Improving buses… can anything be done?

[PhotoDave219]

I've timed the whole "bus vs renting a car" situation. The only time renting a car makes sense is Animal Kingdom, and going resort to resort (except the MK area resorts where the boat or monorail is superior). In all other cases, door-to-door, it was slower to bring a car.

I Wholeheartedly disagree. I can get to resort to park as well as park hop significantly faster in my car then Disney buses.

I also take faster routes than the buses and have the dynamic ability to change my mind midstream of where I am going.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I guess what I'm suggesting is that they adopt a logical plan like any efficient mass transit system, where they have a schedule and their patrons can know that schedule. As in any effective system, buses are managed for efficiency and normally wouldn't just travel between pt A and pt B. Nowadays, many mass transit options even offer real time info...like you'd expect with train service...i.e. the 10:20a bus is running 3 min late. Even a transportation app would be a welcome addition. It just seems illogical to run such a large bus transport service for their hotels, parks, and other points without even a simple schedule for guests. Their bus service is a larger operation than some small cities, but the info- or lack there of- given to guests makes it one of the bigger uncertainties when planning your days.

I also suggest this b/c our biggest wait at WL was a result of incorrect info in their systems. We waited 45 min b/c the system said a bus had been there at 7:15am. The handful of people who had been out there with us since 7am knew this was also not the case - i.e. that bus never showed. At least in a well functioning bus system, they track the buses and schedules well enough with simple tracking to know if that bus actually made its scheduled stop. Now, I'm sure they use something...and everything has the possibility of malfunction...which may have been the case that morning. Still- if there had been any kind of schedule and real time updates- we would have known sooner rather than later that there was a problem.

OK, sorry, I read it incorrectly. They have the capability now with onboard GPS. someone knows where each bus is at all times. They could incorporate that just like thousands of public transit companys do right now. A simple App. would tell you exactly where your bus is and when it should arrive or at the very least you would be able to see how far away it is.

It still relies on a human factor of a driver remembering to change his sign, but that is a small problem. It does happen occasionally.

 

[righttrack]

I Wholeheartedly disagree. I can get to resort to park as well as park hop significantly faster in my car then Disney buses.

I also take faster routes than the buses and have the dynamic ability to change my mind midstream of where I am going.

Your last sentence is the key differentiator. I don't know better ways, just the way the GPS sends me. I think that's why my results and likely most people's differ from your own.

 

[muteki]

OK, sorry, I read it incorrectly. They have the capability now with onboard GPS. someone knows where each bus is at all times. They could incorporate that just like thousands of public transit companys do right now. A simple App. would tell you exactly where your bus is and when it should arrive or at the very least you would be able to see how far away it is.

It still relies on a human factor of a driver remembering to change his sign, but that is a small problem. It does happen occasionally.

Exactly. Like you said, if they posted wait times that were only aligned with a schedule that was met only in the most ideal of situations, it would be arbitrary and there would be little point to do it. But with onboard GPS, you can have real-time waits that are representative of reality.

If a bus gets in traffic or there are other issues, the wait times would increase (or stand still), but really you are going to have unhappy guests either way, might as well be honest to them.

 

[ddbowdoin]

I honestly feel bad for Disney.... they have to keep re-working busses to keep up with how much larger the wheelchairs are becoming.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Your last sentence is the key differentiator. I don't know better ways, just the way the GPS sends me. I think that's why my results and likely most people's differ from your own.

I guess it has to do with how many times you have been there and if you drove most of the time. I come in from an unmarked entrance (employee entrance probably) off 192. It's not very scenic unless you consider a huge power station scenic. I don't see the big arch welcoming me to WDW, but I do get places quickly.

How did I find them since I don't know any CM's? Easy! I explore! I know that I am never going to be far away from anything and I pay attention to how I got there and if all else fails, I turn around and backtrack. Whenever I go there for a number of days, there is always one day that I consider a down day. It's a day to rest my feet and other tired areas and ride around in my car, just to see what is there. Doing that I have, over the years, found my way around not only WDW but most of the surrounding area of WDW as well. To me a Disney trip is more than just constantly seeing a giant mouse wandering around, it is the whole thing. The sights and sounds of a very vibrant area.

I have been to WDW 40 times since 1983 and most of that I traveled from Vermont to Florida mostly by automobile and almost as many times via airplane w/car rental. I refuse to be without the ability to escape the magic. Also because I almost always stay off-site. Save a lot of money both in room rates and meals, enough to pay for the parking and the rental and still have a lot left over. That way I can have the best of all worlds. I can go when and where I want to instantly. No waiting for buses, no squeezing in with 60 other hot, sweaty people. If I want to go to Universal, no hassles are involved with transportation, I jump in my car and go. Wouldn't have it any other way. Besides I have this mental block. I love Disney Parks, I really do, but, I have absolutely no intention of leaving every cent I have with the mouse. He's rich enough already.

 

[flynnibus]

The last bus that went through, lets say WL will, in all likelihood not return again for quite a while or even the same day. The runs are shuffled to help prevent one area from continuously having late buses. If they didn't and the bus, for whatever reason, got delayed 20 minutes, it would stay that way all day long. It can never catch up because the times are based on research on how long it takes to get from point A to point B. That is constant. So a bus that ran from WL to MK, will probably not return to WL at least not right away. However, a bus that just loaded at POP and went to Epcot, may be the next bus you see at WL. If that one didn't get delayed then you will see them on time, if it did, it could be any amount late. There is no real purpose in posting arrival times, beyond every half hour or something like that, then it is arbitrary and is there when it arrives, not when you think it will.

The real world is not as constrained as this - because you have dynamic allocation of buses and routes - not just static buses with delays that are never cleared. Even in true city bus routes with buses stuck on long circuits - you can get very reliable arrival information. This is already deployed around the world - there is nothing to question the validity of.. it works and is available. The system is real-time and updates as dispatches and buses change.

In my second home of Oslo.. there are arrival time boards at all bus/tram/subway stops that show the upcoming buses and counts down the number of minutes til the bus arrives. There are times when a bus that was coming.. is dropped.. and the board updates to show that. These are just simple 3 or 4 line LED boards and they work great. On top of that, the info is available on the web as well.

 

[flynnibus]

Plus it wouldn't be "equal" opportunity. It would be specifically targeted and not what the "spirit" (sorry to have to use that in a different vane) of ADA is all about.

Separate buses has met compliance requirements all over. They are legal alternatives. They just aren't very effective because it is difficult to get the response time on par with normal service.. at all locations.. for the lower volume.. and still do it cost effective.

Disney however is an anomaly due to the high volume of ECVs tho. There is something to be said for an alternative that could include 'shared shuttles' for ECVs at high density, high congestion locations.

Imagine if for efficiency we do this...
- for routes from resorts to parks.. you ride the normal bus
- for routes from parks (high congestion) ECVs are routed to dedicated buses which can hold more users.. but are shared routes like a super shuttle

Now, such a separation would likely come under scrutiny - but if you could implement it in a way that equates to better service for both parties.. it might be tolerated.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Did i miss something? What does this have to do with the topic?

The thread title at a guess. As for relevance Im simply pointing out that non US manufacturers make vehicles that would perform the role at Disney more efficiently than the fleet currently used.