Hoorah for Disney Transportation

I love Disney transportation too. The addition of the Magical Express buses just makes it that much better. I remember back in the 90's having to arrange shuttles with Mears, etc., but it's so much more fun to board the ME, and watch the videos on our way to the hotel.

At home, I am also everyone's chauffeur, so not having to drive is one of the big reasons I love going to WDW. I really don't mind waiting for a bus - we've had the chance to chat with people from all over the world at the stops. We have also been very lucky most of the time, and never waited more than a few moments for one. Last fall, we had one from Epcot all to ourselves, and had a wonderful conversation with the driver while he "escorted us home". He was hilarious, and it ended up being a highlight of our trip.

I LOVE Disney Transportation and it's most of the reason why we never even think about staying off property. It's just one less thing to worry about, across the board - airport, parking, gas costs, being able to drink, sitting in traffic lines. All of that just takes away from the parks!

Most of the complaints I hear are about slow and crowded buses, but I go in expecting it, since after all it is sort of like public transportation.

The convenience of not needing a rental car, and not having to worry about that glass of wine with dinner, and especially being able to get up and go while other people sleep late, far outweighs the inconvenience of having to wait for a bus.

I have complained a little about the transportation, but overall I do love it. One big benefit is the sense of security. It has been quite a few years since we stayed off property, but when we did I never felt safe. Just stopping at the gas station I had the sense of need to keep an eye out all the time. But I never have that feeling on Disney property.

There is such a sense of security on Disney property. And the Disney transportation is a part of that. From the time you arrive at the airport and check in with Magical Express you are under their care and that sense of security begins. The resorts are very secure. The parks are very secure. And using Disney transportation never takes you outside that sense of being under their protection.

Another benefit of being under the Disney umbrella for the entire time is the sense of never leaving the fantasy. The parks are themed, the resorts are themed, and the transportation vehicles are all themed. So there is that sense of Disney magic from the start to the finish.

Thirdly there is comfort in not worrying about a rental car. If I have a rental car in the parking lot it will cross my mind a bit worrying about it.

We drive, so we like to go back to the resort early and drive to our ADR's if they are at a different resort, most of the time.

On our second trip to WDW, DH & I and My parents each had rooms at POR. My Brother and his girlfriend stayed at POP, not wanting to pay the additional $200 for the upgrade to the Mod. My Brothers flight from Cali was getting in earlier than my parents flight, so we were trying to get from POR to POP. Went to the bus stop and decided to just take the first bus that came, then we would catch the POP bus from that park. It was close to 5pm in January. AK bus shows up, we get on, he asks why we are going to AK, it is closing for the night. We explained trying to get to POP, and he drove us directly to POP, but told us not to tell anyone.

How great is that?!?! I know, it is really a little thing, but totally saved time! Then we had to rush back to POR to meet my parent when they cam in from Cali, but we were not so lucky that time.

I like Disney transportation because I don't have to worry about a rental car or transportation to and from the airport. I really don't mind waiting for buses to the resorts or parks.

Not having to drive is awesome. The short walks from the parks are great, the ability to drink, the people watching, etc.

I just sorta enjoy the slower pace of it. Life moves by me so quickly at home. I like the idea and not having an agenda on vacation, and that I am not in control of when I get where. Its liberating to let go and just go with the flow. I last went during late June, and we only had a couple bad experiences on the buses. A couple super packed ones, and a downtown disney route that never showed. We ending up calling a cab and made the most of that opportunity and diverted our route to buy more beer!

All in all I enjoy the disney trans. I do wish they would have expanded monorail service to all the parks at this point! That would definitely take some stress of the buses.

This year, we will probably rent a car day 1, because we really want to see a lot of the other resorts.

I agree with the Disney transportation adding to the magic! One of the things I love about Disney is that you are completely taken care of in every way! Chauffeured to and from the parks, luggage magically arrives (and if it doesn't, Disney kicks some serious airline butt and THEN it gets delivered!), packages delivered to your room, no need to think about the details of how you're getting to the airport, just hop on a bus and off you go! Love it!

I use Disney Transport because i'm from the uk so i don't want to have to drive on the wrong side of the road I also want to relax and not worry about directions, trying to remember where i parked the car etc. Because we visit for 2 weeks then i don;t feel i have to make the most of every single minute, if it takes me an hour by bus to get somewhere then i just try and enjoy the ride, at home we hardly ever travel by bus or boat or monorail so it's part of the fun. My dds and i will make up games like thinking of a disney character beginning with each letter of the alphabet to pass the time if necessary, but the best bit is when we start talking to others on the bus/boat/monorail, finding out where they're from and where they're staying. For the most part, I LOVE Disney transport.

I love Disney transportation...it's just one of the many perks of staying on property. It's wonderful not having to worry about our luggage to/from the airport when using Magical Express, and it's nice to not have to drive around. All of the transportation options (bus, boat, monorail) are wonderful as well.

I, too, am a big fan of Disney transportation. I like knowing I'll always have a designated driver.

In November when I was going to Cape May Cafe for breakfast, I got on the bus for DHS. I had planned on taking the boat to the Beach Club or walk if the boats weren't running yet. The driver asked if anyone was going for breakfast at one of the resorts. I told him I was. He didn't think the boats were running yet so he drove me to the Beach Club. We had a nice chat on the way over.

