Moderates and buses -- wait time

[dawz1026]

Which of the moderates has been known for longer wait times? Someone said to avoid Coronado due to a "convention center" and traffic??

[TinaMouse]

Kathy, we've stayed at POFQ (which shares bus service with POR usually), and have rarely had a long wait. I think the "usual" was 5-15, depending on how we happened to hit the bus stop. POFQ is the first to be picked up (meaning you'll have a seat, even on busy days), and the first to be dropped off (great if you've had to stand on the way home).

I'll be there in a few weeks--I'll try to remember to time the busses to give you an accurate time frame. Of course, it all depends on the time of year and hotel occupancy, etc, but at least it would give you an idea. When are you going?

[dawz1026]

Kathy, we've stayed at POFQ (which shares bus service with POR usually), and have rarely had a long wait. I think the "usual" was 5-15, depending on how we happened to hit the bus stop. POFQ is the first to be picked up (meaning you'll have a seat, even on busy days), and the first to be dropped off (great if you've had to stand on the way home).

I'll be there in a few weeks--I'll try to remember to time the busses to give you an accurate time frame. Of course, it all depends on the time of year and hotel occupancy, etc, but at least it would give you an idea. When are you going?

Next October so far...possibly April if things work out sooner

[scoobydooby]

Ok, I am an anorak. Stayed at POFQ at busy Easter period and our average bus wait, which I worked out when we got home having written them all down, was 7 minutes. Stood once on the way in to MK and twice on the way home from parks over a 2 week period but both times we stood on the way home could have sat but gave our 2 adult seats up for children getting on after us. Also - from a stats point of view these figures are a bit skewed by one 25 minute wait to Blizzard Beach one day. Really I thought the bus service here was fantastic.

[TinaMouse]

Next October so far...possibly April if things work out sooner

Kathy, Good! Then it will be apples to apples since I'll be there in October. Scooby Dooby, Wow, I'm IMPRESSED (with your skills)! 7 min wait is FAB! Did you take a stopwatch?;) We had to stand a littlle more than you did for evening trips home, but we were always closin' down the joints.:eek:

[Greg in TN]

Really I thought the bus service here was fantastic.

I agree. I've seen lots of discussions about the bus service, so on this recent trip, I actually timed things one morning--I wasn't concerned enough to time it every trip, but I thought about it & had the opportunity one morning, so I did.

We were staying in Jamaica, @ CBR. Got to the bus stop Wednesday morning @ 7:57, and got on the bus @ 7:59. We were leaving the resort @ 8:04, and I was walking through the gates @ the Magic Kingdom by 8:16. Not bad.

Like I said, I didn't time things on other mornings, nor have I ever timed the busses in the past, but this particular morning did not feel like it was anything out of the ordinary from our many previous bus experiences.

To me, the bus service is very convenient, and much more enjoyable than driving myself.

[danyoung]

Someone said to avoid Coronado due to a "convention center" and traffic??

I completely disagree with this. The conventioners mostly keep to their own side of the resort, so it's usually no impact at all on the vacationers. I can't comment on the bus service to the CSR, though, as I try never to take the busses, preferring to rent a car and control my own destiny.

[bwanabob]

Bus service is great until noon and after 6pm. Between noon and 6pm, it's hit and miss. I've waited as long as 30 minutes during those times but never more than 15 minutes in the morning or evening.

Bob

[caubert]

When we stayed at POR December 7th of 2006, we didn't have to wait long for the busses to arrive, however there seemed to be a lot of disabled and elderly with wheelchairs/scooters staying at this resort at this time. At the time, we were wondering if this resort caters to people needings wheelchairs. We waited sometimes 20 minutes for the wheelchairs/ scooters to be loaded on the bus and locked into place. There was rarely a time we didn't have to wait for this but it was hard to get upset given the circumstances.

[littlej]

We've stayed at Coronado Springs more times than any other resort on property. Even chose it for our honeymoon (the cabanas were so romantic). We always take the buses, and the wait times were always very reasonable, often surprisingly quick! The only drawback to CSR as far as the buses, IMO, is that there are a number of stops, which does sometimes make the ride a little longer than it normally would (2-5 minutes). As far as conventioneers, on our first few stays, we didn't even know there was a convention center there!

