Time to rant...

[North of Mouse]

The point is that too frequently the time it takes is closer way longer than 20 mins.

Sorry, agree to disagree on this one - most of our rides are definitely within or near the 20 min. time - some are even 1-3 min.

 

[BDK33]

Sorry, agree to disagree on this one - most of our rides are definitely within or near the 20 min. time - some are even 1-3 min.

If you're waiting 1-3 minutes I need to start travelling with you haha

 

[Shanti]

So I have been an AP holder for close to 10 years now. I am a local so my wife and I easily get our value out of the passes.

However, after my last two trips, Im really starting to get sick of some things...

My wife and I were up for the Wine and Dine weekend running the 10k race. We have a 6-month-old so our plan was to stay Friday night before the race, while our son stayed with his grandparents and then Saturday they would come up and we could have a nice weekend at the parks with the baby.

We stayed at all star music. Three consecutive times on this trip we waited 40+ minutes for a bus to come get us. The last time this happened we ended u[ being 30 minutes late for our Chrystal Palace reservation. Before people chime in and say I should have left earlier... I think being at our bus stop 45 minutes before the reservation should suffice. Isn't that the benefit to staying on property?

Our most recent trip was this past weekend. We stayed at Coronado Springs. Would you know the same thing happened again? We consistently waited over 40 minutes for our bus to come to the resort. Then when we left the parks in the evening we waited one night for 5 busses to come before we could get on.

I think from here on out we are just going to stay off property. As an AP holder, the only benefits in my mind to staying on property are... 1)Extra Magic Hours and 2) Transportation.

With a newborn EMH are not important yet. If transportation is consistently horrible why not just stay off property, pay way less for a nicer resort and just drive?

Sorry for this rant but I'm wondering if I'm crazy or if others are having similar experiences...

TIA

Was it a mid-day reservation? Buses are less frequent midday than first thing in the morning.

There are other resort benefits: FP+ at 60 days, complimentary transportation to & from the airport, complimentary luggage transport to & from the airport, proximity to the parks, free parking at the parks, the fun/wonder of staying at a themed resort, great family dining, & great pools with waterslides. Those last 3 perks are mostly for deluxe resorts, though.

Leaving a distant resort 45 minutes before an in-park ADR is cutting it close, imo. Disney recommends allowing 90 minutes, which is a good idea coming from a value or moderate resort during a peak weekend.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I just booked a car LOL....I was looking forward to using park transportation, but we are impatient people. Since we're staying at Poly, we'll likely take the monorail to MK and walk to TTC and monorail to Epcot. But then drive everywhere else. We drove during both of our previous trips and it was easy.

For the record, Costco rates blew everyone else's out of the water LOL.

Yeah we used Costco to book our rental car. $197.99 for 10 days worth for an intermediate car. Only problem is we extended by 1 day (due to making up Universal days because of Irma) and Avis wouldn't apply our discount not even my husband's corporate discount to an extension...the extension by the way was $56.24 for returning the car Monday at 5 or 6pm rather than 11am on Sunday

 

[hllb]

Yeah we used Costco to book our rental car. $197.99 for 10 days worth for an intermediate car. Only problem is we extended by 1 day (due to making up Universal days because of Irma) and Avis wouldn't apply our discount not even my husband's corporate discount to an extension...the extension by the way was $56.24 for returning the car Monday at 5 or 6pm rather than 11am on Sunday

OK, your rate is way better LOL. We have 7 days for $234 for a standard car (cheaper than the smaller ones). Everywhere else wanted much more.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

thing about a public conveyance is that when you sit down on one, it isn't YOUR seat. You may be in it right now. But you don't own it. If you choose to stand up and offer it to someone else because you think they need it more than you do (even if they really don't), that's on you, not on them.

 

[DisneyMom93]

If you choose to stand up and offer it to someone else because you think they need it more than you do (even if they really don't), that's on you, not on them.

I’m not arguing that my husband doesn’t have a choice. Yes. He definitely makes the choice on whether or not to give up his seat.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

OK, your rate is way better LOL. We have 7 days for $234 for a standard car (cheaper than the smaller ones). Everywhere else wanted much more.

lol. From my docs it was a free day plus up to 25% off the base rates. I swear it's the taxes that get ya. The base rate with those discounts was $128.59 but there was $69.40 in taxes and fees. I don't have the actual amount if you include the extension day though-you get the idea though .

IDK if it helped any but we booked April 2nd for a September 8th start date.

It was actually for 9 days (on the documents that's what they list it as) how they calculated it so apologies on that incorrect 10 days part (our original thing was 9/8 at 11am to 9/17 at 11am rental period).

ETA: originally we had gone through rentalcars(.com) and the rate was $221.55 for a compact (same rental period). Company was Alamo though.

 

[maxiesmom]

I booked a rental car for my trip in October, mostly because I had my dad along and didn't want him to have to stand on a bus. I honestly found it a waste of money. As much as people claim it is so much easier and faster, I didn't find it to be. Driving is faster, but then unless you are parked really close to the park gates you have to wait for a tram. Or 2 or 3 trams before you can get on. And do the same heading back. Plus, I'd rather relax on a bus than have to worry about directions and driving.

 

[maxiesmom]

Nothing is worse than the horrible boat between BC and HS...

I love the boat rides between the Epcot resorts and the parks. They are not fast, but they are relaxing.

 

[beesly]

I know what you're saying.

My point was that people with babies have to wait in Disney for all sorts of things. Waiting ten minutes for another bus so that they can safely sit with their baby is just that... Another ten minute wait. I don't think it's unreasonable. I've seen parents do it and to me it makes sense. They are now in the front of the line for the next bus and can sit with their baby safely. I saw one baby squirming all over the place and the father had a tough time holding it and holding on to the pole at the same time.