I too LOVE Disney transportation. My fellow Disney nut uses an ECV (of necessity, not convenience!) and I simply could not imagine all the headaches if it weren't for the wonderful Disney transportation and the simply great drivers. AND the ECV company delivers the vehicle right to the resort. Were it not for the fantastic Disney transportation, we wouldn't be going to WDW.

Patti

There is something to be said for being able to totally and completely leave the "real world" on the outside. Disney transportation is part of that all encompassing magical vacation that we are always looking forward to.

I love all of the above mentioned advantages to using Disney transportation, but one thing I do miss is when the bus drivers were a little more interactive. They used to tell stories, and fun facts about what you were driving by, or your destination. I understand that they probably stopped doing that due to safety, keeping the drivers focused on driving, but it added a little touch of Disney magic to a very NOT magical event, riding a bus.

I think it is hit or miss, mostly miss, now. We will occasionally get a driver who chats a bit. We did get a driver on our boat from OKW to DTD that had a lot to say about everything around us. From the THV to the foliage. it was very interesting.

This is why I love Disney transportation. No worries about parking, driving, getting lost, etc. I just get to have FUN!

For me, there's no extra fee to use Disney's transportation, it's convenient in that I don't have to worry about parking, getting lost, dealing with traffic and all that stuff. Plus I find the drivers to be much better compared to other bus drivers in general. Can't say the same about the Rutgers buses.....

I've been on trips where my timing just synced up with Disney transportation and I've been on trips where I couldn't have hit the busses right if I had a printed schedule. So much of the timing issues that we sometimes complain about can be attributed to dumb luck, right place right time, etc, but overall, the folks in transportation really do their part to make all of our vacations special. We've had a few special experiences:

August 2010 - Juan the Magical Express driver entertained us with WDW trivia and fun facts all the way to the airport. He really made our vacation last as long as possible.

August 2012 - We had a driver named Steve or John (one name he gave us was fake and the other was real, but I forget which is which) who had a whole comedy routine about the tropical storm he was driving us through

August 2012 - Two security guards at the Marketplace stop at DTD did a little improv skit for us with umbrellas and pirate swords while we waited in the rain for our bus.

Surely there have been many others, but those are a few highlights from the transportation folks that really stand out to me.

Great thread, Kristen!!

I really don't like the buses, but then I don't like buses in general. I love the boats and monorail though! We tend to hire a car while we are there and visit some offsite stuff as well as disney, gotta have a few trips to walmart plus all the food places we don't get back home. So for the most part we drive around disney as it's easier.

I love Disney transportation! I use it as often as possible. If I'm going to one park, I leave my car there then catch Disney transportation to where ever I'm going. When I was on the college program, I would take college program busing to somewhere on Disney property then use Disney transport to get around until I wanted to go home.

I love it too, Mandy! Despite a few delays, it is so awesome to get right to your resort, or to the front of the parks. I did not move my car at all on my last two trips.

I love Disney transportation because it means I can go to DW. I don't drive (have never gotten my license & don't plan to) so if Disney didn't offer it's own transportation there's no way I could go as twice a day (at a minimum) cab fares would make it too expensive.

I love the transportation... We stay in a villa 10 mins from Walt Disneyworld but we always make the most of all the transport- it's all part of the fun! Especially the monorail or ferry boat, the first ride of the day

This past January was my first time going beyond Epcot...so it was the first time I've ever gotten to ride the Monorail. My husband and I half jokingly/half serious say, "The monorail is the best...ride...EVAR!" Oh, and that's especially true when we're dog-tired

Having WDW transportation allows my DH to have a vacation where he doesn't feel that he spends it driving...he drives everyday for UPS, so it's a nice perk to sit back and let someone else do the driving. We also love it when the bus drivers really interact with their passengers and hold trivia contests and Disney sing-alongs.

I love the fact that once we touch down in Orlando, that we just get to hop on a bus and not have to worry about how we are going to get from one place to another. It takes away some of the added stress and cost of renting a car. I also go on vacation to relax and being able to have some drinks and not worrying about who is going to drive us home or getting a cab is such pretty amazing. While sometimes the wait can be long for a bus, at least it is free, safe, and part of the magic!

I just love it! All of it! A big part of the WDW trip for me is the fact that my only responsibility is showing up at the airport. Here's my cheers ...

I remember thinking while on the MExpress " "Besides, this is MUCH nicer that a cab or a van shuttle."

I don't care much how long the Disney bus takes. I LOVE not having a car with us!

I love the multiple options to explore " The monorails and the many boats are attractions in themselves!

I love being welcomed at the airport ... Disney at MCO is the best airport arrival ever!

I love the Magical Express...have been using it since it started. Wouldn't think about any other type of transportation. Just get off the plane go the Magical Express area and get on the bus..nothing to worry about don't need to get you luggage. How can this not be great? And when you leave (sad to say) you just get on the bus and get to your plane...

I really like parking our car at the airport and knowing we won't be driving again until I return. It just adds to the whole "getting away from our normal routines" thing and the feeling that we're truly on vacation.