Thoughts on bus queues?

[DisneyConvert]

Anyone have some interesting (frustrating, or even magical) stories related to waiting for Disney bus transportation?

Has your wait really always been less than 20 minutes?

 

[seashoreCM]

A and B and C.

I do ride the bus so D does not apply.

I am led to believe that extra buses over and above the normal (usually 20 minute) headway are not sent out if it is anticipate dthat both they and the next regularly scheduled bus would not be full. I have seen half a busload of people left behind at bus stops on occasion. Therefore I would expect that 30 minutes should be a common wait time.

 

[goofy4tink]

Out of the last 3 times to WDW, I have to say that I really haven't waited more than 15 minutes, usually, for a bus. There have been one or two instances where the wait was somewhat extended. One morning, at the Polynesian, we waited for 35 minutes for a bus to MGM. It was an EE morning too!! Other buses came and went but no MGM bus. Never found out why. The other situation was at TL. We left there about 11:30-12:00. The wait was simply incredible. About 50 minutes!!!! Evidently not too many people leave the water parks at noon!! But, pity the few who do!! But, those were the only two times we had any problems with the bus system. For the amount of people they cart around, I think they do a pretty good job!!

 

[ktglads]

When our group is larger, we will rent a car and drive to the parks, so during the summer months, I really don't take the bus that often, but when I do, it just seems that the bus that you are waiting for is always the last one to show up. I know about the bus routes, etc, but sometimes, especially during off-hours, like in the middle of the day, I think that they could combine resorts and run a little more often. It really is those waits that seem so long.

Plus, another thing that was not too nice was the fact that the busses do not go directly from the parks to DTD. It was really a pain having to backtrack to the resort to get a DTD bus.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by ktglads
I know about the bus routes, etc, but sometimes, especially during off-hours, like in the middle of the day, I think that they could combine resorts and run a little more often. It really is those waits that seem so long.

During the mid-day, during non-peak times, when things are slow, All-Stars get combined at the MK, and the Epcot Resorts get combined at the MK. And although it really doesn't add a significant amount of time to the trip (it adds an average of only 5 minutes), people start to complain.

And you have the right wording... it's the waits that *SEEM* so long... a good 90% of the time, the guest will think thier wait time is 2-3x longer than it really is.

 

[sue Z]

And you have the right wording... it's the waits that *SEEM* so long... a good 90% of the time, the guest will think thier wait time is 2-3x longer than it really is.

I agree on the above quote from Tyler!!

I was park hopping this past March and was meeting my parents at the PI bus area (tyler will understand). since I was at Epcot and instead of going to the the main entrance to get a resort bus etc I went over to Boardwalk, I was near the UK Pavillion.
It seemed like I was waiting forever. I think I waited a total of 10 minutes and made it over to the PI bus area with plenty of time! I had given myself about 30-40 minutes for traveling.

 

[jann1033]

we have always loved the trans. at WDW and never wait a long time, maybe at park closing for one monorail or if the bus is just pulling away ..we go at value but I am guessing they use more buses at peak season so I wouldn't think the wait would be "that" much longer...as long as a bench is around I don't really mind sitting for a few mins. anyway!

 

[tigger&tigerlover]

In a full week, of much park-hopping and bus riding, we only waited what I thought was "long" a few times. And perception is a large part of the wait. We waited longer on most rides at an off season than we did for the bus (about 10 minutes, average), but since the line wasn't moving, it could seem longer.

IMO, I thought the bus service was great!

 

[clkelley]

I just found a great way to get to Downtown Disney from the parks!

Take a Hotel Plaza Boulevard Bus!! They run directly from the parks, however not as frequently as Disney Buses, then it is a short walk down Hotel Plaza Boulevard to the Marketplace.

Disclaimers apply: This IS NOT an official Disney Bus route and you may be asked for an ID to one of the Hotel Plaza hotels.

We were running a scavenger hunt this past Sunday, and the team that won used those buses 3 times that day and smoked everybody else by about an hour!!

Carol

 

[DisFam95]

I to think Disney does a great job with transporation. We stay at WL and I get so tired of hearing people complain about the bus service there..we've never had a problem.

My only bad experience regarding the bus service was trying to return to WL from DowntownDisney in the afternoon time (before 4). I now know the routes are shared between the campground and the WL. Well...they stopped at what seemed like every single darn stop at the campgrounds ..I think I stopped counting after 12...and people were not getting off and people on the bus going to WL (most of us) were getting really ticked off. We could see WL through the trees but endured this circling. I don't mean to sound like a snob but - JMO - but I think they should drop off at the Deluxe resort before going to the campsites!!

Tyler...(or anyone) is this still happening???

