ME & On Property Bus w/ young children

[nashville_minnie]

We are going to WDW in October with our boys - they will be nearly three and just turned one at the time of the trip.

I have never been an advocate for Disney busses, hate waiting around for them, and don't like not being able to stop at the grocery store, eat off property, etc.

However, we decided to forgo renting a car this time because we don't want to lug 2 car seats with us. We will be flying on SW and staying at AoA.

Questions:

ME:
How long does it take to get from airport to resort?
Does ME go directly to my resort only or are there other stops?
Kids just sit on our laps, correct? No car seats necessary?
When will the luggage arrive?

On Property:
Buses to parks also do not need cars eats, right? Kids just sit in our laps?
Where do we put a double stroller - take it on with us or store it underneath?
Best way to get from AoA to Boardwalk?


THANK YOU for any answers you can share!!

 

[tjmw2727]

Don't worry I have been taking my kids to Disney solo since they were 1 and 3 and I never rent a car - to me not driving is the best part of vacation.

DME - average trip from check in at DME to resort 70 minutes. This can vary depending on time of year and order of stops - yes the DME bus stops at up to 3 resorts.
Kids sit in their own seats or on your lap - they are coach buses.
Luggage arrives about 3 hours after check in - we always pack 24 hours of essentials in our carry on and hit the parks so I don't know and actual time of delivery yet !

Buses to parks are more like city buses but no seat belts or car seats. Kids sit by themselves or on laps, whatever your most comfortable with.

There is no underneath storage - you bring the stroller on board with you. Have it folded up and ready to go before the bus arrives. I found it best to use a backpack instead of a typical diaper bag and have the baskets and cup holder packed up before we headed to the bus line.

Best way to the boardwalk would be bus to Studios and then walk or take the boat over to the boardwalk. You can also take the first park bus that stops at AOA and then transfer from that park (or DTD) over to the Boardwalk.

 

[joelkfla]

Best way to the boardwalk would be bus to Studios and then walk or take the boat over to the boardwalk. You can also take the first park bus that stops at AOA and then transfer from that park (or DTD) over to the Boardwalk.

DO NOT take the bus to Epcot. There is no transportation from the Epcot bus area to BW.

You could take a bus to DTD or the other parks, but if DHS is open, it will most likely be faster to wait for the DHS bus & walk or boat from there.

 

[tjmw2727]

DO NOT take the bus to Epcot. There is no transportation from the Epcot bus area to BW.

You could take a bus to DTD or the other parks, but if DHS is open, it will most likely be faster to wait for the DHS bus & walk or boat from there.

Good catch -you would have to use a ticket to walk through Epcot and then take the boat or walk to the Boardwalk !

 

[tjmw2727]

Forgot to mention - if you like to have groceries look into wegoshop.com or gardengrocer.com - we have had Excellent service with both.

Just go online and order what you want for the room, we usually get juice, milk and water, cold breakfasts, fruits and snacks. We also order wine or beer for the grownups Totally worth the delivery fee if you like to have meals/snacks in the room or on the go !!

Our order has always been waiting for us with bell services and they keep the cold items cold!

 

[Kimberle]

We are just back a week from our BC trip. Both our ME buses had shoulder harness seat belts. You could you a car seat if you desire. I don't believe it is required by law. When my teen was little, she sat in her own ME seat. There were no belts back then.

 

[nashville_minnie]

thanks for all the info!! planning to look into the grocery delivery - my 2yr old can drink a gallon of milk every other day!!

 

[gmeh1]

We are just back a week from our BC trip. Both our ME buses had shoulder harness seat belts. You could you a car seat if you desire. I don't believe it is required by law. When my teen was little, she sat in her own ME seat. There were no belts back then.

I don't think ME allows car seats. There is really no way to secure them.

From the Disney web site:
Q.


Are car seats permitted on Disney’s Magical Express motor coaches?


A.


No. Car seats are not permitted in the passenger cabin and must be stowed in the storage compartment underneath the motor coach.

Children can sit on an adult's lap or occupy their own seat.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/airport-transportation-and-check-in/

 

[ls3015]

I don't think ME allows car seats. There is really no way to secure them.

From the Disney web site:
Q.


Are car seats permitted on Disney’s Magical Express motor coaches?


A.


