repeated BUS ABUSE ON OUR TRIP THIS PAST WEEK

[jarestel]

If you didn't have the "bus abusers" on the SSR route would the buses be less crowded or would Disney just run fewer buses?

May not be a popular position but the "bus abusers" may be responsible for more frequent bus service.

Maybe we can get some bus abusers over to the Boardwalk/Beach Club areas. We could sure use a few more buses over there!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Maybe we can get some bus abusers over to the Boardwalk/Beach Club areas. We could sure use a few more buses over there!

Is that still a problem? We had heard they were splitting the routes so they wouldn't have to share with multiple resorts anymore.

 

[CarnotaurDad]

Not sure about others, but when we were at BWV in August, we never waited more than 15 minutes for a bus.

What was interesting is that sometimes the bus was S/D/YC/BC/BWV and other times it was just S/D/BWV.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I wonder if they base the number of buses and the route on the projected occupancy of the resorts that are likely to share with yours. At OKW we have buses dedicated to the resort, so never much of an issue. We always know there will be no other resort on with us.

 

[CarnotaurDad]

Yep, we love OKW for that as well. Our last vacation was a split POFQ/BWV/OKW and we really loved the one bus for OKW!

 

[Freeon]

I like how open the transportation system is now an would hate to see them implement a show ID policy at the bus stop. I have two small kids so it's already hard enough folding up strollers and managing the little ones ... please don't make me show a pass!

Also from a $$$ standpoint it's probably cheaper to add a few more busses than tack on security and at each of the MANY bus stops throughout WDW.

 

[waltfan1957]

When I was staying at SSR there were people parking at DownTown Disney and using the SSR buses and SSR as a transfer point.
I didn't mind them doing this. This would probably irritate me more if I were a DTD shopper that could not find a place to park, then as someone staying at SSR using the busses./QUOTE]

Thats fine if its not busy, well actually its not, someone staying at SSR and paying dues there could well be left waiting at a park while the bus is full of people who have parked at DTD or staying offsite but you won't mind if its you right?

 

[OneMoreTry]

When I was staying at SSR there were people parking at DownTown Disney and using the SSR buses and SSR as a transfer point.
I didn't mind them doing this. This would probably irritate me more if I were a DTD shopper that could not find a place to park, then as someone staying at SSR using the busses./QUOTE]

Thats fine if its not busy, well actually its not, someone staying at SSR and paying dues there could well be left waiting at a park while the bus is full of people who have parked at DTD or staying offsite but you won't mind if its you right?

Wouldn't checking ID's solve this problem? If it's localized to the SSR buses, Disney could crack down in that area. SSR owners, YOU are paying for those buses in your dues -- check the itemized statement, there's a high percentage for transportation. Speak up if it bothers you.

 

[Sammie]

This is probably more a nuisance to the guests of SSR but not likely to get changed by Disney. As stated ticket purchase allows transportation use. Until they specify that means only park to park transportation and not all resort transportation it won't change.

Basically this is the same complaint guests at the Polynesian have about the public use of the beach for fireworks, and water parade.

 

[vascubaguy]

I didn't read all of the pages, but it sounds like not all of this is a "bus" issue. It sounds like a DD parking issue. Perhaps they should consider putting in some type of parking metering system there. Let the people get a ticket when they go in to park and allow them 4 hours free, then charge $1 per hour thereafter up to $8. How many folks really stay at DD for 5 or 6 hours (except the folks that go for dinner and PI, and PI could maybe validate tickets for parking). The whole point of that would be to keep people from parking there and commuting to the parks just to save $8. If the metering was done, they wouldn't be saving anything AND they would have the issues associated with getting back to DD from the parks.

 

[Inkmahm]

DD parking has been bad for more than a few years. REALLY bad in March but also bad in December when I'd expect there to be fewer people. After reading a little of this thread, I think I understand why that is. It never occurred to me that people would park at DD and go through the hassle of a bus transfer to get to the parks when it would be so much easier to just pay the $8 and park AT the park. My time is worth more to me than $8 and it has to take forever to park and take the bus rather than just drive right in.

