Just got back and we hated the buses!

[twinklebug]

I would never use my own car at Disney World, because I wouldn't want to deal with that hassle.

Go out, start hot car and wait for it to cool down. Try to figure out where the heck I am driving to. Park car, hike to the tram, wait for tram to show up, try not to get trampled getting a seat on the tram, then hang on for dear life. Bail out, then walk to the front of the park. When leaving for the night, repeat, but add in fighting with the rest of the mob of cars leaving the parking lot at the end of the night.

isn't it kind of funny how what is convenient is all in how you look at it.

I'm right there with you on this one. I tried timing it twice from the door of WLV to walking up to the entrances of MGM and AK: compared car travel to Bus travel. My result was that there is no time saved driving (it's just about the same distance as the buses, but add on fetching the car on both ends & the tram situation), in fact going home from MGM, by car was insane and easily double the time of the bus (The tram lines were out of control). And walking to my car on the opposite side of the lot from where the tram drops us off was the last thing I wanted to do. in the pouring rain we had one night.

No thanks. I'll wait peacefully in a bus queue and if the bus we're about to board requires us to stand I'll even wait back, let those who can stand the entire ride pass, and wait at the front of the line for the next one to arrive. The next bus on average typically arrives within 10 minutes for us.

For those of you who hate the Disney buses, please don't let me talk you out of driving. Hehe

 

[goofy4tink]

Comments in red.



Just for kicks, here is the job posting for the VP of Transportation. I'm really surprised that they want a minimum of a BA and not a Masters. I bet there will be changes when this person is hired.

I was the one who used the word stupid.....I've seen way too much namecalling here. Doesn't matter which side of the argument you are on. Someone is always using some type of 'namecalling' when discussing those who hold a different veiwpoint than theirs.

I just can't imagine that anyone, whether they hold a masters or a BA, is going to make much of a different in the transportation situation at WDW. The only way any positive difference is going to come about is to have more buses on the road. And that is going to be expensive. More drivers have to be hired, more mechanics to service the buses, more gas used....etc, etc.
The buses really do a decent job as it is. I doubt that the powers that be at WDW think that there are more cars being driven by those who stay deluxe. The reason the bus service suffers is because it 'can'. Disney will tell you that because those resorts have alternative transportation options to some parks, the bus service to the remaining parks will suffer a bit. Not sure why that is, but it is. Not to mention, parking at the deluxe resorts is awful!! The lots are a long walk from the main bldgs. And those lots are not all that large, and when you get non-guests parking in the lots, in order to get easier access to parks, well, they get crowded quickly.

 

[seashoreCM]

And walking to my car on the opposite side of the lot from where the tram drops us off was the last thing I wanted to do. in the pouring rain we had one night.

Where is that thread about huddled, dripping and bedraggled, in the pouring rain (that closed said park) for an hour outside Blizzard Beach waiting for the buses?

OT: If you were still in your bathing suit with everything else in a plastic bag it wouldn't be so bad.

 

[zulemara]

This was our second trip to WDW and on our first trip last year we drove but this time we flew and took the ME and obviously the Disney transportation system.

We did not like taking the buses around at all! Granted we have 2 little kids, a bag and a double umbrella stroller but I couldn't get over how much time is spent waiting. My DH and I both thought driving was 1000x better. At least half of the time we had to wait the full 20 min to get the bus at our resort, at least half of the time we were standing trying to manage the 2 kids (except the rare times people gave up their seats). It sort of became a joke because on our first night there we went to Epcot and waited 20 min for the bus then the next day we see 3 Epcot buses in 5 min while we wait another 20 min for the bus we need. DH and I were just laughing and shaking our heads by the end of the week mouthing "this sucks" to each other on the bus.

One of the days our bus pulled up and it was really full and we barely got on and there was a family there with someone in a wheelchair and the driver told him he couldn't fit them on and he was sorry. The mother got upset and said they had been waiting a half an hour and this was the 2nd bus that was full. He said all he could do was put in a call for another bus. I felt really bad for them!

