How can anyone choose driving over a Disney bus when going to Magic Kingdom?

pixiesteno

pixiesteno

Well-Known Member
We will usually rely on WDW transportation, but there are times that I miss the nostalgia of taking the tram, then being at the TTC and seeing the park come into view from whichever mode you took across the lagoon. Now that we stay at FWC we do get the approach to the park via watercraft and then we make a point of riding the monorail around the resort loop and over to EPCOT just to ride it! Crowded bus, boat, or monorail WDW does a fantastic job of moving a tremendous amount of people usually without unfortunate incidents. I would dare say they have it down to a better science than a lot of the major metropolitan areas. I am thankful that they are willing to transport my b..t after a long, hot sweaty day in the park so I don't have to serach out our vehicle and navigate unfamiliar road in the dark when I am tired.
 
tizzo

tizzo

Member
R W B said:
My g/f and I did a small 4 day Orlando trip last month and she talked me into doing the MK for one of the days. Well we weren't staying on property so of course we had to drive and park and IMO that just sucks. I mean Disney does the best they can but theirs just no good option IMO. When we parked we waited for the tram which took a little under 10min and then we got to the TTC and the monorail line was crazy long so we chose the boat and we waited a good 15-20min until we got on that. Sure the drop off points might be closer then the buses but that's it. The point of this post is I dont get why people complain about waiting for a bus when you still have to wait for a tram and monarail/boat when you drive.

Overall I'm happy we did drive and park atleast one time because now I won't second guess myself when I stay on property and only use Disney transportion.
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I personally haven't used the buses at all because we never stay on property (AP holders so usually just day trips). But based on the kinds of complaints I've read on these boards over the years, it seems to me that the experience with the bus system can vary considerably depending on the resort. For example it's been stated by multiple people that some bus routes serving value resorts make multiple stops, and it is not uncommon to not only wait a long time for a bus to arrive, but to have to wait for several buses before one that isn't full arrives. I can easily see how that might get frustrating.

Also, while the tram is nothing to write home about, the monorail is enough of an experience for some people to make it worthwhile no matter how long the wait. IE some people consider it an attraction in and of itself.
 
the-reason14

the-reason14

Well-Known Member
It's usually busses for us as well. My last trip in March was the 1st time in awhile where we drove a few times if we were 'late.' My dad would drop me off at mgm and dropping me off at the MK was easier then usual cuz he drove near the contemporary and I used the walkway.
 
prberk

prberk

Well-Known Member
Well, don't forget that the transportation system getting to the MK was built in, as part of the experience. It is supposed to build anticipation for your day at the MK (and sell you on the hotels along the way).

It is the main reason that so many people associate the monorails and unique experiences with Disney in the first place. I also allows the MK to be completely separated from your "regular" life, even with a lake between you and your car.

While it can be a pain for us "regulars" sometimes, I think overall the experience is wonderful and a "plus" compared to the original Disneyland, which had the old parking lot right outside Main Street Station.
 
polynesiangirl

polynesiangirl

Well-Known Member
I can't imagine driving exclusively, in large part because I generally hate driving even in my non-WDW time (and my husband, while more amenable to it, isn't a huge fan, especially when on vacation and in large tourist areas.) However, I will say that I vastly prefer to stay at WDW resorts that have multiple transportation options as opposed to those where in order to get anywhere you have to take a bus. I've gotten very spoiled staying at the Epcot and MK Deluxe resorts and try to stay at them whenever possible. Every once in a while we do get stuck waiting on a SUPER packed bus to get back to a resort and I have moments of missing our days of driving to Florida...
 
jlsHouston

jlsHouston

Well-Known Member
I loathe busses too... years ago I worked in a casino in northern Nevada and we had this thing about "bus people" and it just always hung with me... I love the monorail and the boat mode of transport , but I have yet to stay at a MK property to have the access to the monorail for that. My last trip to the world we flew and did not rent a car, and we did spend quite a bit more time when exiting the parks getting back to our resort. Getting from the resort to any of the parks was never a big delay but vice versa, yes definitely. I am 17 days out from my next visit and we are going to do it again with no car and totally rely on disney transportation. I really wish all the parks were connected by the monorail system...with spurs to resorts...
 
tecowdw

tecowdw

Well-Known Member
I've used both Disney busses and my own car. Alot of it depends on when I'm going and when I plan to leave. I find the busses are not usually a problem after about noon until about 6pm. Outside those hours hours I always seriously consider using the rental car. My biggest pet peeve with the busses is the "sardine" factor - standing on a bus is just not my thing. And no, public transport is not something I use at home so it's just not in my comfort zone when crowded.

