Wildernes Lodge "Bus Issues"

[cooldadtexas]

I just got back from 10 days at the Lodge. As usual we had a great time and I would rate overall experience an 8 or 9 out of 10. We had great weather and no major problems. But, I have noticed one change that is not good. The bus service has gotten worse. This is a deluxe resort and buses should run on time. On three occasions the bus was 45 minutes plus! When the bus did show up it had people on it from the Contemporary so the buses ended up jammed full? Is 68+ people on a bus safe??? The buses could not load everyone who wanted to go. So do they wait another 40 minutes??? I ended up taking my car as I am not going to fight to get on a bus. We ended up driving to all of the parks other than MK and DTD. It did not feel very deluxe in regards to bus service!!! They also need to set up roped off lines as many people cut in line when the buses did arrive. I am not a big complainer but for the money you pay to stay at a deluxe they should run the buses. In all of my visits I have never seen it any worse and the parks were not even at capacity.

The staff at the lodge were great! I feel sorry for the bus drivers. I am sure some people give them an earful when they don't get on a bus and it's 100+ outside.

Thanks,
James

 

[Capang]

We had the same issue a couple of weeks ago. It didn't matter which park we were going to or coming from. The WL buses were slow. The only morning we had no,problems was the morning a CM was out there with a tablet and phone calling buses.

 

[Lsdolphin]

Hmmmm this is interesting....there is a thread on the WL and no one has posted regarding the bus issues posted here. We will be arriving in August and def can not stand out in the sun for 45+ min waiting for a. Us w/no seats. Wondering now weather to rent a car!

 

[LuvGoofy6]

Well, this is not good news to hear when one has an upcoming trip in December. I was nervous about the busses and then nervous about the construction. Some have reported that the busses run a bit better during busier times like Christmas~I hope that is true!

 

[seashoreCM]

IMHO if a bus is unable to load all who are waiting then the next bus for that destination should arrive at about half the normal time interval which in most cases would mean coming after about eleven more minutes.

You will have to use your discretion but I would, after so much cumulative waiting for which I made detailed records, go to Guest Relations upon arrival (at the park) and make a complaint and ask for an additional perk such as another fastpass over the allotment I already booked.

 

[cooldadtexas]

I never got the feeling that a second bus was coming in behind the bus that came late. We were lucky that no scooter families arrived 40 minutes into the wait. Everyone would have been upset!! The thing that needs to happen is first come first serve waiting areas (and or) the buses need to run on a tighter schedule. Do the value resorts load first come first serve or on the honor system? Are the buses really on a 20 minute cycle??? I just don't remember this being a problem on prior trips. I really enjoyed not driving for 10 days on previous trips!!!

So a bus can run 20-30 minutes late but how much leeway do you get on your Fastpass window?

 

[goofy4tink]

The buses are 'supposed' to run at least every 20 mins or so. Having a consistent wait time of 45 mins isn't good. I have found that the worst bus service is about 45-30 mins prior to park opening....that's when the vast majority of guests want to head out to the parks. So, I avoid those times. But, guests shouldn't have to wait up to 45 mins to get a bus!!
I'm not sure what you mean by 'honor system'. At the value resorts, there are obvious queues. So, those that are in the line, vs sitting in the shade, get on the bus first. If there is an ECV or wheelchair, in the appropriate spot, they get loaded first.......I agree with you, something needs to be done about boarding an ECV that rolled up just as the bus came into view, when there has been a group waiting for quite awhile. Just not sure how that's going to work.

I find that all resort levels have times when the bus service is lacking. I have yet to stay at any resort where I didn't have some kind of transportation issue. The value resorts actually seem to have the best bus service....more frequent arrivals. The deluxe resorts have the worst...generally speaking. As soon as you have alternative park transportation, the buses get a bit worse. Not sure why this should be but there it is.

 

[rwdavis2]

I would recommend always renting a car. In all the trips listed in my signature we have ridden 1 Disney bus.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

with ECV or wheelchairs remember if you make that person get in line when they get to front of line and bus is half full they do not have to let anyone else past. do you make everyone one on bus get off so they can be loaded safely or does that bus leave half full? loading them with a half full bus would mean people being run into as there would be no room to get them in correct space plus most likely people would have to give up seats where wheelchairs or ECV go. not sure what the answer is but I do know you do have to load them first for every ones safety.

 

[cooldadtexas]

I definitely agree that ECV/wheelchair customers should be treated in a equitable and "safe" manor. Part of the Disney magic is everyone having fun at the parks. Another thing I noticed is no ECV/wheelchair activity on any of the buses that I had issues with. Sadly, I see many must be setting up alternate means of transportation to get to the parks. The current bus situation at WL is not good for "any" customers. I will definitely express my concern when I get my survey from Disney on my trip earlier this month.

 

[Carriemel]

I was there the same time cooldadtexas was. I'd be willing to bet we waited for the same bus to Animal Kingdom on Monday the 8th. Often, the bus had people on it already (I'm assuming Ft Wilderness or Contemporary...but pretty sure it's the Fort, as someone mentioned something about a cabin).

So it's kind of like the people staying at Boardwalk/Beach Club have to share with people staying at a non-Disney owned hotel like the Swan/Dolphin...people at a Deluxe sharing a bus with people who didn't pay near as much at the campground. (I know that sounds snobby - it's not at all meant that way - but I'm calling a spade a spade in this case).

