Downtown Disney Nightmare

[Lyndria]

**hugs** Hope your knee is better!

 

[Figmificent]

Sorry for your experience, but that's just kinda the way it is at DTD. The stops share 2 resorts, you always go to the West Side after the Marketplace. And the DTD bus to FQ always goes to RS first. It is the only bus that runs in reverse order (picks up at RS first and FQ 2nd) of all the other park busses. As for the mass of humanity, well there's no explanation for some people

 

[Missus Toad]

Another victim of the DTD Triangle. Buses enter and seem to never come back. Be glad you escaped to tell the tale.


We will not return to DTD by bus until they figure this situation out. I was near madness myself one looooong night trying to return to BW. By the time we got there, after stopping not just at the DTD stops, but Swan, Dolphin and YC/BC, the lot of us BW folk were on the verge of mutiny.

 

[seashoreCM]

And the DTD bus to FQ always goes to RS first. It is the only bus that runs in reverse order (picks up at RS first and FQ 2nd) of all the other park busses.

So guests can go between Riverside and French Quarter either way (one of the rare exceptions to having to make a connection when going from resort to resort).

 

[maxiesmom]

What an awful experience for you. May 2010 we waited forever for a bus to DTD too. Does anyone know how much a cab is to the resorts?

That depends on where you are staying. The last time I took one from DTD to the All Star Music is was less than $20, but I gave him $20 including my tip.

 

[nooneshome]

OMG. That is almost what happened to me and DW on our last trip. It took us forever to get back from DTD and I have a bum hip. And we had the driver exchange too.

 

[eliza61]

Op, I know I shouldn't laugh at your misery but you've got a very enjoyable writting style.

Since I've got the patience of a knat, I long ago stopped using disney transportation. I could only imagine myself on that bus.

maybe you guys could form a support group. Sell t-shirts.

The DTD triangle, buses come in but never go out!!

 

[TDC Nala]

This is how the DTD buses work - it's normal. Although I did quite well using DTD to transfer to Pop Century last Thursday. Of course Pop Century doesn't have multiple bus stops, or share with another resort (yet). And watch out if you do this during the day - because the buses will also stop at Typhoon Lagoon.

The former PI is where the drivers change shifts, that's also normal.

 

[ciera321]

The boat to DTD is the best part of POR and POFQ, IMO! The buses to DTD always seem to take a loooong time from any resort, I never look forward to that. I sure hope your knee is better!

 

[ppony]

We used to stay at POFQ purely for the boats they were AWESOME! So sorry for your pain OP. My mom has had both of her knees replaced so I have seen first hand, the pain knees can cause.


This makes me feel good about always renting a car. WHEW!

 

[delaneyc52]

By now...everyone knows I simply cannot stand nor will I board a Disney bus!!
I will do everything I can to be sure I have a rental car for the duration of my stay at WDW. Now...that being said, DTD is an entirely different story. The parking lots there are usually packed - especially on weekends. So I will drive my rental to SSR and take the boat It's a nice boat ride, plenty of parking at SSR and all is well with the world. Good grief how I despise those buses!!!

 

[DisneyChristmas]

A couple of years ago we went to DTD and then planned to have lunch at Boardwalk. We were the only people waiting for the Boardwalk bus. It took a long time to arrive. Then (as you wrote), the bus went to the other end of DTD, The driver parked and told us goodbye.

20 minutes later we were still sitting (just the 2 of us) in that bus with no designated driver in sight. I used my cell phone to find a taxi number which took not more than 5 minutes to arrive - no lie. $10 later we arrived at Boardwalk.

I get it that there's no admission charged for DTD. But if Mickey wants us to spend freely in his stores, he needs to provide better bus service.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I feel your pain. The one and only time I rode the bus from DTD back to my resort (which was BWI) was like your bus ride.

Packed, standing room only and I'd hurt my knee early in the day (but not as bad yours was!). Bus Driver change on the other side.

Ever since then, I grab a taxi or if I'm staying at a resort with a boat to and from DTD, I take that.

 

[rudetreehill]

When I was there the first weekend in October, we had a... well, I'm not gonna say a "similar" experience, because there was no crying adult or difficult-to-please child. (If my niece couldn't find something in either the World of Disney or the big toy store, I think I'd say, "Yeah, tough luck kiddo.") But like the OP, my friends and I (having gone to Downtown Disney for dinner at Bongos, which was just awful... good appetizers, TERRIBLE main course, hot and incredibly loud) opted NOT to take the boat back to POR (we'd taken the boat over) and instead take a bus. Nobody at the stop. Waited waited waited. Every bus in the world went by but one for POR. FINALLY, one showed up, got crowded quick, shift change as well.

Interestingly, that was the ONLY bad experience we had transportation wise, including on the morning of the 5k at Animal Kingdom where thousands and thousands of runners were effortlessly shuttled back to the resort. Same after the half-marathon at Epcot that night. THOUSANDS of runners, no waiting at all. Really well organized.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

My experience is that the buses from the Deluxe Resorts to and from Downtown Disney are the worst, so from now on my family and I always drive our car when going there which is a lot faster.

 

[RebeccaB]

OP here. Thanks for all the replies! If it weren't for feeling like a freaken pirate with a pegleg and/or someone drove a sledgehammer into the side of my knee, I wouldn't have been so overwhelmed or bothered I don't think. I didn't let it ruin my vacation, for sure!
I didn't even add in the vivacious little blondie who was SHRIEKING at the top of her darling lungs "NONONONONONONONONONONOOOOOOOOO" as her father tried to "talk" to her about how inappropriate her behavior was...even after the bus was loaded like sardines in a can and they were on the other end of the bus she could be heard still shrieking like a banshee...I felt bad for the unfortunate souls seated nearby that. My kid is by no means a perfect snowflake, she had saved money all year and wanted to find something "unique" that couldn't be found elsewhere, I only wish we'd known about TRex build a dino right off the bat.... That's what my story is all about, hopin to help others avoid any misery that is avoidable

 

[MaryKatesMom]

We now always rent a car for similar reasons. It took 1 1/2 hours to get to to TL with a 30 minute stop at DTD.

 

[mackay_j]

we had a similar experience at dtd. But it was probably our own fault for not thinking our plan through. We were staying at POR and it was NYE so we went to the polly for dinner then watched the new year wishes on the beach. After that we had to get back to POR we had 2 choices go back to MK and bus from there or go to DTD and bus it back from there. We chose the 2nd one thinking MK would be too busy. We left the polly at 12.35 ish and got back to our room at 3.05 (with 2 very tired DDs) - never ever again. When we do NYE at the polly we now always just take the car.

Luckly for us no one was in pain- that must have been a long drag with a painful knee!

 

[Rileygirl]

I hate the DTD bus system - a previous poster is correct - there is a bermuda triangle effect going on - buses come in - because getting there never seemed to be a problem, but no buses seem to go out! I had the exact same experience at the OP (minus the driver change) but to make my experience more perfect - I was one of the first people waiting for the bus, waited a long time, a huge crowd gathers, and where the bus stopped, was not where I was standing - a huge crowd pushes in, and I DONT get on the bus!!!!

Three times on DTD by bus, each time I think - it must have been a freak experience, each time it takes close to 2 hours to get back.

Now I know I am not alone in hating DTD bus system. Cab or Car for now on.

 

[seashoreCM]

Sorry for your experience, but that's just kinda the way it is at DTD.

Is that what Guest Relations tells you when you comment on hour plus long trip times (arrival at originating bus stop to stepping off at destination) into and out of Downtown Disney?