Disney's cleaning up sicky policy?

[FigmentJason]

I was at Disney World a few weeks ago and my family and I were riding the bus from Old Key West to Magic Kingdom. Early on in during our bus trip a child got sick in the aisle right next to us (almost got on my mom). This kid had to of been sick all day since the family did have a trash bag they were looking for, before pointing him to the aisle near us. After the child I got sick I tried to yell to the bus driver that a kid threw up. Passengers just looked at me and went about talking like normal. I understand that maybe the driver wouldn't stop the bus (the family did not want to get off anyway, but continue to go to the MVMCP), but I thought there might be some procedure if this happens. Anyway, the bus gets to MK and the dad of the kid tells my family we can get off before him. I didn't want to do this though because I would be walking in throw up. I told the dad this and he was making annoyed faces. He told the bus driver about his kid and the bus driver just handed the dad a towel to clean it up. I can't believe the dad would have to clean this up! After the dad made a small attempt of wiping it up we walked on it and left. New passengers boarded none the wiser. Actually later that night we road the same bus (I had the number) and I saw child sit close to that aisle on the ground and it made ME sick!

I understand that the driver would not clean it up, but shouldn't he have called someone who could have atleast put down the stuff they use when a child gets sick? It is a health issue. That wasn't the only kid I saw get sick during that trip without it being cleaned up -- just watch where you sit is all I'm going to say!

 

[JarrothsMom]

eeeeewwwwwwww!!!!!!

 

[disndatworld]

Yuck... If you're going to run a business w/ the public you have to take care of this kind of thing.

I was at WDW just a week ago for 10 days... the cleanest bathroom I saw was at Olive Garden the day we returned back home. I think they've got a real problem with their tidiness, and you're right about the health concerns. They don't mind packing people in, but they need to re-create their "clean culture" and impose it on their guests.

 

[bdcp]

Just a thought, they may have had a bag because the child gets motion sick. He may not have been sick all day. But, the parents should have been willing to help clean up the mess their child made. I thought policy was to call in someone to clean it up. Did you try to report it afterwards?

 

[goofyernmost]

I was at Disney World a few weeks ago and my family and I were riding the bus from Old Key West to Magic Kingdom. Early on in during our bus trip a child got sick in the aisle right next to us (almost got on my mom). This kid had to of been sick all day since the family did have a trash bag they were looking for, before pointing him to the aisle near us. After the child I got sick I tried to yell to the bus driver that a kid threw up. Passengers just looked at me and went about talking like normal. I understand that maybe the driver wouldn't stop the bus (the family did not want to get off anyway, but continue to go to the MVMCP), but I thought there might be some procedure if this happens. Anyway, the bus gets to MK and the dad of the kid tells my family we can get off before him. I didn't want to do this though because I would be walking in throw up. I told the dad this and he was making annoyed faces. He told the bus driver about his kid and the bus driver just handed the dad a towel to clean it up. I can't believe the dad would have to clean this up! After the dad made a small attempt of wiping it up we walked on it and left. New passengers boarded none the wiser. Actually later that night we road the same bus (I had the number) and I saw child sit close to that aisle on the ground and it made ME sick!

I understand that the driver would not clean it up, but shouldn't he have called someone who could have atleast put down the stuff they use when a child gets sick? It is a health issue. That wasn't the only kid I saw get sick during that trip without it being cleaned up -- just watch where you sit is all I'm going to say!

You don't know that he didn't. Believe me all "protein spills" are cleaned up ASAP. Each bus usually has a kit on board to absorb and cover the "spill". It really depends on the extent. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have loaded new passengers without taking some sort of action to clean it up. Since these are bodily fluids they are handled almost like hazmat. If he was able to contain and cover it then he would have either taken people that were waiting to leave or waited for a cleaning crew or a replacement bus.

Just because you saw the same bus later doesn't mean it wasn't cleaned in the mean time. One doesn't usually stop in the middle of the trip, especially if there isn't far to go. It is done when everyone gets off. Quite frankly, the stuff they use to cover it smells worse then the vomit.

I also must ask why you think the Dad shouldn't clean it up. It is his kid isn't it? From what you describe it doesn't sound like it was very much otherwise I truly doubt that others would have been able to board "none the wiser".

 

[skater]

Just a thought, they may have had a bag because the child gets motion sick. He may not have been sick all day. But, the parents should have been willing to help clean up the mess their child made. I thought policy was to call in someone to clean it up. Did you try to report it afterwards?

If the bus driver didn't care, I wouldn't want to stand in line at guest services . Time is too precious at Disney.

 

[kaysmommie]

I have 2 children of my own but I can't stand vomit or stomach viruses. They should have cleaned the bus!! I'm really grossed out and the Dad sounds like a complete idiot.

