say no to parking costs

[paulh]

I was told by a CM last year that the bus drivers at DTD check resort IDs to ensure people weren't using the buses for that purpose.
I asked as I was working out a route from OKW to WL and thought getting the boat to DTD then a bus to WL. In my case as I had an OKW resort ID and an ADR for WCC I was told I would be let on the bus.
Not sure how vigilant the bus drivers are but thought it worth mentioning...

That used to be the case years ago but now they even have a sign out in mornings telling you which resort bus to catch.
Paul

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

We hate it! It took us 90 mins to get from Epcot to the Contemporary last week! In that time I could have got back to the villa and cooked dinner! Personally I would pay the £8.50, not worth the hassle at all.

Why would you take the bus from EPCOT to CR? I would have got Monorail to TTC,then monorail to CR.

 

[truck1]

goddamit i thought i had found a loophole

Sorry.

I was told by a CM last year that the bus drivers at DTD check resort IDs to ensure people weren't using the buses for that purpose.
I asked as I was working out a route from OKW to WL and thought getting the boat to DTD then a bus to WL. In my case as I had an OKW resort ID and an ADR for WCC I was told I would be let on the bus.
Not sure how vigilant the bus drivers are but thought it worth mentioning...

Im not sure they do that anymore.Ill have to ask a friend of mine that still works over there.When I worked in busses, from 95-2002, we didnt id anyone.One of the reasons was that with most park passes at the time, included free transportation.I think the Magic your way still has the free transportation, since you can come and go from the parks at will.

 

[Tony Toon]

I agree with wayne. We don't do buses (DH goes a lovely shade of green ) but always buy one AP for the fringe benefits (free parking, reduced price tables in wonderland card, discount on rooms, half price mini golf etc). You don't have to be going for very long to make it worth your while. This is the first time we've all had APs. All these visits to see DD!

Mrs TT

 

[wideeyes]

I use the WDW transport and I have found it good most of the time, though I use public transport at home as I don't drive. It just always seems to take ages to get from DTD to any resort on a bus.

 

[Hilary]

I am a huge fan of the Disney transport system - for us it makes park-visiting so much less hassle than driving ourselves. Maybe we're inherently lazy but it seems so much easier to just let someone else do the driving/navigating/parking etc. and, if we want a drink with a meal, we can have one.

It just always seems to take ages to get from DTD to any resort on a bus.

Agreed - it does always seem to take twice as long as it needs to!

 

[Cyrano]

We are buying an AP since it will save us the cost of parking. But I agree with others it is not worth the hassle spending your day sitting on various buses just to save £8.50.

 

[Scrap_Vamp]

My daughters loved that too "remember to collect all packages and take small children by the hand" aaawww you're really making me sad now as we've got to wait until Sept 2011!

We always love when you come round the corner to the bus station for the Magic Kingdom and you get the Mickey Mouse Club March fanfare!

 

[igk]

Sorry.


Im not sure they do that anymore.Ill have to ask a friend of mine that still works over there.When I worked in busses, from 95-2002, we didnt id anyone.One of the reasons was that with most park passes at the time, included free transportation.I think the Magic your way still has the free transportation, since you can come and go from the parks at will.

Interesting - when I called transportation to ask they CM was quite strict about it, and made me feel almost guilty for asking! She only grudgingly conceded that I might be allowed on in my case.
In the end we drove to WL and DW didn't drink...

Maybe I will brace myself and ask on the Transportation board

 

[torsie24]

We always love when you come round the corner to the bus station for the Magic Kingdom and you get the Mickey Mouse Club March fanfare!

Us too!!

Or when he bus pulls into the EPCOT parking lot and you get the imagination song!!

 

[wayneg]

Interesting - when I called transportation to ask they CM was quite strict about it, and made me feel almost guilty for asking! She only grudgingly conceded that I might be allowed on in my case.
In the end we drove to WL and DW didn't drink...

Maybe I will brace myself and ask on the Transportation board

I always believed the whole transportation system was included in ticket prices, not part of resort rates. So even if staying offsite no problem to use it all.
Maybe you were given wrong info

 

[torsie24]

I just assumed the whole system was for anyone to use.

It's unlikely you'll be on WDW porperty without a park ticket. But then even if you were shopping in DTD and then had a dinner reservation at a Resort without going to a theme park at all I can't see a problem.

I guess even if people wanted to park at DTD for free no one would stop you, but you certainly would never make rope drop, and the hassle just wouldn't be worth it.

