ssr bus hopers

[paulh]

Another answer would be to charge for DTD parking or limit the time for free parking to say 3 hours, unless of course staying onsite or have an AP.

.

If the rumoured free parking comes about at the parks,with a slight incress in addmision.would be no problems
Paulh

 

[Chuck S]

But even by going DTD to TTC you need to get across to MK, be it monorail or boat, whereas the resort buses go directly outside MK. I am surprised people took the DTD-TTC-park option as it can be very time consuming.

Claire

I'm not surprised at all. Locals don't get free parking, unless they have an AP. Many locals purchased the special "play 4 or Play 5" (or whatever they were called tickets), giving you 4 or 5 days at a substantial discount. Also the FL seasonal passes, which give park admission most of the year except for the very busiest seasons, do not include parking.

 

[Chuck S]

If the rumoured free parking comes about at the parks,with a slight incress in addmision.would be no problems
Paulh

I doubt that will happen, parking is a cash cow.

 

[Claire L]

If the rumoured free parking comes about at the parks,with a slight incress in addmision.would be no problems
Paulh

Now that may an answer to the problems. As many vehicles have 4+ passengers then the increase will not be great per person.

Claire

 

[ITGirl50]

My DD and I took a bus to SSR from HS to go to DTD. I asked the bus driver if that was the best way to get there. He didn't know and didn't offer any advice. I figured it would be easy to walk to DTD from SSR. It wasn't.

I asked people on the bus from SSR how to get to DTD and they told me to get off the bus at a bus stop at SSR and ride another bus to DTD. We could have done that from our own resort. We have AP and DVC. I see no problem with using all WDW transportation. The trip to DTD still took over an hour.

Leaving from the BWV would have taken longer. The bus to DTD from the Epcot resorts is a nightmare and can take a couple of hours of waiting, riding/standing, etc.

Why is it soooooo hard to get to DTD? My DH refuses to go there. One night we waited over an hour to get on a bus from DTD and then it was so full, there were no seats. Also, lots of drunk people on the bus. He was sick and running a fever and the whole trip to/from DTD was awful. It seems like every time we try to get to DTD it's the same long wait story.

 

[spiceycat]

when they have a bus situation - not enough buses but too many people waiting - they take the DTD bus.

also it stops at TL too.

it makes 2 or 3 stops at DTD (depending upon if West side is open again yet) - then it goes to TL - then to your resort.

at OKW, SSR, CBR, CSR, PO - it is also the internal bus - that takes you to around the resort to the main building/lobby/restuarant/food court.

so the DTD bus does a bunch of double duty. still the controllers are at fault.

they know the need to reassign the DTD back - and sometimes unless you call and complaint they don't.

plus to prevent people who do park at DTD - if the buses are unreasonable - hoping they will start to park at the theme parks.

Saving $11 per person is not enough to make me park at DTD. You loose more than an hour time - riding this bus - and trying to save money.

of course have an annual pass - don't know if I would feel the same way if I didn't.

 

[spiceycat]

My DD and I took a bus to SSR from HS to go to DTD. I asked the bus driver if that was the best way to get there. He didn't know and didn't offer any advice. I figured it would be easy to walk to DTD from SSR. It wasn't.

you got off too soon.

you need to get off at Congress Park - then just follow the people....

or go toward the quiet pool - the path to DTD is in front (behind) of this thing next to the lake. - go left - takes around 5 minutes to get to the DTD buses for your ride home.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I really think they should have to show ID.

 

[hakepb]

Now that may an answer to the problems. As many vehicles have 4+ passengers then the increase will not be great per person.

Claire

Except then you take away a great reason people stay on-site. "Free Parking" It is easy to rationalize paying more for a value than off-site due to the $11+ discount on parking.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

-- If they increase the price of park tickets instead of charging for parking, than as the previous poster stated, on site guests just lost a benefit.

-- Around 3 years ago I was asked for my resort ID when boarding the boat from the MK to the Poly (we were staying at the Poly). I was informed by the boat captain that it was only for guests of the Poly and GF.

I would rather have a root canal than try to find a parking spot at DTD.

MG

 

[Claire L]

Except then you take away a great reason people stay on-site. "Free Parking" It is easy to rationalize paying more for a value than off-site due to the $11+ discount on parking.

But how many onsite guests using the parking lots? We have only used them once in all our visits.

Claire

 

[Brian Noble]

The easiest solution to a variety of DTD/WDW's problems is to adopt the model that DTD/Anaheim uses. Limited free parking with an hourly charge after that. DTD merchants provide validation to extend the duration of free parking for guests spending money at DTD.

 

[Chuck S]

But how many onsite guests using the parking lots? We have only used them once in all our visits.

Claire

We use the parking lots, often. We usually drive to WDW and stay at OKW, we usually drive to most of the parks as our car is equipped with a lift for Mom's wheelchair. There are a lot of onsite guests that drive to/from the parks rather than wait for the busses, or that have disabilities that make traveling by car much easier.

