Express Transportation starting Dec 7th

[drizgirl]

If there are as many buses as I just posted quoting from Wikipedia with an imminent growth by ten, [and that is quite likely the case] then there are plenty of buses involved compared to last year and Express makes no dent on the rest of the bus service.

If your supposition that bus drivers are pulled from the regular routes to staff the new Express routes, then that could possibly affect the regular routes. But what if the full time bus drivers are putting in 35 hours and can now do 40 hours? And what if there are a lot of part time bus drivers looking for more hours? In that case, the new Express routes will have zero impact on the regular routes.

What if this "test" this CM mentioned is some other scheduling test that has nothing to do with Express?

There's a lot we don't know for sure. But there's a lot that we can make fairly certain suppositions. And it's fairly certain that a shift of 3% of the buses during non-peak hours isn't going to throw a noticeable monkey wrench in the regular bus routes (regardless of whether one thinks they're doing well or not... they're not being affected in a noticeable way).

Doesn't matter how many buses Disney owns or how many hours the bus drivers are willing to work. There will only be as many routes being driven as Disney is willing to budget for. And none of us knows the answer to that.

 

[21stamps]

Doesn't matter how many buses Disney owns or how many hours the bus drivers are willing to work. There will only be as many routes being driven as Disney is willing to budget for. And none of us knows the answer to that.

We do know for sure that they arrive at the resorts every 20 minutes and then head to the parks. I don't know how often the park to park busses run, can anyone here report on that? Are they also 20 minute intervals?

 

[Kman101]

Still a lot of speculation on both ends. Lots of "what ifs" ... I'm glad some have the answers but that doesn't mean that's the case, either. That was my simple minded point. We don't know for sure what they're doing.

 

[21stamps]

Still a lot of speculation on both ends. Lots of "what ifs" ... I'm glad some have the answers but that doesn't mean that's the case, either. That was my simple minded point. We don't know for sure what they're doing.

Do the park to park busses have arrival times posted like the resorts do?

 

[Kman101]

Do the park to park busses have arrival times posted like the resorts do?

Unless they've added them in the last 6 months or so, I don't believe they do. You're left to guess and hope a bus shows up. It'd be nice to know if you just missed one so you know that you're waiting 20-30 minutes.

 

[21stamps]

Unless they've added them in the last 6 months or so, I don't believe they do. You're left to guess and hope a bus shows up. It'd be nice to know if you just missed one so you know that you're waiting 20-30 minutes.

I haven't park hopped in 7 years, and when we did it was MK to Epcot (and vice versa) or HS to Epcot...so I don't have experience with the park to park busses.

 

[Kman101]

I haven't park hopped in 7 years, and when we did it was MK to Epcot (and vice versa) or HS to Epcot...so I don't have experience with the park to park busses.

I haven't seen the wait times posted like at the resort bus stops. It's not awful TBH. Even with a car I do sometimes use the busses. I set my expectations so I know that it will take time. I can't recall any time that it was a really awful wait or it took too long (see everyone, it's not always horrible). I'd have to say for you, maybe look into the Express Transportation. @mikeh gives it some praise and he's a local like I am (well I'm local enough to have a car with me).

So unless they've added them, no wait times are posted at the park bus stops. But I haven't been to the parks in about 6 months so unless they've added them since, they'd have to add one to a LOT of stops. It would be nice but I wouldn't expect them to do that.

 

[21stamps]

I haven't seen the wait times posted like at the resort bus stops. It's not awful TBH. Even with a car I do sometimes use the busses. I set my expectations so I know that it will take time. I can't recall any time that it was a really awful wait or it took too long (see everyone, it's not always horrible). I'd have to say for you, maybe look into the Express Transportation. @mikeh gives it some praise and he's a local like I am (well I'm local enough to have a car with me).

So unless they've added them, no wait times are posted at the park bus stops. But I haven't been to the parks in about 6 months so unless they've added them since, they'd have to add one to a LOT of stops. It would be nice but I wouldn't expect them to do that.

I'll be down there for 4 days on an adult trip sometime during F&W. If this is still around we may use it, even though we will have a car (I hate driving in WDW) I'm a huge Uber fan though..I think 5 minutes was the longest I waited for one earlier this month at WDW.

 

[Kman101]

I'll be down there for 4 days on an adult trip sometime during F&W. If this is still around we may use it, even though we will have a car (I hate driving in WDW) I'm a huge Uber fan though..I think 5 minutes was the longest I waited for one earlier this month at WDW.

No experience with Uber personally but I think it's worked out pretty well for some while on WDW property so that's definitely a thought. I'd at least give it a try. Probably faster (maybe cheaper?) in a lot of cases, as you said.

 

[21stamps]

No experience with Uber personally but I think it's worked out pretty well for some while on WDW property so that's definitely a thought. I'd at least give it a try. Probably faster (maybe cheaper?) in a lot of cases.

That's what I'm curious about.. Uber vs Express Transportation, do the pick up and drop off points make the overall time shorter?
I wish someone would do the comparison lol.