And standing in those awful queue's every night was terrible. The worst was we had to wait for the 4th bus on Sat when we left Magic Kingdom. We were so jealous of those people leaving walking right to their cars! And then one night we went from Animal Kingdom to the Lodge to have dinner at Boma so leaving we had to take a bus back to the park to catch the bus back to our resort and it took us literally 55 minutes (I timed it).

DH swears that the next time we fly we will be renting a car and he doesn't care about the cost. All that lost time in waiting is worth the cost. On our plane ride home DH and I were trying to figure out the lost time we spent waiting. About 15-20 every morning. Only one morning did we get a bus in the first 5 minutes. At least 15 min at the best to up to an hour at the worst at night. And then the two times we had to do transfers from resort/parks, etc...It literally was hours and hours of time that could have been spent at the parks, exploring our resort or sleeping! And I didn't count the time on the buses. It was just so easy taking our own car. And on our last trip we opted not to wait for the trams the one time we could have taken it and just walked. At least I feel like I'm making progress and not just standing and waiting, relying on someone else.

Anyway.....I know that when our kids are older or even if there is a time DH and I go ourselves it might not be that bad but I always hear people saying how great the buses are and we just didn't have a good experience.

Almost forgot to add - had no issues with the Magical Express...

if your normal wait was 20 min for a bus, that's considered the standard. Disney runs 275-300 buses everyday transporting thousands of guests over 47 square miles of property. It's not gonna be quick. I know you're more or less making a statement rather than complaining, so I won't go any deeper than that.

I absolutely agree that having a car is worth the time you save. Even at MK when you have to take a monorail or boat to the parking lot, it's still much quicker. You also caught onto the idea that at EPCOT and DHS, the trams often take longer than just walking in. The parking lots aren't very big in comparison to MK. I hardly ever take a parking tram to or from my car.

 

[LimeGreenEd]

We have used Disney transportation on every trip and do not miss having a car. We go into it knowing what to expect. It's free and it's mass transit. If you want a car that's up to you, but imagine the gridlock if everyone there decided they needed a car. I also like to think I'm doing the enviornment a favor by giving up my car for a week.

 

[ConnieB]

I would never use my own car at Disney World, because I wouldn't want to deal with that hassle.

Go out, start hot car and wait for it to cool down. Try to figure out where the heck I am driving to. Park car, hike to the tram, wait for tram to show up, try not to get trampled getting a seat on the tram, then hang on for dear life. Bail out, then walk to the front of the park. When leaving for the night, repeat, but add in fighting with the rest of the mob of cars leaving the parking lot at the end of the night.

isn't it kind of funny how what is convenient is all in how you look at it.

I will admit that our tripto WDW the first day or two it was a bit of a hassle figuring out where we were and where we needed to go....once we'd made it to each park once it was easy to find again....the signs are everywhere and once you know where you're going, well, the park doesn't move. We changed hotels 3 times in that first visit but since I knew which streets I needed a different hotel wasn't a big deal (we stayed at POP, POR, CBR that first month long trip).

We have AAA so we were able to park in the front section, no tram needed. The couple of times that we went to a park late in the day and AAA was full, the tram was never a problem. Of course, we never had it rain on us like another poster spoke of....but I would rather be running in the rain for the car than standing in line waiting for the bus! We never had crowds of cars when we leave because we either leave before the park closes or if we stay until closing...well, we're those annoying people who hang out for an hour after closing, lol. But....we've never had a CM ask us to leave or even seem to care that we were just sit and watch the castle change colors and listen to the Goodbye Kiss. In fact, most times we hardly see CMs at MK after closing. At the other parks we typically strike up convo with CMs and get a lot of great trivia and just a group of people talking about their favorite place!


