Why are Disney Transport buses so bad?

[Disney Ron]

We tried the bus twice in June while staying at the Yacht Club. We waited 50 minutes for the bus to pick us up from MK when it was 95 out and then we sat on the bus for 15 minutes before it left for YC. I couldn’t even count how many busses we saw come and go.

We waited 40 minutes at YC for the bus to go to AK and finally gave up and drive ourselves.

The rest of the week we just drove

I rest my case.

 

[DVersaggi]

I worked there from 1996 and 2006 and they have been bad long before that. As a former CM, I would always advise taking alternate transport EVERYWHERE. Uber or Lyft. I spoke just last night to a lifer still working there and she mentioned a Minnie transport but I'll bet you anything it costs a fortune. We will be visiting in September and we will Lyft everywhere since we won't have our own car and the fact that WDW resorts are charging their guests to use the parking lot daily (???????????) makes me so mad at the Mouse. Greedy.

 

[Jestocost]

So strange. Just got back from a stay at BWI and didn't have any issues with bus service. Of course we only had to deal with buses when going to AK and MK, so maybe that meant we just had fewer opportunities to hit a bad trip.

 

[iheartglaciers]

I always wonder why WDW doesn’t create dedicated bus lanes. I’ve gotten stuck in traffic many times on the buses, particularly going to MK and Disney Springs.

 

[DVersaggi]

Maybe this will help. Although, it rains at 3:30 almost every day so....will it?

https://www.disneytouristblog.com/gondola-skyway-disney-world-rumor/

 

[Disney Ron]

So strange. Just got back from a stay at BWI and didn't have any issues with bus service. Of course we only had to deal with buses when going to AK and MK, so maybe that meant we just had fewer opportunities to hit a bad trip.

This is exactly why last week we booked the Free Dining Bounceback at the BWI. Our 2 favorite parks are EPCOT and DHS so we will only be a walk or a boat ride away from the 2 parks we will be spending most of our time in. We will probably just Uber the 1 day we go to DAK and Uber to the Contemporary the days we go to the MK.

 

[maxiesmom]

Was not aware of cooling buses. Nobody informed us. Didn’t rent a car because wdw was the only thing we did this trip. Yea I did eventually get a taxi a couple of times but when spending almost $400/night on room I don’t think decent bus service is an unreasonable expectation.

I agree with you that we should all get decent bus service. But I also think there is something said for taking the bull by the horns when things are not going how you want them to. Which is why I keep a bit of taxi money on me at all times. I have no qualms about grabbing a taxi every so often in the wait for a bus starts to get long, just like you did.

 

[bigbabyblues]

Friends of ours were at WDW the same time as we were in June. We were offsite and they were at POR, and they had bad bus service all but 2 days. We were planning to meet up at MK and do some things together one morning, and they were walking to the bus stop as we were leaving our condo. We drove 23 minutes to the TTC, walked to and went through security, got on the ferry, waited for it to fill up (probably only 5 minutes or so), rode to MK, and got into the park. DH texted friend to see where they were, and they were still waiting for a bus. This was the worst day of it, but it always took longer for them to get to and from than it did us.

My personal opinion is that bus service is not as good anymore because Disney wants more people to use the Minnie Vans. I could be wrong.

 

[KrazeeK120]

...and that’s why we drive ourselves.

 

[Dis703]

I have experienced occasionally bad waits, but never consistently bad throughout the whole trip. Yes, I think it's worth complaining if you are having hour long waits repeatedly. They need to know when people are that upset about their service. And you are better off doing it while you are still there. It wouldn't be unusual for them to give you something for your troubles that may at least offset the time you wasted waiting for buses.

 

[lambdabeta]

I have to disagree. WDW is twice the size of Manhattan, albeit with much more open space.

The typical bus interval is 20 minutes. All vehicles are subject to external/uncontrollable conditions, like traffic or breakdowns or weather. Sometimes delays can't be helped.

Buses don't travel between resorts. Transfers are usually required. Walking from the origination point (room, attraction, etc.) plus twenty minute wait plus fifteen minutes travel time plus twenty minute wait plus ten minutes travel time plus walking from the bus to the restaurant plus arriving ten-fifteen minutes early (as advised when making the ADR) totals 75-80 minutes plus walk time. Ninety minutes makes complete sense.

Granted, the reverse could easily occur: arrive at each bus stop just as a bus is loading, but 40 minutes off the trip. Go from one resort near a non-MK park to another such resort, cut ten more minutes. Go from a Building 10 Preferred room at Pop to Olivia's, cut walking time

You may disagree but every ADR confirmation email I have recommends : "-allow up to 1 1/2 or [1.5] hours to travel to your destination when traveling within WDW property." which includes both in park and resort reservations. You are only talking about resort reservations. I can easily get from my resort or park to anywhere in WDW by car or Uber within 30 mins at the most with traffic, usually it is 10 to 15 mins which is no where near the 90 mins you need when taking Disney transportation. I also have to disagree with your statement that the typical bus interval is 20 minutes. That time is what WDW says they should be but from what I see on MDE and this thread that is not typical at all. That is why I have a rental car like I said in my PP and why the OP started this thread in the first place.

 

[DVersaggi]

I do have to say, it's like a black hole on property and always has been. I remember when I would have to meet someone after work, I would quote them an hour to meet. I worked at Cinderella's and if I wanted to meet someone at AMC Pleasure Island, I would give myself an hour to get to my car and drive and of course hit the traffic around downtown Disney (is the construction in front of there done YET????). And God forbid I wanted to meet someone at the world showcase at EPCOT! I would give an hour to meet at the gate maybe. 75 minutes to meet inside the park. But yes, the buses are so bad and YES they have had over 40 years to figure it out and have really failed. They don't fail at much, but do yourself a favor on future visits and do uber/lyft. The bus situation won't change. I was working that day when the maintenance guy dropped from the skyride and died (right at park opening. A sad day and it was closed for good on that day.) and if they are desperste to build a GONDOLA to help with traffic then the bus situation is unfixable to them.

