Another guest experience diminished.

[holden]

I'm curious how much you spent, on average, for your Lyft rides.

I’d say $15 with tip.

 

[maxiesmom]

I don't see why they just don't go back to the "ole' days". Back in the 80s, you had to show your Disney guest card to get on Disney buses. So, you couldn't get to the resorts to spend monty then, but at least guests didn't suffer for the dishonest few.

Disney wants guests to visit other resorts, in the hopes that they will book future trips at them and spend more money. I can't see them doing anything that may discourage that. And telling people you can visit resorts but not use the buses would be discouraging.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

I don't see why they just don't go back to the "ole' days". Back in the 80s, you had to show your Disney guest card to get on Disney buses. So, you couldn't get to the resorts to spend monty then, but at least guests didn't suffer for the dishonest few.

Dishonest? What is dishonest?

 

[JoJoGirl]

I don't see why they just don't go back to the "ole' days". Back in the 80s, you had to show your Disney guest card to get on Disney buses. So, you couldn't get to the resorts to spend monty then, but at least guests didn't suffer for the dishonest few.

In my understanding, the Disney Transportation System has never been restricted to resort guests only. Holding a valid theme park ticket has also always entitled the holder to use all buses, monorails, water taxis, and Skyliner, regardless of time or origin. As long as someone could produce a park ticket, they could also ride, even “back in the day.”

Therefore people who walk from Swan/Dolphin to catch the bus at Boardwalk or Yacht & Beach are not being dishonest. They are using a service they paid for as part of their park admission. FWIW, I’ve stayed at BW 1x and YC 3x since reopening, and have not noticed this to be a big problem.

 

[Edeyore]

Minnie Vans will be back this summer. They drop off at the bus loop.

They give you a discount because you are staying on property right?
No. The charge is less than a lyft or uber right? No. Oh, I am so happy
the Minnie Vans are back.

 

[zillayen]

Yeah, it's too bad there's no way to poll the people waiting at BW and YC for the MK bus (or at MK for the BW or YC bus) to see how many are Swolphin guests. I don't think there's any way to know what the impact is. The workaround is well known and often recommended here on DISboards; has anyone looked on TripAdvisor or other sites to see whether it's mentioned there?

We stayed at the Dolphin and used the Swolphin bus. It was a tossup between spending extra time walking over to the YC versus spending extra time to go through TTC, we opted not to walk. Bonus, we got right on the first bus that came and no crowd.

 

[lfracas1]

We need an ECV so our options are limited. Have relied on busing and typically wait about a 1/2 hour. Last trip we did wait about an hour and 15 min. once.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

In my understanding, the Disney Transportation System has never been restricted to resort guests only. Holding a valid theme park ticket has also always entitled the holder to use all buses, monorails, water taxis, and Skyliner, regardless of time or origin. As long as someone could produce a park ticket, they could also ride, even “back in the day.”

Therefore people who walk from Swan/Dolphin to catch the bus at Boardwalk or Yacht & Beach are not being dishonest. They are using a service they paid for as part of their park admission. FWIW, I’ve stayed at BW 1x and YC 3x since reopening, and have not noticed this to be a big problem.

Exactly. It is not a huge problem.
Y'all forget, the people who plan trips to Disney and then do research for said trips are such a small percentage of people to take trips to Disney that those who do know to walk over and take buses (ie, folks who read here at Dis or even Trip Advisor) aren't enough to make a significant impact to bus transportation numbers. The majority are taking the buses right there at Swan/Dolphin.

