Disney Springs Resort Shuttle

[boujiemama]

I'm looking for info and experiences regarding the Disney Springs Resort shuttles. These shuttles service the B Resort, Best Western Lake Buena Vista, Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace, Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista, and a couple others. I want to be as prepared as possible since we have a toddler who will need to go back to the hotel mid-day for a nap.
I have found this transportation map online http://www.wdwfocus.com/img/map/wdw-transport-map-full.jpg
But it's not clear to me if this includes the buses we will be using.
Anyone have any details or personal experience they could share? Tips? Recommendations?
Note: We will have our own car but would like to avoid paying extra for parking at the parks. We're already paying $22/day for parking at our hotel (B Resort).

 

[Jon81uk]

I stayed at the Hilton opposite Disney Springs about 12 years ago. The buses were very infrequent, we waited over half an hour sometimes. But the Hilton was the first/last stop so we always went straight to the park and got straight back to the hotel being the first stop, so other hotels will take much longer to get to.
Personally if we had access to a car I probably would have used it to avoid the long waits for the bus and that's with staying in the first stop hotel.

If you want to get back to the hotel for a nap you are going to spend at least an hour each way travelling by bus (assuming up to half hour wait for the bus and probably half hour on the bus) and you will probably find it takes too much time away from the parks (but then I don't have kids and always spend full days in the park).

That map you linked to doesn't mention the Disney Springs hotels, only Disney-owned hotels.
There is information on the Disney Springs hotel on page 6 & 7 of this booklet https://view.joomag.com/disney-springs-passport-october-2018-february-2019/0547109001522093192?short
taken from http://disneyspringshotels.com/disney-advantage/

 

[MagicalMaci]

When I stayed at the Hilton Disney Springs a few years ago the buses were on a set schedule, so as long as you knew when they were expected it wasn't too bad. The buses were a bit far off the beaten path for pickup and drop off and didn't typically have a lot of shade.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

As has been mentioned....they are infrequent. They do not go to the MK (TTC instead). And you'll walk a bit further to catch them at the other parks. Main drawback (other than those previous ones).......if you can't get on a bus due to crowds, it may take a while for the next one to come. If you time it right though, it's not bad.

As an alternate option (depending on which Hotel Plaza hotel you are staying at). You could use DS as a hub (or possibly SSR). You can take a bus from DS to the Contemp and walk to MK, take one to Yacht or Beach Club and walk to EPCOT, or to the Boardwalk and get to DHS - a little longer of a walk. Wyndham and Hilton are literally across the street from DS.

 

[World_Showcase_Lover007]

We stayed at the Hilton Orlando LBV on Hotel Plaza Blvd near Disney Springs in 2014. Busses came every half hour, and were pretty regular. A couple of times I remember them being late, but it’s not like we waited an hour or anything. Buses also picked up people from the neighboring resorts. A bit annoying, but it really wasn’t that bad. But this was before we had kids.

Of course I tend to find that Disney busses aren’t all that great either. Now I always rent a car to drive to the parks, but I definitely understand that it is costly to pay to park. I do it very begrudgingly.

Overall it is very manageable taking these busses, at least without kids. With a toddler though, ummm... you should still be fine. There’s always Uber...(?)

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I always use the DS busses when staying at these hotels. The Hilton and Wyndham are an easy walk to DS, and the Holiday Inn is doable.

It was way nicer when the marketplace bus loop was still there, since the busses were literally right there, but the new DS bus loop is much better laid out for the bigger crowds these days.

Just curious to the OP, if you have a car, why pick a non-Disney hotel that charges high parking and high resort fees? If I’m visiting with a car I stay right off property at a great Hilton or Marriott product that usually gives a better deal even before those extra fees. If I don’t have a car, I’ll stay by Disney springs if I get a good deal on Priceline or a Disney resort.

 

[aliceismad]

If you decide not to head back for the day, there are places in the park where your little one can rest. Lots of people recommend the quieter shows for this, or just quiet areas of the parks. However, some kids can sleep anywhere. When my kiddo was just under 3, she fell asleep in line for Under the Sea and slept through the ride. She also slept through most of the Lion King show at AK.

 

[plutofan15]

Lyft or Uber is an option. True, it will cost a bit but will be cheaper than paying for parking and probably quicker than the bus. We were staying at the Wilderness Lodge last week and used Lyft both direction to visit Blizzard Beach. Quicker than taking a bus to AK and transferring to the Blizzard Beach bus. Was less than $10 each way.