 

[igk]

I always believed the whole transportation system was included in ticket prices, not part of resort rates. So even if staying offsite no problem to use it all.
Maybe you were given wrong info

The official line from Disneyworld.com, Complimentary Resort Transportation (this is the US site so usual caveats about getting on there), is that resort transportation is a benefit of staying at a WDW resort hotel:

Complimentary Resort Transportation

Complimentary transportation throughout Walt Disney World Resort—including transportation to and from Disney Theme Parks and Disney Water Parks—is available to Guests of select Walt Disney World Resort hotels.

and

Benefits of Staying at Select Walt Disney World Hotels

Extended Theme Park Hours
Complimentary Airport Service
Complimentary Resort Transportation
Disney Dining Plan

So by implication, if it is a benefit of being a resort guest it must therefore not be available to non-resort guests. So technically you can't use resort transportation unless you're a resort guest (presumably non-resort transportation is available to all).
In this context since you'd need to go via a resort to get from DTD then you would need to be a resort guest.

I had a browse on the transportation board - it looks like IDs are sometimes checked at night, but it isn't strictly enforced, so maybe the CM I spoke to was just being over-strict.

 

[disneyholic family]

I always believed the whole transportation system was included in ticket prices, not part of resort rates. So even if staying offsite no problem to use it all.
Maybe you were given wrong info

it was always my understanding that only the transportation from parking lots to the parks are part of the ticket price. For example, the ferry and monorail from the TTC parking lot to the Magic Kingdom.

and that the transportation from the resorts was meant for resort guests - e.g., the boats to the parks from WL, FW, GF, etc.and the buses from the resorts.

I remember that years ago, they used to check for resort IDs (especially on the boats going to the resorts). I haven't been ID checked for years on the boats or buses, but i thought the rules haven't changed.

 

[Lizzybear]

I've used the buses (not to avoid parking fees, didn't even have a car on those trips!) as a day ticket holder (staying offsite) on previous trips, nothing was said and none of the buses were even close to full so I doubt we were inconveniencing anyone. Never seen or heard of anyone being IDed, but I guess it must happen occassionally.

 

[wideeyes]

DVC annual dues that goes towards the cost of running the DVC resort pays towards bus transportation so I would assume that the cost of staying in a resort also pays towards bus transportation from resorts to the parks. Anyway I would hope that is the case as plenty of non DVC members stay on cash reservations at DVC resorts.

 

[truck1]

Interesting - when I called transportation to ask they CM was quite strict about it, and made me feel almost guilty for asking! She only grudgingly conceded that I might be allowed on in my case.
In the end we drove to WL and DW didn't drink...

Maybe I will brace myself and ask on the Transportation board

Before you do that, let me ask a friend of mine that is still over there. When I was there from 95-2002 I worked most of it at DTD area driving the Superbus and then the RTS.Then those new things that are replacing the RTS style busses.I wouldnt qualify them as a bus.They are a serious pita.

Anyway, I found this on MousePlanet, and Im searching for something better waiting on a phone call.

Who can use Disney Transportation
Whether or not you can "legally" use WDW's transportation system depends on two things. First, all "park hopper" admission media permits the bearer to use WDW's transportation. Annual Pass holders, for example, are permitted full use of the system. Second, guests of Disney-owned and operated resorts are permitted full use of the system during the duration of their stay. It is possible, literally, to use airport shuttle transportation to take you to and from your Disney resort and use only Disney transportation during your entire visit. With the WDW transportation system at your beck and call, and the fact that all Disney resorts are located right on the grounds, you are normally within forty-five minutes of your room no matter where you are in WDW.



The "Park Hopper Passes" are whats now the Magic Your Way Passes.

 

[Frances999]

it was always my understanding that only the transportation from parking lots to the parks are part of the ticket price. For example, the ferry and monorail from the TTC parking lot to the Magic Kingdom.

and that the transportation from the resorts was meant for resort guests - e.g., the boats to the parks from WL, FW, GF, etc.and the buses from the resorts.

I remember that years ago, they used to check for resort IDs (especially on the boats going to the resorts). I haven't been ID checked for years on the boats or buses, but i thought the rules haven't changed.

This was my understanding as well. I believe that Disney do occasionally still check for resort IDs, particularly during busy periods. I remember a year or two ago the bus driver required everyone to show their resort ID on July 4.