Magical Express

On Aug 13, 12:30 pm, Rudeney <rude...@mickeypics.com> wrote:
> disneyfannj wrote:
> > I've given up on using any bus service at Disney of any kind.  It's not
> > there as a "guest enhancement", it's there to stop guests from renting a car
> > and leaving Disney property at all, making sure they squeeze every dollar
> > out of you.  
>
> I would agree that ME is there for that purpose, but the intra-property
> buses have been around since way before ME.  I have never been to WDW
> without a car (either my own or a rental), but always take the buses to
> the parks.

And I'm exactly the opposite. I almost never have a car at WDW. In the
years I did rent a car, more often than not, it sat in the parking lot
collecting dust.

>
> > I know money is a factor for many families when they go to WDW, but
> > seriously - when you go on vacation, do you want to wait around for a bus?
>
> No, but I also don't want to have to wait in line behind other cars
> trying to get into the parking lot first thing in the day, or wait in
> line to be directed to a parking spot, then wait on a tram to get to the
>   gate,

Or have to deal with traffic, rude drivers, etc. I get that every day
at home. I don't need it on vacation. I guess I'm a bit spoiled in
that, since joining DVC, we stay almost exclusively at an Epcot resort
so... we walk to Epcot and the Studios. We bus to MK but almost
everyone agrees that's easier than driving. That just leaves AK which
is usually only once or twice per trip.

I know buses can be a hassle getting from resort to resort but I
honestly have never considered it to be difficult. In some respects,
it's almost a challenge to find the best means of transportation
between A and B.

>
> > Do you want to get your hotel room and wait for hours on end for your
> > luggage to arrive?
>
> Waiting for luggage would only be an issue with ME.  And no, I don't
> care much for that so I guess I probably would not use ME.  

In many cases, your room isn't ready on checkin so, having your
luggage but no room is not a great benefit. I know I heard the war
stories of people waiting for their luggage for lengthy periods but I
have to believe those are the significant minority. In my personal
experience with ME (4 times), the luggage has always been there within
a very reasonable amount of time (usually when we return from lunch, a
park, etc.).

>
> > I recently made an 8am breakfast reservation for mid - December at the
> > Animal Kingdom.  The cast member taking the reservation didn't' even give me
> > the "be sure to make plenty of time to get there on the bus from your
> > resort".  He simply started off asking if I would have a car because that
> > pretty much the only way I would get there on time.  
>
> That's odd.  There should be no AR's available before park opening,

They have allowed early ADRs for character breakfasts for some time
(CRT, Donald's Breakfastasaurus, etc.)

> > The bus service has
> > been up and down for years, but it's currently in a major downward spiral -
> > 30-45 minutes to get to a park?  Give me a break.  
>
> That does seem to be what it takes.  I generally plan on a 45-minute
> trip from the time I leave my resort room.  Most of the time it;s
> shorter, and almost never longer.

Agree. I've taken scores of WDW bus rides and can count on one hand
the number of times the wait or ride has been excessive.

> > I'll be
> > driving to all parks from now on - only way I'll feel like my schedule is my
> > own on vacation.
>
> Many people do that.  I do drive to the water parks, Downtown Disney,
> and often between resorts for dining (unless they are close to a park
> where I plan to be before and after the meal).  Once when staying at The
> Contemporary, we walked out to the bus stop headed for AK.  The bus
> wasn't there and yet, and I noticed my car was parked just a few steps
> away, so I decided to drive.  As I was pulling out of the lot, the AK
> bus was pulling in.  Knowing that it had to unload, then load, and stop
> at the TTC, I figured I'd be well ahead by driving.  Guess what?  The
> guests on the bus were in the park at least five minutes ahead of us
> because of the time it took to navigate the toll booth and parking lot,
> then walk (didn't wait for the tram) to the gate.

I've seen similar things happen but, very few people believe that
until they try it themselves. Driving always *seems* faster because
you're always in motion (driving, parking, walking, etc.) while a bus
ride may involve sitting and waiting.

>
> I spend over an hour a day in my car commuting to work and back (and
> it's less than 9 miles each way).  I have a very nice car and enjoy
> driving it, but when I go on vacation, I'm certainly ready to let
> someone else do the driving, even if that might sometimes add 20 minutes
> to the trip.

Amen.

I agree with Rudeney and Steve but woul dlike to add the following:

>I've given up on using any bus service at Disney of any kind. It's not
>there as a "guest enhancement", it's there to stop guests from renting a car
>and leaving Disney property at all, making sure they squeeze every dollar
>out of you.

It is obvious that this is an attempt to keep the dollars on site.
However, you can still rent a car for a day or two to go off site if
you wish and save money at the same time. Or as in my case you can
save over a hundred dollars that you may have used on a car service.

>I know money is a factor for many families when they go to WDW, but
>seriously - when you go on vacation, do you want to wait around for a bus?
>Do you want to get your hotel room and wait for hours on end for your
>luggage to arrive?
You can use ME and still retrieve and carry your own luggage if you
wish too. Just don't utilize the ME luggage tags and then retrieve
your luggage prior to checking into ME.

