Our worst bus experience this trip....

[Anjelica]

But now with the villas open, AKL has 2 stops. And from what I have been reading here, the busses are now packed to the gills. No longer as convenient as it used to be.

We will be staying at the Villas in May and it is my understanding that the Villas are generally the first stop to be picked up/dropped off and seating is generally not an issue. We shall see though.

My thoughts that its really no different than the Wilderness Lodge and Villas at Wilderness Lodge using the same bus but where I had "issues/concerns" is when we would share with FW which is a couple miles away. That is the more resort bus sharing that I was alluding to.

 

[weewuvvdisney]

We have always stayed at the AllStar Resorts and to be honest, I don't think we have ever had a problem with the buses.

There was the time we left MK at the same time as everyone else and we had to wait a bit for a bus - oh well!

There was the time on our last visit when we were going from DTD To ALLSTARMOVIES and we decided not to get on a bus but to wait for the next one. There was a large group of girls that got on the first bus and they were having fun.... We figured it would be a long ride so we waited for the next one where we got seats and it was quiet.

I certainly wouldn't want to be the one responsible for planning all the bus schedules..... trying to get it right so that everyone would be "happy".


I take public transportation at home so the buses are Disney are just
"Magical" to us.

 

[goofy4tink]

If there is a "funny money" behind the scenes transaction, it should be "for bus service" as opposed to "per bus".

It is not 'per bus'...it is indeed for bus service. It's not so much, correct me if I'm wrong cranbiz, that YC/BC/BW pay for those buses but that S/D pay for them because they are not Disney owned resorts. I wish, and it's only a wish, that BW would share only with the S/D and YC/BC would be on their own route...all the time. When you get on the bus at BW and have to stop at the S, D, YC, and finally the BC...well, it gets tiresome.

In all reality..the bus system at WDW is really pretty good for what it does. Yes, sometimes we get nudgy when we have to stand around, waiting for more than 15 mins or so. It always seems to be longer than 15 mins when standing there..and sometimes it is. But, considering how many people Disney buses move every day, it boggles the mind that they do it as well as they do.

 

[Anjelica]

When you get on the bus at BW and have to stop at the S, D, YC, and finally the BC...well, it gets tiresome.

WOW - I didn't realize the BW/YC/BC also share buses with the S/D. That seems a bit much.

I remember our DME driving complaining to us that although we were staying at VWL and that is generally closer/easier to stop at first we had to go to Poly, GF THEN and only THEN to VWL. (This was the DME from the airport). We weren't complaining at all we just happen to be the last folks on there and he was griping about how the routes are designated just doesn't make a whole lot of sense to some. (And yes I know DME and Disney Transportation are different groups, etc.).

 

[clkelley]

I NEVER use those buses anymore to get to DTD because of all the sharing.

If I need to get to DTD from a park, I now take the Saratoga Springs bus and then walk to DTD.

Much easier!!

 

[cranbiz]

The S/D have a different fee structure because the are not WDW resorts. I believe that the guests are paying this through the "resort fee"

WDW resorts pay "for transportation" a fee based on occupancy and demand. The resort pays for a level of service and that fee changes based on what level of service a resort desires. Some resorts have contracted for a different average wait time. CSR and OKW are 2 that I know of. CSR contracts for an overall average 15 minute wait time and OKW contracts for an overall average 30 minute wait time.

The service level to split bus routes is dependent on what the resort wishes to spend (and pass on to the guest by way or room rate) If the YC/BC want separate buses for all parks, then they will pay more for transportation services. Of course, this will also affect BW, SW, DO as they now share costs on all parks except MK.

Disney Transport will add buses (if available) to existing routes and even change routes based on service demands but this is on an "as needed" basis. There have been days where I was dispatched as a special to the Epcot resorts for DTD and instructed to run backwards, start at BW, then YC/BC and then DO and SW to meet demand.

It is not as easy as one thinks it is, you can't just add more buses if there are not more to add.

Disney resorts are not required to use Disney Transport but it is in their best interest to do so. Many years ago, POR switched to Mears and found it less than advantageous to have made that change. They got less than desirable parking at the parks (at MK those guests were dropped off and picked up at TTC and at other parks, it was the charter lot). In the long run, it was cheaper to use Disney Transport.

The resorts do listen to guest comments about bus service and will adjust the transportation scheme is enough demand warrants it. Recently the All Star Resorts changed how they wanted park exits handled at Epcot and Studios. They now pay more to have the routes split at exit so that each resort gets its own bus route.

You may call this funny money behind the scenes but it is business and if it is not cost effective, it won't happen. Running a fleet of over 300 buses is expensive and there has to be accountability. It is an incredibly difficult task to coordinate bus service (there is a sophisticated software program that helps) and I'm sorry if not everyone is happy, we do the best that we can given the constraints that we work with.

 

[cranbiz]

I NEVER use those buses anymore to get to DTD because of all the sharing.

If I need to get to DTD from a park, I now take the Saratoga Springs bus and then walk to DTD.

Much easier!!

From a park, I agree. You can thank the cheapskates parking at DTD to avoid the parking fee for this.

From the Fort, I don't know why one would shy away from the bus to get to DTD. The Fort has its own non shared bus to DTD.

 

[cranbiz]

When you get on the bus at BW and have to stop at the S, D, YC, and finally the BC...well, it gets tiresome.

I so hate to correct you Diane as you are usually right on, but If you get on at BW for any place except MK, you are the last stop (except in very rare occasions). You load and head out to your destination. I do understand that you might be like a fish in a sardine can but you are not stopping at all the other Epcot resorts.

