Direct bus service between Disney's Animal Kingdom and Downtown Disney to be tested

[Gabe1]

yeah I noticed those times...thought that was odd as well. You might be right about overflow parking... seems like a long trip though for another place to park

I just wish they could find the magic formula... I know running busses to/from parks to/from DTD would open up the door for more people to park free at DTD....but this really eats up the busses at SSR and it might be even worse when people associate Saratoga "Springs" to Disney "Springs" even more down the road.

One solution I have thought of is only doing drop-offs at DTD (and not pick ups)

Yep, I agree with you guys, it is a parking ploy and could also help the ressies at RainForest-AK with its evening reservations, a win for both parking and that restaurant.

As many fans like us as there are, the vast majority of guests are kinda clueless, so running a few buses to AK and making use of a huge empty lot in the pm hours was pretty good problem solving for Disney, or at least until word gets out beyond the fan community that AK to DTD is one long haul for a parking spot.

 

[Master Yoda]

Yes, I know that. My point was that now there are more buses, the odds of ever getting the once-considered light rail have now decreased. I provided the Google Earth screenshot as proof that a light rail had been considered earlier in the past.

I have to make comments like these because I have a reputation to maintain.

Are you sure that it is a reputation you want to maintain?

 

[71jason]

Yep, I agree with you guys, it is a parking ploy and could also help the ressies at RainForest-AK with its evening reservations, a win for both parking and that restaurant.

So ... your theory is that Disney wants guests to skip the third party DTD RFC with its new volcano to take a 30-minute bus ride (on the Mouse's dime) to another third party RFC? Again, I think there's more to the iceberg than just this tip.

 

[Gabe1]

So ... your theory is that Disney wants guests to skip the third party DTD RFC with its new volcano to take a 30-minute bus ride (on the Mouse's dime) to another third party RFC? Again, I think there's more to the iceberg than just this tip.

Well that was not what I said now was it? And the part of my quote you carefully removed, I did acknowledge that this was a win for both parking and more traffic through RainForest #2. There is a big difference between making a second restaurant a more viable option and twisting that into wanting guests to Skip the sister restaurant.

Rainforest Downtown is often crowded especially during the busiest times of the year, where AK's RF as the day goes on does not do the business that its sister restaurant does for dinner. Guests who plan to go visit DTD and would like to dine at RF now have two options when trying for an ADR without having to try and find a parking spot at DTD.

I don't have an issue with anyone disagreeing with my theories. I do have an issue with chopping up a post to twist what I actually said. The post in its entirety hardly a tip as you state, it was an observation of both parking and restaurant traffic benefiting from the shuttle between DTD and AK.

 

[No Time To Say Hello Goodbye]

I wonder if this is also to help combat the "half day park" thing. You don't gain anything inside AK, but by running buses to DTD it makes people feel like this how they are "supposed" to spend the rest of that day.

 

[dadddio]

I wonder if this is also to help combat the "half day park" thing. You don't gain anything inside AK, but by running buses to DTD it makes people feel like this how they are "supposed" to spend the rest of that day.

We typically do end up going to DTD in the evening of our AK day. I bet lots of people do.

If you intend on going to DTD, it only makes sense to do it on the day that you will be going to the park that closes super early.

 

[WDWDad13]

We typically do end up going to DTD in the evening of our AK day. I bet lots of people do.

If you intend on going to DTD, it only makes sense to do it on the day that you will be going to the park that closes super early.

exactly...and too many today use the SSR busses which makes them difficult to use for those staying there...believe me I know and its very obvious to spot these folks because they have no idea what stop to get off at SSR

 

[Yankee Mouse]

I wonder if this is also to help combat the "half day park" thing. You don't gain anything inside AK, but by running buses to DTD it makes people feel like this how they are "supposed" to spend the rest of that day.

In that case it is only temporary right? Once Avatar is done it is supposed to make AK a full day park....

 

[Nemo14]

In that case it is only temporary right? Once Avatar is done it is supposed to make AK a full day park....

Well by then the buses will be replaced by the Monorail expansion though...

 

[WDWDad13]

Well by then the buses will be replaced by the Monorail expansion though...

lol

 

[Lucky]

By the time Avatar is done we can all zip around WDW with our personal jet packs.

 

[Nemo14]

By the time Avatar is done we can all zip around WDW with our Magical jet packs.

fixed that for you

 

[rael ramone]

In that case it is only temporary right? Once Avatar is done it is supposed to make AK a full day park....

Or this is a sign that they have no intention to extend the hours...

Watch other parks close earlier & earlier now.... make the 'guests' go to the parks in the hours that it's cheapest to staff, then have them all jump in the Magical Motorcoach to the Magical Lifestyle Center....

 

[fosse76]

It would be much quicker. I think Steve was right when he stated that it might be more for encouraging those at AK to go to DTD when the park closes vs. overflow parking.

This is my thought as well. DAK can easily be a half day park. Disney benefits from spending at Downtown Disney, so even if people stay at DAK until park close, Disney can't stop guests from travelling off-property for nighttime entertainment or dining options.

If guests drive to DAK because they know that they will finish the park early, they have more options for evening activities. They may have chosen to drive simply to avoid the hassle of returning to another resort to catch a Downtown Disney bus. But as I said above, with their car, they may change their mind before getting back to their car, so instead of going to Downtown Disney (or another park) they decide to visit Medival Times, or *gasp CityWalk, or Red Lobster, or whatever. With a bus from DAK these guests could be persuaded that they don't need to drive to DAK, because once they are finished exploring the park, they can hop on a bus to Downtown Disney and its nightlife (such as it is).

 

[PeterAlt]

No one takes transportation systems seriously any more. Walt Disney would be outraged if he were alive.

 

[MOXOMUMD]

By the time Avatar is done we can all zip around WDW with our personal jet packs.

I hope to have my hoverboard license by then.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I wonder if this is an attempt to ease congestion in the parking lots during construction. I assume the effect will be minimal, but if it helps at all it's a good thing.

 

[mickeysbrother]

Also i wonder if CM's will direct people that want to eat at the rainforest cafe that are already at dtd to the AK since wait times can hit 2 hours. Hmmmm I have some good theories once in a while lol

 

[MOXOMUMD]

Also i wonder if CM's will direct people that want to eat at the rainforest cafe that are already at dtd to the AK since wait times can hit 2 hours. Hmmmm I have some good theories once in a while lol

I like RFC but it's not worth that long of a wait.

 

[mickeysbrother]

I like RFC but it's not worth that long of a wait.

I know that and you know that but why is it always so busy then. Because other people dont know that lol...