Which resorts have best/worst transporation?

[milmore104]

I'd have to say that the worst resort on bus trans. is hands down OKW. There we times we waited over 40 min. to get on a bus.
However I would have to say that AS resorts are great when it comes to trans. They are more crowded at park closing times due to all 3 resorts sharing a bus back to the resorts but there is usually 3 waiting so you don't have to wait very long.
And to answer your question about them sharing a bus it really depends on how many people are waiting for a bus on the way to the parks. We only made a trip to pick up people twice at the other As in a 2 week period.
Hope this helps!
I have noticed to while waiting that CBR seems to have a good bus system as well but I couldn't tell you from expe.

 

[PistolPete]

For the moderates, this is how I rate them:
1. CSR
2. PO-FQ
3. CBR
4. PO-R (because it shares a bus w/PO-FQ and is 2nd stop)

Monorail hotels are great for MK and EC, but slow for AK and MGM

BC/YC/BW/Swan/Dolphin are great for MGM and EC, average for MK and AK

WL/FW share the boat for MK, good at off times, but long waits at peak times. Buses are good for MGM and EC, poor for AK.

I have no personal experiences with All Star's.

 

[Vlahakis2001]

I believe that the GF has the best transportation out of any of the resorts. Maybe the CR is close but the GF has the best transportation by far.

 

[SueM in MN]

As someone else said, for each negative there will be a positive. We've stayed at CBR, PO, WL and we've been DVC members at OKW for 9 years and have not had a problem with the buses. The last few years, we've gone over Spring break (sometimes even been there right over Easter). Sometimes we walked to the stop and a bus came right away, sometimes we've missed the bus and had to wait 15-20 minutes for the next one, but seldom longer than that.

The transportation at all the resorts generally run every 15-20 minutes. They sometimes get off schedule or break down, which increases the time between buses. So, a lot of it is luck. If you get there at the right time, you will hardly wait at all and will think the transportation is great. If you just miss one bus, or the bus is delayed, you'll have to wait at least 15 minutes and you might not think the bus service is good. In general I think the transportation is pretty good for the number of people they carry each day.

 

[BadgerBruce]

I feel the best deluxe transportation is at the Swan, especially if you like to walk. You can walk to both Epcot & the Studios. The Swan is also the first stop in the Epcot resorts loop so you should always be able to get a seat. The only moderate we have stayed at is POR, and in 4 stays the bus service has always been very good. The boat to DD is very nice, too! We've also stayed at BC, BWV & Dolphin-never had bad service at any of them.

 

[eeyore0062]

You will probably find as many answers to that question as there are people posting, because "bad transporation" can be a subjective area around here! Also, transporation at resorts can vary with the day, the bus driver, and so many other factors. My suggestion is not to base your decision of resort on the transporation factor alone. Go with the resort you like the best, and let the chips fall where they may!

 

[milmore104]

I think that that was the best advice. I think that sometimes when we are all writing are opinions we forget that somethings really don't matter. I know that a bad bus ride can ruin your day but we have to remember that we are in Disney and that should make us happy. I know the only thing bad we have to say about our recent trip was the bus rides but it was not do to wait or the driver it was the rude people on the bus. So I would agree don't choose a resort because of the trans.

 

[Desnik]

chrissyk
When we stayed at the GF we used the guest parking and we too thought it was so far away. Then while staying there in Nov, we asked the Bell Hops at the entrance if there was a way we can get a ride to the lot? Well, they gladly got one of those vehicles they drive around for luggage and drove us right to our car!!! They said they do this all the time and to just ask next time and if someone was available they'd drive us there! We tipped them each time and were very grateful! They also offered the same to us after coming off the bus from a long park day, DD was asleep in my arms and they gave us a ride to our bldg.!

Personally I thought the "best" transportation we've encountered was at CSR and we didn't like the resort and will never go back, but their trasportation was great! Always a bus waiting. I had an isussue with the GF and BW transportation to certain parks because they often share buses with other resorts, this can get annoying when you just want to get back to your resort. Other than that I am greatful to not have to drive after driving to WDW from NY!!! and its free!

 

[Peter Pirate]

AKL has the best (most efficient) transportation. One stop, no sharing.

WL has the worst - even though they have a boat to MK it's often full & very slow. The busses to the other parks are always shared & the other Resorts (Poly & GF) aren't that close.

Swan/Dolphin/YC/BC/BW are all about the same as they share busses (different routes at diferent times & seasons). The Swan is the best as you're first on and thusly guranteed a seat over Dolphin folks...As would be the YC when they're sharing with th BC & BW. Also these hotels have the availability of boat (although slow) and are walkable to MGM & Epcot. A very convienient choice.

GF/Ploy are the same...Great to Mk, very mediocre (due to sharing with GF & WL) to other parks.

CSR / PO are good but the internal stops are bothersome...The loss of the BW direct bus (at CSR) was a big loss IMO...

Never stayed at the others but the AS lines at the Parks are what has kept us from staying there.

