Chivalry please-a vent

[twinmoms]

That is so rude! I feel for you!

 

[OandA]

Just maybe Disney should have better bus runs ! I gave up on thier buses 10 years ago.... Would never be at WDW without a rental car !

I really don't mind it. Of course this past year was the first time we haven't had a car there and we were there in July so maybe our experience wasn't the norm. I'd rather stand on the bus a few times and wait a few minutes than pay more money so they can have more buses.

 

[3prettyprincesses]

Whoa, Mama, this thread is getting heated.

You know, I see both sides of this argument. On the one hand, you have the Mom trying to stay together with her little kids who gets separated a bit and has to stand for the bus ride. It isn't always easy to see just how crowded a bus will be until you're on it and everyone is settled in their seats. Sometimes it really is hard to judge just how much space is left.

On the other hand, I don't think it's quite right to expect others to willingly give up their seat. Do I think it's nice if they do, of course! But I don't expect it when getting on a bus. When we went in Feb. it was crazzzzzzy crowded on one of the buses to HS. I was sitting with my 5 year old on my lap and was sandwiched between a Dad with 2 kids on his lap and a Mom with one kid on hers on the other side of me. Talk about jam packed. When we got on the bus, we had no idea how crowded it actually was going to be until everyone picked a spot and settled in. My DH and 2 older daughters were standing.

I think it's wonderful when a nice man or (gasp!) a teenager gives up their seat for me! I don't expect them to though. Let's remember too that Disney bus experiences aren't like regular buses! Why you may ask? Well, for one, most of the people onboard are dog tired!! Heck the average amount of miles traveled walking while at a Disney park is 5-7! No wonder we're all tired. Plus, strollers take up a lot of space too.

I don't think we need to be pointing fingers and looking at ourselves with introspect if we didn't give up our seat nor do I think it's bad parenting if you choose to stand with your 2 year old on the bus. My 2 cents worth....

 

[LisaNJ25]

I see a

is this threads future

 

[kmvand1]

iI love the buses and everything but the only thing I don't like is that people on ECV get on first before people that have been waiting for who knows how long and it is even worse when there whole entire group gets on and some times it is like 10 people with them. Nothing against people who use EVC but it would be better if the got in line like the rest of us.

I have said many times how unfair this is. Disney needs to draw the line on how many "assistants" can accompany the ECV driver. I remember hanging on for dear life while standing in front of one on a bus ride back to the resort. The owner glared at us every time we accidentally were knocked into it, like we did it on purpose.

 

[Disneyworld Kirk]

Hi all!
I don't comment much but seeing we're going in less than 2 weeks (yeah!) I figured I'd chime in.
I'm a healthy male in my early 30's and my wife is also healthy and early 30's.
But I can see it both ways.
I have gone to Disneyworld many times and each time if it's a crowded bus I give up my seat.
On the other hand I DON'T think I HAVE to just because an older person or mother/child are standing in front of me. I just do it because I was taught to be that way.
BUT what irritates me is that hey, we're all tired at the end of a hard day and the last time I was at Disneyworld (May 2005) I was whupped (as was my wife and her folks-her mom has a knee condition from an accident they had years ago and can't bend it certain ways-nobody gave up their seat for her). So the one time a new bus came after waiting 1/2 hour when MK closed and we all got seats...
Well they packed it full and there was a lady just staring at me with a frown because I was sitting. It was our final night of a long and fun week and I decided once...just this once...I'm sitting.
People who EXPECT to get a seat even when I got there first and 99.9 percent of the time give it up annoy me.
Okay...done ranting!
Back to normal!

Just my 2 cents!

Kirk

 

[AustinTink]

BTW, chivalry died for the most part in this country with all the equal rights movements. I don't expect chivalry anymore. I am grown woman and I can take care of myself just fine!!!

ITA. I turned down many seat offers on our trip last month. I don't feel like I'm entitled to a seat anymore than the nice gentlemen that offered. I prefer to stand alongside my husband and son.

