WDW Buses

[lmdean]

Hi all, For the first time ever, we are not staying at a WDW Resort (since we're not spending the entire time at WDW). We are renting a car, but I'd like to park at Downtown Disney (still free, right?) and use Disney transportation to get to the resorts and then to the parks.

Will I have any issues with that? I seem to remember technically you have to be a resort guest to use the WDW transportation, but I've never seen a driver check... I know that WDW is issuing Magic Bands to resort guests now, and that got me thinking that they might be more diligent about who is using the buses. So, i thought I'd ask and see if anyone had gone recently that could tell me.

Thanks!

 

[seashoreCM]

Waste of time. Lots of waiting for buses. Also Downtown Disney service does not begin early enough to make rope drop at the parks.

Much better to drive directly to the parks (to Transportation & Ticket Center for Magic Kingdom).

Currently there is no checking for ID or room keys or Magic Bands on the buses during the mid-day hours although some changes may occur in upcoming months. (Off site guests can possess Magic Bands, either purchased separately or re-used from a previous on-site stay.)

There may be ID checking early in the morning to keep guests not staying at Disney's resorts from getting to a park holding an extra magic hour, or there may be ID checking late at night for security reasons. Here, morning checks are academic because you won't be getting out of DtD until after the parks have been open for awhile.

 

[davedmaine]

Hi all, For the first time ever, we are not staying at a WDW Resort (since we're not spending the entire time at WDW). We are renting a car, but I'd like to park at Downtown Disney (still free, right?) and use Disney transportation to get to the resorts and then to the parks. Will I have any issues with that? I seem to remember technically you have to be a resort guest to use the WDW transportation, but I've never seen a driver check... I know that WDW is issuing Magic Bands to resort guests now, and that got me thinking that they might be more diligent about who is using the buses. So, i thought I'd ask and see if anyone had gone recently that could tell me. Thanks!

A lot of work to save a few bucks

 

[pooch]

WDW transportation, busses, boats, monorails, are open to everyone. They are not restricted to resort guests.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

buses used to not start serving DTD as early as park buses. would allow around 1.5 to close to 2 hours to get from DTD to a park with going to a resort and transferring. you are not going to make rope drop

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Even on a weeklong stay visiting the parks everyday you're saving about $100.

With this plan you'll probably waste 2 hours a day at least. If you need to save that money I'd just cut your vacation short by a day and save it on a hotel room.

If you insist on doing this the plan will work best at MK as you can catch a bus to CR or GF and be just a walk or short monorail away from the park. If you're doing Epcot or HS you could catch a bus to one of the Epcot resorts. Short walk to Epcot from there - Much Longer walk to HS. For AK you're basically screwed.

In summary...this is not a good plan. Please save yourself the trouble!

ETA: OP - I guess I sort of assumed your plan was about time or money. Is there another reason you want to do this? Other than money I can't really see one so if we're overlooking something let us know.

 

[lmdean]

Thanks to all who replied. I am not interested in making rope drops at any parks. We have dining reservations at several resorts and parks during our stay and I just don't feel like moving the car around all day long. I am used to doing everything by bus/boat/monorail, so for me it's just about personal convenience and comfort.

I really did NOT want to rent a car, but our hotel has only 1 WDW shuttle per day, and taking the public bus seemed arduous.

Thanks again!

 

[Polydweller]

Really bad plan. It is precisely because of this type of plan that Disney has made it as awkward as they can. You have no choice but to transfer at another resort and as other said you will have waits for buses and will spend at least 1.5 to 2 hrs one way just travelling. So think 3-4 hours daily.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Thanks to all who replied. I am not interested in making rope drops at any parks. We have dining reservations at several resorts and parks during our stay and I just don't feel like moving the car around all day long. I am used to doing everything by bus/boat/monorail, so for me it's just about personal convenience and comfort.

I really did NOT want to rent a car, but our hotel has only 1 WDW shuttle per day, and taking the public bus seemed arduous.

Thanks again!

With that in mind there are some other options then. You can always leave your car at one park and use the transportation from there as long as you return to the initial park to pickup your car. This is typically easiest at Magic Kingdom since that park is open the latest but can also work at Epcot or Hollywood Studios. On our first trip we stayed offsite and had park hoppers so we would use the buses to go from park to park and then circle back at the end of the day.

You could also use your WDW shuttle to a park in the morning, take Disney transport from there and then take a cab back to your hotel at the end of the night.

Many people seem to dislike the buses and would say it would be so much better to drive but I totally understand that "not wanting to drive on vacation vibe!" It's the whole reason we refuse to stay off-site now.

 

[bumbershoot]

buses used to not start serving DTD as early as park buses. would allow around 1.5 to close to 2 hours to get from DTD to a park with going to a resort and transferring. you are not going to make rope drop

I was once meeting a relative at Epcot. It took over 2 hours for them to park at DTD, get a bus to...some resort (can't recall which one)...then get a bus to epcot. And they were doing that often at that point, but it still took that long.

I cannot even imagine spending so long just to get to a dinner or whatever.

Drive to park. Pay. Park. Have fun. Want to go to another place? Get the car, drive to the other place, show receipt, park. Have fun. etc. Just not difficult at all.

