repeated BUS ABUSE ON OUR TRIP THIS PAST WEEK

[tomerin]

time to end this

 

[3DisneyNUTS]

this is why cast members hate dvc owners...everybody thinks you are owed something because you own dvc....what about the family of four that just paid $1000 for park passes are they entitled to use the buses....you guys just complain and whine about every little thing.....
why should you hold your sleepy son on the bus...how do you know that people on your bus didnt pay for thier room or are not dvc members...the world should not stop because your kid is sleepy....you can either wait for the next bus and get a seat or leave the park earlier before your son falls asleep so you dont have blame your inconvienence on everybody else.....
when i go to disney i enjoy my trip and dont worry about who is at what pool and not a guest and who is on the bus that i PAY FOR and not a dvc memeber...as a matter of fact neither of those 2 questions or concerns ever enetered my mind....rules are you kidding me...morally wrong are u kidding me.....get a life people and worry about something important......

You know what I am done....Everyone is entitled to everything and you know what? Feel good about yourself and scam every bit out of WDW you can. Put 10 in a studio, park at DTD and go everywhere, pool hop to everywhere because your admission to the park entitles you to it as long as you can do it "technically". Better yet park at any of the resorts you wish and use the transportation to get to the parks so you don't have to pay the measley $8. Knock yourselves out!

 

[MiaSRN62]

Allears: what do the Admission tickets include?
Regular Magic Your Way Base tickets provide entrance to a single theme park on a given day. Use of Disney transportation is included with admission.
The Annual Passport entitles you to unlimited admission with park hopping privileges to the 4 Main Parks for 12 months with no blackout dates*.. Complimentary use of WDW transportation system - monorails, ferryboats, and motor coaches - is include

Thanks sjdisneywedding for posting this. I couldn't find anything less than vague and general on the main disney.com site.

Better yet park at any of the resorts you wish and use the transportation to get to the parks so you don't have to pay the measley $8. Knock yourselves out!

In looking back over all the posts, I feel that the majority of us felt using SSR busses to get free parking was abuse. Alot of us state this---myself included in a few posts. But where I disagree, is that offsite guests aren't entitled to use the disney transportation, as a whole, to visit resorts for dining/shopping/spas (i.e.). In other words, legitimately patronizing a resort. I think several of us feel this way & this seems to be the dividing line in this topic. Like I said, there would be alot of offsite folks pretty much stranded if not for Disney transportation---and again, I don't agree with hitching busses to get out of parking.

Putting "10 in a studio" or "pool hopping" from offsite/or non-DVC onsite guests does not seem to be anywhere near condoned here in this thread or anywhere on the boards. Maybe a couple people here have very different/opposing viewpoints, but they're the minority. Everybody has their own opinion. But I think the majority feel using SSR to get to DTD or out of a parking fee is abuse.
3DisneyNuts, I think you're just, understandably so, upset with the SSR/DTD bus situation.

 

[d-r]

What would be interesting to me is to know what percentage of the transportation budget of SSR is being paid by the SSR dues. If dues are paying 100% of the budget for the SSR busses, then it sort of bugs me if CMs are telling people to use the SSR busses to go to downtown disney. However, I think that whenever anybody buys a park ticket or stays in walt disney world resort, a portion of that cost goes in to the transportation budget as well. So, if there is some portion of the SSR transportation budget coming from that pool and not just dvc dues, then it doesn't really bother me. And I suspect that's the case but I don't know.

At first I thought that maybe it was all a wash, because SSR owners can use other transportation at walt disney world if they want to - like the monorail, or take a boat to the ft. wilderness from magic kingdom for hoop de do, whatever. But then it occured to me that the SSR owners are also paying for tickets that should have some portion going to transportation costs.

So that left me wondering what percentage of the SSR transportation costs are payed out of dues.

You know, it really does wash out some though if you think about, people paying ssr dues might stay at bcv or vwl or bwv and use the transportation there, or whatever. So they are paying for SSR transportation and someone else is using it, and someone else paid for the transportation where they are staying and they are using it. But if 100% of the busses are paid out of dvc dues then I really wish cms wouldn't recommend it.

