Disney Transportation

[tonyf]

Our family is doing a Disney Christmas for the first time this year. It's also our first ever time staying on site, we staying at PO Riverside. I've been doing some research on the bus system, knowing that one of the chief complaints of most Disney travelers has been their onsite transpotation system. Can you give some detail and pointers regarding the bus system specifically? I'm not concerned about the monorail and boats, but I've seen all sorts of things suggesting using the parks as a hub if going from one resort to another, etc. Any examples and wisdom you could share would be hugely appreciated!

Love the podcast and thanks!!!

[WesTheTallGuy]

The buses go from resort to park, but not resort to resort, so if you want to do some hopping around, you'll need to find a park somewhere in the middle, or Downtown Disney. The buses can be crowded at times, especially around closing time. It can be faster if you leave a bit early, or if you see a park-ender like Fantasmic, spend your time after that shopping at the stores while bus lines get smaller.

[doconeill]

Agreed...if you want to get from resort to resort, you need to do so through a park or DTD. In some cases it may be easier to go to a park and walk (MK to Contemporary or DHS to Epcot resort area). Boats are also options in some cases. Typically the park closest to your source or destination makes the best choice.

There are "park to park" buses (except for MK-Epcot, where you monorail-hop), but the MK buses are actually located at the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC), not at the MK, so you have to take the Monorail to get to them - I think they are planning to change that in the future when they build a third bus loop at MK.

[HauntedGabe]

I've stayed at POR since it opened back when it was Dixie Landings. I've never had a lot of difficulties with the transportation from that resort, others I have. If you are traveling in off peak hours sometimes if you just miss a bus the wait will go 20 minutes or so. The exception would be DTD in the evening. Those bus schedules can get way out of whack for some reason. I'm rather fond of the ferry boat to DTD. And when I transfer parks from the MK to AK as an example, I go to the GF or Contemporary and hop their bus to AK. I only went to the TTC once this last trip, I wanted to ride the ferry.

Doc, my DS told me that too about the third loop. I'm doing the happy dance 'cause that back bus area of the TTC is kinda seedy.

[JNota0005DakMC]

your best bet... take the bus to MK and hope the resort monorail... you can then visit Contemproary, GF, and the Poly... then jump the WL ferry and walk around there... once you take that back you can hop a bus to the boardwalk and see the Yacht and Beach Club, Boardwalk and the Swan and Dolphin if you would like... or do these two groups on separate days...