WDW Transportation System (Buses)

[RobPickles]

I always see posts about people complaining about the buses in WDW.

My wife and I have been going down to Disney World for years, sometimes we rented a car, and sometimes we used the buses. We have gone down during mostly busy times and on a few occasions it was not as crowded.

The last few trips we opted not to rent a car at all and use the buses. We have found the wait times to be very reasonable and most times actually faster than expected. We have on occasion also had a long wait (the max was about 20 minutes). But for the most part, for us, taking the buses was a positive experience.

What do you think about using the buses?

Rob

 

[daisyduck123]

Hi!! You're missing an option...we never use the buses because we always drive down to WDW & use our own car during our stay. We find it easier that way. Then we can hop over to a waterpark or wherever we want when we are finished w/ a park.

 

[Jeremy&Susan]

Definitely the options dont cover the possible answers.

While we generally use the busses, there are times when they are VERY VERY good and other times when they are not so good and we use our rental car or are just unhappy about a very long wait.

I definitely think the busses are a good thing but Disney needs to manage them better and minimize the issues that all too often crop up.

 

[CandleontheWater]

One of the major plusses to a Disney vacation in my book is getting to park the car and take Disney transportation for the whole trip. I really, really hate driving, so it is the ultimate break for me. That being said I also think I'm really lucky, because I haven't had any horrible bus experiences. I'm down usually once a month and I usually stay at SSR (which supposedly has notorious bus troubles), and I've had a few instances where I've maybe waited 20-30 mins, but really that isn't so terrible. The busses are supposed to come every 20 mins, so I feel like if I catch a bus faster than that, that I'm doing great!

 

[dvcdisney]

I definitely think the busses are a good thing but Disney needs to manage them better and minimize the issues that all too often crop up.

Exactly!

We love the idea but the bus system seems to be getting worse each vacation. I remember having very few problems the first time we started taking them 8 years ago (granted, resort occupancy rates may have been less those days). But now, it's not only the bus, or the waiting, or some rude people we encounter on it, but the overall lack of care from CM's (that monitor the buses) that we have observed. On one occasion, we had just arrive at the bus waiting area for a MK bus. We overheard a man speaking with a CM about how long they waited for the bus. The man was not irate, just upset. He didn't raise his voice (the only reason we could hear was because we were standing beside them). And the CM was quite rude and seemed very distracted and told the man that the bus is on its way and continued to walk towards the other part of the waiting area. The bus, by the way, arrived 30 minutes later. Those people had been waiting for more than an hour. I guess it would have been a little less upsetting if it wasn't in the heat of August.

 

[hellerjw]

We have had an overall good experience with the bus system. Over the 15 or so trips we have taken in the last 15 years I can count on one hand the number of times we waited longer than 45 minutes.

I think we average around 15-20 minutes wait. Maybe we are lucky or maybe its just that we are having fun regardless of where or what we are doing at Disney. Either way, I think part of the experience is forgetting the car and taking a little "joy ride" on the Disney transportation system. We always allow plenty of time to get where we need to be and I think if you overestimate your wait times you will have a positive experience. If you are running late for a ADR then taking the bus isn't going to cut it anyhow.

 

[Pennyguy23]

We love DT. Its nice to just wait and chat with my wife then get on the bus and it takes us to were we want to go. I think the 20 minutes isn't really that back which only a few times have we waited that long. But if I were trying to get to my car!!! I don't think that would be any faster, if not longer.

 

[allshookup]

We also love the fact that when we get to WDW we never have to drive. It's part of the whole WDW experience for us & we love it! SSR is our home resort & we take the buses from there all the time with hardly a wait. Even if there is a bit of a wait, we don't mind & actually find it relaxing to just sit & take in the atmosphere. After the parks close, if a bus is full, we wait for the next one so we can sit. We are on vacation & in no hurry so we don't stress over getting anywhere fast. Occasionally we run into a couple of rude & obnoxious people, but we just consider them part of the entertainment. There are some people that are just so facinating to watch! Sometimes we are fortunate to meet some very nice people & it's fun to strike up a conversation with a family excited about their first time at WDW. WDW transportation is a major factor in why we choose to vacation there!

 

[Chuck S]

Traveling with a wheelchair, we bus to MK and drive to the other parks for convenience. However, we may rely more heavily as this trip we are flying, and the rental car won't have a w/c lift in it, like when we drive our own car.

We would've driven for this trip, too, but I had a free plane ticket I had to use up.

