Not so Magical Express: Lost in Disney

[twinklebug]

<start vent>

10pm: Our ME driver was an elderly man, VERY nice, but once in the Disney vicinity had no CLUE where the resorts were. He called on the radio for step by step directions and after 2 illegal U turns across Disney roadways (and a few choice words muttered aloud about Disney not making their roads big enough for busses) he managed to get the guests to POR French Quarter & Riverside.

We were the last ones on the bus on our way to the Wilderness Lodge. The driver went up and down the Fort wilderness roadway asking me each time if Ft Wilderness was Wildeness Lodge. (I've camped there many times and know it well which was a good thing as he would have dropped us and our luggage off there) When I made the suggestion that he go to the end of the roadway (under the monorail) and take a right he did so, but paniced and made yet another U turn backtracking to Ft wilderness.

As we sat in the parking area of the campground he called on the radio and asked for directions to the lodge. When the dispatcher asked him to tell her where he was he said he was driving on the road (not parked in the campground lot) She flat out asked him if he was parked in the Ft Wilderness lot he replied "NO, I'm turning onto the road", which he was not at that time. He could have made her job easier by just admitting where he was. With the radio operator's patient help he finally got us to our desination. Geesh... not sure if I should report him to Disney or not... he was excessivly nice but when on vacation I count on my drivers knowing where they're going.

<end vent>

 

[Edd]

You need to report him to Mears Transportation. Because of the pay structure Mears bus drivers are not real experienced and are constantly moving on. Many drivers are fairly new. There have been several posts about bus drivers being lost at Disney. The driver obviously has not had enough training in driving the Disney resorts, so was pretty new. He may have been picked from the shuttle vans and trained from there shortly after he went to work for Mears.

 

[goofy4tink]

Yikes!!! I'm really sorry you had a start like that for your vacation. If I were you I would just send off an email/snailmail filling Mears in on your experience. I like to let people know when I've had a really terrific experience, but on the other hand, it's only fair to be heard when something has gone so wrong. You don't need to be nasty or such, but Mears does need to realize the situation.

 

[DeterminedOne]

I can only imagine how frustrating that experience must have been. Hopefully, you are in a state where you can laugh at it 'cause it's kind of funny.

 

[tmt martins]

I have to admit that I'm very good with directions and area knowledge once going into that said area.

But Disney makes it so once your on property your on property. No real signage but where the roads lead to and even they go about a round a way some times.

Disney put up some real road (name ) signs instead of just arrow markers to destinations.

 

[twinklebug]

I can only imagine how frustrating that experience must have been. Hopefully, you are in a state where you can laugh at it 'cause it's kind of funny.

I am laughing at it, and the driver was so nice I felt bad for him (I had a clue he was new and what we were in for when the man who loaded us onto the bus had to repeat to the driver that he was going to Wilderness Lodge, not Ft. Wilderness several times.)

I'll tell you those sardine cans don't have a very good turning radius, but the driver was bus-experienced & definately knew where his wheels were. He only ran onto the grass once with all those U-ies and that was by only a few inches.

 

[twinklebug]

... Disney makes it so once your on property your on property. No real signage but where the roads lead to and even they go about a round a way some times.

Disney put up some real road (name ) signs instead of just arrow markers to destinations.

I agree 100%. Two years back, just before Charlie we rented a car & stayed in the cabins at Ft. W. When evacuated over to POR, a very short distance down the road we felt lost and drove blind on just the directions the CM gave us. Road names would have helped tremendously.

I'm very good with directions IF I have a map. With map in hand, When we went out for groceries on our first day there we drove aimlessly and found some quite interesting parts of Disney the tourists aren't supposed to see

 

[Edd]

If you are an experienced bus driver and know where you are going you don't need a whole bunch of signs to get you there.

 

[goofy4tink]

If you are experienced and know where you are going you don't need a whole bunch of signs to get you there.

Ah, but there's the rub!!! A bus driver 'should' know where he is without the signage. You would think that before they put a driver out there, the driver would become knowledgable about the different routes, so wouldn't need signage.
However, the routine visitor to WDW, who chooses to drive their car, isn't going to be familier with the roads. Unless you've made several trips, using your car, it's easy to get turned around. I like to think that I know my way around, but if you are used to using the bus sytem within WDW, you may not be so familier with how to 'drive yourself' someplace. I was nervous about driving off-site to get to Tampa from POP...turns out it was very easy. But, I'm not so sure I could have made my way to a lot of other on-site spots with no difficulty.

 

[Bev J]

maybe we all need to start packing a map of WDW property....

Bev

 

[NCRedding]

This reminds me of the driver I had when I participated in the 1/2 marathon in 2005 at WDW. I got on the bus at 3:00 am at ASM along with a full bus of other participants. We ended up driving all over WDW property--we went to DTD and turned around, we went into POFQ and turned around, we headed out to AK. I thought the runners onboard were getting ready to mutiny when she finally found all the other buses headed to EPCOT. I got there 55 minutes after I got on the bus!!

 

[DrmWvr1299]

We had a bus driver last year that picked us up from WL and was supposed to pick up at Ft. W. then to MGM. He kept driving around Ft. W and never did stop to pick up people waiting. He got lost on the way to MGM and then stopped the bus at MGM and let us off by the roadway on the opposite side of the parking lot from the bus stops. As we were leaving he was mumbling that he was a new driver, the man behind us said, "Yes, I could tell"

 

[faindrops27]

Umm ladies. Ok maybe I am slow. I did have a very long night at work. But, wasnt the OP talking about a ME, driver. Are they also Mears shuttle drivers. How do Mears, and ME coincide? Are they the same entity or do they have a contract with Disney? I never knew. Someone please fill me in.

 

[goofy4tink]

Umm ladies. Ok maybe I am slow. I did have a very long night at work. But, wasnt the OP talking about a ME, driver. Are they also Mears shuttle drivers. How do Mears, and ME coincide? Are they the same entity or do they have a contract with Disney? I never knew. Someone please fill me in.

Yes, the OP was talking about a DME driver, who is actually employed by Mears. They are a different entity than the WDW bus drivers. Disney has contracted out the DME driving. Disney runs the show, but Mears drives the buses. Sure, there are going to be some drivers that have driven for both, I'm sure. I guess the point people are trying to make, is that some bus drivers aren't as knowledgable as they could be. I remember talking to a bus driver (Disney bus) about the training they have to go through. This driver, a woman, told us that they have to learn about 40 different routes, like the back of their hand, before they are allowed out in public, so to speak.
I would think that the Mears drivers would also have to know the property pretty well in order to drive the DME buses. Yes, there are some convoluted routes in WDW but you would think the people that are paid to drive the buses, both Disney and DME, would know that area pretty well. Obviously not.

 

[Edd]

The Magical Express is Mears Transportation busses and drivers. Mears has a huge contract with Disney, providing transportation to the parks and the cruise lines.

Mears trains the drivers they employ and Disney trains their drivers. Disney probably has a much better training routine than Mears.

 

[IlovePiglet]

The Magical Express is Mears Transportation busses and drivers. Mears has a huge contract with Disney, providing transportation to the parks and the cruise lines.

Mears trains the drivers they employ and Disney trains their drivers. Disney probably has a much better training routine than Mears.

Mears provides transportation for the Disney Cruise Line and for Disney's Magical Express. Disney Transportation, which is operated by Walt Disney World are the buses going to the parks.

Disney has very extensive training, my husband used to drive for them. I've heard of drivers from both companies getting lost on property. Very frustrating, not to mention a little scary, for guests.