Express Transportation starting Dec 7th

["El Gran Magnifico"]

The whole viability of this service exists because of disney's failures at keeping customers happy with their normal transportation offering.

You really just don't get it do you? No. It doesn't exist because of Disney's failure to keep guests happy. This has zero impact on a guest staying at a resort. It does not impact someone going from the MK to the Yacht Club. This service is only for those guests that park hop. For guests that go from one park directly to another park....which is a bus route that Disney has NEVER had on a regular basis. No one is being charged more money to get back to their resort quicker.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

side note couldn't they redo all inter park transport and make all park guests only go through once?

It'd be like Hogwarts. They could do it for EPCOT and HS via some type of monorail. MK and AK would be tough outside of bus or possibly boat transfer. It would cost a pretty penny though.

 

[matt9112]

It'd be like Hogwarts. They could do it for EPCOT and HS via some type of monorail. MK and AK would be tough outside of bus or possibly boat transfer. It would cost a pretty penny though.

well i mean more or less reconfig security so that there are clean zones exiting into clean buses ect.

 

[21stamps]

I'm assuming you are aware that the wait times on any given day are not representative of wait times or conditions all the time right? And you are in the middle of the day?

And you are away are you are at the parks at one of the low periods of the year? Hence why you are in the next to lowest price tier...

November 25th (the day after Thanksgiving) was the lowest price tier? Is that why there was not one discount available? . For Sunday 11/27 a FL resident MK ticket was around $130 I think. A friend of mine came to watch the OSU game with us and then last minute thought maybe she would join us at MK Sunday.

I made 2 separate reservations so that I could get a discount for the latter part of the trip- pass holder discount. Some resorts did not have any discounts available at all and many resorts were sold out with or without a discount.

You may want to check your seasonal pricing and crowd calendars again.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

November 25th is the lowest price tier? Is that why there was not one discount available? You may want to check your crowds calendars and price points again.

Why are you posting? You should be on Splash Mountain. Post when you get back.....

Just Kidding.

Hope you are having a great time.

 

[21stamps]

Why are you posting? You should be on Splash Mountain. Post when you get back.....

Just Kidding.

Hope you are having a great time.

I am trying to prevent hyperthermia while my crazy kid is in the pool. Typing keeps the blood flowing

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Let's hope down the road they don't even consider placing fees on taking DME to and from the airport......

 

[Goofyernmost]

You can't maintain a 30min pickup time with a single bus on a route that takes 15mins of just driving time per direction. The return time for a bus will include it's load time, transit time, unload time, load time, transit time, and unload time again. For a route that takes 15mins to drive (such as backgate of MK to Epcot).. That would mean a single bus would have a cycle time of 3 + 15 + 2 + 3 + 15 + 3 = 41mins. And that's on a conservative number, on the shortest loop. So at a minimum, double your number....This also assumes one bus can handle the full demand. Another unlikely case...

TL;DR - your estimate is wreck...

Except that isn't how bus routes are run. There isn't just one bus making a loop. They go from spot to spot usually with each trip. That is the only way to operated a bus system of this size and not eventually due to accidents or breakdowns, end up with an area not being serviced at all.

Again, it is a bunch of people that have no clue but keep coming up with an incredible number of lies to make themselves seem like experts and Disney like a bunch of fools that are just going to screw us. We know that they will try for every nickel they can get, but, actually this would seem like a workable thing. It is a park to park with no stops other than the parks. I wouldn't use it, because, there are other buses going there anyway, but, I sure can understand why a $15 or so dollar investment in a days usage would be beneficial. Stick to getting upset about the useless and utterly ridiculous tent cities and not something like this. And no, they have plenty of buses and the parks are not that far apart. With 4 parks, that means probably around 8 buses per day. I'm sure that they have way more spare buses then that just sitting there in the parking lot. This would be a good usage plus it would require the addition of probably around 12 to 16 drivers per day to drive them, if they go with full sized buses. If they go to vans that would carry less then 12 people then they don't even need to have CDL licensed driver. I'd guess that is the way they would go, at least in the beginning. It is easy to lease vans or get "Mears" to add on to their fleet.

 

[HauntedPirate]

You really just don't get it do you? No. It doesn't exist because of Disney's failure to keep guests happy. This has zero impact on a guest staying at a resort. It does not impact someone going from the MK to the Yacht Club. This service is only for those guests that park hop. For guests that go from one park directly to another park....which is a bus route that Disney has NEVER had on a regular basis. No one is being charged more money to get back to their resort quicker.

We are all well-aware that the "Express Transportation option" is only for park-to-park transit.

My 1997 Birnbaum's says the following on how to get to Disney-MGM Studios: "From the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, all other WDW resorts, and the Disney Village Hotel plaza: buses.". And we've been able to take a bus from one theme park to another for as long as I can remember.

 

[freediverdude]

After my last experience a few weekends back I can see why they are offering this service. Waiting 45 minutes at 12:30 at night freezing my toosh off. I thought they were implementing a new system to reroute buses to new routes which had long lines. All the other hotels seemed to have reasonable lines but Art was a mess. It took 3 full buses for our family to get on. Then your packed like sardines. How is that even allowed? 40 people (many children) standing in the aisle has to be one of the most unsafe things I have ever seen. Disney has been lucky that this hasn't come back to haunt them. It's coming, just a matter of when. Needless to say I will be using my car from now on, every time I think riding the bus might be fun and different I rue the decision.

Yea except at MK the choices are never good. Choice A, wait a long time for packed bus, Choice B, wait a fairly long (although maybe less) time for a monorail back to TTC, then a long hoof or another line for a tram to get to your car, Choice C, wait usually one boat, sometimes two, to get on the ferry back to TTC, and then hoof it or another line for a tram to get to your car. And then good luck if any of these options are out of service.