 

[dianeschlicht]

In nearly 12 years of DVC membership and more than 20 years of WDW vacations, we have always felt the buses were more than adequate.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We were frustrated on Sunday the 16th while waiting for a bus to MK. 3 DTD buses came and finally one came for the MK. DH had timed it, we had just missed a MK bus, and it was "only" 20 minutes till this one came, but it seemed like much longer.

Our interesting experience. We were coming from MK just before noon on Saturday the 15th. We were staying at BWV, but DSis was coming to BCV that day, and we could have taken either bus, so we asked a bus driver/coordinator (he had a phone or something and looked important) which would be next. He was pleasant and asked which we would like...well that would be BWV, to go to our room first. About 5 minutes later, he called us over, pointed to a "VIP Cast Member" bus and we boarded. We went to another bus stop area, don't know which resort, but there were people from Kidds Kids waiting there going to 2 different resorts, and the bus driver took us all, dropped us off first. Now, I don't know why there were no ordinary buses for BCV or BWV during this time...but we got to our hotel, I guess the others did to theirs, but that was a bit strange. How long would we have had to wait by BCV or BWV if DH hadn't asked him for information?

Is there something special in the mornings when most people are going TO the parks, but only a few want to go to their resort?

Bobbi

 

[spiceycat]

most of the time the bus service is excellent - but sometimes you got to wonder - especially with the computer sending out 2 and 3 MK and DD buses together.

that is just strange. hope they fixed that problem.

bobbi don't know - but have similiar - gotten off a bus from another resort asked when the next bus going to my new resort would be here - told to turn around - and the bus I arrived on - is the new resort bus....

that has happened more than once. so it definitely pays to ask.

 

[anonymousegirl]

I use both my rental car and buses. A bus definitely for MK unless I'm staying at a monorail property. Otherwise, I usually use my car in the am and buses in the late afternoon/ evening.

On next week's trip to Pop I will be relying on the buses, so we'll see what happens!

 

[simzac]

We love the buses. Part of what makes a Disney World vacation special for us.

 

[bangzoom6877]

I chose that we use them and it is positive, but if it were more specific, I would say it is positive but we use them occasionally. We drive down so have our car with us and drive to the parks when we can. This is what we did in July. We were staying at Pop Century. We only took the bus twice. Once was on our arrival day because we were going to MK after lunch and I knew parking would not be fun. We took the bus and it was fine. A lot of work though with two tots and a double stroller. The other time was to AK for EMH morning. I had heard they do not open their parking lot until after 8AM and wanted to be through the gates at 8AM (I am neurotic about arriving early). So we took the bus. It was fine, but again a lot of work with the little ones.

Now we will be staying at BWV from now on so I only have to worry about getting to MK. We are not going back to AK any time soon...it just didn't WOW us. We will walk to DHS and Epcot, and probably just drive to MK.

 

[DebbieB]

I always rent a car and sometimes use the busses. When staying at BWV, I usually walk to Epcot and boat to DHS. Drive to AK and DTD. MK - sometimes drive, sometimes bus.

 

[Flyerfan]

We also love the fact that when we get to WDW we never have to drive. It's part of the whole WDW experience for us & we love it! SSR is our home resort & we take the buses from there all the time with hardly a wait. Even if there is a bit of a wait, we don't mind & actually find it relaxing to just sit & take in the atmosphere. After the parks close, if a bus is full, we wait for the next one so we can sit. We are on vacation & in no hurry so we don't stress over getting anywhere fast. Occasionally we run into a couple of rude & obnoxious people, but we just consider them part of the entertainment. There are some people that are just so facinating to watch! Sometimes we are fortunate to meet some very nice people & it's fun to strike up a conversation with a family excited about their first time at WDW. WDW transportation is a major factor in why we choose to vacation there!

I couldn't have said it better myself. Thanks Diane.

 

[RobPickles]

I didn't expect so many replies so fast!

I guess if you drive down you can use option #3. I didn't think to put a combo choice, but I guess if I could alter it I will add one.

Rob

 

[Granny]

I responded "use the buses and find it a positive experience" since that is the majority of the time. I will say that if we only stayed at BWV or BCV my answer would probably be different since those buses are so overcrowded and make so many stops just in the EPCOT Resort area alone.

In general, though, we find the Disney transportation system to be very good. That includes the boats and monorails in addition to the buses.

 

[jblrn2b]

We love being able to take DT whether it is bus/boat/monorail. We've had good experiences with DT.