 

[Joanne Albanese]

I have been a DVC member since '92 and have seen years of transportation abuse. I think I was asked for resort ID once in all the years I've taken the buses. I understand that it is time consuming for the drivers to check "ID" for all those boarding the bus, but it is the only way to deter those not staying on Disney property from riding the buses. As for the CM telling people what bus to take from one place to another, maybe they just assume that the majority of the people they deal with ARE staying on Disney property. Perhaps any written complaints to the company should suggest requiring ID. If I remember correctly though I think the bus company was contracted by WDW I don't know if they work "directly" for WDW(which may speak to why they allow everyone on the bus) Also what is the deal with getting on the bus at your resort and being dropped off at whatever stop the driver is picking up at next instead of your resort stop. Joanne

 

[fishermouse]

Not likely Disney will do anything to prevent park guests from riding resort buses considering all the resort resturants etc. are open to the public.The BW/BC area atracts people not staying at a Disney hotel/resort, and SSR welcomes people to walk around "future sales". As far as DD parking I figure if you park at DD to go to the parks it's probably because you plan on shopping or hitting PI, more customers. If you walk around SSR then walk through DD and maybe even mosey on over to PI for a drink before going to your offsite room thats even better. Might make you wish you were staying on site, hmm! there's always next time. IMO Disney does very little by accident, just like stores putting candy bars and cheap toys at the register, parents hate it but it works. I'm sure they would love it if everybody leaving the parks had to cut through DD on the way home

 

[vascubaguy]

I've read several posts were people mention folks "abusing" the buses; however, the buses at WDW are there to help guests get around on the property. It doesn't matter where you stay, or how you got there, but if you are on Disney property you can use the buses. So, while we (and that includes me!) might not LIKE the idea that others are using the buses as an alternative just to save themselves a couple of dollars, they aren't really abusing anything. Realistically, you could say the same thing about the boats from DD to POR/POFQ/OKW and SSR. Someone could hop on a boat and take a nice leisurely ride to any of those resorts and grab a bus to one of the parks.

Folks at the AK could jump on a bus to AKL just to get a bus to MGM, etc... Someone could catch a boat from MGM to the BWV just to go to the ESPN club, then walk down to the BWV bus stop and catch a bus to SSR, then to DD to get their car! That's a lot of time wasted on a bus though, but I guess people do it.

I couldn't find anywhere on the Disney website where there were regulations for who could and couldn't ride. Here's all I found:


Q: What is the best way to get around within the Walt Disney World® Resort?
A: There are many modes of transportation within the Walt Disney World Resort, including Bus, Boat and Monorail. A rundown of transportation within the resort:

By Bus:
Most areas of the Walt Disney World Resort are accessible by bus from other areas within the Resort, including Theme Parks*, Water Parks, the Disney Resorts and the Downtown Disney® area. Buses travel on routes throughout the Resort and do not provide direct service between all destinations.
*Magic Kingdom® Park is not accessible by bus from Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and Disney's Polynesian Resort. These Resorts provide monorail transportation to the park.

By Boat:
The Magic Kingdom® Park is accessible by water launch from Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Polynesian Resort, Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and Disney's Wilderness Lodge. The Disney ferryboats connect the Magic Kingdom Park to the Transportation and Ticket Center (adjacent to Magic Kingdom parking).

Epcot® and Disney-MGM Studios are accessible by boat from Disney's BoardWalk Inn and Villas Resort, Disney's Yacht Club and Disney's Beach Club Resorts and the Walt Disney World Swan and Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotels.

Downtown Disney® is accessible by ferryboat from Disney's Port Orleans Resort and Disney's Old Key West Resort.

By Monorail:
Disney's monorail runs between the Magic Kingdom Park, Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Polynesian Resort and the Transportation and Ticket Center (adjacent to the Magic Kingdom parking lot). A connecting monorail takes Guests from the Transportation and Ticket Center to Epcot.