 

[daisyduckie]

I truly believe time is money during a Disney vacation. I wouldn't save a relatively (in the scheme of a Disney trip) small amount of money and waste a lot of time doing so. If you have a car, drive. It is much simpler and will save a lot of time.

 

[allidog1]

Maybe it was an off day but one afternoon I waited over an hour past the posted pick up time for a bus to come and get me from HS and bring me to the Hilton. I had to call the hotel to find the bus, it was horrible and I can’t imagine doing that with a toddler who was tired and needed a nap.

 

[HMFan999]

I just returned from a trip where I was staying at the Holiday Inn. The shuttles were haphazard at best. It really depends a lot on the driver. They're run by MEARS, not Disney, so you'll generally find that the drivers are a bit less... "magical" than you would hope. Some of the drivers will tell you a pickup schedule, but in my experience those times are completely ignored by the majority of drivers and they just run the loop as they please. There were several instances where I waited 45-60 mins for a bus to arrive. There were also instances where the driver didn't quite seem to know where they were going... which is unnerving to say the least. The pickup and dropoff points tend to be less than ideal. I think I walked a good mile before I even got into EPCOT. If I ever had to do this again I think I'd rely more on uber/lyft unless I had nothing but time to spare.

 

[Walt d]

I stayed at the Hilton opposite Disney Springs about 12 years ago. The buses were very infrequent, we waited over half an hour sometimes. But the Hilton was the first/last stop so we always went straight to the park and got straight back to the hotel being the first stop, so other hotels will take much longer to get to.
Personally if we had access to a car I probably would have used it to avoid the long waits for the bus and that's with staying in the first stop hotel.

If you want to get back to the hotel for a nap you are going to spend at least an hour each way travelling by bus (assuming up to half hour wait for the bus and probably half hour on the bus) and you will probably find it takes too much time away from the parks (but then I don't have kids and always spend full days in the park).

That map you linked to doesn't mention the Disney Springs hotels, only Disney-owned hotels.
There is information on the Disney Springs hotel on page 6 & 7 of this booklet https://view.joomag.com/disney-springs-passport-october-2018-february-2019/0547109001522093192?short
taken from http://disneyspringshotels.com/disney-advantage/

If you read your hotel info the buses come every thirty minutes, i never had a problem as i know there schedule.

 

[Jon81uk]

If you read your hotel info the buses come every thirty minutes, i never had a problem as i know there schedule.

I knew to expect the buses every 30 minutes, but found that I did have some waits longer than 30 minutes. Also for me I then ended up waiting at the stop several times for 20 minutes for the next bus to come, when you are eager to get to the parks you don't feel like waiting.

Also the OP was concerned about taking midday breaks and I wanted to be clear it would take a lot of time out of their day if they wait 20-30 minutes for a bus each way as well as the journey time it could easily take an hour each way out of their day.

 

[slappy magoo]

I knew to expect the buses every 30 minutes, but found that I did have some waits longer than 30 minutes. Also for me I then ended up waiting at the stop several times for 20 minutes for the next bus to come, when you are eager to get to the parks you don't feel like waiting.

All of the buses - even the official WDW ones - can be a crap shoot, traffic or accidents can screw up any timetable. I feel your pain, I hate waiting too, especially if you have meal reservations, but the traffic in WDW can throw a wrench in any plans, and because the DS hotels are a bit further away than most official Disney resorts (depending on where you're staying and where you're going), and coming from a pretty dense traffic area, it's just always going to be a hassle.

To the OP, something I'd suggest for at least a few of the days - IF you're mostly worried about your toddler getting rest as opposed to you or your S.O. or anyone else in your party - consider making lunch reservations at a restaurant at a hotel close to the park you're visiting on any given day. OR just plan a lunch in that hotel's food court. You'll travel less, you'll still be able to get out of the sun and in AC coolness, and you can always find a quiet place off the beaten path. The deluxe resorts are usually quite cavernous, I can't guarantee a quiet nook, but I've always been able to find one when I've needed one. Of course, that's not helpful if YOU need a nap or one of you plans to watch the baby while the other one swims or something like that. Or if you wanted to change clothes before dinner. But if it really is all about getting a quiet place to let your toddler nap, it's an option you should at least consider.