Darren

> No, but I also don't want to have to wait in line behind other cars
> trying to get into the parking lot first thing in the day, or wait in
> line to be directed to a parking spot, then wait on a tram to get to the
>   gate, then wait in line at the attractions, but I guess I just have to
> do that when at WDW.


Honestly, when we rent a car and drive to all the parks we really
don't wait for anything. It's not a hassle trying to get into the
parking lot, being directed to a spot, or getting a tram. There have
been virtually not wait times for any of these three things in all our
trips. I would much rather drive everywhere than wait on the Disney
busses which has been a nightmare for us when we've done it in the
past couple of years. As far as waiting in lines for rides, that's
another story!



> Waiting for luggage would only be an issue with ME.  And no, I don't
> care much for that so I guess I probably would not use ME.

We've found ME to be hit or miss. We waited an hour for a bus to take
us to Pop. My son didn't wait at all for a bus to POR.

On Aug 13, 2:33 pm, Rudeney <rude...@mickeypics.com> wrote:
> Steve Russo wrote:
> > On Aug 13, 12:30 pm, Rudeney <rude...@mickeypics.com> wrote:
>
> >> That's odd.  There should be no AR's available before park opening,
>
> > They have allowed early ADRs for character breakfasts for some time
> > (CRT, Donald's Breakfastasaurus, etc.)
>
> Really?  Not just at EMH opening?  I remember making a PS for CRT that
> was right at opening, but that was the earliest time slot.  Since the
> buses begin running an hour before the earliest park opening, I guess I
> could see how making an early ADR could be a problem.  Or, do they have
> special buses for early ADR's?
>
Yes, it's true. I can't quote you policy but breakfast ADRs would
start 30-60 minutes prior to park opening. For example, at the MK you
would need to enter via turnstiles on the far left. A CM there with a
clipboard would check your name against the reservation list and allow
you entry.

I never really did this so I can't speak to the transportation but...
I have read reports from folks that would board a bus at a stop and
have the driver drop them at the Contemporary (for Chef Mickey's). I
have also been at a bus stop early morning when an unmarked bus would
stop and the driver would ask where we were headed...

On Aug 13, 3:21�pm, Peppermint Patty <cinderella...m> wrote:
> > No, but I also don't want to have to wait in line behind other cars
> > trying to get into the parking lot first thing in the day, or wait in
> > line to be directed to a parking spot, then wait on a tram to get to the
> > � gate, then wait in line at the attractions, but I guess I just have to
> > do that when at WDW.
>
> Honestly, when we rent a car and drive to all the parks we really
> don't wait for anything. �It's not a hassle trying to get into the
> parking lot, being directed to a spot, or getting a tram. �There have
> been virtually not wait times for any of these three things in all our
> trips. �I would much rather drive everywhere than wait on the Disney
> busses which has been a nightmare for us when we've done it in the
> past couple of years. �As far as waiting in lines for rides, that's
> another story!
>
> > Waiting for luggage would only be an issue with ME. �And no, I don't
> > care much for that so I guess I probably would not use ME.
>
> We've found ME to be hit or miss. �We waited an hour for a bus to take
> us to Pop. �My son didn't wait at all for a bus to POR.

I would say I have done both ways and sometimes no problems parking at
the parks---MK usually take buses since you skip the TTC. I also have
had the experience of having to park in far away spaces even late in
the day even if some closer spots have opened up and the parking crews
won't let you go to those spots and having to wait on the trams to get
to the front gates and back to your car.

> Really?  Not just at EMH opening?  I remember making a PS for CRT that
> was right at opening, but that was the earliest time slot.  Since the
> buses begin running an hour before the earliest park opening, I guess I
> could see how making an early ADR could be a problem.  Or, do they have
> special buses for early ADR's?


We've had ADRs at the Crystal Palace before park opening and we had no
trouble getting into the park. There is a special entrance just for
folks who have dining reservations. However, I might add that we were
about half an hour late because of the bus service!!!!

"Rudeney" <rudeney@mickeypics.com> wrote in message
news:g7v9e4$ts2$1@registered.motzarella.org...
> Steve Russo wrote:
>> On Aug 13, 12:30 pm, Rudeney <rude...@mickeypics.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> That's odd. There should be no AR's available before park opening,
>>
>> They have allowed early ADRs for character breakfasts for some time
>> (CRT, Donald's Breakfastasaurus, etc.)
>
> Really? Not just at EMH opening? I remember making a PS for CRT that was
> right at opening, but that was the earliest time slot. Since the buses
> begin running an hour before the earliest park opening, I guess I could
> see how making an early ADR could be a problem. Or, do they have special
> buses for early ADR's?
>
> --
Although I haven't actually done a breakfast ADR in a park (yet), it's my
understanding that there are special buses for early ADR's (or at least that
all buses start running an hour before park opening, including EMH
openings).