Staying at a Disney Resorts Collection Hotel comes with a number of advantages. Complimentary transportation is arguably one of the biggest advantages of staying in the “Disney Bubble”. You can use Disney transportation to travel between Disney resorts, theme parks, water parks, and Disney Springs. Here on MouseHouseNews.net, we’ve got several posts detailing the modes of Disney transportation available. Information available includes what the different modes of transportation are, where they go, and advantages and disadvantages for each. We love using all forms of Disney transportation, even the humble Disney bus.
A Couple Things To Know About Disney Bus Transportation
Loved by some and loathed by others, Disney’s bus transportation has its share of pros and cons. The buses are air conditioned, and some newer buses also have USB charging ports for your convenience. They also arrive with relative consistency, although the frequency may vary depending on time of day. Inclement weather does not impact Disney buses service like it does for the Disney Skyliner or boat transportation. As a result, guests will be directed to buses when boats and the Skyliner are unavailable.
The buses move a lot of people between locations. During peak times, this can mean big crowds. This is compounded by the fact that some resorts share buses. At park open or park close, you may have to wait longer if buses hit rider capacity before you can board. Even if you do make it onto that crowded bus, you may find yourself standing for the ride if the seats are all occupied.
Crowds impact bus service. You may have longer waits if the lines for the bus are long. You may also find yourself waiting awhile for the next bus to arrive even without a line. Decreased demand sometimes means buses don’t run as frequently between certain locations during the middle of the day.
Buses do not run between resorts. If you want to resort hop, you must go to one of the theme parks first. From there, you’ll hop onto a bus heading to your desired resort. Buses will also not run from Disney Springs to any of the theme parks. You first need to catch a bus at Disney Springs to one of the resorts. Then, get on a resort bus to your theme park.
Finally, some resorts do not offer bus transportation to all destinations. If an alternate form of transportation such as monorail or Skyliner is available to a park, buses will not run between those locations. This means that if you are going to EPCOT from Disney’s Pop Century Resort, you will take the Skyliner since this is an option. The exception is when there is inclement weather or other extenuating circumstances.
Now we want to share a convenient tip with you. The wait for your next Disney bus from your resort can be a little more seamless on your next visit!
Viewing Estimated Bus Arrival Times In The App
Did you know that you can actually view an estimated arrival time to your resort for the next available Disney bus to different destinations? Although just estimates, this tool within the My Disney Experience app can be very useful for planning your day. Not only does it estimate the arrival time of the bus at the resort, but it also gives an estimated time for when that bus will arrive at the theme parks.
This option is available to use in your My Disney Experience app beginning on your check-in date once your room becomes available. Within the app, tap on “My Resort” from the main screen. You can also access this information by tapping on the hamburger menu in the lower right hand corner, then tapping on “Hotel Reservations” under the “My Visit” section. You will be able to view information about hotel amenities, your room number (once assigned), directions, and maps.
Underneath your room number assignment, you will be able to swipe through several options including unlock door, view charges, get directions, and more. This section is where you will find the icon to “See Bus Times”. If you tap on that, you’ll pull up a screen listing the various estimated arrival times to your resort.
Keep in mind that this information is made up of estimates, which means the times listed are not guaranteed. You can use them as a loose guide, but you will still want to arrive at the resort’s bus stop in advance of the listed times so you don’t miss your bus!
What About Return Times?
This app feature does assist with leaving from your resort. Unfortunately, it does not currently list estimated times for when buses will return to the resorts from the parks or Disney Springs. We hope that Disney will expand the estimated bus times feature to include this information in the future!
In conclusion, Disney buses are one of the most recognizable and plentiful options to get around Disney World. They can get you almost everywhere you need to go. Just make sure to allow for plenty of time when traveling around Disney World via this or any other form of Disney transportation.
For in-depth planning assistance, you can contact Travel Specialist and MouseHouseNews.net team member Marcus to get started with a free Disney vacation quote. You’ll get the expertise of MouseHouseNews.net for your vacations booked with him… free of charge!
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