The past threads I’ve found about how bad the bus system is at the Contemporary have me worried, as I just booked a room at BLT. I know the buses can be hit or miss, I just don’t want to be stuck at a bus stop for over an hour. Thinking CR was the best resort for convenience, but maybe that’s only to MK and Epcot. Sounds like a nightmare getting everywhere else! What is everyone else’s experience with the buses here? Have you had considerably better transportation experiences at other resorts?? Hoping I didn’t pick the wrong resort.
Buses at CR
- Thread starter krinicone
- Start date
dansdad
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2011
Our experience has been no better or worse than any other WDW resort.
Wood Nymph
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2012
The CR has buses for DHS, AK and Disney Springs and they share those buses with Wilderness Lodge, except for the morning park buses which may go directly to the parks. I don't have any experience staying at CR, but we do stay at WL frequently and the bus service is just fine. You often get very crowded buses coming from Disney Springs, though, because people will use this bus to get to MK. But in general the buses are fine.
_auroraborealis_
I like marshmallows. And adult beverages.
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2015
CR is mostly convenient for MK. It is kind of a nuisance for Epcot since you have to change at TTC.
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2014
You can have bad bus experiences at any resort on any given Disney day, but FWIW we’ve been very satisfied with bus service at CR on past trips. Caveat that I haven’t stayed there since Sept 2017, so my experience is not that current.
CR has the benefit of being able to walk to the MK bus plaza. So, for example, you want to go the Boardwalk... you can walk over to the MK and grab the BWI bus. Doing that from other resorts requires more logistics. May not be a benefit if not planning any other resort visits.
I do agree with PP that it’s worth setting expectations in regards to Epcot. I don’t mind going as it’s one monorail stop then the transfer at TTC. The return trip takes longer as once you transfer to the Resort line, you have to stop at Poly, GF, MK, then CR. This isn’t the end of the world, just not that quick either. We sometimes opt for cab/ride share/Minnie Van for the return trip depending on the mood or if we have somewhere we need to be.
CR has the benefit of being able to walk to the MK bus plaza. So, for example, you want to go the Boardwalk... you can walk over to the MK and grab the BWI bus. Doing that from other resorts requires more logistics. May not be a benefit if not planning any other resort visits.
I do agree with PP that it’s worth setting expectations in regards to Epcot. I don’t mind going as it’s one monorail stop then the transfer at TTC. The return trip takes longer as once you transfer to the Resort line, you have to stop at Poly, GF, MK, then CR. This isn’t the end of the world, just not that quick either. We sometimes opt for cab/ride share/Minnie Van for the return trip depending on the mood or if we have somewhere we need to be.
Kimberle
WL Vet
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
You will find those types of "posts" about every single WDW resort. Most people aren't used to taking Public Transportation, rather hopping in their cars are going when/where they please. Thus, even a 10 minute wait can be difficult.
I have stayed at most of the deluxe resorts. I find no real difference between any of them. Most of the time the buses do come/go in the 20 minute timespan WDW promotes. However, there can be anomalies. Once at the Poly we waited an hour for a AK bus. Things do happen. I find these anomalies are few and far between.
I have stayed at most of the deluxe resorts. I find no real difference between any of them. Most of the time the buses do come/go in the 20 minute timespan WDW promotes. However, there can be anomalies. Once at the Poly we waited an hour for a AK bus. Things do happen. I find these anomalies are few and far between.
North of Mouse
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2011
We have often walked to CR from MK to catch buses there and have found the waits comparable to other hotels. There will always be an occasional exception, and those are the ones that get posted and complained about!! 
Some people do not want to wait, period!! With the huge transportation system that Disney has, glitches will happen, it's invariable.
Some people do not want to wait, period!! With the huge transportation system that Disney has, glitches will happen, it's invariable.