 

[DVCkidsMOM]

We stayed a week at BCV mid-December 2021. Bus transportation was a nightmare. Granted, it was our first trip with a wheelchair.
We knew we would sometimes have to wait for a wheelchair spot, and we pushed the chair while walking to Epcot and DHS - only bussed to DS, MK and AK. I don't know if busses were supposed to be single resort or shared at park opening, but we waited over an hour in the morning for a bus - not just a bus with wheelchair spot, but any bus. The crowd was very anxious and angry. We were all trying to get our 30 minutes early entry resort "benefit." I don't remember if this was MK or AK because the wait was almost an hour for one and over an hour for the other - both trying to make park early opening! We know busses can take a while, so we arrive at the bus stop about an hour prior to early opening; but it just didn't work in December. Note that the busses were not listed on the bus tracking screens as that far away, but a bus 15 minutes away would disappear and then the time would jump to 35 minutes away - repeatedly. We were near the front of the line - our problem wasn't long lines (that was a problem for those at the back of the lines) - our problem was no busses arriving.
Our next trip is resort only, no parks...
YMMV

 

[Mrs.AMC]

I am not positive about it but I think YC and BC share all of the time, except for maybe a one off time here or there. They are basically treated as 1 resort with 2 stops.

 

[SteveH]

I wish there were a way to only allow resort guests on the BW and YC/BC buses only during early morning hours when everyone is competing for bus space to get to MK. I think that priority should go to those guests staying at the resort.

I don't see why they just don't go back to the "ole' days". Back in the 80s, you had to show your Disney guest card to get on Disney buses. So, you couldn't get to the resorts to spend monty then, but at least guests didn't suffer for the dishonest few.

This goes completely against what Disney has promoted (see below). There are very few that would go to BW or YC/BC - the current Swan Dolphin situation isn't ideal but I just can't see it being that many guests on any given day. The bottom line is they are limiting it to 2-trips an hour then that's an issue with Disney - nobody else.

I’m not staying at a Disney Resort hotel. Can I use the monorails, buses and boats to get around Walt Disney World Resort?
Yes. All Guests have complimentary access to our network of monorails, buses and boats. If you would like to visit multiple parks, enjoy a nice dinner at one of the Disney Resort hotels or shop at Disney Springs...

 

[Tess]

I am not positive about it but I think YC and BC share all of the time, except for maybe a one off time here or there. They are basically treated as 1 resort with 2 stops.

YC & BC haven't shared morning buses to MK and AK in many years. They each have their own buses to MK and AK during the morning rush hours. Once the early afternoon arrives, they may share, but we usually hop on whichever comes first which has usually been YC. We get off at YC and walk to BC, but it could well have continued on to BC.

 

[Anna131517]

I’m at BWI now. The transportation is horrendous. We’re having to shell out more money for Lyft because of it. After paying over $700/night to stay here,plus park tickets! Disney has made the bus situation worse by charging for parking because people are parking at Disney Springs, taking a bus to a resort, and taking a bus from the resort to a park, and the reverse at night. It also means that if you’re at a resort and want to go to Disney Springs and then go to a park you can’t. And don’t you dare try driving to a QS restaurant at a resort! They need to stop charging separately for parking. Include it in the ticket price. Disney is making so many short sighted decisions right now. They excelled at one thing that no one did better and it made them hugely popular - easy and fairly affordable family vacations. They are nickel and diming their way right out of that niche. And for what? To be like everyone else who is less successful?

 

[fla4fun]

In my understanding, the Disney Transportation System has never been restricted to resort guests only. Holding a valid theme park ticket has also always entitled the holder to use all buses, monorails, water taxis, and Skyliner, regardless of time or origin. As long as someone could produce a park ticket, they could also ride, even “back in the day.”

There was a time when you had to show your resort ID to use Disney transportation, other than direct monorail and ferry service between MK and TTC. Transportation was a perk for resort guests only. This was way back when they had paper ID cards. Then it was altered to allow people with park hoppers or resort IDs to ride some of the transportation and some was still restricted to resort only. I don’t remember exactly when we were able to ride without showing our resort ID cards, maybe late 80’s or so. It felt really weird the first couple of trips when we could just board the bus without showing it.

 

[Simba's Mom]

YC & BC haven't shared morning buses to MK and AK in many years. They each have their own buses to MK and AK during the morning rush hours. Once the early afternoon arrives, they may share, but we usually hop on whichever comes first which has usually been YC. We get off at YC and walk to BC, but it could well have continued on to BC.

