Saratoga Springs bus warning

[DisDadX2]

Just a warning to those staying at SS and visitng DD. If it starts to rain, do not take the bus back to the resort. The route back stops at TL and with thunderstorms roaring overhead, everyone was leaves at the same time. It took almost an hour from the time we pulled in, till the time we got back on the road.

We were on our way back to the resort to pick up our Hoop de Doo tickets and ended up being 15 minutes late because of the TL stop.

That of course was the only bump in the road of what was a great week at Disney, will try to post a trip report later.

 

[mouseketeer70]

How was the bus service the rest of the time? I have heard horror stories about long waits and overcrowded buses to and from the parks. What was your experience?

 

[MollyMoo]

How was the bus service the rest of the time? I have heard horror stories about long waits and overcrowded buses to and from the parks. What was your experience?

We just got back from a 6 night stay at SSR and found that by and large the bus service was fine. We did wait 40 minutes for a bus to EPCOT on the first day but each of the other venues had at least two come by during that time so it had to have been a specific EPCOT bus issue. Our last night (again at EPCOT) we waited about 35 minutes for a bus back to the resort. People were getting a bit impatient but in all fairness I think it is easy for busses to get off schedule, especially when having to load wheelchairs. The loading of two wheelchairs on that trip took a full 10 minutes which is half of the "approximately every 20 minutes" time frame that is often quoted by Disney. All of our other waits to and from were very short ... especially in the evenings when leaving the parks (four minutes average) when you really don't want to wait.

 

[kmjmom]

That's good tp hear. We'll be at SSR next week and the bus issue was the only complaint I had heard.

 

[NOVATraveler]

I, too, will be at SSR next week. I'm going to try the busses, but am glad I'll have my own car as a backup plan!

 

[parrothead928]

We have stayed at SSR during Christmas and Spring Break 4 times and we have never had any issues with the bus service!!!

 

[dallastxcpa]

Just to let everyone know this is not a SSR thing. All of the buses that go to DTD from the resorts stop at TL when it is open.

 

[meggybear17]

also, if you are staying at SS and don't want to use the bus, if rain is an issue keep in mind that the boats will not run in certain inclement situations as well, especially if there is lightening

 

[stlocke]

We just got back yesterday from a 10 night stay at WDW (7 days at SSR and 3 days at OKW). We found the bus rides from SSR to always be LATE (on average about 30-35 minute wait rather than the 20 they tell you) and CROWDED (I would recommend trying to stay at the Grandstand...it's the first stop so you always get a seat). Most bus rides to and from any of the parks were standing room only. The bus service was definitely an issue while staying at SSR, so be prepared and make sure you give yourself PLENTY of time, especially while trying to make ADR's for meals!

On a side note, we thought the bus service to OKW was wonderful....on time bus service and not too crowded (we were the last bus stop). We are SSR owners, but have big concerns about the bus transportation there (and based on the number of complaints I heard from so many at the bus stops, we're not the only ones!)

 

[acpalmer]

We had a nine day stay at SSR in early June of this year and only had one long wait for a bus (and in all fairness, it was a total of 35 minutes, which isn't that much longer than the "20-30" that Disney quotes) and that was to Magic Kingdom in the late afternoon/early evening. We didn't find them to be late or crowded any other time. So no concerns from us about SSR buses!

 

[Cee]

We've adopted a "whatever bus comes first is the one we get on" attitude.
For instance, if we want to go to MK and an EPCOT bus comes, we get on
and go to Epcot and then take the monorail back to MK. After going year
after year, we've figured out ways to finagle it. It's fun!