Resort to Resort Transportation

[Invero]

Okay folks... I'm just curious about something. This is just something that I was thinking of. I'm a transit freak :king: This is what I do for fun, in my spare time... LOL...

I know Resort to Resort transportation is not exaclty convenient, with having to switch here and there, especially with Downtown Disney being congested as it is.

What I am thinking of, is a few designated Resort Loop busses. The busses would run during the evening, on the hour, and cover areas. (They might not run on the :00 mark... but approx once an hour... maybe every 45 mins... there would be set times that the bus would arrive, so that you're not aimlessly waiting)

"Areas" would be the following (might be tweaked)

MK Resorts = FW, WL, Co, Po, GF
Epcot Resorts = Swan, Dolphin, Yacht, Beach, & Boardwalk
DAK Resorts = All Stars, AK Lodge
Studios Resorts = Caribbean, Coronado
DTD Resorts = Port Orleans (RS & FQ), Old Key West


Busses would pick up at the MK Resorts for the Epcot Resorts... and then would go pick up at the Epcot Resorts, and drop off for the MK Resorts. And back and forth. This would provide direct Resort to Resort transportation during peak dinner hours with no transfers. It would require 10 routes... Not sure how many busses, that would depend on frequency, breaks, and demand. Run it from like 5:00pm-11:00pm... This would help out greatly to alleviate congestion from Downtown Disney.

The Downside to this, is that the busses would be on set schedules. So, in the chance that a bus might fill up, not sure how that would work. With actually guest traffic flow data, and proper planning, Im sure it could be worked around and figured out how to divert units to proper locations. Another downside is that the busses would be stopping at all the resorts in its location. For example, MK Resorts, the bus would travel to Fort Wilderness (Settlement Depot), and then onto Wilderness Lodge, then Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian. It's really not as bad as one might think... and it does avoid the transfer.

At any rate... Vote on the poll, and give me feedback. Ideas, suggestions, constructive critisizm, whatnot.


DISCLAIMER: I am conducting this poll for my own personal curiosity. My proposed transportation routes are simply an idea that I created. Disney currently has no plans that I know of to do such a thing. Once again, this is just something I am curious about. Results and/or feedback may or may not be passed on to Disney Transport management, if I decide to pitch the idea to the Constant Improvement Process committee.

 

[jmarc63]

Tyler

First you know my feeling on the busses. But the busses are her to stay for a while at least.

Anyway. you plan has merit. The only thing I want to bring up is the original concept for the TTC. wasn't all transpotation supposed to interchange there?

Maybe there shold be a "TTC" in each area and an express bus route to each "TTC" with the most popular stops having Point-to-Point busses or Express busses to thoes points. Either way there probably be waiting for busses at some times. Just a thought

 

[Worldphile]

My wife and I like to visit the other resorts when we are in WDW. Especially around Christmas time. So, resort to resort transportation would be cool, IMHO.

But. How much resort to resort traffic is there really? I could see around breakfast time for people who want to go t oa character breakfast at another reosrt. And around dinner time for people that want to eat dinner at another resort.

Even in those cases, traffic would mainly be one way. (i.e. I can't think too many people would leave the Contemporary to have breakfast at the All-Stars) So, you might be able to build some efficiency in that way.

I also think that an hour is too long. If I am at Boardwalk, and want to go to the WL, I could walk to Epcot and catch the bus to WL. Or, if I'm anywhere else, I can catch the next theme park bus that comes along and use that as a transfer point to get to my next resort. For example, if I'm at the Beach club and want to go to AKL and a MK bus comes by, I'll just grab it and then switch to the AKL bus at the MK (or MGM, or AK, or DTD, or whatever bus came along.) Even going via the MK, I'd still get to the AKL before the hour transpired for the next resort to resort bus to come by.

In any event, I think it is worth thinking about, I just don't think the demand is there to sustain it.

 

[Lance]

It's a great idea, and I don't know why it hasn't already been done...

For the people like me, who like to visit all of the WDW resorts, we either have to catch a different resort bus at a park or DD. So it would be a lot easier for resort hoppers. Love the idea, hope I'll see it some day.

