Final straw with Disney transportation

[Candlz]

I would like to welcome you to the wonderful world of driving yourself to the parks. Back in 1998 we did 2 weeks at the All Stars with no car and it was perfectly fine. It was me, my dad and my 8 year old DD, no stroller and no stress over standing. About 4 years ago we wanted to have a few drinks with dinner and didn't want to think about driving so back the buses we went. Other than that - we drive and park and arrive relaxed and happy. It is wonderful!

 

[goofy4tink]

Oh man...I do love my 'DIS kids'...Mom thanks you for your continued support. I'm glad someone understands where I was coming from.

Okay....I've taken the Mears shuttle in the interest of gathering info for this board. I sit on the buses, notepad in hand, noting any overly long waits...especially when it comes to DME. It drives my traveling companions nutty when I pull out my pad and pencil to jot down wait times for the bus line and then once I get on the bus and then the time from MCO to my resort.
So...with that all in mind....I may just have to drive to the parks when I get there in 13 days!!! I have driven to MK once, but that was to get Easter morning breakfast at CP on our way back to Sanford Intl from visiting my ds in Tamps. Normally, if I have a car, I leave it at the resort and take buses...yes, I like the buses. BUT, I may just have to pull up my big girl panties and try driving around WDW, just to see what it's like.
So, I will apologize in advance to anyone that is down there at the same time, and sees a crazy woman trying to find her way around WDW. I mean seriously, when leaving MK, I somehow ended up heading into Epcot on my way out of WDW!!! Still haven't figured out how that happened!!!
Dear God.....what will happen when I try to find Kidani after leaving BWV??? I could be riding around, lost, for days.
The things I do in the interest of garnering info. I can't wait to see what the other three in my group have to say about this crazy idea!!!!

So, for those of you who choose to drive vs use the buses...any hints or advice to keep me from making a bigger fool of myself than usual???

 

[dudspizza]

Well...it should have come across as yelling, cause I was yelling. Making sure everyone out there heard me. Sometimes posters tend to just skip over stuff and not read it. I wanted to be perfectly clear in my post.

LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA.... I can't hear you!!!

Have a nice day!

 

[goofy4tink]

I'm not sure why anyone would have a problem with you deciding the buses are just not a fit for your family. Excepting the whole judge who needs a seat more thing. If a car works better for another family, it is not a problem for me. I love the buses, but when we had little ones and lots of gear we drove quite often. It was just easier with strollers and diaperbags and children and whatnot.

ODD--There is a post over on Theme Parks all about the buses, and it seems to be being pretty much ignored by the Moderators. Which is why our Mom (goofy4tink) was yelling at us to not start the same nonsense over here. She don't play that!! Kind of like when I was growing up and my sister would get in trouble. I would get yelled at too to make sure I behaved.

Question??? When do you actually arrive in WDW??? Looks to be pretty soon. I get there on the 16th.....I need to meet in person my Trans Board posters....just a quick hello, have a great time, and see ya on the boards. PM me.

LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA.... I can't hear you!!!

Have a nice day!

BRAT!!!!!! Have you been talking to my soon to be 18 y/o dd???? She regularly adopts that exact same expression!!!

 

[jacesmommy]

No, I'm sure that not ALL young adult men on the buses are not healthy but I can almost guarantee you that 99% of them ARE and should learn some manners and give up their seat to a lady, especially one carrying a small sleeping child in their arms!
I and DS(7) just came back last weekend from a trip....HE being 7 knows better and offered up his seat to an elderly woman. It's just shameful.
And the other thing that frosts me is when parents allow their 2 or 3 year olds to take up a seat when they can quite comfortably fit on a lap to free up a seat. It's just common courtesy.

 

[jacesmommy]

Oh I almost forgot, certainly one can have the appearence of being "healthy" and still have major health issues requiring you to sit but it isn't a secret to men around the world that at one time it was an accepted practice to open doors for ladies and give up seats on buses. The "healthy" men know who they are; but they don't owe me or my family anything.