 

[Disney Ron]

I do have to say, it's like a black hole on property and always has been. I remember when I would have to meet someone after work, I would quote them an hour to meet. I worked at Cinderella's and if I wanted to meet someone at AMC Pleasure Island, I would give myself an hour to get to my car and drive and of course hit the traffic around downtown Disney (is the construction in front of there done YET????). And God forbid I wanted to meet someone at the world showcase at EPCOT! I would give an hour to meet at the gate maybe. 75 minutes to meet inside the park. But yes, the buses are so bad and YES they have had over 40 years to figure it out and have really failed. They don't fail at much, but do yourself a favor on future visits and do uber/lyft. The bus situation won't change. I was working that day when the maintenance guy dropped from the skyride and died (right at park opening. A sad day and it was closed for good on that day.) and if they are desperste to build a GONDOLA to help with traffic then the bus situation is unfixable to them.

Thanks for your insight. The buses are worse than I ever remember. The day we picked up at the Contemporary to go to DHS was horrific. I said to my wife if the bus ever had to slam on it's brakes their would have been major injuries, that's how jam packed it was. People were really pissed.

The problem with many on the DIS is they will never admit Disney's failures. The last 2 years we went to Universal over WDW and when we came back this year, we noticed how things have changed in 3 years. We still love WDW, but things have definitely changed.

 

[DVersaggi]

I hope I don't sound jaded. I love them. They were my childhood. I grew up in Tampa and we went at least 4 times a year. In 1992 I chose UCF just for the proximity and got a job there in 1996. But they started to do things that didn't make sense in the name of "good custmer service" like taking the waterfall out of the Poly lobby, trying to remove affordable dinner items off the sit down restaurant menus (like burgers), charging for resort parking, I could go on. When Universal started up, I remember thinking that the Superman or Spiderman ride (it's been awhile) or whatever ride had Spiderman jump on the hood of it....I remember thinking they are going to give us a run for our money with the incredible technology. And that's when Disney came up with Toon Town and it wasn't great. For overall presentation, they can't be beat. I will always hold a space in my heart for Disney but they are leaving the middle class, or at least the lower end of it, behind with pricing and shuttling passengers is a part of that. Who wants to pay for a car when you spent 350$ a night on a resort room? But to be fair, Universal is not the same at customer service, although a lot of them used to work at the Mouse. But the bus thing. I have complained to anyone who would listen since the 90s.

 

[DisFanGuy]

Thanks for your insight. The buses are worse than I ever remember. The day we picked up at the Contemporary to go to DHS was horrific. I said to my wife if the bus ever had to slam on it's brakes their would have been major injuries, that's how jam packed it was. People were really pissed.

The problem with many on the DIS is they will never admit Disney's failures. The last 2 years we went to Universal over WDW and when we came back this year, we noticed how things have changed in 3 years. We still love WDW, but things have definitely changed.

Kinda feel the same way. Bus service has always been a bit spotty but I don’t remember it ever being this bad. We’re gonna be skipping WDW for at least a couple years and doing Universal and a Disney Cruise instead. Still love the films and entertainment Disney puts out but there’s more than a few issues at WDW that need to be fixed and transportation is a big one.

 

[kaytieeldr]

You may disagree but every ADR confirmation email I have recommends : "-allow up to 1 1/2 or [1.5] hours to travel to your destination when traveling within WDW property." which includes both in park and resort reservations.

Yup. Disney doesn't provide resort-to-resort transportation. With thousands of ADRs created daily, it's unreasonable to expect a customized timeline. Also note the inclusion of the phrase "up to." Yes, it could take 90 minutes to get from one resort to another via WDW transportation. It could also take much less time. It's not going to take nearly that long to go from Contemporary to Citricos.

And God forbid I wanted to meet someone at the world showcase at EPCOT!

I'm confused. Why would you buses?

I was working that day when the maintenance guy dropped from the skyride and died (right at park opening. A sad day and it was closed for good on that day.) and if they are desperste to build a GONDOLA to help with traffic then the bus situation is unfixable to them.

That was a tragic accident caused by human error. Technology improves. Safety practices and oversight changes based on experiences change. I will be shocked if the gondola system doesn't include many, many safety enhancements. The original Skyway opened in 1956, and the WDW version in 1971.

 

[cjbcam]

We had absolutely horrible bus service last time we were there. I am dreading the bus system the next time we go. I’m going to budget getting Uber or something next time.

 

[alliecat523]

I find it consistently inconsistent. Some times it’s great, others, horrible. I just prepare to use Lyft at any given time.

 

[Helvetica]

The last time I was there the buses for Value Resorts seemed to run faster than the ones at Deluxe Resorts. Then again, there are a lot more people that they have to move at the Values than at the Deluxes. It's a numbers game.

First thing in the morning and at closing is when the buses are at the most consistent, but they're also the most full. During the mid-day, they are more sporadic. If you're at a resort with a few people like a Deluxe, it will be even more so.

 

[jarestel]

It never fails when we're waiting for our resort bus to return from a theme park... For example, if we're staying at WL, we will see three or four OKW buses rumble on by before the WL bus chugs in. But if we are staying at OKW, it seems like every other bus is going to WL. Our overall waits generally aren't too bad, but one has to wonder about the scheduling of multiple resort buses pulling up to an empty stop two or three times while other bus stops have guests lined up and eager to go.