I don't understand the buses at Disney

[lacrosse_lady72]

I just don't understand...
...why there are sometimes such long waits for some buses.
...why sometimes there are buses that come for a destination that was just picked up and no one is waiting for it.
...why in the event that the previous has happened, why can't dispatch tell a bus to go to another spot where there's tons of people waiting.
...why there will be three buses for a destination before there's one for another (for comparable destinations like WL/CR vs. Poly/GF at HS).
...why it just can't be better?

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Just experienced this in early September. Left for hddr hour and a half early and the mk bus was 25 minutes after we got to the stop. Enough people for two buses and four scooters waiting. We did get there on time for the dinner bell but it was the first time I've had concerns about the buses. One of those big touring buses ended up picking us up and left the scooters behind. Not pretty. Still have faith in the buses though.

 

[Flight]

Some guests have good experiences with the bus system. Others have frustrating results traveling via the buses. The problem is there is no consistency.

 

[tinka-belle]

Traffic delays, dispatch errors, equipment problems, bus driver shift changes, and so on and so on and so on. One bus might have to make all the stops at a multi stop resort, while another skips stops with no people waiting or to disembark, so they get to you at the same time. Others might have a scooter off or on at every stop they make, can take extra time and slows up their schedule.

We had decent luck with the busses at CSR on our Labor Day trip this year, but had two or three times out of our two weeks where our bus was the 10th or 12th one to arrive after duplicates of many others. We just laughed it off, delays happen, we're on vacation! Luckily those times we were not trying to get to an ADR.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

Don't get me wrong, I've had lots of really good experiences with buses. I guess I just don't understand why somethings happen. Still. After all this time.

I get things can influence buses and what time they arrive but why? It's not new and Disney does this everyday all day so you'd think they would work out a better system.

 

[bbjunkie]

Well, they have no way to predict if 4 people in scooters are going to be waiting in line to ride the same bus, and that can take forever to load. That's just an example. It doesn't matter how many years they have been running the system, it still takes time to go through that process.

I've never had to wait more than 15 minutes for a bus, and that was only a couple of times. Once, on a EMH morning, a CP intern working transportation at the Pop saw the MK line getting long and was able to get dispatch to quickly send two more busses so everyone could get on. I've also seen them switch their route at Epcot. When there were 3 All-star busses coming in a row with only a handful in line, I saw them pull up to A of A and Pop.

 

[melana]

The only times we have had to wait longer than we expected for a bus are the return trips from MK to our resorts. Buses from the resort to the parks aren't our problem..it's the other way around. LOL.
I won't use my car while at Disney because we have a 12 to 14 hour drive there and back. So I don't mind waiting for the buses. To me it's part of the fun. But I'm odd like that.

 

[disnut8]

I get things can influence buses and what time they arrive but why? It's not new and Disney does this everyday all day so you'd think they would work out a better system.

Yes, Disney does this every day and all day but the people riding the buses don't. And Disney is not the type of organization to "manhandle" the masses. Just like in the real world, there are people who are just going to mess things up. As mentioned, there could be more than two scooters that need to be boarded or there could be:

- one scooter with someone who can't get the scooter into the bus quickly and so the process takes longer
- a family with a large stroller who waits until the last minute to get the child and their bags out of the stroller, then fold it up and take it on the bus while juggling the baby and their other child so the line backs up
- a male waiting in line but his female companion is waiting back underneath shade so when the bus pulls up, he holds up the line while gesturing to her to join him because she's on the phone - and, vice versa on the sexes as well because I've seen that happen too
- someone's backpack opens up as they are boarding the bus and things need to be picked up
- all the seats are taken but the people who have to stand don't move all the way to the back of the bus so the driver has to announce for them to do that and then repeat until someone actually moves so others can board
- all the seats are taken but someone sees a person they think needs the seat more than they do so they offer it up and the person who is offered the seat takes the time to tell the person that they are fine standing and the conversation continues while others are waiting to board

There are lots more reasons but those are just the ones I've experienced.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

But these things don't seem like they should influence whether there's 3 busses for French Quarter while only on for Coronado Springs (just as an example).

 

[DekrRini]

They could. Maybe the two other buses for Coronado Springs had multiple scooters to load and/or unload. Maybe it was a multitude of things happening to delay those two buses. Yes, it's annoying to watch 3 buses for a different resort to pull up while I'm waiting for mine, but considering just how many people are shuttled around the parks and resorts every day, I think it's pretty amazing it works as well as it does.

 

[SeilerBird]

I have a good friend who has driven shuttle buses at the Grand Canyon for many years. He can tell you stories about some of his passengers that would curl your hair. The whole problem lies with the people that ride the buses. You can't control human nature and if there is a way they can screw things up with stupidity they will.

 

[pmaurer74]

We had a terrible time in June at AKL. There would often be two buses of people waiting. One night we waited 25 minted for a bus, and we were one of the first there, by the time the bus came, there were so many people we did not get on the bus so we just went back to our room at that point.

 

[MermaidMommy]

It's not always a guest/scooter problem, though. Sometimes, Disney just screws up. We waited 45 minutes for a bus from WL at AK at rope drop on an EMH morning this spring. They didn't have a CM to monitor the busses untill we had been waiting 30 minutes, and when he got there, he hung back and never even went over to the AK line, which was massive. After 20 minutes waiting, I had asked a bus driver who was going to another park if he knew when the next AK bus was coming, and he blew me off. But, when he came back to WL after doing his route to the park and saw that we were STILL waiting, he offered to check. It was ridiculously frustrating, and we were 15 minutes after rope drop despite being at the bus stop 50 minutes early.

When the system works, it works well. But, I agree with PP's -- it's the inconsistency that's so frustrating. There doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason.