 

[PSUGuy]

I don't dispute the OP's experience, but in 8 stays at BW, S & D over the years, usually in early March, other times during Food&Wine, only once did we have a '5 Stop' bus ride. For years we'd get on at BW, swing through S/D then on to the parks, no YC/BC. On the way home, same thing in reverse.

Bill From PA

 

[goofy4tink]

I so hate to correct you Diane as you are usually right on, but If you get on at BW for any place except MK, you are the last stop (except in very rare occasions). You load and head out to your destination. I do understand that you might be like a fish in a sardine can but you are not stopping at all the other Epcot resorts.

Ah, but I have. I have stopped at the S/D on the way to AK on more than one occasion. ON the other hand, I have done directly to MK on occasion...can't tell you the cheer that went out in my head when we didn't make that right turn towards S/D. But, I have to wonder...there were a fair amount of guests already on those buses that didn't stop. I wonder if the bus had already stopped at S/D or YC/BC.
Who knows...BW is still my favorite resort. And I can't seem to find any rhyme or reason with the bus schedules...but that's okay. I don't really mind!!

 

[Magicbus]

Ah, but I have. I have stopped at the S/D on the way to AK on more than one occasion. ON the other hand, I have done directly to MK on occasion...can't tell you the cheer that went out in my head when we didn't make that right turn towards S/D. But, I have to wonder...there were a fair amount of guests already on those buses that didn't stop. I wonder if the bus had already stopped at S/D or YC/BC.
Who knows...BW is still my favorite resort. And I can't seem to find any rhyme or reason with the bus schedules...but that's okay. I don't really mind!!

CranBiz, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but once again Diane is correct. When will we learn not to doubt her?
I drove the mystery route this morning, BW, S/D, AK. It does exist. But it's not the standard route and it occurs usually in the AM.
My hub was AK, to one of the AS, then to HS. Guess where I went from HS? Yup, the BW, S/D, back to AK. It makes sense to go to the nearest resort out of HS, and that is the BW followed by S/D. I've also done it out of MK. MK to CS, to HS, to BW S/D, and back to MK. Again, in the AM and not the standard route.

 

[cranbiz]

Well, those of us who don't get the morning shifts (OK one or two in a year), well you know. At night, it is as I said.

BW, SW, DO is a normal route for MK. I must admit, I have never run that one in the morning to AK but I will not doubt that it exists. I'm betting though, that the Epcot 5 route doesn't start at BW in the morning.

The only thing constant with us is there is no consistency

Diane, I humbly bow to you and your knowledge.

You can not trust purple pants (as they don't exist anymore)

 

[goofy4tink]

CranBiz, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but once again Diane is correct. When will we learn not to doubt her?
I drove the mystery route this morning, BW, S/D, AK. It does exist. But it's not the standard route and it occurs usually in the AM.
My hub was AK, to one of the AS, then to HS. Guess where I went from HS? Yup, the BW, S/D, back to AK. It makes sense to go to the nearest resort out of HS, and that is the BW followed by S/D. I've also done it out of MK. MK to CS, to HS, to BW S/D, and back to MK. Again, in the AM and not the standard route.

Well, those of us who don't get the morning shifts (OK one or two in a year), well you know. At night, it is as I said.

BW, SW, DO is a normal route for MK. I must admit, I have never run that one in the morning to AK but I will not doubt that it exists. I'm betting though, that the Epcot 5 route doesn't start at BW in the morning.

The only thing constant with us is there is no consistency

Diane, I humbly bow to you and your knowledge.

You can not trust purple pants (as they don't exist anymore)

No bickering boys. Too funny about those purple pants though.
I can't imagine how any of you guys keep the runs straight. I have a hard enough time figuring out just BW routes. Sheesh.
But....you all do a terrific job. You make our stays much better and oh so relaxed!! Thanks.

 

[seashoreCM]

WDW resorts pay "for transportation" a fee based on occupancy and demand. The resort pays for a level of service and that fee changes based on what level of service a resort desires. Some resorts have contracted for a different average wait time. CSR and OKW are 2 that I know of. CSR contracts for an overall average 15 minute wait time and OKW contracts for an overall average 30 minute wait time.h.

Aha! So the answer to the not-so-infrequently asked question, "Does such and such resort have better bus service than such and such resort?" is "Yes".

I only wish I could find out in advance, when booking a resort.

 

[randyolson]

The boat ride to DTD, while not speedy, is much more enjoyable than waiting forever for a bus then being packed on it.

I’ve done both, the bus as well as boat. If you have the time, the boat is any day a more pleasant option.

 

[goofy4tink]

Aha! So the answer to the not-so-infrequently asked question, "Does such and such resort have better bus service than such and such resort?" is "Yes".

I only wish I could find out in advance, when booking a resort.

Nah.....it's all relative. Sure, resorts like CSR and CBR don't stop at any other resorts, but they have multiple stops within the resort..same with POR/FQ and the AllStars. Sure, there can be times that the buses at Movies stop only at Movies and it is a direct route to the parks...same with POFQ. But, you can't count on that all the time.
AKL used to have the best all around bus service. But, not anymore. Not since they added Kidani to the mix.

If you look at the number of stops, placement of bus stops at each park, time on a bus...no one resort is going to be a cut above the rest. They all equal out. And even then, the time of year, day of the week and time of day is going to make a difference in your bus experience.