WL bus question...help

[Disney-Kim]

I have read that the WL shares a bus with the FW campground area. I have been to HDD and seen all the stops in that resorts. lots.
so does the regular bus stop at all those stops too or just the one stop at the front?

thanks...

ps...doesn't the FW have an internal Chip/Dale bus?

 

[betterlatethannever]

Originally posted by Disney-Kim
I have read that the WL shares a bus with the FW campground area. I have been to HDD and seen all the stops in that resorts. lots.
so does the regular bus stop at all those stops too or just the one stop at the front?

thanks...

ps...doesn't the FW have an internal Chip/Dale bus?

The regular bus becomes the Orange bus and goes through FW.

Hre is a link to some more information on FW busses

Ed

 

[Gary M]

Not all WL buses share their route with FW campground. When we went from WL to FW in Feb., it was one quick stop.

 

[HM]

The buses that go to WL and FW only make one stop at FW.
-HM

 

[LoveMickey]

When we were there a year ago, the boat to MK went to FW first both on our way and coming back from MK. This was very frustrating for me, because I knew from previous trips how short the trip to MK was.

For MGM, the bus went to FW after picking us up at the lodge. This FW stop was on the 'road' that goes between the resorts.

For EPCOT & AK, the bus went to the main gate of FW to pick up folks after picking us up. For AK this meant a 1/2 hr. trip.

On a return trip since then, AK bus was shared with GF, at least this stop is in the way.

I sure wish they would treat WL as the deluxe resort it is and not have these out of the way travel routes.

Sorry for complaining.

 

[Gary M]

LoveMickey, if I'm not mistaken the WL to MK boat goes directly to the MK from WL in the mornings, after a stop at FW and from the MK directly to WL and then FW after 3:00 pm. I believe this is how it was in Feb. of this year. The problem is that the boat can be full of FW guest by the time it reaches the WL.

If I'm wrong I'm sure someone will correct me.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by LoveMickey
For EPCOT & AK, the bus went to the main gate of FW to pick up folks after picking us up. For AK this meant a 1/2 hr. trip.

I sure wish they would treat WL as the deluxe resort it is and not have these out of the way travel routes.

This is a very common misconception.

During the morning hours, WL only shares with FW for Epcot and Downtown Disney. Fort Wilderness Outpost Depot is ON THE WAY to both of these destinations, and does not add very much time at all.

The AK route is configured with WL and GF together all day long. Studios only shares with GF in the morning. After 11am, it shares with Fort Wilderness Settlement Depot. Once again, it does not add a significant amount of time to the journey.

 

[peachgirl]

The problem is that the boat can be full of FW guest by the time it reaches the WL.

I can't even begin to remember when the boats went to FW before WL or vice versa. What I can tell you is that even at one of the absolutely busiest times of year, we never once encountered a boat coming or going from the WL that was too full to accomodate all the WL guests waiting to board. We were there from 12/19/02-01/01/03 and it never happened, even during the busiest part of our stay.

Just a thought....

Weeks before our Christmas trip, there was a thread where there were several complaints about how slow the transportation was from WL. Chip n Dale suggested that perhaps it just "seemed" like it took a long time, when in reality if you were watching the clock and timing it, it wasn't really all that slow.

I decided to do just that. Every time we used the busses, I noted the time on my watch. I can tell you that it never took longer than 5 minutes for a bus to arrive, most times there was no wait at all as there was a bus sitting there when we walked up.

It's funny though, once just a day or so before Christmas, we walked to the bus stop to go to either the AK or DTD, I don't recall which now. There were perhaps 20 or so people in total waiting for busses to somewhere. On the phone to the WL desk was an irate guest who was ranting and raving rather loudly about how long he had been waiting for an AK bus. There were a number of other guests that were complaining to each other as well. According to him, no bus to anywhere had shown up in over 45 minutes (some were saying over an hour) and he was demanding that they get a bus there.

Two things....1) At that time of year, if no bus had been there for 45 minutes, there would have been a heck of a lot more than 20 people there and 2) Within 3 minutes of us walking up, there was a bus to the AK with other busses getting there sooner than that. The gentlemen complaining almost missed it because he was on the phone complaining.

