Resort Buses

[GlennI]

Do any of the DVC resorts have buses that are dedicated to that resort only? I know the value resort POP Century does and was curious about others.

 

[Claire L]

SSr and OKW do and AKV shares with AKL at the moment and that will probably continue when Kidani opens.

Claire

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

Part of our dues go to pay for maintenance of our DVD-owned buses. That's why OKW and SSR buses are limited in their operations. They can't just pull another bus on line when it's a peak time like they do for other Disney owned resorts. That's how it was when DVC started, so I'm assuming it's the same now. AKV, VWL, BWV, and BCV all share buses with their non-DVC portions, but I believe we assist in the upkeep of those services, splitting the cost with WDW Transportation.

Nancy

 

[CarolMN]

Part of our dues go to pay for maintenance of our DVD-owned buses. That's why OKW and SSR buses are limited in their operations. They can't just pull another bus on line when it's a peak time like they do for other Disney owned resorts. That's how it was when DVC started, so I'm assuming it's the same now. AKV, VWL, BWV, and BCV all share buses with their non-DVC portions, but I believe we assist in the upkeep of those services, splitting the cost with WDW Transportation.

Nancy

I'm not sure this is correct. AFAIK, the DVC does not own any buses, boats or monorails.

My understanding is that all of the DVC resorts contract with the Transportation Department for service, just as the non-DVC resorts do. I believe the service is based on the estimated number of riders.

 

[CraftyMouse]

I'm not sure this is correct. AFAIK, the DVC does not own any buses, boats or monorails.

My understanding is that all of the DVC resorts contract with the Transportation Department for service, just as the non-DVC resorts do. I believe the service is based on the estimated number of riders.

This was my understanding as well. The buses are handled by WDW Transportation, not by the resorts themselves. OKW and SSR can have buses pulled onto their routes, as needed.

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

Maybe my phrasing needed help. It's a matter of financials between different divisions of the same company.

There is always a "division budget" and financial exchange has to happen somehow. In other words corporations, someone internally has to pay for what happens. The bus service/Disney Transportation is not a "cost center", meaning their division does not provide it's own stream of income - they do not charge guests for their services. The money to operate this has to come from somewhere. That somewhere is each resort.

When I became a member in 93, it was explained that a portion of member dues went toward the costs of operating and maintaining the buses that serviced our DVC resorts. Disney Transportation is responsible for providing the service to DVC for a cost. Just like many cities "buy their public transportation" from a company that contracts with them to provide it.

This was how it was explained that there were only so many buses in the allotment and that it was due to financial reasons. Sure, they can add buses to the routes if needed, but we as members and guests don't see the money changing hands behind the scenes to pay for that extra service. All we see is the seamless transition of it happening for us.

If we didn't have limitations on the buses due to finanacial issues, do you think we would see so many complaints across the boards about how long it took to get a bus at a DVC resort and about how few buses seem to operate at SSR, OKW, AKV, etc? The same is true for non-DVC - those resorts have budgeted allotments, as well. Ever heard the gripes about how there aren't enough buses to support PO and POR?

Food for thought from someone with way too much corporate understanding...
Nancy