Of course, we can all give our own horror stories of bus waits. My most memorable one was leaving the MK at close for the Animal Kingdom Lodge. The line for the bus stop was the longest line I've ever seen. That evening, to be fair, EVERY bus stop was that way as well. The A bus stops were packed with only a single file moving line down the center so people could get to their bus stop. Which meant you had no clue where your bus stop line started since they were so backed up. And, of course, it seemed like three busses came for all the other resorts came to our one. We got on the third one to show up.
Ugh! I'm reliving it in my head right now.
:eek:
 
GoofGoof

GoofGoof

Premium Member
If you are staying off property:
Drive to Poly and park.
Take monorail to MK.
Save $15 and your time plus no parking tram.
This only works about half the time. Less than half at Contemporary.
 
George Lucas on a Bench

George Lucas on a Bench

Well-Known Member
If you're staying late and the resort bus queues are packed, you might get back to your resort more quickly if you drove. Ideally, you want to park in the lot right next to the TTC, and I've only ever been directed there once. If you're parked further out, you might be screwed. That said, it's convenient as all heck to arrive via bus right near the entrance. I was amazed and even a bit put off by this (as weird as that may seem) when I first stayed onsite. I was so used to taking trams and the ferry or monorail. You've got to admit, the approach is just great from the front of a ferry, as Magic Kingdom gets closer and closer. It's a classic.

But, arrival on the bus is quicker.
 
ShookieJones

ShookieJones

We need time for things to happen.
rsoxguy said:
I'm afraid that I must disagree with the assertion that the buses are more convenient. I have never taken a stop watch to Disney World, and so my opinion is more anecdotal than it is scientific. I have always found it easier to drive my vehicle to the parks, as opposed to the bus system. I have taken the buses almost exclusively when staying at a Disney resort, but I find the process to be a grueling exercise in added toil. My reasons are as follows:

* The wait for a bus can, at times, can be considerably longer when departing the resort on route to the parks. The Magic Kingdom can be worse than the others, but I can beat most of the buses to the parks if I simply get in my car, drive to the park, hop on a tram and monorail, and enter.

*Waiting for the bus for a ride to the park in the morning almost guarantees that the day will begin hot and sweaty.

*The wait time in leaving the parks at closing (which is what I do) can be a lengthy, hot experience. The monorail and tram wait can be quicker than some the buses.

*The drive back to the resort in my car involves sitting comfortably, air conditioning, quiet, and the scent of my family's body odor without the aid of fifty other varieties.

I believe that preference is a matter of personal opinion, so take this post as a simple opinion, but I don't have any great love for the buses.
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I couldn't agree more. And I might add that it may in fact be your (our) opinion, but you just backed it with some cold hard facts. :)
 
flynnibus

flynnibus

Premium Member
GoofGoof said:
If you are staying off property:
Drive to Poly and park.
Take monorail to MK.
Save $15 and your time plus no parking tram.
This only works about half the time. Less than half at Contemporary.
Click to expand...

And people that advocate taking advantage of other's flexibility deserve any crap they get elsewhere.
 
bella1620

bella1620

New Member
ive been to disney world 35 times in my life 20 years of existence, and i must say i hated when my parents would drive to the park when i was a kid.. the disney bus just has that smell( kinda hard to explain) but i feel as if my vacation is never complete without riding the disney buses or monorail. i dont care how long the wait is or how late it actually is. its totally worth it!
 
bubbles1812

bubbles1812

Well-Known Member
Always take the buses. I think for my family, it just helped complete the Disney experience...neither of my parents wanted to worry about driving/finding the car/paying extra to park (We are from way too far away to make the trip driving comfortably). I know people have their horror stories of having to wait for the bus for super long periods of time but we never have experienced that. We rose early to avoid that 9-11 rush and hang out at the parks as late as they'll let you (if we wanted to see the end of the night shows that is). And the buses during the day never seemed to be jam packed. I think the buses are just more about timing. If you run on a similar clock to how most other people think you'll always get the jammed buses and long waits. The few times we were on packed buses I guess I always figured there are way worst things than being packed fairly close for 20 or so minutes so I never minded. Though I understand how that could bother some people.
 

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