Timing the wait was a great suggestion. It's amazing just how long a short wait can seem when you're anxious to get to the parks!

 

[Gary M]

Peachgirl, we have stayed at WL 15 times since it opened and until a couple of years ago, the WL had its own boat to MK and FW had its seperate vessel. One had a red flag and the other had a green one. When you boarded at MK you checked for the flag color. I believe they started sharing boats after 9/11.

When I said the boat may be full from the FW campgrounds, I was just quoting what I have seen mentioned on these boards. Since I have not experienced this, I should not have mentioned it or explained what I had seen on the DIS.

I still think,what I said is correct, about MK to FW to WL in mornings and early afternoon and MK to WL to FW after 3:00 pm. I usually leave the MK around noon and I know Feb. 1- 8, 2003 it went from MK to FW to WL. This isn't that important, but I thought I would add another 2 cents worth. The transportation changes often at WDW, we may both be right. LoveMickey remembers the boat stopping at FW first both ways and I remember it a little differently.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by Gary M
Peachgirl, we have stayed at WL 15 times since it opened and until a couple of years ago, the WL had its own boat to MK and FW had its seperate vessel. One had a red flag and the other had a green one. When you boarded at MK you checked for the flag color. I believe they started sharing boats after 9/11.

Actually, I beleive they've been sharing the boats for well before 9/11. And when you think about it, I think it makes sense. Would you rather wait 10-15 minutes for a half full boat, or 25-30 minutes for a empty boat?

Originally posted by Gary M
I still think,what I said is correct, about MK to FW to WL in mornings and early afternoon and MK to WL to FW after 3:00 pm. I usually leave the MK around noon and I know Feb. 1- 8, 2003 it went from MK to FW to WL.

Indeed, the boat does switch order at 3:00 pm.

Originally posted by Gary M
The transportation changes often at WDW

That's for sure... we are a highly dynamic operation.

 

[peachgirl]

Since I have not experienced this, I should not have mentioned it or explained what I had seen on the DIS.

No, there was nothing wrong in what you said, I hope you don't think I was being critical of your post. I was just sharing what my experience was. I too have read about the boats being full a times. I was just saying it didn't happen to us. That doesn't mean it didn't happen to anyone else!

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by peachgirl
It's funny though, once just a day or so before Christmas, we walked to the bus stop to go to either the AK or DTD, I don't recall which now. There were perhaps 20 or so people in total waiting for busses to somewhere. On the phone to the WL desk was an irate guest who was ranting and raving rather loudly about how long he had been waiting for an AK bus. There were a number of other guests that were complaining to each other as well. According to him, no bus to anywhere had shown up in over 45 minutes (some were saying over an hour) and he was demanding that they get a bus there.

Two things....1) At that time of year, if no bus had been there for 45 minutes, there would have been a heck of a lot more than 20 people there and 2) Within 3 minutes of us walking up, there was a bus to the AK with other busses getting there sooner than that. The gentlemen complaining almost missed it because he was on the phone complaining.

Timing the wait was a great suggestion. It's amazing just how long a short wait can seem when you're anxious to get to the parks!

Indeed, at that time of year, there would have been a lot more people with a 45 minute outage. A lot of folks are just so anxious to get to the parks, that sitting in a scerene environment makes time slow down to a crawl. What "Feels" like 30-45 minutes is often 15-20. Now, I'm not saying that service issues haven't existed in the past, I'm just saying that the majority of all service complaints are due to time feeling longer than it really was.

Another problem is that some folks are too busy talking on thier phone, or doing something else, and they end up not even realizing thier bus has come and gone.

The same goes for the bus rides themselves... everyone is so anxious to go to the parks (or home), that the ride feels longer than it is. BELEIVE ME... I can relate to this one. I can't tell you how many runs I've driven, and been like, "Wow... that run took forever!!" It felt like a 60-90 minute run... when it really was only 30 minutes. (I'm talking round trips... since I have to stay on the bus... lol)

When I have a crowded bus, I usually like to keep them entertained by doing a Jungle Cruise style routine... It passes the time much quicker, and folks seem to enjoy it. I know other drivers do trivia, jokes, songs, etc to keep the guests occupied.

 

[Disney-Kim]

thanks for the really good info !!