 

[freediverdude]

Anybody going to be there next week to test this and see how it goes?

I will be there including the 7th, so I may check this out, as much as I hate paying for something unnecessary, but since it's a new service.

 

[jaklgreen]

Not complaining about free bus service to DS. I think it's a great value added service that constitutes a win/win. I only pointed out that it wasn't a selfless move on Disney's part to add it in the first place.

What I want is a bus system with reasonable wait times without having to pay extra for it. It's not complicated.

How long do you consider reasonable? Every 20 min is too long? We have rarely waited longer then that, it only seems longer when you are tired and hot.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

I will be there including the 7th, so I may check this out, as much as I hate paying for something unnecessary, but since it's a new service.

I'm doing a quick 2 night'er next weekend mainly for EPCOT. Not going to use it but will try to see where its departing from and see what kind of crowd it has. I'll try and post a few images of the location and crowds (if any).

 

[jaklgreen]

Disney was offering a complimentary bus system to move around the resort. But Disney has failed to keep up with demand and have failed to keep up their standard of care. So instead of fixing that, they are offering you a way to 'bypass the line' by paying.

Do you really not comprehend this? If the bus system was humming along and delivering excellent customer sanctification you'd have a point about this being an 'option' -- reality is satisfaction with the buses is bad... and Disney isn't solving the problem, but instead offering paid alternatives. That is the business philosophy you apparently are blind to.... and it impacts everyone.

I don't see the value in this as a bus service. I see it as bypassing the security line, especially since I already went through it that day. That is where the value is for me. Nothing worse then getting behind a group of people who don't understand how to take everything out of their pockets and to use BOTH metal detectors.

 

[DisneyDebRob]

Let's hope down the road they don't even consider placing fees on taking DME to and from the airport......

I give it 2 years before we hear of a charge for DME. I mean why not? No one will say no if it's reasonable. I'm sure Disney is very aware of the money they are missing out on and by charging a much smaller fee then the limo's and cabs they won't lose one customer.

 

[flynnibus]

This service is only for those guests that park hop. For guests that go from one park directly to another park....which is a bus route that Disney has NEVER had on a regular basis. No one is being charged more money to get back to their resort quicker.

Who was talking about resorts?

Disney has always offered park to park transportation. No one is going back to a resort to park hop. Mk is the anomaly because of the TTC routes but MK bus depot has slots for dak and dhs. The buses are the means for park hopping unless going between mk and Epcot. The reason it is viable is because the existing dissatisfaction with the buses.... which is how people park hop.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

I give it 2 years before we hear of a charge for DME. I mean why not? No one will say no if it's reasonable. I'm sure Disney is very aware of the money they are missing out on and by charging a much smaller fee then the limo's and cabs they won't lose one customer.

Can't say I disagree. A $12.99 fee per person would equate to a lot of money and still be cheaper and more convenient than any other option.

 

[flynnibus]

November 25th (the day after Thanksgiving) was the lowest price tier?

You took a photo today... and yes this week is part of 'fall' rates which is the second cheapest period... second only to value. The rate period started on nov 26. Rate calendars start on saturdays except holidays.
http://www.mousesavers.com/2016-grand-floridian-room-rates-season-dates/

I made 2 separate reservations so that I could get a discount for the latter part of the trip- pass holder discount. Some resorts did not have any discounts available at all and many resorts were sold out with or without a discount.

You may want to check your seasonal pricing and crowd calendars again.

I just gave you the link. Pass holder discount availability is a whole other train wreck.

The start of dec has always been one of the lowest periods of the year due to the thanksgiving peak and lull before the Christmas surge.

 

[jaklgreen]

Nice whitewashing... the system is significantly worse in recent years.
Things like bus sharing and elimination of routes...
Things like limited hours (water parks)
Things like crowding... (increased attendance)
Things like the increased impact of ECVs...
Things like failed SLAs...
Things like failing to keep up with industry standards of service
Things like relying 100% on buses for all future transportation needs vs a system of transportation options

Your anecdotal experience of 'never waiting for more than 20mins' doesn't mean it doesn't happen, or that your experience is typical.

There is a reason the buses are one of the biggest lightning rods of Disney discussions.. and it's not just individual's problems with hanging out with other people.

Disney has of course been making changes - but not enough to stay ahead of the demand or maintain their level of service and customer satisfaction.

The only thing that has changed in the last 20 years is all of the ECV. We have always shared buses, it was always crowded during busy times. Disney will not leave you stranded at anywhere. They have even added magical express from the airport since we started going. That is a big big bonus for many. And I never said that waiting more then 20 min never happens. I know it does, but it is not typical. I think that they are doing a good job with the bus system. What are they supposed to do when they have to load a bunch of ECVs/wheelchairs? How would you handle it if you had control of the buses? You don't know how many ECV's/ wheelchairs that will need to be loaded on a route. Some buses can go the whole route on schedule without having to stop and load while others have to take longer. That throws off the schedule. Unless you have those who have a wheelchair/ECV notify them and they send out a special bus. That is the only way to keep to a strict schedule, when you can gauge how long a route will take.

 

[flynnibus]

I don't see the value in this as a bus service. I see it as bypassing the security line, especially since I already went through it that day. That is where the value is for me. Nothing worse then getting behind a group of people who don't understand how to take everything out of their pockets and to use BOTH metal detectors.

But only some go through the metal detector... and even if you did, that's a delay of what... 60-90 seconds?

There are not lines to get in the parks when you typically park hop. Heck, I've done three parks in one afternoon relying only on my feet and Disney transport. Skipping security was the least of my concerns... more like how far back the American adventure is from the gate