Why does Saratoga Springs have bus transportation to Downtown Disney?

[cobbler]

Unless this has stopped I am wondering why does Saratoga Springs have bus transportation to Downtown Disney? I have read that it's about a 10 minute walk so I don't see what is the need to have a bus that goes there?

You know I have OFTEN wondered this. There isn't bussing to Epcot or MGM from BC/BW yet we need a bus to go to DTD??

Well, I guess there is the boat at BC/BW . . .

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

You know I have OFTEN wondered this. There isn't bussing to Epcot or MGM from BC/BW yet we need a bus to go to DTD??

Well, I guess there is the boat at BC/BW . . .

Downtown Disney is a bit farther away from the Boardwalk and Beach Club compared to Saratoga Springs.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

DTD is 10 minutes from the buildings that are on that corner of the property. The rest of the buildings are a different story...on top of that by the time you get to the other side of DTD its a long haul back and your feet are killing you.

 

[BroganMc]

Downtown Disney is a bit farther away from the Boardwalk and Beach Club compared to Saratoga Springs.

From the middle of Beach Club to the Boardwalk center is .6 miles. From the Springs to Marketplace is .5 miles. From the Carousel to Marketplace is .8 miles. From the middle of Congress Park is .35 miles.

What is far is walking the full loop around through Westside, the parking lot and the back way home. That's a full 1.75 miles (.5 miles is through parking lot and golf course).

The full loop around the Boardwalk (from middle of BCV, around and back) is 1.1 miles. No massive parking lot or golf course to cross.

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

If you have a few too many at PI, you might get lost and end up wandering on I-drive, so they have the bus!

We took the bus back one night from DTD to SSR. It was long.

We have no luck with buses from DTD back to our resort.... in Sept, going back to BW, we were on a bus that some man stood in front of for like 15 minutes, refusing to move and demanding that the bus take him to Old Key West. Apparently he was at the wrong stop and he was livid that the bus that pulled up was not going to OKW. Last I saw, the sheriffs were having a chat with him.

From DTD to SSR in Feb, we were on the bus with 6 other people. A nice older couple, the husband had an ECV and 2 couples who drank enough that they decided that they should start harassing the bus driver, who ended up pulling over and threatening to call security.

 

[bavaria]

I often walk the loop from OKW through DTD, SSR and back to OKW. While I enjoy the walk, I suspect that many would not be able to manage the walk. I know that my parents would certainly not be able to manage this. Nor would families with smaller children.

I also won't walk it at night (the DTD to OKW part). Recently I was hoping to walk to OKW from DTD at dusk, even though it was raining. The boats were not running due to the stormy weather, and a boat captain insisted that I not walk for my safety.

Many posters here are not able to manage the walk from corners of SSR to the main buildings, so to expect them to walk to DTD and especially the Pleasure Island area and beyond is not realistic.

 

[Starr W.]

If you have a few too many at PI, you might get lost and end up wandering on I-drive, so they have the bus!

We took the bus back one night from DTD to SSR. It was long.

We have no luck with buses from DTD back to our resort.... in Sept, going back to BW, we were on a bus that some man stood in front of for like 15 minutes, refusing to move and demanding that the bus take him to Old Key West. Apparently he was at the wrong stop and he was livid that the bus that pulled up was not going to OKW. Last I saw, the sheriffs were having a chat with him.

From DTD to SSR in Feb, we were on the bus with 6 other people. A nice older couple, the husband had an ECV and 2 couples who drank enough that they decided that they should start harassing the bus driver, who ended up pulling over and threatening to call security.

We road back once from DTD to SSR and what is it with people getting abusive with the bus drivers. We had an older couple sit up front and whine to the driver all the way back about how long they had to wait for the bus. The funny thing is they came to the stop after us and we only waited 15-20 minutes.

 

[cobbler]

Downtown Disney is a bit farther away from the Boardwalk and Beach Club compared to Saratoga Springs.

I think you may have been confused

Yes DTD is farther from BC/BW and there is a bus. I meant "we" as in SSR owners.

Meaning since there isn't transportationt to MGM/Epcot via bus at BC/BW, why is there DTD transportation via bus at SSR.

Of course I replied before I read further into the post. For the most part I think it is unnecessary.

