Skyliner resorts buses to Epcot and HS reduced

[Sandisw]

Looks like the buses will only run once an hour now. IG just got way more crowded. Hmm...not sure the current set up will accommodate given this change.

 

[Meglen]

Yikes.I would have assumed they would done this after all the kinks are outta the skyliner.

 

[DduzDis]

Looks like the buses will only run once an hour now. IG just got way more crowded. Hmm...not sure the current set up will accommodate given this change.

We were just at BWV for a very busy Thanksgiving week. Rope drop crowds need to be anticipated for sure. We got there early, but if we had not, it was very crowded behind us. Otherwise, it was very manageable during the day. It never took me more than 10 minutes to get through. I think they also had a few of the tapstiles closed. So, there is more room for capacity.

The overall crowds in general seem to be busier. I am not sure it is one factor or another. WDW really needs another park before adding more resort rooms.

 

[Sandisw]

We were just at BWV for a very busy Thanksgiving week. Rope drop crowds need to be anticipated for sure. We got there early, but if we had not, it was very crowded behind us. Otherwise, it was very manageable during the day. It never took me more than 10 minutes to get through. I think they also had a few of the tapstiles closed. So, there is more room for capacity.

The overall crowds in general seem to be busier. I am not sure it is one factor or another. WDW really needs another park before adding more resort rooms.

I agree that during non peak times it won’t be an issue...but when they had the buses running like normal, guests were not using Skyliner. Now the bulk will,

But, maybe the reason for the decrease was because buses for the past few months were going empty a lot, so it’s possible the bulk were already using Skyliner.

Hopefully, they will adjust buses based on crowds.

 

[zavandor]

Wondering if this might cause RIV MF go down a bit. After the Aulani fiasco all point to DVC being conservative when estimating MF for new properties. If they budgeted for normal service buses, cutting them by 66% should help to bring down the transportation component of MF.

 

[Ms.Minnie]

I guess in two weeks I will be seeing for myself how the Skyliner effects the IG. I have been concerned about this ever since I heard about the Skyliner but I have no control over it so I guess it will be what it will be. I'm hoping for the best. I guess this is just another change in a long list of changes that I'm not real happy about. I hate to be a Debbie Downer (no offence to anyone named Debbie) and hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised with the lack of traffic at IG. One can always hope for the best.

 

[DaisyNY]

Disappointing to hear the drop in bus service...for our family that has some who do not like heights, this is a real dissuader to staying in those resorts...having to wait up to an hour for a bus, or schedule around one bus an hour... no thanks!

 

[CarolMN]

I guess in two weeks I will be seeing for myself how the Skyliner effects the IG. I have been concerned about this ever since I heard about the Skyliner but I have no control over it so I guess it will be what it will be. I'm hoping for the best. I guess this is just another change in a long list of changes that I'm not real happy about. I hate to be a Debbie Downer (no offence to anyone named Debbie) and hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised with the lack of traffic at IG. One can always hope for the best.

We were at the BWV 12/5 - 12/14 and used the IG pretty much every day at various times. The Skyliner was running consistently the entire time we were there (AFAIK). Many guests from POP/AoA & CB as well as those who just wanted to experience it were using it. There weren't many empty cars running by us in the mornings or evenings.

The IG was certainly busy, but honestly, it didn't take us any longer to get through the lines and into the park than it did last year at this time, even if we arrived just after a boat unloaded. (We always walked from the BWV). Disney enlarged & improved the access and added more staff there, too. I liked that they had a "no bag" line and a special line for strollers and EVCs/Wheelchairs.

I won't be popular, but I wish they had a special line for back packs - lines with those moved a whole lot slower than even the ECV / Stroller line. Can't imagine why anyone would want to carry those stuffed bags around all day, either. I sure wouldn't.

Anyway, IMO, the worries about delayed entry at IG is overblown. YMMV.

 

[bpadair32]

I think this makes sense, the Skyliner is far more efficient than busses, and will allow them to put more busses on routes that have really been needing them like those to and from AKL.

 

[Ms.Minnie]

We were at the BWV 12/5 - 12/14 and used the IG pretty much every day at various times. The Skyliner was running consistently the entire time we were there (AFAIK). Many guests from POP/AoA & CB as well as those who just wanted to experience it were using it. There weren't many empty cars running by us in the mornings or evenings.

The IG was certainly busy, but honestly, it didn't take us any longer to get through the lines and into the park than it did last year at this time, even if we arrived just after a boat unloaded. (We always walked from the BWV). Disney enlarged & improved the access and added more staff there, too. I liked that they had a "no bag" line and a special line for strollers and EVCs/Wheelchairs.

I won't be popular, but I wish they had a special line for back packs - lines with those moved a whole lot slower than even the ECV / Stroller line. Can't imagine why anyone would want to carry those stuffed bags around all day, either. I sure wouldn't.

Anyway, IMO, the worries about delayed entry at IG is overblown. YMMV.

Thanks for this information. I have been worried about this for some time now. I'm hoping that my worry have been all a waste of time and all will be well at IG with no major delays. It will be interesting to see how it is now that so many more guests will be entering at IG that previously was pretty much exclusively used by guests staying at the EP resorts area. I guess NOTHING stays the same for ever...I'm hoping fore the best.

 

[Akck]

Anyway, IMO, the worries about delayed entry at IG is overblown. YMMV.

I second this. We stayed at the BW in October and had no security delays at IG. The thing to remember about the Skyliner is that it provides a constant but low volume of guests going through security. Compare this to buses, which can drop off 100’s hitting security at the same time.

 

[Sandisw]

I second this. We stayed at the BW in October and had no security delays at IG. The thing to remember about the Skyliner is that it provides a constant but low volume of guests going through security. Compare this to buses, which can drop off 100’s hitting security at the same time.

Good points. I wasn’t even thinking about it being spread out!