The elderly are a different story. If my DS did not offer his seat to an older person he wouldn't be coming back to WDW anytime soon.

And kids.... that's a toss up for me. Mothers or fathers with babies, of course they need a seat. But, my son has been taught to stand with me and DH since he was about 4, or so. It's all part of the adventure of riding the bus.

 

[swald91]

As been quoted before-there's no pixie dust on the tranportation board-& none as far as transportation in Disney at all. Unfortunately, we are tired after long hours in the parks, but if you want to get back to your resort & the buses are packed you're gonna stand or wait for the next. I have offered to move for people & people have moved for my children but it's not always the case. Most of the time I'm just relieved that a bus has finally arrived!!!

 

[triplejen]

I don't understand why you and your daughter didn't sit and stand the boys by you. If the bus was as crowded as you say they wouldn't have been able to fall or anything.

That was my instant reaction when first reading this thread. Why not make the one seat offered work for your family in the safest possible way -- protecting your youngest child by sitting with her on your lap while also keeping the twins safe by keeping them standing directly in front of you (rather than a distance away and out of your eyesight on an overpacked bus).

Honestly, if I ever were to find myself in the position of being separated from my young children on a crowded bus, I would use my voice to announce "I have been separated from my children -- I need to get through to get back to them!" It seems to me that the most dangerous situation on the bus that night was not a mother standing on a moving bus with a toddler -- it was the pair of unattended preschoolers halfway across the bus.

Suffice it to say if you're calling people out on their manners you are missing the point entirely.

I love this. Tag fairy? Anyone?

 

[buckirj1]

For me, it's easy. Anybody who looks like they need a seat more than me can have mine. However, I'm keeping it at the first sign of an entitlement attitude whether directed toward me or toward someone else...and in my experience, nobody has an entitlement attitude like a mommmeeee. Let 'em stand

 

[3prettyprincesses]

That was my instant reaction when first reading this thread. Why not make the one seat offered work for your family in the safest possible way -- protecting your youngest child by sitting with her on your lap while also keeping the twins safe by keeping them standing directly in front of you (rather than a distance away and out of your eyesight on an overpacked bus).

Honestly, if I ever were to find myself in the position of being separated from my young children on a crowded bus, I would use my voice to announce "I have been separated from my children -- I need to get through to get back to them!" It seems to me that the most dangerous situation on the bus that night was not a mother standing on a moving bus with a toddler -- it was the pair of unattended preschoolers halfway across the bus.




I love this. Tag fairy? Anyone?

I totally agree. When there was only 1 seat left, I took the seat with my youngest daughter who I sat on my lap while my DH and 3 DD's stood. Another time I sat once again with youngest daughter on my lap and we squeezed the older 2 into 1 seat and DH stood. Serioulsy, you can make one seat work if you need to, right? Ditto on the being separated from my kiddos. I would've pushed my way back to them (as politely as possible!).

BTW, what is a tag fairy??

 

[KSDisneyDad]

BTW, what is a tag fairy??

Underneath your name is a tag. Most are in black writing. Most of them are the standard "Earning my ears", "Mouseketeer", etc. Some are sayings in black written by the poster. Others are in color and those were done by the elusive "tag fairy". She or he will take something about you and put it in your tag line.

As far as this thread is concerned, all I can say is that I'm truly amazed. Although I agree with the OP, I also see the other side of this, but as I and others have said, sometimes it happens quickly and inadvertently and you find yourself in the situation and everyone just stands there and watches much like the final episode of Seinfield.

I hope that many of you are just taking the opposing view just to illustrate a point about not expecting a seat. I don't think the original poster knew what was going to happen when she got on that bus. There have been names thrown on both sides of this argument which is a shame as it takes away from the debate.

For those who are making the argument that one shouldn't expect a seat, I truly hope that if you are in that situation that you just won't sit there and watch the person struggle, but that you would help out even if you don't have to. I guess I want to believe that people are mostly good, but still enjoy a good debate.

