PHOTOS - Grand Floridian bus stop now equipped with transportation schedule screen

[muteki]

I tend to avoid riding the buses but something like this would alleviate one of my annoyances. Really should have been there from the get go. Lets see how well they stick to it.

 

[RunnerEd]

The tech that they are showing is old, limited, and (in my opinion) lame. I have been on University campuses that show the same information but also depict the bus location on a map. For the 3 Universities that I have seen there is also a smart phone app that the students can download and utilize. If this is a test, I hope this is the first phase and they use up to date tech. With all of that being said, it's better than nothing.

 

[Tom]

This is WONDERFUL! I can save them the cost of those Disney Research CMs and just tell them to implement this property-wide and make it work right. That's it. The guests approve - no need to take surveys on it!

I've been preaching about the need for this for years. West Lafayette's (Indiana) bus system - which also services Purdue's campus - has digital boards at the campus bus stops that say when the next "Silver Loop" will be there. Why WDW is just now doing this is beyond me.

I also like the extra column for park status, and the weather info at the bottom. Those are way to "plus" this feature. You can be reminded of a park's hours if you don't have a times guide with you, and since weather can be different all over property, it would be nice to know it's raining in DAK if you're at the GF. It definitely looks nicer than just a big digital display board like the Tip Boards in Epcot.

Of course the times are never going to be perfect, since traffic varies and wrecks can block a bus. But this type of system caters to our nature as humans. If you're sitting there and are waiting on a bus....even if that bus comes in 5 minutes, it FEELS like it's been an hour. If you're watching a timer change on a TV screen (even if it's wrong), you have something to look at and allow your mind to base your actions on something. It eliminates the unknown - which is all their bus system is right now.

Sure, lots of bugs to work out, but the system they use to run, track and dispatch buses has had this capability for a while, and I'm glad they're FINALLY starting to do something intelligent with it.

 

[bgraham34]

I saw this last month when we were passing through. I was surprised to see it and then i completely forgot about it until now.

 

[cspencer96]

The tech that they are showing is old, limited, and (in my opinion) lame. I have been on University campuses that show the same information but also depict the bus location on a map. For the 3 Universities that I have seen there is also a smart phone app that the students can download and utilize. If this is a test, I hope this is the first phase and they use up to date tech. With all of that being said, it's better than nothing.

I believe one of the campuses you are referring to would be The UA? The systems used by CrimsonRide and DisneyTransport are identical in every way, right down to the GPS systems from Clever Devices. And anyone who has ever used Crimson Ride knows that, while UA touts its reliability and fast service, it is a guarantee to get you where you are going as slow and as late as possible. The UA Office of IT implemented digital signage working with Clever Devices, and it really does not look good at all. Sometimes a bus will be sitting at a stop, but the signs will say they are at Bryant-Denny or the transit hub - and will continue to say that for hours. The only time the system appears to work correctly is when it is busiest - on football game days. Why? Because on those days there is only one route (sometimes two or three, if needed) and the signs are turned off other than a few placed in the Ferguson Student Center.

 

[JWG]

This could be integrated into My Disney Experience. GPS location data not only broadcasted to the individual stop, but the app. Then you could time your room departure, etc. This alone is a MUCH needed step as I've been nothing but aggravated waiting 20 minutes for a bus. But, could be the foundation for so much more.

 

[RunnerEd]

I believe one of the campuses you are referring to would be The UA? The systems used by CrimsonRide and DisneyTransport are identical in every way, right down to the GPS systems from Clever Devices. And anyone who has ever used Crimson Ride knows that, while UA touts its reliability and fast service, it is a guarantee to get you where you are going as slow and as late as possible. The UA Office of IT implemented digital signage working with Clever Devices, and it really does not look good at all. Sometimes a bus will be sitting at a stop, but the signs will say they are at Bryant-Denny or the transit hub - and will continue to say that for hours. The only time the system appears to work correctly is when it is busiest - on football game days. Why? Because on those days there is only one route (sometimes two or three, if needed) and the signs are turned off other than a few placed in the Ferguson Student Center.

UA's system isn't one of the ones I was talking about. However, I completely agree with your assessment of Crimson Ride; the system isn't that great. I have a former student who said that the mobile app works much better than the posted signage which I don't understand how that's possible since it's the same data set. I'd never noticed it but now that I think about it, you're right; most of the monitors are off on game day.

I work with ESRI software professionally and have seen what they do with fleet tracking. It works quite well where I've seen it. I don't think a bus system the size of Disney's would cause it much trouble. They track fleets of thousands across the entire continent.

 

[Mukta]

This is fantastic. I hope that it is installed at the Beach Club soon.
I would also like some way to access this information from my room, smart phone etc. Maybe a tv channel at my resort that shows the bus times?

 

[djlaosc]

This is fantastic. I hope that it is installed at the Beach Club soon.
I would also like some way to access this information from my room, smart phone etc. Maybe a tv channel at my resort that shows the bus times?

Yeah, a TV Channel would be a good idea - and we already know that they can have a different channel for each hotel as they have a channel about each hotel!