I personally think the grounds of the CSR are breathtaking, especially the vistas across the lake to El Centro.

[pixiedust]

The CSR has 4 bus stops, with #1 being by the main lobby, however, that is often the last stop. We've stayed here 4 times, ans bus stop #2 seems to be the first stop for the busses nearly every time.

Stayed at CBR this last trip, 7 bus stops, and there are 2 main entrance roads, so depending on where the bus enters/exits the first stop was either Jamaica or Martinique on the way home from the parks. On the way to the parks, sometimes not all stops are made if the bus is full, but on the way home they make all the stops. Felt a lot longer at night since we were tired after a long day.

We've been during Christmas week, and during the off season Sept. period, as well as other times of year. Never had more than a 15-20 minute wait at the most even in the middle of the day at either resort, closer to 10-15 minutes. During opening/closing hours the busses run a little more often.

The convention goers at CSR are usually put in the buildings closest to the convention center, and tend to have their own bus service for convention activities. The only time we would notice an increase in bus use was after the convention dates if they stayed a few extra days with their families, and even then not much difference.

My personal preference is CSR. We love the theming, and the Maya Grill is better than the average moderate restaurant. We've had some great dinners there.

[scoobydooby]

Scooby Dooby, Wow, I'm IMPRESSED (with your skills)! 7 min wait is FAB! Did you take a stopwatch?;) We had to stand a littlle more than you did for evening trips home, but we were always closin' down the joints.:eek:

Not a stop watch, just an old fashioned second hand! We tended to leave the parks early afternoon and our late nights at Epcot and MGM we were lucky - just walked onto arriving buses with the hoards!


When we stayed at POR December 7th of 2006, we didn't have to wait long for the busses to arrive, however there seemed to be a lot of disabled and elderly with wheelchairs/scooters staying at this resort at this time. At the time, we were wondering if this resort caters to people needings wheelchairs. We waited sometimes 20 minutes for the wheelchairs/ scooters to be loaded on the bus and locked into place. There was rarely a time we didn't have to wait for this but it was hard to get upset given the circumstances.

I only timed from arriving at the bus stop until when the bus arrived. Like you I'm not bothered by the time it takes others living their lives to get on.

[tjrj]

When we stayed at POR December 7th of 2006, we didn't have to wait long for the busses to arrive, however there seemed to be a lot of disabled and elderly with wheelchairs/scooters staying at this resort at this time. At the time, we were wondering if this resort caters to people needings wheelchairs. We waited sometimes 20 minutes for the wheelchairs/ scooters to be loaded on the bus and locked into place. There was rarely a time we didn't have to wait for this but it was hard to get upset given the circumstances.

I wouldn't say cater to.

They have to be loaded first due to safely precautions. I had a regular wheelchair and am able to transfer-so it decrease my load time(and make the people behind me happier), we always folded the chair and I sat in a regular seat-while my boys stood if there were others-moms, kiddos, older people, who needed a seat more than they did.

It does seems like it takes loading an ECV a long time-I mean have you seen how they are locked in??-Space Mountain doesn't lock people in that tight!-but in reality, I found the transportation CM's to be pleasant and efficient and friendly-and the loading relatively quick all thngs considered.
I've heard rumors of the buses becoming equipped with sensors that can tell transportation when a stop becomes overloaded with people needing special assistance-who can then send out another bus, but I don't know whether that's happened yet.

May '07 CBR-our longest wait was for Blizzard Beach to CBR-about 1pm-1/2 an hour; Most of the time it was 10-15 minutes. To cut down on waiting in the morning-try for a bus about an hour before opening-in our experience, the bus will be quiet(you might have it all to yourself) and you'll be able to grab maps, take a potty break(if needed) and still experience the wonder of being "there" at rope drop. At closing...our experience was hit or miss-with MK being the longest wait. Longest wait time was again about 15-20 minutes-on a night that MK seemed to be wall-to-wall with people.