Disney Buses

[TipsyTraveler]

Interesting concept - commuting on public transportation = refugee status. The millions of people who commute to work daily by bus would tend to disagree, I'd think.

I’d think the millions of refugees worldwide might disagree as well...

 

[Summer2018]

I definitely have bus fatigue.

Riding a bus is our last resort. We stay at a monorail resort now. Our favorite is the Poly. If the monorail is down, we take a boat to MK. We monorail to Epcot. Bus to AK & DHS, because we have no other choice. We are skipping those parks on our next trip. Last July, I didn't ride one single bus, because I stayed at the pool while the fam went to AK. We skipped DHS.

When we stayed at ASMusic, I was so sick of always waiting for a bus. The worst is when you are exhausted and waiting in a bus queue after the fireworks in a very long line; no benches to rest on; bus after bus fills up as you wait; and when you finally board a bus, there's no seats.

Oh yeah, never going back to those days again.

 

[diznymom]

DH drives all over Texas for work and not having to drive at all is the ideal vacation for him. I don't like driving.

Our second trip to WDW I tried to talk DH into flying to WDW, but he insisted on driving b/c we would need our car while we were there. That was our first stay on property and we did a split stay w/ AS Sports and AKL. We arrived, parked our car and never used it until our move from AS Sports to AKL, then we used it again when we went home. Needless to say, we fly in now and don't drive at all.

We love the buses and all of the transportation options at WDW. When we take a cruise out of Port Canaveral, we use those buses also.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Comparing spending thousands of dollars on a vacation and expecting at least decent transportation from those dollars

You are getting decent transportation. You are not getting transportation on demand. People who spend zero dollars - e.g. locals who drive to Disney Springs, the bus to GF to see the gingerbread house, get the same decent transportation.

 

[luvsJack]

You are getting decent transportation. You are not getting transportation on demand. People who spend zero dollars - e.g. locals who drive to Disney Springs, the bus to GF to see the gingerbread house, get the same decent transportation.

I would call it “adequate” as in it does get you from point A to point B, but not decent. At least not at night when everyone is leaving and as many people are crammed into a bus as can possibly be crammed.

On a mode of transportation that will be rolling down the road “everyone take a deep breath and hold it so we can squeeze a few more in” isn’t what you want to hear.

I don’t want it on demand, I just don’t want to be smothered by all the people standing up falling on me! It honestly reaches a point where someone needs to say “enough”!

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I guess people who don't understand or like the buses never had to use city buses. It's not a big deal.

 

[mmouse37]

I will always rent a car at MCO and drive it around to get to the parks and hotels. I dislike waiting for the buses. I love driving around Disney. We just did it two weeks ago. Picked up a car at MCO and drove it to each park, to the Grand Floridian for lunch and to Disney Springs. It is just so easy to get around and park. The buses have their purpose but for convenience and personal sanity I prefer to drive.

We live in NY but are in Florida often so I have my own SunPass which makes it even easier to get around Florida.

MJ

 

[kaytieeldr]

I would call it “adequate” as in it does get you from point A to point B, but not decent.

You might want to consider quoting the person I quoted, as I echoed their exact terminology.

 

[Searc]

I would call it “adequate” as in it does get you from point A to point B, but not decent. At least not at night when everyone is leaving and as many people are crammed into a bus as can possibly be crammed.

On a mode of transportation that will be rolling down the road “everyone take a deep breath and hold it so we can squeeze a few more in” isn’t what you want to hear.

I don’t want it on demand, I just don’t want to be smothered by all the people standing up falling on me! It honestly reaches a point where someone needs to say “enough”!

I don't stand on Disney buses. I allow others to board ahead of me and then I am at the front of the line for the next empty bus, where I will sit. I don't mind standing in line, I mind standing on a moving vehicle with nothing more than a strap above my head to hang onto.

 

[tzolkin]

It would be interesting to "race" someone in their car vs. a bus.

We have done this several times on different trips. Every single one has been a win for the bus.

MK is really the exception though because of TTC. It is generally the case that for the other parks driving is faster.

My parents really argue strongly for this, but it has never worked out that way for us. When we have traveled with them they will sometimes insist on driving and my family takes the bus. We beat them every time regardless of park or time of day.

I realize our experiences are a small sample size and I'm sure there are instances when driving is faster, but it's certainly not the rule.

I'm actually shocked by this thread because over the years it always seems like discussions about buses are weighted heavily toward the "driving is faster" side. I acknowledge that people have different preferences and driving is better/more comfortable for some people, but in my experience it's certainly not an objective fact that it is any faster.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We have done this several times on different trips. Every single one has been a win for the bus.



My parents really argue strongly for this, but it has never worked out that way for us. When we have traveled with them they will sometimes insist on driving and my family takes the bus. We beat them every time regardless of park or time of day.

I realize our experiences are a small sample size and I'm sure there are instances when driving is faster, but it's certainly not the rule.

I'm actually shocked by this thread because over the years it always seems like discussions about buses are weighted heavily toward the "driving is faster" side. I acknowledge that people have different preferences and driving is better/more comfortable for some people, but in my experience it's certainly not an objective fact that it is any faster.

Every single site including this one has said that the other parks are generally faster driving with exception to MK and I would generally agree with that. If everytime you beat them I almost wonder if it's their driving lol or if they have issues with the parking trams or whatnot.

It's a funny really, my husband and I would talk about how we ended up really liking driving even being on site (and we had drove multiple days too when we stayed offsite years before because the shuttle just wasn't very convenient). Anyways we were talking about it with a DIS member who lives in our area, is a DVC member and has been going to the parks for most of his life. He swore up and down he never wanted to drive in WDW..until one trip he ended up doing it. He came back fully converted and was like I know now exactly what you were meaning all this time.