I remember one evening we had eaten at the cal. grill and were waiting to catch the monorail to the ttc to bus back to wlv, because it was 11:00 or so and the boat wasn't running anymore. A lady came up and asked the CM at the platform how to get to the boat to ft. wilderness. So the CM gave her directions, and the lady turned to go. I said, wait, the boat stopped running at 10 (or whatever time it was back then), and the lady stopped and said, oh no, how do I get back, and we told her. I kind of looked at the CM like ***, and she shrugged and said "she asked me how to get to the boat, not what time it stopped running." My point is, I think CMs can get worn down and give out directions like that without really thinking it through.

 

[golfnut1264]

scam everything out of dw as you can....dv is the most exspensive place in the world to vacation...that is why i bought into dvc to save money...i dont scam anything...it is not about someone scamming dsney..it is about you people worring about it....dvc is such a small entity of disney..they need money from everywhere and anywhere....how does anybody on this board know for a fact that people are parking at dtd to save $8..maybe they want to go shoppng before or after going in the parks or going to a restaruant.....
they strategically put gift shops at exits dvc booths in high traffic areas..disney would be thrille to let someone park for free,use the busses and than go spend $15 $20 maybe $100 shopping or stop off at ssr and purchase dvc.....ridding the bus is scamming if you park at dtd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MiaSRN62]

then it sort of bugs me if CMs are telling people to use the SSR busses to go to downtown disney.

I can remember, maybe going back 2 years on these boards, about CM's encouraging people to take the OKW bus and then take the Trumbo Ferry over to DTD. I think this sort of thinking on Disney's part has been going on for awhile. I bet people may still be doing this at OKW but now they have SSR to gain access too.

 

[lllovell]

golfnut - I am not sure where your anger comes from, but if you think everyone here is whining, then stop reading hun. Life is too short.

The main point here that I think most people are concerned about is IF the SSR buses are paid for completely by SSR (since it is a dedicated DVC resort and transportation costs ARE part of our dues), then the CM's suggesting it to everyone as a mode of transportation to DTD is not right. It would be like the bellhop at the airport directing me to use your company's limo service at the airport because its going my way - so scoot over and let my family pile in, maybe leaving you to not even have a seat - and all at the expense of your company.

We are part of one entity in the big overall scheme of things. SSR is not any different than other hotels to most people at WDW (CMs or guests alike) so from that perspective, I can see them offering the buses as a mode of transportation to DTD. You can stay there if you are not a DVC member with cash (if the rooms are available) right? So in many respects, it IS just another hotel on property. HOWEVER, if we are paying exclusively for the bus transportation, that changes the issue.

For the people that are saying it will not be a big deal once SSR is complete, I disagree. I believe that the buses at SSR will be more and more full, requiring MORE buses to run (especially if that becomes the accepted transporation mode for DTD guests from the parks) thus upping MY dues to cover the cost of transportation going up.

Maybe someone could ask and find out if we are paying 100% for transportation or if it is subsidized by Disney. That is a fact we are missing which makes most of the "discussion" here conjecture.

My family are drivers at WDW. My sons don't like trips to MK that don't include the monorail, so we pretty much take our car everywhere. My limited experiences with the buses have shown me that it takes me far longer to travel that way, so I am fine with driving. (AP owners - so parking fees is not an issue either). But, if my dues are going to go up, then this issue matters to me.

 

[sjdisneywedding]

In looking back over all the posts, I feel that the majority of us felt using SSR busses to get free parking was abuse. Alot of us state this---myself included in a few posts. But where I disagree, is that offsite guests aren't entitled to use the disney transportation, as a whole, to visit resorts for dining/shopping/spas (i.e.). In other words, legitimately patronizing a resort. I think several of us feel this way & this seems to be the dividing line in this topic. Like I said, there would be alot of offsite folks pretty much stranded if not for Disney transportation---and again, I don't agree with hitching busses to get out of parking.

Putting "10 in a studio" or "pool hopping" from offsite/or non-DVC onsite guests does not seem to be anywhere near condoned here in this thread or anywhere on the boards. Maybe a couple people here have very different/opposing viewpoints, but they're the minority. Everybody has their own opinion. But I think the majority feel using SSR to get to DTD or out of a parking fee is abuse.
3DisneyNuts, I think you're just, understandably so, upset with the SSR/DTD bus situation.

this pretty much hits the nail on the head, as far as I can tell as well.

