Really disappointed in the transportation

[Day-Day]

I wonder if a higher percentage of resort guests are using buses now that the resort parking fee was added.

I am still planning to mostly drive and avoid the buses on my next visit. I am spoiled from always having a car available on previous trips and have had too many miserable bus trips to rely solely on Disney transportation.

 

[AngiTN]

I wonder if a higher percentage of resort guests are using buses now that the resort parking fee was added.

I am still planning to mostly drive and avoid the buses on my next visit. I am spoiled from always having a car available on previous trips and have had too many miserable bus trips to rely solely on Disney transportation.

I haven't personally noticed any change since the parking fee started. The increase in bus usage began before parking fees

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I generally think that the Disney bus system does very well at not keeping guests waiting. The exception to this was at our one and only stay at BWI. We waited for a bus to MK for an hour and a half before giving up and going to DS. We ate lunch at EoS and then took a bus to GF and rode the monorail to MK. There was not a single time during that stay that we waited less than 45 minutes for a bus.

 

[Disneylover99]

The exception to this was at our one and only stay at BWI. We waited for a bus to MK for an hour and a half before giving up and going to DS.

Ack!

And that’s why I prefer the bus transportation at the Values. Those MK buses come constantly all day at Pop. There’d be a riot if anyone had to wait that long for a bus at Pop.

 

[saturn5]

The buses don't just drive back and forth between two points. A bus might go* SSR>DS>AKL>Epcot>CSR>MK>Pop... if a bus or two get off schedule, absolutely you could get, say, two or three MK-bound buses at CSR together.

*completely theoretical, as I have absolutely no idea how WDW buses are dispatched

I can help you out with that! So all the buses are dispatched out of the parks. Your route was close...so a bus could go SSR>MK>CSR>MK>AKL>MK>POP>MK etc etc, so a bus will always return to a theme park or DS (When dispatched to DS, bus 99% of the time will come back empty. There are times when they may be sent to pick up at a resort that is heavy loaded). Also between the hours of 12pm and 5pm, EPCOT and MK send their buses to get washed and cleaned, which also takes time and drivers away from dispatches. That could also be another reason why the bus arrival times are further in between. Not trying to get Disney out of anything, but just trying to give info.

 

[AngiTN]

Ack!

And that’s why I prefer the bus transportation at the Values. Those MK buses come constantly all day at Pop. There’d be a riot if anyone had to wait that long for a bus at Pop.

And we had our worst bus service at Pop. Longest waits of anywhere. Had some of the best at BWI. Some long waits there too, but mostly they all even out to less than 20 min.
No resort is immune.
Not a Deluxe
Not a Value
Not anywhere.
It's luck of the draw.
If I walk up to a stop and hop on a bus as it arrives, I'll think that resort has the best service ever
If you walk up to the stop 2 min after me, but just as that bus pulls away and you have to wait on the next bus to come, you'll think it's the worse service ever.
Even though we were at the same resort on the same day going to the same parks.
We weren't either right or wrong.
Just lucky/unlucky.

I'll add one thing, the consistently awful bus service, DS. Just horrific location both coming and going from every single resort on property. We've stayed at them all. There's never been one with good bus service.

 

[Disneylover99]

And we had our worst bus service at Pop. Longest waits of anywhere. Had some of the best at BWI. Some long waits there too, but mostly they all even out to less than 20 min.
No resort is immune.
Not a Deluxe
Not a Value
Not anywhere.
It's luck of the draw.
If I walk up to a stop and hop on a bus as it arrives, I'll think that resort has the best service ever
If you walk up to the stop 2 min after me, but just as that bus pulls away and you have to wait on the next bus to come, you'll think it's the worse service ever.
Even though we were at the same resort on the same day going to the same parks.
We weren't either right or wrong.
Just lucky/unlucky.

I'll add one thing, the consistently awful bus service, DS. Just horrific location both coming and going from every single resort on property. We've stayed at them all. There's never been one with good bus service.

After multiple stays at values, moderates and deluxe resorts I’m going to disagree. Pop has twice the number of rooms as many other resorts. The buses from Pop to the MK do come more frequently then other resorts. They just do.

Yes, you can have wonderful quick bus service at Deluxe resorts and horribly long waits at a Value like Pop and be lucky (or unlucky) to experience that multiple times in multiple stays. And for sure, you’re judgement of a resort can/will be clouded by your experience, but overall, I’m going to say, I believe more buses are dispatched to Pop due to its size.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I can help you out with that! So all the buses are dispatched out of the park

Awesome, thanks!

Even though we were at the same resort on the same day going to the same parks

You missed "at virtually the same time".

