repeated BUS ABUSE ON OUR TRIP THIS PAST WEEK

[3DisneyNUTS]

Well unfortunately what others have worried about I have seen 4 times this past week and we were only at SSR for 6 days. The bus hoppers are being told to take the SSR buses as an easy way to get to DTD. These are not even WDW resort guests!

The first instance was an elderly couple I overheard talking about not wanting to pay the $8 parking fee...Another SSr resort guest was giving them directions to get back to the west side where they were parked. It wound up to be a huge hassle for this couple late at night and I am sure this discouraged them from trying to save the $8 next time.

Second was a family who were talking about staying at the Wydham. They were coming back from Blizzard Beach.

Third was a family again coming back from Magic Kingdom. They were walking around the bus stop in a daze after exiting the bus mumbling to each other if this was the right stop. They were not sure of where to go to get to DTD. Call me evil but there was no way in heck I was going to make their lives (being they are abusing the bus system) easier so we walked right by them. They were also trying to get back the Hilton.

Last was family from hell. They had a ton of junk with them and the mother was loud and obnoxious. This was the most blatant abuse of the bus yet. When the bus stopped to unload she was yelling at the bus driver about going to the Hilton. He told her to get off there. She was saying something about a shuttle but either the bus driver did not understand her or just wanted her off the bus. We were not even on that bus but waiting at the stop to go to Epcot. She was yelling so loudly at the bus driver it carried out of the bus into the air to everyone waiting. She proceeds to get off with her family of 6 and they walk to the water from the Congress park bus stop. About 5 minutes later we hear her yelling at her husband about not being able to find the shuttle (((???))) She then comes over to another guest waiting for the bus (God I wish she came up to me) and starts asking how to get to DTD or the shuttle to the Hilton? Well the person explains that DTD is a five minute walk and she would have to go that way. There are no shuttles to the Hilton. She is now screaming at her husband about how the bus driver gave them the wrong information. She also was yelling that she couldn't walk since she has a bad back. She was complaining and moaning the entire time she was there and it was getting really grating especially since she did not belong there. She was blatantly abusing the bus system and felt entitled to complain about it too no less! So she was then yelling to her husband to call a cab! Then another guest tells her a DTD bus will be there within 20 minutes since she just missed it (I was screaming in my head 'no don't encourage her!!")

Fortunately for us the Epcot bus came and spared us from the misery of her (so I don't have a conclusion) but I am now extremely worried about 3 things.
#1 are Disney Cast members telling people to use the SSR bus as an easy way to DTD
#2 Do you think the DTD area resorts are telling their guests to do that (it would save them on their transportation costs for people to abuse the WDW transportation.
#3 My dues are paying for people like this to travel for free!!!!


I want to write a letter and explain my concerns and also report this. I mean if I saw it 4 times in 6 days how many other times has it happened where the people are just being quiet?
Who can I write to or call about this?

 

[Disney Doll]

So folks are parking at SSR to get to DD? Is there a aprking fee at DD? I have never paid one.

 

[carol1231]

The way I understand it, people are parking at DTD to go to the parks and save the parking fee at the parks, so they board the bus at DTD and proceed to the parks. Then when returning, they are taking the bus to SSR trying to get back to DTD where their cars are parked.

Is this correct?

 

[3DisneyNUTS]

The way I understand it, people are parking at DTD to go to the parks and save the parking fee at the parks, so they board the bus at DTD and proceed to the parks. Then when returning, they are taking the bus to SSR trying to get back to DTD where their cars are parked.

Is this correct?

Yes I am sorry. People are parking at DTD. SSR is gated ( as all the Disney resorts are) so no one can just come in and park.

 

[CDSTapisRouge]

So folks are parking at SSR to get to DD? Is there a aprking fee at DD? I have never paid one.

No, I think what the poster is saying is they are parking at DTD to avoid the parking fees for the theme parks and using the SSR bus for transportation to and from as there is not a direct DTD bus from the theme parks... and the others seemed to be using the SSR bus as it was the closest actual Disney bus to the Hotel Plaza Blvd resorts, as the Disney buses are more accessible (and frequent) than the Hotel Plaza buses when you are leaving the some of the parks... That is the way I read the post anyway...

