"Regular Buses"?

[MJ6987]

Here now..I complained to the Cast Member at the Bus Stop that we seem to be having to wait longer for buses than on previous trips. She cryptically said somethzing about the "regular buses" being a little less frequent at the moment as they are testing a new system. I got the feeling she didn't want to go into it any more.

Anyone know what she meant?

 

[revdon64]

Probably a reference to some busses being repurposed for the express park-to-park service.

 

[CAS239]

There's the new express park to park that you have to pay extra for that just started about a week ago. Then the usual buses that have always been there.

The point of the express bus is to get guests in between parks quicker by loading and unloading backstage within the park. So it's cutting out the time of going back through security and the front gate

 

[Accident]

Someone in another thread said they are updating the bus computers so I think it's a literal new system for the buses to know where they go and get dispatched.

Nobody is fast on a new computer until they work with it a little.

Maybe not the best time to be rolling out a new system during the peak heaviest crowd times.

 

[disneyseniors]

I hope this isn't an indication of things to come with the "regular" buses. I hope Disney had designated buses for the pay-for transport option, and buses just for us "regular" people who paid humungous amounts just to stay onsite and for tickets, meals... We are visiting in February and I hope they have this fixed by then so it doesn't interfere with regular bus service. That's the one fear I had with this add on service; that the regular service would suffer for the regular guests who don't wish to buy into this extra charge for whatever reason. I hope not.

 

[bumbershoot]

Someone in another thread said they are updating the bus computers so I think it's a literal new system for the buses to know where they go and get dispatched.

Good gravy, again?

Our first trip 6 years ago they were doing the same (leaving DH and my aunt stranded at dhs at closing for ages... a ssr driver who had been by 3 times while they waited finally took pity on them and dropped them at OKW after his ssr run...another couple with them would have been ontime for their late Olivia's reservation but got there after the restaurant had fully closed). And I swear I've read of new systems three times since then.

 

[Orsino]

Interesting that they are trying to optimize.
During our trip last week we observed a few obvious inefficiencies in the busses that should be addressed. We were at Boardwalk going to Disney Springs and TWO Disney Springs busses showed up at the same time! That was weird enough, but then both busses continued along their routes. One bus was completely empty and would remain so since (1) the other bus was going to the same stops (swan and dolphin) and (2) there wasn't anyone at the next stops! There are so many things that could have been done differently to make that more efficient.
We talked about the inefficiency and the disaster that happened when Disney tried to optimize before and assumed that Disney just gave up and is living with the inefficiency. We also speculated that if Disney is successful in achieving greater efficiency, it likely won't translate to short wait times for guests. Disney will likely take the efficiency gains and lower the number of busses for zero net effect to guests but saving bus and labor costs for Disney.

 

[writerguyfl]

Interesting that they are trying to optimize.
During our trip last week we observed a few obvious inefficiencies in the busses that should be addressed. We were at Boardwalk going to Disney Springs and TWO Disney Springs busses showed up at the same time! That was weird enough, but then both busses continued along their routes. One bus was completely empty and would remain so since (1) the other bus was going to the same stops (swan and dolphin) and (2) there wasn't anyone at the next stops! There are so many things that could have been done differently to make that more efficient.
We talked about the inefficiency and the disaster that happened when Disney tried to optimize before and assumed that Disney just gave up and is living with the inefficiency. We also speculated that if Disney is successful in achieving greater efficiency, it likely won't translate to short wait times for guests. Disney will likely take the efficiency gains and lower the number of busses for zero net effect to guests but saving bus and labor costs for Disney.

As with any complex system, you have to remember that it's hard to judge something like efficiency with individual, anecdotal information. Certainly, your story of the two buses might be an example of poor use of resources. But, it also could be an example of a responsive system. Perhaps someone at one of the resorts on that route had (incorrectly) reported to Disney Transportation that a large of people was waiting to go to Disney Springs. The only way to know if this was inefficiency or not would be to access proprietary information.

 

[HopperFan]

I would doubt it is the express service, that's just not enough buses to impact.

I would be thrilled if it were a new dispatch/software system that will get buses to locations more timely and NEED based. I've stood at park bus stops, at times closer to an hour at closing with NO buses while other hotels had 3 and 4 leave virtually empty. And that is not unusual at any park closing. There is no excuse for locations with onsite Transportation CMs (Parks and DS) and good software tracking buses for that to ever happen. No bus is dedicated, all should be prepared to be re-directed to need.

Fingers crossed!

 

[Orsino]

As with any complex system, you have to remember that it's hard to judge something like efficiency with individual, anecdotal information. Certainly, your story of the two buses might be an example of poor use of resources. But, it also could be an example of a responsive system. Perhaps someone at one of the resorts on that route had (incorrectly) reported to Disney Transportation that a large of people was waiting to go to Disney Springs. The only way to know if this was inefficiency or not would be to access proprietary information.