And again, parking fees are great for Disney...minimum wage employees collecting $11 per car = big bucks, and it gives a "perk" to advertise to encourage people to stay onsite.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

But how many onsite guests using the parking lots? We have only used them once in all our visits.

Claire

We do the vast majority of the time.
We always have a rental car, and the only time we don't drive is when we visit MK while staying at VWL.

MG

 

[Doctor P]

The easiest solution to a variety of DTD/WDW's problems is to adopt the model that DTD/Anaheim uses. Limited free parking with an hourly charge after that. DTD merchants provide validation to extend the duration of free parking for guests spending money at DTD.

Having used it, I agree that this system at DTD-Anaheim works very well. And, at DL, one can actually access theme parks easily from DTD.

 

[Claire L]

The easiest solution to a variety of DTD/WDW's problems is to adopt the model that DTD/Anaheim uses. Limited free parking with an hourly charge after that. DTD merchants provide validation to extend the duration of free parking for guests spending money at DTD.

Agree this would be the best answer as long as the maximum validation was say 5 hours or less not all day as that would defeat the object.

Claire

 

[M-I-C-K-E-Y]

As long as there are "rules," there's will be people plotting to break them. Short of a true (and probably expensive, in terms of time, manpower and fuel) crack-down, they'll never make all bus users flash their IDs.

Recently we saw a family run up to the OKW bus (which we were on and was about to leave the MK, with only us on it) and jump on, with joy. They (like us) got off at the first stop in OKW. While we walked toward our building, they sat themselves down and waited for the DD bus. It's pretty obvious that they were skirting the rules.

At the end of the day they have to live with themselves. Yes, a great way to teach their kids how to work the system - and yes, they seemed well versed in working the system... Whatever the parking cost is at the MK (haven't parked there for years) our time is worth more than the cost. To save a few dollars they probably took an hour or more to get back to their car at DTD.

 

[Hunclemarco]

Hello
I do have to say that Disney also encourages use of parking at DTD. We were staying off site and went on the DVC tour. The CM's and guides told us to park at DTD, and just leave our vehicle there for the day. We appreciated that they were trying to help us out.
Not knowing what i've been reading about now, we thought we were following the rules...Disney employees were encouraging us to act and use the transportation system the way we did.
There may be those that are trying to save a dollar or two by parking at DTD,(i agree that parking at DTD for skipping parking fees is wrong) but i just wanted to mention that there are some of us that were just following direction from Disney, and in our case, it was DVC themselves.
We had Park hoppers then, and we now have AP's, so that will not be an issue for us in the future.
I also agree that the bussing system is going through a tough time, not just at SSR. I imagine when we go on our next trip, that there may well be bussing issues; and that SSR may be loaded with passengers from other resorts. But i know that i use the same transportation system to get to other resorts to go to their respective Dining areas... not any different than other patrons using the SSR bus going to DTD. (ok...i know there are probably bigger crowds going to DTD than those going to resorts' dining reservations, but the point is still made)
With the volume of people that are at Disney, it would be something to think that there wouldn't be crowds everywhere...including the bussing system. A person expecting a care free situation under these circumstances will be heading for dissapointment.
We're suppose to be on vacation...taking things lightly...not being so serious and on the run all the time anyway.
Just my thoughts on the matter.

 

[bunkkinsmom]

First - It's been too long since I've bee there (7 years) for me to even comment, but I'm gonna.

Second - You were probably invited to park at DTD because you were doing the DVC Tour? I mean, they are trying to get you to buy, right?

Third - We stayed at Coronado Springs last time, and the bus system was great, only once did we wait longer than 20 minutes. I never even realized that one day visitors that were not on property couldn't use the bus. Maybe it's the resort I was at, no one needed to "transfer" from there?

Fourth - I must say that I absolutely LOVE the "No Ma'am" avatar. I've seen you on several posts, and I laugh and laugh

 

[Brian Noble]

Agree this would be the best answer as long as the maximum validation was say 5 hours or less not all day as that would defeat the object.

As it happens, I think this is exactly the limit. I want to say that three hours were free, and you could validate up to two more hours.

Recently we saw a family run up to the OKW bus (which we were on and was about to leave the MK, with only us on it) and jump on, with joy. They (like us) got off at the first stop in OKW. While we walked toward our building, they sat themselves down and waited for the DD bus. It's pretty obvious that they were skirting the rules.

It's also possible that they were just random resort guests headed for some shopping or dining at DTD, they saw the OKW bus sitting there as they were walking to the bays, and hopped on, excited not to have to wait. Any guest would have to transfer at a resort to get to DTD, no matter the reason they were going---legitimate or no. And, if I were staying at, say, AKL, I'd much rather transfer at a resort in the DTD area---which would include OKW.

Of course, a clever guest would have just kept walking to the CR, and caught a direct bus from there.