 

[jkovick]

When we were at MK in January there was a CM standing in front of the bus stations explaining to a family that the quickest wat to get to DD was to take the SSR bus.

 

[3DisneyNUTS]

When we were at MK in January there was a CM standing in front of the bus stations explaining to a family that the quickest wat to get to DD was to take the SSR bus.

This is absurd!!! What the heck is going on? Why would they encourage this?

 

[3DisneyNUTS]

This is absurd!!! What the heck is going on? Why would they encourage this?

I could see if they are DVC resort guests but if not they should not be on the buses we pay dues for!

 

[Deemarch]

No wonder you can't get a parking space at DD!!! It's a mess over there...This may explain it.

Oh well, at least it's not easy for people to do, so they won't encourage others. The hardest place to get to by WDW bus tranportation is DD!!! IMO

 

[disworldnum1]

While staying at the BWV we were talking to a couple coming back from the MK and they explained to me how they park at the BW and go to mgm or epoct but this was the first time they had used the bus to MK and were dissapointed how long it was taking to get back.I cant hold my tongue and explained to them that if only the people who were supposed to be on the bus were there that i could have had a seat rather then stand the whole way back.The husband told me he thought the buses were for anyone visiting Disney and not just the resort people.I really don't remember seeing any signs at bus stops about who is entitled to use them,maybe I'm just not paying any attention.But maybe if you had to show your room key to get on this would be eliminated.

 

[RichieGraciemom]

I am new to Dvc and I was wondering is their a contact person we could complain to who will represent us to disney. Is their a board that does represent the vacation club with concerns of it's members? If not is their an address we could all right to and bombard disney transportation with complaint letters.

 

[CDSTapisRouge]

In response to Jkovick's comment "When we were at MK in January there was a CM standing in front of the bus stations explaining to a family that the quickest wat to get to DD was to take the SSR bus." and 3DisneyNuts response "This is absurd!!! What the heck is going on? Why would they encourage this?"

I understand what you are saying and I TOTALLY agree with it (I actually have a conversation with a security guard the other day asking them why they check ID's when you "drive" into any property...not just DVC...if you could walk onto any Disney bus without question and be brought in...he didn't have an answer...) BUT I am going to play devils advocate on this one... Again I agree with you but here is the Disney logic. They do not provide direct transportation from the theme parks to Downtown Disney, nor do they provide transportation from one hotel to another hotel. So the only way to get to these places would be to take a bus from point A to point B and transfer to get to Point C. The fastest way to get to Downtown Disney from MK using Disney transportation would be to take the SSR bus...Although I don't think most CM's remember that SSR is open as most CM's will tell guests to take the Caribbean Beach Bus and transfer to the Downtown Disney Bus from CBR.

 

[littlestar]

Didn't the old park hopper passes have some language that you are allowed to use Disney transporation for free? Maybe that is why a castmember would tell them it's okay to use a resort bus???

 

[WOW]

In all my years I have never seen any bus driver ask if you have a resort card in order to board the bus. They say a perk of staying on property is having free bus transportation, but I think non resort guests have been using the busses for years....

 

[eileenfk]

Perhaps the person, who wanted a shuttle to the Hilton, really did want the shuttle to the Hilton, and was given poor instructions, and ended up on an SSR bus. The Hilton does claim to offer transportation to WDW, and I am pretty certain that they have a shuttle of some sort.

Perhaps the WDW bus driver, assuming the person was trying to get to DTD, made her think that the shuttle to SSR was really the way to catch the Shuttle to the Hilton.

Is the use of the WDW transportation system an exclusive right of those staying on property.
I am pretty certain that my park hopper ticket stated something about use of the transportation system.
Is there a rule about using buses from a specific resort, which state one has to be staying at that resort or even on property?

