WDW Transportation System

[CeeC234]

What is going on with the WDW Transportation System? It's mainly the busses I had problems with. When the driver's arrive at the theme parks they don't know which resort they are picking riders up for until they get instructions on their radio. Many times this past week, bus drivers are instructed to go to bus stops that are empty! Who is on the radio giving the instructions? Obviously someone who works for Universal! We were at a bus stop with about thirty people waiting to go to Port Orleans when we were passed by not one, not two, but three empty busses going to other resorts with absolutely no riders. Why, please tell me, are the bus drivers given instructions to stop at empty bus stops? And believe me, I was not the only one with this question.

 

[Krimedog]

i actually feel your pain on this one. this has happened many a times to me. Mainly we stay at big resorts, Beach, Boardwalk, and they get busses pretty much on a good time basis. But their are sometimes when busses do bypass a line of fifty people to pick up a line of 5 people who just had a bus five minutes ago. It is very screwed up, and at sometimes i do see bus driver people out at the bus stops telling drivers where to go and which ones really need a bus.


Maybe we should blame All star resorts, they get busses every five minutes it seems, but the line is always long and a lot of people stay at them.

 

[mpoppins76]

What is going on with the WDW Transportation System? It's mainly the busses I had problems with. When the driver's arrive at the theme parks they don't know which resort they are picking riders up for until they get instructions on their radio. Many times this past week, bus drivers are instructed to go to bus stops that are empty! Who is on the radio giving the instructions? Obviously someone who works for Universal! We were at a bus stop with about thirty people waiting to go to Port Orleans when we were passed by not one, not two, but three empty busses going to other resorts with absolutely no riders. Why, please tell me, are the bus drivers given instructions to stop at empty bus stops? And believe me, I was not the only one with this question.

We also had this problem when we were there in May. It was very frustrating, especially when standing in the CS line @ MK that was starting to snake back up towards the ferry launch!

Would be nice if they could create a property-wide monorail system, but I know that will probably never happen.

 

[Monty]

It may be that the dispatch is trying to get the bus to a resort that is crowded with people trying to get to the park, so they tell them to pick up anyone waiting to get to that resort. The whole idea of the dispatchers being able to redirect buses is to take care of problem areas faster, but the problem area you see the empty buses going to won't be apparent to you if you're in a different problem area that is currently lower on the priority list, so you get upset... As is oft quoted: "You can please some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time".

As far as I can tell, the overall bus service has improved significantly with the new system... it just doesn't always appear that way "on the ground". :shrug:

 

[mpoppins76]

It may be that the dispatch is trying to get the bus to a resort that is crowded with people trying to get to the park, so they tell them to pick up anyone waiting to get to that resort. The whole idea of the dispatchers being able to redirect buses is to take care of problem areas faster, but the problem area you see the empty buses going to won't be apparent to you if you're in a different problem area that is currently lower on the priority list, so you get upset... As is oft quoted: "You can please some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time".

As far as I can tell, the overall bus service has improved significantly with the new system... it just doesn't always appear that way "on the ground". :shrug:

That would make sense during the day, but when we experienced the problem, it was after park closing. :shrug: We were there in May and I think the new system was fairly new. Not sure when they started it but it seems like it wasn't too long before we went. Maybe it's improved by now.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

The system is actually pretty efficient, although it may not appear to be so. The problem is that the determinations are set by destinations, not resorts. So, even though that park may be closed, the stop at Epcot's DAKL stand may just be because they need someone out there to go to MGM's EMH or DTD from DAKL. With the large resorts like CBR and PO, you deal with this a lot. There may be too many buses bound for Riverside already, where as DTD or an EMH park may need pick up at a resort.

It's complex, and it could always be better, but I've always tried to just accept it when I stay at a larger resort.

 

[WDWEric]

It seems to me that the value resorts are treated like second class citizens The deluxe resorts get like 3 busses before pop gets one, They need to have a better system. Although one night at MK at close we were in line for pop and 3 busses came at once. they were all parked next to each other and loaded at the same time. That was great!

 

[Unplugged]

It seems to me that the value resorts are treated like second class citizens The deluxe resorts get like 3 busses before pop gets one, They need to have a better system.

I know your comment is in good humor (from the smiley). So take this lightly as well. The bus "bias" is not really true. We always stay at a deluxe resort because we're DVC members. Our home resort is Wilderness Lodge, so we are there on most trips. We've patiently waited there (and have done so at Boardwalk) for 45+ minutes on numerous occasions to take a bus to a park (pick any park, we've experienced delays for each).