No. Car seats are not permitted in the passenger cabin and must be stowed in the storage compartment underneath the motor coach.

Children can sit on an adult's lap or occupy their own seat.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/airport-transportation-and-check-in/

It sure would be nice if there were seat belts on the buses, can you just think how far a 3 year old could be thrown, if the bus had to make a fast stop or hit something at 50 mph,, It's hard to believe that disney thinks of safety on their rides, even dumbo has a safety strap, but not in a moving vechical, and than, the on grounds buses, allow human people to stand with just a hand hold to keep you from being thrown forward in a quick stop. How do you spell law suit.

 

[Alesia]

It sure would be nice if there were seat belts on the buses, can you just think how far a 3 year old could be thrown, if the bus had to make a fast stop or hit something at 50 mph,, It's hard to believe that disney thinks of safety on their rides, even dumbo has a safety strap, but not in a moving vechical, and than, the on grounds buses, allow human people to stand with just a hand hold to keep you from being thrown forward in a quick stop. How do you spell law suit.

The laws of physics affect buses differently than cars. Buses rely on compartmentalization to keep passengers safe. Having seat belts on buses is actually much more dangerous than not having them.

You can't compare a bus to Dumbo - they are completely different things and have completely different safety concerns. It's like saying that since you need to wear a life jacket on a boat, you should also be required to wear on on an airplane.

 

[bumbershoot]

...can you just think how far a 3 year old could be thrown, if the bus had to make a fast stop or hit something at 50 mph.

Yep. As far as it is from the seat to the back of the seat in front of them. Full stop.

Unless they are in the front, and especially if they are in the front like the kids we got to ride with on ME back to the airport. Kids just roaming around in their seats, not sitting, right in the front with no parents holding them. THAT was a problem, they should have been at least one seat back. And we ended up on the airplane with the family as well, two rows behind them, and the behaviour on the plane (even during seatbelt-on times) was just the same.

Coach buses are different than cars.

With Dumbo the seatbelt is to prevent people from standing up and jumping out. Dumbo isn't going to hit anything.

We are just back a week from our BC trip. Both our ME buses had shoulder harness seat belts. You could you a car seat if you desire. I don't believe it is required by law. When my teen was little, she sat in her own ME seat. There were no belts back then.

SOME ME buses have seatbelts in them, not all.



OP, it really sounds like you love the convenience of a car. Are you sure that using the carseats is that big of a problem for you? The time when you would be actually carrying them is so short, and the time you would get to use them without carrying them is so much longer, with so much more convenience (in my opinion).

 

[Kimberle]

We are just back a week from our BC trip. Both our ME buses had shoulder harness seat belts. You could you a car seat if you desire. I don't believe it is required by law. When my teen was little, she sat in her own ME seat. There were no belts back then.

I don't think ME allows car seats. There is really no way to secure them.

From the Disney web site:
Q.


Are car seats permitted on Disney’s Magical Express motor coaches?


A.


No. Car seats are not permitted in the passenger cabin and must be stowed in the storage compartment underneath the motor coach.

Children can sit on an adult's lap or occupy their own seat.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/airport-transportation-and-check-in/

It sure would be nice if there were seat belts on the buses, can you just think how far a 3 year old could be thrown, if the bus had to make a fast stop or hit something at 50 mph,, It's hard to believe that disney thinks of safety on their rides, even dumbo has a safety strap, but not in a moving vechical, and than, the on grounds buses, allow human people to stand with just a hand hold to keep you from being thrown forward in a quick stop. How do you spell law suit.

If you'll read what I wrote: ]We are just back a week from our BC trip. Both our ME buses had shoulder harness seat belts.

 

[Alesia]

If you'll read what I wrote: ]We are just back a week from our BC trip. Both our ME buses had shoulder harness seat belts.

Yes, some of the DME have seat belts, some don't. On buses that do have seat belts, it is entirely up to the driver whether or not you can use a car seat - most will say no.

 

[maxiesmom]

If you'll read what I wrote: ]We are just back a week from our BC trip. Both our ME buses had shoulder harness seat belts.

Those are the newer buses. Along with the shoulder strap, they now have better steps! Not so crazy steep!

Some buses have the shoulder straps, some don't. They are not required to have them, but I understand it does make some people feel better having them. Even if they do little in the way of keeping people safer.

