POR 45 mins no MK bus

[snayak]

Same thing!!
4 AK busses in that 45 mins!

When we went to AK we ended up taking an Uber, which cost $8 total and got us there WAY quicker (and closer!) than a bus. Next time I'll investigate taking that to MK too - EP & DHS is walking distance. The time saved is worth the nominal cost to me! Unfortunately, can't take an Uber OUT of the park, since they'd have to pay for parking...

 

[Robo]

When we went to AK we ended up taking an Uber, which cost $8 total and got us there WAY quicker (and closer!) than a bus. Next time I'll investigate taking that to MK too - EP & DHS is walking distance. The time saved is worth the nominal cost to me! Unfortunately, can't take an Uber OUT of the park, since they'd have to pay for parking...

There are guest drop-off and pick-up locations at all of the parks.
(But, I don't know how Disney treats "non-taxi" taxis.)

BTW, the MK guest drop-off/pick-up is at TTC, so a monorail or ferry ride is still required.
If you want a cab (or a car of some kind) to drop you or pick you up at MK,
you can have the stop be at the Contemporary parking lot.

 

[snayak]

There are guest drop-off and pick-up locations at all of the parks.
(But, I don't know how Disney treats "non-taxi" taxis.)

BTW, the MK guest drop-off/pick-up is at TTC, so a monorail or ferry ride is still required.
If you want a cab (or a car of some kind) to drop you or pick you up at MK,
you can have the stop be at the Contemporary parking lot.

So, without an on-site guest inside to show their room key the Uber driver said they would have to pay for parking to drop/pick somebody. I assume a taxi does not have to do this.

As for MK - I probably would have them drop my at the contemporary and walk - but at AK we were dropped off very close to the park entrance, closer than the buses! I'm not sure it was "legal" but I didn't really care, the driver seemed to know what he was doing.

 

[wareagle57]

8 dollars sounds like a steal, especially if you aren't a resort guest. I'd like to try this with the CR next trip. Has anyone used Uber successfully to be both dropped off AND picked up at CR?

 

[freewill]

We had no problems at AoA last Aug or the last few days here. They're usually good, just not today.

OP, I love how you seem to be keeping a good perspective on what was undoubtedly a very frustrating morning! Not at all sure I would have managed it nearly as well. So kudos to you -- and here's hoping that you've got plenty of good karma ahead of you on the rest of your trip!

 

[Jetku]

I love using disney transportation because I like to be in a disney vacation bubble while there. I have no interest in driving while on vacation.

This would be infuriating, especially if you woke up early for rope drop.

I wouldn't worry about the folks with reservations. Restaurants have always been accommodating for late arrivals, especially when caused by disney transportation.

Never stayed at POR for the reason of the many bus stops. Stayed at Caribbean and hated this aspect. The busses could have come but filled up before arriving at your stop.

We are staying at Kidani soon. I hope we have no bus issues! I actually have 2 Ubers/taxis in my plans. One to get back from Grand Floridian with leftover cake, and one to get back from Ohana after a 9:45 pm dinner. I would normally take disney for both, but my wife is pregnant and I know the trek using Disney transportation would take quite a while.

 

[kelleybean]

I was actually thinking about this post over the weekend. I've had similar frustrations with Disney transportation. Maybe not 45 minutes to get to the park but very long waits for buses. We stayed at Universal's Cabana Bay this weekend and the bus service was incredible. We never waited more than 2 minutes for a bus (and we were coming and going at all hours of the day). At park closing, they had buses lined up to take people back to the hotel. The only waits we encountered was loading and unloading wheelchairs which can obviously take some time.

I think Disney has a couple of challenges: they have 4 parks to contend with and unless the hotel happens to be right by a park they have a longer distance to travel. So Cabana Bay's level of service is probably not feasible for them. But it seems to me that Disney could make this much better if they really wanted to. Universal clearly devoted tremendous resources to having an efficient bus system. One of the big reasons people stay on site at Disney is so they don't have to drive ... that's the one of the major selling points for staying in a Disney hotel (and one of the supposed advantages of Magical Express - that you don't need a car). Hotel guests should not have to take a taxi to get to the parks in a reasonable period of time.

Sorry for the semi-rant. I just wonder if transportation is an area where they have experimented with major cutbacks. I'm thinking about how frustrated I would be if I was trying to make rope drop and was ready on time (a miracle in our family!) and missed it because of inefficient bus service.

 

[prune1977]

Buses are supposed to be there every 20 min so I would not be happy and would definitely file a complaint or at least talk to a manager about it.

 

[Fastpassminus]

Another Dis member advised if the bus takes longer than 30 minutes to call your resort immediately and they can transfer you to Transportation to let them know there is a problem.

I did this at OKW. Transportation was about to send me a cab with car seat for free when the MK bus pulled in 45 later.

 

[Pfau]

Something similar happened only once during our stay at POR this January. I called and spoke with someone in transportation and a bus came right away.

 

[Robo]

Have a great trip!

 

[wdhinn89]

If you wait longer then 30min (Buses supposed to run around every 20min) you can call WDW-RIDE to contact bus dispatch and let them know your current situation. I was given this # from the POP's front desk when this happened to us. I have only had to use the # once since then and had a bus there 10min later.

What area code do you use for WDW-RIDE? 407?

 

[wdw4rfam]

Honestly that has happened to us many times at POR. So much that we just started driving. Had no issues at any other resort with that long of a wait.

 

[librarymom2007]

We stayed at POR the past 3 times and have never had that happen. I would have been ticked!

 

[Mindy Kurz]

We've stayed at the Riverside 5 times, twice last year, and I've never been too pleased with the bus transportation. I will say when we were there in May last year, it was the WORST it's ever been!! I was almost thinking we needed to look for another place to stay. But, our love for the Riverside brought us back in September, and it was actually much better. They now have monitors at the bus stops. I'm hoping with the new magic plus features coming to the Riverside, our trip next month will be even better!

 

[Shaden]

Can Happen anywhere, unfortunate really. Someone messed up something or didn't notice something ... hope you day got better.

 

[alvernon90]

I love using disney transportation because I like to be in a disney vacation bubble while there. I have no interest in driving while on vacation.

So many people on these boards say this, but boy oh boy I just do not understand it. I will never understand how taking mass transit is more relaxing than driving around a relatively deserted area like WDW. I will never understand how waiting 20 minutes for a bus is relaxing. I will certainly never understand how anyone could think it is better to stand out in the heat at the end of a long day at the parks, being jostled by the crowds, being slowed down by the line cutters, waiting for the third bus to come because the ECVs and their parties filled up the first two, instead of heading right to a private car where the A/C can be run full blast and there is a little cooler with drinks and snacks waiting.

I can easily see why being chauffeured around is better than driving, but not a bus, and especially not a bus at WDW. But I'm glad people feel this way, because the more people there are standing around bus stops waiting to cram into a fetid tube with 50 other sweaty people, the fewer there are on the roads. As long as there is no traffic, driving is still vacation to me.

 

[fsupharm77]

When we have an early dining res, we talk to the front desk the night before. All 3 times we have done that they had a taxi ready for us in the morning and they paid for it too. Not sure if this is the norm or just pixie dust for us.

 

[ArielRae]

What area code do you use for WDW-RIDE? 407?

Yes it is 407-WDW-RIDE

 

[Felipe4]

When we have an early dining res, we talk to the front desk the night before. All 3 times we have done that they had a taxi ready for us in the morning and they paid for it too. Not sure if this is the norm or just pixie dust for us.

And this was at POR? If so I'll definitely take note for my 7:30am res.