Transportation at Fort Wilderness

[Roller ... aka Ed 351]

One more point about the buses.  Every resort - EXCEPT The Fort - has transportation at those odd hours when runs are scheduled at Disney World.

I asked when I checked in; I called the night before; I called EARLY in the morning on the day I was scheduled to do the Marathon weekend 5K.  Do you thing I got the right story from any of those contacts - hell no. Would I have made it on time if we didn't have a car to drive over to EPCOT - hell no! I pay just like any other resort guest at Disney World - I shouldn't get sub-standard service just because I'm at The Fort.

I'm not sure we're talking WDW transportation in your case. Usually, if the event warrants it, special events use third party buses and not the WDW buses. I have never transported runners to a marathon starting location. Or as I like to call them, crazy people.

It may be contracted, but both WDW and 3rd Party buses were delivering to EPCOT that morning (about 5am or so).  Here is a clip from the RunDisney site:

Walt Disney World? Marathon Weekend presented by CIGNA

Transportation

WALT DISNEY WORLD? Marathon Weekend Transportation has been arranged for WALT DISNEY WORLD? Resort guests. Buses will be indicated by WALT DISNEY WORLD? Marathon Weekend signs placed in the front windows and will run every 20 minutes from WALT DISNEY WORLD? Resorts to the following events:

Notice it doesn't say EXCEPT from Ft Wilderness.  We are supposed to catch 'our' bus over at Wilderness Lodge - except they don't tell you that.  Even then, every one said that the internal bus that went to Wilderness Lodge was 'supposed to be running' - but it wasn't.  That meant, drive to Wilderness Lodge to catch a bus - or just drive ourselves over.  Either choice is NOT acceptable - and conflicts with their own statement ... unless they don't consider Fort Wilderness a Disney Resort  :siren:

To not hijack another thread, I'm bringing this over here.

As you can tell, I have a peeve about Disney World NOT doing what they say they do for people entered in THEIR runs that happen to be staying at Fort Wilderness.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

That does sound annoying!!

[Lou... 3,118]

So how did you get there?

Did you ever follow up on why there wasn't a bus? If you did, what was their reply?

As for regular bus service, the Fort and all of the other resorts are supposed to get whatever bus service they've contracted WDW Transportation to provide and to my knowledge, they're getting it to their satisfaction.

Every morning they assign transportation monitors, the black & whites, to the resorts that, if they're doing their job, call in when a bus is needed out of sequence. 

The Fort is not the red headed step child. I hear the same complaint at one time or another at every single resort and park. Every other resort has better bus service than the one you're staying at. Three or four buses for all the other resorts have gone by, while none have stopped for your resort.

Here's what I tell people. Assuming you know what the bus service is and what it can be at times, if you are not the type pf person that can tolerate it, don't subject yourself to it. It's not going to change drastically in the short term.

In their defense, they are continually tweaking it to make it better. Believe me they do try to provide the best service they can. It's just a huge undertaking under ever changing conditions.

And remember, it's mass transit, even at WDW.

[Roller ... aka Ed 351]

I got there by driving to EPCOT.

The only answer was, "You bus was at Wilderness Lodge".  There was no answer to how we were supposed to get there.  The internal bus was NOT running - nor assigned to run - at that time of the morning.

Not just at The Fort, but at all the Resorts, I have OCCASIONALLY seen the 'black & whites'.  We there is really an issue, they are no where to be found - at least it seems that way sometimes.

I'm not saying the others are better - just that they WERE better on that particular morning.  When I have a tight time slot to be somewhere, I always drive - or give a couple of hours for Disney Transportation.  Mom LOVES the boats, so we try to arrange things so she gets her boat rides.  For example, to get to EPCOT - take a WDW Bus to The Studios; walk to the boat dock and ride a boat to the International Gateway.  It takes longer that way, but shes happier - and if all were doing are the Countries, it's a lot less walking for us.

I DO know that it has to be a major headache for someone to keep the system running - but ... The Fort fell through the cracks that morning and no one seemed to know why OR care.  If we had not had a vehicle (flew in and Magical Express to The Fort, for example) I would have been totally SOL (sure outta luck) about getting to the run - and out a fair amount of $ in registration fees, etc.  In that case, it would have taken more than the blow off answer I got.

[Lou... 3,118]

I have OCCASIONALLY seen the 'black & whites'.  We there is really an issue, they are no where to be found - at least it seems that way sometimes.

They're there every day but only until noon or so. A few years ago, they didn't exist.

If we had not had a vehicle. I would have been totally SOL about getting to the run - and out a fair amount of $ in registration fees, etc.

For those that don't have a vehicle, cabs are available and can be at most resorts within 5 minutes. For the Fort, the cabs are staged at TTC. That's one phone number I would put into my cell phone contacts if I were at WDW, just in case.

[Roller ... aka Ed 351]

If we had not had a vehicle. I would have been totally SOL about getting to the run - and out a fair amount of $ in registration fees, etc.

For those that don't have a vehicle, cabs are available and can be at most resorts within 5 minutes. For the Fort, the cabs are staged at TTC. That's one phone number I would put into my cell phone contacts if I were at WDW, just in case.

From what I've seen/heard, the cabs aren't cheap - and would be an added cost that wasn't planned on.

If Disney was supposed to provide transportation from ALL resorts - one way or another - then I would be more than pissed if I had to pay out of pocket to cover their asses.  I'm not that kind of person, but I can see someone turning it into a lawsuit ...

BTW, I DID call the Transportation number.  Even they didn't have an answer other than find some way to get to Wilderness Lodge or drive myself, because they weren't going to dispatch anything to pick me (and a bunch of others given the crowd waiting at the Outpost Bus Stop) and transport me anywhere.  On that day, Fort Wilderness WAS the ugly, red headed black sheep of the Disney Resorts.  Not one of the Disney people seemed to give a shit before or after the fact.

Sorry for the rant - I know it wasn't you - but Disney Transportation (or a 3rd party contractee) failed miserably that day.

Nudge Nudge, Wink Wink If you want to point this out to someone that might actually care or be able to do something in the future - I have two more runs scheduled this year and I'm staying at Fort Wilderness for both  ;D

[Otter Spotter aka Debbie 58]

Hey Runner!!

I'm going to hi-jack this thread because I want to hear all about how you went from a cardiac mess to a marathon runner!!  I think this must be an amazing story and worth hearing!!

[Roller ... aka Ed 351]

Hey Runner!!

I'm going to hi-jack this thread because I want to hear all about how you went from a cardiac mess to a marathon runner!!  I think this must be an amazing story and worth hearing!!

This one isn't hi-jacked ... That story is in the member section.  Nudge Nudge Wink Wink.  Any of you guest lurkers can follow up on this IF you join the rest of us Fort Fiends!  :D

[Lou... 3,118]

BTW, I DID call the Transportation number. 

No, I meant the Taxi phone number.

BTW, insist on speaking with a manager if you do call WDW Transportation.

Nudge Nudge, Wink Wink If you want to point this out to someone that might actually care or be able to do something in the future - I have two more runs scheduled this year and I'm staying at Fort Wilderness for both.

If you still have my cell number, text me, don't call, as I can't use the phone, if you have a problem and I'll call it in.

Having said all that, I would still drive myself.