Thunderstorm yesterday at WDW and the mahem that insued

[bonnielynn]

Yesterday afternoon we were at MK getting the ds a hair cut, ready to leave.. well a storm rolled in like I haven't seen down here before (maybe I've just had my eyes closed)... the park began clearing and we stayed in the barber shop for about an hour before deciding to get out of dodge.

As we made our way (running like heck from one covering to another, hoping like heck the lightening wouldn't get us ) we heard they stopped both the tram and the boats.. the only thing getting out was the buses..

OMG was that an experience. First SSR bus service is always something you are going to wait for.. anyhow.. we get in the line and watch buses come and go to both sides of us.. at least 4x for other places.. Rain still hadn't let up.. and goose bumps were on the rise.. so a bus finally arrives and everyone piles in (wasn't as pretty as that sounds, because people were jumping line and people were already upset.. no magic here).. so here is my problem..>>>> 1/2 the people on the bus were not going to SSR.. but were trying to figure a way to get back to the ticket center.. so all that fuss and the bus being standing room only.. 1/2 were discussing where to get off and back on.. to get back to their car.

I have to say that one, I think Disney should have provided a better way for people not on site to get to their vehicles, but there were plenty of people left standing.. my thought is if they were staying at SSR, wouldn't they be peeved they were not allowed on because of someone who wasn't even staying here?? and beyond that.. in that kinds of storm, why weren't their buses out there getting people to where they want to be..

Anyway woke to bright blue skies and that all behind us.. just putting it out there for anyone who gets stuck in the same situation.. perhaps stay at the park, shop and wait it out?

 

[Chuck S]

Why would people board a SSR bus to get to their cars, unless they were parked at DtD to avoid the parking fees? This is a reason why I think DtD need to institute paid parking similar to the parks, with only 2 or 3 hours free (longer with a valildated movie pass, Cirque or $25 in DtD purchase receipts). Also free for onsite and AP holders, like the parks.

I understand the boats and monorails not running to the TTC because of lightning, but surely they had a shuttle bus for that as a back-up plan.

Please write to Member Satisfaction and tell them of your experience, unless enough people complain, it will not chage.

 

[bonnielynn]

Just telling ya what I heard.. and the discussion was getting off at SSR, getting a bus to Downtown Disney and then back to the ticket center.. the "mom" kept asking out loud about getting back to the ticket center..(she was talking to her son?)

 

[awilliams4]

Agreed that Disney should have had busses to the TTC in cases like this. CMs out front directing traffic (yelling) to those leaving that they have a Bus and it is THIS way.

Other than that, location location location. We haven't stayed at SSR or OKW yet. We look very much forward to it but plan to have proper transportation expectations. I woudn't have had expectations for this though but the expectations would be lower than say BLT or VWL.

 

[awilliams4]

Then again, those staying at VWL during this may have had issues too with now boat. Replace VWL with BCV or BWV instead.

Then again, you are right, that is bogus.

 

[OrlandoMike]

The monorails never stopped running yesterday......

 

[bonnielynn]

The monorails never stopped running yesterday......

During the storm, they stopped the monorails.. I can tell you that for a fact, cause I asked and watched thousands of people leaving the station and running in the rain toward the buses.. the buses were the only way out... the storm probably lasted a good hour, hour and 1/2.. I'm sure they started back up after the winds, thunder and lightening stopped. Makes sense to me to stop the monorail and boats.. just for safety.. but they should have brought in more buses to get people out.

Benefit of the doubt: I am sure they (Disney) were trying there best.. people do whatever they want when something is happening. So the people who boarded the buses, were trying to get out just like everyone else..

Hindsight: we should have stayed and shopped (course hard to walk over everyone in the store) during the storm and attempted to leave later..

 

[wbl2745]

We've been in several downpours at WDW. We've always just broken out the Mickey ponchos (we keep them and bring them back each time) and just keep going. During the worst of the storm we stay either inside a store or undercover, but then just move on to a now emptied park when the worst has passed. We've never seen a storm in which the downpour lasted more than about 30 minutes, so an hour seems like a long time. Unless there's some strong reason (personal safety, the park is closing, etc.) it is rarely the right answer to do what everyone else is doing.

 

[bonnielynn]

Please write to Member Satisfaction and tell them of your experience, unless enough people complain, it will not chage.

I plan to tell someone..just like I said, it didn't seem fair for people who were left standing in the wind and rain waiting for yet another bus,.. when some of the people weren't staying at SSR that got on the bus.

 

[bonnielynn]

We've been in several downpours at WDW. We've always just broken out the Mickey ponchos (we keep them and bring them back each time) and just keep going. During the worst of the storm we stay either inside a store or undercover, but then just move on to a now emptied park when the worst has passed. We've never seen a storm in which the downpour lasted more than about 30 minutes, so an hour seems like a long time. Unless there's some strong reason (personal safety, the park is closing, etc.) it is rarely the right answer to do what everyone else is doing.

