DW buses for first timers

[denhouse]

How does the bus system at DW operate. Do they have a system that go to certain destinations or do all the buses just simply stop at every resort and park???? Are they very visual in making it easy not to board the wrong bus or get on the right bus? Has anyone ever been in a position where the bus was over crowded and people were forced to stand?? I can not stand it when bus systems do that. When we go Ocean City, MD. they pack the buses so tight it makes you feel like the air is going to run out and if someones personal hygene is bad you have to deal with it for block after block... aaaahhhh!!! Hate it!!! I hope that is not the case at Disney World.

 

[iteachlit]

How does the bus system at DW operate. Do they have a system that go to certain destinations or do all the buses just simply stop at every resort and park????

Think of the parks as the transportation hubs. You'll find a bus stop for each resort at each park. Depending on your resort, you may share buses with another resort.

Are they very visual in making it easy not to board the wrong bus or get on the right bus?

All stops are clearly signed. Each bus has a large, digital sign on the front and side to show its destination.

Has anyone ever been in a position where the bus was over crowded and people were forced to stand??

Forced to stand? No. If you don't want to stand, simply wait for the next bus. Standing is only common at park opening and closing. In November, we were on only one SRO bus from MK to BCV.

 

[seashoreCM]

Routes run park-to-resort and resort-to-park and park to park.

Five different buses serve each resort -- Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney Studios, Animal Kingdom, and Downtown Disney/Typhoon Lagoon. One of the first four makes a stop at Blizzard Beach, which bus it is varies by resort.

At the parks you take buses to the various resorts (but not Downtown Disney). The electronic destination signs on the buses flash each destination alternately if there is more than one destination. You will also see the buses going to different parks except at Magic Kingdom where you must take the monorail or ferry to the parking lot concourse to find the park-to-park buses.

Some routes are by monorail or boat instead of by bus.

To go from resort to resort, you transfer at a park or at Downtown Disney. To go from park to Downtown Disney, you transfer at a resort.

 

[DebbieB]

Sometimes at opening or closing times, the busses do fillup even with people standing and are forced to leave some people waiting for the next one.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Also depending on where your staying at you might need to share bus service with other WDW Resorts.

 

[goofy4tink]

How does the bus system at DW operate. Do they have a system that go to certain destinations or do all the buses just simply stop at every resort and park???? Are they very visual in making it easy not to board the wrong bus or get on the right bus? Has anyone ever been in a position where the bus was over crowded and people were forced to stand?? I can not stand it when bus systems do that. When we go Ocean City, MD. they pack the buses so tight it makes you feel like the air is going to run out and if someones personal hygene is bad you have to deal with it for block after block... aaaahhhh!!! Hate it!!! I hope that is not the case at Disney World.

The bus system is very easy to understand. Each resort has a bus waiting area. Each bus will have light up signage on it, both front and side, that tells you where it is going. As mentioned, resort buses will stop at a few other resorts along the way to a park.
At the park, there is a resort specific area for each resort. They are well marked. There is going to be one huge sign, at the beginning of the bus area, that will give you the bus stop numbers for each resort. Then, when you start walking in the bus loading area, you will see the stop number, as well as resort name. Very easy.

Do the buses fill up? Almost certainly. At park opening and park closing, you are going to find that the buses are crammed to the roof. If you are not comfortable with that, you are more than free to wait for the next bus in order to get a seat. The buses that run mid-day are seldom crowded enough to have to stand.

 

[seashoreCM]

Was told that sometimes (for example some hours from the All Stars) a separate Blizzard Beach bus is run.

I think Pop Century is the only resort that does not share buses with other resorts and also has just one stop within. Next door Caribbean Beach also does not share buses but has eight stops within.

... find that the buses are crammed to the roof ...

OT: Crowd level 8? 9?

 

[MICKEEP]

Was told that sometimes (for example some hours from the All Stars) a separate Blizzard Beach bus is run.[/IMG]

AS always has their own dedicated bus to BB. They are the only resort that does.

At all other resorts except AKL, BB is reached by taking an AK bus. To get to BB from AKL you will need to take a HS bus.

 

[Missytara]

The only time I have seen buses crammed to the rafters is after Illuminations.

I was with my mom one year and just opted to take a cab, because I didn't want her standing for that long of a ride.

 

[Magicbus]

AS always has their own dedicated bus to BB. They are the only resort that does.

At all other resorts except AKL, BB is reached by taking an AK bus. To get to BB from AKL you will need to take a HS bus.

That's kinda correct. For most of the day, the Epcot bus from AS also stops at BB, so I guess that's kinda of a dedicated bus. When BB is close to closing, a truly dedicated bus goes back and forth from BB to AS and back again until BB is clear.

 

[joelkfla]

That's kinda correct. For most of the day, the Epcot bus from AS also stops at BB, so I guess that's kinda of a dedicated bus. When BB is close to closing, a truly dedicated bus goes back and forth from BB to AS and back again until BB is clear.

The All-Star to BB shuttle runs all day.

The only time I'm aware of the AS-Epcot bus serving BB was when BB was closed for refurbishment. Then, it stopped at BB on request to drop off guests heading for Winter-Summerland.

The Coronado Springs to Epcot bus stops at BB after the waterpark closes for the day, also to serve Winter-Summerland guests.

But anyways, this is all academic. Simple answer to the OP:

Buses, monorails, or boats run from each resort to each theme park, waterpark, and Downtown Disney; and theme park to theme park, but not theme park to DTD. Theme park to waterpark varies.

When in doubt, ask any Transportation cast member at your departure location, or phone 407-WDW-RIDE. (Sadly, resort cm's have been known to give out inaccurate transportation info.)

And if your destination is not shown on the bus marquee, check with the driver to make sure.