Drive VS Resort Shuttle For Rope Drop (Update)

[rpmaill]

Good day!

I know this was covered in the past, but considering the parks are a ever changing, "living and breathing" entity (LOL), I was wondering if anythings changed regarding the strategy of taking the bus from a resort vs driving your own car to the parks for rope dropping?

In the past the consensus seems to always be take the bus, (MK is obvious due to TTC), but when going to HS and AK, would you say just drive or bus?

I know if bussing to be waiting for the bus 90 mins before ETPE. If driving, the lots open later than that, so I wouldnt even know when I should arrive at the lots, as Ive read they turn you away if your there TOO early.

 

[Skip Coffee for Rope Drop]

it depends on where you are staying. Drive if you are staying at value or moderate unless you get in the bus line one hour before early admission park opening. I hate to say this but the busses are more frequent at deluxe resorts and have fewer people staying there than value ( I have a source for this). It looks tacky for the deluxe resorts to have 100 people waiting outside the Grand Floridian or Beach Club for a bus to AK. People complain at Deluxe for bus times waiting 15-20 minutes on benches in the shade but at the values, they are waiting up to an hour standing with no shade.

 

[rpmaill]

it depends on where you are staying. Drive if you are staying at value or moderate unless you get in the bus line one hour before early admission park opening. I hate to say this but the busses are more frequent at deluxe resorts and have fewer people staying there than value ( I have a source for this). It looks tacky for the deluxe resorts to have 100 people waiting outside the Grand Floridian or Beach Club for a bus to AK. People complain at Deluxe for bus times waiting 15-20 minutes on benches in the shade but at the values, they are waiting up to an hour standing with no shade.

Thank you. I have to say I was there on a peak weel July 10th and used the bus for 3 of the 4 parks and was either 2nd in line or not much further back than 15th at any park. Busses were great except for Epcot I ubered to the Swan and walked in thru IG and was 2nd in line.

 

[MrKnight]

If you are staying on-site at a WDW resort I would strongly recommend taking WDW transportation (bus/skyliner/etc.), IMHO the whole point of staying on-site is having access to WDW transportation..

 

[heathsf]

it depends on where you are staying. Drive if you are staying at value or moderate unless you get in the bus line one hour before early admission park opening. I hate to say this but the busses are more frequent at deluxe resorts and have fewer people staying there than value ( I have a source for this). It looks tacky for the deluxe resorts to have 100 people waiting outside the Grand Floridian or Beach Club for a bus to AK. People complain at Deluxe for bus times waiting 15-20 minutes on benches in the shade but at the values, they are waiting up to an hour standing with no shade.

I'm staying Deluxe for the first time next month. When leaving the parks at closing time, I felt like we ALWAYS had to stand in a jam packed bus at the end of the night when staying Value/Moderate. I'll have my parents with me this trip and am trying to avoid putting them in that situation. Do you think it won't be the same experience with buses to Deluxe resorts?

 

[Skip Coffee for Rope Drop]

two things
1). Value/moderates have many more rooms/guests and the busses run less so your wait times are long. We have all seen the long long lines at the values an hour after fireworks at the MK and I have too been in them which is why we avoid rope dropping or closing at MK when staying at a value resort. Keep in mind that if you are at AK and staying at Contemporary, your bus will first go to Wilderness Lodge. If you are staying till park closing with seniors, get some ice-cream at closing and relax. You will find that the lines to Deluxe resorts are very small 30 minutes after closing. At MK to Beach Club, We just missed a bus and less than 10 minutes another came and left half-full. Yet on the other side, the An All Star Value had their line going out of the cue and easily needed 3 busses to get that crowd home. It appeared that a fight was about to break out, a lot of yelling.

 

[CarolynFH]

I'm staying Deluxe for the first time next month. When leaving the parks at closing time, I felt like we ALWAYS had to stand in a jam packed bus at the end of the night when staying Value/Moderate. I'll have my parents with me this trip and am trying to avoid putting them in that situation. Do you think it won't be the same experience with buses to Deluxe resorts?

We've had long waits for buses for Deluxe resorts too, especially after park closing, and have had to stand in a packed bus many times. I don't believe that the buses to the Values and Moderates come less frequently than for the Deluxes - we've seen those buses pass us by many times. It just seems as if whatever resort we're waiting for is the one being neglected by the bus service. And the Values have those huge tandem buses, too!

The advice above is very good - after the park closes, find a bench or table (at MK we like the tables outside Casey's) and have a seat for at least 30 minutes. The closer you are to the exit, the longer you can stay before the CMs ask you to leave! Getting some ice cream or other snack is a good idea, but if you want something from a cart, get it before the park closes (the carts close too). The stores usually stay open for some time after park closing, but that means standing or walking, so I'd just as soon walk to the bus stop and stand there, if we don't have anything specific that we want to buy. Waiting on a bench is usually better.

 

[focusondisney]

I'm staying Deluxe for the first time next month. When leaving the parks at closing time, I felt like we ALWAYS had to stand in a jam packed bus at the end of the night when staying Value/Moderate. I'll have my parents with me this trip and am trying to avoid putting them in that situation. Do you think it won't be the same experience with buses to Deluxe resorts?

Nope. It will be exactly the same. Especially at park opening & closing. We stay at YC most trips. Buses are full with packed aisles for opening & closing. And like @CarolynFH said, we often see several buses for moderate & values before we see 1 for us. The best ways to avoid packed buses: drive your self or stay at resorts in walking distance to the parks. I’ve never used them, but Minnie Vans are back. I don’t know how easy it is to get one at park closing, but that might be a nice way to skip the bus too.

 

[MinnieMSue]

My experience has been busses come much faster for values than other hotels at park close. Often at park close several parked waiting to pick up guests at them. They have insanely long lines over several bus stops but those busses come fast and even more than one at a time is loading. They are masters at loading them. Middle of day I would say they might come a little faster at deluxe. The value resorts stops at the parks are usually the furthest away (not always though).