That morning change must have happened since 2019. One morning I was at the BC bus stop on an ECV trying to get to Animal Kingdom. I sat through three buses, which couldn't accommodate me because their ECV spots had already been filled (as well as most of the seats) by riders from the YC. Each driver promised that they'd call for another bus, but it didn't seem that they did. It took me over 2 hours to get to AK that morning.

 

[rlk]

That morning change must have happened since 2019. One morning I was at the BC bus stop on an ECV trying to get to Animal Kingdom. I sat through three buses, which couldn't accommodate me because their ECV spots had already been filled (as well as most of the seats) by riders from the YC. Each driver promised that they'd call for another bus, but it didn't seem that they did. It took me over 2 hours to get to AK that morning.

Our last BC stay was in August 2019 and buses were being shared between YC/BC. One morning the bus going to MK was 3/4 full when it stopped at the BC.

 

[Anna131517]

YC & BC haven't shared morning buses to MK and AK in many years. They each have their own buses to MK and AK during the morning rush hours. Once the early afternoon arrives, they may share, but we usually hop on whichever comes first which has usually been YC. We get off at YC and walk to BC, but it could well have continued on to BC.

They were sharing today for returning from AK, not going. Tons of people. Luickly a driver in training came along and offered to do a second run. Which was great until he drove right past BW after YC and BC. We had to loop all the way back around.

 

[Anthony1971]

In my understanding, the Disney Transportation System has never been restricted to resort guests only. Holding a valid theme park ticket has also always entitled the holder to use all buses, monorails, water taxis, and Skyliner, regardless of time or origin. As long as someone could produce a park ticket, they could also ride, even “back in the day.”

Therefore people who walk from Swan/Dolphin to catch the bus at Boardwalk or Yacht & Beach are not being dishonest. They are using a service they paid for as part of their park admission. FWIW, I’ve stayed at BW 1x and YC 3x since reopening, and have not noticed this to be a big problem.

Back in the 90's when they had paper tickets that were stamped you 100% had to show your resort ID to use the local monorails and buses to resorts. There were far fewer resorts at that time in fact no such thing as values. It was not until later transportation was added as a park ticket perk. The monorail had a cast member in front before you could enter the walkway up at the parks and if you did not have resort ID they would direct you to the Express monorail for the parkiing lot.

 

[JoJoGirl]

Back in the 90's when they had paper tickets that were stamped you 100% had to show your resort ID to use the local monorails and buses to resorts. There were far fewer resorts at that time in fact no such thing as values. It was not until later transportation was added as a park ticket perk. The monorail had a cast member in front before you could enter the walkway up at the parks and if you did not have resort ID they would direct you to the Express monorail for the parkiing lot.

My first trip was in early ‘93 so I don’t remember farther back than that, lol. I guess I assumed park tickets always got you on the bus. But you’re right, there were a fraction of the resorts and restaurants, and fewer parks back then. It makes sense that the transportation system was different.

 

[bumbershoot]

They give you a discount because you are staying on property right?
No. The charge is less than a lyft or uber right? No. Oh, I am so happy
the Minnie Vans are back.

They are great for larger families with carseat needs. I ignored them always, and will continue to do so, as I don't have either one of those.

Disney has made the bus situation worse by charging for parking because people are parking at Disney Springs, taking a bus to a resort, and taking a bus from the resort to a park, and the reverse at night.

I mean, that's been going on since at least 2010. It is a huge inconvenience for them, and is more so now, so I doubt THAT many people are doing it. Even in 2010 it took one of my cousins and her family upwards of 1.5 hours to get from the then DownTownDisney to Epcot where we were waiting for them.

They need to stop charging separately for parking. Include it in the ticket price.

So the people who do NOT have cars need to pay for other peoples' parking? Ew. That's what those other places do with resort fees and such.