News Disney Springs Bus Service to Resorts Now Requires Reservation Verification

[Basil of Baker Street]

I wonder if they feel they can cut down on the number of busses they send to Springs each hour along with this. I still have to imagine they make a lot more money off people who park at Springs and take a bus to the Boardwalk or a resort to eat and drink than they could make off parking/save off busses, but maybe I'm much more in the minority than I realize.

I have to believe if they cut the bus service to more than what it already is, it would discourage people to go to the Springs. I know it would me.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

I wonder if they feel they can cut down on the number of busses they send to Springs each hour along with this. I still have to imagine they make a lot more money off people who park at Springs and take a bus to the Boardwalk or a resort to eat and drink than they could make off parking/save off busses, but maybe I'm much more in the minority than I realize.

How many people are really doing that though? Is there a commercially significant number of people who are driving to Disney Springs, and rather than eating at 1 of the dozens of restaurants there, decide they are going to take the time to ride a bus to a resort they are not staying at to eat at one of those restaurants, and then have to take a bus back to their car at Disney springs? I am not saying it never happens, just that at a guess I don't see that number of people being large enough to be driving bus decisions. At a complete guess, i would think you would actually have more people who are not staying on property that would be more apt to leave the parks to go to DS to eat, taking away from park dining, if they have easy bus access back to the parks to their car later, as opposed to driving to park, leaving park getting in car and then driving over to DS.

 

[LSLS]

I have to believe if they cut the bus service to more than what it already is, it would discourage people to go to the Springs. I know it would me.

I honestly have no idea what they are currently at or dispatch times, but if eliminating one bus per resort (at least for the main ones people like to visit) adds say 2 minutes to the average wait time, would most people notice? Especially if the busses feel less crowded.

 

[LSLS]

How many people are really doing that though? Is there a commercially significant number of people who are driving to Disney Springs, and rather than eating at 1 of the dozens of restaurants there, decide they are going to take the time to ride a bus to a resort they are not staying at to eat at one of those restaurants, and then have to take a bus back to their car at Disney springs? I am not saying it never happens, just that at a guess I don't see that number of people being large enough to be driving bus decisions. At a complete guess, i would think you would actually have more people who are not staying on property that would be more apt to leave the parks to go to DS to eat, taking away from park dining, if they have easy bus access back to the parks to their car later, as opposed to driving to park, leaving park getting in car and then driving over to DS.

I have no idea. Like I said, I've done it multiple times. Now, mostly to go grab a drink at one of the bars, or we are checking out the holiday stuff/enjoy the ambiance at a hotel and we eat where we are at, but I know we aren't alone doing that either. I still think it'd be more than people parking at Springs and using the busses to go to a resort then to a park to save a few bucks on parking and losing 2-3 hours of park time, but I don't have an answer for it.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I wonder if they feel they can cut down on the number of busses they send to Springs each hour along with this. I still have to imagine they make a lot more money off people who park at Springs and take a bus to the Boardwalk or a resort to eat and drink than they could make off parking/save off busses, but maybe I'm much more in the minority than I realize.

It’s likely part of the calculus.

But the Stanfords (who couldn’t get a lucrative job) that run the place from their cubicle like certain types of streams. No overhead

So a parking fee is almost zero overhead…a table at a restaurant that racks up a $160 bill costs them like 8 bucks

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

How many people are really doing that though? Is there a commercially significant number of people who are driving to Disney Springs, and rather than eating at 1 of the dozens of restaurants there, decide they are going to take the time to ride a bus to a resort they are not staying at to eat at one of those restaurants, and then have to take a bus back to their car at Disney springs? I am not saying it never happens, just that at a guess I don't see that number of people being large enough to be driving bus decisions. At a complete guess, i would think you would actually have more people who are not staying on property that would be more apt to leave the parks to go to DS to eat, taking away from park dining, if they have easy bus access back to the parks to their car later, as opposed to driving to park, leaving park getting in car and then driving over to DS.

I would say very few…it’s still time consuming and ultimately a hassle. If you’re bothering to show up at wdw at all…is the parking fee a bridge too far? With $7 water bottles?

I doubt.