 

[FigmentJason]

I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have loaded new passengers without taking some sort of action to clean it up.
I truly doubt that others would have been able to board "none the wiser".

My family saw people get on with our own eyes shortly after the Dad wiped it with a towel he gave back to the bus driver. Wiping it down didn't get rid of all of "it" -- my shoes squeaked when I tried to jump over the spot and landed. My wife did say she saw something that the bus driver had that could of been the cleaning "stuff", but the towell was given to the dad. I would feel sorry for the people (during the ride) standing since it probably rolled down to their shoes, but I warned them by yelling someone got sick and they just went back to talking. Did the bus driver throw some stuff down from the time the dad wiped it and the people boarded -- I didn't see that, but maybe he was quick. Regardless, I wish stuff was thrown down before my family had to walk in the good remainder the dad didn't get to.

I was going to report this and stood in front of a transportation info center near the buses, but I didn't want to wait any longer (Mickey's party was going to begin!)and the individual behind the desk did not look like he would be too helpful/friendly.

Also, my wife told me that the mom said it was his six time that day getting sick. Maybe it was "motion sickness." I mean I feel sorry for the kid. Who wants to be sick at Disney!?

I just was curious as to their procedures in this case. I didn't enjoy sitting near "it" for 15 minutes and my child got sick a few days after. I know my child could have gotten sick from any number of ways germs exist in the parks, but you never know!

On a sidenote, I am a huge Disney fan (been there so many times I can't remember! I had a great time as always, just sometimes there are some minor problems that are to be expected).

Also I was posting to say watch out -- the other incident was in frontierland before a parade. I kid got sick and his family still sat next to it. You can't lose that good parade spot!

 

[DebbieB]

I had a kid throwup on my shoes one time on a bus a few years ago, coincidentally on the way to MVMCP. Reinforced my belief that it's better to rent a car.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Reinforced my belief that it's better to rent a car.

AMEN!

Knox

 

[FigmentJason]

I had a kid throwup on my shoes one time on a bus a few years ago, coincidentally on the way to MVMCP. Reinforced my belief that it's better to rent a car.

Eww! Do you think it was cleaned up after -- or did most of it end up on your shoes and not the bus?

I always wondered about driving. It would be nice to be in control -- but in a way I like that I do not have to drive when I am down there.

I thought of something else -- on our way back to our hotel one night we had a great bus driver who sang happy birthday to someone and adlibbed when the taped bus recording wasn't working.

 

[DebbieB]

Eww! Do you think it was cleaned up after -- or did most of it end up on your shoes and not the bus?

I always wondered about driving. It would be nice to be in control -- but in a way I like that I do not have to drive when I am down there.

I thought of something else -- on our way back to our hotel one night we had a great bus driver who sang happy birthday to someone and adlibbed when the taped bus recording wasn't working.

All I remember is going to the first ladies room I saw and cleaned it off.

I love driving in WDW. It's very easy compared to the city driving I'm used to. I love leaving the park, getting in the car, turn on the AC and the radio and relaxing back to the resort.

 

[madfelice]

My son once threw up on a train, and this poor guy had just gotten on and sat his bag down and you can guess what got all over it. I was SO apologetic! Offered to have it cleaned, replaced whatever! The guy turned me down and was really nice about it. He wouldn't take any money or anything. We both got straight off at that stop and I told the driver and the whole train had to be evacuated as it was considered a biohazard. Of course, we are in Australia and things might be quite different here, but I'm glad that's one of the differences if the driver in fact did not clean up before letting people board!

 

[Zeebs]

As a parent if this was my child then I would be asking the driver for something to clean it up with. Even though I don't like vomit it is my responsibility to at least attempt to do something about it. So I agree that the Dad should have been given the rag. I suspect that the bus may have been cleaned a bit better back at the depot.

Kirsten

 

[lovemesomedisney]

I feel sorry for the poor child who obviously still had to attend the park. I would have stayed on the bus and took the child back to the hotel and let the other parent continue on. How miserable for that poor child! My nephew was also sick (luckily the day we were leaving) a couple of weeks ago and my in-laws were at Kona Cafe having dinner when a little girl threw up all over the dinner table . I wish there were purell stations around so people might be more inclined to at least use those.

 

[Sleepy]

As a parent if this was my child then I would be asking the driver for something to clean it up with. Even though I don't like vomit it is my responsibility to at least attempt to do something about it. So I agree that the Dad should have been given the rag. I suspect that the bus may have been cleaned a bit better back at the depot.

Kirsten

I agree 100%. Maybe if people stopped to think that if they themselves were in janitorial positions where they are expected to clean up after any and every mess, they would change their minds about leaving the mess for someone else. Nobody wants to clean up your vomit.....especially that stranger with no face.

That poor child. Looks like yet another selfish adult who can't go at the pace of the children. What idiot would take their puking child to a park?

