Several questions about SoG transportation

[nicolem]

We have a large group going in June, and 6 of them will be staying at SoG, while the rest of us are at OKW. I'm trying to do as much research as possible, because the group staying at SoG (which includes my parents, who are in their mid-60s, and my grandmother, who is almost 90) doesn't know a lot about WDW and I'm worried about them getting lost or confused or frustrated! So here are my questions:

1) Is it true that DME is not available for SoG guests?
2) Because there are only two buses (one to TTC and one to AK/MGM/BB), I'm afraid the lines for the buses might be so long that they don't make it on until the second (or third) time the bus comes around. Is this a valid concern?
3) Are the buses wheelchair accessible? My grandmother can walk, but we're bringing her wheelchair because she tires easily and she has trouble walking up stairs.
4) From what I've read, the SoG buses aren't parked with the rest of the Disney resort buses at each park. How far is the walk to them compared to the walk to the regular buses? (Again, I'm thinking of the ages of the people in our group and how tired they'll be at the end of the night.)
5) My parents are planning to leave the parks at mid-day to take my DS (who will be 23 months) to their room for a nap each day, and DH and I had assumed we would be able to take the bus over to SoG to pick him up in the late afternoon. Now I'm reading that we would have to have a SoG key to get on the SoG buses. Do the bus drivers really check for a room key? This throws a serious kink in our plans!

Thanks to anyone who can take a stab at answering these questions! My family is getting together on Saturday to discuss the trip, and I'd like to have all of this information memorized by then!

 

[kaytieeldr]

1) Yes, they are NOT eligible to use DME. This service is available to only Guests at Disney-owned and operated Resorts.
3) They should be; it's been several years since I stayed at SoG, at the time the buses looked like schoolbuses, but I think they've gotten new ones.
2, 4, 5) Check wwwshadesofgreen.org There's a link for the property's transporation that may answer more of your questions.
5A) How many rooms will they have? Would it be possible for them to get you a key so at least one of you can ride the SoG bus? Also, many Guests walk from the Polynesian to SoG (and reverse); you might want to try that. The SoG road is across from the side exit/entrance to the Poly parking lot.

 

[Soarin' Rocks]

When we stayed at SOG, we used Tiffany Town Cars to get us to and from the airport. Granted you have to pay and DME is free, but at least you don't have to leave for the airport 3 hours prior to your flight time.

I can't remember for sure, but I thought there were three different busses you could take...one to TTC that runs every 15 minutes (never had a problem getting on one of those busses). There was a bus to BB, AKL and MGM that left every half hour (only was full one time...the morning of EMH at MGM...we solved that by walking to the Poly and taking their bus to MGM). I think there's a third bus to DTD, but now I'm not sure. I wouldn't worry about not making a bus because it's full...there's always the bus to TTC and the walk to the Poly. BTW...there's no bus to go to Typhoon Lagoon....we had to walk to the Poly to catch their bus go to to TL.

In the morning when it is busy, there is usually a lady who helps people get to where they need to go. She asks where you're headed and then tells you the best way to get there. She's great!

The SOG busses are wheel-chair accessible..didn't seem to ever be a problem to use.

The SOG busses have their own bus stop at the parks just like the other resorts do (except for MK and Epcot where you take the monorail to/from the parks and get picked up/dropped off at TTC). I can't remember exactly what number the stops were at MGM and BB, but they were right there with the rest of the resort stops. On the other hand, the bus stop for AK was out of the way. The drop off/pick up point is in the middle of a big parking lot, along with the other tour busses. The walk isn't outrageous, but it is definitely the farthest stop. When the SOG bus drops you off, they tell you exactly where to pick up the bus and there is a shelter/benches where you can wait for the bus, but the shelter is not right next to the stop (but it is close enough for you to see when the bus is coming).

We have NEVER been asked to show a room key or any type of resort ID to board an SOG bus. There should be absolutely no problem being able to ride the SOG bus even if you're not staying there.

We've stayed at both SOG and OKW and loved them both! You'll have a wonderful time! Hope this helps!

 

[stm61]

the lady who knows everything about busses is Betty and she's wonderful! She's the bus supervisor and if you have any problems at all she wants to know about it. We were there in Sept and never were asked for any id before getting on a bus. What we did, since I was to cheap to pay for a van, was to use ME and stay at a disney resort the 1st night, then switch to SOG the next morning. Then switch back to a disney resort for the last night. We traveled with only carry-on luggage so it wasn't a problem to move baggage. I remember several busses, one to TTC, one to AK, and one to MGM. The water parks shared buses with one of the other parks, and I remember Epcot sharing with another park also. The bus stops were in different places at each park. I think AK was the worst, out in the middle of the parking lot. BB was great, the first stop outside the park! TL was at the end of the bus stops, and the rest I'm not remembering so they couldn't have been to hard to find. The walk to Poly could be a problem if your older folks aren't used to walking or pushing a wheelchair. There is a golf cart that runs most of the day and evening but I don't remember what time it stops. It will take you to the rd and then you walk across to the Poly. We had a horrible time with the timing of the SOG buses. TTC was every 15 min but the others were every hour. The problem was one of them was on the hour, one was on the half hour, another was 20 after or 20 till, etc. On the wkends the drivers tended to set their own schedules (Betty was off) and not bother to clue the guests in. This was last Sept so hopefully that's been dealt with.

One suggestion: have your parents ask for a rm close to the desk. The rms in the older section are quite a walk to the newer section and that's where the lobby, restaurants, and busses are.

 

[nicolem]

Thanks guys! This is exactly the type of information I was hoping for ...I've already called my dad and broken the news to him about not being able to use DME, so he's thinking about renting a minivan for the half of our group that is staying there. If they end up doing that, they can drive it to the parks if the buses aren't there when they need them.

I'm having so much fun planning this megatrip for my family. I keep finding out things that I didn't know - and I sort of considered myself an expert! (Well, I'm still the expert in our family ...)