.

This is the kind of thing that would not change in the foreseeable future, and has been a route since EPCOT opened. So they should be able to put this on the WDW website somehow. Using the format of OLP would be great, but any kind of graphical format is what I'm looking for.

Boat routing could similarly be put on there in a wizard format. I realize that's obviously more fluid (no pun intended ) than the monorail or walking routes, but it's pretty stable routing compared to the buses.

Finally, I see no reason they could not simply say that you can or cannot get on a bus from here that will take you there. They don't necessarily need to list the stops, but it would be helpful to know if there is or if there is not a bus for where you want to go.

Yes, we can get all this information here, if you read lots and lots of posts, and you can learn by trial and error like I have, but it sure would be nice to have one "official" place to look for this information.

 

[Lewisc]

I can see an issue if a guest researches transportation when they make their reservation but soemthing changes in between. The upcoming, temporary, closing of the Marketplace bus stop for example. Disney would really need to incorporate temporary changes into such a system.

Some of us on DIS "overplan". I think this is an example. Guests can ask about transportation when they arrive at WDW.

Some subway systems have a digital sign that gives the approximate arrival time of the next train. It would be nice to have a display at each bus stop that gave us the approximate wait time for the next bus. If I just missed a bus, and saw a 20 minute wait, I might change my plans.

edited to add I'm not sure if Disney would publish, in writting, some of our "shortcuts". Taking a bus from a theme park to SSR for access to DTD or taking a bus from DTD to CR for transportation to MK as examples.

 

[grimley1968]

I can see an issue if a guest researches transportation when they make their reservation but soemthing changes in between. The upcoming, temporary, closing of the Marketplace bus stop for example. Disney would really need to incorporate temporary changes into such a system.

Some of us on DIS "overplan". I think this is an example. Guests can ask about transportation when they arrive at WDW.

Some subway systems have a digital sign that gives the approximate arrival time of the next train. It would be nice to have a display at each bus stop that gave us the approximate wait time for the next bus. If I just missed a bus, and saw a 20 minute wait, I might change my plans.

I thought I read that the readerboard signage concept was in the works, and this will be a great thing, if it happens.

The temporary changes? That really should not be a problem for them to incorporate. It just takes staffing. But seeing how poor other aspects of that website are, I don't think they're devoting staffing to that website commensurate to the need.

And as noted above, CM's often don't know themselves the best way to get from A to B.

There'd be no need for this portion of "overplanning" if there was a central repository for this info. You'd just get it, print it out, and move on with life.

 

[Lewisc]

Transportation from your (any) resort to a theme park is extremely straight forward.

The issue is resort to resort transportation. I suspect any official Disney guide would be extremely conservative in using a theme park as a "transfer" point and might just suggest DTD. That avoids having to keep track of parking closing hours and EMH hours. I don't think an official guide would mention the suggestion of telling the driver if you have an early ADR at a MK resort. I understand some drivers will make an unscheduled stop.

In theory you idea makes sense but I suspect we'd find "holes" in any official Disney transportation wizard.

It's hard to distinguish between real plans and internet rumors. I hope the reader board is coming. I'd like to know the approximate wait time. A long wait and I might change my plans or grab a cab.

 

[clkelley]

Oh, about 5-6 years ago, Disney used to publish a written transportation guide in a grid-type format. With all the destinations written across the top and the side, then you picked your starting point and ending point, and when they met in the middle, it told you how to get there. Even then, Disney's "official" transfer point was always Downtown Disney.

Also, to go to DTD from a park, they always told you to return to "your" resort, then take another bus/boat to DTD.

There are two definite areas of Transportation that are "very" fluid.

One is Carribbean Beach. Depending on where the bus is coming from, dictates where they enter the resort, and that dictates what order they circle the resort for their stops.

Also, there is no rhyme or reason (in my experience) in the order in which the Epcot resorts are circled to go to the various places. Before Saratoga Springs opened, I would often exit the IG and walk to a resort to go to DTD. One night I went to Beach Club, and Yacht Club was the last stop before heading out, the next night I went to Yacht Club and Boardwalk was the last stop before heading out.

Also, depending on crowd levels, the best option when crowd levels are high may be one thing because then resorts have their own bus, but may not be a good option when crowd levels are lower, because resorts share buses.

For example, going to the Studios, or Animal Kingdom from MK.

The "official" response is Monorail or Ferry to TTC, then bus.

During crowded times the "best" response is walk to Contemporary, then bus.

However, in uncrowded times that is not the best way, because that bus from the Contemporary will also stop at the Poly and Grand Floridian before heading on to the Studios or AK.

Oh, FYI Congress Park is the closest bus stop to MarketPlace in DTD.

 

[cranbiz]

Also, there is no rhyme or reason (in my experience) in the order in which the Epcot resorts are circled to go to the various places. Before Saratoga Springs opened, I would often exit the IG and walk to a resort to go to DTD. One night I went to Beach Club, and Yacht Club was the last stop before heading out, the next night I went to Yacht Club and Boardwalk was the last stop before heading out.

The "official" route for the Epcot resorts are these,

BW/SW/ DOL

Boardwalk first, then the Swan and then the Dolphin.

YC/BC

Yacht Club first then the Beach Club.

All five,

Swan, Dolphin, Yacht Club, Beach Club and Boardwalk.

However, in uncrowded times that is not the best way, because that bus from the Contemporary will also stop at the Poly and Grand Floridian before heading on to the Studios or AK.

Only Studios does CO/PO/Flo, AK does CO/PO and a seperate bus for WL/GF.

The only time you will see anything different will be after a park is closed and there are only a few guests left to transport. Then you will see some really wacky routes.

 

[clkelley]

Thanks!!! Is there some standard time frame when they switch from the split to all 5??

For example, when Epcot closes in the evening, can I pretty much expect to be able to walk to Beach Club and get directly to DTD??

 

[Dan Murphy]

I think it would be very helpful if Disney had at least some basic transportation guide on their website.

 

[cranbiz]

Thanks!!! Is there some standard time frame when they switch from the split to all 5??

For example, when Epcot closes in the evening, can I pretty much expect to be able to walk to Beach Club and get directly to DTD??

Nothing I can put in writing. It is usually done at or close to closing time but can change based on ridership levels. I have done all 5 at 6pm and the bus dispatched before and after me were given split routes. Sometimes your route will get changed at TL. You could go into TL and be a YC/BC bus and leave there doing all 5.

 

[TDC Nala]

My guess is because they change the routes and timing so much, they don't want to put it in writing. Updating it would be a major undertaking.