 

[fla4fun]

That poor child. Looks like yet another selfish adult who can't go at the pace of the children. What idiot would take their puking child to a park?

The same one who stands there yelling at them about how "they spent a ton of money on this trip and they're going to have fun whether they like it or not". If you're not willing to put the needs of your child first, no matter how much you paid to be somewhere or what plans you've made, you have no business having kids in the first place.

In a perfect world, if anyone in the family had the stomach bug, they would stay in the room until they felt better. Personally, I would want to. I remember a trip we took from Ohio to Florida when I was a kid, for my birthday. I got a stomach bug and stayed in the room while the rest of the family went on a sightseeing tour. It was better for them to be out and away (and none of them got the bug either ) and it was better for me to have unlimited and easy bathroom access. I wouldn't want to be in a park, need a bathroom NOW, and be faced with either running to find one, or get there and there's a line.

 

[goofyernmost]

My family saw people get on with our own eyes shortly after the Dad wiped it with a towel he gave back to the bus driver. Wiping it down didn't get rid of all of "it" -- my shoes squeaked when I tried to jump over the spot and landed. My wife did say she saw something that the bus driver had that could of been the cleaning "stuff", but the towell was given to the dad. I would feel sorry for the people (during the ride) standing since it probably rolled down to their shoes, but I warned them by yelling someone got sick and they just went back to talking. Did the bus driver throw some stuff down from the time the dad wiped it and the people boarded -- I didn't see that, but maybe he was quick. Regardless, I wish stuff was thrown down before my family had to walk in the good remainder the dad didn't get to.

I was going to report this and stood in front of a transportation info center near the buses, but I didn't want to wait any longer (Mickey's party was going to begin!)and the individual behind the desk did not look like he would be too helpful/friendly.

Also, my wife told me that the mom said it was his six time that day getting sick. Maybe it was "motion sickness." I mean I feel sorry for the kid. Who wants to be sick at Disney!?

I just was curious as to their procedures in this case. I didn't enjoy sitting near "it" for 15 minutes and my child got sick a few days after. I know my child could have gotten sick from any number of ways germs exist in the parks, but you never know!

On a sidenote, I am a huge Disney fan (been there so many times I can't remember! I had a great time as always, just sometimes there are some minor problems that are to be expected).

Also I was posting to say watch out -- the other incident was in frontierland before a parade. I kid got sick and his family still sat next to it. You can't lose that good parade spot!

If you think about it for a second...you were able to get off...end of your story except for the part that you didn't witness but are assuming didn't happen.

The driver on the other hand has to stay on that bus. I'm sure there is nothing he would like better than to spend the day inhaling those wonderful vomit fumes.

He gets paid by the hour so it doesn't matter to him how long it takes for a cleanup crew to get there. The policy with any public transportation is to clean it up asap. Let's say the he did what you think he should have, he would have stopped as soon as you yelled it out. You, the sick kid and everyone else would be sitting in a bus until someone arrived to clean it up. I can't speak for you but I prefer that he get me there as fast as he can and deal with it after.

Instead of being critical about what you think he didn't do, try to appreciate what he did do for your comfort. I'm sorry if you think that I sound a little harsh. I am only trying to inform. In a perfect world kids don't get sick on vacation. It's easy to armchair quarterback and decide what should have been done without looking at the whole picture. By continuing on he saved the kid from endless embarrassment and you from a lengthy nasty experience. A 15 minute ride with it is much better than a 30 minute wait for a new bus or a cleaning crew. The driver may not have participated for a couple of reasons. He might not have a strong constitution and it would make him sick to deal with it. How do you suppose that would go down in the popularity poles. Second, the Father may have insisted that he was going to clean it up, for all the reasons that have been mentioned so far.

The family on the parade route is a completely different situation and they are a bunch of self-involved idiots to subject everyone to their child's misfortune. Someone else should have notified a CM.

 

[seashoreCM]

Granted, the bus driver cannot just stop the bus by the side of the road and wait for a cleanup crew, but he should not have loaded passengers at th4 next stop. There is a slip and fall hazard too.

>>> we rode the same bus ... and I saw child sit close to that aisle on the ground and it made ME sick!

Do you feel sick when kids sit or crawl along the streetcar tracks on Main St.?

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[One Year Pin]

I can tell you that when someone gets sick in an attraction or even near one, that attraction is shut down until someone gets there to clean it up. I personally had to shut down Monsters with an entire theater full waiting to get in until someone could get in to clean it. Same thing with Stitch.

As for the CM at Transportation who didn't look like they would be friendly or helpful...I'm don't know what gave you that impression, but it doesn't seem fair to that CM to judge them without giving them a chance to help.

Unfortunately, people get sick. We do our best to get it cleaned up as quickly as possible.