One does not simply walk out of DTD

[Pizzapants]

Like I do when I start having my Disney withdrawals, I go back and start reading through my old Disney travel books (Birnbaum's and the Unofficial Guide.) I noticed that under the transportation sections, the directions to get from one hotel to another using the bus system is always to "Take a bus to Downtown Disney and then transfer to the bus of the hotel you wish to go to."
Now, that's all fun dandy, but are there not better ways? Like, if I were at an All-Star Resort and wanted to get to Animal Kingdom Lodge, I feel like a bus to Animal Kingdom to make the transfer would be more in line than going all the way across the property to DTD and then all the way back again. Why is this? Is this Disney pushing these guidebooks to try and get more foot traffic (and therefore more cash) into their shopping district?
Lastly, I rarely go to Downtown Disney. It's not my thing. But every time I do, I seem to have to wait FOREVER (literally! I'm there right now! I'm the skeleton draped across the bench...because I'm dead. Damn these waits!) for a bus to come. I'm willing to write this off as coincidence since my visits are so few, but even the longest bus waits anywhere else never compare to the DTD waits. So as far as a hotel transfer goes, this just doesn't seem like the way to go for me.

[Disneytwins]

You can transfer at any of the parks if you wish. I'm not sure why they chose DTD in particular.

[goofy donald]

i think they say this to reduce the amount of people on busses at the parks, with less people at DTD they make the most out of their transportation dollar and they don't have to reroute as many busses for big waits especially at park closing times. that and it doesn't hurt to direct guests to their giant outdoor mall where everything costs extra either.

[Disneytwins]

The guidebook is likely wanting you to go to DTD because only resort buses stop there. This lessens the confusion.

Transferring busses at DTD does not require you walk through the business area, so the likelihood of them trying to market to you the "shopping opportunities" is unlikely.

[swampymarsh]

Transfer at a park is generally poor advice, where as transferring at DTD is ok advice. Sure it takes a long time to get to DTD, it's a drawback. Transferring at a park can leave you stranded. Becuase of park hours they could close and you have to go to DTD.

That is why DTD is the simple answer. Check park hours so you can get to breakfast or back from dinner before thinking you can tranfer at parks.

[jimmytammy]

I know this isnt possible for all, but this is a big reason we still drive. We like going to some of the resort restaurants, but I dont want to spend 1.5 hrs. on a bus just to eat. So much wasted time. This isnt popular, but we have got to the point where we rarely use Disney transport, but just choose to drive to the parks, etc. We still use boats if say we are at OKW, going to DTD, or use boats if we are at WL and going to Contemporary or MK. We might use the Monorail to travel between Epcot and MK. I think we tend to avoid the busses, esp. the transfer deal at DTD

[Barbaraann]

I agree totally with the OP. Downtown Disney would never be my choice as a place to change buses. I rarely go to Downtown Disney. I find absolutely nothing appealing there. There are times when I might be traveling from one hotel to another, but I would always use a park to change buses then go to DTD.

I recently purchased the Birnbaum books for both Disney World, and Disneyland, as well as the Unofficial Guides for both. I have been reading these books for years, all the way back to my first Disney vacation in 1997. For the most part, I find myself shaking my head in agreement over the advice. However, sometimes I say to myself, that's not what I would do.

I don't save my old guidebooks though. I just have the most recent ones. Sometimes, I wish I had saved the ones I bought for WDW's 25th, and the big 50th celebration year of 2005.

[maddogjoe]

During park hours I agree with the OP, transfering at the parks is easier and quicker. After hours DTD isn't a bad place to transfer.

I know this isnt possible for all, but this is a big reason we still drive. We like going to some of the resort restaurants, but I dont want to spend 1.5 hrs. on a bus just to eat. So much wasted time. This isnt popular, but we have got to the point where we rarely use Disney transport, but just choose to drive to the parks, etc. We still use boats if say we are at OKW, going to DTD, or use boats if we are at WL and going to Contemporary or MK. We might use the Monorail to travel between Epcot and MK. I think we tend to avoid the busses, esp. the transfer deal at DTD

The only time I spent 1.5 hours on a bus was the last time I was there for 3 days combined! Come on. I've heard horror stories, but you have to take them with a grain of salt here. In the same vein, you have never heard of anyone being stuck in traffic entering the parks at the parking gates? You know, that huge pack of cars trying to pay for their parking that you see when your bus cruises by.

My biggest horror story is waiting for the drivers to load those little carts on the bus. Even then it's only a couple minutes extra and no big deal. On the other side of the coin, when we were at the parks a few months ago we were cutting it close timing wise to get back to the resort and catch our bus to the airport. Our stop was the last of the ones at the resort. After explaining the timing problem to the driver, she radioed in and got the ok to run the trip backwards and drop us off first so we would be sure to make our bus.

I have never found a problem with the bus/transportation system at the parks. They are what they are and if except them for that and NOT a limo service that you are paying extra for you should be ok.

[Pizzapants]

Transfer at a park is generally poor advice, where as transferring at DTD is ok advice. Sure it takes a long time to get to DTD, it's a drawback. Transferring at a park can leave you stranded. Becuase of park hours they could close and you have to go to DTD.

That is why DTD is the simple answer. Check park hours so you can get to breakfast or back from dinner before thinking you can tranfer at parks.

I'm not sure how there's any possible way to get stranded. If the park is closed, buses won't go there. If you transfer at a park, and then head to your hotel for dinner, and that park closes during your meal, then by all means make the DTD transfer to get back to your original hotel. But you're never stranded.

[Barbaraann]

The key to a successful trip to Disney World is logical planning. Especially if you want to eat at hotel restaurants. There are a whole lot of good ones out there. I always planned my park days first, and then worked my meals into my park schedule. That way, you could cut way down on your transportation time. Spontaneity is more associated with Disneyland, in my mind. Planning logically is more associated with dining at Disney World.