TTC - what happened??

[zerb]

I have been going to Disney for all long as I can remember. This past visit May 05 there were several changes to the transportation system. BAD CHANGES.
Ticket and Transportation Center used to be the place to catch a bus to anywhere. No longer. If you needed a bus to a particular resort you could just go to TTC. We would usually stay at the Poly so we could just walk to all the buses.
There also used to be a boat that went between the Wilderness Lodge, Poly & GF. I was at the Wilderness and wanted to get to the Poly for a character brfst. I had to take a boat to MK then the resort monorail to the Poly.

What is considered the new hub?
My inlaws and us stayed at different hotels at different ends (Wilderness & AKL). They would come to our room to watch the kids, but for them to get back and forth to their resort was a project. Several times they had to get a cab.

 

[dudspizza]

I have been going to Disney for all long as I can remember. This past visit May 05 there were several changes to the transportation system. BAD CHANGES.
Ticket and Transportation Center used to be the place to catch a bus to anywhere. No longer. If you needed a bus to a particular resort you could just go to TTC. We would usually stay at the Poly so we could just walk to all the buses.
There also used to be a boat that went between the Wilderness Lodge, Poly & GF. I was at the Wilderness and wanted to get to the Poly for a character brfst. I had to take a boat to MK then the resort monorail to the Poly.

What is considered the new hub?
My inlaws and us stayed at different hotels at different ends (Wilderness & AKL). They would come to our room to watch the kids, but for them to get back and forth to their resort was a project. Several times they had to get a cab.

The moved all of the bus traffic from the TTC to the gates of MK. If you want to go from one resort to another, you must go to the nearest park and take a bus from there. The only buses at the TTC are Lynx and buses to AK and MGM from MK. Tour buses also drop off and pick up at TTC. It did seem like a desolate place when we went from MK to catch a bus to AK.

Duds

 

[WillCAD]

Resort busses to MK now go directly to MK instead of to TTC. Why? Because if you are staying on-site and want to go to the premier park at WDW, you shouldn't have to take a bus, then transfer to the monorail or ferryboat and wait another 20 minutes or more to get to the gates.

The only busses that stop at the MK gates are those to the Disney resorts and Downtown Disney. All other busses, such as those to the other parks, to the water parks, to off-site hotels, etc., still stop at TTC.

TTC is still a transportation hub, but with ticket windows at the gates of the parks, Downtown Disney, and at the resorts, the ticket sales function of the TTC is almost negligable. For a number of years, I don't believe that the ticket windows at TTC were even open, although I think they were re-opened last year, probably to help alleviate some of the logjam at the MK ticket windows.

TTC was originally designed to be the centerpoint of all transportation in WDW, but it's location works against it - it's nowhere close to the geographical center of WDW, making it way out of the way for many bus runs. The geographical center of WDW is near the front of Epcot, making Epcot's monorail stop a better choice for a transportation hub, but that never materialized, either.

The current strategy seems to be multiple small hubs at the parks and Downtown Disney, instead of a single large hub. But who knows? Disney adapts as conditions change, so maybe they will build some sort of new hub in the future and retire the old TTC.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

I wouldn't neccessarily call them bad changes. It used to be that if you wanted to go to Downtown Disney, you'd have to go to the TTC and then catch the bus with the massive crowds. Not anymore. Direct service from the Wilderness Lodge, all day long.

The new hubs are all four theme parks, and Downtown Disney. You can get to any resort from those 5 locations.

Things are no different than if the hub was at the TTC. They'd still have to come to the TTC, and then connect to get to the WL. Now, they go to the MK, and connect with a bus or a boat to WL.

Things are MUCH more efficient these days.

 

[dizneycc]

I wouldn't neccessarily call them bad changes. It used to be that if you wanted to go to Downtown Disney, you'd have to go to the TTC and then catch the bus with the massive crowds. Not anymore. Direct service from the Wilderness Lodge, all day long.

The new hubs are all four theme parks, and Downtown Disney. You can get to any resort from those 5 locations.

Things are no different than if the hub was at the TTC. They'd still have to come to the TTC, and then connect to get to the WL. Now, they go to the MK, and connect with a bus or a boat to WL.

