Tag Archives: Disney Transportation

Disney Transportation Collectible Cards

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Sometimes (okay, lots of times), I’m an awfully smug Disney fan.  I have this blog, I co-host a Disney-themed podcast, I visit Walt Disney World or take a Disney cruise 2-3 times a year, I follow a ton of like-minded Disney fans on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Periscope, and Blab – I’m in the know!  I know Disney!  And then the fates step in to remind me that I, contrary to what my Disney-inflated ego may tell me, do not know everything.  And I cannot tell you how happy that makes me!  Disney delights me by surprising me with what I don’t know – there’s still hidden Disney magic for me to find…even after all this time.RM-Tambu-Lounge

Back in February, Raymond and I arrived early at the Polynesian for our dinner at Kona Café.  We wanted to spend time at the Tambu Lounge in those comfortable tables and chairs scattered around outside ‘Ohana.  We got there just in time (before it got busy), claimed a centrally located happy hour spot, ordered up glasses of wine and proceeded to bask in the ambiance.  Before long, we noticed another couple looking for a place to sit and offered to share our table with them.  That’s how we met Carol and Brian – a great pair of fellow Disney fans!  We had lots to talk about over appetizers and more wine.  Carol and Brian were meeting up with their friend Wendy and her son, Ryan – before long our table was a happening spot!  Ryan (age 12) and I struck up a conversation about what we love most about Walt Disney World.  He mentioned how much he enjoyed collecting Disney Transportation Cards.  WHAT?  I’d never heard of them.  Never.  Not once.  ME! The proud mom of a Disney-loving son myself.  HOW DID I NOT KNOW?

Disney Transportation Collectible CardsRyan & Disney Transportation Card

Ryan explained:  They’re sometimes hard to find, but these cards are fantastic!  On buses, boats and monorails – collectors like Ryan ask Cast Members if they have any cards.  Sometimes they don’t, but when they DO, you can rack up quite a variety of trading cards specifically for Disney transportation.  I was fascinated!  I had no idea!  I’m a Disney fan over 50 and here was a 12 year old young man reacquainting me with the very best of all Disney magic – the unexpected kind!  And Ryan – once I’d been suitably amazed and humbled – presented me with my very own Transportation Card with which to begin my own collection.Disney Transportation Cards

My most sincere thanks to Ryan for reminding me that I don’t – and will never – know everything about Disney World, and for sharing his passion for collecting Disney Transportation Cards by patiently explaining the process and giving me my first card.  Ryan, you’re a great kid!

Did you already know about these Disney Transportation Cards?  Have you collected them?  Tell me how you found out about them and what your experience has been!

 

 

Has Disney Transportation Improved?

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Magic-Kingdom-Boat-DockOur family has sort of a love/hate relationship with Disney transportation.  We love the convenience and we certainly appreciate not having to rent a car or go through the hassle of navigating ourselves around Walt Disney World on vacation.  We hate waiting more than 30 minutes for a bus and we still, after all these years, have a hard time estimating the time it will take to get from points A to B – especially when we’re trying to get from a park to Disney Springs, which takes quite a bit of strategizing at times.  We’ve also noticed quite a few monorail breakdowns and closures in recent years, which can be frustrating (especially if you’ve just finished a runDisney event, are freezing, and desperately trying to get to Bay Lake Tower!).

Braced for crazy crowds and slow transportation during the über-busy week between Christmas and New Year, we’d built extra travel time into our daily touring and dining plans to allow for longer waits for the sure-to-be-packed busses, boats, and monorails.Disney-Friendship-BoatTurns out, it was unnecessary.  Except for one morning when then monorail we’d intended to take from the Polynesian to Magic Kingdom was down due to a loss of power, Disney seemed to have upped their transportation game.Disney-Bus

At the resorts, extra Cast Members were on hand at bus stops to help guests find the right bus, answer questions and give estimated wait times (not all stops have new screens installed yet for this information).  We rarely waited more than 5 minutes for a bus throughout the week and the longest we waited for any transportation was when we took the boat from Disney’s Hollywood Studios to Epcot (but we had time & love this particular trip).Monorail-Red

We felt that Disney transportation was consistently better on this vacation than it had been for several years.  Was it due to the time of year we were there?  Were we simply lucky?  Is this a trend we can expect to continue?  We’ll have to wait and see, but after having my own complaints about Disney transportation and listening to the frequent criticisms of others, I thought I’d take the time to say that we were delighted with our most recent experience and look forward to our next visit in a few weeks.Disney-Boat-Transportation

Your turn – Have you visited Walt Disney World recently?  Was the transportation different than on previous visits?  Better? Worse? The same?  Are you someone who tries NOT to use Disney transportation at all?  Please share your transportation tips!