Busses

[#1donaldfan]

I'm not sure where to post this .... move as necessary ....

I've just returned from a nearly perfect trip. Nearly perfect would have been perfect if the bus transportation would have been working at all. They now schedule estimated bus times at every 20 minutes (when did that change .. November it was 15). I can say with all certainty that time frame is not an accurate representation of the actual times. We stayed two nights at POP, arriving early to get into the Magic. The busses were running slow, but okay. We moved over to AOA for 5 additional nights as we needed more room for the kids. The busses at Art were horrible. Actually, knowing that it's a relative short walk from POP to Art, we 98% of the time used the POP busses to get us "home". It was so bad, actually, that a man walked out into the lane of busses leaving the MK, stopping them, to complain that he had stood in line over one hour. They entertained his conversation with him finally coming back to the bus depot to try to incite others in doing the same. Security never came, no one said a thing to him. Over the course of the week on property we noticed huge lines for busses at most all resorts, so it was not a value versus a deluxe thing. After the 9 pm fireworks at MK, one evening, we headed to the busses and waited well over an hour. The incoming busses used to come in droves after fireworks to get people moving, but this time, the busses came in fewer numbers and most drove right on by, empty, exiting, headed elsewhere. My thinking is they're reducing free bus availability so we will pay for the new service provided using vans directly to each destination. I did notice many of those over the course of the week. With this amenity seemingly slipping away, housekeeping at an all-time low, what drives us to continue to stay on property .... ??

[cer]

What is this van service you are talking about?

We used the Disney Express Park to Park service and loved it, but I have not heard of the vans. Is this a new Disney offering?

[BIGDOG]

The more I hear about assortd construction projects and closings and unlimited bus issues the more I'm incline to just stay up north at Universal for my up coming Fall trip. Disney seems to be charging more and more and giving less and less for it.

[faline]

Sorry to hear about the bus issues you experienced. I thought Disney buses had always been scheduled to arrive approximately every 20 minutes - don't ever recall hearing about a 15 minute schedule. On our last trip, we found a lot of variety in our bus wait times but don't recall any waits that were extremely excessive.

[disneycutie165]

When we went last year we stayed at POR and it was the same. The night we saw the Star Wars fireworks show we must have cycled through 6 buses before we finally got on one, and even then the wait time in between was very long. I'm not one to complain about this type of thing because I understand that these people are doing their job and it's not like its entirely their fault, but I do remember the buses being a little more efficient back in the day. So you are not alone in your thinking!

[Cinderelley]

I'm not sure where to post this .... move as necessary ....

I My thinking is they're reducing free bus availability so we will pay for the new service provided using vans directly to each destination. I did notice many of those over the course of the week.

What is this?

[Cinderelley]

Being able to book your fastpasses in advance and your dining is what will keep you on property.

[texas211]

One of the reasons we bring a rental car. I give it a go on the buses, and if it seems to "situation normal, all messed up," then we go jump in the truck. The exception would be on EPCOT days as we tend to drink too much for that.

[disneycutie165]

Personally (and I may be in the minority here), one of the things that makes me feel like I am at Disney is riding the buses. No matter how inefficient I may think it is, I will always be riding the buses and soaking in all the WDW atmosphere while I can. Not trying to say gripes aren't necessary or invalid, but personally I enjoy not having to drive (after a 14 hour drive to Florida I don't want to see/get in the car again until I have to leave) and being all-in with the atmosphere. And if I'm stuck an extra hour at the park waiting for the bus, then so be it - I'm in Disney! :wave:

[VWL Mom]

I'd like to know about the van service too. I know there was some chatter about it awhile back but didn't hear anything about it coming to fruition other than the VIP Tours.

[Zippy 1]

We had no problems with the busses in Oct/Nov. They came to both resorts we stayed at on schedule. Every 20 minutes. Only waited the 20 min. once. When we left Magic Kingdom one night we waited for a bus and nothing came. When I mentioned it to a CM because we had my 72 yr old dad and he needed to be sitting. They called a bus right over and sent us on our way.

[Genie1953]

We were there in November and had no problems with bus service. Busses ran pretty much on schedule and at times were even a little early. If all the times we have been there it has always been every 20 minutes.

[Speedy1998]

I have some thoughts. 1) Keep in mind that the bus schedule can be effected by loading and unloading guest in wheel chairs and scooters. This is especially true if the guest is using a rental scooter that they are unfamiliar with, and are having trouble operating it. 2) The time of year that you go can effect the efficiency of the buses. Remember many of Disney's employees are seasonal, and are not necessarily as efficient as the full time employees.

