Bus stop etiquette at resorts

[ariel53098]

I'm just wondering about others thoughts on this.
At the resorts you have those winding ropes things so pretty much first person at the bus stop is the first one on the bus . Of course, I've seen some skip line there too but they are usually stopped by the chaperone (for us it was teens on a school trip, the bus driver or people in line)

So, I'm wondering about at the resorts. You have the benches and they aren't technically in a line. Let's say 4 benches have people in them and the bus is pulling up as you arrive. Do you get on the bus before the bench people? Do you let those bench people go first? How do you do that without others who walk up getting in front of you too?

I've honestly done both not knowing what is right. There have been times I've just gone to where the bus stops b/c I don't know if the people on the benches want to ride THAT bus. There have been times I've tried to let people there first go first and it ended with people who weren't there going on b/c they didn't understand what I was doing.

What we did with our family was at POR we could see the bus coming a decent distance before it got to the stop. So we would watch b/c we needed time to get the twins out of the stroller, fold up the stroller and gather the family. So if we were on a bench we would be where the bus stops by the time it got there. If other bench people (who got there before or after us) got in line first so be it.

Thoughts? Please be nice!!!
Rachel
So what is the right way to do this?

 

[WDWDad]

My guess is that you will get answers across the board on this one.

My personal feeling is that a seat on the bench gets you that a seat, not a place in line. That said, I would love to see a more organized method for loading busses. I have let families on ahead of ours because I knew the bus was going to be full and they had special needs. I have also seen people try to take advantage of that type of generosity to push their families ahead uninvited.

You get all kinds. Good luck. I will be watching with interest.

 

[disneygirlinnj]

We usually have at least one person in line while some others sit. So the person in line is where your spot is. When the bus is driving up, whoever is on the bench will come join us or wait on the side until we get to the bus entrance. I haven't had anyone make any rude comments because usually it's my mother sitting on the bench since it's hard for her to stand for long periods of time.

 

[Tinkerbell3014]

We usually have the luck of getting to the bus stop and having to wait for the bus. We then become the bench people. The kids are usually excited and when a bus is coming, my DD lets us know where it is headed. If it is our bus, we get up and walk towards where the busses usually stop. If people were there before us, we will let them on first. I have never been turned away form getting on the bus I needed to from our resort so I would tend to let others go before me, even if they were not waiting as long as me and my family. I'd like to think I am setting a good example for my kids to be patient and polite to other people. If you do something nice for someone then maybe someone will do something nice for you.

 

[JMD]

My guess is that you will get answers across the board on this one.

My personal feeling is that a seat on the bench gets you that a seat, not a place in line. That said, I would love to see a more organized method for loading busses. I have let families on ahead of ours because I knew the bus was going to be full and they had special needs. I have also seen people try to take advantage of that type of generosity to push their families ahead uninvited.

You get all kinds. Good luck. I will be watching with interest.

I agree. There really is no line, until right before the bus pulls up.

 

[Brian_WDW74]

I've moved this thread to the Transportation board.

 

[jrc-elpaso]

I've been riding our public transit system to work for the past 13 years. If someone is sitting on a bench it's up to them to pay attention to what bus is coming. If it's busy your best bet is to get in line - if the next bus isn't yours you can always move out of the way. There's kind of a middle road between being too polite (you'll never get on a bus) and too pushy (don't be surprised if some one pushes back). And of course, anyone on a scooter or wheelchair goes to the front of the line (along with their families). It's easier for people to walk around the scooter on the bus than for the scooter to try and get by other passengers feet. And if you're one the bus in a seat that's going to have to be raised to make room for a scooter, please don't wait for the bus driver to ask you to move. Be gracious and move to another seat.

 

[Lewisc]

I'm excluding people with special needs but in general I think you have to make a choice. Do you want to sit on the bench while waiting for the bus OR do you want to wait in line to ensure getting a seat on the bus. There isn't a sign that suggests people who sit on the bench get to cut to the front of line.

 

[livndisney]

A couple of things to consider here.