Things are MUCH more efficient these days.

Hi Tyler!
Are you saying that you can catch a bus from WL to DTD any time of the day? What about the other resorts, can you catch a bus to DTD any time of the day?

What about the boat that runs from POR/FQ to DTD, does that run early in the morning?

What I'm trying to do is take the boat from POR to DTD in the morning, then catch a bus to the Boardwalk so we can walk to Epcot through the International Gateway. Is this possible?

Thanks! Candi

 

[BCV23]

zerb, I miss it too.

 

[WillCAD]

Hi Tyler!
Are you saying that you can catch a bus from WL to DTD any time of the day? What about the other resorts, can you catch a bus to DTD any time of the day?

What about the boat that runs from POR/FQ to DTD, does that run early in the morning?

What I'm trying to do is take the boat from POR to DTD in the morning, then catch a bus to the Boardwalk so we can walk to Epcot through the International Gateway. Is this possible?

Thanks! Candi

All of the resorts have busses direct to DD that run all day (while DD is open, that is). The busses usually make a stop at the Marketplace, then make another stop at PI. When the DD shops close, the busses stop going to the Marketplace and go direct to PI, until it closes.

The boats from POR and SSR don't start running till after lunch time (2pm, I think), so in the morning you'll have to take a bus.

It might be easier and quicker to take the bus from POR to MGM, then take the boat from MGM to International Gateway.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Hi Tyler!
Are you saying that you can catch a bus from WL to DTD any time of the day? What about the other resorts, can you catch a bus to DTD any time of the day?

What about the boat that runs from POR/FQ to DTD, does that run early in the morning?

What I'm trying to do is take the boat from POR to DTD in the morning, then catch a bus to the Boardwalk so we can walk to Epcot through the International Gateway. Is this possible?

Thanks! Candi

DTD buses start around 8:30am, give or take. The boats not till much later. You'd be better off going to Disney-MGM Studios, and then taking the boat.

 

[BCV23]

Candi, why do you want to enter via the IG? World Showcase isn't open first thing in the am anyway although you can enter there and walk over to Future World.

Unless you are dining in the Epcot area, I'd just take the bus to Epcot.

 

[Andrew Bichard]

Candi, why do you want to enter via the IG? World Showcase isn't open first thing in the am anyway although you can enter there and walk over to Future World.

Unless you are dining in the Epcot area, I'd just take the bus to Epcot.

There are no buses between Downtown and Epcot.

Andrew

 

[pooh2001]

Tyler- Boat from MGM Stuios' to DTD ?
Neverv heard of it.

We were going to do MGM in the AM - boat to Dolphin (first stop) and then bus to DTD for DQ.

Does that sound the right way to go ?

 

[BCV23]

There are no buses between Downtown and Epcot.

Andrew

I know that. I thought Candi was trying to get from POR to Epcot IG. For that I think it would be far simpler to just take an Epcot bus to the front of WS.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Tyler- Boat from MGM Stuios' to DTD ?
Neverv heard of it.

We were going to do MGM in the AM - boat to Dolphin (first stop) and then bus to DTD for DQ.

Does that sound the right way to go ?

LOL... d'oh! This is what I get for not reading every word. Didn't see the DTD bit in there.

 

[gabesmom]

Now I'm really confused...

It's our first trip so forgive me for having so many questions. But man, this is getting confusing. We're staying at FW campground and I know we take the launch to MK and the bus directly to AK. But what's the best way to get to Epcot? MGM? and to the Polynesian for a character breakfast?

Also, if we're hopping from MK to Epcot or vice versa, can we use the monorail or do we need to take a bus?

Any advice is welcome as DH, DS6 and DS15 will expect me to know it all by the time we go in March...

 

[WaltD4Me]

It did seem like a desolate place when we went from MK to catch a bus to AK.

I avoid TTC whenever possible, so I hop the monorail to the Polynesian and then catch the bus to AK from there.

Also, if we're hopping from MK to Epcot or vice versa, can we use the monorail or do we need to take a bus?

Definitely take the monorail! Much faster than the bus!