My Disney Experience: Tracking Resort Bus Times
Did you catch this great news from this past summer about how resort bus times are now available through the My Disney Experience app! Read on!
“Finally.” I read the announcement from Disney Parks Blog standing on a crowded, un-air-conditioned train platform in heavy, suffocating humidity and in my weakened state nearly shouted “FINALLY” at my phone screen.
The man to my left looked horrified, as if the last thing he wanted to do was step into a train car with this crazy girl screaming at her phone, but knowing that I would never walk up to a Disney Transportation pick up spot and watch my bus pull away without me wasn’t something I could hold in!
Visions of walking- not sprinting- from my Resort made that crowded train ride almost feel as though I were on a monorail…ok no it didn’t…but here are the details that made my hectic day a bit more magical:
The Old System
Over the past 4 years, Disney Transport has made attempts to upgrade their bus service. Heavy emphasis on ‘attempts’. Three Christmases ago, I waited 40 minutes for a bus to take me from Hollywood Studios to Magic Kingdom. Just this year I waited nearly 35 minutes for a bus to take me from the Animal Kingdom Lodge to Disney Springs.
I know they always warn to allot for 90 minutes’ travel time between destinations, but when the distance you’re looking to travel is under 2 miles, that just won’t cut it at Walt Disney World.
The first attempt to upgrade and dare I say ‘schedule’ the buses came by way of TV monitors with countdown clocks. The big screens were installed at each of the Resort bus pick up locations, and it wasn’t until you arrived at the location that you learned what time your bus would arrive- and if you had just missed one.
The system was meant to help better the guests’ time management, but having to walk all the way to the station to find out when your bus arrives doesn’t do much by way of time saving in my opinion!
The New System
This new system that was unveiled this summer on the My Disney Experience app allows guests staying at Walt Disney World and Dinseyland hotels to access their resorts’ bus schedule through their reservation. ‘Guest’ is the key word here, because as of right now, you have to be a guest actively holding a room reservation at a Walt Disney World/Disneyland Resort hotel in order to use this feature.
I understand it, since most folks using the feature will be Resort guests, but I’ve relied on the buses to take me from the Parks to a Resort for dining reservations when I wasn’t a guest. As of right now I would have to play that same guessing game of when to arrive for my bus if I wanted to visit a Resort, which I think is a nonsensical oversight on the part of Disney. Now that we’ve covered the big con, let’s get to the good stuff!
To find the bus times, one must simply touch their hotel reservation in the app, and to-the-minute bus departures will be available! The buses were each fitted with a GPS tracker that allows a parked or in-transit bus to communicate with the app, so if there is a traffic slow up or a bus is running late, all you have to do is check the app to know that you have five extra minutes of getting-ready time before you head out for the day!
What Do You Think About the Resort Bus Times on MDE?
This is a feature that I am very excited to use the next time I stay at a Walt Disney World Resort, and I want to know if you’re as excited as I am! Do you think you will use this feature? How do you feel about the exclusivity of usage? Leave a comment below and let’s have a discussion!
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Special thanks to Maria Salerno for writing this article: Hiya pal! I am a NYC-based writer thrilled to a part of your Disney vacation planning! I’m a WDW Annual Passholder, so you can find me in the parks regularly throughout the year. In addition to being a Disney Parks loving girl, I’m also a Disney toy and merchandise collector, a runDisney enthusiast, and Disney music and movie aficionado. You can follow me on Instagram: NYCtoAP and find me on YouTube: NYCtoAP. Thanks for reading, hope to see ya real soon!
We used the system in late August and it was great. My only complaint is your comment about Disney trying to improve the system. We hadn’t visited WDW for a few years. Kids got older etc. We went as empty nesters. We are old enough to remember that one of the big draws about staying on property is that the bus drops you off pretty much at the entrance. We found out that this is no longer the case. We were horrified by the temporary bus drop off at HS. Looking at the drone photos of the new bus loops, it doesn’t appear that the walk will be that much better. Let’s face it , if you are older or young dragging a couple of kids tough to think that transportation has improved.