 

[Anchored]

When we first started going to Disney we could only afford to stay offsite and always drove. Sites like this made me *envy* that Disney bubble and using the buses and boats! I saved to stay on property. Since then, we have stayed at a multitude of Disney resorts, and we drive everywhere now, unless we are planning to have more than a few drinks and then we Uber. I can not take the buses when it is time to leave. I once had 3 of my kids pass out on the bus floor because it was after a Halloween Party and they were exhausted and no seats. I was holding one child and was out of hands to help the other 3. Never again. The only time a bus is more convenient is if you are going to MK. We just valet at the contemporary now if we go there.
Disney transportation holds literally zero value to me. Personally.

 

[cropper]

After multiple stays at values, moderates and deluxe resorts I’m going to disagree. Pop has twice the number of rooms as many other resorts. The buses from Pop to the MK do come more frequently then other resorts. They just do.

Yes, you can have wonderful quick bus service at Deluxe resorts and horribly long waits at a Value like Pop and be lucky (or unlucky) to experience that multiple times in multiple stays. And for sure, you’re judgement of a resort can/will be clouded by your experience, but overall, I’m going to say, I believe more buses are dispatched to Pop due to its size.

with that theory, don't you have more people in line to use those buses?

 

[Monorail_Man_NJ]

Last trip in November the busses were horrendous but thats partly because of the two resorts I stayed at. Caribbean Beach and Riverside.

We actually joked that the busses should say "WECOME SARDINES" instead of "WELCOME WORLD TRAVELLERS" at Caribbean Beach.

 

[AngiTN]

with that theory, don't you have more people in line to use those buses?

Yes, yes you do.

 

[AngiTN]

After multiple stays at values, moderates and deluxe resorts I’m going to disagree. Pop has twice the number of rooms as many other resorts. The buses from Pop to the MK do come more frequently then other resorts. They just do.

Yes, you can have wonderful quick bus service at Deluxe resorts and horribly long waits at a Value like Pop and be lucky (or unlucky) to experience that multiple times in multiple stays. And for sure, you’re judgement of a resort can/will be clouded by your experience, but overall, I’m going to say, I believe more buses are dispatched to Pop due to its size.

Sure, Ok.
You can use that theory. No harm in it at all.
No proof whatsoever for those that read along though. Just to be fair to others who read this.

 

[cropper]

I have a friend there right now and she is very disappointed with the number of empty buses with drivers watching/waiting on the sidelines as the lines of people waiting were extremely long. Lines with multiple scooters, knowing there would be need for multiple buses to accommodate them.
Not blaming the drivers because I know they are only doing what they are told to do. But why aren't they dispatched instead of accumulating and waiting? Especially within view of the people waiting?

 

[AngiTN]

I have a friend there right now and she is very disappointed with the number of empty buses with drivers watching/waiting on the sidelines as the lines of people waiting were extremely long. Lines with multiple scooters, knowing there would be need for multiple buses to accommodate them.
Not blaming the drivers because I know they are only doing what they are told to do. But why aren't they dispatched instead of accumulating and waiting? Especially within view of the people waiting?

I've seen that for years and can only guess it's a break thing

 

[Disneylover99]

with that theory, don't you have more people in line to use those buses?

The lines definitely can and do get long from time to time. But the frequency of buses help to alleviate that.

 

[Disneylover99]

Sure, Ok.
You can use that theory. No harm in it at all.
No proof whatsoever for those that read along though. Just to be fair to others who read this.

Just to compare Boardwalk and Pop, Pop has over 3x the number of rooms that Boardwalk has. Do you really think the same number of MK buses go to Boardwalk and Pop in a day?

 

[cropper]

Just to compare Boardwalk and Pop, Pop has over 3x the number of rooms that Boardwalk has. Do you really think the same number of MK buses go to Boardwalk and Pop in a day?

Would make sense from a planning standpoint....if you have 3X as many people, you have 3X as many buses.
But putting it in prospective, you still have the same percentage of people waiting on a bus and it still has the same potential for having to wait for the next bus

 

[AngiTN]

Just to compare Boardwalk and Pop, Pop has over 3x the number of rooms that Boardwalk has. Do you really think the same number of MK buses go to Boardwalk and Pop in a day?

I have no clue on the numbers of buses sent to a resort or a park or anything. Besides, that's not what is being discussed as the number of buses sent has nothing at all do to with how long you wait on a bus. It's more complex than that
I will stand by and won't waiver from that fact that no resort has a better bus service than another resort does. Or worse.
And no, bottom line is I do not believe that you will experience shorter waits on every bus ride when staying at Pop because Disney sends more buses.

 

[Disneylover99]

Would make sense from a planning standpoint....if you have 3X as many people, you have 3X as many buses.
But putting it in prospective, you still have the same percentage of people waiting on a bus and it still has the same potential for having to wait for the next bus

The addition of the articulated buses at Pop a few years back that travel to the MK have made a big difference in minimizing people having to wait for a second bus at Pop. Anyways, there is often a second MK bus right behind in the early morning if things get backed up.