Originally Posted By AutoPost This topic is for Discussion of <a href="http://www.LaughingPlace.com/Latest-ID-81720.asp" target="_blank"><b>Latest: Construction Begins on Third Bus Loop at the Magic Kingdom</b></a> <p>Yesterday construction began on a third bus loop at Disney's Magic Kingdom bus area to accomodate more buses and load zones.</p>
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub Finally a new attraction. More loops more whoops Hope somebody shares with construction zone pics in their trip report.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Any word if the new bus loop will accomodate articulated buses? I know they've done some tests with them, but I haven't heard how they worked out. Also, I hear they're testing the over-the-shoulder restraints for the bus loop in the old Superstar Limo building...
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom I'm not going to fault WDW for building this. Last Spring WDW added Art of Animation Resort. They need improved bus stops to handle more quests. You have to have the infrastructure to support your increase in hotel capacity.
Originally Posted By mrkthompsn I think they should build a massive, triple-story, multi-spindled, spiraling "shuttle bus hub" right here: <a href="http://goo.gl/maps/6t2sf" target="_blank">http://goo.gl/maps/6t2sf</a> If you want to go from point A to point B in WDW (except from very local A to very local B), buses would ~only go to and from here~. Passengers would disembark bus A and board bus B at the depot to get to their destination. This would relieve all these parks, resorts, and shopping areas from having so dang many bus stops. Example: MK to AK. Bus leaves MK to depot. Passengers walk to AK bus. Bus leave depot and goes to AK. This plot of land is ideal for all of WDW. Ramps could be built from both directions of EPCOT Drive and World Drive. Then all of WDW would flow much more efficiently
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Even if everyone transferred at the depot, wouldn't you still need just about as many bus stops to handle the crowds at closing? Sure, they would all be going to the same destination, but I don't see how it would substantially cut down on the number of bus spaces needed at the parks. Wasn't that the original plan for the TTC? It never seemed to work as planned.
Originally Posted By sjhym333 Actually TTC worked well for many years until the resort got too big for TTC to handle the bus flow.
Originally Posted By mrkthompsn How many bus stops are at MK now, and where do they go? If there are bus stop there for TTC, MK Resorts, DTD, AK, DHS, EPCOT, EPCOT Resorts, AK Resorts, Pop Resorts, All-Star Resorts, Wide-World of Sports, etc... they could reduce all those bus stops to the WDW Depot and local areas. They still might need a large number of bus stops for multiple buses going to/fro the depot, but wouldn't need as many as they have now. Plus, guests wouldn't enter into a realm of confusion upon approaching the MK bus stops. MK would result in bus stops for MK Resorts, TTC, WDW Depot. That's it. Similar for other areas of WDW. The WDW Depot could transition theme parks on level one, transition resort areas on level two, transition water parks/shopping/sport areas on level three.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros MK doesn't have buses to TTC or MK resorts, since they can all be accessed via boats and monorail. There is no direct bus service between DTD and any of the parks. >>Plus, guests wouldn't enter into a realm of confusion upon approaching the MK bus stops.<< They might not get confused at MK, but they sure will get confused once they get dumped at the central depot and need to find their way again. Having a centralized hub doesn't remove the element of guests getting confused, it just moves it to an extra location (not to mention the guests who will get confused by the lack of direct buses to where they're going) I've touched on it before, but unless you are doing a very odd maneuver (essentially hotel hopping or going directly from a part to DTD), the WDW bus system really is pretty incredible. If you think about how many people get moved on a daily basis, and that nearly every ride is a direct route, it's much more efficient and easy than any other transit system I know. Looking at how incredibly flexible the system is, with the way that hundreds of buses are simultaneously dispatched across property at park closing, in direct response to the guests' needs is nothing short of amazing from a logistical side. No, it's not sleek and sexy like a monorail, but it does an incredible job, and does it much more efficiently than any trendy transit mode could do. times The waits can be a little annoying at times, but are often much shorter than the wait would be for a city bus in the real world or for an attraction inside the park. I'm surprised that they haven't yet updated their infrastructure to have "Next bus arrives in XX minutes" signs at all of the stops, but that's really my only complaint.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip As far as I know you can't get a bus from the MK to any of the other parks or DTD. In fact the only park offering buses to other parks is the AK, though you can get from MK to Epcot by switching monorails at the TTC and get from Epcot to the Studios via boat.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Oops... FerretAfros beat me to it! I composed my post but then spent time researching it to make sure I was correct before hitting the post button.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip You wouldn't find much enthusiasm for having to transfer from people with a few kids and a couple of strollers. It would also be inconvenient for people dependent on wheelchairs or ECV's.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub Think of how many times you are waiting for your specific bus and they keep arriving right after each other for the same destination you do not want and they are empty arriving and departing. That is one problem they can not seem to resolve and it is inexcusable and extremely wasteful. i know many people say the solution is rent a car if you are dissatisfied. Really if we all thought that way it would destroy your happiness as a happy auto tourist Cause the traffic would be unpleasant no matter your mode.
Originally Posted By Manfried Next we'll see "Magic Taxis" that will take you directly where you want to go without need for transfers waiting for you at the hotel. For a price you can ride with your favorite Disney character.
Originally Posted By Yookeroo "Think of how many times you are waiting for your specific bus and they keep arriving right after each other for the same destination you do not want and they are empty arriving and departing." How many times? Never? I don't recall this happening on my trips.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub All the time for me Guaranteed How often do you go to WDW?. I travel by myself and seem to pay attention to things that other people do not . I used to average a visit every other month alternating between DL and WDW. I guess you are luckier than me when it comes to MK bus wait times.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom WDW needs the additional bus stops to support the Art of Animation Resort. Build more resorts and DVCs, then you need the additional bus stops to support the additional guests. Just be grateful your not staying Disney's Boardwalk Resort because then your sharing a bus with everyone staying at the Swan and Dolphin Hotels as well. That never made sense to me. WDW needed the additional bus stops a decade ago. Better late than never I guess.
Originally Posted By mrkthompsn Of course the best thing to do is to highly expand the monorail system . Even make it elevated steel rails if they have to.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom That's a good suggestion mrkthompsn. And boy would I like to see additional monorail loops! I would think the answer would include, all of the above. Open some areas for greater pedestrain access from certain resorts to certain parks. That would involve opening additional gates into some of the parks, like EPCOT. Why not let folks be able to walk from CBR into EPCOT through a new backgate? Why not let folks walk from Pop Century and AoA resorts to/from DHS? Build moving walkways, overhead tramways, or whatever might be cost effective.
