Very dissapointed with the bus transportation from BWV.

[jennymouse]

I really hate posting this report as I've always been a big fan of Disney's bus transportation. When others have complained about the buses, I've always thought that they were over exagerating(sp) since I'd never had a problem.

On 6/23 we arrived at the Boardwalk bus stop at 7:15 heading to Animal Kingdom for early entry. There was two other families there that said they arrived at 7am, so I figured the bus would arrive at any moment. A MK bus came and a "Character Breakfast" bus came and went as the crowd at the bus stop grew. Finally, at 7:55, an AK bus finally arrived...3/4 full already. Even though we were one of the first at the stop we didn't make it on the bus. The driver was appologetic and nice enough, saying there would be another bus shortly, but at that point it was already time for AK to open. You guys know as well as I that if you're not there at an EE park when the doors open, don't bother doing it. We ended up going to Epcot that morning instead.

Our only other attempts at going to a park in the morning that required bus transportation was to AK in which we waited 25 minutes for a 3/4 full bus once on 6/24 and then again on our last park day, 6/27, when we waited 40 minutes for a full bus that we were allowed to squeeze on standing up near the door.

Going "home" by bus was long due to the stops at 4 other resorts before arriving at BW which is way too many resorts on one bus route.

Thanks for listening to my rant.

 

[helenk]

That was my only complaint about staying at the YC, at least we were first being picked up, but the bus went from the YC to the BC and then the Swan and/or Dolphin. The night that we went to the MK for the MVMCP the bus was standing room only after it stopped at the BC.
They really need to do something different, maybe a few more buses and different routes.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by helenk
They really need to do something different, maybe a few more buses and different routes.

If you were to see the inner details of how we work, you'd see that we do exactly that.

 

[Maxwell]

I have never had good service at the BW. We always walk over to the Swan in the AM. Guranateed to get a seat. We arrive at the BW with hordes of people waiting. It is getting out of hand!

 

[n2mm]

This does seem to be a growing problem and now that FTP has begun, it will only get worse. It's hard not to get upset with the drivers, but remember it's not the drivers causing this and they are doing a great job. Management needs to review this situation and it sounds like letters and emails need to be written to express this problem. I prefer our rental car most of the time, but do like to use the buses for MK visits and have to for FW visits. It was ugly at the A/S Movies during our trip in May, but have heard that those problems have been addresed by giving the Movies their own bus for some routes (or all, I can't remember, but changes were made).

 

[jtbdas]

This too was a challenge for our family this last trip 6/28-7/6/03. We stayed at BWI and found it to be a challenge using the bus system. We have stayed pretty much all over and found this to be the most challenging.

I agree Tyler as an insider you see the routing schedule and we do not, however from the customer's perspective I found it frustrating to stand 50% of the time we used the bus and it was at all hours and from many different locations.

It is apparent that this route has become a route that is continually full and the mere fact that they are servicing five resorts technically, the management team should begin to consider the possibility of dividing the route.

Anyone know of whom to contact to recommend changes in the transportation system?

Just my thoughts........

 

[Ms. WDW]

On my last trip back in 2001 they had "dispatchers" at the bus stops. I take it that they aren't there anymore.

I'm getting just a little concerned. I must get to MK for EE on time or I'm not a happy person for the rest of the day!!!

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by n2mm
It's hard not to get upset with the drivers, but remember it's not the drivers causing this and they are doing a great job.

*sigh* We've learned to put up a shield. But I will offer one piece of advice. If you're friendly, we're more likely to help you out as best as we can... But if you come over and give us attitude... we'll tell you there is nothing we can do.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by jtbdas
Anyone know of whom to contact to recommend changes in the transportation system?

Walt Disney World is such a large entity... You could think of Disney Transport as being contracted by the Epcot Resorts... While you could speak with a Disney Transport manager, I might recommend speaking with the General Manager of the resort instead... After all, they're the ones who pay for the transportation. If they want dedicated buses, they need to pay for them.

 

[beattyfamily]

Jennymouse, thanks for the warnings...we'll be there this Nov/Dec for the first time 'home' and we'll have a car.

I think we'll use the car for AK!

What's the best way to MK from BWV???

So AK = drive
MGM = boat? or walk?
Epcot = walk
MK = bus? drive?

Thanks!

 

[Maxwell]

We were ther at 7:15 AM and had a dispatched there. They called three times and still no bus. A bus finally arrived at 7:50!! Dispatchers are no help!

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by Maxwell
We were ther at 7:15 AM and had a dispatched there. They called three times and still no bus. A bus finally arrived at 7:50!! Dispatchers are no help!

Those are not dispatchers. All they do is monitor and write down buses that arrive. They did this so that we could see real-time intervals. The test is over, and we have upgraded to new MOD tablet PC's for mobile dispatching from staging locations.

 

[Ms. WDW]

Hi Tyler and thanks for trying to explain the situation to us!

I think you hit it on the head when you suggested we talk to the General Manager of the Resort. After all, it is not the fault of the drivers. And you are 100% correct about the attitude.

Back in 2001, my family and I were at Blizzard beach. It was about 3PM and we were headed back to the Boardwalk. Well, every bus came except the Boardwalk. Then this Epcot Bus (I think it was Epcot. It definately wasn't our resort) came and I asked if he knew when the next bus for the BW was coming by cause we had been waiting over 1/2 hour. He looks at this poor hot and tired woman (me) winks and says "hop on". I'll get you "home" and after he dropped everyone off at Epcot, he drove us to the boardwalk!!

For all I know that could have been YOU Tyler!

I'll keep an eye out for you next month.

Thanks again for all your valuable information. Even if it's not what folks want to hear!

