FW to Epcot Bus Mystery Solved....... kinda

[Lou... 3,118]

Earlier this week I stopped to pick up for DHS at the Fort. When I pulled in and opened the door, I was greeted by an irate women who complained about there not being any Epcot buses. She also told me that she had seen a few buses with Epcot on the marquee but when they got close, the marquee changed to something else.That made her even angrier because she assumed that the bus was supposed to pickup for Epcot but it got changed at the last moment even though there had been a bus load of people waiting for a long time.

Also, I don't recall who it was, but someone recently wrote in their trip report that the same thing happened to her. I responded by saying that changing a buses destination in incidences like that doesn't happen. The driver doesn't and can't do it on the fly and the computer system that people think we have can't do it either. I didn't know at the time why it was occurring, but I do now....I think.

Due to the way things work, the buses that had Epcot on the marquee were never going to Epcot from the Fort, so no need to be upset that it was changed at the last minute. It had Epcot on the marquee because that's where it came from.

In the morning only, buses service resorts with guests going to the park that the bus is based out of, but they also service a different park.

For instance, in the morning, the DHS buses don't pick up at the Fort for DHS, the MK buses do and that's why I was there. The Epcot buses do the FW to Epcot and FW to AK runs and I bet that's what the marquee changed to as they pulled in.

Buses destinations are always assigned before they complete their last run and are not changed on route except in very special cases, such as in break downs or accidents. The changing of the marquee usually happens much earlier and people don't see it, but for some reason, that particular bus changes in view of the guests.

So if you're waiting for an Epcot bus in the morning at the Fort, pay no attention to what it says on the marquee until it's 50 feet away. If it changes to something else, it was never going to Epcot in the first place.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

That happened to us in December too. It was our longest bus wait by far of the trip. And Epcot is the one park that I won't drive to. Too many alcoholic offerings for that.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

I see the bus marque change all the time.....

[Lou... 3,118]

I see the bus marque change all the time.....

All the time, are you exaggerating.........again, and what's a marque?

[Retired & Tired (Judy) 90]

We always wait to see what the marque says as it gets closer to us. But having you explain why they change makes sense. Yes, Lou you did make sense this time. :jumpforjoy

[Lou... 3,118]

you did make sense this time.

Even a broken clock is correct twice a day.

[Fugarwe(MN John(Juanito)) 23]

Watched it happen on three more busses this morning, and two of them werent epcot. Wish i had paid closer attention for better intel.

[Lou... 3,118]

Watched it happen on three more buses this morning, and two of them weren't Epcot. Wish i had paid closer attention for better intel.

Maybe all the bus marquees change over late at the Fort?

It's the same answer, those buses were never going to wherever it said on the marquee before it changed.

Having said that and if you don't mind a couple of extra stops, that bus will return to whatever park it had on the sign before it changed. In my case when I stopped at the Fort for DHS, my sign would have read MK and that's where I would end up. So if you want to go to MK by bus with a transfer, in the morning only, take the DHS bus. It usually picks up at the Y&B before returning to MK.

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

Obviously, a direct monorail line to the Fort would be the best solution.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Obviously, a direct monorail line to the Fort would be the best solution.

A boat captain told me that they have the plans drawn up for a monorail line to the Four Seasons. Even though the beams will cut directly through the Settlement, 100, 200, and 300 loops there will be no stop at the Fort. Four Seasons developers insisted on that. 3000 loop guests will, however, be allowed to board at the Four Seasons, but they are required to shower first.

[Lou... 3,118]

Obviously, a direct monorail line to the Fort would be the best solution.

:rofl2: :barf: :bs: :villagewrong:

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

A boat captain told me that they have the plans drawn up for a monorail line to the Four Seasons. Even though the beams will cut directly through the Settlement, 100, 200, and 300 loops there will be no stop at the Fort. Four Seasons developers insisted on that. 3000 loop guests will, however, be allowed to board at the Four Seasons, but they are required to shower first.

Maybe they will install windows that open on that new deluxe monorail so the uppity up's could toss down spare change and table scraps to the peasants camping below.

[mommy rainbo.....Bo 41]

It was my TR that had the changing bus signs. Thanks for the explaination. I will tell cranky pants hubby, but he probably won't believe me.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Obviously, a direct monorail line to the Fort would be the best solution.

