the bus

So I was wondering approx how long it takes for the bus to get from the apartment complexes to the parks?

 

it depends which apartment you live in and where you are going. Sometimes the buses pick up at vista first and go to all of the other apartment complexes before going to the parks. Sometimes the buses also stop at resorts along the way, so it can be quick and it can be slow. I had a friend who used to take a bus to downtown disney and take a resort bus to the resort he worked at because the american coach bus took half an hour longer. I also worked at a resort and sometimes the commute was close to an hour because we had to take 2 different buses plus stop at Commons and Chatham.

 

The system sucks really. I lived at Vista and worked at Hollywood Studios. The bus stopped at the other complexes first, so it only took me 15 minutes to get to work, but it took me 45 minutes to get home.

 

nasty. :S

 

I bet the people on the other end of the line loved it. 45min to get ready and into the mind set of work, and 15min to get home and flop!

 

yeah prolly! I think they got the better deal XD ..unless of course you're one of those last min people who might be late for work...

 

I'm not sure if it's the same since my program was in 06 but the buses generally took a long time regardless of what housing complex they picked up first.

I remember studios and epcot being rather quick (10-15 minutes), and I believe epcot is more frequent because there are so many CRP's at Commons.
DAK always took a long time, but I also slept through that whole bus ride because I usually worked at 6 am.
If you're at MK there are a few stops because it goes to TTC and backstage.
Allstar resorts and Blizzard beach required taking a bus and a van which they usually crammed so full we would have to sit on each others lap.
But, by far the longest, suckiest ride was the walmart bus. It was infrequent, long, and I sat many of times on a curb with groceries waiting 45+ minutes for the stupid bus to come get us. We usually gave up and took a cab home from walmart.

With all that being said, you get used to the buses very fast so it becomes less of an issue. They give you a bus schedule that tells you what time the bus arrives at your particular location. They are generally on time, and I've never heard of anyone getting in trouble for being late when its the bus' fault.

 

You don't get in trouble if it's the buses fault - they let the managers know.
I worked at MK and lived at Chatham... stupid bus would wait for about 10 mins at Vista (occasionally it was so full some people couldn't get on at Vista!), then go to TTC, then costuming where I would get off.
Going home, would be very busy at costuming, you were usually standing if you finished late (it would pick up from TTC first - so all the people that worked there, plus those who had been in the park) - but would go to Chatham first on the way home (unless someone requested the Commons) - going home was good!
Although I usually had a lift home from my friend so it was faster - and we could get food!

Most of the buses are alright though - the Blizzard one sucks (about an hour each way... ugh!) - apart from the Walmart one. Get a lift or split a cab - much easier!
If you live at Chatham or Patterson, it's worth walking to Publix if you don't need much stuff, it's about 20-25 mins each way so worth it!
xx

 

I always got in trouble when the bus was late. Luckily custodials have a little "teamwork time" thing at the beginning, so I was never actually late to get out into the parks. The managers didn't care, but they had to be like "Oh, take an earlier bus." just for appearances sake. Working at MK = the worst bus situation EVER. I didn't work there, but we'd take the bus home after playing in the parks and sometimes four buses would go past without us being able to get on one!

 

Yep, try getting a bus from MK at 1am after a 12 hour shift!! They are all full and everyone pushes at the front to get on... night mare!! Actually because the emporium shut an hour after all the other stores and food, usually the empo cast members managed to get on the bus if you were working a closing shift... usually because it was some insane time like 3am. But if you finished earlier it was actually harder to get home!

 

haha that is definitely true - New Year's Day, 5am finish...no problem getting the bus home!!

 

I had to call in sick on my one 5am finish... I was a bit gutted! I wanted to be able to say I worked til 5am but I was too ill to go in!!

 

Hey all

I know i will probably learn this in due course, but I am curious do the buses run 24Hrs because i know there will be a lot of early starts or late finishes (or both) dont really fancy spending loads on taxis to and from work should my shifts fall outside of the bus timetable. Also is it possible to walk from the housing to parks/resorts ?