Here here! I second that emotion!

 

[goofy4tink]

I do have to come to the defense of young men at WDW. I am older, 62 actually, and have had a seat offered to me more times than I really appreciate. And the vast majority of those times that seat was offered by a young man...well under 25.
While on the monorail, from TTC to MK, I was standing, quite comfortably, when a young man of about 16 hopped up and gestured to his seat. I was really taken aback. His mother was sitting on the seat beside him...she never gave him a 'look' or said anything to him. In fact, her eyes were closed when I got on and they remained closed until her ds got up!!! I just looked at her, smiled and congratulated her on raising a terrific kid....she was so pleased!!! Her ds blushed, and again gestured to his now empty seat. I didn't really need it but he was so genuine and I didn't want to pass that by.

I have had many young men offer me a seat...never had a young woman offer me one though. My dd, on the other hand, has given her seat to someone else many times. And that has been common practice since she was 13. And she had plopped in my lap on occasion as well...that way we freed up an addtl seat for someone.
I have had older gentlemen offer me a seat, even though they are much older than I.

There truly is no way to judge who should, and who shouldn't, give up a seat. You just have to figure that no seat was offered because everyone seated is worse off than you are. Not the case, but it sure does make life better to just assume it's the case.
Now...don't get me started on people who allow their children to stretch across several seats so that they can sleep or the guest who decides their huge shopping bags need a seat or two!!! Never any excuse for either of those two practices.

 

[Candlz]

Oh man...I do love my 'DIS kids'...Mom thanks you for your continued support. I'm glad someone understands where I was coming from.

Okay....I've taken the Mears shuttle in the interest of gathering info for this board. I sit on the buses, notepad in hand, noting any overly long waits...especially when it comes to DME. It drives my traveling companions nutty when I pull out my pad and pencil to jot down wait times for the bus line and then once I get on the bus and then the time from MCO to my resort.
So...with that all in mind....I may just have to drive to the parks when I get there in 13 days!!! I have driven to MK once, but that was to get Easter morning breakfast at CP on our way back to Sanford Intl from visiting my ds in Tamps. Normally, if I have a car, I leave it at the resort and take buses...yes, I like the buses. BUT, I may just have to pull up my big girl panties and try driving around WDW, just to see what it's like.
So, I will apologize in advance to anyone that is down there at the same time, and sees a crazy woman trying to find her way around WDW. I mean seriously, when leaving MK, I somehow ended up heading into Epcot on my way out of WDW!!! Still haven't figured out how that happened!!!
Dear God.....what will happen when I try to find Kidani after leaving BWV??? I could be riding around, lost, for days.
The things I do in the interest of garnering info. I can't wait to see what the other three in my group have to say about this crazy idea!!!!

So, for those of you who choose to drive vs use the buses...any hints or advice to keep me from making a bigger fool of myself than usual???

Driving around WDW is really pretty easy. The signs are easy to read and large. Just know which park your resort is - you know, whether you are heading to an EPCOT resort vs DHS. The only challenge we have ever had was in POURING rain when we couldn't see the roads - let alone the signs... A bit of RAIN X on the windows helped. GPS works well - we use the Telenav on our phones if we need to head to WalMart or something. You will be fine. It is so nice to have the car - though in 5 years I may be raving about how nice it is to ride the bus and let someone else navigate.

 

[weswife]

For what its worth here are my thoughts!

We LOVE the Disney transportation! This may open another can of worms and its not my intent!

My DD uses a wheelchair full time. We enjoy the transportation and make great use of it. For us its great! My DD gets in her chair and remains. We get on the bus and go to the parks. So much easier! By using the bus my DH does not have to take DD in and out and tear the w/c apart to put in a car. DH can carry DD but its not easy by any means and he can not see where he is going when he carries her. This is a safety concern for me, always worrying about them! We are never in a hurry and don't mind waiting for a bus. We learned long ago life is too short to sweat the small stuff! In the grand scheme of things we just want to enjoy our vacation as a family!