Is there a specific rule, stating that one can only park at DTD while in DTD?
Is this clearly posted in the parking lot. That will stop some people.
Are there signs indicating that improperly parked vehicles will be towed? This stops another group of people, that are not stopped just by something being against the rules.
(I have never parked there, so I don't know how it is labled).

When I was staying at SSR there were people parking at DownTown Disney and using the SSR buses and SSR as a transfer point.
I didn't mind them doing this. This would probably irritate me more if I were a DTD shopper that could not find a place to park, then as someone staying at SSR using the busses.

Personally, I think that people should be encouraged to tap into mass transit systems as much as reasonable. The more people riding, the more busses (meaning more frequent busses). The more people riding the higher probability for future improvements (such as high speed light rail).


- Eileen

 

[Cora]

Just an FYI regarding the people staying at the Hilton at Downtown Disney. That hotel is an OFFICIAL Walt Disney World Hotel. Here is a quote from their website:
"An "official" hotel of WALT DISNEY WORLD®, make the most of your visit by taking advantage of the exclusive NEW Extra Magic Hours benefit. Each day one of the Theme Parks is open an hour early or stays open up to three extra hours in the evening providing Hilton guests the opportunity to enjoy exclusive access to some of the most popular attractions at an easy, relaxed pace!

You'll enjoy exceptional facilities at our Four Star, Four Diamond resort. We're steps away from Downtown Disney, home of the Disney Marketplace, Pleasure Island, and Disney's West Side. What's more, free transportation to WALT DISNEY WORLD Theme Parks is provided for all our guests. "

Although, these people may have been rude, they can ride the transportation. Also, WDW transportation is included in your ticket price after you've paid for parking (unless you are staying in the DTD area and are able to walk over and grab the bus).

 

[TDC Nala]

I was under the impression that anyone visiting WDW could use the transportation. I've never seen anyone check to see that only resort guests were using it, or only DVC members were using transportation to the DVC resorts (which wouldn't work anyway, because people who are not DVC members often stay at DVC resorts. BWV, BCV and WVL are also part of general resorts).

Disney stopped having direct buses from the parks to DTD to discourage people from dodging the parking fee by parking at DTD and taking the bus, but for those who don't mind wasting a lot of time transfering buses, it's not going to make a lot of difference.

 

[HumphreytheBear]

What's more, free transportation to WALT DISNEY WORLD Theme Parks is provided for all our guests.[/B] "

Just to clarify... I think that in the Hilton situation it was more what Eileen stated, they probably were just given mis information as to which bus they were to have been on... The Hilton has it's own direct bus that would not require the guest to walk down the block, across the street and through another hotel to catch a bus...it picks up at the Hilton front entrance. The Hilton pays Disney additional fees in order to be included in the EMH for it's guests it is not a "Disney hotel" but does have the perks. Their bus is one of the DTD Hotel Plaza Blvd buses and does not come directly to the front of MK (it goes to the transportation and ticket center) which also may have been why the guest was on the SSR bus, convience of front of the park pick up.

But either way, anyone can use the Disney buses. They do not check the ID's and are there for the transportation of all guests. It is frustrating when they are full and it is people that are not staying at that resort, but sometimes that is the only transportation provided for them. The Disney buses are not a DVC perk, they are for all guests of property.

 

[TIdoublegaER]

The easiset solution of all is to charge $8 to park at BW & DTD and be able to get free parking with a purchase of a certain $$ amount at any of the shops in those areas - or if you are an onsite guest. That would eliminate most of the abuse in both of these areas. I understand why people park at BW to go to MGM or Epcot because it is so close, but for the life of me, I can't imagine being so frugal as to park at DTD to avoid paying to park at the theme park. That just seems like a royal pain in the rear, especially since it is such a hassle just to get from a resort to DTD.

 

[iluvdisney]

This should be an easy fix for WDW - at DL they allow parking at their DTD for 3 hrs free - 2 hrs more if you get the pass validated - their parking lots are like ones at an airport where you take a ticket and pass thru a gate with a time stamp on the ticket. That would fix abusers of the parking situation, IMHO.