I have no doubt for some people circumstances will demonstrate it was faster or about the same using the bus vs driving vs and so I appreciate you telling your experience. That's also why it's considered generally speaking

 

[Summer2018]

I guess people who don't understand or like the buses never had to use city buses. It's not a big deal.

I rode city busses every day when I was working downtown. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do. That’s life. When I am in the city now, I will take a cab.

If there’s a better option available (monorail, boat, car), I will take it.

 

[Uncle Coaster]

I am one of those people who will stand and talk outside of a concert or sporting event for a half hour in order to avoid the traffic trying to leave the venue so waiting in line 20 minutes for a bus at the end of the day is a piece of cake for me.

 

[tzolkin]

Every single site including this one has said that the other parks are generally faster driving with exception to MK and I would generally agree with that. If everytime you beat them I almost wonder if it's their driving lol or if they have issues with the parking trams or whatnot.

I know and I have read that too, but I'd love for someone to conduct a study. In order for driving to be faster, the amount of time to get through the booth to pay for parking, park your car, and make it to the gate would have to be less than the average amount of time people wait for the bus. There have been a few times where we have waited a ridiculous amount of time, but there have also been countless times where a bus pulled up within less than 5 minutes. In those cases, I believe it would be faster to take the bus than to drive (because it would take more than 5 minutes to make it from the parking lot entrance to the gate.)

It's certainly possible that my parents are just slow, but I would think they would at least try to beat us once to prove that they're right about driving being faster. We have also beat my brother driving several times but he has young kids so it probably takes him longer to get them into their carseats.

The only time we have "raced" with us driving was on our last trip, but that was MK so can't accurately compare to the other parks. DH and I were pretty determined-- we left the park before the rest of the family (they were leisurely getting a snack and using the restroom) and we literally ran to the car (which was parked closer in the handicapped lot so no trams), but they still beat us and were already taking showers and relaxing by the time we got back to the room.

 

[luvsJack]

I don't stand on Disney buses. I allow others to board ahead of me and then I am at the front of the line for the next empty bus, where I will sit. I don't mind standing in line, I mind standing on a moving vehicle with nothing more than a strap above my head to hang onto.

Me too. Its all those pesky people behind me that continue to get on after the bus is full! LOL

 

[skyblue17]

I guess people who don't understand or like the buses never had to use city buses. It's not a big deal.

Right? I feel like these are the same people who travel to cities and spend to take ride shares every where or cab from 42nd St. to Macy's. Anything to not have to be around the other plebs!

Buses are a practical option for moving a lot of people at once. Imagine if every person who took the bus felt that driving was better and EVERYONE drove. Driving wouldn't be quite so appealing then.

 

[luvsJack]

You might want to consider quoting the person I quoted, as I echoed their exact terminology.

Its not about the terminology. I just wouldn't call it "decent". Like the pp apparently doesn't call it decent.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I know and I have read that too, but I'd love for someone to conduct a study.

the Unofficial Guide use to contain a chart - best/worst times by car vs Disney transportation.

Its not about the terminology. I just wouldn't call it "decent". Like the pp apparently doesn't call it decent.

Again, the person I quoted absolutely did use the word "decent".

 

[luvsJack]

the Unofficial Guide use to contain a chart - best/worst times by car vs Disney transportation.

Again, the person I quoted absolutely did use the word "decent".

Ok, first, it just ain't that serious.

Second, the pp said something to the effect of "if I am paying $$$$$ for a room that includes transportation, I expect decent transportation" Not word for word quote but same general concept.

Perhaps the pp would come back and correct me if I misunderstood, but I took it to mean that he/she doesn't think it IS decent. I don't think it is either. Decent and adequate do not necessarily mean the same thing, so if one DOESN'T think something is decent then the terminology doesn't matter.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I know and I have read that too, but I'd love for someone to conduct a study. In order for driving to be faster, the amount of time to get through the booth to pay for parking, park your car, and make it to the gate would have to be less than the average amount of time people wait for the bus. There have been a few times where we have waited a ridiculous amount of time, but there have also been countless times where a bus pulled up within less than 5 minutes. In those cases, I believe it would be faster to take the bus than to drive (because it would take more than 5 minutes to make it from the parking lot entrance to the gate.)

It's certainly possible that my parents are just slow, but I would think they would at least try to beat us once to prove that they're right about driving being faster. We have also beat my brother driving several times but he has young kids so it probably takes him longer to get them into their carseats.

The only time we have "raced" with us driving was on our last trip, but that was MK so can't accurately compare to the other parks. DH and I were pretty determined-- we left the park before the rest of the family (they were leisurely getting a snack and using the restroom) and we literally ran to the car (which was parked closer in the handicapped lot so no trams), but they still beat us and were already taking showers and relaxing by the time we got back to the room.

I'm guessing people often think about the average it can take a bus. I know from many many threads waiting less than 5mins for a bus countless times is abnormal if you take other people for their words. Disney uses an average of 20mins on their website and for sure you'd get buses taking less time than that. But if you take the average based on all the threads and comments out there I think that can give an edge for driving because you're not waiting on anyone for the vehicle other than whatever time it takes to get to the car. Sure you've got the parking attendant, actually parking, getting on the tram, and then to the entrance but if you waited 10,15,20,25mins for a bus you've begun to eat up any lead you might have had by being able to be dropped off straight at the entrance.

For sure having kids, especially younger ones, can slow people down. We saw at least one or two traveling parties not make it on the parking tram waiting for us because they were having to get things, slowly, out of the car. But a parking tram was never really all the far off from them so it wasn't too much time lost. Not having strollers folded up could be an issue too. I don't know why people felt the need to get their stroller all unfolded when all they were doing was going from the car to the tram but perhaps they didn't realize you have to fold the stroller up to get on the tram.