Wildernes Lodge "Bus Issues"

[Betty Rohrer]

when guests are already on bus they are asked to move out of way but if they refuse the ECV is still loaded. that was the one of few times I have run over someone's foot as they refused to move. lady was not happy but driver reminded her that she was asked to move to front of bus and did not. should say they were the only 2 people beside driver on the bus.

 

[keishashadow]

VWL is one of our home resorts, we love it but the bus service has been hit or miss since day one imo. only time we use it is to go to Epcot.

AKV is another home base, we always stay @ Jambo. we were there a month ago and used bus service 3 days into the parks (departure time ranging from 8 am to noon). Never waited longer than 15 minutes and always got a seat. There was a CM with a pad who was monitoring the bus arrivals. This is a sharp change from what I've always felt was the longest wait times for buses onsite.

Perhaps WL needs the same sort of monitoring to get it together.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

When staying at a deluxe resort, the bus transportation is pretty much the same as at a value. The big difference? Just about all other resorts, other than values, share a bus route with at least one other resort. The moderates, other than POFQ, have multiple bus stops within the resort. So, the values do seem to have the most efficient bus service. Then, throw in the alternative park access at the deluxes (Epcot resorts can walk to Epcot and DHS, MK resorts have monorail to MK and Epcot, as well as boat/walking to MK, and WL has a boat to MK), and the bus service suffers a bit. A deluxe resort is 'deluxe' because of the resort amenities it offers...restaurants, recreational facilities, theming, pools, larger more lavish rooms. Most also offer direct access to at least one park. Bus service isn't upgraded.

I actually wish Disney would change up all the resort bus queues....put the same queues in that they have at the park bus stops, and cover them. Yes, it will take more room, but so be it. Then, only one person gets to board with a guest using an ECV or wheelchair. Yes, they can board an ECV on a bus that already has people on it......I can't tell you how many times I've been on a bus, with guests already on it, have to board an ECV, and those guests that chose the ECV seating had to get up and either find other seats or stand.....man, in every instance they were really peeved. Evidently they thought the signage on, and over, those seats, didn't apply to them.

The resorts each pay for their transportation in their budgets...at least that's what I've been told. I know, for a fact, that my DVC dues go toward transportation at both BLT and BWV...it's right there in the budget we see every year. I do wish that Disney could figure out a way to keep the buses running to the parks at least every 15 mins from an hour prior to park opening to an hour after...same thing for park closing. There shouldn't, ever, be a guest waiting 30 mins to get to a park for rope drop. More and more people are renting cars at WDW.....and one of the reasons is the bus service. And I can't blame them. My last visit I had several times, waiting at a park to get back to my resort, that I promised myself I would start renting a car. And if enough people do that, they will also start going off property for various reasons....to eat, to visit other non-Disney attractions, whatever. And Disney will start seeing a difference in their bottom line. Perhaps then they'll figure out they're being penny wise, pound foolish.

But Iger said with Magic Band and FP+ no one will ever do anything non Disney again. Isn't that enough to make you ignore the other service issues?

 

[seashoreCM]

One way to help hold wheelchair locations open for wheelchair users is to have those seats in the raised position until the bus makes its last pickup stop.

This is an added dimension of complexity for the driver since each route is different. Some bus routes do not have a "last stop" after which the bus is empty and the driver can get up and raise the seats (and pick up trash) before he starts the next route-leg and guests board.

I would say that only persons needed to help get the wheelchair on the bus should stand in a separate wheelchair boarding area. Rarely are more than two persons needed and sometimes none are needed. (added later) Young children now left by themselves and unable to ride the bus on their own should also move to stand next to and board with their accompanying adult.

Unfortunately only about 150 people (two busloads) per resort can arrive at a park during the sweet spot 15 or so minutes before rope drop. So guests wanting to make rope drop should be prepared to be out on the resort bus platforms up to an hour before.

 

[goofy4tink]

But Iger said with Magic Band and FP+ no one will ever do anything non Disney again. Isn't that enough to make you ignore the other service issues?

Absolutely, 100%! Ummm....yeah, not a chance!!

 

[sam_gordon]

loading them with a half full bus would mean people being run into as there would be no room to get them in correct space plus most likely people would have to give up seats where wheelchairs or ECV go.

when guests are already on bus they are asked to move out of way but if they refuse the ECV is still loaded. that was the one of few times I have run over someone's foot as they refused to move. lady was not happy but driver reminded her that she was asked to move to front of bus and did not. should say they were the only 2 people beside driver on the bus.

