Here now, OMG buses.

[Magpie]

But I think it depends Mag, for example 99% of the time when I have issues, I too get resolutions but when I post the trip report you will get from me the good and the bad.
If I stay at a resort and my room is trashy, which has happen to me at disney at least 3 times. yes I speak with the manager and they usually are great about fixing it, but once again I'm not about to sugar coat it and say there were no disappointments.

Now I agree, me personally I don't read past the "my vacation was ruined" titles but sorry if disney lays an egg, then they lay an egg.

For me I totally admit i don't understand the "grateful" part. I work 50-60 hours a week for the ability so if I'm grateful to anyone it would be my employeer, definitely not disney. Disney gets paid buckets of money to provide me with certain thing.

Just my opinion.

I'm all for posting the good and the bad, especially in a trip report! That's what trip reports are for.

I think what I find annoying isn't just people who can only post negativity, but also people who take one bad thing (let's say those brown napkins) and jump from that one observation to sweeping conclusions about the entire corporation and/or society in general. Generic brown napkins means Disney doesn't care about the details or customer service! Generic brown napkins means Disney is run by bean counters who only care about the bottom line! Generic brown napkins are symptomatic of the decline of society in general, everything sucks, and it'll never be as good as it was in the old days.

Nope, it's just a napkin. And poor room service can happen in the fanciest hotels on the planet, because human beings are fallible and few people grow up wanting to become a hotel maid. I'd only be disappointed if it wasn't addressed promptly.

As for the "grateful" part... Don't get me wrong, I'm not grateful TO Disney, I'm grateful to be at a place in my life where I have this kind of disposable income. If I think I'm not getting my money's worth, I'll spend my money somewhere else.

That's why I'll likely never go to another MVMCP. We didn't have a good time at the party - it was too crowded and half my family melted down. I don't feel disappointed or betrayed or entitled to a better experience just because we gave them a big bucket of cash. It is what it is, and for my family it wasn't a good value for the money. Other people love it though, and that's fine! No need to change anything just for me, if most people are happy and the event is overall a success for the company.

 

[KapBoy77]

In a touching sign that is kind of the opposite of this thread, we were waiting for the bus one night (I forget what park), a mom and dad were near the front of the line with 2 kids under 2 (bless them really). Mom handed the youngest baby to dad while she dealt with the strollers when the bus pulled up. A man (another parent I think) behind her offered to carry the bigger one. It hadn't folded properly and started to unfold when yet another man (dad), gave it push so it was folded right. Sure it took 4 people to get those kids and strollers on the bus but there was no anger and no yelling and it went fast. When the family got to their resort, a couple who was also staying there, offered to carry the strollers off (I heard the sentence "You have your hands full. We'll take the strollers for you. No arguing."). The looks on the parents faces were amazing. I don't know what experiences they had had up till that point but that was definitely a good one.

This is what I'm talking about!

 

[jnoble82]

This is what I'm talking about!

It was pretty awesome to see.

And honestly waiting for strollers and wheelchairs and what have you to board could never ruin my vacation. I figure that even with my knee and foot pain, at least I can walk and don't have kids to deal with. I'll wait. No skin off my teeth.

 

[goofy4tink]

I'm all for posting the good and the bad, especially in a trip report! That's what trip reports are for.

I think what I find annoying isn't just people who can only post negativity, but also people who take one bad thing (let's say those brown napkins) and jump from that one observation to sweeping conclusions about the entire corporation and/or society in general. Generic brown napkins means Disney doesn't care about the details or customer service! Generic brown napkins means Disney is run by bean counters who only care about the bottom line! Generic brown napkins are symptomatic of the decline of society in general, everything sucks, and it'll never be as good as it was in the old days.

Nope, it's just a napkin. And poor room service can happen in the fanciest hotels on the planet, because human beings are fallible and few people grow up wanting to become a hotel maid. I'd only be disappointed if it wasn't addressed promptly.

As for the "grateful" part... Don't get me wrong, I'm not grateful TO Disney, I'm grateful to be at a place in my life where I have this kind of disposable income. If I think I'm not getting my money's worth, I'll spend my money somewhere else.

That's why I'll likely never go to another MVMCP. We didn't have a good time at the party - it was too crowded and half my family melted down. I don't feel disappointed or betrayed or entitled to a better experience just because we gave them a big bucket of cash. It is what it is, and for my family it wasn't a good value for the money. Other people love it though, and that's fine! No need to change anything just for me, if most people are happy and the event is overall a success for the company.