 

[Groucho]

Not likely Disney will do anything to prevent park guests from riding resort buses considering all the resort resturants etc. are open to the public.The BW/BC area atracts people not staying at a Disney hotel/resort, and SSR welcomes people to walk around "future sales".

I think that the restaurants are a big part of the equation. It could be said that people people at the AKL are paying for the AKL busses just as much as SSR owners are paying for SSR busses... should AKL guests get upset when the rest of us want to go there to eat at Boma or Jiko? Not only are we using their busses, we're taking up space in their restaurants! You could make the same statement for several other resorts... and then there's the monorail resorts, someone at Grand Floridian might not like to see the resort (non-express) monorail being used by the unwashed masses just passing through.

SSR will have its own table service soon (if not already?) so people may visit SSR for that, if it get a good reputation.

That, and Disney certainly doesn't discourage touring the resorts just to see them.

 

[spiceycat]

this was something from FEB 2005....

please start a new thread - don't drag up these old posts....

I have started to tell people to take the bus to the Cont (if they want the MK), or the bus to bc (if they want Epcot).....

I am also tried of the bus drivers encouraging them to ride OKW or SSR. but I though Disney put a stop to that?

also I think someone asked the DD hotels (who were telling their customer to walk over to SSR) to also stop....

Now if this is still a issue - how about a new thread.....It was for only one group of people when I was there - they were elderly and we very, very lost....

 

[vonderbar]

Boy now I am angry, as I am an SSR owner and pay those dues! In my opinion, people using DTD transportation to get to their non-Disney resorts, are nothing less than Pirates. The only way to prevent this type of abuse, would be if each passenger had to show the bus driver their DVC Resort card or DVC Member card. How difficult would it be to have your DVC ID ready to present to the driver. The driver should also take a "good" look too. I know some people would say this would hold things up, but not really if you are ready with card in hand. Have you taken a cruise lately or been to the airport? Don't you have to flash your ID? This would stop those Hilton and other non-WDW resort people from using SSR transportaion.

As for the cast member(s) encouraging this behavior, they should be "strongly" discouraged by management from doing so in the future.

I'm not working my tail off to pay my DVC dues and fees, so Pirates can take a "free" ride.

 

[Laurajean1014]

Easy way to differ these types of "guests." Ask for their key to the world card or their Blue DVC card. If they have neither, than they should not be allowed to ride the bus system. Only exception is for children under 10.

 

[Groucho]

Err, except that SSR is not exclusive to DVC members. Regular ol' folks can book it just like any other Disney resort, and people can rent reservations from members. And, people may want to eat at the restaurant.

Making the SSR bus DVC-only would only be fair if you made all the resort busses specific for only that resort. That'll never happen (and shouldn't IMHO.)

Besides, only the SSR owners pay for their portion of the SSR busses. If you're going to block people, block all the non-SSR owners! After all, someone who owns at OKW or BCV isn't helping to pay for the SSR bus! Why, it's like they're stealing money out of your own pocket!

OK, a bit crass, but I think there are more important things to worry about.

 

[Chuck S]

Err, except that SSR is not exclusive to DVC members. Regular ol' folks can book it just like any other Disney resort, and people can rent reservations from members. And, people may want to eat at the restaurant.

Making the SSR bus DVC-only would only be fair if you made all the resort busses specific for only that resort. That'll never happen (and shouldn't IMHO.)

Besides, only the SSR owners pay for their portion of the SSR busses. If you're going to block people, block all the non-SSR owners! After all, someone who owns at OKW or BCV isn't helping to pay for the SSR bus! Why, it's like they're stealing money out of your own pocket!

OK, a bit crass, but I think there are more important things to worry about.

Actually, years ago the busses were resort specific, you had to show your resort ID. Then they changed it to multi day passholders could use the entire system. Given today's "security concerns," I'm a little surprised they didn't go back to that requirement after 9-11. Though I doubt it would actually increase security very much, but it may be perceived by many to be an increase in security.

Personally, as long as the busses aren't standing room only, I don't think it adds a burden to SSR owners. It costs about the same to run a bus empty as it does full.