 

[freediverdude]

I feel like I have to post on this, because I think I need someone to write to who would be higher up than a resort manager. I've met some very nice bus drivers and in general haven't had a problem with the drivers, and they try to help me when they can. I just think this system of the resorts doing internal payments to the transportation system doesn't serve the guest very well. This type of thing is common practice in corporations to make certain departments more accountable for the resources they are using, but in this case, of course the resort managers are going to try to get away with as little bus service as possible to reduce costs. This Epcot resort bus route now technically serves 7 resorts- Boardwalk Inn, Boardwalk Villas, Yacht Club, Beach Club, Beach Club Villas, Dolphin, and Swan. The notion of one bus route to the Magic Kingdom where each bus holds like 60 people or so, serving somewhere between 3000 and 4000 hotel rooms, is just absurd, there's no other word for it. The same goes for some of the routes which serve the Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian at peak times- on one trip I was on, absolutely nobody at the Grand Floridian was able to get on after stopping at the other two, and I kept thinking about how much those people paid for their rooms to be left at the bus stop. I'm not usually a complainer, but especially the Epcot resort route is just ridiculous. Someone in top management at Disney World needs to look at this and decide that it's not in the best interest of a good guest experience to have this internal reimbursement system for the buses, and it should be based on overall usage instead.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by freediverdude
The notion of one bus route to the Magic Kingdom where each bus holds like 60 people or so, serving somewhere between 3000 and 4000 hotel rooms, is just absurd, there's no other word for it. The same goes for some of the routes which serve the Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian at peak times

But see... that's just the thing. It's NOT always one bus... In fact, most often times for the MK it's 2-3 buses. Our dynamic dispatching system is very flexible, and routes buses by demand. For example, I was out of the Studios yesterday. We had routes like Swan/Dolphin/Boardwalk, or Boardwalk/Beach/Yacht... routes always change based on demand. Buses are being constantly sent in there. But here's the thing... If a bus can do all 5, and get everyone, then it WILL be routed to all 5. I had an AK run the other day, I did all 5, and picked up about 35. No reason to send 2 or 3 buses to pick up what one bus can do. More efficient to send that other bus to help out with the MK, which may have a bigger crowd. You see what I'm saying?

In regards to Co/Po/GF - Those morning routes are also flexible. Most of them are Co/Po and a separate bus for WL/GF.

 

[betterlatethannever]

Tyler, I am confused. ( As usual)

I might recommend speaking with the General Manager of the resort instead... After all, they're the ones who pay for the transportation. If they want dedicated buses, they need to pay for them.

Our dynamic dispatching system is very flexible, and routes buses by demand.

The busses are on a demand basis. HOwever, each resort pays for the busses that serve it. Therfore, if BW, for example, doesn't pay for extra busses, it won't get extra busses, even if the demand is there. Is that correct?



Ed

 

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by Chip 'n Dale Express
Walt Disney World is such a large entity... You could think of Disney Transport as being contracted by the Epcot Resorts... While you could speak with a Disney Transport manager, I might recommend speaking with the General Manager of the resort instead... After all, they're the ones who pay for the transportation. If they want dedicated buses, they need to pay for them.

Tyler,

I never realized this about the buses. I just assumed that the manager in the transportation department determined how many buses each resort got based on traffic. Very interesting information.

 

[freediverdude]

Yes, I'm also confused then. How exactly do they determine the demand? And don't the resorts say "We'll pay for x number of buses, but no more"? Are there cameras at the bus stops showing how many people are waiting or what?

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by betterlatethannever
Tyler, I am confused. ( As usual)
The busses are on a demand basis. HOwever, each resort pays for the busses that serve it. Therfore, if BW, for example, doesn't pay for extra busses, it won't get extra busses, even if the demand is there. Is that correct?

ARGH! I had a detailed, well thought out, lucid reply all written out. And then the power went out. ARGH! Let me see if I can redo it.

That statement is not quite true... it's complicated to explain, but I will try to explain it the best that I can. It's not so much that a resort pays for a specific number of buses... they pay for a level of service. That level of service allows for shared buses as needed to maximize efficiency.

For morning MOD (Magic On Demand) operations, buses are dispatched in 15 minute intervals along preset routes:

Swan -> Dolphin -> Boardwalk
Yacht -> Beach -> Boardwalk
Swan -> Dolphin -> Yacht -> Beach -> Boardwalk

The demand part comes in when buses start to fill up. When buses start to fill up prematurely, and leave folks behind, that's when the "Cleaner" buses are dispatched. These buses are dispatched along non-standard routes. For example, they could go to the Boardwalk first, and then do Yacht/Beach. Or they could just do the Boardwalk alone.

In order to maximize efficiency and keep our costs down, our goal is to prevent buses from running half empty, when they could be more productive, so to speak.

For example... say there are 20 people waiting for the MK at Yacht, Beach and Boardwalk. Each bus can handle 72 people. It's more cost effective to have one bus handle those 60 people, than having 3 buses handle it.

By having dedicated buses for each of the resorts all of the time, you're going to have buses that run at least half empty all morning.

The bottom line:
Splitting the resorts, and giving them dedicated buses would be 40-60% more expensive, and you'd be running buses at 25-50% of thier capacity.



Okay, so it's not half of what I wrote earlier. But I hope it explains how it all works a bit better.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by freediverdude
Yes, I'm also confused then. How exactly do they determine the demand? And don't the resorts say "We'll pay for x number of buses, but no more"? Are there cameras at the bus stops showing how many people are waiting or what?

Unfortunetly, we do not have cameras. (Although, it would be quite helpful to have a mobile dispatching command center, complete with monitors of all our loadzones... but alas, I can dream... lol)

When a bus goes "72" (our term for Full Bus), the driver calls it into the Dispatcher, and lets them know where they went 72, and if anyone was left behind. The dispatcher inputs this into the computer, and dispatches additional units as appropriate.