early ADR and busses

[lynypixie]

I know it might have been asked before, but I just got off the phone, because I changed one of my ADR for earlier (I had 9:10 and got an 8:10 at Thusker house, my kids usualy eat at 6:30 in the morning, so I find eating after 9 very hard for them, plus I want to get in the safari early)

My problem: the lady on the phone said the busses don't start running before 8 in the morning. I had heard here that they actualy start at 6:30.

I am a little confused, because I had lots of early dining reservations. It would not be fun if I have to take a taxi each times. (and not quite secure either, my little one being only 2 and no carseats)

What do I beleive?

 

[ccgirl]

I know it might have been asked before, but I just got off the phone, because I changed one of my ADR for earlier (I had 9:10 and got an 8:10 at Thusker house, my kids usualy eat at 6:30 in the morning, so I find eating after 9 very hard for them, plus I want to get in the safari early)

My problem: the lady on the phone said the busses don't start running before 8 in the morning. I had heard here that they actualy start at 6:30.

I am a little confused, because I had lots of early dining reservations. It would not be fun if I have to take a taxi each times. (and not quite secure either, my little one being only 2 and no carseats)

What do I beleive?

I believe the busses start running one hour before park opening. I may be wrong but I thought that was what I remembered. I know when we did a lot of earlier morning ressies, we really wished we had rented a car.

Good luck. Have a great trip.

 

[siskaren]

It's been stated numerous times on this board that the buses start running every day at 6:30. Since one of the people who has stated this is goofy4tink, who is the moderator of this board, I believe that. Unfortunately, the phone CMs have been known to give out wrong information.

 

[RMAMom]

Yes, 6:30.
For an 8:10 ADR I would be at the bus stop at your hotel at 7:00 AM

 

[lynypixie]

Thanks! I was scared when the CM told me it wouldn't work with the busses. It seemed she realy didn't want me to have that 8:10 reservation. But my kids are early risers, and the parks will close early when we go, so it would just be perfect for us.

The only one I'm keeping a little later (8:50) is chef Mickey, because it's going to be a little harder to get there. It's the only resort-dining that we will do, given we're staying at AoA. Too bad, because I would have loved to have a 1900 park breakfeast. (DD4 will see Mary Poppins in november)

 

[goofy4tink]

Oh believe me, the buses start by 6:30am every morning!!! For an 8:10 at Tusker House, I would be out at the AK stop by 7ish....these buses run a bit less frequently than the regular buses do. Then, by 8, they start running every 15 mins or so.

 

[lynypixie]

Thank you!
I was sure I had read it here somewhere, so I was quite surprised when she told me I would never make the reservation on time.

So you think I should still take the 7am bus for my 8h15 reservation at Hollywood and wine? The park looks quite close to AoA.

 

[Hoopfamily]

If I have a 7:30 am ohana breakfast and am staying at Asmu will I be able to bus or should I plan on cabbing it?

 

[RMAMom]

Thank you!
I was sure I had read it here somewhere, so I was quite surprised when she told me I would never make the reservation on time.

So you think I should still take the 7am bus for my 8h15 reservation at Hollywood and wine? The park looks quite close to AoA.

The busses do not run as frequently at that hour so you should be at the bus stop at 7 because you don't know when the bus will come.

If I have a 7:30 am ohana breakfast and am staying at Asmu will I be able to bus or should I plan on cabbing it?

I would take a cab at 7:00 to the Polly. If you want to take the bus I would be at the bus stop at 6:25 to insure that I was on the first bus there. You will need to go to the MK and then take either the monorail or boat or bus (whichever is running) to the Polly.

 

[goofy4tink]

Thank you!
I was sure I had read it here somewhere, so I was quite surprised when she told me I would never make the reservation on time.

So you think I should still take the 7am bus for my 8h15 reservation at Hollywood and wine? The park looks quite close to AoA.

Yes, they are close, but if you were to get out to the bus stop at 7:15ish, and the bus had just left, you might not get on another bus until 7:40ish, depending on when the previous bus left. I have had shorter than 25 min waits but I have had some that were close to 30 mins...and you don't want to start your day stressing over buses. So, if you get to the stop at 7, and a bus has just left, you will most likely be able to get on another one prior to 7:30. Then, you need to leave 15 mins to get from the bus to the restaurant, and Disney does like you to arrive a few mins early...so now, you need to be at the park by 7:50ish.

