Bad luck leaving MK after fireworks.

[Chip_Dale]

Stayed in the park about 45 minutes after the fireworks so there would be no crowd at the bus stop. the regular line was minimal (maybe 20 people) but there were already 6 scooters/ wheelchairs waiting to board.

 

[redberyl]

We found it was very common to have 3 or 4 scooters in front of us even during the day. Or the bus would come from another resort and already have 2 scooters on it. My daughters can both transfer but have to be able to sit, which is a whole other issue. We were wasting hours every dwy waiting for empty buses that trip. Now we rent a car and its so much easier

 

[seashoreCM]

... there were already 6 scooters/ wheelchairs waiting to board.

The 7 (including you) on wheeled aids should have been picked up in vaguely the same time frame as the 20 or so on their feet. This may require keeping more buses in the loop longer after park closing.

If you were wasting hours every day over and above the average that guests you observe do waiting for buses then by the second day you should have had a chat at Guest Relations. I would be satisfied with some extra fastpasses to delete about the same number of hours that would be wasted waiting within the park.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Just curious, did anyone call to have another bus sent for the scooters/wheelchairs who couldn't get on the bus? People here report all the time about another bus being dispatched. However, unfortunately that's never happened to me, either at the resort or at the park. If there are more people on scooters/wheelchairs than the bus can take, too bad! I have to wait another 20 minutes or so for the next bus. However, apparently, sometimes they call.

 

[Chip_Dale]

The wait was not that long maybe 30 minutes. There were 2 buses there loading when i got there.

 

[redberyl]

Not once during our whole trip did they call for another bus. We waited for the next bus each time, at the time i didnt even know it was an option that they could call for another bus

 

[Hopefully]

Not once during our whole trip did they call for another bus. We waited for the next bus each time, at the time i didnt even know it was an option that they could call for another bus

How many years ago was this?

 

[redberyl]

How many years ago was this?

It was 3 years ago. Weve gone twice since then, but rented cars both times. It was so much easier. My oldest can only tolerate about 3 or 4hours at a time out and about, so losing an hour on the bus each time drastically cut back on what we can do in a day. Part of the problem was we were staying at all stars that shares the buses. Most times there were already 2 scooters on the bus and standing room only, even if we were first in line for the bus at our stop. Sometimes wed have to wait for a couple of buses to go by

 

[cmwade77]

Honestly, this wasn't my experience in January, if I had to wait for the next bus, the bus driver would call for another bus. The only issue we had run into was at Animal Kingdom, the bus driver saw us as he was pulling up (made eye contact and all) and then proceeded to start letting other people on even though he had space for an ECV and we were there before the people standing, I did politely insist he stop letting them on and load us. He was not happy about loading an ECV, you could tell.

 

[FastPasser.]

I may be getting the wrong impression, but it sounds like that some people think that there are Disney buses just sitting around waiting to be called into service when needed.

 

[cmwade77]

I may be getting the wrong impression, but it sounds like that some people think that there are Disney buses just sitting around waiting to be called into service when needed.

If you ever watch, there actually are about 5 to 15 buses that are not assigned at any given time waiting to be called at each park. The number varies based on time of day, time of the year, how crowded the parks are, etc.

But they are indeed there and waiting, in some cases it takes about 10 minutes to get a driver on board and get the bus around to the stop, but they do have extras and that comes straight from various bus drivers that I spoke with on this last trip and in this case, I would say bus drivers should indeed know the correct answer.

 

[mamabunny]

Stayed in the park about 45 minutes after the fireworks so there would be no crowd at the bus stop. the regular line was minimal (maybe 20 people) but there were already 6 scooters/ wheelchairs waiting to board.

Just curious - what Resort were you trying to return to?

 

[Chip_Dale]

Just curious - what Resort were you trying to return to?

Pop

 

[Weedy]

Also how long was the line for people not in wheelchairs/ECV’s

 

[Chip_Dale]

Also how long was the line for people not in wheelchairs/ECV’s

There were about 20 people in line

 

[arminnie]

I've had a bus driver say they were going to call another bus - but I've never had another bus show up. I've only had full buses at the resort as we tend to leave the parks during non-rush hours.

 

[cmwade77]

Also how long was the line for people not in wheelchairs/ECV’s

The OP said about 20 people, which is easily less than a single bus.

 

[FastPasser.]

If you ever watch, there actually are about 5 to 15 buses that are not assigned at any given time waiting to be called at each park. The number varies based on time of day, time of the year, how crowded the parks are, etc.
But they are indeed there and waiting, in some cases it takes about 10 minutes to get a driver on board and get the bus around to the stop, but they do have extras and that comes straight from various bus drivers that I spoke with on this last trip and in this case, I would say bus drivers should indeed know the correct answer.

Based on my experiences as a WDW bus driver for many years, we'll have to agree to disagree.

 

[RaySharpton]

Stayed in the park about 45 minutes after the fireworks so there would be no crowd at the bus stop. the regular line was minimal (maybe 20 people) but there were already 6 scooters/ wheelchairs waiting to board.

Something similar to that happened to me too.

One time I left MK and EPCOT early to beat the crowd and there was more than two mobility scooter waiting in line to go back to Pop Century resort. Another time I was the only one there with a mobility scooter.

Another time I left late after the MK fireworks and EPCOT Illuminations and there were a lot of mobility scooters sometimes and none another time.

I usually like to stay later and let the crowd thin out to watch the kiss goodnight at MK and to let the crowd thin out at EPCOT because of the bottleneck crowds near the large fountain when exiting.

I usually like to go to WDW in December and it gets crowded at times.

As far as Disney cast members calling for another bus, I have seen this happen a few times but it was a few years ago.

I used to see cast members with a tablet at Animal Kingdom Lodge or Pop Century Resort.

A couple of times I saw a supervisory type person at MK calling presumably for extra buses.

I don't know for sure that is what they were doing, but that is the impression that I go.

I know that I am going to be waiting since I use a wheelchair and I accept that.

I know that sometimes there will be other wheelchairs and mobility scooters waiting before me and I am okay with that too.

I remember not feeling like that and being upset.

I am on vacation and I try not to let things like that bother me.

But that is just me.

 

[FastPasser.]

I am on vacation and I try not to let things like that bother me. But that is just me.

Fortunately for WDW bus drivers it's not just you and it makes the job much easier than most people think. The vast majority of riders are patient and understand that the bus system is what it is and they accept the ups and downs. Like you said, you're on vacation.