POR busses

[ls1222]

I have been reading about some nightmares w/ transportation from riverside. When we were there 2 years ago, the busses were great (never waited more than 5 minutes) although they were very crowded and hard to get 3 kids, and a stroller through the crowds and find a seat (in fact a bus driver yelled at me to sit down, I felt bad as I was seating my children first and trying to get a seat). Anyway, has the bussing changed since then? Is there a seperate bus for riverside and the french quarter? Does the bus drive to all the bus stops? I'm worried now as we will be there in Sept/Oct and don't want to wait 20+ minutes for a bus and fight other guests to get on the bus. Again, w/ 3 kids, a stroller or 2, diaper bag, and camcorder, it is very difficult to get everyone on the bus and seated. Thanks!!

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

In the past year, we have reached a 95% efficiency rating for Port Orleans. I don't forsee you having much trouble with the busses, as long as you plan ahead, and understand that during peak times, the busses may be more crowded.

During the morning hours (Pre 11:00), we use Magic On Demand... MOD... These busses are staged out of a parking lot within Port Orleans. They are dispatched on a demand basis to one of three different routes... FQ... South Depot... and West/North/East Depots.

After 11:00 the parks convert over to Flex Dispatch. Busses are dispatched from the parks themselves from a preset time departure list. It's very similar to our old fixed routes, except instead of busses sitting around, they're dispatched immediatly.

Because you will be travelling during an off season, the FQ and Riverside will typically be combined at all parks. But don't worry, that doesn't mean long bus rides.

Port Orleans is centrally located, so bus rides won't be long either. It's a 10 min ride to the MK, 10 mins to Epcot, 10 mins to Disney/MGM Studios, and 10 mins to the Marketplace. The only place that's 15 mins is DAK.

 

[Luv2Roam]

During the morning hours (Pre 11:00), we use Magic On Demand... MOD... These busses are staged out of a parking lot within Port Orleans. They are dispatched on a demand basis to one of three different routes... FQ... South Depot... and West/North/East Depots.

And this was one of our sore spots while at POR. The day after Memorial Day we were at the main bus depot, like many others.
We were there a long time (as was going to be the norm during our trip at POR main bus stop).
We were going to MK. Two CM's were standing between the depots with their clipboards chatting between themselves and smiling at guests.
After several minutes we witnessed one man and his family chew out the male CM, who just nodded and smiled and the guests and his family stormed off. (We figured they gave up entirely or maybe had their own car and opted for that.)
When the bus FINALLY arrived I mentioned to the bus driver that at least two more busses were needed just to handle the remaining guests.
He looked over at the CM's and said Oh Yeah?
The bus was packed just from that depot and still MANY people left behind. What REALLY griped us, as we were leaving -- there sat THREE empty busses in the parking lot, and we *assumed* they were waiting to be called in! They were badly needed and those CM's were having people wait and wait and wait while those busses sat empty, running and idle.

The next morning we went to a different park. THREE (near empty) busses were heading to the MK that morning while we WAITING (a long time again) for the MGM bus.
POR bus CM's were always a day behind on what busses should go where. Whatever they seemed to need one day was set up for the next day.
Even the wait would not have been near as bad if they just had it organzied in lines so it would at least have been a first come first serve. It was just a mob scene.
Can you tell I'm still a little ticked?
I wouldn't tell you not to stay at POR, as I am sure others have had no bus problems. But I would not be surprised to find you had problems.
I did write a letter to the POR manager and Lee Cockerell. Someone from Mr Cockerell's office called me last week. She was including my comments in a report and contacting the resort's manager.
I just hope POR can learn from the mistakes for other's sake.
We had a bus stop right behind our room. But we never used it because the service was so bad at the front. We didn't know if we would get better service out back or be forgotten entirely. So we just didn't chance it.

 

[ls1222]

Tyler-Thank you for your comments. Why do you think they do not have organized lines at the bus stop? I really don't like having to be rude and fight my way on to the bus (it was like this two years ago). It didnt matter how long you were waiting as people just walked on right in front of us!! Does Magic on Demand really help w/ the wait times? Luv2Roam- now I'm very worried, that does not sound like a good experience. Was it super busy the time that you went? Also, does anyone know if POR is expected to full due to CBR being closed during this time? I'm sure that would make the busses more crowded. Thanks!!

 

[LucyStorm]

I was there last November. The only time I ever had a problem with the bus was at the main bus stop. Everyone seems to think that if they all go to the main bus stop, they will get on first and get a seat. I used the North bus stop, always had a bus within 10 minutes, and only had to stand once. Frequently, the bus would pick up our stop first and then proceed around so that the main stop was the 3rd stop to be picked up. The two times that I used the main stop were a nightmare, but not because of the castmembers, but because of the guests. The cast members were always friendly and helpful.

 

[Luv2Roam]

I would just go. Be prepared for the worse, which most likely will never happen. Hope for the best.
There was a guests on the resorts board that was at AB the same week we were. They didn't have any bus problems.
DH and I are picky or demanding. I don't know if was just luck of the draw or what.
I have posted this before elsewhere, but will repeat myself.
We normally go to WDW in January. And it is dead. So we knew we were going to experience much heavier crowds, etc. No problem.
ASMo had the best bus service I could ever even imagine. The lines were long. But they were orderly. CM's would pull handicapped guests out of the lines going way back and get them on the busses first. And they had one bus come in after another to take the guests.
It was fabulous!
Even at the parks in May, POR was consistently the longest line. And we park hop and come and go at various times. So it's not like we were *expecting* to get on a bus right away right after the park closed.
Any wait under ten minutes I am happy with.
With the POR busses I will just tell you what I told others: Figure how long you think it should take you to get where you are going (in case you have PS's or whatever). Double that time and pad it some more. You should be fine.
This May trip was one time if taxis had been available at the resort out front, I would have taken one.
I recall once we waited a long time. I was very tempted to go back inside and order a taxi. But I thought (hoped) by the time I did that and one arrived, I would be on a bus.
We left early morning June 1. FQ opened the day before. We were really glad to be out of there because we were uncertain how that would effect the already poor POR bus service.
Other times I have stayed at WDW resorts, I always got a questionnaire. This was one time I didn't. So I wrote my letter and glad I did. I didn't expect or want compensation. I just wanted them to be aware of issues that can easily be fixed.
The bus stop CM's were very nice. Just very ineffective, from our personal experience. There wasn't a morning that went by that I did not witness other guests chewing on them for lack of busses. I take that back. I think it was Memorial Day morning, the two CM's were monitoring the busses from a CAR in the PARKING LOT!
Just go and enjoy and hope they fixed their bus issues. We were there last May. They have had some time to work on it. If it's bad, you just do what we plan on -- don't return to POR. I let them know the good, bad and the ugly. After that I speak with my pocketbook.
We did see repeatedly guests who waited the longest most likely did not get on the bus. We saw repeatedly newly arrived guests just walk on. It was really just luck of the draw where the bus would stop, where you happened to be, if you were buried in the back of the wall to wall guests, and how determined you were to be on that bus.
Best of luck and enjoy your trip!