The value resorts have lines set up at the resorts. If you are on a bench you are not in line. It is very frustrating to stand in line (in the sun) and think you will be able to get on a bus and then have many people get up from the shaded bench and "join" the one person in line from their family.

As far as the resorts that do not have the line set up-several buses stop in one place. You have no way of knowing if the people on the bench are waiting for the MK or AK bus.

 

[Lewisc]

A couple of things to consider here.

The value resorts have lines set up at the resorts. If you are on a bench you are not in line. It is very frustrating to stand in line (in the sun) and think you will be able to get on a bus and then have many people get up from the shaded bench and "join" the one person in line from their family.

As far as the resorts that do not have the line set up-several buses stop in one place. You have no way of knowing if the people on the bench are waiting for the MK or AK bus.

My previous post was referencing the way the lines are set up in POP. It's pretty clear you're either waiting in line or waiting on a bench. Most of the day you may be deciding if you want to stand while waiting or stand on the bus. Sounds like a reasonable choice. I don't think guests who sit on the bench are entitled to cut the line.

 

[livndisney]

My previous post was referencing the way the lines are set up in POP. It's pretty clear you're either waiting in line or waiting on a bench. Most of the day you may be deciding if you want to stand while waiting or stand on the bus. Sounds like a reasonable choice. I don't think guests who sit on the bench are entitled to cut the line.

And you posted as I was typing. I think we are both saying the same thing.

 

[racreel]

IMO, if you are in line you're in line, if you're on a bench, you're not in line. If we sit on a bench, we get up and get at the back of the line when the bus comes. We chose to sit instead of standing in line.

The only case I see for saving a place in line for someone on a bench is if that person can't stand up that long in the line.

 

[maxiesmom]

I agree with those who say when you are sitting on the benches you are not waiting in line. You can choose to either stand up and be among those first on a bus, or you can sit and take your chances.

I like to sit on the benches too, but if a lot of people show up to wait for a bus, then I get up too.


I also don't think it is right to have one person wait in line as a place holder, then expect your whole family to join them when the bus shows up. If you are not in line you shouldn't be trying to cut to the front of it. Either have you whole family wait in line, or have your whole family sit and take your chances not getting on the bus.

 

[longing2Batdisney]

I feel the same; you are either in line or on a bench...with the exception of the elderly or a mom w/a newborn (and I say a newborn--not a tot...) we usually let the people who were there before us (if they are elderly) on before us--out of respect...

we stayed at a value this past time and the busses were in the sun...I was so upset when people would have one person be a line holder and than a group of 10 or more would walk up and cut...one or two is not bad but a group...pleeeease

 

[OurMsBrooks]

I also don't think it is right to have one person wait in line as a place holder, then expect your whole family to join them when the bus shows up. If you are not in line you shouldn't be trying to cut to the front of it. Either have you whole family wait in line, or have your whole family sit and take your chances not getting on the bus.

I agree. The Disney Line Holder is my personal pet peeve. I stood in line at Pixie Hollow, and could not believe the number of people who crushed past us because someone in their family was already in line. When we got to the front, five kids pushed past us. "Our parents are up there," was their reason, as though that's the most logical thing in the world. If your whole party isn't together, you shouldn't enter the line in the first place.

At the same time, if you have an elderly or incapacitated person that can't stand at the bus stop, I can see expecting people to be polite and accommodating to that person and allow them to go ahead.

 

[grimley1968]

I'm excluding people with special needs but in general I think you have to make a choice. Do you want to sit on the bench while waiting for the bus OR do you want to wait in line to ensure getting a seat on the bus. There isn't a sign that suggests people who sit on the bench get to cut to the front of line.

This is almost exactly my opinion. We often still have breakfast with us when we get to the bus stops at the resorts, so we'll sit down and finish that off (we're definitely not bringing that on the bus), knowing full well it might mean missing the first bus to whatever park we're going to. We're just not normally in that big a rush, and would prefer to wait for a less crowded bus anyway.

