POP bus transportation is terrible

[jbehr12]

There's very little difference in bus service from one resort to the other because none of the resorts have dedicated buses or bus service. It's the same buses and drivers dispatched by the same automated process or live dispatch CM.

Buses will not be diverted or destination changed on the fly except in extreme cases, which is very rare. A MK bus will not be changed to an Epcot bus just because there hasn't been an Epcot bus in a while, even though there have been multiple MK buses. MK buses are assigned to the MK bus hub and Epcot buses are assigned to the Epcot bus hub and changing their destination is extremely unlikely. It's just not practical to do it due to the complications involved.

The OP said that buses were consistently arriving every fifteen or twenty minutes, isn't Disney delivering what they promised?

Yes, but when every other resorts aren’t as consistent with the long times it doesn’t make sense. Does everyone here just read the first sentence and then skip all the way to the bottom to argue?

 

[kaytieeldr]

1. Before saying the bus loop is every 15-20 minutes please read everything before reply condescendingly. Makes you look ignorant.

I did and do read everything. The bus interval IS, as I stated, about every 20 minutes. While regrettable that one or more persons considers my or any specific response condescending, as it was not written that way. Facts are facts, not condescension.

2. To say Disney doesn’t have or can’t add personal is ludacris. If it’s impacting guest experience hire someone.

Disney is, as posted on the Transportation forum, getting more buses. It's reasonable to expect that they will hire more drivers. However, neither can be pulled out of thin air instantly.

3. Your Epcot point is irrelevant, I’m not even sure what you’re talking about there

My Epcot "point" is an example of why a bus can't simply be rerouted instantly on customer demand.

 

[FastPasser.]

Does everyone here just read the first sentence and then skip all the way to the bottom to argue?

I did read the entire post and was stating facts, not arguing. You're saying that you don't like that the wait times were consistently 20 minutes at Pop and seem to think that it's longer than at some other resorts. I can assure you that over the long haul it's not. In fact, very often people post that they think the bus service is better at Pop, which is also not the case.

I've experienced the bus situation at multiple resorts during about the same time period of time on thousands of days or nights. I've also listened and responded to hundreds and hundreds of Guest comments, good and bad, as they boarded. I like to think that I have a pretty good sense regarding what the overall WDW bus situation is at all the resorts, yes all the resorts, not just four, and I don't believe there is anything different going on at Pop during the majority of the day.

 

[Louie7080]

The OP made an observation while staying at POP century and reported it here. Just because someone else with more experience staying onsite has made different observations does not negate the OPs. I have only stayed at 5 resorts and 3 out of 4 of the value resorts. I would say that out of all of them, POP had the worst bus service when I stayed there because I had to wait the longest and often walk the farthest. Those are facts too. That doesn't mean that POP always has one of the worst bus services all the time, but for some people it was worse than their other onsight experiences. Perhaps there is a new trend in POP's bus service and we can only see if there is a trend if others report what they observe.

 

[DWillowBay]

The buses run on a 15 - 20 wait time. Most likely, if you are waiting 15 - 20 minutes for a bus, it means that you recently missed the last one. Timing is everything!

 

[kaytieeldr]

. Just because someone else with more experience staying onsite has made different observations does not negate the OPs

You are absolutely right. Our experiences and information do NOT negate the OP's experience. On the other hand, it's entirely reasonable to provide well-rounded information for current and future readers.

 

[AngiTN]

Funny. Someone on a thread in the transportation forum reported that they were positive Pop had more buses and more frequent buses than any other resort on property. And as such shorter waits. So this report here can't be right. Can it?
That or it's as many have said over and over, no resort has perpetually great service and none has perpetually bad. It's all the same across the entire complex

 

[maxiesmom]

I’ve stayed at 4 resorts over the last year ranging from value to deluxe and hands down most frustrating transportation is POP. Waited 15-20 minutes consistently for busses, every time to and from parks, and there was ALWSYS a huge line. ASMo last summer had it happen a couple times but not consistently at all. It was every single bus this trip and I’m so over it. It’s probably because of the price vs renovated rooms and the fact there are no gondolas, but there’s a good chance I’ll never stay here again, even with gondolas. Anyone else experience this?

15-20 minutes is what Disney aims for, and it sounds like the buses were in that range. So I wouldn't be upset by it.

Pop is also a massive resort with 1 bus stop so I wouldn't be surprised by the number of people waiting for a bus either.

 

[ellbell]

I've stayed at POP 3 times and at all star movies once. I can say that while at POP I've never waited more than 10 minutes for a bus. When I stayed at the all star resorts I was always waiting. I waited 40 minutes for a bus one time because there was a group that was in line ahead of me and they filled the bus to capacity. We then had to wait the standard 20 minutes for another bus. I see nothing wrong with waiting 2p minutes for free transportation.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Sorry you weren’t happy, OP. I feel the deluxe resorts have the worst bus service, so I guess everyone has their own opinions, right?

