Yacht/Beach Club/ Disney Bus System almost caused a brawl

[FastPasser.]

Resorts used to have some cast member monitors at the bus stops... do they not have that any more? Or maybe it's daytime only.

I don't know if they still have them but I do remember those CMs. The white shirted CMs were there only during the AM rush. AFAIK, their main function was to record what buses showed up and when. They helped Guests wherever they could or relay lack of buses to their leaders. Not sure if those requests ever made it to bus transportation. The busiest locations such as Pop Century and All Stars were being watched on monitors by remote dispatchers. They were the ones controlling the flow of buses. Buses were staged at nearby parking lots waiting to be called by bus ops CMs.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I don't know if they still have them but I do remember those CMs. The white shirted CMs were there only during the AM rush. AFAIK, their main function was to record what buses showed up and when. They helped Guests wherever they could or relay lack of buses to their leaders. Not sure if those requests ever made it to bus transportation. The busiest locations such as Pop Century and All Stars were being watched on monitors by remote dispatchers. They were the ones controlling the flow of buses. Buses were staged at nearby parking lots waiting to be called by bus ops CMs.

I remember them, and I remember that all of the ones I met were College Program CMs. When I first read this, I thought "Boy, sounds like they're really needed back!"

 

[UVACHRIS11]

Spring is a nightmare to get to by bus which is unfortunate because its becoming the only option for decent food. We had really good luck with the bus to springs last week from BC, but we had the LYFT app at the ready.

 

[Sara W]

People are also walking to BC to use the DS bus if there's a long line for the Epcot Skyliner at the end of the night.

 

[UVACHRIS11]

That skyliner line often goes past the quiet pool after EPCOT closes.

 

[CarolMN]

People are also walking to BC to use the DS bus if there's a long line for the Epcot Skyliner at the end of the night.

That skyliner line often goes past the quiet pool after EPCOT closes.

But at least the skyliner line keeps moving. I'd wait rather than wait for a DS bus and then transfer to the resort. It would be quicker IMO, and no wondering when that bus will show up!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

That's been the DS bus situation forever in our experience, not a recent fail, just an always fail. It's why we pretty much only go there if staying at SSR or OKW or if we drive a car.

 

[princesscinderella]

I came across this article on my apple news feed giving inside tips and parking at DS to avoid the fee is on the list
https://apple.news/A7GF0nmSbSnyYyrGmNUz57g

 

[FastPasser.]

I came across this article on my apple news feed giving inside tips and parking at DS to avoid the fee is on the list

So two years as CM makes you an expert in all things WDW. I wish I had known. Sure you can avoid the parking fee by doing what she wrote but as a non expert who's been a CM for only 22 years, pay the parking fee, it's worth the convience. It's a small percentage of the total cost of the entire trip.

 

[JFDIS]

Almost every business I know of in Florida is suffering because they are understaffed. People are not applying to positions that pay them less than the current unemployment. I suspect this is the reason. A lot of restaurants in my area are closed one day a week because of this. Just my guess that there are not enough drivers.

 

[supersnoop]

I came across this article on my apple news feed giving inside tips and parking at DS to avoid the fee is on the list
https://apple.news/A7GF0nmSbSnyYyrGmNUz57g

I was just reading that myself and trying to figure out how to respond to that terrible advice. Buses from DS to parks and back? LOL.

 

[princesscinderella]

I was just reading that myself and trying to figure out how to respond to that terrible advice. Buses from DS to parks and back? LOL.

The only tip worthwhile is the free water.

 

[M:SpilotISTC12]

Just got back today from a stay at AKL Jambo. Last Saturday we waited 45 min for a bus to DS. Jambo was pretty much a ghost town. So I just wonder if maybe they just don't send as many buses since the resort is mostly closed. Anything with DS seems like a dumpster fire. The crowds were unbelievable. You'd never believe that we're in the middle of a pandemic. It was too many people for normal times. But the bussing situation is way less than desirable. I'll have to give JH another shot when things get back to 100% normal. It wouldn't be fair to judge it so harshly based on COVID busing.