Well yeah, but I liked the restaurant specific napkins!!! Hate, hate, hate the generic ones. It is a cost saving measure....pure and simple.
I will agree with you about MVMCP though!!! I used to go every year. We got all sorts of wonderful perks and the shows were wonderful. Not anymore. They have taken away our free photos, they have taken away our collectible pins, they have removed a lot of the hot cocoa areas. And?? They continually raise the price, while selling more and more tickets...making it almost impossible to get around the park.
And, that party specific merchandise?? They don't stock enough of it. And it's of a lesser quality now...and there aren't nearly as many options as there used to be. So....now, I go to the party every other year...if that.

But, like you, I'm thrilled that I'm in a place, in life now, that allows me to go to 'my happy place'. I take a chill pill and try not to allow others lack of manners get to me. A less than wonderful day at WDW is still better than a day at home!!!!

 

[KapBoy77]

Let me tell you an experience I had a few years ago, while at the BW bus stop at MK. We got there just as the bus to BW was pulling away. Okay, no biggie. There was an elderly couple, sitting there, both on ECVs. Now, when I say elderly, I don't mean like me, at 63. I mean little old man and little old lady..most likely in their 80's. I asked them why they hadn't gotten on that bus. They told me that they tried, but the lift was broken. And that they had had the same experience with the bus that arrived before that!!!! They had now been sitting there, for close to 30 mins, in the heat and humidity of mid-August!!!!! So, along come another bus, after about 15 mins. And guess what??? They couldn't accommodate them on that bus either. There was room for only one ECV...the other tie down area was broken!!!! The man told his wife to go ahead and he would take the next bus..hopefully..but she said she wasn't leaving him behind!!! Dear God!!! They must have been out there for close to an hour by the time they were probably able to get a bus. I asked the driver if he was going to call in a request for a bus that was capable of taking both of them to BW. He said he didn't see why!!!! I told him that his was the third bus that had left them sitting there...that's why!!!! He got on his phone pretty quickly!!!

And this is heartbreaking.

 

[larryz]

It's not an adult destination that's kid friendly. It's a kid destination that's adult friendly.

I'll believe that when all the kids that go can afford to take themselves.

 

[larryz]

I am a single income, 3 kids mom....

So, that makes you a SITH?????

Let me tell you an experience I had a few years ago, while at the BW bus stop at MK. We got there just as the bus to BW was pulling away. Okay, no biggie. There was an elderly couple, sitting there, both on ECVs. Now, when I say elderly, I don't mean like me, at 63. I mean little old man and little old lady..most likely in their 80's. I asked them why they hadn't gotten on that bus. They told me that they tried, but the lift was broken. And that they had had the same experience with the bus that arrived before that!!!! They had now been sitting there, for close to 30 mins, in the heat and humidity of mid-August!!!!! So, along come another bus, after about 15 mins. And guess what??? They couldn't accommodate them on that bus either. There was room for only one ECV...the other tie down area was broken!!!! The man told his wife to go ahead and he would take the next bus..hopefully..but she said she wasn't leaving him behind!!! Dear God!!! They must have been out there for close to an hour by the time they were probably able to get a bus. I asked the driver if he was going to call in a request for a bus that was capable of taking both of them to BW. He said he didn't see why!!!! I told him that his was the third bus that had left them sitting there...that's why!!!! He got on his phone pretty quickly!!!

We should all put Guest Communications' phone number on our cell speed dial list, for just such an occasion...

 

[GreenCntryGirl]

Not sure how my post was soooo offensive. I guess some of you may be unaware of what a DINK is.

Dual Income No Kids

The attitude I took away from your comment was one that gave a good example of the cause of the frustration. Some folks simply do not care about causing grief for other people.

 

[mm1971]

WOW, just found this thread this morning. 11 pages already.

I'm not sure what you expect when taking free mass transit, but I live in the Boston area so have a lot of experience. I'll start reading and find out.

 

[2Tiggies]

Do the strollers and ECV's on the buses really bother people that much? I am usually too busy concentrating on my own kids to notice. I am glad that parents with small children have the aid of strollers to help them tour the parks and also those who need EVC's and wheelchairs have what they need so that they can enjoy the parks. If I have to wait a few extra minutes for the bus to load I really don't think it is that big of a deal.

I don't have a problem with strollers. They are folded when people take them on the bus. If not, the drivers are pretty good at stopping them before they board to do so.

I don't have an issue in principle with the scooters on buses - but this September we found it to be more of a "problem" than ever before - not that people were using scooters, but that the bus loses so many seats for each scooter and there seemed to be so many occasions where there were 2 scooters to be loaded. That means 6 seats gone for the scooters, another 2 for the two occupants to transfer to and say another 4 seats for their respective parties to be seated with then (that's assuming that they each had two others with them - in some cases there are more!) So there goes 12 seats before they even start loading

They need another solution to this. It's no good getting frustrated with the poor folk confined to mobility aids, but clearly the system is not working as well as it could

 

[AlohaAnnie]

I do not have a problem with ECVs or Strollers.
I feel that the disabled population along with small children and their parents deserve equal rights on the buses just as much as the rest of us. I also think that the wait time on buses is a necessity for safety reasons.