I disagree. Even if there was some underlying reasons the inefficiency was created, it is still inefficient and is worthy of correction.

 

[goofyernmost]

I'm not going to get into the realities of public transportation because I have found that no one wants to accept it and want bus service to work like their own private limo. However, I will say this. Asking a CM is close to asking a wall. They are not let in on the way that business is done. The less they know about stuff like that the better. There are hundreds of things that can cause bus delays or perceived bus delays. The biggest is timing. The second is traffic. If you get there right after a bus has left there will be a longer wait then if you show up 20 minutes after that.

 

[AngiTN]

I'm not going to get into the realities of public transportation because I have found that no one wants to accept it and want bus service to work like their own private limo. However, I will say this. Asking a CM is close to asking a wall. They are not let in on the way that business is done. The less they know about stuff like that the better. There are hundreds of things that can cause bus delays or perceived bus delays. The biggest is timing. The second is traffic. If you get there right after a bus has left there will be a longer wait then if you show up 20 minutes after that.

So very true!
Someone there at the same time can say they are having the best bus service of the trip if they happen to get to the stop as a bus is pulling up. It's just a matter of luck.

As for the new Express service, the drivers have stated that they are not pulled from the regular bus routes. They are added to, extra, not otherwise scheduled. So whatever the CM was saying they were mistaken.

 

[mom2rtk]

So very true!
Someone there at the same time can say they are having the best bus service of the trip if they happen to get to the stop as a bus is pulling up. It's just a matter of luck.

As for the new Express service, the drivers have stated that they are not pulled from the regular bus routes. They are added to, extra, not otherwise scheduled. So whatever the CM was saying they were mistaken.

I think if we're going to discount anecdotal CM stories, we should probably exclude all of them.

 

[AngiTN]

I think if we're going to discount anecdotal CM stories, we should probably exclude all of them.

I guess. Though I do give more credit to one who's schedule is involved than to one who's schedule isn't involved.
Could the driver be lying that they are driving additional schedules? Yes. But why? Why would you not at least slightly believe someone who says they are working additional schedules?

 

[amcnj]

Let's hope the new system is successful. Buses have always had the potential to be erratic. More than a few times I have seen multiple ones for one park show up at a stop within a few minutes of each other, sometimes one waiting behind the other waiting to pull up to the loading area, and a third a minute or two behind. And this is at a resort with dedicated bus service. It makes me feel sorry for those wishing to go to that park who just missed all three. I always wonder what their wait will be for the next bus to come along.

 

[GreatLakes]

I have no doubt that the tracking system they are rolling out for line wait times will also be used eventually for bus scheduling as well. Using GPS, BLE, and WiFi radios to track which buss stops have the longest lines and waits will help with efficiencies but these are extremely complex systems that can't be accurately modeled anywhere other than production so there will be growing pains. MM+ was an ambitions infrastructure, logistics, and data analytics product that they are continuing to grow and find ways to use.

 

[scrapquitler]

Let's hope the new system is successful. Buses have always had the potential to be erratic. More than a few times I have seen multiple ones for one park show up at a stop within a few minutes of each other, sometimes one waiting behind the other waiting to pull up to the loading area, and a third a minute or two behind. And this is at a resort with dedicated bus service. It makes me feel sorry for those wishing to go to that park who just missed all three. I always wonder what their wait will be for the next bus to come along.

A couple ECVs loading on or off a bus, a slower group boarding the bus, one extra red light along the route, and it's easy to see how the bus can end up delayed, or even clumped together with two or three arriving in close proximity to the one before or after. I've seen one ECV take longer to load than an entire bus of people at times when the person has trouble backing it into the spot for the restraints to hook up. Some of these things are totally out of anyones control.

 

[DebbieB]

I was at BWV October 22 to 29, the times screen at the bus stop did not work the entire time.

 

[1lilspark]

I was at BWV October 22 to 29, the times screen at the bus stop did not work the entire time.

We were told that the times screen doesn't work when the bus's gps is out of range

 

[beaprn]

I guess. Though I do give more credit to one who's schedule is involved than to one who's schedule isn't involved.
Could the driver be lying that they are driving additional schedules? Yes. But why? Why would you not at least slightly believe someone who says they are working additional schedules?

Keep drinking that "koolaide", cast members (and that includes bus drivers) know only what Disney tells them and we all know how open Disney is about anything to do with numbers! I am sure Disney bought extra buses for the paid transfers as to not inconvenience the "regular" folks- NOT. The more people get aggrevated waiting for the regular bus the more likely they are to try the express. JMHO