Sheraton Safari WDW shuttle bus - anyone used it recently?

[TaraPA]

Has anyone stayed at the Sheraton Safari recently that has used the free shuttle to WDW theme parks? Do they run fairly consistently, or are they scheduled? I have a chance to stay here for free in fall, but am an onsite Disney snob, so I'm worried that it just won't be up to par of staying onsite. But for free I may have to give this serious consideration!

 

[rosiep]

I was going to stay here too until I saw their bus schedule. It only goes out three or four times in the am and then has three or four scheduled returns. Plus..I asked if they provide busses for special events like MNSSHP and they said "no" you'll need to take a cab. That did it, I canceled my ressie's and booked a Downtown Disney Hotel (Royal Plaza) whose busses are more frequent. Otherwise the Sheraton appeared to be a very nice..here's a really good website to visit: hotel.http://www.wvnh.net/sheraton/sheratonsafari.htm

 

[tasha99]

I stayed at Sheraton Safari last year for 4 nights and 4 nights at CSR. What a difference being onsite made! The Sheraton Safari shuttle only went out a few times every morning, then a few times in the evening. We had to wait almost an hour for our return shuttle out on a big, hot parking lot (there were numbered spaces--no cover, no seats. It was miserable in September.) My son, who is usually a trooper, had a meltdown out on that parking lot--not a pretty sight to see an 8-year-old losing it like a little kid, but he was wiped out from touring all day. I would suggest renting a car; maybe you can get a good deal on Priceline.

 

[TaraPA]

Thanks for the replies, that is what I was afriad of. I'll just suck it up & pay to stay onsite like I originally planned. Nothing beats staying at a WDW resort!

 

[Lisa BC]

Just throwing out an option for you....

for $40ish per day, you can take a cab back and forth the the parks. So if your hotel stay is free, spending the $$ on the cab is actually pretty reasonable.

If you decide to use the cabs, be sure to use the ones that are painted the typical yellow color. All the yellow cabs charge the same amount and are metered. The other cabs are private and rates may vary way too much.

 

[rosiep]

What about a DTD hotel? Their rates are very reasonable and their shuttles run more regularly...although not as often as Disney buses.

 

[FayeW]

How many times a day do you need to come back and forth? The shuttle has several departure times in the morning, and several for each park in the afternoon/evening. You can always take the bus or monorail to a different park if the shuttle time is more convenient there.

The Sheraton Safari is a really nice place and although I have never stayed onsite I understand the amenities it provides puts it on par with a disney moderate at the very least, and possibly the deluxe (it does have queen sized beds so I think that would put it at deluxe). I can't imagine giving up a free stay there for the sake of a bus schedule!

If nothing else, you could take the shuttle in the morning and then a cab when you are ready to come back. Or take a bus from one of the resorts to DTD and then the cab from there (that would only be a few dollars). I mean, seriously, you can take a lot of cabs for what you are willing to spend to stay onsite and have a bus! Even a value during value season is going to cost you $60-$70 per day, plus tax.