This has generally been our experience, except when the monorail has gone down and trying to get to Epcot. This has happened on a couple occasions for us and in transportation terms yes was basically a nightmare; like pulling teeth trying to get to Epcot. It really was ridiculous... it's like they just refuse to have any real/reasonable backup plan for when their 1st mode of transportation goes down - and it's really not that uncommon... they should be much better at it. Yes, they eventually dispatch buses, but it takes forever, often stopping at MK first, then another resort before actually heading to Epcot and 1 of the times this happened while we were there, we made all of those stops, just to be dropped off at the TTC to transfer to a different bus to get to Epcot. Other than that; I haven't found the busing to be any better/worse... although go in knowing they share buses.
Brett Wyman
Legacy Guest
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2018
Even with the TTC switch and double security I prefer to take the Monorail to Epcot from the MK resorts over a bus.
North of Mouse
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2011
We usually do take the monorail to Epcot (unless terribly busy) because we really do enjoy the monorail. I know it's sheer luck, but we have never had any problems while we were riding (short delays of 5min. excepted).
Lynne M
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2001
The CR doesn't have its own bus system. It's all one big system, so the odds of having a long wait for a bus are no better or worse than any other resort.
All resorts have their good and bad days with the bus system. I wouldn't choose (or not choose) a resort based on random reports of long waits for buses.
All resorts have their good and bad days with the bus system. I wouldn't choose (or not choose) a resort based on random reports of long waits for buses.
dansdad
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2011
That's what I would expect.
We were at BLT in 2015. We chose the Minnie Van to get to Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. We are going back to BLT this fall so I'm hoping the bus waits to HS and AK have improved. Look forward to hearing your experiences. I stayed at Pop Century for a week in December. The bus service was amazing - or else I was incredibly lucky. Very short waits for a bus to anywhere. The same was true for Kidani Village in May. I know the argument always is that the deluxe resorts have easy access to one or two parks. I still feel that for the cost per night at those resorts that there could be great bus service to the other parks as well like there was at Pop and KV.
dansdad
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2011
No matter where you stay it is ALL luck. We could walk up to the bus stop just as a bus is pulling up. Another family could be 1 minute behind us and have a 10-15 minute wait. Now they are unhappy with a "long" wait for a bus. Some trips, every single time we have walked up to the bus stop the bus we want is just pulling up. Some trips, every single time we walk up just as the bus we wanted pulled away. But the majority of our trips are a mixture of both. And this is true for every level.
As others have pointed out, no resort has it's own bus service. It is one service that serves the entire property all dispatched from one central location. So where you stay makes no difference. It's all luck of the draw.
I'm not exactly sure why you singled me out on this. I did say that I could have been lucky at Pop and KV. I did not say that every resort should have it's own bus service. Over the years my experiences at the upper level deluxe resorts have been longer than normal waits for a bus. Fellow bus riders voiced the same concerns. I don't believe that there are as many people unhappy about the waits now because you can decide when you want to get in line by watching bus time estimates on MDE. I disagree that it is "ALL luck". The only transportation from Pop and KV is bus and I feel they do a great job of monitoring or whatever they do to have buses show up within 15-20 minutes or less. A bus service example at Pop Century is two Magic Kingdom buses pulling up in the morning at the same time to accommodate the long queue line of guests which to me isn't luck of the draw. It's what they do. There is only bus transportation from Pop and KV and the times I have been there, they do it well. I wish those resorts with monorail access, boat access, walking distance, etc. could do their bus portions well also. It's just my opinion and I realize that others don't share it.
My apologies to the OP. You didn't pick the wrong resort. We love it at BLT!! Once you are at BLT you will be able to check estimated bus time arrivals before you leave your room. I found them to be fairly accurate, but allow a little extra time in case the bus arrives earlier than listed.
dansdad
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2011
Right. I was just agreeing with you and making sure everyone reading this knows that it is all luck. Everything else I typed was not directed at you, just the tone of the thread in general. Wasn't singling you out on anything other than agreeing with the luck part.
kaytieeldr
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2005
Are you sure about this? I thought MinnieVans were introduced much more recently.
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