OKW: bus or drive to parks?

[m & j mom]

OK, I've heard conflicting reports about the buses.

Do they run at specific times or just come whenever? How many stops inside the resort do they make? Which is the last stop before leaving for a park? How long between buses?

Are there different buses for each park? How long does it take to drive to a park vs. taking the bus?

Sorry, lots of questions.

thanks

 

[RobDoc]

We always use the WDW buses- even if we have a car.

Each destination has a bus that comes about every 20 minutes. Sometimes a little sooner- sometimes a little later.

The DD bus also serves Typhoon Lagoon and the AK bus also serves Blizzard Beach.

OKW has 5 bus stops. The first usual stop is at Peninsular Road- just across the bridge from the HH area. Next is South Point, then Old Turtle Pond, Miller Road amd last is HH. Occasionally, the driver may vary the first stop by going to HH (this usually only happens late evenings).

The DD bus does make an additional stop by first going to HH and is labelled as the "Internal Bus"- it then makes the other stops and returns to HH before leaving the resort. Thus, that bus may be used to travel from HH to any of the other areas in the resort.

The bus is probably comparable- time-wise - to driving to most destinations. At MK, it take you right to the front gate- where auto drivers have to park in the main lot and then take monorail or ferry boat to the gate.

Epcot and MGM are both close enough that the bus ride is pretty short. Driving to AK will probably be shorter than the bus- especially when you figure in the BB stop.

I just look at the bus as another attraction and enjoy the ride. I get to drive enough at home and don't need to drive more at WDW.

No right or wrong here- just a personal choice to go with your own vacation comfort level.

Enjoy!

 

[jodifla]

We take our car everywhere, except to the Magic Kingdom, where it makes more sense to take the bus since it takes you right to the MK instead of the Ticket & Transportation Center.

Now we do have a toddler with all the trappings (Stroller, diaper bag, etc.) so we find the car easier to load up with all that stuff instead of dragging it on the bus.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

From OKW, we drive to Epoct, MGM, and Animal Kingdom. We take the bus to the MK.

The MK bus goes to the bus center right by the park entance. In contrast, the parking lot is distant and requires a boat or monorail to get to the park entrance.

Epcot is so close that you can drive there in the time that you might spend waiting for a bus.

 

[DebbieB]

If we are going to MK at night, we always take the bus. It's easier to just grab the bus when coming out with the crowds.

If we are going in the morning and plan to head somewhere else later, we will drive. I once timed it from our OKW front door to the turnstile at MK and it was only 25 minutes, including the ride on the express monorail.

We drive everywhere else.

 

[AZKathy]

The only time we take our car is when we have reservations at a resort for a meal or to roam around at another resort. We have found the bus system to be fine. The only time we felt there was a problem was our first trip after 9/11 and we ran into problems with the buses that trip with break downs and longer waits.

 

[FriendsOfEeyore]

We drive everywhere all the time (at least that we have in the past). That might change with the little man and the MK in the future. He has only been included in three (two, if you don't count the trip in the womb, but we do) trips so far.

 

[Rence]

Follow up question:

If you are staying at a DVC resort and you drive to one of the parks, do you have to pay for parking?

I've read other posts and some gave me the impression that you did not have to pay to park, others seemed to indicate that you did. If you don't have to pay, how is this handled?


Thanks

 

[DebbieB]

When staying at the WDW DVC resorts, you get free parking at the parks just like any other WDW resort.

At the resorts, you get free valet at BC, BW & WL (still need to tip), other resorts are $6 for valet. Free self parking, the MK resorts give you a 3 hour pass to park for dining, shopping.

 

[dianeschlicht]

No, you don't pay to park...


...BUT! if you drive to each park, you have to get in from the parking lot, and it is usually much easier to access the park from the bus than parking. The only park I think driving is an advantage to from OKW is AK. The AK bus stops at water parks, and is a long bus ride. Besides that, the walk in from the parking lot isn't much different than from the bus stop, so it is often faster to drive to AK. We find all other parks to be easier with the bus. We have never felt the bus service at OKW was bad, but it has definately gotten even better the past couple of years.

 

[Laurabearz]

We drive..... We have little kids (4,3,8months old) and we find on the way back from the parks, it is a blessing to have the van. That way the kids fall asleep on the way back to the room, and OKW it is very easy to move a sleeping child into their beds... no long halls, just park at the villa.

 

[spiceycat]

depends upon the time you wish to return to OKW - if between 11:00am and 2 pm- then drive (except the MK)

if before 10:00am or after 2 pm - definitely take the buses

around lunch time - the bus slow down going back - now going in these times are fine - but for every three of the buses coming in you will be luck if one goes back.

I think it is because of lunch/break time - and yes everyone needs a lunch - so I understand - I just wished that they would say that upfront. So guests could plan accordingly.

so if you are going to the theme parks - then yes you wait should be at the most around 20 minutes - if you are coming back from the theme parks (at those times) - then you wait could easily be 40 minutes or more.

that is the only problem I have found - everything else is great!!!!

 

[Pa@okw95]

I drive everywhere except MK. I come back from the parks after being there about 2 hours which means in the middle of the day. I have had real horror show waits when coming back to OKW during the middle of the day when they cut back on the bus service. AK is a situation where you should never take the bus and I mean never. Going DD I will drive or take the boat. The boat ride is one of the best attractions left at all of WDW.

 

[jaysue]

We have stayed at OKW with and without a car and find the buses to be up to the challenge of not having a car

As others have posted, we always take the Bus to the MK - AK, Epcot and AK we drive or take the bus

When we have the car and the toddler/infant equipment we take the car (except to MK)

My average wait for buses seems to be about 15 minutes give or take

thanks
jaysue

 

[jmminarik]

Originally posted by WebmasterDoc
I just look at the bus as another attraction and enjoy the ride. I get to drive enough at home and don't need to drive more at WDW.

No right or wrong here- just a personal choice to go with your own vacation comfort level.

Enjoy!

I look at the buses as another reminder of my daily home life...I get enough public transit going to/from work.

Besides, now my car seats have butt coolers, a sun roof and a very nice cd player loaded with disney rides' theme music and nobody drops baby strollers on my feet when I'm the driver.

In October we wound up trying the buses to the different parks...I found I missed riding the ferry and/or monorail to/from the TTC.

Everyone will have their own opinions, but I think people who drive through the insanity known as rush hour or drive for a living might be inclined to ride the bus and those of us inner city dwellers who ride PT everyday might go for the car option.

-Joe