I also have a tip. If you stay for Wishes, Illuminations, or Fantasmic don't go to the buses right away. Most of the shops near the exit will remain open, so check them out. In my experience if I spend 45 - 50 minutes in the stores after the night time entertainment ends, then I will have a very short wait for the bus when I get to the station.

[disneycutie165]

I have some thoughts. 1) Keep in mind that the bus schedule can be effected by loading and unloading guest in wheel chairs and scooters. This is especially true if the guest is using a rental scooter that they are unfamiliar with, and are having trouble operating it. 2) The time of year that you go can effect the efficiency of the buses. Remember many of Disney's employees are seasonal, and are not necessarily as efficient as the full time employees.

I also have a tip. If you stay for Wishes, Illuminations, or Fantasmic don't go to the buses right away. Most of the shops near the exit will remain open, so check them out. In my experience if I spend 45 - 50 minutes in the stores after the night time entertainment ends, then I will have a very short wait for the bus when I get to the station.

You're a genius!

To add to that, my mom and I go in the shops and end our day there while we wait for the bus traffic to chill out. Then we don't have that problem with waiting! Another way to do it is take another method of transportation and find your way to the resort through there - it makes for a fun adventure!

[#1donaldfan]

The vans I was referencing could have been VIP tours but we saw several of them during our trip as opposed to all our other trips. I'm sure it was the express service they now offer ...

[#1donaldfan]

Personally (and I may be in the minority here), one of the things that makes me feel like I am at Disney is riding the buses. No matter how inefficient I may think it is, I will always be riding the buses and soaking in all the WDW atmosphere while I can. Not trying to say gripes aren't necessary or invalid, but personally I enjoy not having to drive (after a 14 hour drive to Florida I don't want to see/get in the car again until I have to leave) and being all-in with the atmosphere. And if I'm stuck an extra hour at the park waiting for the bus, then so be it - I'm in Disney! :wave:
I love the busses too ... at least most of the time, excluding this trip .... that guy that jumped out into the lane of moving busses was insane. I was surprised they did not send security ... but yea, for me the busses indicate that I have arrived. I like that it shows the date and time and at the beginning we're all thinking "we have 7 days left' with each passing day, of course that goes down ....

[mymickeymouse]

We were there first week of June and had very similar issues. More than once we waited what seemed an interminably long time for a bus.there were 10 of us staying at all-star music. We were in the bus line at the MK for over an hour while 6 buses for sports came and went, the last sitting there empty for 10 to 15 minutes. I did address this with the manager at the hotel and his solution was that he would call the transportation office the next day and inquire as to our complaint. It does seem every trip as if more and more of the magic is being stripped away.

[DadofTwins]

We just returned yesterday after a 5 night stay at Beach Club. Had a few issues with the bus service but overall not a bad problem.

[Arielfan98]

I always thought it was every 20 minutes. I always stay at the All Stars so the ride home from MK is always the most hectic. Other than that it's usually okay.

[#1donaldfan]

To update .... I did send feedback to Disney and I received a call from them regarding the bus issue. After a lengthy conversation the CM revealed to me that they are experiencing bus issues and have for a few months due to staffing shortages. I was assured there are changes in the works and these issues will be resolved. I was glad to get the call, so Disney is still trying to be that most magical place, however if they keep with this trend, well, we all know what will happen .... for my troubles, I received future FP's to use .... I was not expecting anything but I suppose that was a nice offer ..

[kbauer]

My past couple of trips have also had really bad experiences with the bus system.

The 20-minute wait rule has basically become a joke and I can't remember the last time that target was met.

It took almost 3 hours to get from Swan/Dolphin to Disney Springs on one trip, and more than 90 minutes of waiting from POR on another. The drivers have been over-crowding the buses trying to make it work better, but they still make stops after going well over capacity.

There should be a better management system in place since we too saw a lot of empty buses for other areas go by and you'd think one or more could be re-assigned to balance the load when 4 buses show for MK and leave empty, but the line for EPCOT has been waiting a long time.

Hoping it's better for our family trip in Nov because it's the kiddo's first visit and we're staying at AKL, so walking to a park is not an option.

[VWL Mom]

Hoping it's better for our family trip in Nov because it's the kiddo's first visit and we're staying at AKL, so walking to a park is not an option.