The Contemorary has to be a great choice what with walkability & monorail to MK and ease of monorail to Epcot.

 

[DeeP]

I have stayed in almost every WDW resort and I think considering the number of people they transport in any given day they do a wonderful job but if I had to pick a resort where I have experienced the fastest bus transportation it would be the All Stars and the resort where I have had the longest waits and bus rides would be OKW.

 

[Luv2Roam]

I think the transportation is partly based on just dumb luck.
For our stays --
The best: ASMo
Close second: CSR
Terrible with a capital T: POR

 

[soccer mom]

Thank you everyone for all of the information. Since this was a short trip I didn't want to spend too much time on transportation. You've given me food for thought, but like some of you advised, I guess I won't let it be the DECIDING factor in our choice of where to stay.

Thanks again, I knew I could count on you guys for help!

 

[BostonTigger]

It seems to me that most people agree that the AS resorts seem to have the best transportation. The last two times I've gone, I've noticed that the busses for the AS resorts seem to come more frequently than other busses, I guss this is due to so many more people staying at the AS resorts. The last two times I've gone to WDW I stayed at the POFQ, and loved it. The trasportation didn't seem to be that much of a problem. It did get a little irritating that we shared busses when going to the MK with the RQ, this wasn't the case for my first trip. I'm planning for a trip in January and I still haven't decided as to where I want to stay, but after hearing so many people say good thing about the transportation for the AS resorts I just might stay there. I do have one question regarding the AS resorts though. I think someone mentioned that the ASMo is the last to be picked up. If this is the case, which AS resort is the first? Thanks in advance for your imput.

Steven

 

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by soccer mom
Planning a quick 5-day surprise trip for the kids in early December. Not sure where we're staying yet. What resort, in each category (deluxe, moderate, value), do you think has the best/worst transportation to the parks?

Thanks!

This really depends on what parks are important to you. The YC/BC/BWI/BWV/BCV/Swan/Dolphin all allow you to be able to walk or take a boat to both MGM and EC. Everything else is by bus and all of these resorts share the route so the bus can get crowed to the MK,AK or DTD.

All of the moderates and the value resorts have bus transportation only besides POR/POFQ which has a boat to DTD but buses everywhere else. My understanding is that the All Stars all share buses, POR and POFQ share buses, the CBR is very large and the buses make six stops or so inside of CBR before going onto it destination. CS is also very large and there are multiple stops inside of CS before the bus goes onto its destination.

AKL is direct bus from the AKL to where ever you are going.

POLY, GF and CONT are most convient to the MK and then next to EC by monorail. Everything else is by bus and I believe these three share a bus route.

WL has a boat to the MK and then everything by bus. I believe some of the bus routes are shared with FW.

It comesdown to what park is most imporatant to you. We spend the least amount of our time at the MK therefore we will proboly never stay at a monorail resort the convienence of the YC/BC, Swan/Dolphin or the BW cannot be beat if EC and MGM are our faviorate parks.

This was kind of long but I hope it helps you out.

 

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by Brer boy
Best: All Stars
Worst: Swan
When we were at the Swan two years ago the buses were too far apart, not continuous like AS. The boat could be worse. If you just miss it you're in for a long wait. Then if you get it, it seems to stop everywhere before getting to MGM.

There must have been a problem with the buses during your trip because regardlesss of what on-site resort you stay at( All Stars or Swan) buses are supposed to run every 20mins from your resort to a park and back. In theory if everything is working ontime noone should have to wait more then 20mins for a bus.

The Swan/Dolphin is the last stop on the boat route to MGM. Going from the Swan/Dolphin to EC you also stop at YC and BW.

The boat at the EC resorts is a "slow" boat so to get to EC we walk and now that there is a walkway to MGM we will be walking from the Dolphin to both MGM and EC on our upcoming trip to the Dolphin.

 

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by ducklite

BW/BC/YC the BW is usually teh first stop, so you can usually get a seat, with BC being last. But because you walk to Epcot and MGM (or take the seldom crowded boat) I put those first on the list. Very easy to get into two parks with NO WAIT.
Anne

I think they must change the routes around? We have stayed at the YC twice and the BWI and once and on all three trips the order of the bus stops was the Swan then the Dolphin then the YC then the BC then the BWI.

 

[Dopey Sharon]

Steven...to answer your question...Sports is the first, Music second and Movies last. We've stayed at Music (Movies wasn't done being built yet) and Movies. Even though we were last, we always got a seat going anywhere in the morning...coming home, at night, when the parks closed, depending on my mood, we would stand or wait till the next bus and get a seat.

 

[mat2672]

I think in general too that a negative post is always more juicy than a positive one and it just sticks out more. its easier to remember a description of a "horrible" transportation story than it is to remember when someone says it was "fine". You can have 5 negative posts and 20 positive, but the negative ones will usually stick in your head and might cloud the truth a little. I really think a bad transportation day is just dumb luck and nothing more. And someone else made a good point that some people would find a 20 minute wait to be acceptable where as someone else comes on and trashes the resort because of the same wait. A lot of this is really subjective.