[Other] No Buses for Buzz

[ttztotdca50]

I was with a large-ish group of people yesterday at Disneyland. We got to the parking area at around 2:00 PM which, of course, meant we were redirected to Buzz Lightyear parking. When we got there, we looked around and--no buses! We scoured all four corners with the other guests, until we realized that there were also no other cast members, other than the one hastily taking tickets. So we ended up having to hoof it the mile or so from the parking lot down the street to the main entrance.

By all means it's not too far--it's just a million times worse of a walk when you have four kids--two of them who become violently ill in 95 degree weather like it was--and the rest of us pushing strollers. We asked two lone police officers who were directing traffic in the intersection, and they just quickly said something about "We're looking into it" and "Please just hurry to the parks".

Is this a frequent occurence? 'Cause it's unacceptable to not have any buses or vehicles and to force everyone to walk--including some elderly people who were told that there would be buses. I sincerely this is the one and only occurence that this happens.

[Telpeurion]

Re: No Buses for Buzz

I was with a large-ish group of people yesterday at Disneyland. We got to the parking area at around 2:00 PM which, of course, meant we were redirected to Buzz Lightyear parking. When we got there, we looked around and--no buses! We scoured all four corners with the other guests, until we realized that there were also no other cast members, other than the one hastily taking tickets. So we ended up having to hoof it the mile or so from the parking lot down the street to the main entrance.

By all means it's not too far--it's just a million times worse of a walk when you have four kids--two of them who become violently ill in 95 degree weather like it was--and the rest of us pushing strollers. We asked two lone police officers who were directing traffic in the intersection, and they just quickly said something about "We're looking into it" and "Please just hurry to the parks".

Is this a frequent occurence? 'Cause it's unacceptable to not have any buses or vehicles and to force everyone to walk--including some elderly people who were told that there would be buses. I sincerely this is the one and only occurence that this happens.

In the event there are no buses you can always drop non-walkers off near the mass transportation hub on Harbor Blvd. Still, if you don't like walking extra distances in the heat don't go to a crowded space on a hot day!

[The Forbidden Eye]

Re: No Buses for Buzz

With the crowd levels Disneyland's been getting to, inthe past few days, it is ill-advised to arrive at the DLR that late, espically with the heat tat just popped up. Disney does contract buses to transport people to the transportation plaza from the Pumbaa Lot. I'm surpised that there wasn't any shuttles for Buzz. They're should've been shuttles for the lot. Hopefully they will resume shuttle service to Buzz soon.

Until the shuttle issue is resolved, I recommend to everyone who's going to Disneyland during the busy periods to do either one of the following to avoid the parking issue:

1.) Arrive at the Mickey and Friends Parking Structure or the Simba Lot as early as possible as these lots do fill up in a matter of hours. These parking areas are within a reasonable walking distance to the Esplanade. They also have Tram service to the Esplanade.

2.) If you plan to stay for more than one day, try booking a room at any of Disney's Good Neighbor Hotels. Most are either across the street from DLR or provide shuttle service to the Transportation Plaza. You can also purchase tickets at any participating Hotel to avoid the long waits at the ticket booths if you haven't bought them online yet.

3.) The Overflow lots (Buzz, Pumbaa and Pongo) should have shuttle service. Pumbaa, however is closer to the resort than Buzz and Pongo and is within a tolerable walking distance. Always check with the Cast Members at the parking booths at these locations to see if shuttles are operating from your lot.

[Wesley815]

Re: No Buses for Buzz

...two of them who become violently ill in 95 degree weather like it was...

So how do the kids survive walking around Disney? They are magically fine to walk around a packed and HOT afternoon in the park, but not to the park itself?

Odd.

[Darkbeer]

Re: No Buses for Buzz

1.) Arrive at the Mickey and Friends Parking Structure or the Simba Lot as early as possible as these lots do fill up in a matter of hours. These parking areas are within a reasonable walking distance to the Esplanade. They also have Tram service to the Esplanade.

Note currently Simba has NO sort of Tram Service, Disney wants to add it, but due to the construction at DCA, they don't have the room for the tram route yet from near where the former Timon Booths are, and the Disneyland Drive entrance to Simba. There is a tram station at Simba, and they can run trams from the Lion King loading area to Katella Avenue, that allows them to pick up people that use the Anaheim Convention Center for overflow parking. (Alas, that is not available this weekend due to an Auto Show being held at the ACC).

And depending where you park in Simba, you have about a 3/4 of a mile walk to the Main Entrance Plaza. That is going North past both the Paradise Pier and Disneyland Hotels, and then going through all of Downtown Disney.