 

[sjdisneywedding]

scam everything out of dw as you can....dv is the most exspensive place in the world to vacation...that is why i bought into dvc to save money...i dont scam anything...it is not about someone scamming dsney..it is about you people worring about it....dvc is such a small entity of disney..they need money from everywhere and anywhere....how does anybody on this board know for a fact that people are parking at dtd to save $8..maybe they want to go shoppng before or after going in the parks or going to a restaruant.....
they strategically put gift shops at exits dvc booths in high traffic areas..disney would be thrille to let someone park for free,use the busses and than go spend $15 $20 maybe $100 shopping or stop off at ssr and purchase dvc.....ridding the bus is scamming if you park at dtd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ill have to disagree, I doubt people are driving to DTD, walking to SSR, taking a bus to a park, then doing it all again in reverse just to shop at DTD when in reality they could just park at the theme park first and drive over to DTD when they where done.

Theres obviously people trying to avoid the parking fees, I dont think theres too many disagreeing with that

 

[snyderla]

If you are staying on WDW property, you are entitled to use WDW bus transportation. It says that in all the literature. It's one of the perks, period. Just because you are staying at CBR doesn't mean you can't take the SSR from MK to DTD! You can, because you are staying at WDW. Now, for those staying on Hotel Plaza Blvd, NO! That's wrong. JMO

Lori

 

[nowellsl]

If you are staying on WDW property, you are entitled to use WDW bus transportation. It says that in all the literature. It's one of the perks, period. Just because you are staying at CBR doesn't mean you can't take the SSR from MK to DTD! You can, because you are staying at WDW. Now, for those staying on Hotel Plaza Blvd, NO! That's wrong. JMO

Lori

Why is it wrong?

As an annual passholder I am entitled to ride Disney transportation even if I am staying at one of the Hotel Plaza Hotels.

 

[lllovell]

Maybe I am misunderstanding, but aren't the Hotel Plaza hotels ON PROPERTY? Isn't this the hotels down the street from DTD? If so, I can assure you that I was told when I was booked at the Grosvenor last summer for a short trip THROUGH THE DISNEY CUSTOMER SERVICE that these hotels are "on property".

Are you allowed EMH admission if you are staying there? (wish I could remember more, but I am an AP holder and was actually visiting people at OKW most of the time so we rode with them for bus service)

 

[sjdisneywedding]

If you are staying on WDW property, you are entitled to use WDW bus transportation. It says that in all the literature. It's one of the perks, period. Just because you are staying at CBR doesn't mean you can't take the SSR from MK to DTD! You can, because you are staying at WDW. Now, for those staying on Hotel Plaza Blvd, NO! That's wrong. JMO

Lori

its not so much using the transportation, I think its been established its pretty much open to everyone, its that people are putting strain on the SSR bus system(which apparently is paid by SSR dvc members in dues-but at what % is still being thrown about) by being cheap and trying to avoid not paying a parking fee at the parks

generally this may be something to just deal with, but probably not if dvc members are paying 100%

 

[nowellsl]

Maybe I am misunderstanding, but aren't the Hotel Plaza hotels ON PROPERTY? Isn't this the hotels down the street from DTD? If so, I can assure you that I was told when I was booked at the Grosvenor last summer for a short trip THROUGH THE DISNEY CUSTOMER SERVICE that these hotels are "on property".

Are you allowed EMH admission if you are staying there? (wish I could remember more, but I am an AP holder and was actually visiting people at OKW most of the time so we rode with them for bus service)

Yes, they are on Disney Property (but not owned or operated by Disney). The only one that allows EMH is the Hilton because it pays Disney for the priviledge.
The point I'm making is that as long as you have a ticket that allows it (and they all do) it doesn't matter where you are staying, you are still eligible to ride Disney transportation.

It seems to me it's the same as someone who rides the Disney transportation from Downtown Disney to the Contemporary and walks to the Magic Kingdom or riding it to Boardwalk or Beachclub and walking to Epcot or MGM. Is that fair to people staying at the Contemporary or Boardwalk when they go ride a bus from Downtown Disney and have to wait in line with these people? The bottom line is people hop from place to place all over Disney and it's perfectly legal.

 

[MiaSRN62]

As an annual passholder I am entitled to ride Disney transportation even if I am staying at one of the Hotel Plaza Hotels.

