OKW Transportation

[Missus Toad]

I remember the busses to be a drag last time I was at OKW (2000). Has transportation improved at all? Just wondering how crowded it is and how long waits are on average since I'm traveling with a 1 year old. Thanks!

 

[spiceycat]

the buses are greatly improved - the longest wait I had was 20 minutes.

 

[WOW]

We have been members for 10 years and have almost always found the OKW bus transportation good. However, within the past few years it has only gotten better. Of course, there are times when you will wait awhile, but it really is no big deal for us. You may find it cumbersome with a small baby though. We do see lots and lots of parents with babies waiting for the bus and have never seen parents have any problems. Good luck

 

[Pa@okw95]

The big problem area is when you are returning during mid-day. They cut the number of buses then. Also from AK the bus is just an insult. I would hail a cab if you do not have your own car.

 

[AInWonderland]

Of all the Disney Resorts we have stayed at we find the bus service at OKW to be the best.

 

[kda]

Only once did we wait exactly 30 minutes for a MK bus (we saw one pull away, so could time it). Otherwise, it averaged ~7-15 minutes, and this is for 3 trips in the last 3 years. No problems returning to the resort, unless you're talking about the mob scene leaving at park closing.
(We're not usually doing early entry)

 

[PHILCT]

The Buses came quite often during my last three trips at OKW

They were excellent in the early morning hours, very good in the early afternoon.

But leaving the Parks at closing, they will make you wait up to 45 minutes and for the bus to totally fill up sometimes.

They ran very well from Downtown Disney in the later evening however.

Recommendation: Take a YELLOW colored cab at the worse times.
OKW actually runs very well.
I have stayed at AKL and the Camp Grounds and the bus schedule at OKW was comparibly very impressive.
I also don't remember them stopping off at other resorts like the BWV/BCV/Swan and Dolphin have to contend with.

I forget which is the first stop, the checkin area first or last?
That could be an advantage for getting seats first.
Does anyone know the order the bus stops in?

Phil

 

[MDonley]

I believe that the improved bus service has a lot to do with the discontinuation of EPCOT & MGM service for resorts such as BW (since they have the boat.

I too remember the long waits. Once in January, we complained to a driver at HH that they weren't even coming close to the times posted. He told us that that only applied for summertime and holidays. Then we were there for Christmas and found out that must not have been one of, what that driver considered a holiday.

Now, I just pity the BWV folks going to MK!

 

[kda]

We generally found the stops to be :
Peninsular Road
South Point
Turtle Pond
Miller's Road
HH

Occasionally, there was a stop at HH first, when returning to the resort, and I had a driver try to zoom by the HH on their way out when the bus was full (so I always ask them when I board the bus, if I want to get to HH).

 

[spiceycat]

Mike the Epcot resorts have NEVER had a bus service to either Epcot or Studios. You can walk to these theme parks. If you don't want to walk then you take the boat.

Last month when we were there the AK came much more often than the other buses - around 10 to 15 minutes one was coming. So they were generally 2 AK buses for every one of the other buses. When you consider that once the buses leaves for the theme parks - Epcot is about 2 possible 4 minutes away - it should be hard for any bus to beat the Epcot bus. Yet AK Bus did alot.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Last month when we were there the AK came much more often than the other buses - around 10 to 15 minutes one was coming. So they were generally 2 AK buses for every one of the other buses. When you consider that once the buses leaves for the theme parks - Epcot is about 2 possible 4 minutes away - it should be hard for any bus to beat the Epcot bus. Yet AK Bus did alot.

I think this is a result of summer and the fact that the AK bus stops at Blizzard Beach as well as AK. That is one of the reasons the AK bus is not terribly efficient. It makes for a longer stay on the bus with the stop at BB, and the walk in from the bus area is long as well.

We have always found OKW buses to be excellent. There was a time there where they were not, but the last couple of years have been outstanding! I don't think we have waited more than 10 minutes for ANY OKW bus in the past two years. Sure they are crowded at park closing, but that is expected.