For many folks, that is NOT reasonable walking distance.

For example, the walk from Buzz to the Main Entrance Plaza is about .95 of a mile, just a bit farther than from Simba.

[Darkbeer]

Re: No Buses for Buzz

I was with a large-ish group of people yesterday at Disneyland. We got to the parking area at around 2:00 PM which, of course, meant we were redirected to Buzz Lightyear parking. When we got there, we looked around and--no buses! We scoured all four corners with the other guests, until we realized that there were also no other cast members, other than the one hastily taking tickets. So we ended up having to hoof it the mile or so from the parking lot down the street to the main entrance.

Sounds like Disney rushed the opening of the Buzz lot. It should have Buses whenever it is open. Sounds like a supervisor opened the lot so folks could have a way to park.

Disney has to call Coach America and let them know that the lot is open, and it takes a few minutes to start shuffling the Buses around and adding capacity. (Coach America also provides the Bus service to the Pumbaa and AGW lots).

One problem for this weekend is the Auto Show, and therefore the Lot 1 of the Anaheim Convention Center off of Katella Avenue was not available due to the folks checking out the new cars. (Disney can run the Lion King Tram from the Pedestrian Entrance on the North side of Katella to the main Lion King Tram Station).

Looks like you got caught in a busy weekend, which is due to many reasons, including some kids have days off school this upcoming week, plus the short term Halloween Time events which are bring the locals in (AP'ers).

[Eagleman]

Re: No Buses for Buzz

I was with a large-ish group of people yesterday at Disneyland. We got to the parking area at around 2:00 PM which, of course, meant we were redirected to Buzz Lightyear parking. When we got there, we looked around and--no buses! We scoured all four corners with the other guests, until we realized that there were also no other cast members, other than the one hastily taking tickets. So we ended up having to hoof it the mile or so from the parking lot down the street to the main entrance.

By all means it's not too far--it's just a million times worse of a walk when you have four kids--two of them who become violently ill in 95 degree weather like it was--and the rest of us pushing strollers. We asked two lone police officers who were directing traffic in the intersection, and they just quickly said something about "We're looking into it" and "Please just hurry to the parks".

Is this a frequent occurence? 'Cause it's unacceptable to not have any buses or vehicles and to force everyone to walk--including some elderly people who were told that there would be buses. I sincerely this is the one and only occurence that this happens.

Something very wrong with DISNEY....
This is not right!
I bet you paid for parking any way.....
unacceptable way guest come to the "Happiest Place on Earth"!
I hope the NEW President of Disneyland LOOK at this tread!
THIS IS WRONG!

[Kasey]

Re: No Buses for Buzz

In the event there are no buses you can always drop non-walkers off near the mass transportation hub on Harbor Blvd. Still, if you don't like walking extra distances in the heat don't go to a crowded space on a hot day!

The OP mentioned that they were told there would be buses. Had the promised buses arrived there would have been no reason to drop people off at the entrance.

[The Disneylander]

Re: No Buses for Buzz

You took kids that get "violently ill in 95 degree heat"...and yet you took them to Disneyland. Is there something I'm not getting here? If they're that prone to heat, why did you take them in the first place? Looks like there's more of a problem here than just the buses, frankly.

Hmmm...

[Mac Daddy]

Re: No Buses for Buzz

:blink:

Not really sure why people are giving the OP grief about his complaint. I mean...If Silver Dollar City in the middle of the freaking OZARKS can give you shuttle service, it's not too much to EXPECT Disney to get off of their butts and make sure that they've got these farther lots COVERED, and also have CMs available to answer questions at the lot.

There's 22 gazillion employees all OVER Mickey and Friends working the shuttles, handling guests with disabilities, etc, etc, ....and NO ONE was at this lot to handle questions? And they waited and NO shuttle service ever showed up?

Whether his kids passed out on the way in is not quite the point. Disney DROPPED THE BALL.

Why do some of us have such a hard time saying that?

Let's hope that whoever is in charge of parking and transportation DOES something about this. In the mean time, I say maybe we should lay off people who bring legitimate complaints to Mice Chat.

:botox:


Sorry if I sound cranky right now. I'm really tired and Vlad had bases loaded TWICE against the Yankees and swung like a maniac at bad pitches both times. :bash:

[The Disneylander]

Re: No Buses for Buzz

^ Oh God, don’t remind me .I just turned off the TV and I’m still seething.

I don’t have a problem with the OP’s complaint, per se; it’s a reasonable complaint and something that definitely should be addressed.

The thing that I do have a problem with, however, is his/her willingness to take his/her children, who apparently have problems walking in heat, to Disneyland.