 

[jann1033]

Originally posted by DisFam95
I don't mean to sound like a snob but - JMO - but I think they should drop off at the Deluxe resort before going to the campsites!!

i edited this after tyler's post cause I wondered about your trip due to the factor he mentioned...maybe you got on the campground loop bus by mistake...it's a different bus system that takes you to the actual campsites so do not know why they would have been stopping there...

as far as cost however , I think the cabins at FW are as expensive as the WL ( or more) and a lot of those Rvs are a lot of money so not sure why you think Wl would be the "preferrred" bunch.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by DisFam95
My only bad experience regarding the bus service was trying to return to WL from DowntownDisney in the afternoon time (before 4). I now know the routes are shared between the campground and the WL. Well...they stopped at what seemed like every single darn stop at the campgrounds ..

That driver must have been lost. The route officially goes WL -> Outpost -> DTD. In fact, buses are routed to take Bonnet Creek to Epcot Drive to World drive, so that the bus does not drive past Fort Wilderness on the way to Wilderness Lodge.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Chip 'n Dale Express
That driver must have been lost. The route officially goes WL -> Outpost -> DTD. In fact, buses are routed to take Bonnet Creek to Epcot Drive to World drive, so that the bus does not drive past Fort Wilderness on the way to Wilderness Lodge.

Maybe the bus driver was giving guests an unexpected tour of WDW, they do that now and then. Right?

 

[ktglads]

We got one of those over the summer. Got on a bus to go to MGM and somehow ended up going to Epcot. Bus driver just missed the right exit and kept going until he found on that he could turn around at, which happened to be Epcot. We called that the tease since we went through the toll booths and then tunred around. Basically it was you're at Epcot but that is as close as you are getting right now. That had to rank up there for one of the most entertaining bus rides.

 

[seashoreCM]

The 50 minute wait at Typhoon Lagoon could well be a legitimate problem worthy of asking for some extra fastpasses at Guest Relations during the next theme park visit.

Marketplace, Pleasure Island, and Typhoon Lagoon are often combined on bus routes with stops in that order. (Due to traffic and traffic lights it is not practical for alternating buses to make those stops in a different order). If the bus is full leaving PI it could skip TL leaving behinid folks who may have waited all the way since the previous bus departure while at the same time the bus may have waited for latecomers running up at Marketplace and PI. This is a time when it is appropriate to dispatch another bus to TL immediately regardless of how many people are waiting.

On the other hand, if TL is meant to have a headway more than 30 minutes, a schedule of times should be published, posted, and adhered to.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by ktglads
We got one of those over the summer. Got on a bus to go to MGM and somehow ended up going to Epcot. Bus driver just missed the right exit and kept going until he found on that he could turn around at, which happened to be Epcot. We called that the tease since we went through the toll booths and then tunred around. Basically it was you're at Epcot but that is as close as you are getting right now. That had to rank up there for one of the most entertaining bus rides.

Hrmm... you wouldn't have happened to have been staying at AK Lodge that time, were you? The reason I ask... that might have been me... LOL... Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm a space cadet (Right Sue Z????). I'm surprised this only happened twice in my bus driving career. But this past summer I was driving from AKL to Studios, and for some reason I thought I was going to Epcot. As soon as I realized it, I got on the PA, and told everyone what a space cadet I am. Everyone got a laugh, and thankfully, I don't think anyone was really upset. We all make birdbrained mistakes... Even MEEE! LOL So anyways, you might have met me!

 

[DisneyConvert]

Thanks for all the feedback.

Great to have "Chip 'n Dale Express" chirping in; he would know! -- hope Pop Century is opening nicely!

My experience too is that the bus is mostly great but wouldn't it be nice if we knew (like with the most popular attractions) if/when the wait might be a little longer?

 

[jaysue]

Our typical wait has been around 15 minutes give or take

Part of what we do some days to minimize waits is go to the park that the first bus that arrives is going to - we make a game of that

Also if it has been/is raining and warm, we go puddle jumping while we are waiting

thanks
jaysue

 

[ktglads]

Tyler -
I was staying at the AKL over the summer. I don't remember even looking at the driver's name, but I don't think that happens too often, so it must have been you! Wow, small world.

The best ride that trip was going to MK for an e-ride night and being the only people on the bus. We were sitting up front and for some reason, the driver kept using the PA to talk to us when we could have heard him without it. Of course we were beyond tired from a week in the parks and it was 10:00 PM so EVERYTHING was hilarious at that point in time.

 

[DisneyConvert]

Gosh, the monorail is so distinctively Disney and the launches, "Friendship's" and Ferry boat make the ride part of the fun . . .

I just don't get the same feeling on a bus . . . maybe because the mode is so similar to what I rode when I was in High School.