SSR & bus service - problem?

[Mischa]

Anyone know what is going on between SSR and the buses? This has happened a couple of times to us and it's beginning to get old real fast!

We've had to wait over an hour for a bus to SSR from one of the parks after closing. Tonight we waited for over an hour at MK for a bus to SSR. Riverside had 3 buses come to pick them up; Animal Kingdom Lodge had 3 buses; and Wilderness Lodge had 2 buses. Yet SSR had a LINE of people and we stood there waiting and waiting. Anyone know what's going on?

We finally got a bus when the dispatcher came out of her booth and we all started to yell and complain. Finally she made a call and low and behold a bus showed up!

this happened during our last trip too, but that was at Epcot. Same thing happened.

Just wondering if anyone knew - I know the DISboards know everything!

Thanks!!

 

[Tozzie]

I just got back on Friday from SSR and the bus service was great the only bus I waited more than 10 minutes for was going to DHS, everything else was great with the busses.

 

[K9pal]

We just returned yesterday and also no problems or waits whatsoever, EXCEPT for Thursday 9/18 after Spectro and Wishes. WOW what a wait! We thought we'd be smart, walk to Contemporary and catch a bus to DTD, then walk to SSR. Apparently not only did a lot of other people have the same idea, but no buses were coming to Contemporary. All of them were being directed to the MK. We walked back to MK and caught the bus. But if you think about the huge number of people all converging on the bus stop at the same time, there's going to be waits.

 

[DaveH]

Your kind of problem seems to be hit and miss for SSR and OKW. If the time is more than 20 minutes I go find a bus supervisor and let them know. I had one try and tell me I was wrong. He gave up when I showed him the stopwatch feature on my watch running and it was well pass 20 minutes.

 

[rutgers1]

I am starting to think this happens sporadically everywhere. When we were there in April, we waited about an hour at the Wilderness Lodge once, and our friends who came down with us waited about an hour at the Beach Club. I have found that complaining to someone, such as another bus driver, usually remedies the situation --- but I only complain if I have truly been waiting for an unreasonable amount of time.

 

[Mischa]

We don't mind waiting (especially if there is a large amount of people), we understand that kind of wait.

What we do mind is waiting and buses come for other resorts but NOT for SSR (like I said in my first msg - 3 for Riverside, 3 for AKL, and 2 for Wilderness Lodge - those are just a few that we saw while waiting). We did see a "supervisor" or someone "in charge" and when we (all of us in line) complained, her answer was "yeah well it's coming, one was just here a few minutes ago." Which did not sit well with any of us since we had all been waiting close to an hour with no bus for SSR in sight. That's the "problem" I'm interested in finding an anwer to.

 

[nhdisnut]

I would echo what others have said - this situation can happen for any of the resorts. In August we had lines (and corresponding waits) like I have never seen for BWV from AK. SSR had two busses at their stop before BWV got one.

For some reason SSR seems to get a bad rap for busses, but we have had extremely good luck there.

 

[Lynn5700]

I feel like you just have to get lucky with the busses.

 

[DisneydaveCT]

Disney is aware of the long wait times for buses. When I was at SSR in June, we were waiting for a bus and I began talking with a Disney Transportation CM who was standing there with a PDA. She told me that she was part of a team that was doing a time-study of the buses. According to this CM, they were going to enhance the tracking technology to better route the buses where there is a greater demand. I believe she mentioned that they were going to be using more GPS technology, but I am not sure. I would have talked with her more, but my bus arrived.

My total wait time, including the conversation, 5 minutes.

 

[lugnut33]

I will always have a car when I visit WDW.

I think WDW does the best they can with Magical Express, and the service is actually good. However, I like to be in control of where and when I go.

In August, we took a boat from POFQ to DTD and had to take a bus back due to a thunderstorm that rolled in. It was a 45 minute ride (excluding the wait time) back to POFQ. It's less than a 10 minute drive in a car.

 

[DutchsMommy]

We don't mind waiting (especially if there is a large amount of people), we understand that kind of wait.

What we do mind is waiting and buses come for other resorts but NOT for SSR (like I said in my first msg - 3 for Riverside, 3 for AKL, and 2 for Wilderness Lodge - those are just a few that we saw while waiting). We did see a "supervisor" or someone "in charge" and when we (all of us in line) complained, her answer was "yeah well it's coming, one was just here a few minutes ago." Which did not sit well with any of us since we had all been waiting close to an hour with no bus for SSR in sight. That's the "problem" I'm interested in finding an anwer to.

I really agree with this one - and it actually makes the waiting that much worse (and me that much angrier LOL). Generally we have had really good luck, but leaving MGM one night last April we were there about 75 mins (seriously - I was watching that clock!) and the exact same thing happened as described above. I can appreciate that sometimes things get a little wonky, but I think they do need to improve the dispatch when mutiple buses are pulling up for other resorts and there is a solid 2 bus loads of people waiting at your resort stop!

 

[tjkraz]

Buses are hit-or-miss and it wouldn't surprise me if Disney was cutting back on service with gas prices they way they are.

We always have a car available. The last few trips my wife has volunteered to take the bus back with the kids just so they get in their one bus ride. I've always beaten them back to the resort when driving.

And I think we've all lived thru the "___ buses for other resorts have gone by but none for me!" experience at some point...particularly at park closing. Doesn't matter where you're staying; Murphy's Law, I guess.