Transportation from various resorts?

[ClaraOswald]

So we probably won't make it to WDW until early 2024. But I'm already looking at our resort options. We haven't been there since 2012. We have previously stayed at Pop Century and POR.

The resorts we are looking at are...

Pop Century
Port Orleans Riverside
Port Orleans French Quarter
Beach Club (renting points for a studio DVC villa)

One big concern I have is about transportation from the hotel to the parks. Our previous visits were so long ago that I'm not sure what things are like now. But from Pop Century to the parks in 2012 and 2010, we found the buses to be okay. The waits weren't super long. But in 2008, we were at POR and the shared buses made waits longer. Plus there wasn't an organized line so some people would show up at the last minute and essentially cut the line, which was frustrating.

In 2012, we visited Wilderness Lodge one afternoon and the bus wait was SUPER long to get back to the parks. I was really surprised because the resort is a deluxe so I would have expected better service.

So I'm just wondering what the situation is like now at the resorts listed above. Is there a good resource I can look at that shows average wait times and drive times between resorts and parks?

Any info would be great. Thanks! (Though I know things are likely to change between now and 2024, but even a rough idea is helpful.)

 

[Smugpugmug]

I stayed at Port Orleans Riverside in February and I never waited more than 10 minutes for a bus to the parks. On the way back, the wait times varied as they do at every resort. Something to keep in mind though is that Riverside has multiple bus stops. The building I was in was close to the West Depot, which is the first stop to be picked up and dropped off. A lot of the times, the bus was full by the second stop and would not go to the other two. Riverside also shares a bus with French Quarter during non peak times such as mid day or early evening. French Quarter gets picked up/dropped off first so if you stay at French Quarter, you might have to sit through the 4 Riverside bus stops before heading off to the parks. There isn't an organized line for the Riverside bus stops. A lot of the time we would arrive at an already full stop and have to squeeze past people to get on an HS bus when the crowd was waiting for another park bus.

I have never stayed at Pop and haven't been to Beach Club in over a decade so I can't comment on those.

 

[CarolynFH]

Well, Pop now has the constantly-loading Skyliner, which we love, for transport to DHS and Epcot, just transfer at CBR to go to either park. Buses to MK and AK.

BC is a short walk to Epcot or DHS, although you could also ride the Friendship boat to DHS or even take the Skyliner (transfer at CBR, so it’s sort of the “scenic route”). Buses to MK and AK.

POR, POFQ still have the buses to all the parks, and I think they share during the times of day when it’s not busy.

I don’t think the buses run better for any resort compared to any other - hopefully, it’s a 20 minute wait between, but it can be much longer than that and occasionally shorter.

 

[ClaraOswald]

Thanks for the info. I'm terrified of the sky liner so that won't be an option for us. Ha!

 

[ClaraOswald]

I stayed at Port Orleans Riverside in February and I never waited more than 10 minutes for a bus to the parks. On the way back, the wait times varied as they do at every resort. Something to keep in mind though is that Riverside has multiple bus stops. The building I was in was close to the West Depot, which is the first stop to be picked up and dropped off. A lot of the times, the bus was full by the second stop and would not go to the other two. Riverside also shares a bus with French Quarter during non peak times such as mid day or early evening. French Quarter gets picked up/dropped off first so if you stay at French Quarter, you might have to sit through the 4 Riverside bus stops before heading off to the parks. There isn't an organized line for the Riverside bus stops. A lot of the time we would arrive at an already full stop and have to squeeze past people to get on an HS bus when the crowd was waiting for another park bus.

I have never stayed at Pop and haven't been to Beach Club in over a decade so I can't comment on those.

Thanks. Do you by chance know what your building number was?

Sitting on the bus from FQ to go through other stops sounds okay if we're the ones getting dropped off first when we return. Maybe? I also don't want to get stuck standing on the bus. We had to do that a few times in 2012 and it made me feel nauseated.

 

[Gehrig1B]

we visited Wilderness Lodge one afternoon and the bus wait was SUPER long to get back to the parks. I was really surprised because the resort is a deluxe so I would have expected better service.

This was an anomaly as the boat to MK is under 10 minutes and we have never waited for a bus at WL for more than 20 minutes in over 10 stays...

Of the resorts mentioned, I would only stay at the Beach Club if transportation is your concern. You can walk to 2 of the parks and short bus rides to the others...

 

[Smugpugmug]

Thanks. Do you by chance know what your building number was?