 

[Invero]

Originally posted by Worldphile
But. How much resort to resort traffic is there really?

I thought about the same thing as well... And during the majority of the day, there really isn't a lot. However, during peak dinner times, certain areas draw large crowds. For example, Chef Mickeys at the Contemporary, the Polynesian Luau, and the Hoop Dee Doo Revue at FW. AK Lodge attracts a lot of folks with its restaurants, as well as the Boardwalk, and the Yacht/Beach Club. Being large resorts, these folks typically come from CBR, PO, and ASR.

Currently, most of them head to the resort by connecting at a theme park. This is fine, because theme park busses can handle the extra capacity. But when the parks close, all that capacity flows onto Downtown Disney, which is congested enough as it is. During dinner exit time, the East and West busses get bogged down... (FW/WL = East, Co/Po/GF = West) and often times fill up before reaching all thier stops. This also slows down the bus, and gets it behind schedule.

Demand can fluxuate with traffic directions, as well as when shows get out, which is I wasn't suggesting busses every XX mins, as the current routes go, but rather on a fixed schedule. For example, if you're at the All Star Sport, the MK Resorts bus would be scheduled to come at 7:15. That will bring you over to Fort Wilderness for the Hoop Dee Doo. At 10:05, just after the Hoop Dee Doo, the AK Resorts bus will be scheduled to take you back to the All Stars. Something like that...

So, instead of all the Hoop Dee Doo people trying to cram into one DTD bus, making the FW guests have to wait... you now have the HDD folks spread among the resort busses.

 

[Cosmo]

admittedly, i'm in the lucky minority of people who live close to disney. If i want to go from resort to resort, i usually just hop in my car and drive. Same goes for most of the parks too, its just quicker to get there myself. Especially epcot, the parking lot is pretty small and i can just walk up, which makes it easy to take a monorail over to mk also!

 

[MassFan]

I am someone who makes dinner reservations at other resorts than the one I am staying at. I think this is a great idea. Should have been thought of long ago.

:sohappy:

 

[Mr. Toad]

I also like to make dinner reservations at the other resorts so this would be good for me. This year I rented a car just so we could get to the other resorts in an easy manner.

But it would be nice to not have to worry about driving back to my hotel (or making bus transfers) after having a bottle of wine with dinner.

 

[Rdedeian]

I would love to see that.

 

[wannabeBelle]

hey Tyler, pretty awesome idea. My Mom and I are going to come and visit Oct 24th. My sister and brother in law are going also but are not staying at the same resort. This makes for some very complex meetings for breakfast/Parks/whatever!!! I tried to explain to my sister how complicated getting from resort to resort by Bus can be. Isnt it about 1 hour to go to a park and transfer to another resorts bus now? Nice to know the Disney cast members are being creative and thinnking out of the box!!! Belle

 

[Big Pooh]

Hi Tyler :wave: I have'nt voted yet because I'm a little ignorant on the subject. :hammer: Some would say I'm ignorant on a LOT of subjects, but that's a discussion for another day, or another thread.:animwink:

First, a few questions, since it's been a few years since I've been to WDW. The good news is, I'm finally going back in Jan.

I know Resort to Resort transportation is not exaclty convenient, with having to switch here and there, especially with Downtown Disney being congested as it is.

We're staying offsite, at Comfort Inn LBV, which is fairly close to DTD, and I gather that DTD is a Transfer point for the buses. How congested is it? I don't have a lot of confidence in hotel shuttle service, so I was thinking maybe we could use the Disney buses from DTD.

Also, we'll be there Super Bowl Sunday. We're still trying to decide where to watch the game. ESPN Club is gonna be PACKED!!!!! We were thinking about watching the game at The All Star Cafe at WWoS. How do we get there from CI LBV? Any suggestions on other places to watch the game are also welcome.

I would also like to do some resort hopping on one or two evenings since the parks close early. How inconvenient is it? Say I want to go from WL to AKL, as an example. Do I bus to the TTC and tranfer there, or do I need to go to DTD and transfer there?

