Saratoga Springs - They still can't get the bus situation right

[Fredonia85]

I'm in Saratoga Springs now, and can't be more dissapointed with the bus situation. We waited at Blizzard Beach for our bus, and the driver drove right by us! There were 8 of us standing there and he just drove right on by. We shouted and waived at him, hoping he would realize his mistake and come right back. No way. We waited over an hour for a bus back to Saratoga Springs. We ended up missing the DVC owners party at Downtown Disney because of this.
When I FINALLY got back to my room, I called transportation services to explain my dissapointment with transportation and SSR. They assured me they would make it up to me tonight for my visit to the parks in the morning. As of 11:45PM, they haven't done a darn thing besides give me lip service.

Also, as for the Magical Express that I was so impressed with before I left for vacation. It took over 4 hours for our luggage to make it to our room. When I called looking for it at 7PM, I was told it was loaded and on it's way at 6:24PM. I called back at 8PM asking for my luggage, and they told me it just arrived! My flight got in at 3:30PM and my luggage made it to my room at 8:15PM.

Do yourself a favor. Rent a car. Drive yourself to the attractions. Carry your own luggage. Don't buy or stay at Saratoga Springs, unless your going to upstate New York.

 

[Lyndylou]

I'm right on board with you. I hated it {the pools were great but that was it] We also waited an hour at Blizzars Beach for a bus back {twice} and on one occasion were very late for a dinner reservation. I didn't like any of the cm's we dealt with. We are a very easy going easily pleased family and we did have a laugh at the bus stop as we were the only family there [8 of us] Our eldest daughters were saying we were on some hidden camerea tv show to see how we would react as bus after bus came and went to every other resort
We will never go back to that resort. OKW rules [And BCV is fab.}

 

[russct]

Guess it is all timing-I have stayed at SSR 3 times and had no problems with bus service. Also, did ME and had no problems (but keep in mind I planned on not getting my luggage right away based on what I have read on disboard). I liked the opportunity to walk over to DTD and catch buses to any Resort on Disney property without having to take a bus to Disney Park to get Disney transportaion to BWV, WLV or any other Disney Resort.

 

[spiceycat]

understand where you are coming from - got up early to get my Star War tickets for the opening date. getting there was no problem. Getting back - well after I saw the fourth bus coming back for all the resorts except SSR. I start asking the bus drivers. there were 2 buses for FW so one of them changed for me to take me back to SSR.

I learned then and my next vist to DD were with shoes I can walk back to the resort with if I needed too.

sometimes the bus drivers will help you - if they can! sometimes they can't. depends upon how tight the schedule that the controllers sets up is.

oh when I complainted to the controller she got mad that a bus driver changed to allow me to come back. I should have complainted to disney about HER attitude but I didn't. make sure you do.

SSR has by far the worst bus transportation I have seem. Never doing it again without a car.

 

[barbnbrian]

We just returned from SSR on 8/19 after a one week stay. Had quite a few pleasant conversations with cast members and bus drivers at this resort. We did not encounter bus problems at all. True we did need to wait at times for a few minutes, but it was an unreasonable amount of time. We also took bus to Blizzard Beach. When we left the park around 3:00 p.m to had back to SSR, we waited around 15 mins. for a bus. The bus for SSR was never full, so maybe the number of buses assigned to the resort is based on occupancy for the week? The longest wait we had was on a Mon. night at the MK at closing time after the fireworks. I noticed one of the SSR buses pull away as I was walking to our stop, so had to wait for the next bus, but I think they maybe had only one bus running from the park to the resort and so we had to wait for it to go to the resort and then park to the park.

We took the ME bus and were the first resort stop on the way in from MCO and the last pickup for the return. We don't check any bags, so we didn't have to wait for our luggage. No complaints from us.

Sorry you had a back experience with the SSR buses this trip, but to tell others to never stay at SSR is a little harsh. We'll definitely be back again next year for our third stay at SSR. To each his own.

 

[sueg]

Our home is OKW, but in mid-August, we stayed, for the second time, at SSR. We did not have good luck with the buses, waited "awhile" each and every time. But the problem was not so severe that we wouldn't stay there again.

 

[jennypenny]

We stayed at SSR from Aug 6-12 and at least once a day waited almost an hour for a bus somewhere. I complained while I was there, and I'm going to follow up now that we're home. I don't mind having the occassional *bad luck* but once a day is not luck. My hubby says we can't go back to SSR until they get the bus problem fixed. Too bad--my kids loved the resort.

Jenny

 

[rinkwide]

Considering the layout at SSR, and OKW for that matter, I'd never think of staying there without a car.

 

[tomerin]

next time you have a bus problem look for the white unmarked vans that you often see bus drivers talking to the people inside. this july i had a split stay, pop then ssr, i was told the best way to get to ssr was to go to a park and then take a bus back to ssr. well i made the mistake of going to Mk on anEMH morn. well it shouldnt have been so bad but we waited at the ssr stop and so many buses kept passing by and no ssr bus. i know that there isnt really anyone going back to the resort at that time but even if there is only one they should be picked up. well i saw on ssr marked bus unload at a stop 2 places down for where i was wiaitng and it passed me by. so i asked another driver and he told me to go and askl the dispatcher who is sitting in the white van. i told him of my situation and he told me that somehow the bus driver diidnt see us and would be coming back around and will pick us up to go to ssr. next time you are waiting look for the van if you dont get any help fro the drivers.

 

[pmcpmc]

the driver was diverted from ASM route and then asked does anybody know the way to SSR,I'm New.

