Disney bus leaving property

[mousehockey37]

Regardless of ages...
If my kid was on a bus and some driver hears from passengers that they are lost... and driver ignores them or acts odd...
call 911

We are in strange times
and I could care less who thinks that being “lost” With a non communicative driver in not normal ... and being at their mercy ?..strange, disconcerting and scary.

Glad all worked out and everyone is fine..but Communication here woulda resolved it instead of causing Un-necessary Anxiety. Ridiculous.

Exactly. There's too much weird out there anymore, and if all was true that the driver shut everyone out and wouldn't answer questions, I'd be looking for help (I don't care what age you are at this point).

 

[Missyrose]

Well, we've only got the OP's story from their kids, so it's not even first hand. Who knows, maybe they never went off track to start with.

I'm not doubting OP's story, but I'm saying is that parents whose kids are riding the bus alone has to know there are about a million reasons why a bus could be taking longer than usual to get to a destination. Having the kids ride on their own brings the risk that the bus ride can take longer.

 

[mousehockey37]

I'm not doubting OP's story, but I'm saying is that parents whose kids are riding the bus alone has to know there are about a million reasons why a bus could be taking longer than usual to get to a destination. Having the kids ride on their own brings the risk that the bus ride can take longer.

If kids say they're leaving X park at Y time, there's a decent chance you'll have an idea of what time that bus is pulling in. Yes, park closings are a little bit more hectic and can lead to delays. This was not one of those times. I only brought up about kids riding buses alone because that happens in Disney. I don't see how having kids ride a bus brings the risk of a longer ride... that makes absolutely no sense.

 

[AngiTN]

Exactly. There's too much weird out there anymore, and if all was true that the driver shut everyone out and wouldn't answer questions, I'd be looking for help (I don't care what age you are at this point).

Maybe he was concentrating on driving instead of being distracted and talking to passengers?
As long as he wasn't reckless in his driving and got them back on track I guess I'm in the it was an unplanned adventure group.

Granted, I've been on 2 Disney buses that have had issues. One did get lost going to ESPN Zone for EXPO and one ran a red light and got pulled over by the police. And both times we made it

 

[mousehockey37]

Maybe he was concentrating on driving instead of being distracted and talking to passengers?
As long as he wasn't reckless in his driving and got them back on track I guess I'm in the it was an unplanned adventure group.

Granted, I've been on 2 Disney buses that have had issues. One did get lost going to ESPN Zone for EXPO and one ran a red light and got pulled over by the police.

I wouldn't try to defend this. We've seen our fair share of drivers that something comes up, they keep talking with us, we pull up our apps and let them know what's going on or help them.

Also, the OP never said where they were going back to Epcot from. I think a little more detail here could sway this conversation one way or another.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

Disney is a place where kids will ride transportation without their parents. So yeah, I'd imagine that could be a rather frightening incident. Especially if parents are waiting for their kids and a bus arrives and their kids aren't on it.

Absolutely! In today's world - anyone would start questioning and they should. Where's the line? How many miles and time before someone notices it isn't okay. Nobody gets down the aisle with a box cutter in this day and age - this is an expression not actual. There was no box cutter, to my knowledge.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

Regardless of ages...
If my kid was on a bus and some driver hears from passengers that they are lost... and driver ignores them or acts odd...
call 911

We are in strange times
and I could care less who thinks that being “lost” With a non communicative driver in not normal ... and being at their mercy ?..strange, disconcerting and scary.

Glad all worked out and everyone is fine..but Communication here woulda resolved it instead of causing Un-necessary Anxiety. Ridiculous.

100% agree!

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

Exactly. There's too much weird out there anymore, and if all was true that the driver shut everyone out and wouldn't answer questions, I'd be looking for help (I don't care what age you are at this point).

Yes.

When the weird kid from gym class drops a backpack and shuts the classroom door...99.99% of the time, it's nothing except when it is. If everyone has such faith that nothing can happen on and, apparently, off Disney property as long as the logo is visible, Disney should drop all security lines.

If the driver can't answer basic questions while driving a Disney bus, perhaps they need a new job. Not everyone is cut out for all jobs.

 

[bumbershoot]

We are in strange times

We’ve always been in strange times. Let’s not pretend like it’s been peachy until now.

I grew up 2 hours away from where this happened, and I was in 1st grade at the time. And took the bus to and from school in a semi rural area so the bus ride was long (first on, last off).

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976_Chowchilla_kidnapping

Who knows, maybe they never went off track to start with.

Maybe he was concentrating on driving instead of being distracted and talking to passengers?

A bus driver worth anything can talk and drive at the same time. (Daughter of a greyhound driver, back when they were Union and GOOD, here...)

 

[mousehockey37]

A bus driver worth anything can talk and drive at the same time. (Daughter of a greyhound driver, back when they were Union and GOOD, here...)

I'm still interested in knowing where the OP is staying. I can see if they took a wrong turn going to POP or something how they'd end up there, and that's not as big a deal as say... they're trying to go from Epcot to somewhere like AKL and wound up at that Walmart. Either way, it wasn't handled well by the driver.