With the exception of an MK wait one day, AKL was one of our best bus experiences.

[Snow's Mom]

I was assured there are changes in the works and these issues will be resolved.
Skyline? That will take some of the pressure off the buses. I think Disney has stretched their bus system to the limit.

[texas211]

I'd like to see odds on how long that skyline stays running at WDW.

[BrerGnat]

I'd like to see odds on how long that skyline stays running at WDW.Several decades, I would bet. These are reliable systems with a low operating cost.

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[kbauer]

That's great to hear!

I expect delays for extra magic hours and the like so we plan ahead, but the past few trips have been horrid. Being a past CM, I'm wondering why they don't step up and deal with it more quickly and efficiently? Maybe someday.

Thx!

[i'm grumpy]

We waited 40 min last year at night. Every night it seems. We won't stand because we had a wild driver once and fell.

[garymacd]

This is a little off topic but still related to the bus issue. One of our best Disney memories was a few years back. Our daughter and son-in-law wanted to get married at Disney, but due to financial restraints and family not able or willing to make the trip, they decided on a group honeymoon after the wedding. We had a total of 23 people all staying at POFQ at one point.

One night after watching Illuminations we slowly made our way back to the bus stops. People of all ages sometimes take a while to move together. When we got to the bus stop, there was no one left at any other stop and only a few CM's left. When they saw our group they immediately called a bus for us. We were the only ones on the bus.

As usual, the driver turned on some music for the ride back. About half-way back Sonny and Cher's "I Got You, Babe" came on. Well, we all began to sing along. We were so loud (and bad) that the driver ended up muting the music during the choruses. We continued to sing the song until we reached POFQ and got off re-energised and ready to go for a few more hours. The driver had the biggest grin on his face I have ever seen. We must have made his night.

While I realise there are times when we have waited for buses, and loading issues, and no seats, and long lines, and the need to wait for the next bus, this will live in our memories for ever and wipe out any of the less-than memorable issues we have had.

[disneynarula]

But now they can "up sell" the Minnie Van service to everyone.

[Cinderelley]

This is a little off topic but still related to the bus issue. One of our best Disney memories was a few years back. Our daughter and son-in-law wanted to get married at Disney, but due to financial restraints and family not able or willing to make the trip, they decided on a group honeymoon after the wedding. We had a total of 23 people all staying at POFQ at one point.

One night after watching Illuminations we slowly made our way back to the bus stops. People of all ages sometimes take a while to move together. When we got to the bus stop, there was no one left at any other stop and only a few CM's left. When they saw our group they immediately called a bus for us. We were the only ones on the bus.

As usual, the driver turned on some music for the ride back. About half-way back Sonny and Cher's "I Got You, Babe" came on. Well, we all began to sing along. We were so loud (and bad) that the driver ended up muting the music during the choruses. We continued to sing the song until we reached POFQ and got off re-energised and ready to go for a few more hours. The driver had the biggest grin on his face I have ever seen. We must have made his night.

While I realise there are times when we have waited for buses, and loading issues, and no seats, and long lines, and the need to wait for the next bus, this will live in our memories for ever and wipe out any of the less-than memorable issues we have had.

This is such a cute story. I'm sure it is forever ingrained in everyone's memory.

[Genie1953]

While I realise there are times when we have waited for buses, and loading issues, and no seats, and long lines, and the need to wait for the next bus, this will live in our memories for ever and wipe out any of the less-than memorable issues we have had.

We have a good memories of the buses too.

Years ago I had planned out our route for getting over to Cape May from POR for an early breakfast reservation. Our plan was to take a bus from POR to Hollywood Studios and then take the boat over to Cape May. Well when we got off at Hollywood Studios we were one of the last to get off the bus. We turned around and asked the driver if he knew which way to get to the boat dock and a young woman and her mother in a wheelchair nearby said they had the same question. We were all surprised when the driver told us that he was very sorry to tell us but the boats didn't start running for about an hour. All of us were shocked and wondering what our next step was when the bus driver said "hop back on and I'll run you all over there...won't be a problem at all! With just the four of us on that bus it was pretty enjoyable with us all chatting with the bus driver. I don't remember where he dropped us off but it wasn't the normal stop. It was really close to the door to enter the building. We all made our reservations on time thankfully!

Then there was the time when our bus was extremely crowded late at night leaving Magic Kingdom. It was soooo crowded and soooo hot and the a/c wasn't working correctly on the bus but the driver had everyone in stitches laughing while asking us Disney trivia with lots of humor interjected through and singing an occasional song. We all had a blast forgetting how crowded and hot it was.

