Transportation problems at YC/BC, BWI,S/D ??

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by TwingleMum
I am really surprised at the transportation (or lack thereof) at these resorts. They are all upper scale and yet they share bus service. This doesn't seem right to me. You pay more at these resorts for the amenities which should include transportation ( yes I know about the boats and walking to Epcot and MGM). But what about MK, DAK, Waterparks and DTD ??? I mean sharing a bus with 5 other hotels seems very excessive. And transportation times from what I've read of up to 1 hour to go to MK seems terrible. Why? Any hope this will improve?? Maybe spliting the route??

We returned on Sept 8th after a 10n/11day stay at the Dolphin and had no issues with the bus service from the Dolphin to the AK or to the MK.

We have stayed at the Dolphin once before at the YC twice before and at the BWI once before and have never experianced bus issues during any of our stays.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by Poohlovr
So, what is the biggie in 60 days that will, I have to assume from that guilty expression on your cyber face, keep you from takin g care of me??

Come on, you can tell me...I won't tell anyone.....It'll be just our secret.

You'll see...

 

[Poohlovr]

I don't wanna wait!!!!! (Insert whining here). I was looking forward to meeting you and now I won't and my heart is breaking and you won't even tell me why you've deserted me like this...

 

[Tiffany]

I have to agree that your average guest does not have a good sense of how long they have been waiting for a bus or have been on a bus. I am a very detailed type of person. When we arrive at bus stops I write down the time. When we board the bus I write down the time when we arrive at the park I write down the time. You get the picture I do this so when I am posting after trips I can refer to my notes and post factual information. The following is what we observed at the Dolphin bus stop one morning.

We arrive at the Dolphin bus stop to catch a bus to the AK. There was one other party already at the stop. A minute or two after we arrived another party arrived at the bus stop. Six minutes after we had arrived at the bus stop an AK bus pulled up. The party that was already at the stop and my husband and I boarded the bus. A man from the party that arrived at the bus stop a minute or two after us, therefore they had only been waiting 4 or 5 minutes, approached the bus and stated the following to the bus driver "We have been waiting a long time when is a bus to Downtown going to come by?" The drivers response was that one should be along shortly as they run about every 20minutes or so and that the gentleman could tell by reading the sign on the bus which one was going to Downtown.

So in this guests mind they had been waiting a long time but in reality it had only been 4 to 5 minutes.

My point is that unless you are writing down when you arrive at a stop and when you board the bus and then when you arrive at the park there is no way that your memory is going to be factuly correct.

As you can tell by my signature we have been to WDW many many times and I cannot tell you the last time we waited more then 20minutes for a bus.

If only the "T" up here is Boston ran as well as the "public transportation does in WDW.

Getting down off of my soap box now

 

[Bobump]

My family and myself go at least 4 to 5 times a year for 25 to 35 days. I am a control freak about getting from one place to another and ALWAYS have to be the driver. That said the transportation at Disney is EXCELLENT. I park the car at the Dolphin and except to go to Nike Outlet or Food store never use the car.

The buses at the Dolphin/other Epcot resorts do a great job and I agree with Tiffany about time perceptions. Most people do not really observe actual times compared to perceived times. And the actual times for the buses is excellent. People forget that when you drive you have to go get the car yourself or wait for valet and do same when you arrive. Plus you are on VACATION sit back and relax and enjoy yourself. Since, I have learned to do that VACATION truely is VACATION not COMMANDO SCHOOL.

ChipnDale Express you drivers are the BEST, it is a MARVEL how you guys know so much trivia and can make the Bus ride so enjoyable. Keep up the good work. Will be down for Halloween and will be looking for you.

 

[goofy4tink]

Originally posted by Chip 'n Dale Express
You'll see...

Two things....while we didn't stay at BWI last month, we did travel there to check it out. I didn't find the ride, or the wait for transport back to MK, to be too bad. Not much different than at the Polynesian. ANd when you add in that our buses stopped at the CR, then us, and then on to GF, well, the time added up. But no huge deal.
Other thing....you're not getting married and leaving the 'purple pants' brigade are you Tyler?? I sure hope you're not going anywhere. We love having an 'insider' here to help us out.

 

[TwingleMum]

Thanks Chip and all the other experts. I bought at the BCV and have very fond memories of my stay there 4 yrs ago. Since then we've stayed at monorail resorts and did MK mostly. I love the Epcot area. I read a number of posts about transportation and when you hear that YC/BC, BCV,BWI,BWV and S/D it seems excessive but I'll take your word for it that travel times will not be a problem. I've always had fabulous drivers and not having to drive & park is a major perk.

 

[LvsTnk]

Originally posted by Chip 'n Dale Express
Well, on your way into the park, there really is no way for you to know the routing of the bus. Some buses go Swan -> Dolphin -> Boardwalk, so even if you have Swan people, that doesnt mean they made all the stops.

As for the return journey... it depends on things going on. I can tell you, Christmas week they DO separate them for return journys. The only time they will condense them at night is after the big park exit, when people are just trickling out.

As for spending your vacation on the bus... even when it makes all five stops, it takes 10 minutes to do so. By comparison, it can take 9 minutes to go all the way around Caribbean Beach.

And sadly, that wasn't me. I don't sing... (that's a good thing... lol!) But I do perform a Jungle Cruise style comedy routine. [/QUOTE

Well, I guess I am just unlucky (that doesn't surprise me), I have always shared.

Honestly no matter what resort I am at I just don't ride the busses that much anymore. I like to get back to my resort and relax. Let's say you just miss the bus at AK and have to wait those 15min. then stop at BB and make all the stops around the resort it can be a while before you get back to your room. But if I didn't rent a car the bus service IMHO has always been just fine.

BWI is one of my favorites but I will stick to the fact that bus service should not be shared with all 6 resorts or stops. For the difference in room rates it should not be compared to CBR.

I LOVE the Jungle Cruise jokes!! I don't care how many times I have heard them.

 

[SondraD11]

Although I haven't stayed at any of the resorts mentioned in this tread, I have been giving the transportation issue a lot of thought when trying to choose the resort for my January 2004 visit. In the past, I've stayed at Port Orleans FQ, Port Orleans Riverside, Fort Wilderness, Wilderness Lodge and offsite.

On my last visit in May, we stayed at WL and I was disappointed with the transportation. I finally realized why. It didn't have anything to do with the wait times or length of time to get to the park, it had to do with where the stops were made prior to getting to the park (or to get back "home"). If the bus stopped within a particular resort such as POR, I was okay with that, but if the bus (or boat) stopped at another resort, that was perceived by me as a big delay getting where I wanted to go....if that makes any sense. So for me, 4 additional bus stops within POR wasn't as bad as the WL bus stopping at the Poly and GF which is only 2 additional stops.

My ideal Disney resort would have everything under one roof and not share transportation with another resort. Looks like AKL will get my January business.


Sondra

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by SondraD11
So for me, 4 additional bus stops within POR wasn't as bad as the WL bus stopping at the Poly and GF which is only 2 additional stops.

The WL bus makes one other stop at either the Grand Floridian, OR Fort Wilderness. It does not share with the Polynesian. WL is typically always the first stop, as well, meaning you get seats, and are first home.