 

[miraged]

My children and I will give up seats to someone who clearly needs it more than us. In the alternative, we simply wait for the next bus. You had me up until you said that you told the young man offering you his seat, and holding it for you as he left, "It's too late now. I am going to join my four year olds." He was trying to be kind, and I think your response was not very kind at all. He may have not seen you and your children board the bus. He may have been just as wrapped up in his evening as you were with yours. "Thank you for the thought, but I really need to see to my other children up front." That might have been a kinder response. If you want kindness, you have to give it, and it isn't always returned, is it?

 

[Disneymom2266]

Should be a rule - Anyone holding a child should get a seat. Period.

While I`ve been there and done that with small children I tend to agree..OTOH you are at WDW, almost everyone has a child with them. People without children would wait forever for a bus. While my DH has always stood for an elder or someone with a small child, if we didnt want to stand on a bus, we always just waited for the next one. I`m thinking this was spring break, the most crowded time of year outside of Christmas,right? You`ll never completely get away from rude people, so sometimes have to make adjustments.

 

[kadesha]

OT but I never knew about the tag fairy thing! That's neat!

 

[jngwright]

For me, it's easy. Anybody who looks like they need a seat more than me can have mine. However, I'm keeping it at the first sign of an entitlement attitude whether directed toward me or toward someone else...and in my experience, nobody has an entitlement attitude like a mommmeeee. Let 'em stand

I don't get it??

 

[Amy&Dan]

How dare you say what we are or assume what you think we would do? Who do you think you are?

I think this poor woman thinks and rightly so, that she is the woman who has been called an irresponsible parent. When you have kids of your own, and somebody who doesn't know you levels that insult against you, it will probably make a lot more sense why she came on later and said what you took offense to. My best guess is that she thinks she has to come on here and defend herself on a thread she probably very much wishes she had never started!

I guess I am in the minoirty. I have been known to get on that bus at night thinking it wasn't that crowded only to get on there and find it packed. Maybe that is what happened to this poster. I have never one time heard her say she expected to be given a seat automatically. This was one of those situations that got out of hand quickly. The same could be said about this thread. This poster had three young children, she made a judgement about something and she judged wrong. I guess some people never have had that happen.

 

[2manypets]

After she judge wrong though, she should have made it right. She could have used her voice and said she needed to get off the bus. I'm sure it was not the mosh pit she is portraying. As for her being shoved to the back away from her other children, she should have held her ground and let the other people go by her. It's her responsibility. I'm sure most people on the bus had no idea she was separated from her kids. HER responsibility again.

 

[Finally08]

I know everyone is tired at the end of the day but how would they have felt if i had fallen with her.

Honestly those people probably wouldn't give a flip. Some teenagers might have even had a chickle over it and took pics with their cell phone or broadcast you on youtube. Sad...but if anyone was concerned for the safety of your little one, they would have offered their seat to you. I don't know why more people just don't have courtesy for others...in all aspects of life.
And yeah I've been there...but I was holding a sleeping6 year old - and I am barely over 5'. I almost wanted to drop him on the heads of a few people.


And about the people with hidden problems - of course you can never judge, but it's doubtful the entire bus was full of disabled people who could not give up their seats - yet manage to navigate long days in the parks.

 

[Lizziejane]

I have a question for everyone, but especially those who feel that the OP made an irresponsible decision in getting on the bus. And really, this is not meant to further flame an already heated debate, but I am curious as to where the line may be drawn. I am seriously trying to see both sides of the argument.

Suppose you and your 80 year old grandmother get on the bus, and only discover when you get on, that the bus is getting full, and no seats are left. As you're looking for a seat, people are pouring on behind you, and you can't make it to the door to get off before the driver is off and on his way. I think this is a realistic scenario. I've been stuck on buses where you can barely turn around, let alone push your way against the oncoming crowd.

Your grandmother is clinging to a bar for dear life. Do you hope that someone offers her a seat? Or do you figure "well....she shouldn't have been so irresponsible as to get on the bus in the first place..."