Really - how bad SSR bus service to parks?

[mfin]

Curious, on other recent SSR bus service experiences after reading a previous thread this week. Mom, DD (4) and I will being going first time to home resort SSR the first week of April. Last year we stayed at the BC for a business trip and the bus/boat service was fine to MK, MGM, DTD. Wait was short and we were lucky to catch a bus with no stops.

As a single mom, trying to keep the costs down and I'm considering the Magical Express to SSR and the bus service to the parks. We are staying 5 days and plan only 3 park days, 2 MK & 1MGM - you know 4 yr olds pool rules, since we have over 40 years to see the parks, no rush to cram it all in the first visit. We all get up at the crack of dawn, so hitting the first bus to the parks would not be a problem but truly will it take 1 1/2 hours to get there? My thoughts if we go back to SSR for nap time (hahahaha more for mom) how long will it take to get back to the park in the afternoon. I also wanted to rely on the bus system to get to a few character restaurants at the Contemporary & Grand Floridian, how much planing is needed for an arrival time?

 

[kpk89]

Noooooo it won't take you 1 1/2 hours to get to the parks. Request the Springs section of the complex, which is closest to the pool/ restaurant / etc. It's also a quick walk to the Springs bus stop, which is the last stop on the way out of the resort. (so once you hop on, you won't be touring around the resort en route to the parks) You'll be on the bus maybe 20-30 minutes, depending on where you're going.

I would only recommend going back for a nap if you REALLY need it. We found it easier to stay through dinner (an early one, granted) and then call it a night. The 2 yr old fell asleep in her stroller or in restaurants (lol, I don't think she sat and ate with us once!) and the 5 & 6 yr olds were fine as long as we took rests from time to time. Sit and have a snack, book a reservation for a table service restauarant, or just find some quieter attractions to refresh. I did find that buses FROM the parks TO the resorts in the midday were more sketchy. And my kids wouldn't actually sleep, so they'd be just as tired.

Have a great trip!

 

[jennsuko]

We stayed at SSR the first week in December with a 15 mo. old. The busses were fine. There was only one time we had to wait longer than 10-15 mins. That was trying to get back to SSR from MGM. We waited about 30 mins that time. Most wait times were 5-10 mins. We stayed in Congress Park and like the short walk to DD. I think if you go in with reasonable expectations (meaning you know you will have to wait a little - Disney is not providing a personal door-to-door service after all), then you will be fine.

Have fun!

Jennifer

 

[btrim]

We love SSR! It is our home resort and we have never had to wait very long any any type of bus either at the resort or at the parks. However, that does not mean that you could have some problems. I don't care where you stay, someone has had problems at one time or another. I don't think SSR is worse than any of the other resorts. Our last visit, DH and DD had to wait 45 at BWV for a bus. Would that discourage us from staying there, no! We always go with the attitude that we will enjoy ourselves and won't let a slow bus or anything else ruffle our feathers. Disney is good, but they can't be perfect all the time.

Enjoy yourself and enjoy SSR!

 

[fishermouse]

We'll be going to SSr again in April, we've been there for both the Flower show, and for wine and food and have never had a transportation problem. Longest wait we had was maybe 20 minutes and that was leaving MGM at night after the show.. I'm sure 4th of July etc. is busier but you'll wait for all the resorts then. Just remember your on vacation there's no hurry.

 

[shantay1008]

We always go with the attitude that we will enjoy ourselves and won't let a slow bus or anything else ruffle our feathers. Disney is good, but they can't be perfect all the time.

I think you are so right about having a good attitude. Sometimes I start to get worried when I read reviews about bad this or bad that, and then I remember that things always seem to work out fine and we have a good time. I think the important thing, too, is having realistic expectations about what people in your party can handle and being willing to change plans if necessary. The only thing I really have on my agenda for this trip is to get over to OKW to check it out for future big family gatherings. Also, my dad and I love key lime pie, and we're always on the lookout for a really good one. We'll see how Olivia's is....

Our plan with our four little ones (1, 3, 5 and 7) is to get ourselves moving as early as possible (I laugh as I write that) and get to the parks. When the kids (or adults) start to show signs of wear and tear, we'll catch a bus back to SSR and swim and relax a bit. My extremely energetic mother can then take whichever kids still have energy back to the parks for parades, fireworks, etc.

I will be happy just wheeling the baby around, enjoying the sun. Although I might have to hand her off to DH or a grandparent so I can try that new rollercoaster at MGM

 

[franktsjr1]

We just returened from SSR and I can tell you that the wait is not bad at all. It is also not necessary to request a room near the Springs, its only a couple of minutes between all the inter resort stops.

 

[LAWalz23]

Just back last week and it was a mixed bag. Some waits were short and some were longer. Overall it was fine though. Usually the buses were not crowded except when you leave a park at closing, then folks going to DTD seem to also be on the bus because they heard the bus to SSR is the quickest way to DTD.

 

[wrwrwrwreee1971]

We stay in SSR with DVC and have never had bus problems.

 

[Daitcher]

I didn't have any issues with the busses during my only stay at SSR. No more than a 15 minute wait.


DAVE

 

[DVC-Don]

Just got back last night from SSR. Stayed in Congress Park and my longest wait for a bus was 15 and that was just once. All the others were less than 10 minutes.

 

[athenna]

I've stayed @ SSR twice so far. 1st time last April (New England school vacation week, ugh, don't know why I chose that week) and never waited longer than 10 min max w/the exception of returning back after Illuminations one evening.
Stayed there this past Nov-Dec and never waited more than 10 min.

 

[Lisa1976]

You must have all been lucky, we were at SSR for 11 nights from 9th Jan and found the bus service awful, on average we waited around 30 minutes for a bus, the return trip from Epcot to SSR was a complete shambles, two resorts for one bus stop and no one had any idea of a queing system, this was the same at Magic Kingdom, although there was a bus stop solely for SSR, the queing was ridiclous and the wait times awful. Im just glad we had a car, because the times we did wait for a bus we got so annoyed with it that most of the time we drove into the parks.

 

[rigsby25]

We are just back from a stay at SSR. I did an experiment with DH while we were there and timed our wait. It was 7 minutes. I asked him if it felt like a 7 minute wait, and he said it felt like a lot more than 7 minutes. I think it might depend on how anxious you are maybe? But we felt you either wait for a bus, or have to park your car and take a tram. I think the bus wait is shorter and you can save your walking for the parks.

 

[SueOKW]

re: not renting a car - -- we always take the bus to MK, so those are days we wouldn't use the car. That only leaves one extra bus ride for you - MGM. The worry i have about your plan is getting to other resorts... what's your plan there? Walk to DTD and catch those buses?

re: going back for breaks - - when we do that - sometimes we find we are happier at OKW and sometimes don't go back to the park!

 

[shellbelle1971]

We just got back from 4 nights at SSR. We never had a bus/transportation problem. We stayed in the building in Congress Park closest walking distance to Downtown Disney (Marketplace). We realized that we could always take a bus to the DD Marketplace stop and walk back to our room from there...easy!