 

[Jon81uk]

All of the buses - even the official WDW ones - can be a crap shoot, traffic or accidents can screw up any timetable. I feel your pain, I hate waiting too, especially if you have meal reservations, but the traffic in WDW can throw a wrench in any plans, and because the DS hotels are a bit further away than most official Disney resorts (depending on where you're staying and where you're going), and coming from a pretty dense traffic area, it's just always going to be a hassle.

Oh yes I've had some awful waits for buses in WDW resorts as well (especially the Downtown Disney buses before the re-model to Disney Springs) but as Disney aims to have a bus every 15-20 minutes, if the bus is 10 minutes late its less of an impact than a bus that should be every 30 minutes being 10 minutes late.

 

[boujiemama]

Just curious to the OP, if you have a car, why pick a non-Disney hotel that charges high parking and high resort fees? If I’m visiting with a car I stay right off property at a great Hilton or Marriott product that usually gives a better deal even before those extra fees. If I don’t have a car, I’ll stay by Disney springs if I get a good deal on Priceline or a Disney resort.

I chose the B Resort because we got a 30% discount rate on a one bedroom suite plus waived resort fees. That plus the 60 day ADRs and FP reservations played a factor. Really wanted to stay at a Disney resort, but this came out less expensive than a value resort plus we will have room to spread out.

 

[boujiemama]

If you decide not to head back for the day, there are places in the park where your little one can rest. Lots of people recommend the quieter shows for this, or just quiet areas of the parks. However, some kids can sleep anywhere. When my kiddo was just under 3, she fell asleep in line for Under the Sea and slept through the ride. She also slept through most of the Lion King show at AK.

I am really hoping she will nap in the stroller in the park! But I want to be well prepared with a plan in case she doesn't. What are the recommended shows for nap time?

 

[boujiemama]

All of the buses - even the official WDW ones - can be a crap shoot, traffic or accidents can screw up any timetable. I feel your pain, I hate waiting too, especially if you have meal reservations, but the traffic in WDW can throw a wrench in any plans, and because the DS hotels are a bit further away than most official Disney resorts (depending on where you're staying and where you're going), and coming from a pretty dense traffic area, it's just always going to be a hassle.

To the OP, something I'd suggest for at least a few of the days - IF you're mostly worried about your toddler getting rest as opposed to you or your S.O. or anyone else in your party - consider making lunch reservations at a restaurant at a hotel close to the park you're visiting on any given day. OR just plan a lunch in that hotel's food court. You'll travel less, you'll still be able to get out of the sun and in AC coolness, and you can always find a quiet place off the beaten path. The deluxe resorts are usually quite cavernous, I can't guarantee a quiet nook, but I've always been able to find one when I've needed one. Of course, that's not helpful if YOU need a nap or one of you plans to watch the baby while the other one swims or something like that. Or if you wanted to change clothes before dinner. But if it really is all about getting a quiet place to let your toddler nap, it's an option you should at least consider.

My toddler tends to be pretty clingy with me, so I am HOPING we can all go back to the hotel after lunch and I'll let my husband stay there while she naps that way me and my 12 yr old daughter can go do a few things together just me and her. Then when the little one wakes up we can all meet up again in the park. My husband is pretty laid back so I'm sure he will enjoy some down time as well.

 

[aliceismad]

I am really hoping she will nap in the stroller in the park! But I want to be well prepared with a plan in case she doesn't. What are the recommended shows for nap time?

I've not tested these, and I'm sure others who are more experienced would have great input but here are my thoughts:
MK - Tom Sawyer Island, Liberty Square Square River Boat, Hall of Presidents, maybe Carousel of Progress
HS - Maybe one of the longer shows? They're air conditioned at least (Beauty and the Beast or Littler Mermaid maybe?)
Epcot - Various places in WS, Living with the Land perhaps,
AK - Lots of places to sit and rest in nicely-themed areas, you can walk the animal trails; the train and Rafiki area are on the quieter side. The Nemo show is also a longer show that's inside.

Also maybe the boat ride between Epcot and HS (plus Boardwalk, Beach Club, etc.), if you have interest in that.
You can also visit various resorts if you wanted. There's a boat from MK to Wilderness Lodge, for instance. I'm sure my kiddo would happily fall asleep on the monorail riding from place to place as well.