It’s just another tinkering. I think the goal is to make people paying for the hotels - which if anyone has noticed has actually been at their price ceilings for YEARS - feel better.

It’s also DVC sales. Because they don’t really have anything too attractive to sell…which means more conversions of existing wings a coming. That also has to take into context that they seem to be really considering locking down the aftermarket renters…because I’m sure they feel it’s a “loss” to them. Quite the conundrum.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I have to believe if they cut the bus service to more than what it already is, it would discourage people to go to the Springs. I know it would me.

You know…it sucks. Frankly

They made a lot of hype for “dedicated bus lanes” when they built the garages and redid all the roadways ten years ago…but it didn’t work. They really are worse than ever.

Frankly…the flow was way better with the older, smaller lanes past downtown and the multiple bus stops.

Honeslty I don’t know what the point was?

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

I would say very few…it’s still time consuming and ultimately a hassle. If you’re bothering to show up at wdw at all…is the parking fee a bridge too far? With $7 water bottles?

I doubt.

It’s just another tinkering. I think the goal is to make people paying for the hotels - which if anyone has noticed has actually been at their price ceilings for YEARS - feel better.

It’s also DVC sales. Because they don’t really have anything too attractive to sell…which means more conversions of existing wings a coming. That also has to take into context that they seem to be really considering locking down the aftermarket renters…because I’m sure they feel it’s a “loss” to them. Quite the conundrum.

As to the first part, for me traveling down to WDW, yeah, i am not worrying about the parking fee vs the time wasted. But, if i was a Florida resident going multiple times a year lets say....I would honestly likely do it every time. Because at that point i am not worrying about rope dropping all that much, or shutting down the park each night.

I also think, in addition to making hotel guests "feel better" there is an incentive issue there to drive bookings. I mean a perk to staying on property isn't really a perk if its available to people who don't stay on property. Similar situation, as our kids get older, and given the massive amount of Marriot points we have, we have taken to staying at Swan and Dolphin as opposed to the contemporary, as we don't need the mid day breaks anymore and MK isn't our priority park as it was when they were very young. We love the boardwalk area, and being able to walk to 2 parks, but really have never chosen to stay at boardwalk or yacht club, given the price differences between them and S&D (and that's excluding points.) However we have always used the "hack" of walking to the boardwalk and taking the resort buses to AK and/or MK, and always taking resort buses from the parks or springs back there. If we weren't able to do that, and we had to go to TTC for transfers, we would be a lot more likely to choose boardwalk as our hotel. I can see similar issue with Bonnet Creek. I loved the JW Marriot when i have stayed there, but driving back and forth to parks while easy, was never ideal, especially on an AK day where I (maybe minority opinion) think drinking around the world there is much more fun than even at Epcott. If people are able to walk over and use springs busses for internal transport, it makes the decision to stay property adjacent a lot easier.

 

[Ayla]

You know…it sucks. Frankly

They made a lot of hype for “dedicated bus lanes” when they built the garages and redid all the roadways ten years ago…but it didn’t work. They really are worse than ever.

Frankly…the flow was way better with the older, smaller lanes past downtown and the multiple bus stops.

Honeslty I don’t know what the point was?

DTD/DS has always had the worst bus service of anywhere on property.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

wonder if they feel they can cut down on the number of busses they send to Springs each hour along with this.

I don’t think so. The daytime Disney spring bus routes are not crowded in my experience and seem to be operating only at the minimum “20 minute” dispatch.

But, if i was a Florida resident going multiple times a year let’s say....I would honestly likely do it every time.

But then you’d likely have an AP as well.

 

[Touchdown]

DTD/DS has always had the worst bus service of anywhere on property.

As I said a few pages ago, it’s so bad I only go to DS when I’m in Orlando on a non Disney trip, and last time I went they were doing the drone show, so it’s been years.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

I honestly am not around very often during the super busy months because it just sounds miserable to me so I pick the slower inbetween times.

But when I've been there, it's so packed that I get why there is changes to the rules.

At the same time, I definitely think Disney could have handled it better as a announced policy

I am confused- do you visit during busy months, or avoid them? Your post says both that you do not have experience with them, and that you do.

I have many busy and slow season visits under my belt. There are tradeoffs to both. IMO.