 

[lmdean]

Thanks again for the suggestions. I appreciate that some may think my "plan" is not a good one, but really, I've been doing the exact same thing (except staying on property) for years. The only addition is an initial bus from DTD to a resort (probably WL to take the water launch into MK), and from there to the monorail or Epcot.

We normally visit at least two parks a day, and have dining reservations in 3 different places, etc... so I am very comfortable with using WDW transportation to get all over the place.

We'll give it a try and see what happens. Thanks again!

 

[joelkfla]

I've been doing the exact same thing (except staying on property) for years. The only addition is an initial bus from DTD to a resort (probably WL to take the water launch into MK), and from there to the monorail or Epcot.

The initial bus from DTD in the morning is exactly the problem.

• Bus service out of DTD officially starts at 8 a.m. Earlier than that, service is sporadic; if you catch any bus at all, you're lucky.
• Between 8 a.m. - 11 a.m., service is provided to a limited number of resorts, mostly ones close to DTD. There is no regular service to any MK area resorts, including WL.
• Between 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., buses run to all resorts, but stop at TL before the resort, which adds as much as 20 minutes to the travel time.

You're plan will work (allowing extra time) if you start your daily journey after 8 a.m., but you should use either Port Orleans or one of Epcot resorts as your initial destination and jumping off point.

 

[Disneylover99]

Thanks again for the suggestions. I appreciate that some may think my "plan" is not a good one, but really, I've been doing the exact same thing (except staying on property) for years. The only addition is an initial bus from DTD to a resort (probably WL to take the water launch into MK), and from there to the monorail or Epcot.

We normally visit at least two parks a day, and have dining reservations in 3 different places, etc... so I am very comfortable with using WDW transportation to get all over the place.

We'll give it a try and see what happens. Thanks again!

I think your plan is totally doable. If you're at DTD, I would hop on the first resort bus that arrives. Getting a Pop or AOfA bus would be best since, in my experience, buses run frequently and you don't have an internal bus system to slow you down.

Heading back from the parks, I would try for a Pop or AofA bus or POFQ/POR bus. If you take a Port Orleans bus, you have the option of taking the boat back to DTD.

 

[sam_gordon]

Thanks again for the suggestions. I appreciate that some may think my "plan" is not a good one, but really, I've been doing the exact same thing (except staying on property) for years. The only addition is an initial bus from DTD to a resort (probably WL to take the water launch into MK), and from there to the monorail or Epcot.

We normally visit at least two parks a day, and have dining reservations in 3 different places, etc... so I am very comfortable with using WDW transportation to get all over the place.

We'll give it a try and see what happens. Thanks again!

How could you be doing the "exact same thing" but stay on property? Would you bus from your resort to DTD, then catch a bus to another resort to get to a park?

Will your plan "work"? As far as not having to pay to park and get transportation to a park, yes. As far as it being ANYWHERE near "efficient"? No. You will "lose" around 90 minutes each direction. That's three hours out of your day just to get transported between your car and the parks. And you do that in order to save $15 (per day)? Penny wide and pound foolish if you ask me.

You asked if you would have any issues, folks responded to you with what you would face and you come back and say "my plan will work fine". Why did you ask the question in the first place?

 

[goofy4tink]

Will it work? Sure, of course it will. As long as you realize what you're looking at. Listen to what joelkfla says....he know's what he's talking about!! As long as you realize that you are going to need to plan on at least 90 mins of travel, to get from DTD to your final destination, you should be fine.
Those staying at a WDW resort are paying for the ease of travel...as you know. Those that choose to stay off-site are going to have to plan on addtl time and effort to get where they want to go.
If it were me? I would park at the TTC, for the day, and travel from there. A ton easier...but, of course it's not free. And because you asked if it was 'still free', I'm assuming that's part of the reason for travel from DTD. No way would I choose to spend more than 90 mins getting to my destination vs paying $17, but that's just me....throwing money around.

 

[maxiesmom]

Huge waste of time. But if you want to do it, there is nothing stopping you. But to most of us, it makes no sense at all. Time is money at WDW. And you are wasting a heap of time parking at DTD in order to take 2 buses to the parks.

Take your park pass and figure out how much it is costing you per hour. It is more than the small amount you are saving by parking at DTD. You are throwing money away, not saving it.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

I am not a DTD fan, I've only been there once. But isn't DTD under a ton of construction right now? I thought that parking/traffic around there was horrible. So in addition to 90-120 minutes FROM DTD, won't it take OP a ton of time just to get to and parked at DTD as well?

 

[maxiesmom]

I am not a DTD fan, I've only been there once. But isn't DTD under a ton of construction right now? I thought that parking/traffic around there was horrible. So in addition to 90-120 minutes FROM DTD, won't it take OP a ton of time just to get to and parked at DTD as well?

Great point.

 

[LisaS]

The bus service to/from DTD always seems to take forever. Any time we have had to travel from point A to point B by going through DTD (for example, when returning to our resort after dining at Boma) it was so aggravating. The buses leaving DTD are few and far between. The wait is so long that a huge line forms and even if you were the first ones waiting at the stop, good luck even getting on the bus once it finally arrives. I can't imagine doing that every day.

 

[eeyoresmom]

And don't forget the additonal stop at Typhoon Lagoon each way.