I feel your pain on this one. We often comment to each other how we "own" the place and can't even get a bus as they must be catering to the "free dinner plan" folks :lookaroun. Free food, ample buses....we made the wrong choice somewhere.

Then we take a deep breath, remember where we are, and that any "issues" we have there are tiny compared to non-vacation non-Disney locations. :sohappy:

 

[kirksheppard]

Perhaps the busses would be less crowded if they started charging us to use them.

For a quicker option, rent a car. Its really not that much more to tack on to your vacation and it saves you from getting frustrated about waiting in yet another line.

 

[Monty]

Perhaps the busses would be less crowded if they started charging us to use them.

For a quicker option, rent a car. Its really not that much more to tack on to your vacation and it saves you from getting frustrated about waiting in yet another line.

So instead you wait for a tram and then wait to get through traffic out of the parking lot? :shrug:



:lol:

 

[PeoplemoverTTA]

It seems to me that the value resorts are treated like second class citizens The deluxe resorts get like 3 busses before pop gets one, They need to have a better system. Although one night at MK at close we were in line for pop and 3 busses came at once. they were all parked next to each other and loaded at the same time. That was great!

I used to think that until I stayed at Poly for the first time and had to share a bus w/Contemporary and GF guests, and not just during slow times (which I understand)...this was at park closing for MGM during Christmas week, and every line for a bus was long, as it was just after park closing and Fantasmic letting out. At the same time, POP guests do not share a bus with any other resort.

I think sometimes it's just luck of the draw/bad luck. I've had what seemed like crummy bus service with deluxe, moderate, and value (the latter two I stay at much more frequently than deluxe, to be honest).

I've gone to the parks for 1-2 days while on business my past few visits, and I now understand why my brother, a former CM, will not use WDW transportation. I think it is way more convenient to get a rental car (especially if you have an AP - free parking). None of the hassles, no waiting, no standing....I don't think I'll use WDW transport anymore.

 

[RiversideBunny]

Weren't they supposed to install cameras in the bus waiting areas at the parks so that the dispatchers could better tell how many people are waiting for each bus?

Seems like sometimes they have to shoot in the dark on where the buses are needed.

:king:

 

[unkadug]

So instead you wait for a tram and then wait to get through traffic out of the parking lot? :shrug:



:lol:

Waiting for a tram doesn't nearly take as long as waiting for a bus!

As far as waiting for traffic to clear, I've never had that trouble when I'm there, as I set my own park hours, generally not following the schedule of most typical guests.

 

[mk12a]

There is a coordinators booth within the bus load zones at each park (these will be going away once the new system is fully operational.) When a bus is arriving at a park, the driver calls for a dispatch. The dispatcher in the booth has a computer that shows which resort gets the next dispatch. Since the resorts "pay" for the bus service, some resorts "pay" for more frequent buses.
You may see a bus go to an empty load zone and then leave with no one aboard, but remember, we have to pick up guests at the resort, too.
At park exit, most of the parks will go on a visual dispatch, where the dispatcher is standing outside, giving the drivers dispatches to the most crowded load zones (usually Pop, All Stars, Port Orleans). Hope this helps!

 

[kirksheppard]

The best bus service I've encountered was at Animal Kingdom Lodge, since it doesn't share with any other resort. Worst was the Wilderness Lodge, followed by the Contemporary! I actually thought that All Star Sports and Port Orleans Riverside were better than the MK Deluxe Resorts due to the number of stops.

 

[wedenterprises]

I used to be against the idea of renting a car - it seemed useless because of the bus system, plus the buses were always fun as a kid and kind of magical in their own strange way...but the bus system became too frustrating. Waiting for 45+ minutes to go somewhere 5 minutes away THEN having that 5 minutes actually take 20+ because of all the stops, it just became pointless.

Having a car is actually easier because you can leave the park as late as you want, plus there are no screaming kids like on the bus. You get a seat, plus it's comfortable AND you can listen to soft music and be with your family. On top of all that comfort you get to your hotel in no time.

It's not that I'm impatient, it's just the principle of it all. There isn't even a bus schedule like in a city, instead it seems like they make it up as they go and after a while I think it has a very negative effect on the guest experience.

 

[jsfra209]

For me personally...renting a car was always a better option...but thats just me. I like the freedom of being able to say "lets go" whenever i need to and not having to wait for a bus.