:rofl2: :barf: :bs: :villagewrong:

CONGRATULATIONS - you got Lou to use smileys!!

:banana:

[Lou... 3,118]

but he probably won't believe me.

So even after being given a logical explanation, he will continue to believe that those buses were meant to go to Epcot?

CONGRATULATIONS - you got Lou to use smileys!!

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

[mommy rainbo.....Bo 41]

So even after being given a logical explanation, he will continue to believe that those buses were meant to go to Epcot?

Remember I did call him captain cranky pants. Like a tired cranky toddler. He will understand, but not agree or believe it.

[Lou... 3,118]

Remember I did call him captain cranky pants.

Does he have a cape and wear his underwear on the outside?

[momof3kids-Yvonne 594]

Remember I did call him captain cranky pants. Like a tired cranky toddler. He will understand, but not agree or believe it.

I think our husbands are twins (born years apart from each other) separated at birth. :rofl3:

[Spinner...Ben 1]

Back to the topic, we didn't notice any mystery marquee changes, but we did sit thru 2 each AK and HS bus arrival and departures before the EPCOT bus showed up, and then it was standing room only. Some great Logistics Experts they have there at the WDW;) they must rely on the bus drivers' counts...LAL

Spinner

[Lou... 3,118]

we did sit thru 2 each AK and HS bus arrival and departures before the EPCOT bus showed up, and then it was standing room only. Some great Logistics Experts they have there at the WDW;) they must rely on the bus drivers' counts...LAL.

It has nothing to do with great Logistics Experts, it's about you and how much you're willing to pay for a site.

Each resort contracts WDW Transportation for whatever level of bus service they are willing to pay for, so as long as they are receiving that service, management is to blame for whatever the bus service is and not WDW Bus Transportation.

If people want more Epcot buses, all it takes is money, your money.

And if enough people complain to management, they will upgrade the bus service, but I can guarantee that the site rates will go up accordingly. It's a misconception that the bus service is free. It's buried in the room/site rates and park ticket prices.

[Spinner...Ben 1]

Thanks for the info, Lou. So it's cheaper to run buses to HS and AK than Epcot or FW decides how many of each park bus?

Spinner

[Lou... 3,118]

Thanks for the info, Lou. So it's cheaper to run buses to HS and AK than Epcot or FW decides how many of each park bus?

I'm not privy to costs, but I don't believe it's based on costs for specific routes.

The main factors would be the interval between buses to a park in the morning and if a resort shares a bus with another resort, which the Fort does. The Fort also needs internal buses and a bus to the WL, which adds to the transportation costs.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

So, if each resort determines the level of bus service it wishes to provide for its guests, is there any noticeable difference between resorts? Is there a resort that clearly has the best level of bus service or one that clearly has the worst? Can the resorts select a different level of service for each particular destination, say, for example, more Downtown Disney buses?

TCD

[Lou... 3,118]

So, if each resort determines the level of bus service it wishes to provide for its guests, is there any noticeable difference between resorts? Is there a resort that clearly has the best level of bus service or one that clearly has the worst? Can the resorts select a different level of service for each particular destination, say, for example, more Downtown Disney buses?

TCD

If there is a noticeable difference, I haven't been able to tell.

On any given day, I think they're all about the same, but the service may differ from day to day or week to week. If it's a bad day at one place, it's probably a bad day everywhere.

I don't know how specific service can be contracted, I'm guessing you could request shorter intervals to one park than to another, but as I said, it's a guess. I'll follow up on it though.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

If there is a noticeable difference, I haven't been able to tell.

On any given day, I think they're all about the same, but the service may differ from day to day or week to week. If it's a bad day at one place, it's probably a bad day everywhere.

I don't know how specific service can be contracted, I'm guessing you could request shorter intervals to one park than to another, but as I said, it's a guess. I'll follow up on it though.

Thanks for the information. We use the buses a lot when we visit, and I haven't really noticed a difference in the level of service between the different resorts. Of course, we don't visit often enough that I would be able to tell.

Since you haven't noticed a difference either, it would suggest that the resorts contract for very similar levels of service. It seems dumb to me to let each resort decide on the level of bus service it will have. It seems like it would be easier for the system to have one comprehensive plan to serve the resorts, rather than have to provide the level of service each resort requests.

TCD