That's enough questions for now. I'm sure I'll think of more to ask later.

Cheers:wave:

 

[rosie.ca]

well on my trip last week we went to the poly 2 times (one breckfast and 1 dinner) and animal kingdom loge one time for dinner we wanted to check out the wilderness lodge but after how much time and energy it drained off us to do the other 3 trips i would love to go to all the hotels it gives people the opportunity to see where they may want to visit next time and have dinner out

 

[Invero]

Originally posted by Big Pooh
We're staying offsite, at Comfort Inn LBV, which is fairly close to DTD, and I gather that DTD is a Transfer point for the buses. How congested is it? I don't have a lot of confidence in hotel shuttle service, so I was thinking maybe we could use the Disney buses from DTD.

Typically, this is strongly discouraged by Disney. (And is part of the reason the TTC route was eliminated) I can't remember, but that's one of the Hotel Plaza hotels, right?

I witnessed an incident with one of the Hotel Plaza shuttle busses awhile ago, and after seeing that, I personally wouldn't set foot on one of thier busses. As I do not know the whole entire story, and out of fairness, I won't say what I saw.

Originally posted by Big Pooh
Also, we'll be there Super Bowl Sunday. We're still trying to decide where to watch the game. ESPN Club is gonna be PACKED!!!!! We were thinking about watching the game at The All Star Cafe at WWoS. How do we get there from CI LBV? Any suggestions on other places to watch the game are also welcome.

I would also like to do some resort hopping on one or two evenings since the parks close early. How inconvenient is it? Say I want to go from WL to AKL, as an example. Do I bus to the TTC and tranfer there, or do I need to go to DTD and transfer there?

To answer your first question, there is limited bus service to the WWoS, provided only from the Disney-MGM Studios. It is a limited service, and hours do vary, so make sure to ask the driver what time the last bus is.

As for Resort to Resort... currently, one needs to transfer at a hub... a Hub would be MK, Epcot, Studios, DAK, or Downtown Disney.

 

[DisneyWorldGuru]

I love the idea! It would make pool hopping... **cough** I mean eating at resorts easier.

LOL! Talk them into it Tyler


Also Tyler, were you driving buses last week from or to the Wilderness?

 

[Invero]

Originally posted by DisneyWorldGuru
Also Tyler, were you driving buses last week from or to the Wilderness?

I beleive I had a few FW/WL runs

 

[DisneyWorldGuru]

Ok, you might have been my driver. I was not sure so I did not want to say anything, plus it was a full bus.

One driver was very rude though, I was at MGM in the cold rain, waiting on the bus after Fantismic was canceled. We went to get on a the guy in front of us was blocking the door. He said the driver said not to let anyone on. This was while the driver was helping a person in a wheel chair. I figured if he was worried about someone stealing his bus. But the bus was filled with people who could have taken it just as easy as someone getting on. He also took his good old time while we were waiting in the rain. Except for him all of my drivers were great. One even pointed out the deer along the road to FW at night.

 

[mkfan23]

while on the subject, what would be the best way to get to chef mickeys for ps at 8:15 am from the allstars. I made the arrangements a couple of months ago, but it sounds like it might not be worth the trouble.

 

[Invero]

Take the Magic Kingdom Character Breakfast bus... starts running at 7:00am

 

[mkfan23]

Originally posted by Fantasia Boi
Take the Magic Kingdom Character Breakfast bus... starts running at 7:00am [/QUO
that sounds great. Where can I find more info about this?
thanks

 

[Talsonic]

Thanks Tyler!

Tyler, you really hit a sore point with me. The bus system at WDW is great. However, I always avoid the TTC like the plague! As an "experienced" guest, I know better. However, the first time I went to WDW I almost gave up on the place due to the TTC. In all honesty, I like it now because the "newbies" end up wasting so much time there while the rest of us can enjoy the MK. I know that is cruel for me to say but, oh well. Your idea of direct resort to resort transportation is great! As you know, some drivers are kind enough to provide this service if conditions permit. WDW bus drivers have always gone out of their way to help in my experience and will change the route to help a guest. That's service! Hope to see you during our September trip.