Saratoga Springs Bus Upset

[Ksp]

We usually try to drive to the parks (not MK, though...buses seem to work better for that one) instead of using Disney buses. We have been using the the Magical Express to get to WDW, though, so we haven't had a car at WDW since that started. Bit of a trade off, I guess.

 

[Ducky4Disney]

The bus stop phones are in a little box off to the side of the shelter. I think I've seen them at all the resorts I've stayed at, but I can't say that for sure.

That's interesting about not being connected to the resort. There's a sign stating what number to dial to get different departments, but none of them seemed to work at the time.

Of course, even when you do get someone they just say "Oh, a bus should be there soon. We'll call transportation" - yeah, the end or our vacation is coming soon too! You never know if they actually call transportation or not.

D4D

 

[MrsToad]

Thank you for the phone location info. It is nice to know that those phones are there (for any issue that might come up).

 

[UrsulasShadow]

Ok, you guys must have been standing at a different stop than us, or in a parallel universe where buses never come!
I was there with my family from 12/25-31, and had to really wait for a bus maybe twice...but never more than 30 minutes! I found the bus service to be very good. I never tried to bus to DTD (too easy to walk), nor did I ride the internal resort bus...think I only saw it twice.
Worst thing that happened the whole time was when we first arrived. Didn't know there were 4 stops, hadn't found our room yet, and took a taxi to CG for our Christmas dinner, so upon returning to go to our room for the first time, we got off at Carousel (our room was Congress Park). Man, did we get lost! Luckily, we made our way to bell svcs and they gave us a ride to our room. How nice!

 

[Ducky4Disney]

Yeah, I never let bus service make or breaka trip for me. It's just hit or miss sometimes. I'll think they'll work it out soon enough.

D4D

 

[Eeyore77]

We had a horrible experiences with the buses there as well back in September. We would leave our room over an hour before we needed to be some where and we always ended up being late by about 15 minutes. It took 30+ minutes eveytime we had to go to the MK.... We would see all the other buses 3 or 4 times. We did complain to the driver and he got on his radio to let them know. I hate to hear that this is still a problem.

 

[Jimbo]

Well, our experience last week was that bus service from SSR was excellent. So I guess hit or miss sums it up.

In fact, the only time WDW transportation really let us down was taking a boat from MGM to Epcot. A boat arrived just as we got to the dock, but it filled up before we could get on. It was about 20 minutes until the next one came (and there were 2 more right behind it). Then the slow ride to Epcot, especially slow because of all the mouse boats that were in the water. We thought we'd never get there.

But every time we took the bus we were pleased with the trip. The waits were short, and with things being so crowded I don't think a car would have been faster. And it definitely would have been more frustrating.

 

[CALNEVA DISNEYFANS]

We were there in NOV. Used the bus twice. Waiting upto 30 minutes. Took the rental car for the rest of the vacation. The bus system is a good backup in our opinion... ie if someone in the group is tierd or needs to get back to the resort. I'll keep renting a rental car.

 

[Glenn]

When I go to Disney I dont want to drive. I was in the very last congress building 12/4-12/14 and the busses were not good. Average wait 20-30 minutes. Forget the internal buses, I ended up walking from Artist Pallet to the last congress buildings all the time after giving up waiting. One evening returning from epcot after illuminations the line was so long and slow people were grouping up taking cabs back. Pretty resort but it will be huge when its done. Wont go back since you need a car here.

 

[Doctor P]

We were at WDW from 12/23-1/1 and resort hopped the whole trip and used buses to get around the whole time. We used the bus transportation to and from the following resorts several times each during the trip: BWV, BCV, Dolphin, Swan, Polynesian, OKW, Port Orleans--French Quarter, VWL, SSR and Fort Wilderness. I now understand the complaints about the bus service at SSR. It was HORRIBLE, and notably worse than any of the other resorts. I waited 40 minutes for a bus to MK and the bus line at SSR in the middle of the day was amazing. I counted over 75 people waiting for a bus by the time I got on the bus to MK. Something seemed seriously wrong--maybe there was some kind of glitch, but the bus system didn't seem to be working well that day at SSR (and I was riding the buses a lot that day with no other problems as I hopped from OKW to Epcot to BCV to AK to Dolphin to BWV to Downtown Disney to SSR to MK to OKW and back to OKW).

 

[bicker]

One of the advantages of SSR (which it shares with OKW) is that you truly "get what you pay for." Since the resort is almost completely DVC, you get the transportation that your maintenance fees pays for. There is no interference with regard to what Disney wants/expects/is willing to pay for with regard to its own guests, as is the case at BCV, BWV and VWL.

So members can lobby DVC to increase the budget for transportation in subsequent years, and this kind of problem will go away, replaced by a higher maintenance fee. The question, then, is how many SSR members are upset enough about the busses to want to pay more in maintenance to rectify the situation.

