Leaving Wed - Need help with POR Bus situation

[tink2007]

Our Grand Gathering will be leaving on Wednesday at 4:00am. We will be staying for the first time at POR. I have everything worked out for our large group except for the bus situation. I have read about long lines and having to stand on bus rides. After a few sleepless nights, I have come up with a few ideas. Please let me know what you think.

Plan #1. Take the normal POR buses. We plan to be at the bus stop every morning at 7:45. We will stay till the park closes at night and hope for the best.

Plan #2. I can drive our van over to POFQ while everyone else takes the bus from POR. At night take the POFQ bus back and have everyone pile in our van back to POR.

Plan #3. Leave in the morning from POR for the parks. At night take the bus back to POFQ then take the ferry boat to POR.

Plan #4. Leave for the parks on the POR buses. At night have everyone take a different way back. A few can wait 30 minutes after the park closes to take the POR bus back. A few can take the POFQ bus and then ride in the van back. A few can take the POFQ bus and then ride the ferry back. Wait and see who gets there first.

Has anyone tried any of these plans? How long of a walk is it from the bus stop at POFQ to the ferry dock?

 

[Kimberle]

I've never encountered that kind of problem during any of our stays. We've stayed at CR 2x and WL. Sure, we'd have to wait 10-20 minutes for a bus, but when it came, we all got on and got seats nearly all the time. The only time we faced a "mob" scene was after Spectro/Wishes one evening. Even then, it only too around 30 minutes to reach our room.

I wouldn't stress out so much. Enjoy you vacation!

 

[pixistix]

Have a wonderful trip! I love POR! (BEST moderate IMO) We stayed there and had no problems whatsoever with bus service! They had buses there at the parks promptly, we never waited long for a bus and even though there are multiple stops around the resort, it goes very fast! And I thought that was impressive considering we were there during the busiest season--July 4!

 

[ziggybaby]

Hi there

We stayed at POFQ during May, 90% of the time we got picked up/dropped off first and then onto POR, but we never noticed any major queues at POR or the terminus coming back.
Don't worry about this problem as it doesn't excist

​

 

[Maggi May]

Hi tink2007.
I will be at POR this Wednesday, too. Can't wait!

POR is a huge resort, but we've never had any problems waiting for a bus or having it be too crowded. Occasionally it took a few more minutes than we'd like, but in general it was no problem in the morning.

If your Grand Gathering group is like my family, you may find it easier to herd cats than to keep everyone together or split and meet up at a later time. Someone has to run back to their room because he forgot his sunscreen. Someone else doesn't want to leave the park just yet because she wants to go back and buy that souvenier. Did I forget to bring film for the camera? Wait up everyone, I'll just duck into this store to buy more . . . ooh, check out these t-shirts

The boatride between POR and POFQ is very pleasant, but depending on where your rooms are, it may be ineffecient to walk from the bus stop at POFQ to the dock, and from the POR dock back to your room.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful time! POR is a beautiful resort and although it's very spread out, it's very quiet and worth exploring. Maybe we'll see you at the bus stop.

 

[tink2007]

Thanks, I am starting to feel better about this.

 

[goofy4tink]

I've stayed at POR three times now, as well as just headed over there to visit. I have not had any bad bus situations to date. Yes, the bus lines at park closing do get long, but all the resorts have that issue.
I wouldn't worry about it overly much. Just go, have a good time. I just figure the buses are a part of the WDW experience!!! The only ride I hate is the last one from the last park of our stay!!!

 

[ANNABETH]

We stayed at POFQ in March and my DD15 and I walked from the FQ pool to the POR foodcourt and we timed it. It took us exactly 10 minutes at an average pace. I was surprised; I would have thought it would have taken longer than that.

By the way, we've stayed at both POFQ and POR many times and both resorts are beautiful; you're going to love it there. Oh, one more thing, the buses aren't as bad as some people say.

Have a great trip!