;D

 

The only bus that runs 24 hours is the one to Magic Kingdom. If you need one of the other buses out of the usual hours then you have to request it. Most of your shifts will be when the buses are running, i think the ones that have to be requested the most are the resort buses.

No it's not possible to walk to the parks or resorts unless you're feeling super fit and like to risk your life on the side of the roads because there are no footpaths!! You can walk to downtown disney though!

 

Yes they will always put a vehicle on for you if you have been scheduled a shift from disney so you should never have to pay to get to work.... I almost did but that's because I overslept. Luckily I ran after the bus and he let me on (unusual) and I clocked in only 1 minute late!

 

Same penalty though if you'd been an hour late... I'd have not bothered rushing if I was going to be late anyway!

I was never late though
Did have to shove the co-ordinator out of the way once so I wouldn't be... twas funny though!
xx

 

Hehe the manager wiped it off my record Because it was about my 4th day... I blame jetlag for oversleeping!!

 

I would def recommend taxiing to walmart-- i did the bus thing once and it was awful and miserable, the taxi, especially if you have a few people, is only a couple of bucks (like 7 each at most) and TOTALLY worth it Plus, and correct me if i am wrong, it has been a couple of years, but i think the walmart bus is one day a week? way better to just bite the bullet and taxi it.

My biggest pet peeve ever is when people who have been playing in the parks don't give up their bus seats to people who have been working. I can understand being part of the mob pushing to get onto the bus, because otherwise you end up sitting at westclock forever, but once your on think about how tired you are after a shift and let someone who has been working sit down! It is sometimes hard to tell the difference if people are in street clothes, but if someone looks dead tired, give them your seat! And at midnight when you are going home from a night at the parks, as excited/ full of energy as you may be, tone it down slightly on the busses-- remember not everyone is enjoying a day off! Nothing worse than wanting to sleep on a long busride and being stuck with the loudest bunch of people ever in the seats behind you. I know i was def guilty of this stuff too, but once you've been annoyed by it a couple of time, you start to realize that bus courtesy is important!

I was entertainment, so I worked in all the parks and at some resorts, and i worked a huge variety of shifts--def got used to the bus system quickly! Like someone already said, they are really good about making sure you always have a bus, and if you need a bus at a time that isn't scheduled, (I had a lot of breakfast shifts, but since i had to stop at a park to get my costume/sign in first, it meant trying to get to a park by like 5 am) you just call them and ask for it. I was never the only one trying to get somewhere at an obscenely early time, they usually have van-fulls. The best is catching a bus at 4am and seeing people just getting home from MK, kinda drives home the crazy hours of the parks. Also some places, like the rehearsal facility for animal kingdom, you have to call to get picked up from... my best advice is not to be shy, if 20 minutes have gone by and the bus you called for still isn't there, call again or you may be sitting there forever!


Also some of the bus drivers are amazing, and some are mean-- you get used to it! Our fave in 2008 was a guy named Ali Baba who introduced himself before every drive and told us that on his bus there were no rules. He also liked to chat to whoever was in the front seats, and was hilarious!

this turned into a ramble... who knew i had so much to say about the busses, lol.

 

Some of the bus drivers are hilarious! They start chatting to you when you're at the front. Some random female bus driver once ate a yoghurt whilst driving... that's pretty difficult and a bit concerning!

 

I know ali.....he is def one of the best bus drivers, he was still there last september when I got back!!

I totally agree on the working vs people ond days off situation. specially on ceratain occassions like departure dates, cast previews,new years eve, end of cast sale, salsa sale, etc...

The worst bus, is Downtwon Disney Sunday Bus at 2:20 am, its always loud, jammed, and full of drunk people!!! i pitty those who work World of Disney on Sundays night!!! because imagine coming out tired from work and dealing with these crowds!!

and the bus drivers: well....lets just say most of them arent that nice!

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