 

[TDC Nala]

PI closes at 2 AM. I would rather not walk back to SSR alone on a dark path at that hour, assuming the path is even open after dusk. And the path is not convenient to every building at SSR. Not only that, but if I am walking to DTD and come out at the Rainforest Cafe, it's a heckuva long walk from there to the Adventurers Club. And back. ESPECIALLY back.

 

[tomandrobin]

We have walked to DD many times at night from SSR, it is lit and not closed.

The path from SSR to OKW is closed as it is not lit at night.

Part of the path from Congress Park does close at night. The walking path along the water is open all night, but the portion that runs in front of the first Congress Park building is post with signs that states that it is closed at night. I think it is the only path with those signs and does close at night at SSR.

 

[loribell]

If you have a few too many at PI, you might get lost and end up wandering on I-drive, so they have the bus!

We took the bus back one night from DTD to SSR. It was long.

We have no luck with buses from DTD back to our resort.... in Sept, going back to BW, we were on a bus that some man stood in front of for like 15 minutes, refusing to move and demanding that the bus take him to Old Key West. Apparently he was at the wrong stop and he was livid that the bus that pulled up was not going to OKW. Last I saw, the sheriffs were having a chat with him.

From DTD to SSR in Feb, we were on the bus with 6 other people. A nice older couple, the husband had an ECV and 2 couples who drank enough that they decided that they should start harassing the bus driver, who ended up pulling over and threatening to call security.

We rode the bus back from DTD to SSR in Dec. after dinner at RFC, I didn't know where the path was , so we didn't walk. The bus puuled out just as we were walking up so we had to wait for another one. Well after what seemed like forever and finally getting on a bus then loading up at Westside the bus driver went the WRONG WAY!!! We went around past OKW to get to SSR. I swear if we had known where the path was, even with our room in the Carousel, it would have taken us at least 30 minutes less to walk!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Well after what seemed like forever and finally getting on a bus then loading up at Westside the bus driver went the WRONG WAY!!! We went around past OKW to get to SSR.

That might seem like the "WRONG WAY" but it's usually the fastest and safest route.

From the DD West Side bus center to the main gate into SSR, it's about the same distance to drive past OKW; and that route requires only right turns, so the time waiting at traffic signals is minimized. In comparison, the route that avoids driving by OKW requires several left turns and includes the busy intersection of E. Buena Vista Drive and Hotel Plaza Blvd. (with long traffic signal cycle times).

 

[BroganMc]

the route that avoids driving by OKW requires several left turns and includes the busy intersection of E. Buena Vista Drive and Hotel Plaza Blvd. (with long traffic signal cycle times).

Ah yes, the intersection I keep forgetting which lane to be in. I've been cutoff by traffic more than once there. And everyone and their brother crosses the street like they're in the middle of the country: dawdling, jabbering on cell phones, even once someone stopped in the middle of the intersection to tie her shoes. I keep wondering if pedestrians have death wishes.

In general, Vacation Club Way is the best way to travel to OKW & SSR from all but the Marketplace bus stop. Buena Vista is far too congested in a Frogger sort of way.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We rode the bus back from DTD to SSR in Dec. after dinner at RFC, I didn't know where the path was , so we didn't walk. The bus puuled out just as we were walking up so we had to wait for another one. Well after what seemed like forever and finally getting on a bus then loading up at Westside the bus driver went the WRONG WAY!!! We went around past OKW to get to SSR. I swear if we had known where the path was, even with our room in the Carousel, it would have taken us at least 30 minutes less to walk!

Like Horace said, that isn't the wrong way. After the bus goes to DTD, it also goes to TL when TL is open. They don't change the bus route because TL is closed.

 

[loribell]

Okay, so it just seemed like the wrong way. I know he did something different though because we had rode the bus a few days earlier. I'm not sure what it was but something was different.

 

[BroganMc]

Okay, so it just seemed like the wrong way. I know he did something different though because we had rode the bus a few days earlier. I'm not sure what it was but something was different.

He drove with his eyes open? Or was that you?

It was probably a green light that threw you. Miss one of those as a passenger and I'm lost. Or else it was some crazy exit to those tormenting DTD lots. Just driving in them gets me completely confused. Arrows never point where you want them.

 

[loribell]

I don't know what it was. At one point I thought he had pulled in to OKW but I don't think he actually did. And no I had not been drinking, although we had come from yet another unpleasant dining experience at the RFC. I swear the service in that place is unbelievable. If my dd wasn't such a sweetheart I would never step foot in that place again!