Take Magical Express to CR instead of CBR?

[lanejudy]

I’m not understanding why it would be an issue to travel on the CR bus rather than the CBR bus. Maybe security? Not enough room??

I believe it has something to do with the contract allowing ME to be a resort shuttle, and that it's complimentary for resort guests with a reservation. Something about competition with other transportation options from MCO and the required fees, etc. Someone on the Transportation board might know more specifics.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[Mikey15]

For what it's worth, worst case if DME drops you off at CBR and then you immediately head to the MK bus stop, I can't imagine it adding more than 15mins to the process.

CBR is closer to the airport than CR, afterall, possibly a first stop too? I don't know if CR would be the first stop on its DME bus. And then the walk from CR to MK is roughly 10 minutes itself, right?

 

[cinderaimee]

When we stayed at CBR in January, our DME bus stopped at Art of Animation, Pop Century, and then CBR, but on a previous trip our bus stopped at CBR first and then the Boardwalk. I think it all depends on the day!

 

[AngiTN]

DH & I traveling to WDW in 4 weeks and using ME. I’ll ask! I scheduled this holiday before the the kids asked for a NYE WDW trip; we usually ski in Utah.

I’m not understanding why it would be an issue to travel on the CR bus rather than the CBR bus. Maybe security? Not enough room??

We arrive on December 30 so it’s not an issue of getting to MK on NYE. I just wanted to go straight to the park before check-in.

Room/logistics. Typically. While guests are not scheduled on a specific bus they are accounted for in knowing which buses are needed for a day. Depending on your party size it may not be a problem. But it may be, if they already have the logistics for that day filled. Besides that, they can't let EVERYONE go just wherever they want so sometimes it's just a matter of not opening the can of worms because what you do for one you have to do for all. And that's an issue too.

like others have said, once you scan your band for ME, you are taken to your designated resort from your reservation. What day are you arriving? If you're getting there actually ON New Year's Eve, and you want to get to MK before it begins capacity closures (which as an onsite guest you'll be ok for awhile, but the closures began around 11am for the past two years), Uber or Taxi might be your best bet - it will take you directly to your resort to stow any luggage with bell services, and then you can go straight to MK.

I have two trip reports in my signature from the past two NYE, if you've never experienced that time of year before.

Have fun planning and enjoy your trip!

For what it's worth, there has been no one staying on site affected by capacity closures for over a decade. (approx)
Despite the way they word the announcement on MDE. On site guests have not been shut out from entering the past 2 years.

 

[Jennasis]

Take your bus to CBR, get off and go directly to the CBR bus stop and get on the next MK bus. Won't take but a few minutes extra.

 

[xlsm]

For what it's worth, there has been no one staying on site affected by capacity closures for over a decade. (approx)
Despite the way they word the announcement on MDE. On site guests have not been shut out from entering the past 2 years.

I realize this, and have been on property for NYE the past two years, but it's still a valid point as far as crowd size goes and being aware of what you're getting into.

And whether or not it's been closed or not to onsite guests, last year we had to scan our magic bands at the entrance to the monorail when leaving Epcot to go back to the Polynesian. We were asked where we were going b/c MK was beginning closures, and when we said the Poly/TTC, we had to scan our bands as proof.

I feel that people need to be aware and prepared for anything that may come up - our first NYE (which was a fairly last minute trip) we followed all the advice from previous blogs/vlogs/and other stories of Disboards members who had gone before, and it was all wrong information - it seemed like what actually happened was the exact opposite of what we'd prepared for, so I just want to make sure people have appropriate expectations and can have some kind of idea in their head of what they'll do if things veer off from the plan they thought was going to work.

 

[kiford]

All our years of going to CR, we never once shared a stop with CBR.

We were staying at CR last month and it stopped first at CBR. In Feb, we were staying at WL and it went to CBR first. So you will have no idea where it's going until you actually get there. And even if the route is scheduled to go to CR, it won't if there's no one on the bus who's scheduled to go there.

I’m not understanding why it would be an issue to travel on the CR bus rather than the CBR bus.

No idea why it's an issue although others have posted potentially good reasons. However, they scan your band twice before letting you on the bus and they won't put you on a bus that's not going to your resort and - see above - even if the bus is going to be going to CR normally, if no one is scheduled to go there, they won't go there and since you're not registered there, they won't have it on the list as a place to stop if you're the only one who wants to go.

 

[AngiTN]

I realize this, and have been on property for NYE the past two years, but it's still a valid point as far as crowd size goes and being aware of what you're getting into.

And whether or not it's been closed or not to onsite guests, last year we had to scan our magic bands at the entrance to the monorail when leaving Epcot to go back to the Polynesian. We were asked where we were going b/c MK was beginning closures, and when we said the Poly/TTC, we had to scan our bands as proof.

I feel that people need to be aware and prepared for anything that may come up - our first NYE (which was a fairly last minute trip) we followed all the advice from previous blogs/vlogs/and other stories of Disboards members who had gone before, and it was all wrong information - it seemed like what actually happened was the exact opposite of what we'd prepared for, so I just want to make sure people have appropriate expectations and can have some kind of idea in their head of what they'll do if things veer off from the plan they thought was going to work.

Yeah, we are NYE regulars. We have been at CR for 2 years, BWI for 2 years too. So well aware of traffic, closures, and it all. Got BWI booked for this year already.
It's good to put all the facts out anytime closures are discussed because people get the wrong ideas all the time.
And with MDE putting out messages that it's closed to capacity it doesn't help. People are abandoning ADR for goodness sakes, thinking they are blocked from entering.
No matter what time of day, on-site guests haven't been prevented from entering the parks but transportation around between the parks is nightmarish. We've seen the line to enter MK on NYE morning backed up all the way to the turnoff to go to Epcot.

 

[Polydweller]

I believe it has something to do with the contract allowing ME to be a resort shuttle, and that it's complimentary for resort guests with a reservation. Something about competition with other transportation options from MCO and the required fees, etc. Someone on the Transportation board might know more specifics.

Enjoy your vacation!

Exactly. It is licensed by MCO as a resort transfer service, not a bus service. The vehicles just happen to be buses. So, they can only allow persons with a resort reservation use it and must put you on a vehicle going on o your resort. If that happens to include CR you might be able to do what the OP wants but that’s unlikely since a CR bus is usually going to the MK area resorts and not the other resort areas.