People get on buses at DS keep resort guests from getting to parks

[jenniferyawn]

Just watched this video (I love their videos by the way) about how one family's trip was affected by the number of people using free parking at DS then taking buses to resorts so they can get to MK. I think this is awful. I'm sure if it keeps up parking will not be free for long. What else can Disney do to fix this? I just don't think if you're staying at a resort you should have to go to another resort or park to get straight to MK. I've been many times and have only had a few bus issues. I just didn't realize this was happening.

 

[mom2rtk]

Not shocking at all. Meanwhile the people paying to stay there are charged for parking and the "day guests" are not.

 

[jenniferyawn]

Not shocking at all. Meanwhile the people paying to stay there are charged for parking and the "day guests" are not.

Right! They are going to have to fix these parking issues.

 

[FCDub]

People will always find a way to cheat the system.

Additionally, life is too short to worry about what other people are doing.

 

[mom2rtk]

People will always find a way to cheat the system.

Additionally, life is too short to worry about what other people are doing.

The people skirting the parking fee were having a definite impact on the bus system in this video. Hard to ignore when they cause you to have substantial delays for RD bus service.

 

[mom2rtk]

OK, I played this in the background while I was doing other things. Do these guys have a Youtube or something? Because they seem woefully uninformed on transportation around WDW for someone trying to give out information.

That said, I still think it's rotten that people skirting the parking fees were filling up all the buses at their resort.

 

[larissawbb]

I feel bad for OKW and SSR owners whose dues support transportation.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Sounds like they need to do what they did for the MK area resorts for all of the resorts...no bus service to the resorts from Disney Springs until 11 am.

 

[jenniferyawn]

Sounds like they need to do what they did for the MK area resorts for all of the resorts...no bus service to the resorts from Disney Springs until 11 am.

That might work!

 

[jenniferyawn]

OK, I played this in the background while I was doing other things. Do these guys have a Youtube or something? Because they seem woefully uninformed on transportation around WDW for someone trying to give out information.

That said, I still think it's rotten that people skirting the parking fees were filling up all the buses at their resort.

Ha! Yes I love their channel. I mainly enjoy the interaction between them! And i feel bad for those resort stayers too!

 

[joelkfla]

Sounds like they need to do what they did for the MK area resorts for all of the resorts...no bus service to the resorts from Disney Springs until 11 am.

When I was driving buses a few years ago (it was still DTD), we'd see a few people doing this, but never busloads. I suspect someone put it out on social media or a guidebook as a way to beat the parking fee.

Disney started doing the routes this way to make drivers' trips longer and reduce backtracking. For example, a DS-based bus might start at DS, pick up at POFQ for MK, then pick up at CR & WL and return to DS. Originally, the buses were not signed for the resort when leaving DS, but Guests trying to get to MK were put on them as a courtesy.

The solution might be to take the resort names off the bus marquees, and only allow Guests to board if they can demonstrate that they are staying at the resort or have a reservation there (via MB or MDX). Unless there's someone waiting with a bona fide need, the buses wouldn't even go thru the DS load zones. Anyone else would be told that bus service starts at 11am.

 

[SL6827]

I feel bad for OKW and SSR owners whose dues support transportation.

Exactly! I think that Disney Springs will eventually have a fee to park there, but perhaps a purchase might validate it. But with parking at the parks continuing to rise, this option might just look more and more viable to those who want to avoid paying to park at the parks. What is it now, like $25? For a family to visit the parks six days, that is a savings of $150 right there.

 

[SL6827]

Just now finished watching this. Disney really needs to do something about this situation, hopefully before I make my first stay at our home resort. I would think that this would be a bigger problem at SSR vs. OKW, but sounds like both suffer from it.

 

[AngiTN]

I don't know about OKW but if I was at SSR I would head to one of the first 2 bus stops at the resort. Yeah it is a bit more walking but better than not getting on a bus. We stayed there and I think it's called Carousel, but we boarded before the Preferred areas, who boarded after us. Often the bus passed those areas since it was already full. Sure didn't make the area seem preferred to me (though I know that's based on location)

When I was driving buses a few years ago (it was still DTD), we'd see a few people doing this, but never busloads. I suspect someone put it out on social media or a guidebook as a way to beat the parking fee.

Disney started doing the routes this way to make drivers' trips longer and reduce backtracking. For example, a DS-based bus might start at DS, pick up at POFQ for MK, then pick up at CR & WL and return to DS. Originally, the buses were not signed for the resort when leaving DS, but Guests trying to get to MK were put on them as a courtesy.

The solution might be to take the resort names off the bus marquees, and only allow Guests to board if they can demonstrate that they are staying at the resort or have a reservation there (via MB or MDX). Unless there's someone waiting with a bona fide need, the buses wouldn't even go thru the DS load zones. Anyone else would be told that bus service starts at 11am.

Probably also an impact from the DS area resorts that now get 60 day FP privileges.
There has to have been an increase in their bookings since that began and many of those will be repeat guests and people who know they can take buses from DS area resorts to get to parks.