 

[FastPasser.]

So I just wonder if maybe they just don't send as many buses since the resort is mostly closed.

That's probably true and I assume that the entire bus fleet is not in service yet so fewer buses are available to send to the resorts for that reason.

 

[MIDisFan]

That's probably true and I assume that the entire bus fleet is not in service yet so fewer buses are available to send to the resorts for that reason.

Even if every bus was in service you’re still looking at probably less than half of available capacity on each bus. We are at Bay Lake currently but just spent 5 nights at BC and we didn’t have any issues with busses to the springs or Magic kingdom. Walked or drove everywhere else. I can see arguments breaking out at the resorts since there are no defined lines. The parks and springs have lines so not sure why people wouldn’t know who has there first. Disney transportation will always be luck of your timing.

 

[ZellyB]

That would also explain why those folks are not just uber-ing to DS after waiting an hour, if they had used that workaround to avoid the Epcot parking fee.

It strikes me this situation is also compounded by the reduced dining availability at the parks and resorts. We have been going to Disney World for years and the 2020 was the FIRST time we ever made it to Disney Springs. And we ended up getting an uber there after waiting ages with no bus and coming close to missing our reservation. In the past, we avoided Disney Springs it just never seemed worth it before to sink travel time there and back when we could just eat in the parks or at the resort we were staying at. Now, seems like every resort you go to is running with half its restaurants closed, and such limited menus that you wouldn't want to repeat the same restaurant twice.

It's one reason we like having our own car when we are there so we aren't stuck with just the dining options on Disney property. There's a wealth of restaurants that are a 15 minute drive away on Irlo Bronson hwy. Even if you don't have a car, I don't know why more people don't uber to one of those restaurants rather than going to DS. The cost savings on the food easily makes up for the cost of the uber to and from anywhere on Disney property.

 

[Pens Fan]

I can see arguments breaking out at the resorts since there are no defined lines.

I've never understood this. We used to stay at the Yacht Club a lot and it was always so stressful getting on the busses early in the morning. There was never any defined waiting queue for a particular bus so it was up to the guests to just try to be aware of who was there before you and be polite. But when we stay at WL, they have designated waiting areas for the different busses and everyone just gets in line to wait. It's so simple and I don't understand why all resorts don't have that.

 

[juju]

They absolutely need bus lines at all resorts, we are BWV and it is always so confusing who goes first. We recently stayed at POP and it was so organized and it was also easy to see how long the lines were for each park, not just a jumble of people. For a company famous for their queues, this is a fail. Also, it is so frustrating when you have been waiting for a bus back to your resort and you see more than one bus coming to pick up guests for other resorts.

 

[jdkdorn]

Many years ago, Disney provided a physical card to people who were staying at their hotels. In order to get on the resort monorail, you needed to show the card.

While it might cost something to install magic band readers at Disney Springs, the experience of the guests would be greatly enhanced by not having to deal with people parking at DS for free and filling the resort transport buses.

I have no issue with the free parking at Disney Springs, but they should have MB, App,or Key readers, on the busses to the resorts. If you are not staying on property there is no reason for you to be on a free bus to a resort. If city busses can have pass scanners the WDW busses can too. Seriously they make you prove you are staying at YC/BC/BCV to use the pool, this is not much harder. This would end the issue completely.

 

[nursemelis374]

They absolutely need bus lines at all resorts, we are BWV and it is always so confusing who goes first. We recently stayed at POP and it was so organized and it was also easy to see how long the lines were for each park, not just a jumble of people. For a company famous for their queues, this is a fail. Also, it is so frustrating when you have been waiting for a bus back to your resort and you see more than one bus coming to pick up guests for other resorts.

Totally agree! We stayed at BWV and this stressed me out! Fortunately, we had a car we normally took. It just is better to have official lines.