 

[Wonders10]

Our Grand Gathering will be leaving on Wednesday at 4:00am. We will be staying for the first time at POR. I have everything worked out for our large group except for the bus situation. I have read about long lines and having to stand on bus rides. After a few sleepless nights, I have come up with a few ideas. Please let me know what you think.

Plan #1. Take the normal POR buses. We plan to be at the bus stop every morning at 7:45. We will stay till the park closes at night and hope for the best.

Plan #2. I can drive our van over to POFQ while everyone else takes the bus from POR. At night take the POFQ bus back and have everyone pile in our van back to POR.

Plan #3. Leave in the morning from POR for the parks. At night take the bus back to POFQ then take the ferry boat to POR.

Plan #4. Leave for the parks on the POR buses. At night have everyone take a different way back. A few can wait 30 minutes after the park closes to take the POR bus back. A few can take the POFQ bus and then ride in the van back. A few can take the POFQ bus and then ride the ferry back. Wait and see who gets there first.

Has anyone tried any of these plans? How long of a walk is it from the bus stop at POFQ to the ferry dock?

Hi tink2007.
I will be at POR this Wednesday, too. Can't wait!

POR is a huge resort, but we've never had any problems waiting for a bus or having it be too crowded. Occasionally it took a few more minutes than we'd like, but in general it was no problem in the morning.

If your Grand Gathering group is like my family, you may find it easier to herd cats than to keep everyone together or split and meet up at a later time. Someone has to run back to their room because he forgot his sunscreen. Someone else doesn't want to leave the park just yet because she wants to go back and buy that souvenier. Did I forget to bring film for the camera? Wait up everyone, I'll just duck into this store to buy more . . . ooh, check out these t-shirts

The boatride between POR and POFQ is very pleasant, but depending on where your rooms are, it may be ineffecient to walk from the bus stop at POFQ to the dock, and from the POR dock back to your room.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful time! POR is a beautiful resort and although it's very spread out, it's very quiet and worth exploring. Maybe we'll see you at the bus stop.

Hey I'll see you there - I'm coming up for a weekend visit, Friday to Monday! And we're staying at POR. Don't take all the Bayou rooms - that's what I requested

Re: the busses - Don't stress! It's vacation. I've stayed at POR many times and never had a serious issue with the buses. Sometimes one bus may be running a couple minutes late but that is true of every resort and the price I'm willing to pay to not have to drive anywhere. I say take the POR bus and just plan to give yourself plenty of time if there is somewhere you have to be, like dinner or breakfast ressie. And I agree - try to take some breaks during the day or something to explore the resort and take a swim. It's a lovely resort.

 

[Lilolvr]

The queue leaving the parks is shared as well so it doesn't matter which resort bus you take, the queue will be crowded. You may have to wait for a few buses.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1411881

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1438767

 

[mjkaferle5]

This "supposed" problem really seems to get overblown on the DIS!!

We had no POR bus problems whatsoever last June!!

I really wouldn't worry about it!!

 

[Wonders10]

This "supposed" problem really seems to get overblown on the DIS!!

We had no POR bus problems whatsoever last June!!

I really wouldn't worry about it!!

I have noticed this (and on other boards as well). I think people that are maybe a little impatient and have to wait more than 5 minutes for a bus report back that the bus situations are out of control and the lines were huge (which they might be actually - it's a huge resort) and that it is the worst bus service they have ever had, etc, etc.

Now I'm not saying that at all the resorts I've stayed at, I've never stood there saying "where is it?" but realistically the buses were never that late. I was probably exhausted and wanted to go "home" or really excited and wanted to get to "X" park.

 

[mjkaferle5]

I have noticed this (and on other boards as well). I think people that are maybe a little impatient and have to wait more than 5 minutes for a bus report back that the bus situations are out of control and the lines were huge (which they might be actually - it's a huge resort) and that it is the worst bus service they have ever had, etc, etc.