I guess it's just a matter of trying both methods and deciding which works best for your family. Buses would never work for us. On our first trip the kids really wanted to do the bus....so I dropped them at the hotel pick up and told them we'd meet at the entrance. I waited as a slightly nervous mom until I saw them actually get on the bus, lol....and then drove our car and parked it...walked to the entrance and waited for almost 10 minutes for them to arrive. A short time, but what a waste...we could have been in a ride line already, lol.

 

[TinkerbellLuvr7]

Sorry for the trouble We were there Dec 10-15. I had lived in FL the past year and 1/2 so when family came to visit we always had a car. On family trips prior to that we always rented a car.

We debated about just saving the money and not renting a car until we realized we were staying at WL and they share buses for every park except MK and we figured out how much time we would lose and said if we could get a car for under $200 we would get it.

All the car companies were $300+ except Dollar which was $178. We "bought" a mid-size and ended up with a van which was great to fit our stuff in and we didn't have to pay extra. The company and service was just fine and we would use them again if it came down to it.

Did you give a heads up to the front desk? We had horrible buses the one year we went without a car and not expecting anything but just a "heads up" to management at the resort, a messanger had brought a $75 meal coupon to our room an hour later and we refused it but gave it to us anyway. After that, we did notice that our 1/2 hour-45 min waits for buses were more like 15/20 mins (which is what it should be)--and we did time it and write it all down. We were glad that they might have responded to our comments

Rental cars are the way to go!

 

[famsen]

In going to WDW nearly every year and sometimes several times a year for the past 16 years, I can say the buses that were once a great perk to staying on property have now become a burden. Until this year, we always drove to WDW so we had our own car. We almost never had to use our car on property during our stays because the buses were so efficient. Over the last two or three years, I noticed we had to use our car more and more to get around because the buses were so full or the waits for them were extremely long. Earlier this month, we flew and did not have a rental car and boy did we regret it. We stayed at SSR and had to figure in at least an hour of wait time and travel time each way for wherever we were going. I waited over 40 minutes on one particular day for a bus to MK and it was another 30 minute bus ride to MK.
I will never be at WDW without a car again. Two hours a day wasted just getting to and from our resorts when we are staying right there on Disney property is just not acceptable to me.

 

[SanFranciscan]

No thanks. I'll wait peacefully in a bus queue and if the bus we're about to board requires us to stand I'll even wait back, let those who can stand the entire ride pass, and wait at the front of the line for the next one to arrive. The next bus on average typically arrives within 10 minutes for us.

For those of you who hate the Disney buses, please don't let me talk you out of driving. Hehe

You sound like a sensible person. I have read posts here from people who insisted upon getting onto a bus filled to capacity and then believed that they were being unjustly treated because people who had waited their turn in line ahead of them weren't jumping up to give those full of self-importance their seats.

 

[andrews_dad]

We are always car rental folks. Busses just are not timely enough. When the toddler is ready for a nap and eats, waiting 20 min for a bus to arrive and piling in is no option.

 

[MaumeeMom]

Respectfully disagree that this education-level requirement will change. Simply having a higher degree does not necessarily make one more qualified. All those other 'minimum' requirements come into play as well. The candidate appears to need a LOT of job-related experience; education can only count for so much.

Sorry, I guess that I could have phrased that better but I meant that changes would be made within the organization after someone is hired. The job requirements are what they are & would not change.

 

[MaumeeMom]

It is interesting to read the different viewpoints about this subject.

Me, I'm just glad to be on vacation and willing to let someone else do the driving. Wait times don't bother me, even with a times table one often has to wait for buses when using an RTA. There are so many ways to use this time that I don't see it as a waste. We go over our tour plan at the beginning of the day & on the way "home" we chat about what we saw that day. If I had a smaller child and had to deal with diaper bags and strollers, I might feel differently. To each his own.

What I would suggest is that if one does have a bad experience, let someone know. As with any business, Disney can't fix what they don't know is broken. With the department in flux, now is the ideal time to let Disney know your transportation need and desires.

 

[VLee]

Well, we have tried all methods. The usual one is that we fly in and use Magic Express and WDW transportation.