Seriously, if the OP wants to vent, no problem. That’s what MC is for. But he/she takes it over the top and takes away credibility from the rest of her argument, IMO.

[aashee]

Re: No Buses for Buzz

It's flat out bad business. But at this point Disney is consistantly showing that it really doesn't care. They are near capacity so often, let everyone be one thier own getting to parking and finding a way to get to the gates. People getting ill or not, it's horrible to expect guest to walk a mile to get to the park.

[Daboltz]

Re: No Buses for Buzz

I was with a large-ish group of people yesterday at Disneyland. We got to the parking area at around 2:00 PM which, of course, meant we were redirected to Buzz Lightyear parking. When we got there, we looked around and--no buses! We scoured all four corners with the other guests, until we realized that there were also no other cast members, other than the one hastily taking tickets. So we ended up having to hoof it the mile or so from the parking lot down the street to the main entrance.

By all means it's not too far--it's just a million times worse of a walk when you have four kids--two of them who become violently ill in 95 degree weather like it was--and the rest of us pushing strollers. We asked two lone police officers who were directing traffic in the intersection, and they just quickly said something about "We're looking into it" and "Please just hurry to the parks".

Is this a frequent occurence? 'Cause it's unacceptable to not have any buses or vehicles and to force everyone to walk--including some elderly people who were told that there would be buses. I sincerely this is the one and only occurence that this happens.

I would file a complaint at City HAll

[techskip]

Re: No Buses for Buzz

You took kids that get "violently ill in 95 degree heat"...and yet you took them to Disneyland. Is there something I'm not getting here? If they're that prone to heat, why did you take them in the first place? Looks like there's more of a problem here than just the buses, frankly.

Hmmm...

Perhaps a far more interesting question... does Buzz have Handicap Parking spaces? What if a member of that crowd was a disabled individual? Granted they could have dropped off the individual at 15 minute but they were led to believe that Buzz had shuttle service so splitting the party would be unnecessary.

I have small children and I have worked with many who are elderly and/or disabled. Their "walking pace" is roughly the same (many of them joke about this actually). Heat combined with what they physically percieve to be long distances are no bueno. Walking inside the park is different... there are places to rest and at a minimum drinking fountains. For me the walk isn't a "huge distance" (former CM and Buzz is within K Lot) but I am physically able to make it without issue.

[Aladdin]

Re: No Buses for Buzz

This is definitely an issue that needs an immediate solution by DLR management. It's NOT the guests fault, expecting to not have to walk that far to the main entrance, it's DLR's fault. Of course they have to keep working on a long term solution to this issue, BUT the immediate needs are are much more critical.

And for DL to expect guests to park in Simba or Buzz without a shuttle is BAD BAD BAD!!!

[techskip]

Re: No Buses for Buzz

...for DL to expect guests to park in Simba or Buzz without a shuttle is BAD BAD BAD!!!

That decision would not be nearly as bad if there was a discount in parking AND proper signage to indicate the lack of shuttle service. If patrons were notified ahead of time that they would be walking, and the distance/route they would walk then I can accept it. As it stands you are charged the same amount and in the case of the OP you are told there will be a shuttle. There is no such notification at Pumbaa and there is no discount or signage to indicate otherwise.

[spacejockey]

Re: No Buses for Buzz

Sounds like a major liability issue. How does this comply with ADA laws? Harbor Blvd. is a very dangerous place for pedestrian traffic. I remember a few years ago when a pedestrian crossing Harbor Blvd. and Ketella was ran over by a car on Harbor Blvd.

[Mr Wiggins]

Re: No Buses for Buzz

Whether his kids passed out on the way in is not quite the point. Disney DROPPED THE BALL.

Bingo.

[disneyjedi1]

Re: No Buses for Buzz

Well, I just got back from the parks... and I saw signs that were directing people to... something for the different lots... but then again I wasn't paying that close attention to the signs, so I'm not really sure if it was for a shuttle or not (although I thought it was...) I was looking more at the names of the lots... haha

I'm not really any help at all... sorry.... >> I'll try and check when I'm at the park again later this week. Now I'm really curious to know what the signs said...

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Re: No Buses for Buzz

What's Clark Griswold to do, turn around and go back to Chicago? They finally find a place to turn off the engine and exit the vehicle and there's no bus.

A seasoned, experienced MCer might know how to avoid this but I could see myself being stuck in Buzz - Ive been directed to park there but lucky for us there were buses both way. Simba is a hike - I've done that, never saw shuttles from there. But Id rather walk over from Pumba than wait for a tramzilla at Mickey and Friends.