 

[flexsmom]

I think it occasionally happens for everyone, everywhere. We stayed at OKW in July (with a car, but not to take us to the parks!) and one day it was a 5-minute wait, while the next it was 45-minutes! Leaving EPCOT at 11:30pm the stop is shared by OKW and SSR - there were some rather rude people trying to push their way through the winding line to get on the bus, and it was two SSR buses that arrived first, I have to say. So, at any rate, I think it's kind of random!

 

[JimFitz]

This is why I always have a car at WDW.

 

[MrsNick]

Did one trip at OKW with no car, and one trip at AKL with car. Will probably never go to WDW without a car again.

 

[manning]

Here's an idea. The next time this happens, call DVC and tell them you are staying at SSR and the bus service is awful. Because of that you are having second thoughts about buying there.

 

[VTNuke]

The key to the ME is to not use the disney tags. Once you get to the airport, spend the ten minutes to pick up your luggage, walk over to the ME area, and the bus drivers will put your luggage underneath the bus. When you get to the resort, the bus driver will pull the luggage out for you.

It's really just like taking on of the other transportation buses before the ME. You still get the free ride and you get your luggage right away.

We actually did this by mistake and it worked out much better than if we hadn't. We were told by a CM before we left to put the luggage tags on the bags after we picked them up at the Orlando airport.

 

[MarylandPirate]

We just returned from SSR on 8/19 after a one week stay. Had quite a few pleasant conversations with cast members and bus drivers at this resort. We did not encounter bus problems at all. True we did need to wait at times for a few minutes, but it was an unreasonable amount of time. We also took bus to Blizzard Beach. When we left the park around 3:00 p.m to had back to SSR, we waited around 15 mins. for a bus. The bus for SSR was never full, so maybe the number of buses assigned to the resort is based on occupancy for the week? The longest wait we had was on a Mon. night at the MK at closing time after the fireworks. I noticed one of the SSR buses pull away as I was walking to our stop, so had to wait for the next bus, but I think they maybe had only one bus running from the park to the resort and so we had to wait for it to go to the resort and then park to the park.

We took the ME bus and were the first resort stop on the way in from MCO and the last pickup for the return. We don't check any bags, so we didn't have to wait for our luggage. No complaints from us.

Sorry you had a back experience with the SSR buses this trip, but to tell others to never stay at SSR is a little harsh. We'll definitely be back again next year for our third stay at SSR. To each his own.

I was there from the 13th to the 21st......had the same experience! Would defiantely use ME when flying! Buses weren't that bad for me either....My son and I stayed at CBR several years ago and nothing will ever compare to how bad the bus service was at that resort!

 

[jarestel]

We always rent a car, but don't use it for getting to the parks and back, since usually the WDW transportation options work fine. However, I've seen transportation horror stories posted about every resort, and I could tell you some myself. Fleeing to another resort doesn't guarantee buses won't occasionally have you waiting longer than you'd like. Delays happen everywhere, but it's best to look at the overall picture to come up with a more accurate picture of WDW transportation. I realize if someone has one or two bad bus/boat experiences over the course of a week, those are the ones they are going to remember, as opposed to the other 90% of the trips when everything went fine.

As far as ME goes, at least the price was right. I like to have my luggage with me when I check in, so that's one "perk" I always pass on anyway.

 

[Fredonia85]

Update:
Transportation services sent over 2 "Fast Passes" for everyone in my party. These were the type of fast passes that you don't have to come back at a certain time to get in the fast pass line. These passes were great! I appreciate the effort of the transportation managment to help us out.
I don't think it was adequate compensation for what we all missed out on, but again, the managment did try to help.
As for Saratoga Springs in general, I don't think I can stay here again, and I'm glad I own OKW. I know OKW has it's flaws, but I didn't pay TOP DOLLAR for the points! You definitely pay too much at SSR for the service that they provide. I mean, even when some of the bus drivers tell you "on the sly" to walk over to Downtown Disney and get a ride from there, rather than wait the eternity for a ride from the resort you paid top dollar for, you know there's a major problem.
I don't think Disney is going to fix the problem because they aren't willing to spend the money to make it right. This problem has been going on since the opening ceremonies. They really just think it will all just go away or something.

 

[dtauer]

We were also there from 8/13 - 8/20 and didn't have any major issues with the bus transportation. The only problem we had was coming back from DTD, this was the longest wait of the week. From now on, we'll walk back from there.

 

[tjkraz]

You definitely pay too much at SSR for the service that they provide. I mean, even when some of the bus drivers tell you "on the sly" to walk over to Downtown Disney and get a ride from there, rather than wait the eternity for a ride from the resort you paid top dollar for, you know there's a major problem.

While the problems you describe are inexcusable, transportation issues throughout WDW are not exactly unheard of. Routes change. Quality of service changes. To imply that these problems will continue indefinitely is ridiculous.

Less than a year ago, WDW had single busses servicing FIVE resorts in the Epcot area (BW, Swan, Dolphin, YC, BC). Since then, the situation has been re-evaluated and changes implemented.

I don't think Disney is going to fix the problem because they aren't willing to spend the money to make it right. This problem has been going on since the opening ceremonies. They really just think it will all just go away or something.

Disney doesn't need to spend money to fix the problem--member dues pay the operating costs of the resort, including transportation.

That said, your complaint was that a driver (i.e. human being) missed your stop and drove right by. Whether it was an honest mistake or a bitter driver having a bad day, that's human error.

How do the comments "pay too much at SSR for the service they provide" and "aren't willing to spend the money to make it right" relate to a poor experience with a bus driver?