If I have a 7:30 am ohana breakfast and am staying at Asmu will I be able to bus or should I plan on cabbing it?

This one is a bit harder. You would have to take the bus to MK, then monorail over to the Polynesian....so you would pretty much have to be on that first bus. But, a bus driver may very well offer to drop you at the Polynesian on the way out...so, when you board the bus, ask which is faster to the Polynesian, boat or monorail. I never come right out and ask if they will drop me. The drivers seem to love being able to surprise guests by sprinkling a bit of pixiedust.

 

[Hoopfamily]

We're worried we'll be late thus throwing our timing off for the morning, but our ADR is so early, I've never seen a breakfast be slamming at that time. Also I'm cheap so If I could avoid paying for a taxi I think I's like that.

 

[kwdw]

I have this same problem for an upcoming trip - early ADR's. I am a morning person - but you really do have to be really, really early to the bus stop. The one time I was at a stop at 6:55 am - and not a single bus to the MK (which opened at 9 that morning) came until 7:40 am (I had an 8 am reservation at Grand Floridian Cafe - so I had to go to MK first...) It sucked. Early morning bus transportation exists, but it's awful. It's very unfair to us early risers who want to get places and not pay a taxi.

 

[seashoreCM]

I have this same problem for an upcoming trip - early ADR's. I am a morning person - but you really do have to be really, really early to the bus stop. The one time I was at a stop at 6:55 am - and not a single bus to the MK (which opened at 9 that morning) came until 7:40 am (I had an 8 am reservation at Grand Floridian Cafe - so I had to go to MK first...) It sucked. Early morning bus transportation exists, but it's awful. It's very unfair to us early risers who want to get places and not pay a taxi.

I think you will need to follow the general advice of 90 minutes for a resort to resort trip. This would place you at the bus stop at 6:30 AM.

This also gives you time to size up the situation if no bus arrives in a reasonable time and step aboard a differnet bus momentarily to ask the dirver to radio for a bus you want.

The correct way for the maitre d' to handle extreme transportation problems is to honor your ADR, by pretending you were exactly on time.

 

[maxiesmom]

The correct way for the maitre d' to handle extreme transportation problems is to honor your ADR, by pretending you were exactly on time.

But they don't always. In my experience they will hold your table for a bit, but they won't hold it forever.

Not being late is still the best thing. If you are waiting for a bus, and one doesn't come for quite some time, you need to spend the money and grab a taxi. You don't want to be charged as a no show for a meal that you were trying to make.

 

[Redarrow5150]

Why not just have a snack breakfast like pop tarts or cereal to tide you over for your later reservation.

 

[seashoreCM]

Why not just have a snack breakfast like pop tarts or cereal to tide you over for your laterxxxxx lunch reservation.

Excellent idea. I never understood all this hoopla about breakfast.

As far as making a great effor to get there on time and still being late (e.g. taxi waiting for the Animal Kingdom toll booth to open) I would say that it's worth a trip to Guest Relations if the maitre d' won't honor your reservation. (No, I didn't say go to GR every time you had to wait more than 30 minutes for a bus.)

 

[KNovacovschi]

We have 8:05am reservations at CRT one day and are staying at POP, what time do you recommend catching the bus?

 

[goofy4tink]

I think you will need to follow the general advice of 90 minutes for a resort to resort trip. This would place you at the bus stop at 6:30 AM.

This also gives you time to size up the situation if no bus arrives in a reasonable time and step aboard a differnet bus momentarily to ask the dirver to radio for a bus you want.

The correct way for the maitre d' to handle extreme transportation problems is to honor your ADR, by pretending you were exactly on time.

Unless there is a verifiable transportation issue (accident/breakdown etc.), I don't think your ADR should be honored past a 15 min wait. I have sat, watching guests try to talk their way into restaurants....I have heard guests saying that the bus took them 2 hrs to get from their resort to the park. I have heard some say that they didn't realize it took so long. Sorry but anyone can make up a story about all the good reasons they are an hour late for an ADR.

We have 8:05am reservations at CRT one day and are staying at POP, what time do you recommend catching the bus?

For CRT at 8am, I would be out at the MK bus stop by 6:45ish. You may just miss a bus that way, or you may have just a few mins wait for one..but you should be on a bus by 7:10/7:15 at the latest. Which will get you to MK in plenty of time to get to the front gate, enter the park and take a few terrific photos of the empty area around the Castle and Main St.