How long are bus rides?

[jerseymom473]

We've heard a lot of pros and cons about the Disney buses, but please tell me your best estimate how long the bus rides actually are. Thanks!

 

[an_evans]

That depends on how many souvenirs you bought, how many kids fell asleep on the ride, and how crowded the bus is. If you are standing up hanging on the to the ten bags of stuff you and the kids couldn't possible live without, a sleeping two year old on your shoulder and balancing a double stroller between your legs, they are REALLY LONG!

Honestly though it depends greatly on what resort, what park you are traveling to/from and the time of day.

 

[wishesUT]

If you want a really in-depth look at how long it takes to get from a particular resort to one of the parks check out The Unofficial Guide from your local library. It lists all of the resorts and compares driving times to WDW transportation times and gives average and worst case scenario times. That book has way too much information in it, but if you're crazy like me you'll love it!

 

[sotoalf]

the OP hasn't told us where they're staying.

 

[stopher1]

the OP hasn't told us where they're staying.

Yeah, it really depends on which two points you're trying to go between... it's a longer trip from the AS resorts to MK than it is to AK, or from FtW to AK than it is to DTD...etc.

 

[jerseymom473]

Thanks for all the replies, I should have mentioned that we're staying at WL.

 

[christa112]

We have stayed at ASMo and CBR and it would take us about 20 mins to get to most of the parks.

It always seemed longer going to the parks because we were anxious to go and quicker getting back because we were exhausted!! LOL

 

[Jletendre]

I honeymooned at WL in 96 and from what I remember when you go to the other parks the wait / ride seemed long compared to taking the boat to MK and then monorail to Epcot.

The ride to Downtown Disney seemed to be long but perhaps it was my condition after at night at pleasure island.

For the most part it's usually less then 15-20 mins once your on the bus and in transit.

 

[EnnEss]

It actually does not really matter where you are staying. Most time is used waiting for the bus, riding it from point a to point b takes 5 - 15 minutes pretty much from anywhere with the World.

I find the UG way overestimates both drive times and bus times. They also say though that they are essentially the same once in either vehicle. Its just how lucky or unluck you are in waiting for the bus. They are supposed to come about every 20 minutes, sometimes they are much quicker, sometimes they can mess up and be longer. I've had that happen once.

As for taking the monorail to epcot, I always found that longer from any MK hotel except maybe CR, though it is fun to do via boat and then transfer from WL. Makes it more interesting.

I've stayed at the WL before, furthest points from it are AK and DTD. For ecpot and DHSit will be about 15 - 30 minutes including bus wait time approximately. about 20 - 35 minutes to AK and the DTD buses seem to come less often at all resorts I've stayed, so that can be longer. Those are my best guess averages for when I was at WL.

I usually have a car rented for some portion of the trip to go to the west coast so I've used that too. Its faster but its just the no waiting for a bus thing that makes it so. I've read on these boards sometimes that it takes 45 - 60 minutes to get somewhere via bus in disney, which is just crazy. Its not a city transit bus with a bunch of stops, and WDW is actually not that big, 47 sq/m with most of it not accessible by car. You don't travel that far by bus/car and the increase in distance from the closest park to you, to the furthest, simply is not that much.

 

[karemore]

The time of day makes a big difference too. The same ride that took ten minutes at 8 in the morning, took FOREVER in afternoon rush hour traffic.

If you have to stop for a pickup at a waterpark at closing time, traffic coming out of the waterpark can be backed up.

Drivers vary too. Some of them FLY, and we had one who talked to us the whole trip and kept slowing down when he got excited about something he was saying......yikes.

In all we loved the bus system. It was so much easier than driving in that same traffic with all the disney buses!

 

[minnie61650]

The longest direct bus ride from a resort to a park is about 20-25 minutes sometimes a bit longer to get from a resort to Down Town Disney.

Samples of bus ride times according to my PassPorter book

All Star Buses-CBR buses---POPbuses--PO buses--- Contemporary
MK 20 min---- 20 min-----25 min------10 min---20 min(mono)
Epcot 10 min-- 15 min-----20 min------10 min---15 min
MGM 10 min----12 min-----15 min------15 min---20min
AK 10 min------20min-------15 min----15 min---20 min
DTD 15 min----20 min------20 min-----15 min---35 min

All Stars-------CR------------GF----------Poly
MK-----20----20(mono)------3 (mono)-----10 (mono)
Epcot--10----15 (mono)--12+10(mono)---10(mono)
MGM---10----20-------------10------------15
Ak-----10----20------------15------------15
DTD---15----35-------------20------------25

 

[minnie61650]

Thanks for all the replies, I should have mentioned that we're staying at WL.

bus ride times from WL according to my PassPorter book

MK (boat) 8 min
Epcot 10 min
Studios 15 min
AK 15 min
DTD 25 min

 

[jerseymom473]

Thanks for the info!!