You're right
It's stated and accepted everywhere that offsite guests can use wdw transportation......some folks just don't like it & wish they could change the policies that wdw set forth (such as snyderla).
It's ridiculous imho...............

 

[sjdisneywedding]

Maybe I am misunderstanding, but aren't the Hotel Plaza hotels ON PROPERTY? Isn't this the hotels down the street from DTD? If so, I can assure you that I was told when I was booked at the Grosvenor last summer for a short trip THROUGH THE DISNEY CUSTOMER SERVICE that these hotels are "on property".

Are you allowed EMH admission if you are staying there? (wish I could remember more, but I am an AP holder and was actually visiting people at OKW most of the time so we rode with them for bus service)

doesnt even matter if they are or arent, ALL tickets allow for use of the transportation system

 

[lllovell]

Yes, they are on Disney Property (but not owned or operated by Disney). The only one that allows EMH is the Hilton because it pays Disney for the priviledge.
The point I'm making is that as long as you have a ticket that allows it (and they all do) it doesn't matter where you are staying, you are still eligible to ride Disney transportation.

Thanks - was not sure about the EMH deal. I agree about having a ticket = right to ride. No arguement there. I was just not sure if those hotels had the same priviledges. (I was certainly encouraged to walk across the street and take the buses from DTD by the front desk at the Grosvenor, so I am guessing they do have transportation priviledges as well - - - or maybe just more "abuse" .)

I am only concerned about SSR owners (mememe) not getting charged the full boat for the extra needs transportation that is going to occur from DTD being so close. I don't even mind "sharing" buses if Disney helps pay for them. I just want enough running (which will improve as more people are staying there) for me to be able to get on with a reasonable wait.

I have also never had parking issues at DTD and we go everytime we visit (Legoland is a must for a 3 and 5 year old set of boys!). So, I am not really sure how much I care about people cheating. I take that back, I think its wrong if you go to all that trouble to avoid paying the $8, but I don't let it effect me.

 

[lllovell]

It seems to me it's the same as someone who rides the Disney transportation from Downtown Disney to the Contemporary and walks to the Magic Kingdom or riding it to Boardwalk or Beachclub and walking to Epcot or MGM. Is that fair to people staying at the Contemporary or Boardwalk when they go ride a bus from Downtown Disney and have to wait in line with these people? The bottom line is people hop from place to place all over Disney and it's perfectly legal.

I think the issue here is more about the CM's encouraging it. The SSR route (and apparently OKW before it) are the given route when telling people how to get to DTD. I don't know that I have heard of many people being told to use that particular route to get to their destination. To me that is where the difference lies. If it is standard to tell everyone to use the SSR buses, if we are paying for it all as DVC members, then that needs to be adjustes and more buses added.

 

[lllovell]

doesnt even matter if they are or arent, ALL tickets allow for use of the transportation system

I agree 100% about the ticket/transportation policy even if I have concerns about SSR (and who pays for it).

 

[tjkraz]

So that left me wondering what percentage of the SSR transportation costs are payed out of dues.

I did a quick best-guess calculation, and I don't think we are paying 100% of the costs.

Assumptions:

Average number of busses in service: 10 (2 to each theme park, 1 DD/TL, 1 BB)
Average operating hours per day: 16
Days per year: 365
Driver compensation: $18 (includes wages, matching taxes, healthcare and other benefits, unemployment contributions, etc.)

If you multiply all of that, you get over $1 million annually in driver compensation alone. That does not include anything for depreciation on the equipment, fuel, maintenance, or any costs related to the boat service.

Transportation costs for 2005 are budgeted at $1.4 million. Unless some of my assumptions are way off the mark, I don't see any way that members could be funding 100% of the transportation budget.

And, WDW / DVC is subsidizing a pretty good portion of our annual fees with no exact detail on which expenses are being subsidized. Some of it could easily be earmarked for transportation.

Unless someone can prove that we're paying 100% of the bill, I really don't see how we can object to CMs encouraging people to use the SSR busses to get to DD. I still think WDW would be wise to run busses direct from the theme parks to DD at night--and not just because of this issue. How much traffic is DD losing at night because there is no direct service? If I had to take two busses to get from a theme park to DD late at night, I can just about guarantee that I'd get as far as my own resort before I said "aw, forget it...I'm too tired for this."

My guess is the bus routes (and quality of service) will change many times over the next few decades.