 

[skuttle]

It's not always a guest/scooter problem, though. Sometimes, Disney just screws up. We waited 45 minutes for a bus from WL at AK at rope drop on an EMH morning this spring. They didn't have a CM to monitor the busses untill we had been waiting 30 minutes, and when he got there, he hung back and never even went over to the AK line, which was massive. After 20 minutes waiting, I had asked a bus driver who was going to another park if he knew when the next AK bus was coming, and he blew me off. But, when he came back to WL after doing his route to the park and saw that we were STILL waiting, he offered to check. It was ridiculously frustrating, and we were 15 minutes after rope drop despite being at the bus stop 50 minutes early

Did this happen the week after Easter this year? The exact same thing happened to us trying to get from WL to AK for EMH rope drop!

 

[bluezy]

We had a terrible time in June at AKL. There would often be two buses of people waiting. One night we waited 25 minted for a bus, and we were one of the first there, by the time the bus came, there were so many people we did not get on the bus so we just went back to our room at that point.

We had a similar experience at AKL in June. We had dinner there and got to the bus stops at 8:00. We were heading to DHS and had hoped to be at the park by 8:15-8:30 so we would have time to do a few things before watching the Frozen fireworks. The CM's with iPads literally walked away from the waiting area as we walked up (I'm guessing their shift ended at 8:00). Over the next 30 minutes we saw a minimum of 3 buses arrive and depart for *each* of the other parks. None for DHS. At 8:35 when the 4th bus for MK showed up (with no one waiting to get on it), we nicely asked the driver if he could contact someone and find out when we could expect a bus to DHS (explaining about how there had been 3 buses for each of the other parks in the last 30 minutes). He made the call while we waited. He told us (and we could hear the whole conversation) that a bus for DHS was literally on the way and should arrive in less than 5 minutes. He then left (with an empty bus) for MK. 15 minutes later, the bus for DHS finally showed up...after yet *another* MK bus came as well as another one for EP. We were frustrated beyond belief. Fifty minutes is entirely too long to wait. And it was even more frustrating due to the number of other buses that came through during that time. We've never waited anywhere close to that amount of time for a bus at a Value resort (but we've had similar long-wait experiences at Yacht Club and The Grand Floridian).

 

[gwb]

This is why I hate the bus system it's unreliable most of the time. And for some reason a lot of buses seem to be full when a ecv is at the stop. DW needs an ecv. Also crnky people on buses after parks close.

 

[MermaidMommy]

Did this happen the week after Easter this year? The exact same thing happened to us trying to get from WL to AK for EMH rope drop!

No, this was the end of February/beginning of March. Apparently, they didn't learn their lesson!

We had a similar experience at AKL in June. We had dinner there and got to the bus stops at 8:00. We were heading to DHS and had hoped to be at the park by 8:15-8:30 so we would have time to do a few things before watching the Frozen fireworks. The CM's with iPads literally walked away from the waiting area as we walked up (I'm guessing their shift ended at 8:00). Over the next 30 minutes we saw a minimum of 3 buses arrive and depart for *each* of the other parks. None for DHS. At 8:35 when the 4th bus for MK showed up (with no one waiting to get on it), we nicely asked the driver if he could contact someone and find out when we could expect a bus to DHS (explaining about how there had been 3 buses for each of the other parks in the last 30 minutes). He made the call while we waited. He told us (and we could hear the whole conversation) that a bus for DHS was literally on the way and should arrive in less than 5 minutes. He then left (with an empty bus) for MK. 15 minutes later, the bus for DHS finally showed up...after yet *another* MK bus came as well as another one for EP. We were frustrated beyond belief. Fifty minutes is entirely too long to wait. And it was even more frustrating due to the number of other buses that came through during that time. We've never waited anywhere close to that amount of time for a bus at a Value resort (but we've had similar long-wait experiences at Yacht Club and The Grand Floridian).

That's another frustration -- that bus transportation at the Deluxes is often so much worse than at the Values. For the prices Disney charges, Deluxes shouldn't have to share busses.

 

[crostorfer]

I gave up on the busses years ago after a particularly bad experience at POR. A similarly bad experience at the WL solidified my stance on this. Its boats, monorail, by foot, or a cab.

The only resort that I've stayed in where I had consistently good bus service was the CSR.

 

[kaytieeldr]

We had a terrible time in June at AKL. There would often be two buses of people waiting. One night we waited 25 minted for a bus, and we were one of the first there, by the time the bus came, there were so many people we did not get on the bus so we just went back to our room at that point.

This is where the Value resorts exceed the others. Without a designated/chained queue, guests need to be standing right where the bus door will open. Sitting on a bench allows later arrivals to jump ahead.

But, when he came back to WL after doing his route to the park and saw that we were STILL waiting, h

This is surprising. Generally the buses don't just loop between two points. A bus might start at CSR, proceed to MK, head to PO, drive to Epcot...

That's another frustration -- that bus transportation at the Deluxes is often so much worse than at the Values. For the prices Disney charges, Deluxes shouldn't have to share busses.

I think it's that there aren't enough guests at a Deluxe resort to warrant separate buses. The resort's are smaller, and guests are more likely t o have and use private vehicles.

 

[DisneyOma]

We had a terrible time in June at AKL. There would often be two buses of people waiting. One night we waited 25 minted for a bus, and we were one of the first there, by the time the bus came, there were so many people we did not get on the bus so we just went back to our room at that point.

Did these people push in line ahead of you, or did you not stay in the line to begin with? We have stayed at AKL so I know the bus stop does not have the chained queues, but if you wait at the curb where the sign is, you'd be in the right place to get on the bus. If you sit in the back on a bench, no one is going to know which bus/when you got there.