The fact ECVs can be loaded with passengers already on the bus takes away the argument that "it's safer" (for other guests) to load them first.

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with ECV's loaded first, but I think those loading with them should be limited in number (what that number is, I don't know).

 

[Collette]

If I did, I certainly didn't mean to imply that I thought bus service should be upgraded at deluxe resorts. I don't think stopping at other resorts is unreasonable either. It's the 30 to 45 minute waits for a bus that is excessive. I still believe bus wait times should be comparable at all resorts. Bus service to other parks shouldn't be less efficient just because you have easy access to MK or Epcot or DHS from your resort.

 

[cooldadtexas]

I can only imagine how complex setting the schedule for Disney bus transportation must be. So my utmost respect for the people that try to make it work. I also have sympathy for the bus drivers. It must be difficult dealing with the current conditions at WL. For the record my loading delays were between 9-12 AM. Also, I never waited long when I closed parks down on days when I had delays getting to the park. So they have a handle on getting people out of parks when they close. It would be nice to have a bus drivers take on the WL situation. They could likely solve the problem.

 

[maxiesmom]

If I did, I certainly didn't mean to imply that I thought bus service should be upgraded at deluxe resorts. I don't think stopping at other resorts is unreasonable either. It's the 30 to 45 minute waits for a bus that is excessive. I still believe bus wait times should be comparable at all resorts. Bus service to other parks shouldn't be less efficient just because you have easy access to MK or Epcot or DHS from your resort.

The bus system will never be perfect, no matter what resort you are at. Disney does a pretty good job of having them run around every 20 minutes, which is their goal. Sure, some days they run later than that. But public mass transit will never be perfect. You just never know if they ran into a traffic snarl, or someone new was using an ECV and had a hard time loading, or if some other guest decided to ask the bus driver for directions. Many thing could make a bus run behind schedule.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

If I did, I certainly didn't mean to imply that I thought bus service should be upgraded at deluxe resorts. I don't think stopping at other resorts is unreasonable either. It's the 30 to 45 minute waits for a bus that is excessive. I still believe bus wait times should be comparable at all resorts. Bus service to other parks shouldn't be less efficient just because you have easy access to MK or Epcot or DHS from your resort.

We don't stay at deluxe anymore but honestly I don't think it's unreasonable to expect more in terms of the busses at these locations. For the costs of these rooms they shouldn't be sharing busses and they ought to be higher priority.

 

[goofy4tink]

We don't stay at deluxe anymore but honestly I don't think it's unreasonable to expect more in terms of the busses at these locations. For the costs of these rooms they shouldn't be sharing busses and they ought to be higher priority.

Many here seem to feel this way.....but that defeats the purpose. The deluxe resorts (truly deluxe, not WL and AKL) have other, more desirable park access. So, those staying at these resorts get very nudgy when they have to wait for buses.
Wait times seem to be somewhat subjective. I have been at a bus stop, got there as the bus I wanted drove off, for 5 or so mins when another family walked up. The bus, to my desired park, came along, 10 mins later, and as I stepped to the bus to get on, that other family had a hissy fit. Said I was cutting in line, that they had been waiting for almost 45 mins, and they deserved to get on first. So, how did their 10 min wait morph into almost 45 mins?? I told the driver that the total wait time, after the last bus to DHS left, was about 15 mins....and that the family had been waiting a mere 10 mins. He just smiled....saying 'Nothing new'.
I have had to wait for close to 30 mins for a bus....usually a bus to DTD though. I seldom wait more than 20 mins for a bus to a park. And I stay at BW often...it's my home resort. I am paying for better theming, nicer pools, nicer grounds, more adult type amenities, better food offerings, and alternative park access. Buses are the same for everyone. Because the deluxe resorts tend to be much smaller than the values, and the moderates for that matter, they usually service at least 2 resorts, more likely 3, on any given route. Otherwise, if you had resort specific routes, you would see your room rates skyrocket!!! Someone has to pay for those buses....and it's included in the resort budget. So, deluxe buses make up to 3 stops. At less busy times of day, they may make more than that.
Moderated resorts have multiple stops within the resort.....I have had longer times getting off POR property and headed to a park than I've had at BW. Yet people continue to say BW has miserable bus service. You want miserable? Stay at OKW or SSR.....geez Louise, it's close to 20-25 mins before leaving the resort if you boarded at the first stop!!!