 

[MiaSRN62]

We really wish we had one at OKW. I didn't like the busses there at all.

We've never had any trouble with busses at OKW thankfully. Particularily over the past 3 years we've felt a big improvement. We usually go during early August or early November and have stayed at OKW in '02, '04 and '05, most recently. If we waited 15 min, we felt that was long.....lol Seemed like every time we hit the bus stop, there was always a bus to one of the parks there. We only use our car at OKW for the water parks and resort hopping. We stayed at BWV in '03 and waited 25 min for the MK bus.

Sorry about your bus experience at SSR Youngdizluva18 (and others). Hopefully they iron out some of the kinks at SSR because we'd like to try a stay there one of these visits. It's good to know about the bus phones. Never knew this.

 

[melmel]

We were there on our honeymoon from 12/6-12/13. The bus service was HORRIBLE!!!! We didn't have a single wait under 30 mins, no matter where we were or where we were going, or what time of day it was. After just missing the MK bus at opening one morning we waited for over a HALF HOUR at for another one. At that point I called the front desk from the phone, and was rudely told that yes the bus was running and that wait was normal, even when I asked about it being opening, and therefore more busy, I was told yes that's normal. We have decided we will not stay at SSR again until the buses and resturant situation are fixed. We were also at PC and WL and had no problems at all at either one, it was just SSR. I'll even waste points to stay at non-dvc resorts if need be but SSR needs MAJOR help. We weren't welcomed home even once, and never had friendly or even helpful staff at the front desk. I'm very happy we had another resort after SSR because it was bordering on ruining our vacation we had such horrible service. I'll let lots pass but this was just rediculous. I hope someone steps in and fixes it soon or they'll start having a lot of resales the way they're going.

Melissa

 

[UrsulasShadow]

Hmmmm, maybe I had good service because I'm not a DVC member....the buses must sense these things.....

 

[beccasmom]

We stayed there in mid-November and felt the wait for a bus was often longer than necessary, but never seemed excessively long . Of course, we often had the luck of just missing the bus we wanted to catch.

SSR is a huge resort and I've often stated that a car would be handy. I don't usually feel a car to be necessary at WDW properties, but this is an exception. On this trip we stayed at the Paddocks and walks to the main buildings were a bit of a hike - and not a pleasant one in high humidity!

 

[dsneygirl]

We were at SSR in Oct and had great experiences with the busses. Stayed at OKW in Dec and had a couple of 30 min+ waits. I think it's hit or miss.

 

[DisneyPhD]

We leave in the morning for SSR, tmw at this time I will be most likely headed back to our room from Ohannas and dead tried. (up since 4:00 am and who can sleep the night before a trip to WDW anyway?)

Hope the busses are good. (we will be taking the rental car to the Poly for dinner so at least I won't be waiting for a bus!)

 

[Sammie]

It truly is sometimes hit or miss and that is not necessarily a fault of the system but just luck in catching a bus as it arrives to the bus stop. We call it Bus Karma.

As you walk to the bus stop you see your bus approaching then you have good bus Karma, if as you approach the bus stop you see your bus driving off and you have to wait for it to go to the stops at SSR and then to the park and back yes it can be at least 30 mins.

Even with a 30 min. wait I seriously doubt anyone saves time driving to the MK, parking in the lot, catching the tram, riding the monorail or ferry over any Disney Bus, it's all perception in that because you are moving in your car you are saving time.

Personally I find sitting at the bus stops pleasant and have had some nice conversations with fellow bus stop guests. It is all in how you look at the experience.

 

[Dean]

It truly is sometimes hit or miss and that is not necessarily a fault of the system but just luck in catching a bus as it arrives to the bus stop. We call it Bus Karma.

As you walk to the bus stop you see your bus approaching then you have good bus Karma, if as you approach the bus stop you see your bus driving off and you have to wait for it to go to the stops at SSR and then to the park and back yes it can be at least 30 mins.

Even with a 30 min. wait I seriously doubt anyone saves time driving to the MK, parking in the lot, catching the tram, riding the monorail or ferry over any Disney Bus, it's all perception in that because you are moving in your car you are saving time.

Personally I find sitting at the bus stops pleasant and have had some nice conversations with fellow bus stop guests. It is all in how you look at the experience.

MK is tough because of the need to park at the TTC if you drive vs arriving at the park by bus. For the rest, I'd say it saves us easily an hour to an hour and a half a day depending on which resort, what time and whether we make a couple of trips or just one. We use buses for MK, when we split up or when we plan to park hop without returning to the room.

 

[vince971]

We were at SSR 11/12-11/19. We waited 20- 25 minutes for most of our busses, which I have never had to do at any of our other trips. However we also never had a full bus, a huge plus for a party of 12. I am not sure which I would rather have, no wait or an empty bus.