 

[ont/ohana]

I'm still interested in knowing where the OP is staying. I can see if they took a wrong turn going to POP or something how they'd end up there, and that's not as big a deal as say... they're trying to go from Epcot to somewhere like AKL and wound up at that Walmart. Either way, it wasn't handled well by the driver.[/QUOT

 

[ont/ohana]

Staying at AKL, front desk called again and apologized for the bus trip and asked how are day was yesterday. That was the kind of response that makes things better. Showing a little bit of concern goes a long way.[/QUOTE]

 

[maxiesmom]

A bus driver worth anything can talk and drive at the same time. (Daughter of a greyhound driver, back when they were Union and GOOD, here...)

I don't think Disney agrees, or we would still get to play trivia with the drivers, or have sing-alongs, or any of the other fun things the drivers used to do.

I've been on a bus that got lost, and while it was odd, it didn't seem threatening at all. Still, an apology at the time would have been nice.

 

[AngiTN]

A bus driver worth anything can talk and drive at the same time. (Daughter of a greyhound driver, back when they were Union and GOOD, here...)

Of course they can. And most do. But if he was lost and trying to get back to an area he was familiar with may be he was concentrating on the road. Driving a bus on unfamiliar roads can't be easy. Give the driver a little slack for maybe trying to be oh, I don't know, safe? Otherwise, I can see tons of complaints the other way "our driver was on unfamiliar roads and busy chatting away instead of getting us back". You know it and I know it.

At any rate, I can't imagine why it was scary but that's just me I suppose. Even in "these strange times"

 

[joelkfla]

If the driver can't answer basic questions while driving a Disney bus, perhaps they need a new job. Not everyone is cut out for all jobs.

I agree, in concept.

Unfortunately, Disney is constantly struggling to find enough candidates who are able to qualify for the bus driver role as to driving record, health requirements, criminal record, willingness to work overnight and on rotating shifts, etc., etc. So while a goodly number of drivers are enthusiastic cm's who enjoy Guest interaction and making the Magic, there are also many with minimal people skills who are there just for the pay and benefits.

So...anyone out there who would like to drive a Disney bus nighttime on some weeks and mornings on other weeks (at least for the first year), including holidays? Disney Casting would love to hear from you! (Note: a 2nd source of income is strongly recommended if there's more than one mouth to feed.)

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

I agree, in concept.

Unfortunately, Disney is constantly struggling to find enough candidates who are able to qualify for the bus driver role as to driving record, health requirements, criminal record, willingness to work overnight and on rotating shifts, etc., etc. So while a goodly number of drivers are enthusiastic cm's who enjoy Guest interaction and making the Magic, there are also many with minimal people skills who are there just for the pay and benefits.

So...anyone out there who would like to drive a Disney bus nighttime on some weeks and mornings on other weeks (at least for the first year), including holidays? Disney Casting would love to hear from you! (Note: a 2nd source of income is strongly recommended if there's more than one mouth to feed.)

Sounds like a supply demand problem that is entirely on Disney. Pay more > attract more qualified applicants. But that isn't what this thread is about - no excuses - people on a bus leaving the property - questions asked with NO RESPONSE. Not okay in this world.

 

[writerguyfl]

Based on the information provided, I'd guess that the driver missed the turn from turn from World Drive to Osceola Parkway. At that point, the only option is to go off property via W Irlo Bronson Hwy (192). The most obvious route to Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge would be via Sherberth Road. That route goes past a Walmart Superstore.

Link to Bing Maps: https://binged.it/2kcG1Pj

The other possibility is that there was an accident on Osceola Parkway and the bus driver was intentionally avoiding that accident.

 

[a1tinkfans]

“Strange times”. Since I think I’m the one who originally stated this...
I for one didn’t grow up with kids in trench coats walking thru the hallways covering up their weapons.
nor kids who brought pipe bombs or guns/rifles and massacered kids.
Nor did I grow up ..when people rented trucks and intentionally mowed down people.
Nor walk into shopping stores, theaters, dance clubs, concerts and did the same.

I dont recall even knowing about the systemic violence of “these strange times”
So yes... see something, say something
It just takes one person to speak up when something is “off”, to perhaps change the
End result. At worse.. it turns out to be nothing. At best, a better result!
Fantasy world doesn’t exist ( and never did) ..unless ur in MK
Regardless.. it wasn’t about being detoured or lost... it’s about No Communication and that is Not Normal Nor should it be accepted.
To each his/her own.
peace out!

 

[MikeOhio]

You could also be missing part of the story since you werent there and are just hearing the story second hand.

 

[DebbieB]

Based on the information provided, I'd guess that the driver missed the turn from turn from World Drive to Osceola Parkway. At that point, the only option is to go off property via W Irlo Bronson Hwy (192). The most obvious route to Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge would be via Sherberth Road. That route goes past a Walmart Superstore.

Link to Bing Maps: https://binged.it/2kcG1Pj

The other possibility is that there was an accident on Osceola Parkway and the bus driver was intentionally avoiding that accident.

There’s also a Walmart on 535 right before Osceola Parkway. One time I shopped there and wanted to go back to AKL but didn’t know I needed exact change to get on Osceola Parkway (unmanned booth).