 

[Collette]

I'm not understanding why it is "okay" to need to wait longer than 20 minutes for a bus at a deluxe resort just because there is better access to one or two of the other parks. I don't believe those staying at deluxe resorts are expecting 5 or 10 minute waits, but they are probably expecting around the 15 to 20 minute waits. To characterize them as getting very nudgy when waits are 30-45 minutes is unfair. I would be nudgy at any resort with a wait like that.

The OP said that they felt the bus system was getting worse and that on three occasions the wait was 45 minutes plus. I said that I had a similar experience during my BLT stay. I don't think any of us are expecting the bus system to be perfect. Apparently they aren't doing a pretty good job of having them run around every 20 minutes at deluxe resorts. I realize things happen that delay bus arrivals, but delays are beginning to sound more consistent. Maybe they need to start telling people that waits for a bus to AK, HS and DD could be as long as 30-45 minutes. Depending on how important that is to people, they could then make choices that better suited their needs.

We are staying at BLT again next fall. Knowing there will be long waits for a bus, I will need to plan my time accordingly to get to AK, HS and DD at my desired times. Hopefully, I will be pleasantly surprised and arrive early! I'm also adding more taxi money to my trip budget in case I don't want to wait.

I realize there is disagreement about this. I just don't want to feel criticized for not appreciating a 45 minute wait for a bus no matter which resort.

 

[maxiesmom]

I realize there is disagreement about this. I just don't want to feel criticized for not appreciating a 45 minute wait for a bus no matter which resort.

I haven't seen anyone say a guest should appreciate a wait of 45 minutes for a bus. I know I wouldn't like it. However when I stay deluxe I know not to expect the bus service to be better than the service at the moderate or deluxe resorts. And if waits of 45 minutes are the norm and not the exception during someone's stay, then definitely bring it to the attention of the resort.

 

[cooldadtexas]

I think we figured it out. If a bus to HS should run every 20 minutes then that works out to 3 buses per hour. WL was not running at that level for any of the destinations when I waited early in June. Cut it down to 1 bus per hour and 2/3 of your bus expense for WL is gone!!! It sure feels like the high paid analyst figured it out. So the compromise is run 3 buses every 2 hours and you continue to have substantial savings. The problem is that now you are running a 40 minute schedule that does not include delays mentioned in prior discussion. We should plan 1 hour going forward on average. Man I hate finance people! Somebody got a nice bonus at WL. Customers and bus drivers suffer.

 

[goofy4tink]

Okay....no one here has said deluxe resort guests should expect to wait 30-45 mins for buses. I have stayed at...BWV, BLT, Polynesian, BCV, CR, WLV, AKL/Kidani. I have had very comparable bus experiences at those resorts as at moderate and value resorts.
Seriously, every single resort, no matter what level, can have bus issues. If a guest feels their bus experience isn't within the norm, they need to tell someone at the resort. Having dependable transportation is supposed to be a given when staying on-site. If that isn't going to be the case, then people will start renting cars and staying off-site. They'll sure get more for their money, that's for sure.
As far as the 'nudgy' comment goes...I've spent a fair amount of time at bus stops at the resorts. And it is usually at the deluxe level that I have heard more comments about buses and the level of resort. And it's usually something like 'I don't know why we have to wait 10+ mins for a bus.....with what we pay to stay here, they should come every 5 mins, at least!' Now, I know most don't feel this way...but some do. And once you get to less busy times of day (very early, or midday) buses, at all resorts, seem to come less frequently.

So please, if you have a bus issue, bring it to someone's attention. Maybe if enough guests complain, the schedule will be tightened up.

 

[Paging Tom Morrow]

Buses are mechanical. They break down. They also get into accidents (especially fender benders).

It's very possible that there was supposed to be a bus 20 minutes earlier, but it had a mechanical defect or accident that caused it to be removed from service or significantly delayed. The increased space between buses probably caused a longer loading delay at the Contemporary to accommodate the additional passengers who waited.

It stinks to be part of the affected group, however if a mechanical breakdown or accident caused the delay it's more representative of an anomaly than an indicator of poor bus service at the resort in general.

 

[WINTER]

For those who have been having issues with the buss, have you talked to anyone about the issues?? If you are waiting more than 20 min, you need to speak to someone about it!