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jenperich

08-16-2007, 05:21 PM

Does anyone know how long it will take to get back to POR via the bus system? I'm trying to watch Spectromagic, and still get back to POR for a carriage ride, even if it's the last ride of the night...that's fine. Thanks for the help. :-)

robhink

08-16-2007, 06:06 PM

Figure around a half hour on the bus itself, since it will have to stop at the French Quarter Resort first. Then you have to figure where you are going to see the parade from and how long it will take you to get out of the parks plus all of the other people who are trying to do the same thing, so in the end I would have to say one hour after the parade ends would be a good ballpark number.

princessM0m

08-17-2007, 10:24 AM

I would suggest getting a spot in front of the Main Street train station to watch the parade, near the exit. Depending on how many are in your group, 20 - 30 min prior should be okay. Once the parade is over you can zip out the exit ahead of the crowd. The parade is about 25 min long.

garymacd

08-17-2007, 10:07 PM

Don't forget to factor in the wait for the bus. It always seems that there are lots of buses for the other resorts, sometimes two or three for them before one shows up to PO. Then you can't get on it and have to wait for the next one which will usually be about 20 minutes.

Your timing will have to be impeccable. Just remember to get off at the first stop in POR since that will be closest to the carriage pickup point.

ArtDeco

08-19-2007, 11:18 PM

Maybe it was an anomoly, but the only time I ever waited until after Wishes and took the POR bus, I waited 2 hours - 6 busloads, no joke - before taking the POFQ bus instead.

On this night last November the busses to POFQ didn't go on to POR. We had to disembark at POFQ and walk to Riverside. After standing for 2 hours with a sleeping 6yo on my shoulder, I was extremely unhappy. She managed to wake up for the walk on the promise that I had saved her a piece of cake in our room and she'd get it if she could just walk a little bit longer.

So check the schedules and make sure that the bus you take is running to both POR and POFQ before taking one to get to the other (did that even make sense?)

This is the only really bad experience I've ever had on Disney transportation, for what that's worth. It was memorably unhappy, I'm afraid.

Hope it works out somehow for you. I'm sure you'll find a way to get home better than I did that night!

CaptSmee

08-20-2007, 12:29 AM

give yourself an hour or two. The bus service to POR was the worst I have encountered at WDW.:(

#1donaldfan

08-20-2007, 01:05 PM

I've stayed at POR 4 years in a row and have done Spectro Magic ????times.....you got good advice to get a spot close to the exit, with that, you should have about a 10 minute walk to the bus station, and the wait times vary......I have NEVER had to wait more than 20 min for a bus. They run more busses that late, however you may have to stand, in most cases we did, but it gets you back just the same. You could take the PORFQ bus and walk to POR......don't know if it'll get ya there quicker......actually this year my sister waited in line for the bus for POR, we jumped across to the FQ bus and we actually got there at the same time, but I guess it depends on wait times. I would give it a good hour, just because the parks are closing down and the lines do tend to get long.......beleive me though.....a 2 hour wait would definatley bring some CM attention and they would call for the busses......

illini

08-20-2007, 02:08 PM

beleive me though.....a 2 hour wait would definatley bring some CM attention and they would call for the busses......

sadly, i don't think that is necessarily the case. we've experienced the exact same thing at POR on numerous occasions. multiple busses for other resorts with non-existent lines, and one every 30 minutes for POR with hundreds in line. we and other guests brought it to the attention of CMs, to no avail. i love POR, but don't want to stay there anymore solely due to the horrific bus transportation.
i'd say best case, you can be back an hour after the parade ends. worst case, about 2.5 hours.

ncscgirl2005

08-20-2007, 02:18 PM

sadly, i don't think that is necessarily the case. we've experienced the exact same thing at POR on numerous occasions. multiple busses for other resorts with non-existent lines, and one every 30 minutes for POR with hundreds in line. we and other guests brought it to the attention of CMs, to no avail. i love POR, but don't want to stay there anymore solely due to the horrific bus transportation.
i'd say best case, you can be back an hour after the parade ends. worst case, about 2.5 hours.

I'd have to agree here. We just got back on 8/15 and had the same thing happen to us twice after leaving MK. We saw numerous buses pull up to pick up other resort guests at least 3 times before one bus would come by for us. On one night, one of the buses headed to MK had to be redirected to pick us up. Even then, by the time we got on the bus it was standing room only! Try keeping a tired child awake while standing on the bus!!! Sorry but I wouldn't rely too heavily on get back to POR on time after Spectromagic. The bus service in the mornings are great though. I probably won't be staying there any longer for this reason. Good Luck on your plans!

#1donaldfan

08-20-2007, 03:15 PM

WOW......I am sorry to hear all of this.....I guess I was just lucky.....I had no idea they were even close to being that bad.....I consider myself very lucky then, and I suppose I'm still staying there next July.......hopefully my luck holds out.....if not, I'll send an update and sadly have to change my "tune" about POR.......WOW........no idea......

Jared

08-20-2007, 03:46 PM

For a quick escape, definitely find a spot near the exit. If you hustle out directly after the show, you should make the first bus. After a few minutes, the lines at the bus stops become unbearable.

ncscgirl2005

08-20-2007, 03:54 PM