I guess I have an issue with someone risking their baby getting hurt just so they can get on a bus and not wait for the next one. Unless of course they assume someone will give up their seat for them, and then that raises my other issue.

You say they would only have to wait another 10 minutes. The whole point of this thread is that buses can take over half an hour to arrive at times. The parents could end up standing at the bus stop for another 30-45 uncomfortable minutes either holding a sleeping child or trying to soothe a fussy one instead of spending ~15 minutes standing on the bus. I wouldn't blame them for choosing the latter (provided, like you said in another post, that they are actually fine with standing for the ride).

 

[maxiesmom]

You say they would only have to wait another 10 minutes. The whole point of this thread is that buses can take over half an hour to arrive at times. The parents could end up standing at the bus stop for another 30-45 uncomfortable minutes either holding a sleeping child or trying to soothe a fussy one instead of spending ~15 minutes standing on the bus. I wouldn't blame them for choosing the latter (provided, like you said in another post, that they are actually fine with standing for the ride).

Or they could go grab a taxi if they didn't want to wait.

 

[Cabius]

I've rented a car in the past, but we're not doing so for our upcoming late January trip. Now I'm nervous about the stories here!

We're doing a split-stay trip with park plans built around resort stays: Epcot from BC (walkable), MK from GF (monorail), AK from AKV (short bus ride). But on our first day we are planning to go to EMH at MK (8:00 AM), before taking the monorail back to Epcot.

Should we have a problem getting from BC to MK by bus first thing in the morning?

My assumption is that January isn't a busy time of year, and that buses don't have to make multiple stops before they get to BC, so if we're at the stop by ~7:00 we should be fine, but I'm curious to hear others' experiences!

 

[DisneyMom93]

You say they would only have to wait another 10 minutes. The whole point of this thread is that buses can take over half an hour to arrive at times. The parents could end up standing at the bus stop for another 30-45 uncomfortable minutes either holding a sleeping child or trying to soothe a fussy one instead of spending ~15 minutes standing on the bus. I wouldn't blame them for choosing the latter (provided, like you said in another post, that they are actually fine with standing for the ride).

1) it’s very rare to wait 40 minutes for a bus.
2) so it’s better for them to stand on a bus with a fussy or sleeping baby? I would think waiting so they could sit with it would be better.

I think the most that surprised me here is that most people seem to feel the parents with the baby should get on the bus and then people already on the bus shouldn’t feel they should have to offer them their seat. So basically saying that my husband should let them stand and juggle a baby and not feel guilty.

 

[beesly]

Or they could go grab a taxi if they didn't want to wait.

Well, that goes for anyone - provided it’s within their budget and they aren’t at the MK bus stop to go back to their resort.

 

[Magpie]

Incidentally, my husband isn’t going to let me stand either while he remains sitting.

Fair enough - you have reasons to sit, and he has reasons to stand. And people with babes in arms are not responsible for either of your decisions - to sit or stand.

The way I see is like this:

Suppose I have a baby. I want/need/am desperate to get back to my hotel room, so I squeeze onto a packed bus with my baby in my arms. If I'm doing this, it's because I am confident in my ability to stand holding the child. I'm young, healthy and have great balance, and have had practice toting this kid around for months now. If someone offers me a seat, I'll take it with gratitude. If no one offers me a seat, I won't be resentful.

Suppose I need to sit, due to an invisible disability. I will wait for the next bus, rather than get on a packed one. I will move as far to the back as I can in order to reduce the risk of someone with a more obvious need for a seat standing in front of me. And I will sit, hoping they're not resenting me, but not feeling guilty about it regardless.

Suppose I feel strongly that it's my role in life to give up my see to pregnant women, women with children and/or the elderly/infirm. Then, invisible disability or not, I will do my best to stand. I won't resent them for getting on the bus, because I'll understand that it was my choice. I will bask in their gratitude, and hopefully that'll make up for any pain I might be feeling as a result of my own decisions.

Everyone's just trying to get back to their rooms! No one's in the wrong here.

 

[beesly]

1) it’s very rare to wait 40 minutes for a bus.

Even the “average” wait is going to be 20 more minutes, not 10.

2) so it’s better for them to stand on a bus with a fussy or sleeping baby? I would think waiting so they could sit with it would be better.

I think that’s up to the parent to decide. I do think it’s polite and the right thing to do to offer a seat if one is able, but parents (or anyone else) who can fit on the bus and are willing to stand shouldn’t have to wait another ~20 minutes or pay for a cab just because someone who needs a seat feels bad for them.

 

[FCDub]

Sorry you had a tough time, OP.

 

[Magpie]

1) it’s very rare to wait 40 minutes for a bus.
2) so it’s better for them to stand on a bus with a fussy or sleeping baby? I would think waiting so they could sit with it would be better.

I think the most that surprised me here is that most people seem to feel the parents with the baby should get on the bus and then people already on the bus shouldn’t feel they should have to offer them their seat. So basically saying that my husband should let them stand and juggle a baby and not feel guilty.

Well, you seem able to manage it, no?

Seriously though, your husband should be free to do whatever he wants to do - stand or sit. Same as everyone else.

Trying to make other people responsible for his decisions (by saying they should wait for the next bus), is not right. It's not the job of other people to protect your husband from himself.

 

[KrazeeK120]

Or they could go grab a taxi if they didn't want to wait.

Are taxis typically equipped with infant seats? Serious question, we’ve never taken a taxi with a child.