POR Bus Service...Is It That Bad?

[peyjax]

I was just wondering if peoples past experiences will really matter since they are changing the bus system over to the new gps system? Has anyone been there recently to experience them testing this new bus system? I was under the impression that it would be in full swing in the fall.

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

Hi, The following is what I wrote on my Nov/Dec 2005 trip report about the buses at POR:

"The bus service was a little disappointing. I'm not talking about the drivers, they were awesome, full of the old fashioned Disney magic I remember! They were so nice, helpful, and even humorous at times. I'm talking about waiting an hour two nights in a row for a bus to MK. Then the nightmare at MK when you want to return to your resort. POR is huge. The bus lines can get huge! It is no fun to have to wait an hour at MK only to stand on the bus smashed in like sardines all the way from MK to POR at midnight, after MVMCP, or any night. I think Disney can do better than that."

So fast forward to today when I am thinking about the possibility of upgrading to a Mod. As much as I love the scenery at POR, and I really really do, I am considering CSR and also POFQ (even though they share with POR, French Quarter is usually picked up/dropped off first). And if I choose CSR and POFQ over POR it is because of the bus service and for no other reason.

I know with any Disney resort bus service I have to prepare myself ahead of time and know that there will be crowds waiting for the bus, crowds on the bus, people jumping ahead of you to get on the bus at the resort, delays due to the bus, you will be smashed on the bus, and you will stand on the bus after a long day at the parks. But the bus service at POR in late Nov/early Dec was way more aggravating than the bus service when we stayed at WL in Aug last year.

If I choose POFQ over CSR, I will have to psyche myself up ahead of time to know that I will still be dealing with POR as well, only in an indirect way. I will also promise myself that whenever possible, I will wait until the crowds have left MK at night before heading to the bus stops.

I sure hope they improve the bus service at POR because POR is gorgeous and would love to stay there again. I just won't do that unless there is a bus improvement. Some people never have bus problems at POR. So anyone staying there, you can hope that will be your experience as well.

If I was booked at POR and was reading about the terrible bus service, I would not let it get me down. I would just know ahead of time that when it comes to the buses, I will have to practice tolerance and patience. POR bus service is not the absolute pits, as far as WDW resort buses go, the buses still get you to where you want to go and overall they do a great job. Plus, the drivers are terrific! Just expect to wait for buses and expect long lines at MK at night to get back to POR and if you get great service, you can be pleasantly surprised.

tink

 

[MickeyNicki]

We have stayed there a few times and in the beginning we went to the bus stop closest to our room and there was always a long wait and we never got a seat...the buses were fill to the brim!

Then we got smart (by accident) and drove to the main dining area (because of the rain) and we left our car there and took the bus at the main station....it worked like a charm....that is how we do it now at CBR and POR

 

[kimis]

We have finally decided that for our very first family WDW trip coming in April 08 we can budget for a Mod Hotel. My wife and I and 2 Kids love the look and reviews of the POR the best so far, but... I have been reading a awful lot of reviews about how bad the bus service is at POR? Why? Is it really that bad compared to the other Mods? CSR is our second choice...would that be a better pick?

Well we have stayed at POR four times with the last three times being the last three years in a row. We have never had any trouble with the bus system there. Actually there are more buses that run to POR because it is a large resort. I have been on a few buses going different places at WDW and they always pack the bus. However that is better than waiting. We just now we are on vacation and we don't have to drive. We don't have any complaints. Go and enjoy

 

[Lilolvr]

Other POR Bus threads

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

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

 

[Mad4Mickey]

we will be there with you and I have been there lots of times at that same time and it was good except on EMH nights then it was really crowded if you waited to late. This time we wil lhave my sisters kids with us so there will not be to many times that we will be out till midnight : )

GO ENJOY ! it will be fun fun fun

 

[annabelle26]

You should be fine.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

POR was our least favorite mod...the buses were only one factor. I hate to say it, cause we are usually mods kind of folks, but the bus service at ASMu was much better - in part because of the queues. The main bus stop was a mob scene at POR. Even the ME bus was weak there - we were the FOURTH stop. Ugh! It took forever to get from MCO to POR. Each stop seemed to take forever.

 

[rheaday]

We stayed at POR from 6/12-6/15. We boarded at the West stop and had no long waits and did not have to stand going to the parks. We did have to stand leaving the parks but did not have a long wait for the buses. On a EMH night a Epcot the line for POR was longer than the other resorts but two buses came at the same time. The bus service was great when we were there.

 

[supersuperwendy]

We stayed at POR May 13th-19th and I wasn't crazy about the busses. I've stayed at CR, CBR, BWI, and BWV..I thought POR had the worst situation. We were closest to the south depot by the food court so that's were we caught the bus. This was my second time at a MOD with only busses to get you around. Of course you can boat to DTD, but we didn't go there very much. Once the bus arrived it always already had people on it. We were lucky to stand and by the time it stopped at all the other stops...there was NO room left at all. When you leave a park the POR bus stop is the furthest at all the parks. On our last night though they finally split POR and POFQ at MK so the line was slightly shorter to go back to the hotel. At DTD the boat line was really long so we went to catch the bus...we stood in the section for POR and everytime a bus pulled up...they wouldn't let us on..at least 4 busses in a row. They would drop and pull away..it was so frustrating. We are currently planning our next trip and although we loved POR as a resort...we thought the busses sucked. So we're gonna go back to the
Epcot resorts. Nothing beats being able to just walk!

 

[crazytp93]

I think it depends on a variety of factors:

1)The time of year you are there.
2)The bus stop (depot) you are at.
3)You are use to staying at a resort where there is a bus only for that resort.

Im staying at POR in August and the bus service will not keep me away. I have friends who have stayed there for 6 years in a row, no complaints. (they sometimes stayed at CHRISTMASTIME)

 

[hardingk]

We stayed at POR about 3 weeks ago and the bus service was not that good. We always had to drive to the main bus stop to get a bus there otherwise we chanced not getting a bus. The CM at check in told us to do this bc he said the buses fill up quickly and then they won't stop at the other stops. We waited over 30 mins for a MK bus. It never came, so we got on an EPCOT bus and then took the monorail. We wasted over an hour and a half and were so tierd when we got to MK, we only last about an hour there before going back.

We stayed at CSR in April and in May '05 and feel the bus service is much better there. Room quailty was the same in both.

 

[huey578]

We just got back and I did not think it was bad. Of course,at park close the buses were full but the wait was not too long.