 

[goofy4tink]

Problem is there is no line!!! People generally do one of two things...they take a seat on a bench, or they just mill around. As soon as they see a bus to their park heading in, they all gather at the spot where the bus will stop. It's pretty much whoever gets there first.
My peeve??? The family that has two strollers and gets to the closest area where they will board, and then stands there, waiting for the bus. Then, the bus allows those onboard to get off...still the 'stroller family' stands there. When the driver opens the front door, that family then starts taking kids out of the strollers, folding the strollers up...but all the while holding up the line of others who want to get on. Then, they (stroller family) gets on and plops down in the first few seats, making it nearly impossible to get by the folded up strollers.
Or...the woman we saw at BW in April. When the bus to MK came along, the driver opened that rear door to allow the guests on the bus to get off. There was a woman, with a stroller with a child in it, who was waiting not so patiently at that back door, to get on. As the last person got off, this woman started to board the bus, through that back door, with the stroller, child in it. Several people tried to get her to stop, she didn't, the door closed on her and the stroller. She started yelling to open the *^%$ door!!! The door opened again, she managed to get herself and the stroller on. Then, she proceeded to sit in one of the 'wheelchair/ecv' benches, with the stroller open and kid still in it, in front of her. I was in such a state of shock I couldn't figure out what to say!!! Nothing anyone said would have made a difference. And the driver never said a word to her.


So.....take a seat on the bench if you wish. Or just stay on your feet. But try not to run people over in your mad dash to be first on the bus. There truly are plenty of seats on the bus.

 

[seashoreCM]

The only problem happens if the bus gets too full.

There are oodles of ways that someone who was actually waiting in line can make a scene when others come up at the last minute and cut in front and I will mention just one here (use your imagination for others).

1. If you can just manage to fit in the door, do so anyway and let the driver and the others cooperate in please-move-backing if not identifying and pushing off the line cutters so you can get behind the white line on the floor.

2. (snip)
3. (snip)
4. (snip)

>>> ... *^%$ door!!! ...

Wouldn't it be nice if --- the driver left the woman trapped in the door until everyone who could board up front had done so, filling the bus, and then the driver opened the back door again (?) Or would it be better if other guests pulled her back off the bus when the door re-opened and made her get in line (?)

Disney hints: http://www.cockam.com/disney.htm

It's been awhile since I have ridden the subway during rush hour regularly but I can remember from decades ago when the platform would be lined 3 or 4 deep and whoever was closest to the doors when the train stopped got to board first. In a few cities including Hong Kong, many of the stations have the platform edge glassed in and there are sliding doors that open when the train stops. So people know in advance where to stand.

 

[inkkognito]

As far as I'm concerned, he (or she) who stands gets on first, provided they are smart enough to stand where the bus will stop, or close enough thereto.

I developed that attitude from years of flying Southwest while it was still a cattle call. If you wanted the best seat choice, you stood in line an hour early (or sat on the floor there). If your butt was in a comfy seat, none of the people who lined up early were going to let you in. Same thing with the bus stop. Want to be comfy on a bench? That's your choice, but the people who are willing to expend "standing" energy at the stop get the luxury of a bus seat...now it's YOUR turn to stand!

 

[littlewitch34]

I agree. The Disney Line Holder is my personal pet peeve. I stood in line at Pixie Hollow, and could not believe the number of people who crushed past us because someone in their family was already in line. When we got to the front, five kids pushed past us. "Our parents are up there," was their reason, as though that's the most logical thing in the world. If your whole party isn't together, you shouldn't enter the line in the first place.

At the same time, if you have an elderly or incapacitated person that can't stand at the bus stop, I can see expecting people to be polite and accommodating to that person and allow them to go ahead.

I totally agree in respect to what you're saying about the "Disney Line Holder." I was always upset when people pushed past my family in line to "get to their family" ahead.

I also understand what you're saying about an elderly or incapacitated person sitting at the bus stop... but not all handicaps are visible. I went to Disney last year, and I was very, very ill... and got many dirty looks when I would join my family in line for anything after sitting for a while. I looked like a "normal," healthy 19 year old girl, but a month later, I ended up in the hospital for 5 weeks. I totally don't mean to be rude or anything at all! I just want people to consider the fact that a handicap is not always visible, so when you see that person stand up and get into line with their family, don't glare or anything, please!