 

[AngiTN]

OK, I played this in the background while I was doing other things. Do these guys have a Youtube or something? Because they seem woefully uninformed on transportation around WDW for someone trying to give out information.

That said, I still think it's rotten that people skirting the parking fees were filling up all the buses at their resort.

The WDW travel agent and info system online is woefully full of these types. Sadly. It's really troubling the misinformation I've seen put out from so some of the called YouTube, Blogging or other type of Travel "experts". I often feel very bad for folks who follow their advice. Some are great but others, not so much. And some of the not so good ones can have as big a following as the great ones.

 

[jenniferyawn]

I don't know about OKW but if I was at SSR I would head to one of the first 2 bus stops at the resort. Yeah it is a bit more walking but better than not getting on a bus. We stayed there and I think it's called Carousel, but we boarded before the Preferred areas, who boarded after us. Often the bus passed those areas since it was already full. Sure didn't make the area seem preferred to me (though I know that's based on location)

Probably also an impact from the DS area resorts that now get 60 day FP privileges.
There has to have been an increase in their bookings since that began and many of those will be repeat guests and people who know they can take buses from DS area resorts to get to parks.

I didn't realize that other resorts in the area got 60 day FP. Yes I imagine a lot of repeat visitors and locals do this. I wouldn't care except that I'm going down next week as a resort guest who and will be paying to park my car at the resort. I hope that our bus service won't be affected.

 

[jenniferyawn]

When I was driving buses a few years ago (it was still DTD), we'd see a few people doing this, but never busloads. I suspect someone put it out on social media or a guidebook as a way to beat the parking fee.

Disney started doing the routes this way to make drivers' trips longer and reduce backtracking. For example, a DS-based bus might start at DS, pick up at POFQ for MK, then pick up at CR & WL and return to DS. Originally, the buses were not signed for the resort when leaving DS, but Guests trying to get to MK were put on them as a courtesy.

The solution might be to take the resort names off the bus marquees, and only allow Guests to board if they can demonstrate that they are staying at the resort or have a reservation there (via MB or MDX). Unless there's someone waiting with a bona fide need, the buses wouldn't even go thru the DS load zones. Anyone else would be told that bus service starts at 11am.

I think that's a really good idea! Just like they check for early dining before entering the parks, they can still provide service to resort guests before 11.

 

[AngiTN]

I didn't realize that other resorts in the area got 60 day FP. Yes I imagine a lot of repeat visitors and locals do this. I wouldn't care except that I'm going down next week as a resort guest who and will be paying to park my car at the resort. I hope that our bus service won't be affected.

You at OKW? There is so much they should have known, and so many things they could have done to make it easier.
First of all, the issues from DS to parks is not limited to any specific resort. It won't matter what resort bus the people at DS get on, they can get off at the next resort and change to the MK (or whatever park bus) and go to the park. OKW isn't special or unique in that respect.
What that couple should have done, as soon as they learned that the bus was getting filled at the first stop, was gotten on the first DS bus that came, and got off at the first MK stop at OKW and then waited for the MK bus. That way, they'd be at the first bus stop and then be able to get on the bus, no problem. Even if they didn't know the DS bus ran backwards, and it sounds like they didn't, as soon as they got on it and realized that they should have jumped off at the last stop right then. Funny thing is, I'm not sure how they didn't know since they sound like they stayed at OKW a lot.
This is not just a OKW or PO resort issue. Or even SSR (where they can walk). Any resort that has a bus in the morning at DS could have this problem.

 

[SL6827]

You at OKW? There is so much they should have known, and so many things they could have done to make it easier.
First of all, the issues from DS to parks is not limited to any specific resort. It won't matter what resort bus the people at DS get on, they can get off at the next resort and change to the MK (or whatever park bus) and go to the park. OKW isn't special or unique in that respect.
What that couple should have done, as soon as they learned that the bus was getting filled at the first stop, was gotten on the first DS bus that came, and got off at the first MK stop at OKW and then waited for the MK bus. That way, they'd be at the first bus stop and then be able to get on the bus, no problem. Even if they didn't know the DS bus ran backwards, and it sounds like they didn't, as soon as they got on it and realized that they should have jumped off at the last stop right then. Funny thing is, I'm not sure how they didn't know since they sound like they stayed at OKW a lot.
This is not just a OKW or PO resort issue. Or even SSR (where they can walk). Any resort that has a bus in the morning at DS could have this problem.

Right, but I think it is more frequent at SSR, OKW and the Port Orleans resorts. I have never really heard a detailed report like this, only read about it. I am beyond disgusted and I hope Disney does something about this situation.

 

[AngiTN]

Right, but I think it is more frequent at SSR, OKW and the Port Orleans resorts. I have never really heard a detailed report like this, only read about it. I am beyond disgusted and I hope Disney does something about this situation.

Seeing how it's been going on since DS was built, I doubt they'll address it beyond what they have, which is limit the MK area resorts in the early morning. Just use the first bus stop at the multi bus stop resorts and you'll be fine.