We started driving our vehicle whenever possible. I enjoy the tram ride and the privacy of our vehicle at the end of the night. Privacy and space is a big deal for me after a long busy day or night at the parks.

 

[Robbi]

In all fairness though, most complaints are really not complaints, they are whines. You read them and think "really? get with the real world" hence the immediate barrage of DISers jumping in to chop them down. I am amazed at the unrealistic expectations.

Real complaints that I have read are always met with helpful posts of who to contact.

The thing is something that might really bother you and you see as a complaint, someone else might see as a whine. That's why its not a good idea to minimize the things that other other people. It's not a one size fits all world. Respect goes a long way.

It's not an adult destination that's kid friendly. It's a kid destination that's adult friendly.

"You're dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway."

"We believed in our idea - a family park where parents and children could have fun - together."

From the man who started it all, Walt Disney.

 

[WedgieSock]

The thing is something that might really bother you and you see as a complaint, someone else might see as a whine. That's why its not a good idea to minimize the things that other other people. It's not a one size fits all world. Respect goes a long way.

I absolutely agree and I am not saying that people should be chopped down or disrespected, I was commenting on a PP saying that you are not allowed to complain here. I find that if the complaint is valid, DISers are very helpful. Most of the complaints I see are trivial, no matter what way you look at it, no matter how far you walk in that persons shoes. Maybe because in real life, I am very much a 'life is too short, deal with it' kind of person.

 

[Robbi]

I absolutely agree and I am not saying that people should be chopped down or disrespected, I was commenting on a PP saying that you are not allowed to complain here. I find that if the complaint is valid, DISers are very helpful. Most of the complaints I see are trivial, no matter what way you look at it, no matter how far you walk in that persons shoes. Maybe because in real life, I am very much a 'life is too short, deal with it' kind of person.

I agree when looked at as Disney trips being a small issue as compared to what goes on outside the scope of Disney World. Although I have noticed that a few posters, no matter what the complaint or how valid it might be, will defend Disney to the very end. They get huffy and have a "How dare you say that anything is wrong with Disney World!" which is kind of silly because no place is perfect.

 

[KellyNY]

I agree when looked at as Disney trips being a small issue as compared to what goes on outside the scope of Disney World. Although I have noticed that a few posters, no matter what the complaint or how valid it might be, will defend Disney to the very end. They get huffy and have a "How dare you say that anything is wrong with Disney World!" which is kind of silly because no place is perfect.

True, there are extreme cases, also people who always complain about everything Disney, yet continue to go for whatever reason. I understand what you say about bigger issues in outside world, but it is human nature to address issue as it happens and at this point it is all that matter. I personally appreciate when poster shares negative experience, helps to be prepared.

 

[Magpie]

For me, I'm totally okay with a complaint in search of a solution.

Whining for the sake of whining, on the other hand, isn't something I can ever respect.

Posting and saying, "The busses were SO crowded, what can I do?" is very different from saying, "The busses were SO crowded, darn you Disney!" (Shakes fist.)

Or as I used to say to the kids, "So? Are you going to do something about it? Or are you just waiting for me to say 'there, there'?"

 

[deserrai]

I'm not sure what the problem is about folding up the strollers. I have been behind a couple of people who were not aware they had to fold up the stroller before getting on the bus. They usually go off to the side to do so. I let my 3 year old sit in the stroller (I bought a small umbrella stroller just for Disney buses because the big one is too heavy to carry around) until we see the correct bus coming. We then get her out and fold it up. I have never not been ready to board the bus when it stopped. That way we are not trying to hold onto a folded up stroller and a child and the bags while waiting in line for who knows how long. Unfortunately, at the resort bus stops, you don't know if you'll be standing there for five minutes or half an hour. Since my oldest child is headed off to the military, our trips from now on will be just me and the 3 year old. I would hope others would be understanding if I do happen to hold them up momentarily because I have to juggle all those things by myself.

 

[mad madam mim78]

Dual Income No Kids

The attitude I took away from your comment was one that gave a good example of the cause of the frustration. Some folks simply do not care about causing grief for other people.

I just get tired of passive aggressive comments that are COMPLETELY insulting and then when I avoid the passive and go straight to the aggressive I'M the bad guy.

 

[maxiesmom]

Or as I used to say to the kids, "So? Are you going to do something about it? Or are you just waiting for me to say 'there, there'?"

I need to remember this line. It fits work as well as it fits here.

 

[bytheblood]

"You're dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway."

"We believed in our idea - a family park where parents and children could have fun - together."

From the man who started it all, Walt Disney.