 

[leebee]

Thank you, goofy4tink, for keeping the kids in line! I have seen the posts about the busses on the other boards and it's truly atrocious, and tiring. Same old arguements, same old defenses, same old insults. I am glad you nipped it in the bud here.

I agree with the folks who are "over" the Disney busses, and it's why we've rented a car for our vacation that starts in FOUR DAYS ! Driving around WDW is a breeze... just follow the signs. Do NOT use your GPS; they aren't all programmed to find the places you need to go, and sometimes their response time is so slow that you whiz past the turn you needed to take. Also, take the word "whiz" with a grain of salt; sometimes the cops really nail you on the Disney roads!

 

[peemagg]

We enjoyed the buses the last time we took my nieces and nephew. The twins were 13 months and the oldest one was 2.5 years old. We put the twins in front packs and wore them and the older one sat on one of our laps. The bus put my nephew to sleep every time we were on it.

If the bus was standing room only, we waited for the next bus. It was very simple that way that those of us who took the kids got a place to sit with them.

 

[goofy4tink]

Thank you, goofy4tink, for keeping the kids in line! I have seen the posts about the busses on the other boards and it's truly atrocious, and tiring. Same old arguements, same old defenses, same old insults. I am glad you nipped it in the bud here.

I agree with the folks who are "over" the Disney busses, and it's why we've rented a car for our vacation that starts in FOUR DAYS ! Driving around WDW is a breeze... just follow the signs. Do NOT use your GPS; they aren't all programmed to find the places you need to go, and sometimes their response time is so slow that you whiz past the turn you needed to take. Also, take the word "whiz" with a grain of salt; sometimes the cops really nail you on the Disney roads!

Yeah, it was actually my GPS that sent me into Epcot!!! Good thing I have an AP and didn't have to pay to enter!!! Wasn't staying at a WDW resort at that point, so there would have been a parking fee. But if you looked carefully, you could see the road the GPS meant...it ran very closely beside the Epcot entrance and I was so busy looking at the signs, I missed the correct turn...about 100' prior to the turn I actually took. Will be much more careful in a few weeks!!

 

[Candlz]

If you do enter a park by mistake - they will tell you how to get to your destination (if they know) and will not charge you a parking fee - I have learned this from experience.

I have often found the best way to learn an area is to be lost in it. Just follow the rules of the road - if you miss your turn - DO NOT back up to try to take it etc. There is almost always a place to turn around.

We have only GPS to take us off site and have never had a problem. The road maps Disney gives you are pretty good too. Maybe you could get some of those prior to your trip and study them?

 

[joelkfla]

But if you looked carefully, you could see the road the GPS meant...it ran very closely beside the Epcot entrance and I was so busy looking at the signs, I missed the correct turn...about 100' prior to the turn I actually took. Will be much more careful in a few weeks!!

I don't know where you were trying to get to, but it sounds like it might have been a backstage road that would have led you to a locked gate.

That's another problem with GPS's at WDW: they sometimes take you into places you're not supposed to be, where you're exposed to the un-magical parts of WDW.

 

[Missytara]

I have to say when I took my mom a couple of years ago, we opted for some cabs a few nights, especially after Epcot fireworks. Buses were super crowded and it was going to continue for a while.

But I have been relatively lucky on the buses, since I mostly travel alone. I don't try to make rope drop and leave around 9:00 am and come back around 2:00 pm or so.

I go back out around dinnertime, but usually to the resorts, not to the parks, so it is not as crowded.

 

[goofy4tink]

I don't know where you were trying to get to, but it sounds like it might have been a backstage road that would have led you to a locked gate.

That's another problem with GPS's at WDW: they sometimes take you into places you're not supposed to be, where you're exposed to the un-magical parts of WDW.