Sitting on the bus from FQ to go through other stops sounds okay if we're the ones getting dropped off first when we return. Maybe? I also don't want to get stuck standing on the bus. We had to do that a few times in 2012 and it made me feel nauseated.

I was in building 24. It was not a long walk to and from the bus stop at all but it was around a 7-10 minute walk to the main pool and lobby. I'm also a semi fast walker so it could be longer if you have kids or mobility issues.

If deciding between the two Port Orleans resorts, I would go with French Quarter. Only 1 bus stop, a smaller resort overall and you can get beignets. Also you are allowed to use the pools at Riverside when you are staying at French Quarter and vice versa.

 

[bookgirl2632]

Thanks for the info. I'm terrified of the sky liner so that won't be an option for us. Ha!

I wouldn’t book Pop then. I mean, the resort is wonderful, but their only transportation to Epcot and Studios is the Skyliner. If you won’t be using it, you’ll have to Uber or rent a car and drive.

As for POR and POFQ, we haven’t stayed there since 2017. We had no issues with the buses at all. The boat to Springs was nice.

Beach Club is your best bet for ease of transportation. You walk to Epcot and can walk to Studios or take a boat. The bus service to AK and MK is very good. They sometimes share with Yacht Club, but not all the time.

 

[DizneyFamof4]

You can now get an idea when the buses will be arriving at the bus stops via the app, it posts the estimate arrival times of busses. This is a great help.
We have found the buses at the deluxe resorts to regularly be the worst and our family actually likes taking the buses and rarely have any major issues with them. We have stayed a lot of times at Mods and Deluxes and rarely saw anyone cut in the bus line. I know when a bus stop is really packed that I'm sure it happens more regularly, with just a big pile of people trying to get on. Now, to me, if I decided to sit on the bus stop benches then I am not "in line" and if people come after and start a line then they are not cutting. A lot of times if a line has not already been started, I will then stand by the line on the ground marking the bus stop to start one. The walk from BCV to Epcot is short but I do not consider the 1.1 mile walk to DHS as a "short walk" especially on a hot day or evening. Too bad you cannot handle the skyliner, to our family that's a great option and we love it, especially at the value price POP, we have actually picked POP over higher levels just because of it

 

[Her Dotness]

A Beach Club studio is likely going to be a challenge to get by renting.

It's a very small resort. Most studios go to owners at 11 months out because it's so convenient to Epcot.

You can try, of course. Some owner may be itching to rent out points.

 

[ClaraOswald]

I wouldn’t book Pop then. I mean, the resort is wonderful, but their only transportation to Epcot and Studios is the Skyliner. If you won’t be using it, you’ll have to Uber or rent a car and drive.

As for POR and POFQ, we haven’t stayed there since 2017. We had no issues with the buses at all. The boat to Springs was nice.

Beach Club is your best bet for ease of transportation. You walk to Epcot and can walk to Studios or take a boat. The bus service to AK and MK is very good. They sometimes share with Yacht Club, but not all the time.

I had no idea they got ride of bus service to Epcot and HS from Pop. What a bummer! That resort is completely out of the question then.

A Beach Club studio is likely going to be a challenge to get by renting.

It's a very small resort. Most studios go to owners at 11 months out because it's so convenient to Epcot.

You can try, of course. Some owner may be itching to rent out points.

Dang, I didn't realize it would be that tough. Looks like most of my choices are dwindling!

 

[Lilsia]

Thanks. Do you by chance know what your building number was?

Sitting on the bus from FQ to go through other stops sounds okay if we're the ones getting dropped off first when we return. Maybe? I also don't want to get stuck standing on the bus. We had to do that a few times in 2012 and it made me feel nauseated.

We stayed at POFQ a few months ago. The only times that the busses shared was from Disney Springs or in the very slow time of day. And as far as the bus stops go at POR, it always goes West, North, East, South Depots with POFQ being the first stop if they are sharing. This is true for all of the parks. The bus for Disney Springs goes POFQ, South, West, North, East, and then back to POFQ again. It is used as an internal bus also. Honestly, I would not worry about the buses, nor would I plan my trip around them. They all can have good and bad days. If transportation is an issue, I would rent a car. All buses will get busy and be packed with standing room only during busy times. The only thing that you can do to avoid that is either drive yourself, Uber, or wait until the next bus comes. There is no other way to guarantee having a seat.

As others have said, if you want to try for Beach Club Villas, it would be best to try at the 11 month mark because they go fast. Boardwalk Villas might be a good option for you also.