 

[MinnieMSue]

In general we have had decent bus service at Pop with a few outliers. However I will agree that for the most part leaving the parks is worse at Pop simply because of how far away the bus stops are at all except AK. Seriously I feel like I’m never going to get to those bus stops when it is time to leave the parks. AoA is generally beside ours but almost always the closer of the 2. I get the articulated busses need the back stops at some and that value hotels should be farther but darn it is far

 

[bluezy]

The buses run on a 15 - 20 wait time. Most likely, if you are waiting 15 - 20 minutes for a bus, it means that you recently missed the last one. Timing is everything!

This!! Our first trip to Disney as adults was in 2001. We stayed at ASMovies. We found the bus service there (at that time) to be great -- never really had any long waits except at park closing (which we expected) and in general, we usually didn't have to stand on the bus. We also found the food court to be great and never dealt with long lines and never had a problem finding a table. Of course, we were always at the bus stops at least an hour before the parks opened and we tried to eat at off times (not noon, not 5:00, etc.). Right after we returned home, someone was posting on a message board about how terrible their stay at ASMovies was. This person was there the exact same days as us yet they said they waited long periods of time for buses almost every time they rode one. And they said the buses were overcrowded. They also complained that the food court was always packed and they often couldn't find a seat. So two families stayed at the same resort on the same days yet we had vastly different experiences when it came to transportation, resort food court, and park touring in general (they complained that the parks were packed and they waited in long lines, couldn't get many FPs, etc. We didn't experience any of that...in fact, we got on 9 rides in less than 2 hours at MK by being there at rope drop). A little planning/research goes a long way. And timing is everything.

 

[rteetz]

I haven't had anything noticeably bad about Pop other than Epcot. For some reason whenever I am staying at Pop and leaving Epcot no matter the time of day it seems that bus takes well over 20 minutes to come.

 

[NWOhiogal]

I stayed at Pop in early May. Had pretty good luck with the busses, but I agree that the Pop spot in the parking lot is the furthest away from the gate at every single park. I definitely didn't like that - it's a punishment for those who choose to stay at the least expensive Value, or it sure felt that way. If that's not the reason I'd sure like to know why the Pop bus is the furthest from the gate at EVERY park.

 

[DisLiss]

I agree that the Pop spot in the parking lot is the furthest away from the gate at every single park. I definitely didn't like that - it's a punishment for those who choose to stay at the least expensive Value, or it sure felt that way. If that's not the reason I'd sure like to know why the Pop bus is the furthest from the gate at EVERY park.

If the least expensive resort was always dead last, then it should be one of the All Stars that's dead last, right? Isn't POP always a bit more than the All Stars?
The value resorts are last, of course, because closer buses are one perk of going with a higher priced resort category,. but beyond that I think it's just a case of someone needing to be last and POP getting that dubious honor. It does feel like the world's longest walk at park closing, though, doesn't it?? We only ever stayed in an All Star once, and it was before POP or AoA opened, so at the time it was the (combined) All Star stop that was dead last, and I thought that seemed soooo long, and now POP is further. It makes me super excited for the Skyliner to open, let me tell you! At least while at 2 of the parks I won't have to make the 50 mile bus walk.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I think the main reason Pop bus stops are among the last is capacity, not punishment .

 

[Cinderumbrella]

I haven't had anything noticeably bad about Pop other than Epcot. For some reason whenever I am staying at Pop and leaving Epcot no matter the time of day it seems that bus takes well over 20 minutes to come.

I agree about Epcot, but not just Pop. Some of our longest waits always seem to happen here. But soon that won’t be an issue for Pop once the gondolas open (thank goodness).

Sorry OP. I agree that you just had poor timing. And when you are hot and tired, every minute seems slower than the last. We’ve always had great luck with Pop buses (again the luck of timing).

 

[Chuck S]

I haven't stayed at POP often, but I never experienced anything major with the bus service. Every resort has hiccups in service. And every resort can be impacted by special events, like the marathons, road construction and even just heavy traffic.

 

[goofy4tink]

I've stayed at every Disney resort, with the exception of FtW...usually more than once. Pop is not the least expensive value resort, that honor usually goes to Sports, followed by the other two All Stars. As already noted, the buses aim to arrive every 20 mins. If you arrive just as the park bus you wanted is pulling away, you will most likely be waiting 20 mins. If you are heading to the parks for rope drop (or within an hour prior to park opening, or 30 mins after opening) you will find there to be lots of new friends with the same idea. Leaving the park at park closing? More new friends.
The bus service at WDW isn't perfect. But it does an admiral job of moving all it's guests around daily. Plan on an hour from leaving your room to getting to the park...that way you shouldn't be disappointed.
I have to say that the bus service I've had at Pop has been fine....seldom had longer than 15 min waits. But, I tend to hit the bus stops at less busy times.

 

[Moliphino]

We did notice much longer lines at Pop in the mornings in December (compared to previous trips), but they also had a constant stream of buses coming through so the waits weren't as bad as it looked. We never went back to the resort during the day and the lines were as expected at park close, again with a steady stream of buses coming through so the actual wait wasn't that bad.