So yes I do get frustrated at times but when I am feeling that way I do try to remember that very nice bus driver who went out of his way to help us get to our ADR on time and that other bus driver who made us all forget what an uncomfortable situation we were in.

[#1donaldfan]

We have a good memories of the buses too.

Years ago I had planned out our route for getting over to Cape May from POR for an early breakfast reservation. Our plan was to take a bus from POR to Hollywood Studios and then take the boat over to Cape May. Well when we got off at Hollywood Studios we were one of the last to get off the bus. We turned around and asked the driver if he knew which way to get to the boat dock and a young woman and her mother in a wheelchair nearby said they had the same question. We were all surprised when the driver told us that he was very sorry to tell us but the boats didn't start running for about an hour. All of us were shocked and wondering what our next step was when the bus driver said "hop back on and I'll run you all over there...won't be a problem at all! With just the four of us on that bus it was pretty enjoyable with us all chatting with the bus driver. I don't remember where he dropped us off but it wasn't the normal stop. It was really close to the door to enter the building. We all made our reservations on time thankfully!

Then there was the time when our bus was extremely crowded late at night leaving Magic Kingdom. It was soooo crowded and soooo hot and the a/c wasn't working correctly on the bus but the driver had everyone in stitches laughing while asking us Disney trivia with lots of humor interjected through and singing an occasional song. We all had a blast forgetting how crowded and hot it was.

So yes I do get frustrated at times but when I am feeling that way I do try to remember that very nice bus driver who went out of his way to help us get to our ADR on time and that other bus driver who made us all forget what an uncomfortable situation we were in.

Thus the basis of my current frustration with this failing system. I have all those great memories of the drivers spewing out trivia, turning the lights on late at night to WAKE us up, talking the entire time, zooming over the speed bumps at Riverside, all creating that little extra magic. Then the few accidents they've had, some rather awful, necessitating Disney to mandate the drivers to not become distracted .... fear of future lawsuits, et al. This coupled with fewer CM's driving truly clears the way for greater frustrations. I'm sure those who encounter these negative things on their first trip will not have that "over-the-top" magic we have all come to expect ... and in some cases not return anytime soon. Don't get me wrong, anyone .... I love the Disney Transportation system but we can all see that it is in need of an overhaul ....

[Speedy1998]

Several decades, I would bet. These are reliable systems with a low operating cost.

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Yeah, but the audioanomatronics will break in the first month, then not be fixed for more than a decade because the whole ride would have to be shutdown to fix them properly.

[Sylvia]

I knew if I checked often enough, I'd finally see a thread that was similar to those I remember from years ago. Back then, I often posted numerous times. This thread remembers of the good old days of Intercot, when I had something to contribute to the discussion. :)

One night a couple years ago, we left the Studios just before the fireworks. As we were on our way back to our resort, our driver didn't follow the usual route, so we just figured it was due to the very heavy traffic, but we were so wrong. Our driver did what Disney CMs always do, he made the magic happen for a bus full of tired guests. As we were rolling along, he told us to watch the show in the sky on the left size of the bus. His timing was perfect. We had a great view of the fireworks, courtesy of another magical ride on a Disney bus. Such a great way to end a fun day.:mickey::mickey:

[MouseHouser]

Not a fan of the busses at all. We learned long ago we are rental car people.

1. A rental car is relatively inexpensive in Orlando; the exception being ultra-high season.
2. Parking a car is reasonably painless at the parks and resorts.
3. Meanwhile, as for the busses, if you stick around at the parks for the fireworks, you will find yourself exiting with the throng and waiting for a bus when you are likely in a state of exhaustion. Not fun. DisneyWorld has more than its share of lines. I don't like to add to this.
4. Also, we like to park-hop and get back to the room for mid-day break before heading back for dinner and fireworks. Doable with a car, but a royal pain by bus.

So, these days we always rent a car.

[Gator]

WDW bus transport has always been hit and miss. I've done great at CSR, CBR, and AKL. But horrible at POR-R and AllStarMovies. It's been years since I've been, but the biggest issue for us was always the ECVs. They'd take forever to load, and their 12 family members always got to board with them first. Man, I would get so angry watching that after a long day in the parks. Not sure if anything every got fixed in that regard.

