POP bus transportation is terrible

[FastPasser.]

We just love the dedicated bus line at Pop.

What's the dedicated bus line?

 

[FastPasser.]

You said on the other thread that you had no clue about the frequency of buses. But if you think about It, it seems logical that they would send extra buses with triple the amount of people. Does that mean they send triple the amount of buses? Of course not. That’s why there are often long lines and waits. It’s one of the reasons why more frequency doesn’t necessarily mean better service to many. So no, Pop doesn’t receive special or different bus treatment. I’ve not suggested that was the case, just more frequent.

I think I know what you're saying. What I do know is that the larger the resort, the more times I was sent there.

 

[Disneylover99]

I think I know what you're saying. What I do know is that the larger the resort, the more times I was sent there.

That makes sense. Thanks for responding. I was thinking about asking you your opinion on bus frequency. Now I don’t have to.

 

[SharonZ]

I think bus service is roughly the same at all resorts, none are perfect. You experience good and bad bus times at all resorts, it isn't just specific resorts.

 

[jess20k]

The bus service in general at all resorts is horrible imo anymore. Especially trying to go from a park back to the resort during no peak hours. In Feb we waited at MK to go back the The Boardwalk Inn for 55 min. I was livid, especially since the day before we waited 45 min from Epcot back to the resort. When we went a few weeks ago and stayed at Coronado, it was a bit better, but it still had its fair share of problems. Both going and coming from the parks. Over the years I found out that at least in my instances Coronado had the best out of all the resorts we stayed at within the past several years. We go about 2-3 times a year usually. Bottom line is they need more buses, or more of the double buses. Anything to help ease the situation. WDW just keeps getting more and more crowded every year.

Something else I forgot to mention is that when I see buses that come for different parks/resorts and you are still waiting for yours, then you keep waiting and see that the same bus comes again, sometimes more than once with no one on it, while you are still waiting for yours. They need to find a better way to utilize these empty buses if necessary. There has to be some kind of way, they can figure it out. I would at least help ease the long waits a bit, instead of having empty buses drive back and forth empty while others have been waiting. UGH!

 

[Beer Me]

I feel like there must be a technological solution to inconsistent bus service. Like a way to gauge demand in real time and redirect buses where needed (e.g. scan your band at the bus stop and use that info to direct buses) Hopefully Disney is working on this.

It appears that they run them on a simple schedule and use radio for deviations but maybe there is more to it than meets the eye.

 

[kaytieeldr]

The bus thing is a lot like restaurant reviews. You'll find people who have never had a problem and people who have always had a problem with the same place.

You forgot the people who've had a dozen or a hundred great experiences but then had one not so good and now will not only never return, but will also badmouth the place to everyone!

 

[Dug720]

You forgot the people who've had a dozen or a hundred great experiences but then had one not so good and now will not only never return, but will also badmouth the place to everyone!

True. If there is one thing I've learned on here, it's that for every person who loves something/had a great experience with something, there's another who hates it/had a horrible experience with it. And in reality, most of us fall somewhere in between.

 

[kaytieeldr]

In Feb we waited at MK to go back the The Boardwalk Inn for 55 min. I was livid, especially since the day before we waited 45 min from Epcot back to the resort

I'm confused. Were you at a different resort the day before?

They need to find a better way to utilize these empty buses if necessary.

Buses don't typically run just back and forth between two points. As it was explained to me by a bus driver on the Transportation forum, each buse is assigned to a park, but not just a single resort. A bus might go Pop>Epcot>CBR>Epcot>CSR>Epcot>ASMovies>Epcot>AoA... I've been dropped off at locations where the driver makes sure to advise passengers that this [stop] isn't where they ger the bus later; this routing is why.

Anyway. Dispatch can't simply switch an Epcot-bound bus to the MK, at least not without creating chaos.

 

[FastPasser.]

Bottom line is they need more buses, or more of the double buses.

That's great but are you willing to pay for the very expensive articulated buses that are used only when there is enough demand. They sit idle for a good part of the day because it doesn't make fiscal sense to operate all of the articulated buses after the rush is over. Also, only certain load zones will accept them.

I feel like there must be a technological solution to inconsistent bus service. Like a way to gauge demand in real time and redirect buses where needed (e.g. scan your band at the bus stop and use that info to direct buses) Hopefully Disney is working on this.

If there is, either Disney didn't want to pay the price or they already have it. At a WDW bus transportation staff meeting a few years ago we were told how much the current system cost. I'm not going to divulge how many millions of dollars it was but it was a staggering amount.

Hopefully Disney is working on this.

I can tell you with full confidence, they're always working on improving the system.

It appears that they run them on a simple schedule and use radio for deviations but maybe there is more to it than meets the eye.

Yes there is much more to it than meets the eye. You'd be amazed at how hi-tech, complex and sophisticated the bus dispatch system is. It's by no means as simple as it appears to be.

 

[Disneylover99]

What's the dedicated bus line?

I think they mean one bus stop and no sharing with other resorts. And maybe the queues to line up for each park.

 

[poooh]

Stayed at POP last sept. Bus service was okay except for 1 night near HS closing. The line was so huge it stretched down the sidewalk past other bus lines. We waited about 45 minutes and 8 full bus loads, so the buses were coming pretty often. It was just so many people! We should have just used uber.

 

[buzznina]

The bus thing is a lot like restaurant reviews. You'll find people who have never had a problem and people who have always had a problem with the same place.

Or like threads about resort mattresses, like reading Goldie Locks and the 3 bears

Also; if you are going to leave the park at closing with the massive herd of people, of course you're going to have a longer than normal wait.

 

[FastPasser.]

Thanks for responding. I was thinking about asking you your opinion on bus frequency. Now I don’t have to.

Glad to do it, but it wasn't an opinion, it's just how it was. Pop was usually first and All Stars was a very close second. It's been a while but I think POR and CBR were probably tied for third.

 

[Disneylover99]

Glad to do it, but it wasn't an opinion, it's just how it was. Pop was usually first and All Stars was a very close second. It's been a while but I think POR and CBR were probably tied for third.

Real life experience is even better.

 

[tguz]

I don't think a 20 minute wait for a bus is bad at all. I did not notice a difference in bus wait times in 2017 at Movies versus 2018 at POP. It only makes sense that the POP bus line is fuller than other resorts. The POP resort has the most rooms of any Disney World resort unless you count Riverside and French Quarter together, as some do. A lot of times the Pop and AoA bus stalls are next to each other so if the AoA bus just pulls up or the line is a lot smaller, get on that bus and walk the short walk over to the Pop.