I think the cost is probably comparative, maybe less with Uber depending on how many times you actually would use the Disney Express Bus.

 

[lentesta]

Some passenger data from a recent post-Christmas day in Epcot (10 a.m. to around 3:30 pm):

48 total passengers to DHS spread over 11 buses (5 of 11 buses completely empty) - so about 4 guests per bus
73 total passengers to MK over 10 buses (1 of 10 buses completely empty) - 7 guests/bus
30 total passengers to AK over 10 buses (4 buses completely empty) - 3 guests per bus​

In looking at the actual riders for each bus, it seems like they could replace the buses with 15-passenger vans without making anyone wait (wheelchair/scooter guests aside).

I don't expect this program to last. It doesn't seem like they're getting enough people to pay for it, even at peak times.

 

[jt04]

Some passenger data from a recent post-Christmas day in Epcot (10 a.m. to around 3:30 pm):

48 total passengers to DHS spread over 11 buses (5 of 11 buses completely empty) - so about 4 guests per bus
73 total passengers to MK over 10 buses (1 of 10 buses completely empty) - 7 guests/bus
30 total passengers to AK over 10 buses (4 buses completely empty) - 3 guests per bus​

In looking at the actual riders for each bus, it seems like they could replace the buses with 15-passenger vans without making anyone wait (wheelchair/scooter guests aside).

I don't expect this program to last. It doesn't seem like they're getting enough people to pay for it, even at peak times.

It would be too bad if this doesn't catch on. Hoping it lasts at least through Pandora opening. That should give it a chance due to word of mouth.

 

[flynnibus]

I don't expect this program to last. It doesn't seem like they're getting enough people to pay for it, even at peak times.

Any signs of promotion in the parks? CMs handing out pamphlets? Informing guests of the option? Promotion on the normal buses?

I'd wager awareness is a big deal too.

 

[Kman101]

There seem to be 'stations' where a cast member is standing at a table and a sandwich board with the Express Transportation sign on it. I've only seen that in pictures so I wonder if they're promoting it anywhere else instead of where you go to get on the bus.

 

[Bandini]

There seem to be 'stations' where a cast member is standing at a table and a sandwich board with the Express Transportation sign on it. I've only seen that in pictures so I wonder if they're promoting it anywhere else instead of where you go to get on the bus.

Beside the bus driver and this CM manning the station, how many additional CM's are assigned to this. Does anyone know?

 

[vershine]

It took me a bit to figure out how this new service works. The transportation only takes you from one park to another (not back to Disney Resorts), so it would not be a option for me to use or even try. Actually it is a good idea for those who have a one or two day park hopper ticket and want to jam in as much as possible. Since I stay on property, I rarely go to two parks in one day. And if I do indulge, the time I spend at WDW, I usually hit one park in the morning, then return to hotel for some R & R and venture out again in the evening to another park.

 

[jt04]

I bet this was popular today. If not then Disney is failing to promote it properly.

 

[Clamman73]

I bet this was popular today. If not then Disney is failing to promote it properly.

This was the MK to Epcot Express bus today.

 

[DisneyJeff]

The more that I think about this, I believe that this could be a good idea. However, it should be free. The basic premise of this is to allow guests to move from one secure security zone to another without having to pass through a security checkpoint. It would obviously save time for those guests, but also make the security screening less crowded for the guests going through security at the parks.

The actual implementation of this wasn't done very well. It should not be in a remote, back-stage area. There should be a dedicated spot at the front of each park, that is within the secure zone where these buses can load and unload. This should be the only option for busing between parks. This would actually replace the "regular" park to park buses. Therefore, there would be no effect on "existing" service because they would be using the same number of buses (and drivers) as normal.

Obviously, to actually implement this, major work would need to be done in order to place a bus stop within the secure zone at the front of each park. Whether this kind of investment would be worth it or not, is debatable.

Just my $0.02.

 

[jt04]

The more that I think about this, I believe that this could be a good idea. However, it should be free. The basic premise of this is to allow guests to move from one secure security zone to another without having to pass through a security checkpoint. It would obviously save time for those guests, but also make the security screening less crowded for the guests going through security at the parks.

The actual implementation of this wasn't done very well. It should not be in a remote, back-stage area. There should be a dedicated spot at the front of each park, that is within the secure zone where these buses can load and unload. This should be the only option for busing between parks. This would actually replace the "regular" park to park buses. Therefore, there would be no effect on "existing" service because they would be using the same number of buses (and drivers) as normal.

Obviously, to actually implement this, major work would need to be done in order to place a bus stop within the secure zone at the front of each park. Whether this kind of investment would be worth it or not, is debatable.

Just my $0.02.

This seems to be a test more than anything at this point. And there are certainly ways to make this free for most guests depending on how it is configured. But it wouldn't be cheap to implement. Time will tell. Seems Hogwarts Express has stirred up some creative possibilities elsewhere.