 

[CleveRocks]

ME:
How long does it take to get from airport to resort?

The average time is 70 minutes from airplane exit to resort drop-off.

Does ME go directly to my resort only or are there other stops?

DME buses stop at a maximum of 4 resorts. Three is probably the most common number of stops. If enough people happen to be going to your resort at the same time as you, then it would stop only at your resort, but that's fairly rare.

When will the luggage arrive?

Disney says to expect your bags inside your room within about three hours of when you check-in at your resort. Pack a carry-on for any immediate needs. Also, the bags will be delivered to the inside of your room whether you're in there or not; in other words, there's no need to hang around and wait for your bags.

On Property:

Where do we put a double stroller - take it on with us or store it underneath?

On Disney Transport buses, there is no "underneath." If you take the stroller, your only option is to carry it onto the bus with you.

Best way to get from AoA to Boardwalk?

The very quickest way would be by taxi. But if you're asking about Disney Transport, I think the best way is bus to Disney's Hollywood Studios and then walk (or take a FriendShip boat) to Boardwalk.

 

[gmeh1]

If you'll read what I wrote: ]We are just back a week from our BC trip. Both our ME buses had shoulder harness seat belts.

Yes, I have great reading comprehension skills, however, you don't strap a child seat in with a should harnesses, you need a hook (cars, not busses are equipped with them) to hold the seat along with the seat belt.
Disney has rules, they are constantly updated and as of now, the rule is no car seats on the busses.

 

[strmtroopr96]

Yes, I have great reading comprehension skills, however, you don't strap a child seat in with a should harnesses, you need a hook (cars, not busses are equipped with them) to hold the seat along with the seat belt.
Disney has rules, they are constantly updated and as of now, the rule is no car seats on the busses.

What "hook" do you need to install a car seat? Every car seat (and there have been many LOL) we have ever used in our 13+ years of parenthood can be fully and safely installed with a seat belt which these days 99% of the time are shoulder harnesses.

Are you thinking of a Tether Latch? Yes, those can be found in cars but they aren't a requirement for installing car seats. They are very helpful in doing so but not required.

 

[gmeh1]

What "hook" do you need to install a car seat? Every car seat (and there have been many LOL) we have ever used in our 13+ years of parenthood can be fully and safely installed with a seat belt which these days 99% of the time are shoulder harnesses.

Are you thinking of a Tether Latch? Yes, those can be found in cars but they aren't a requirement for installing car seats. They are very helpful in doing so but not required.

It is recommended by anyone versed in child seat safety to use the latch if it is equipped with one. However this is a moot point as car seats are NOT allowed on Disney ME busses. In my 40+ years of parenthood, we have followed the manufacturer's instructions for the particular seat. They install those latch hooks in cars for a reason.

 

[strmtroopr96]

It is recommended by anyone versed in child seat safety to use the latch if it is equipped with one. However this is a moot point as car seats are NOT allowed on Disney ME busses. In my 40+ years of parenthood, we have followed the manufacturer's instructions for the particular seat. They install those latch hooks in cars for a reason.

Yes, I understand that it is best to use the Latch BUT unfortunately not every car is equipped for it. We have used them and continue to practice beyond the minimum car seat standards (our 6 yr old is still in a 5 pt harness). But what you originally said was that you had to use a latch to install a car seat. Since that is untrue, that can be very misleading to some readers who don't realize that it isn't always possible to use it either because their vehicle doesn't have it or because their child/seat can no longer be used in that way.

And yes, car seats have not been allowed on ME buses BUT that is because there were NO seat belts installed on them at the time. Now that many of the busses do have seat belts, it is very possible that drivers will allow a parent to use a car seat. Not really any reason why they shouldn't be able to and it certainly doesn't hurt to ask.

 

[maxiesmom]

And yes, car seats have not been allowed on ME buses BUT that is because there were NO seat belts installed on them at the time. Now that many of the busses do have seat belts, it is very possible that drivers will allow a parent to use a car seat. Not really any reason why they shouldn't be able to and it certainly doesn't hurt to ask.

There is actually a very good reason why the shouldn't allow you to use a car seat. Because if there is an accident, and the car seat is not installed properly, a child could get hurt. And if it was partly because of the improper car seat install, Disney would be held liable for it. A improperly installed car seat can injure others as well, and that would be another law suit.