Is bus transportation better at the deluxes?

[twinspluscade]

I'm starting to plan for our Sept 2009 trip (yes, I like to plan ahead). This will be our third trip, and I'm trying to decide where we should stay this time.

This past September, we stayed at POR. I loved everything about it--except the busses. In particular, I didn't like having to fight the mob at the main depot every morning to get in a bus. I've heard the other depots are not so crowded, but, having 3 small kids we wanted to stay close to the dining area--so I had requested building 16. Another thing I didn't like about the busses was having to drive all around the resort before finally taking off for the park.

The year before, we stayed at POP. I thought the bus system here worked quite well, and had no complaints. In fact, I would maybe get two rooms here again rather than stay at POR based solely on the busses.

For our next trip, I'm considering staying at POLY or Beach Club. The only way I'm willing to spend that much extra money though is if the busses (or monorail) are faster and not as crowded as at the mods and values. Otherwise, I figure we might as well stay at POP or POR and spend the extra money on something else.

Thoughts? Are the busses/monorail at the deluxes faster and less crowded? Or is it pretty much the same everywhere?

 

[Piglets Mommy]

Deluxes only have 1 bus stop, so you don't have to ride around the resort picking up other people, but often the deluxes share buses, so it's really hit or miss. Some days it's great others have you vowing to rent a car the next trip. I do like the fact that with all of the Deluxes besides AKL there is another transportation option other than the buses.

 

[vanillarum]

No way !! We have only stayed at the WL and the Poly, but the busses are not great at either place. We have waited 40 minutes for a bus at the WL, and the Poly shares busses with the GF and Contemporary. Good luck !!

 

[magicaldisney]

What I've noticed is that the busses seem to keep to the "regular" schedule than at the other resorts. If you miss one, you will probably wait the estimated 20 minutes for the next bus. They are definately less crowded, but time wise, they share with other resorts. I'm not familiar with the Poly, but the BC can share with the YC and sometimes even BW, Swan and Dolphin.

If you are looking for good bussing within the moderate price resorts, stay at Coronado Springs!!!

 

[daisy112878]

Our favorite place to stay is Beach Club b/c you only have to take a bus to MK, AK and DTD. You can walk to the back gate of Epcot and take the boat to MGM (or walk to MGM which is a nice walk if you're up for it). The bus rides to MK and AK are not bad at all. When we were there in december we only shared a bus with YC so the bus rides were not long at all.

 

[minnie61650]

With the exception of AKL deluxe resorts share bues with other deluxe resorts. Quite often Poly, EC, GF and even WL will all share a bus. The Epcot resorts often share bues also. Somes all 5 Epcot resorts, Swan,Dolphin, BC, YC and BWI will share a bus . the bus makes all the rounds before heading to park. The amount of time to get from the Deluxe resort is often quite long also.

I think the values have better bus service.


Just my 2 cents.

 

[BamaFan121s]

We have caught a bus from Poly a few times to DTD and the bus took a loooooong time to get there. I have found in MY experience that bus Mod bus service compared to Value bus service was much better...not sure how they'd rate next to Deluxe resorts....

 

[minnie61650]

I really feel the bus servive at the values is very good.


[/QUOTE]

The All Stars really are not far from most of Disney's parks!

Transpotation times ( in # of Minutes)to the parks according to my passporter book

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

Yes, the monorail resorts are closer to the MK and the travel time to MK is less but the travel time to any of the other parks is less from the All Stars.

It only takes 10 minutes to get to Epcot, MGM and AK from All Stars.
MK is 20 min away. That's the same amount of time it takes on the monorail from the Contemporary.

Have fun at Disney wherever you choose to stay!

 

[spiceycat]

the deluxe resort bus service is definitely the worst.

Disney expects you to stay at the parks closest to your resort. so for the mk resorts - it is the mk and epcot.

for epcot resorts - epcot and studio.

for the other parks - except to spend a long, long time on the bus.

not worth it. Drive to the other parks - with the exception of the MK - because of where you have to park - the bus will be still be a little faster.

 

[LuvsTinker]

We've only stayed at the Poly once and I did not care for the bus sharing with CR and GF.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

AKL bus service was outstanding! GF, not so great- didn't like having to share with WL, took too long to get back!

 

[abeyst]

I've stayed at values through deluxe/dvc resorts, and our experience has been that the values were the absolute worst, and old key west resort was the best.

We like the Beach Club cause we can walk to Epcot and take a boat to MGM - more reliable than the busses. But it seems that deluxes that offer more than just bus service have bus service that's hit or miss.

 

[ransom]

Well, other than the complimentary caviar and champagne, the service is the same at deluxes as it is at the other resorts.

I really hate having to wear a top hat and monacle, though.

 

[Piglets Mommy]

Well, other than the complimentary caviar and champagne, the service is the same at deluxes as it is at the other resorts.

I really hate having to wear a top hat and monacle, though.

That darn ballgown kept getting in my way on the rides once I got to the park, too!

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

Up until our trip in 2007 - The Yacht Club, Beach Club, Boardwalk, Swan and Dolphin SHARED BUSSES !

We NEVER sat on a bus from the Beach Club at Christmas - only standing room.

Luckily (?) I travel enough for business and save my Holiday Inn Points - convert to Hertz free coupons we pay taxes only for car rentals. $38 last December for 10 days! At THAT price I don't care if it sits in the parking lot a day or two.

Boardwalk now shares the bus with Swan and Dolphin only --- but STILL shameful for a resort where the "cheep" rooms are $325 p/night!


Moderates and Values do far better with bus service.

 

[LakeAriel]

I have discovered that at Pop the bus leaves you far away from the park gates and picks you up further away too. Pofq also drops you off at a great distance from the gate to one park, I belive Magic Kingdom. With all the walking in the parks I find that exhausting, but I figured you get what you pay for..It's still free transportation. BC and BW are walking distance to Epcot, my favorite park and a boat ride to MGM..WL is a boat ride to Magic Kingdom...

 

[iloveeeyore]

I believe everyone has a different experience with the buses. In fact, OP, if you stayed at POR again, you'd likely form an entirely new opinion about the bus service.

We have stayed at the Poly a few times in August and never had any problem with the buses. In fact, we found them very efficient. Yes, they share with CR and GF, but on any given route, we only stopped at one or the other, never both (maybe we were second stop, but never noticed anyone else already seated). Also, we were always first stop coming home. Once we had to wait 25 minutes (going to AK on an EE morning, and got there after gates opened)...but from what I read here, that happens everywhere, not just deluxe.

Overall, I believe the Poly has the best transporation on property because of the monorail and the proximity to the TTC. If you prefer WS and DHS, an Epcot area resort may be more convenient, because of the direct boats and walking paths.

 

[jimmymac]

I have had nothing but bad experiences with bus service from the Epcot resorts. For what they charge, the bus service is just horrible. I've had much better bus service from the values and the moderates. We have better bus service here in Manhattan than at the Epcot resorts, and the bus service here is a worldwide joke

 

[carpetride]

I'll add my two cents

We enjoyed the AKL but do to bus service vowed to not ever stay there again! Last trip was offsite but will probably stay at Poly or WL next time. Most of time is spent in MK/Epcot so I like the idea of Monorail at Poly.

 

[ElizabethB]

We've stayed at all resort levels from All Stars to GF Royal Palm Club. We have given up on the buses and use our rental car.