SSR Treehouse bus time?

[cuteinnocent]

I've heard it's not ideal taking the bus from Treehouse villas. How long did it take exactly in the mornings to get there (we want to get to parks when they open)? Do you have to leave an hour early or what to get to the parks?

How much time does it actually save with a car since you have to park and still shuttle from parking right?

 

[Pakey]

We only took the bus once when staying at THV (the rest of our group had already left with the car). It took us over an hour from when we walked out of our villa until we arrived at the park entrance.

If you take the bus from THV, you will be transferred to SSR. So if the timing isn't perfect, you wait 20 mimn at the THV bus stop, then you change at SSR Springs, where you could wait another 20 minutes again. And since you change at the Springs stop, the last stop within SSR, the park buses could already be full and you may have to wait for a second bus.

If you are going to take a bus, it would be easier to take the 10 minute walk to SSR's Grandstand section and catch the bus from there. Since it's the first stop within SSR, the bus will be empty.

 

[TisBit]

Actually the THV shuttle runs every 10 minutes, not 20 minutes. It will drop you off at the the Springs section where you transfer to park busses. You can also opt to walk over to the Grandstand bus stop in SSR and catch the resort bus directly. If you are near the south bus stop in the THV's it is about a 5 minute walk, from the north maybe 10 tops (everyone is different though, so yours might be slower/faster). It is definitely faster to walk over to grandstand, plus it is the first stop at SSR and you will get on an empty bus.

Honestly, I always leave about 45 minutes to an hour to make a rope drop in the morning, with a car or bus. Even if you drive yourself you either have to walk or ride a tram to the front entrance and it is almost always farther than where the busses drop you off. At MK, it is even worse, you have to ride the monorail or ferry over, so that is a definite time killer.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I thought we were told that you take the treehouse shuttle to the Grandstand where you are the first stop of the SSR route. Perhaps the route changes morning vs afternoon, but I'm pretty sure that's what I was told. We didn't go to parks when we stayed in the treehouse, we took the boat to DTD.

 

[Pakey]

We definitely waited more than 10 minutes for the THV shuttle; I imagine they can get off schedule like any other bus. And we were dropped at the Springs. I've stayed at SSR 5 times in addition to our THV stay and I know the bus stops there very well.

We were the second treehouse from the north exit so it was a decent walk to Grandstand but we certainly wished we had walked it that afternoon instead of taking the bus. We had made the walk from our villa to the Springs pool on other afternoon and we didn't think the walk was too bad.

 

[TisBit]

I thought we were told that you take the treehouse shuttle to the Grandstand where you are the first stop of the SSR route. Perhaps the route changes morning vs afternoon, but I'm pretty sure that's what I was told. We didn't go to parks when we stayed in the treehouse, we took the boat to DTD.

Yes, in the morning it is to the Springs only, then it is to Springs and Grandstand. I am not sure which order in the afternoon, but I believe it still goes to springs first then to grandstand, the back to THV...not positive. The THV shuttle goes through the back gate (by congress park) of SSR, not the main entrance like the other busses so it hits Springs, then back out the main entrance...so I would think it would swing through the grandstand with the same route later.

 

[TisBit]

We definitely waited more than 10 minutes for the THV shuttle; I imagine they can get off schedule like any other bus. And we were dropped at the Springs. I've stayed at SSR 5 times in addition to our THV stay and I know the bus stops there very well.

We were the second treehouse from the north exit so it was a decent walk to Grandstand but we certainly wished we had walked it that afternoon instead of taking the bus. We had made the walk from our villa to the Springs pool on other afternoon and we didn't think the walk was too bad.

Yes, especially in the afternoon it makes two stops at SSR...and if there were any ECV's wheelchairs it could really delay them. Doesn't take much to delay a ten minute loop bus.

THV's feel very secluded, but the walk really isn't that bad and if you go in with a bit of patience, even being further away isn't bad walking over to grandstand. I don't like taking shuttle busses and the such and would always opt for walking, but that is me. In all the walking at Disney, an extra couple of minutes through the woods isn't bad!

 

[kendzee94]

I can't remember if the internal THV bus starts stopping at the Grandstand at 11:00am or 1:00pm; before that, it only stops at the Springs. We found that coming back from the parks, the internal bus was always just leaving the grandstand as we were arriving, so we just walked back to the room from the grandstand. We like to walk to the grandstand in the am, to assure not having to stand on the way to the park (as sometimes is the case getting on at the Springs)

Generally, we give ourselves 45 minutes to 1 hour to get to and from where we need to go, regardless of which resort we are at. The thing I love about DVC is that there are lots of choices so suit everyone's needs/wants. Personally, our family loves the THV's and we don't have a car with us. People love the different reports for different reasons. We love getting away from it all at the THV's. It seems like we have our own house when we stay there, not just a room. Our good friends love BWV's and we didn't really care for it. If you didn't walk to EPCOT or DHS, the boat ride took a while. It took us what seemed to be 5 minutes to get to DTD, and over an hour (7 stops) to return. Staying at the MK resorts, if you can't squeeze into the monorail or boat, you have to wait for the next one. I think wait times in the end are all relative.

 

[cuteinnocent]

From Grandstand approx how long does it take to get to the parks?

 

[toocherie]

I was just at THVs last month--we always stopped at Springs and Grandstand no matter what time of day. Busses were quick--I don't think we ever waited more than 10 min. for the THV bus at either end and usually the bus was empty both directions. I was one of those dreaded ECV users and the THV bus drivers were the best--I usually chose Grandstand because it was the first stop for the park busses (going and coming) and the chances of getting the ECV on were better (never had to wait leaving from SSR). A couple of THV drivers actually got off their bus and told the park bus we wanted to wait while he got us off (as the park bus pulled up right after us. One time--because we had to go to the Front Desk for something--we used Springs and it was earlier in the morning and they had one of the CMs out there monitoring busses--they were so nice and friendly--after 10 minutes called and got whatever bus we needed right away. I have no complaints about the THV/SSR bus service!

 

[cuteinnocent]

I was just at THVs last month--we always stopped at Springs and Grandstand no matter what time of day. Busses were quick--I don't think we ever waited more than 10 min. for the THV bus at either end and usually the bus was empty both directions. I was one of those dreaded ECV users and the THV bus drivers were the best--I usually chose Grandstand because it was the first stop for the park busses (going and coming) and the chances of getting the ECV on were better (never had to wait leaving from SSR). A couple of THV drivers actually got off their bus and told the park bus we wanted to wait while he got us off (as the park bus pulled up right after us. One time--because we had to go to the Front Desk for something--we used Springs and it was earlier in the morning and they had one of the CMs out there monitoring busses--they were so nice and friendly--after 10 minutes called and got whatever bus we needed right away. I have no complaints about the THV/SSR bus service!

Approx how long total did it take to get to the parks?

 

[TisBit]

Approx how long total did it take to get to the parks?

This is very subjective depending on the park and what stop you get on the bus at SSR. If you get on at Grandstand it will take about 10 minutes longer than if you get on at Springs. It also depends on if you just miss a bus (true at any resort), but from the time that a bus pulls up to grandstand and you get on, to any resort is about 25-30 minutes.....from springs about 15-20 minutes, minus any other delays, traffic...delays boarding, etc.

 

[shellspb]

Know matter where we stay, we rent a car for the week. Being Californians we are not use to public transportation. It costs maybe $400.-$500. for the whole vacation and in my opinion is worth the convenience.