[#1donaldfan]

WDW bus transport has always been hit and miss. I've done great at CSR, CBR, and AKL. But horrible at POR-R and AllStarMovies. It's been years since I've been, but the biggest issue for us was always the ECVs. They'd take forever to load, and their 12 family members always got to board with them first. Man, I would get so angry watching that after a long day in the parks. Not sure if anything every got fixed in that regard.

Nothing fixed yet, in that regard !! I will say, I have no issues with someone needing help traversing the parks in wheel chairs or EVCs, but my frustration is founded on, ... scores of people waiting in line for a bus to arrive, then at the last second, the EVC rolls up and they get on the bus first. I get it, they have to go on first so to properly be secured, yet do they "have" to get on "that" bus ?? Can they not wait till the next one, thus being at or very near the front of the line? It happens nearly every single time we wait for a bus ... please know that I am not trying to take away from those in need, only that those in need, while sitting, can wait as many others do, for the next bus to arrive.

[luvdiznee]

A little off topic question. Just wondering if they still pack people on the busses. I just remember the busses always having to ride with people packed like sardines...something I was never crazy about. Perhaps this would be a reason to look into uber or Minnie vans. I mean I understand needing to be economical but sometimes...:crowd::crowd:

[ransam]

Have taken many visits, most recently september and have never had an issure w/ the bus. Sure we have had to wait, but never more than 20 minutes, and usuall a lot shorter than that, and housekeeping to me is still top notch!

[Daisy'sMom]

I’m worried about the new skyline. Especially in the summer where a storm pops up out of nowhere here

[Gator]

Nothing fixed yet, in that regard !! I will say, I have no issues with someone needing help traversing the parks in wheel chairs or EVCs, but my frustration is founded on, ... scores of people waiting in line for a bus to arrive, then at the last second, the EVC rolls up and they get on the bus first. I get it, they have to go on first so to properly be secured, yet do they "have" to get on "that" bus ?? Can they not wait till the next one, thus being at or very near the front of the line? It happens nearly every single time we wait for a bus ... please know that I am not trying to take away from those in need, only that those in need, while sitting, can wait as many others do, for the next bus to arrive.

Man, that stinks! And what you said is exactly the garbage I hated. Back in 2002 and 2004, I never saw an ECV. Then in 2006, only once did an ECV get on board. Then in 2008 at the AllStar Resort, it was NUTS! I remember writing WDW a letter after that trip. I think it was out of 20 bus rides, 80-90% were stopped by ECVs. I was HOT!!!

I guess what makes me upset now is that it's 9 years later and Disney, who can find a way to put us all where they want us to be with FP+, has yet to solve this problem. That's something that keeps me from pulling the trigger to return to WDW.

[baldburke]

It would be great if WDW had EVC only transportation. It would be great if they could load them on something like a flatbed truck that had seat just enough for the EVC passenger plus one. If you were with a large party then they could take the regular bus and just meet you at your destination.

[Cinderelley]

It would be great if WDW had EVC only transportation. It would be great if they could load them on something like a flatbed truck that had seat just enough for the EVC passenger plus one. If you were with a large party then they could take the regular bus and just meet you at your destination.

I feel like this is pretty insensitive. When I needed a wheelchair, I was going with my husband and 4 children. In this situation, he would have had to ride with the children, and I would not have been able to join them. How come people in wheelchairs aren't allowed to have the same amount of family time on a bus.

Now that I don't need a wheelchair, I don't mind waiting. No one staring at me. No judgemental looks. No one complaining that it is unfair. I'm in Disney. I'm not in a rush to go anywhere. If I am tired, I leave before I'm exhausted. Yes, I am not at the park from opening to close, but I'm also not upset about some of the little things that other people are upset about. I'm not so tired that waiting for a wheelchair and party to board becomes an issue. I just look and say a prayer of thanks that I don't need one any more.

[Snow's Mom]

If I understand correctly, the Gondolas will take EVC's and wheelchairs. Families can ride together and there will be less bus traffic between the parks and resorts served by the Gondola lines. Now they just need to get them up and running!

[#1donaldfan]

A little off topic question. Just wondering if they still pack people on the busses. I just remember the busses always having to ride with people packed like sardines...something I was never crazy about. Perhaps this would be a reason to look into uber or Minnie vans. I mean I understand needing to be economical but sometimes...:crowd::crowd:

Yep, we are packed on as thick and as deep as we can be pushed, poked and prodded toward the back of the bus. This typically only happens late at night, but it can happen early morning .... I don't mind it so much, if we are close to the park, that is !!