Buses Going Away or Pay?

[Lilofan]

The word "Free" is used too liberally at Disney properties. Nothing at Disney has truly been "Free" the guest has always paid for things / services or experiences in one way, form or another.

Free is at times misleading. In the hotels I have stayed at in a number of states the daily resort fee on the itemized bill covers the " free " items what the location advertises. One charge I disputed at one location when checking in , the hotel tried charging me $5 per day to use the in room safe. I advised the front desk staff member I will not be using the safe and I advised them I will not pay for this charge. After the front desk clerk consulted with their boss, that item was taken off my bill.

 

[UNCgolf]

To be fair: Your parking at the resorts was already built into the price of your stay.
... until it wasn't.

I still argue that nothing is off the table. What is still "free" to the customers? Only one thing left there: resort transportation. It didn't used to be that way.

Changing resort parking didn't add additional expense or operational issues to Disney, though. Making resort transportation paid would require Disney to hire more staff, unless they were okay with bringing the system to a grinding halt as the bus drivers themselves had to check each passenger when they boarded, as well as dealing with people who tried to get on without paying.

It's possible they would do the latter, but the slowed system could be such a hassle that people would lose interest in using it, which could also drive more people to stay off-site. I'm not sure there's even a good spreadsheet reason to make resort transportation a separate paid service.

Adding an additional automatic fee to all resort stays is far more likely to happen than asking people to separately purchase access to transport.

 

[castlecake2.0]

I'd argue that it wouldn't matter:
- When it's slow it's no big deal to have people go through a turnstile and log their magic band
- When it's crammed, the line up to the Monorail, Ferry, whatever is going to be crammed *anyway* so showing the magicband won't matter.

The operational inefficiencies that would cause would probably not be worth the cost of the infrastructure and cast required to collect.

 

[biggy H]

You don't need loads of staff or even require the bus drivers to check them. You just use a similar system that all mass transit systems use, gates that need a ticket open them with. No ticket then you can not then enter the transportation hub. At park closing they could just be switched off to help dissipate crowds.

 

[UNCgolf]

You don't need loads of staff or even require the bus drivers to check them. You just use a similar system that all mass transit systems use, gates that need a ticket open them with. No ticket then you can not then enter the transportation hub. At park closing they could just be switched off to help dissipate crowds.

You'd have to have staff monitoring the gates to stop people from just bypassing them, and they'd also have to be installed at dozens and dozens of locations. Some of the resorts alone have several different bus stops, all of which would need their own gates etc. for the system to function -- unless you were going to force everyone to go to one central location, which would cause other operational problems.

Of course they could do it if they really wanted to, but they'd have to incur additional expenses in infrastructure, additional staff, etc.

 

[M:SpilotISTC12]

Just put a tap point at the opening of every bus. If they can put one at the Laugh Floor, they can put it on every bus.

 

[peter11435]

Just put a tap point at the opening of every bus. If they can put one at the Laugh Floor, they can put it on every bus.

There’s over 400 buses… they would also need support equipment and then be able to wirelessly connect to the servers. Not as easy as just plopping them in. And then you have the issues with capacity and throughput.

 

[EeyoreFan#24]

Some people said this I think, but IMO Disney doesn’t care that the bus riders pay for their ride, they just care the someone other than Disney pays for it.

Most public transportation need some sort of passenger fees to operate as to not put everything back on a general fund, but private just needs the bills covered. Utilizing fees (or hidden fees) to people they are already charging is easier and cheaper.

 

[castlecake2.0]

You don't need loads of staff or even require the bus drivers to check them. You just use a similar system that all mass transit systems use, gates that need a ticket open them with. No ticket then you can not then enter the transportation hub. At park closing they could just be switched off to help dissipate crowds.

Imagine you are a guest at bus station 28 at MK close and have waited for three busses already and then your band doesn’t tap. Then what happens? Send the guest back to park entrance to get in line at GR? Also just switching the system off at busy times defeats the whole thing. I’m sure they have thought about monetizing it but realized just making it a line in the itemized break down of park tickets and hotel stays is the best way to do it.

 

[UNCgolf]

There’s over 400 buses… they would also need support equipment and then be able to wirelessly connect to the servers. Not as easy as just plopping them in. And then you have the issues with capacity and throughput.