 

[maxiesmom]

The bus service is not meant to be better at the Deluxe resorts than at the Moderates, and the Moderate bus service is not supposed to be better than the service at the Values. You pay more for your resort, and the transportation is not considered in that. Nor do the buses run on a set schedule. Bus transportation is bus transportation.

Also, it sounds to me like you would rather have a queue system as they do at the value resorts. They have formal lines, but those also come with not covering from the sun or rain, and no seats. I'd much rather have the covered seats. Ymmv.

 

[Carriemel]

I would, actually, prefer there to be queues set up. It's a lot more fair than people pushing to get on a bus (like I witnessed more than once last trip). I don't like being in the equivalent of a rugby scrum while trying to get on a bus.

 

[sam_gordon]

with ECV or wheelchairs remember if you make that person get in line when they get to front of line and bus is half full they do not have to let anyone else past. do you make everyone one on bus get off so they can be loaded safely or does that bus leave half full? loading them with a half full bus would mean people being run into as there would be no room to get them in correct space plus most likely people would have to give up seats where wheelchairs or ECV go. not sure what the answer is but I do know you do have to load them first for every ones safety.

Except what happens if an ECV rider is waiting at the second stop? The people who are already on the bus are allowed to stay on the bus, right?

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

If ever you are waiting a long time for a bus, don't hesitate to talk to another bus drive that comes along. I was waiting for a while for a bus from DHS to go to the Poly two weekends ago and when another resort bus pulled up I asked him about it. He said he would make a call to dispatch for me. With in 5 minutes Disney sent a shuttle van to pick me up and take me to the Poly.

 

[anonymousegirl]

I have never understood why the deluxe resorts don't have their own buses. I know that Disney says it is because they is alternative transportation (boat, monorail) but lots of times those buses fill up and then you have disgruntled guests who feel like guests at Pop Century are getting better service.
AKL/AKV really have a problem. Often the bus stops first at Kidani and fills up (especially in the morning) and then all the folks at Jambo are left trying to squeeze it to an already crowded bus.

 

[cooldadtexas]

I was at WL June 5-14. So we may have waited in a line together at some point. Ended up waiting a very long time on Sunday June 7 to get to Animal Kingdom. Gave it one more try on Monday June 8 for HS and gave up on the bus at that point and took my car for balance of the trip. Had a great trip overall but will drive to AK, Epcot and HS on future trips. May even try an offsite location next time.

 

[seashoreCM]

Just my opinion but if they used a little imagination and came up with a method whereby a wheelchair guest's entire family did not board the bus ahead of others who were waiting there significantly longer then there would be much less animosity towards wheelchair guests.

 

[Collette]

The bus service is not meant to be better at the Deluxe resorts than at the Moderates, and the Moderate bus service is not supposed to be better than the service at the Values. You pay more for your resort, and the transportation is not considered in that. Nor do the buses run on a set schedule. Bus transportation is bus transportation.

I agree that bus service is not meant to be better at any one resort, but I believe it should at least be comparable. In all of my stays at Pop, POFQ, POR, and AKV, the bus service overall has been very good. It has been a while since I stayed at WL and at that time the bus service was fairly good. In fall 2013, I stayed at BLT for the first time. Bus transportation to AK, HS and DD was really bad! The waits for a bus to those three places were really long - followed by stops at Polynesian and GF. I didn't expect more because I was at a deluxe resort, but I did expect what I was used to at the value, moderate and AKV resorts.

It's not right to be waiting 45 minutes for a bus at WL.

 

[goofy4tink]

When staying at a deluxe resort, the bus transportation is pretty much the same as at a value. The big difference? Just about all other resorts, other than values, share a bus route with at least one other resort. The moderates, other than POFQ, have multiple bus stops within the resort. So, the values do seem to have the most efficient bus service. Then, throw in the alternative park access at the deluxes (Epcot resorts can walk to Epcot and DHS, MK resorts have monorail to MK and Epcot, as well as boat/walking to MK, and WL has a boat to MK), and the bus service suffers a bit. A deluxe resort is 'deluxe' because of the resort amenities it offers...restaurants, recreational facilities, theming, pools, larger more lavish rooms. Most also offer direct access to at least one park. Bus service isn't upgraded.

I actually wish Disney would change up all the resort bus queues....put the same queues in that they have at the park bus stops, and cover them. Yes, it will take more room, but so be it. Then, only one person gets to board with a guest using an ECV or wheelchair. Yes, they can board an ECV on a bus that already has people on it......I can't tell you how many times I've been on a bus, with guests already on it, have to board an ECV, and those guests that chose the ECV seating had to get up and either find other seats or stand.....man, in every instance they were really peeved. Evidently they thought the signage on, and over, those seats, didn't apply to them.

The resorts each pay for their transportation in their budgets...at least that's what I've been told. I know, for a fact, that my DVC dues go toward transportation at both BLT and BWV...it's right there in the budget we see every year. I do wish that Disney could figure out a way to keep the buses running to the parks at least every 15 mins from an hour prior to park opening to an hour after...same thing for park closing. There shouldn't, ever, be a guest waiting 30 mins to get to a park for rope drop. More and more people are renting cars at WDW.....and one of the reasons is the bus service. And I can't blame them. My last visit I had several times, waiting at a park to get back to my resort, that I promised myself I would start renting a car. And if enough people do that, they will also start going off property for various reasons....to eat, to visit other non-Disney attractions, whatever. And Disney will start seeing a difference in their bottom line. Perhaps then they'll figure out they're being penny wise, pound foolish.