What can only be reached by bus?

[dmunsil]

This is more of a fun thought puzzle rather than a serious question. I kinda hate the buses. Well, hate is too strong a word. I prefer other modes of transportation like boats, monorail, and good old walking. And I was struck that there is a lot of the World that you can get to via these other methods one way or another. For example, I believe you can get to Caribbean Beach from Epcot and DHS via a (long) walking path, though I can't find the Caribbean Beach end of it on satellite views; it seems to peter out at the intersection of Buena Vista and Victory. I guess you can just cut across the grass to that intersection.

Anyway, I wondered what parts of WDW can really only be reached from the TTC via bus, if we're only counting Disney transportation, not cabs, no walking on the road shoulder.

Here's everything I can think of that you currently must take a bus to get to, if you start at the TTC or something connected to the TTC by non-bus modes:

Animal Kingdom & Lodge
All of the value resorts
Downtown Disney area (Port Orleans, SSR, Old Key West)
Coronado Springs
Both water parks

But then that got me thinking about what walking paths would need to be built to connect everything, and it seems like it's only a few, since a lot of the above locations are connected together in groups. For example, Coronado Springs is connected to Blizzard Beach and the All-Star resorts by a path, so if they built a path to Animal Kingdom from one of those, it would be possible (though long) to walk from any of those to AK.

It actually seems like the below would be sufficient

- Connect All-Stars to AK and AKL
- Connect Coronado Springs to Dolphin (there's already a walking path covering about 1/3 the distance)
- Connect Caribbean Beach to Old Key West
- Connect Caribbean Beach to Pop Century/Art of Animation (this is maybe 50 yards of path plus some marked walkways in the parking lot).

That's it. Four paths and the entire World is accessible via non-bus transit or walking. Stick in a couple of light rail lines or back-and-forth monorail shuttles and suddenly everything is accessible via non-bus transit and very minor walking.

Did I miss something?

 

[disd55]

Ok, well there's a couple of flaws. There's a reason you don't see people walking from CSR to BB every day or from Epcot to CBR. I don't quite know what the reason is, but if it was an actual public, commonly used trail, then people would be walking on it. Secondly, you can't connect all these resorts. It would be one thing to connect all the ASR's by trail, or CBR and CSR. They wouldn't want to connect AKL and ASR's or CSR via trail, or they'd probably have people paying Value rates and sneaking over to AKL to use the amenities. Although you could just take a bus to a park from the values and then go to a mod/deluxe from there, it makes it more of a hassle. If people had such easy access to each resort [or park], things would be taken advantage of and there would be problems.

 

[dmunsil]

Ok, well there's a couple of flaws. There's a reason you don't see people walking from CSR to BB every day or from Epcot to CBR.

Well, I think mostly it's the heat! That and that there's a perfectly fine bus that will take you there. I have seen people walking on those walkways next to Buena Vista, but you're right, it's not many.

Secondly, you can't connect all these resorts. It would be one thing to connect all the ASR's by trail, or CBR and CSR. They wouldn't want to connect AKL and ASR's or CSR via trail, or they'd probably have people paying Value rates and sneaking over to AKL to use the amenities. Although you could just take a bus to a park from the values and then go to a mod/deluxe from there, it makes it more of a hassle. If people had such easy access to each resort [or park], things would be taken advantage of and there would be problems.

Maaaybe. Fort Wilderness is the cheapest place to stay on the whole property, and I don't think they have huge problems with people "sneaking" over to WL or CR, both of which are accessible by boat. And there's a walkway to WL, which people don't use much. Mostly because there's a perfectly good boat.

Moreover, people are actually welcome to go to the Deluxe hotels. You can't use the pool, but a lot of the other stuff is fine. You can eat in the restaurants, shop at the gift shops, sit in the lobby, listen to the music, etc. There are exceptions, obviously. The pool is one, but I can't think of others. The kids' activity centers are usually open to anyone, at least the ones you pay for. Not surprising about that.

It's not like Disney goes out of its way to tell folks that they're welcome to come on by and see the Polynesian, but any CM will tell you so if you ask, and lots of people like to stay at a Moderate or Value but eat dinners at deluxe resorts.

I think the real reason they don't connect these areas is the first one you mentioned: there's not much demand. Most of the year it's too hot, and even when it isn't some of those walks are pretty long.

I mean, they could easily connect the AK and AKL with a walkway; it wouldn't even be that long. Lots of people assume that they're connected. But they don't, because people aren't that into walking. We always walk from Boardwalk to DHS, and there are not a lot of people on that walkway, let me tell you. There are always a few, but the bulk of guests take the bus.

Actually what I really want connecting these areas is just something with a little more magic than buses. Electric self-driving cars. Cable cars. Magic carpets. I don't know; they're Disney. They should be coming up with new and exciting modes of transportation.