I did drive and have my car (since we stayed a month) this past summer and the car was handy and nice to have--especially when going directly from one resort to another resort. I guess that is why I prefer to stay at BCV or BWV so I can walk or ride boats to two parks.

But another great option is the taxi --when you don't have a car. You can't beat it for quick and easy pickup, especially to a resort restaurant. The usual fare is $12 to $15 and that is well worth the cost to me, to save time and the hassle of changing busses, etc.

 

[pxlbarrel]

We used the buses for the first time. We usually rent and drive to the parks but then again, this is the first time in a very long time we've stayed onsite.

After this most recent stay at CBR, we would probably go back to renting a car IF it suited our schedule. This trip, it didn't suit us to rent a car so we didn't...and the buses, while not being as convenient as having your own transportation, didn't suck either. Our room was near a bus stop and we waited probably about 5-6 minutes for an Epcot bus. We were the first people on the bus so we got seats. It took about 10-15 minutes to drive around the grounds top pick up more people (and filled it up completely ... standing room only) before we left for Epcot and this included a stop to pick up somebody in a wheelchair. Not bad really.

We left Epcot after Illuminations and saw a bus in the bus stop area but it was filled with people (standing room only) so we opted to wait for the next bus so we could sit down. 5 minutes later, a bus showed up and we got on, got a seat and in a matter of 5 or 6 minutes later, the bus was filled and we were on our way.

We left the next day for our cruise so our only experience is this one day. It wasn't too bad. I was worried about it but it didn't become a problem for us and my mom didn't complain and let me tell you, if there was even a slightest thing annoying about it, she would have let us know.

 

[MerryFlora]

I can see why visitors who park hop or dine at different resorts want their own transportation.

For us, we spend the whole day at one park, no mid-day breaks, and only eat at that park or our resort. So we find the buses really convenient. I dont think a 20 min wait either way could be any longer than parking and walking to/from car/tram/gates twice a day. I think it just feels longer because you are waiting and not in control.

Buses seem to bypass traffic as well. I agree with others who dont want to drive on their vacation. And hey, its FREE

 

[elmo2wdw]

We are bus haters too! You lose so much time waiting for buses!!! I would much rather have a car to hop around and never wait. To each their own.....

 

[disfan07]

whats funny is that one time we did rent a car, we felt we wasted much more time driving, waiting for a tram, etc, than using the buses.

 

[danielle.st]

I love threads like this one as I figure this one complaint will free up some room on the buses in the future when we travel to WDW.

hee
I agree. As a matter of fact, I understand that the buses are especially horrible in mid to late April, so I am sure that people going there this year at that time would be much better off renting cars

Seriously, I get that you may have to wait a bit longer with the buses (at least feel you are waiting longer) but I like not having to worry about accidents and wrong turns and stuff like that. Then again, we stayed in Pop, which is apparently a good one with busing.

 

[elmo2wdw]

Another comment...people say you waste time waiting for a tram....no I don't ... I walk my butt to the front of the park! As you can tell...I hate the Trams too!!!! Half the time we get to the park entrance faster than the trams...the walk is never that long especially at park opeing...mid day...yes you might have to walk a bit longer but your walking all day anyway. Again to each their own...there are pros and cons to both!

 

[dburg30]

Yep, as someone stated it's great to have an option, could you imagine if either everyone HAD to take the buses or HAD to drive. Wouldnt be fun .

It's kinda like getting a DVC with a kitchen / laundry. Some people say they are on vacation and they arent going to cook / do laundry. We on the other hand figure it's no big deal to throw a load of laundry in when we get done for the night, we can take lots less stuff with us and not have to worry about as much luggage. Plus, while we love to eat some of the mouse food, sometimes you get tired of that, or just want something cheaper. So you can get stuff delivered and have a breakfast before you head out, have dinner when you are done or have lunch mid day if you want a break. To us, even though we are on vacation, we still dont mind having / doing some of that stuff.