It did last longer than I have ever seen, and I have been coming to disney for 19 yrs.. I remember saying that to my husband.. we were leaving and just stopped to get a hair cut.. so we had plans to go before the storm broke out. Lesson learned.. leaving or not, I wont again try to leave the park, but no matter what hunker down and enjoy my surroundings..

 

[wildernessDad]

It sounds like the Mom didn't know what she was doing.

 

[MrShiny]

Obviously if she was at TTC and on a bus to SSR! A bus to the Poly would have dropped her walking distance to the TTC.

 

[hellerjw]

It sounds like Disney didn't expect the storm to be as severe or last that long either and were left unprepared when it did.

I doubt they normally muster much more than a few extra bus routes for thunderstorms, expecting only a small increase in folks exiting the parks by bus. When the mass exodus happened they most likely couldn't reallocate that many buses in time to accomodate all those affected by the loss of other forms of transportation.

 

[crisi]

It sounds like the Mom didn't know what she was doing.

Yep, and that happens.

My sister and her husband were trying to get to Boardwalk from the Magic Kingdom. They had hoppers and we told them what we do "take the monorail, walk through Epcot" (its slower than taking the bus, but we love that monorail ride and we catch fastpasses in Epcot for dinnertime).

Well, they got the "catch the monorail to Epcot" but forgot then "then you'll have to walk through Epcot part. So they asked. And were told "you can't get there from here." No one said "have hoppers, walk." So they ended up taking a bus to somewhere, then a bus back to Boardwalk.

What should have been ten minutes on the monorail and a twenty minute walk through Epcot turned into a two hour journey.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

It sounds like Disney didn't expect the storm to be as severe or last that long either and were left unprepared when it did.

I doubt they normally muster much more than a few extra bus routes for thunderstorms, expecting only a small increase in folks exiting the parks by bus. When the mass exodus happened they most likely couldn't reallocate that many buses in time to accomodate all those affected by the loss of other forms of transportation.

I woudl guess you are right, that WDW just doesn't have the extra resources to add signigicantly to the bus routes on short notice. While a storm lasting an hour and a half seems like a long time (and feels like it if you are wet and wanting to get home), it is no time at all if you need to call in off duty employees to drive the buses. -- Suzanne

 

[LisaS]

My sister and her husband were trying to get to Boardwalk from the Magic Kingdom. They had hoppers and we told them what we do "take the monorail, walk through Epcot" (its slower than taking the bus, but we love that monorail ride and we catch fastpasses in Epcot for dinnertime).

We enjoy taking that route from MK to BWV too but it never occurred to me to grab a fastpass as we walk through Epcot. Great tip!

 

[MinnieGirl33]

Why would people board a SSR bus to get to their cars, unless they were parked at DtD to avoid the parking fees? This is a reason why I think DtD need to institute paid parking similar to the parks, with only 2 or 3 hours free (longer with a valildated movie pass, Cirque or $25 in DtD purchase receipts). Also free for onsite and AP holders, like the parks.

Great idea Chuck!

 

[disneynutz]

Why would people board a SSR bus to get to their cars, unless they were parked at DtD to avoid the parking fees? This is a reason why I think DtD need to institute paid parking similar to the parks, with only 2 or 3 hours free (longer with a valildated movie pass, Cirque or $25 in DtD purchase receipts). Also free for onsite and AP holders, like the parks.

I doubt if they will ever charge for parking. They don't want to do anything that would keep people from shopping and eating at DTD. I would also guess that all of the companies that lease space at DTD would have a problem with it.

Bill

 

[joandegennaro]

If you got a time stamped entrance ticket (much like hospital or airport parking) and paid on exit then they could wave the fee if you have a dinner/merchandise reciept that they can validate. It you parked in the am and didn't leave until 5 plus hours without a valid reciept from DTD/parking permit from on-site resorts then they could charge the going park parking rate. Just and idea.

 

[Chuck S]

I doubt if they will ever charge for parking. They don't want to do anything that would keep people from shopping and eating at DTD. I would also guess that all of the companies that lease space at DTD would have a problem with it.

Bill

But having free parking with validation would encourage people to shop and dine, rather than just park for the theme parks, as many do know. Those stores (and we were going to shop and have dinner) lost my business 2 weeks ago when there were absolutely NO parking places to be found. We went offsite to eat and bought gifts for our friends and neighbors elsewhere.

How does it benefit the DtD businesses to have their parking filled up by people who do not spend money there, but only use it to avoid paying for theme park parking? And how does it benefit Disney to lose the parking fees paid at the parks? If only 100 cars per day park at DtD to avoid the fee, that is $1,400 per day. I suspect the total actually is much higher. It certainly doesn't benefit the resort guests who share busses with those that want to avoid parking fees.