I don't know why people think it would be some easy process that wouldn't cost Disney a bunch of additional money to implement as well as slow down service overall.

 

[homerdance]

Some people said this I think, but IMO Disney doesn’t care that the bus riders pay for their ride, they just care the someone other than Disney pays for it.

Most public transportation need some sort of passenger fees to operate as to not put everything back on a general fund, but private just needs the bills covered. Utilizing fees (or hidden fees) to people they are already charging is easier and cheaper.

Most public transport doesn’t need passenger fees, they just charge them, but the majority could be fully subsidized from another source. But it is the same mentality as Disney has with drip pricing.

 

[uncle jimmy]

Not to throw wood on the fire, but WDW does seem like they are thinking about transportation. I have been home from WDW for about a week now and have completed 2 surveys with regards to my stay at WDW.

1st survey: About my WDW resort hotel and the other part was Transportation geared (since this is about transportation I will say when it talked about resort to park buses, it had next to it complimentary transportation, as to highlight it was free. It also mentioned the Magic Express several times, one being when it asked what would change my mind to stay at the WDW resort I felt I'd never stay at again as it wasn't worth what we paid for it... There were several things (perks) they gave as for me to choose that would make me considered staying at resort again: early genie+ selections, early extra hours, late extra hours, magic express - these were some they mentioned.

2nd survey: Transportation from how I got to FL and then how I got to WDW. It then asked what Park did we go to each day and the transportation we took to and from, including days where we park hopped. This didn't ask what my thoughts or opinions were on the means, but more on how we got from A to B back to A.

 

[Diamond Dot]

If they did

A transportation ticket no, but charging for park to park transportation for non-resort guests or "Priority Boarding" maybe...

I'm sure some families would love to pay a lightning lane for buses in the morning (to beat rope drop crowds) or post-fireworks.

Just hire a wheelchair for one of your party, would probably be cheaper than the cost of priority boarding if they did bring that in

 

[correcaminos]

If they did

Just hire a wheelchair for one of your party, would probably be cheaper than the cost of priority boarding if they did bring that in

Until you aren't the 1st 2 wheels in line. Then you have a waaaaay longer wait

 

[SpoiledBlueMilk]

I just hope they bring back Mini Vans. Between relying on buses or calling an Uber, ride share wins every single time.

 

[Goofyernmost]

If they did

Just hire a wheelchair for one of your party, would probably be cheaper than the cost of priority boarding if they did bring that in

Hiring a wheelchair for that purpose would probably be the worst possible attempted solution to the buses or the attractions. Wheel chairs mean nothing anymore, they just join the regular lines on the attractions and have to wait their turn on the buses. Not to mention the PITA that being in a wheelchair or being the designated "pusher" of it becomes.

 

[Diamond Dot]

Hiring a wheelchair for that purpose would probably be the worst possible attempted solution to the buses or the attractions. Wheel chairs mean nothing anymore, they just join the regular lines on the attractions and have to wait their turn on the buses. Not to mention the PITA that being in a wheelchair or being the designated "pusher" of it becomes.

So the Florida transportation law that decrees diabled people have priority for getting on buses is no more?

 

[castlecake2.0]

So the Florida transportation law that decrees diabled people have priority for getting on buses is no more?

Disney busses will usually load two guests in wheelchairs first in designated areas on the bus but anymore than that have to wait for the next bus. Never heard of this law that says people with disabilities have priority access to transport, only that the transport must be accessible and have designated seating areas.

 

[peter11435]

So the Florida transportation law that decrees diabled people have priority for getting on buses is no more?

Source?

 

[Goofyernmost]

So the Florida transportation law that decrees diabled people have priority for getting on buses is no more?

Just about all buses only have two wheelchair tiedowns per bus. If there are more then two the others have to wait. I don't believe it is a Florida law, it is a Federal law and that law says that they have to be picked up within 20 minutes of the time they are eligible to be picked up. If they are third in line their 20 minutes starts as soon as the first two are taken. If they cannot get a regular bus then Disney must send a vehicle equipped with wheelchair accommodations to pick them up. My point was the idea that people can fake problems by just merely "renting a wheelchair" can easily blow up in their faces. That rule only applies to public transportation which Disney buses are, attractions are a completely different set of procedures..