I had left the TTC lot, heading to Sanford. I turned when the GPS told me to turn...as I continued, I saw the entrance booths to Epcot.....seriously??? BUT...as I drove up, AP in hand, I noticed over on the left, up the hilly slope, another rode. Yep...that was the road I was supposed to be on. If I had been in my Escape with all wheel drive I could have just driven the overland route and up the hill......kidding!!!

I am actually looking forward to finding my way around the area. In April I managed to drive from Sanford to US/IoA, to Cocoa Beach, park for our cruise, drive back to AKL, then over to Tampa, and back to MK for Easter breakfast, and then finally back to Sanford. Only got 'lost' that one time, on our last day.

 

[Brian Noble]

Folks, the point of the OP's post isn't (necessarily) that driving is always better for everyone. The point was that the OP had never even *thought about* driving, and when he tried it, he found it very much to his liking. The lesson to take away is: if you've *always* ridden the buses, try a car and see how you like it. If you've *always* driven yourself, try the bus and see how you like it. You might find the results surprising.

I have to admit, when my kids were younger, I strongly preferred to drive as well. As we all know, there is no pixie dust in transportation, but somehow the self-driving hassles seemed less of a hassle than the bus hassles. On the other hand, if I'm planning a second BEvERage with dinner, I'm more than happy to let Disney do the driving! And, as the kids get older, the bus is less of a problem---we can stand if we have to. But, I will still often drive because wondering when the next bus will come can drive me a little batty, but I don't mind dealing with the trams. I won't skip the car entirely unless it's a kid-free trip and I'm trying to keep a lid on budget.

OT, but this also applies to onsite vs. offsite stays. I can't count the number of people who've never tried offsite but are sure it can't possibly be a worthwhile vacation. There are a few who go the other way, as well.

 

[joelkfla]

I had left the TTC lot, heading to Sanford. I turned when the GPS told me to turn...as I continued, I saw the entrance booths to Epcot.....seriously??? BUT...as I drove up, AP in hand, I noticed over on the left, up the hilly slope, another rode. Yep...that was the road I was supposed to be on. If I had been in my Escape with all wheel drive I could have just driven the overland route and up the hill......kidding!!!

I am actually looking forward to finding my way around the area. In April I managed to drive from Sanford to US/IoA, to Cocoa Beach, park for our cruise, drive back to AKL, then over to Tampa, and back to MK for Easter breakfast, and then finally back to Sanford. Only got 'lost' that one time, on our last day.

Oh, OK - you were being headed to the Epcot Center Drive exit; yes, that's legal. I thought you might have been trying to get to the Epcot Resorts. I keep my GPS on when driving home from work (just to see how much farther), and it always wants me to go backstage on the road along the Epcot berm, which is off limits even to ordinary cm's.

I'm sure you know this, but if you ever get lost driving, just pull into any resort, or major theme park during the day, and ask the security or parking cm for directions.

 

[LSchrow]

if we wish to sit on a bus and the line is long, we wait for the next one - whether we sit or stand is our option that way

people (mostly, as tink noted, men in their 20's) will often offer their seat, as both my kids, DH and I do for people that seem to need it more than we do.

side note: it appears a lot of transportation ppl (including the esteemed mod mom ) are going to be at WDW soon. if anyways sees a LG mickey head (it's actually a luggage tag) hanging from a tan or periwinkle baggallini, pls say "hi". we'll be at the BWVs 10/9-18

 

[maxiesmom]

side note: it appears a lot of transportation ppl (including the esteemed mod mom ) are going to be at WDW soon. if anyways sees a LG mickey head (it's actually a luggage tag) hanging from a tan or periwinkle baggallini, pls say "hi". we'll be at the BWVs 10/9-18

Shoot, we will just miss you! I'm going 10/20-10/24. Trying to keep this trip very budget, so we are staying at the Sports.