Now I'm not saying that at all the resorts I've stayed at, I've never stood there saying "where is it?" but realistically the buses were never that late. I was probably exhausted and wanted to go "home" or really excited and wanted to get to "X" park.

One day, we took the boat from the MK over to the Wilderness Lodge, to have lunch at Whispering Canyon.

When we were leaving, there was a huge downpour of rain. So we figured we would just take the bus back to MK instead of taking the boat.

We waited longer at WL for that bus, than we ever waited, all week, for a bus at POR.

 

[CarolA]

Rule 1. Take the "bus horror stories" and divide by 50%. I tell this story all the time, but I think it's very telling.

I was sitting at the bus stop at OKW waiting on the bus. Due to "horror stories" on the DIS I specifically noted what time I got there. Family of four shows up. Bus comes 15 minutes later. Dad gets on bus and proceeds to SCREAM at driver. "where have you been I have been waiting out here almost an HOUR, buses are suppose to run every 20 minutes!" He heads down the aisle. I loudly say, that's funny I waited 19 minutes and you got here AFTER I did. (Time spent yelling at your family to hurry up and get going does not count.) I must admit the 15 minutes I waited with this family felt like an hour.

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

POR and POFQ share a bus so I don't see the point in getting off at POFQ when the next stop is POR.

That said, I don't think you will have a problem. I love POR! The bus horror stories are not nearly as bad as they sound. Have a great trip!

 

[eeyore45]

We stayed at POR 2 years ago - and the thing that saved my sanity was the watch - it sure felt we were waiting much longer than we actually did!!

One incident drove me batty was a CM with a clipboard, and a 35 min wait for a non emh park - bus after bus came for all the other parks - the one for DTD really irked me when it came twice! While we still waited for our bus (and the longer you wait, the more people arrive to get on the bus! Not that I"m ocd ) I did ask what the purpose of a CM was there when she can see how many busses have been thru and not one for our park - she shrugged, got on her walkie talkie and we still waited 10 or 15 min - the kicker was as we were leaving POR there in a parking lot sat 2 more busses!!

I hope that the GPS system now in place will alleviate this one time in ten day anomoly! (but because of this I did try walking to POFQ one morning - so not worth it!)

ALso 2 years ago, I wasnt very knowledgable and got on a POFQ bus from MK at closing (no line there! HUGE line for POR) I figured they both go to both resorts (and all week this was the case, as we rarely stayed thru closing!!) Well, you could've knocked me over with a feather when I realized it wasnt going to POR - so we were preparint to walk over when the kind Bus driver said it happens from time to time, and he drove us over to POR!

So take the advice of others, roll with the flow and know it wont be an issue!!

 

[Flametamr]

We stayed POFQ last year. The only time I had an issue was leaving the MK at closing time. It took about 3 cycles and maybe 15 mins to get on the bus. I would suggest if you are staying all the way to closing that you consider driving to the park. But overall it was a great experience using the busses. Also if you are already on the bus why get off at POFQ. The next stop is POR and you are already comfortable. Its only another 5 min ride or less.

 

[SqueakyMouse]

I hate to say this, but we really did experience very poor bus service while staying at POFQ. Of course, it was Spring Break -- not the busiest week of spring but pretty close to it. Yes, there were lines returning for all the resorts; but the lines were the absolute longest for ours -- easily 3 times longer. Will this stop us from staying here? No! We will be returning to POR for a week in July. I don't expect the buses to be as crowded during this stay; but, if they are, we simply will drive to all but the MK.

 

[tinawv]

The biggest problem my sister and I had with the bus service was during our stay at POFQ in September of last year. We couldn't believe the number of people they tried to squeeze onto the bus when making their rounds. On one particular trip, our bus was so full that I though there is no way the bus driver will make another stop. Wrong. He did and more people squeezed on. There were people practically on our lap. Each time the bus driver applied his brakes, people went flying everywhere. It was a miracle that no one got hurt. It wouldn't stop me from staying there again, but I do think they need to run more buses between POFQ and PO-Riverside.