Crowds usually occur in spring when the weather is ideal, so you get long park hours, which I love, and beautiful flowers/plants. Compared to other times of year, spring = spending a bigger % of my time smelling the roses. (just a tad less on rides)

It is worth noting, that Universal's gardening team also does an amazing job! Right now, Seussland has AMAZING topiaries! Most people walk right past them, but I advise all of you to stop and enjoy them. There are some especially cute ones near One Fish two Fish. They are shaped like Seuss-style fish! The gardens of Epic are also exceptional, and add a great deal to the park.

 

[Basil of Baker Street]

I honestly have no idea what they are currently at or dispatch times, but if eliminating one bus per resort (at least for the main ones people like to visit) adds say 2 minutes to the average wait time, would most people notice? Especially if the busses feel less crowded.

Yeah I don't know the bus rotation. For me, it seems busses run every 20-30-ish minutes. I would guess that is 2 busses per resort one in bound 1 out bound plus loading and wait time at DS and the resort. Assuming that is the case, cutting one bus out would double the time.

 

[Disone]

I've been visiting for 20 years at all times of the year as a resort guest and have never, ever been asked to 'show my papers' before I could board a bus.

Another stupid and idiotic decision added to the list...

Having said that..... My first isn't was during the 15th anniversary, summer of 1986 And back then they actually did ask for Resort identification to board a bus. They also sold tickets for transportation. So you could show that instead. Of course it was a much smaller Walt Disney World and easier to manage. Bus drivers would actually look for your Resort ID card and or your transportation ticket with today's date on it.

As they got larger the logistics of enforcing that got more complex and they stopped. But everybody has a cell phone now and technology has changed so those logistics might not be as complex anymore.

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

I just in general find it difficult to believe some folks here who claim to go as often as they do have never encountered this before. I go a lot less, or at least have gone a lot less, than some here and have encountered this more than once.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

I've been visiting for 20 years at all times of the year as a resort guest and have never, ever been asked to 'show my papers' before I could board a bus.

Another stupid and idiotic decision added to the list...

Can we get any more dramatic with the "show my papers" reference??

I mean seriously, like its so out of the norm to show a ticket or something to ride...i don't know, any other bus or piece of public transportation in the history of the planet.

Or giving proof of a reservation to stay or a dining reservation to park at any WDW resort.

Or scanning in to show proof of a fast pass/Genie+/Lightening lane before using the that line on a ride.

Or showing a special event ticket to get your wrist band for the xmas or Halloween party.

or showing proof staying/paid parking at a resort when driving your car to a park so you didn't have to pay twice.

 

[networkpro]

I just in general find it difficult to believe some folks here who claim to go as often as they do have never encountered this before. I go a lot less, or at least have gone a lot less, than some here and have encountered this more than once.

Believe it. Lake Buena Vista shopping village wasn't all that and even Pleasure Island wasn't that big of a draw, nothing special that couldn't be found elsewhere on property.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Yeah I don't know the bus rotation. For me, it seems busses run every 20-30-ish minutes.

It’s advertised as “approximately every 20 minutes” - it’s often much quicker of course, and occasionally a few minutes longer.

I go a lot less, or at least have gone a lot less, than some here and have encountered this more than once.

What is “this” specifically? Having to scan a MB at Disney Springs? No I’ve never encountered that. But I haven’t been to WDW over new years in a few.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

I mean seriously, like its so out of the norm to show a ticket or something to ride...i don't know, any other bus or piece of public transportation in the history of the planet.

A local area where I live did away with public bus fees during the pandemic.

A few years ago, they decided to bring back bus fees, but quickly discovered that it cost more money to collect fees/keep track of them than they were recovering from charging them. (Partly students could always ride for free with school ID, and many of the riders are students.)

They went back to free public busing for everyone.

Ridership is now quite popular. The change back was widely on the local news, so people now know the buses are free.

I've partly been thinking about that in the discussion here. WDW probably has a good reason why they don't card people most of the year.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I just in general find it difficult to believe some folks here who claim to go as often as they do have never encountered this before. I go a lot less, or at least have gone a lot less, than some here and have encountered this more than once.

Which part aren’t we encountering?