Oh No! My DBrotherInLaw got in fight with bus driver!

[Cmbar]

Well we are just back this week from Disney and the one unfortunate event was a altercation with a Disney bus driver. I made the mistake of leaving my BIL with three little tired girls at 10:30 in the evening to get from DTD back to WL. My one niece had her sneaker just break apart and her mom and I had to find her a pair of shoes for the next day. SO we had to go to DTD. BIL thought the other kids could hold on but when we got to DTD it was obviously they needed to go back to the WL and get in bed. SO he says, Yes I can do this. My sister had a bad feeling and I thought how hard can it be to get back to the resort. One bus! So we left them at the WL bus stop at DTD Marketplace #4. It said: WL, FW and GF.

Turns out he got on the first bus with the three kids and the youngest had fallen asleep in the stroller. Knowing he had to pack up the stroller he picked her up and she realized that her Mom was not there and started crying. NOW my Niece can cry and not stop. So my poor BIL was there with three small children and one crying very hard. So he moves to the farthest part of the bus to try and calm her down. They start going and go over to DTD PLeasure Island, where the bus drivers switch. This new bus driver starts to drive away and then stops and turns on the lights and tells my BIL "Take care of that kid, there are others on this bus". My BIL says "I'm doing the best I can" and others around him say "She's ok, she is not bothering us and we have all been there". My BIL felt the people around him who had to listen to her cry were far more understanding than that driver at the front of the bus. Well they arrive at Fort Wilderness and my BIL does not get off because he needs to get to WL. The bus driver tells him to get off. MY BIL says aren't we going to WL? And the bus driver says "NO" and said to "get OFF and find your own way home, you can go up to the lobby". SO my BIL had to get off and take those three little girls to the front desk at FW.

NOW the people at FW were wonderful and immediately got him a van to take them back to WL. I guess they could have told him to go take the boat over, but they were nice enough to help out. They also gave him a number and told him he MUST report the bus driver. At that point my BIL was so tired he did not want to do it, but the CM in the Van said for him to please make the complaint once he got the kids to bed. My BIL did call the number and said "I have a complaint and a compliment". That made the girl on the phone say "UH we don't usually get both with one call". Of course MY BIL told them the bus driver story and then praised the folks over at FW.

He also said up front, that it was very possible he got on the wrong bus, if they separate the buses at that one stop. In fact my Sister and I got on the bus at the same bus stop just 30 minutes later and we indeed went to DTD PI (changed Bus drivers), then to FW and then on to WL. So it is hard for me to understand why his bus did not go on to WL. But they said it had to do with the timing.

Sorry so long, but just wanted to share. I feel so terrible, because I couldn't imagine what could possibly go wrong. This was the only mishap with transportation the whole trip!

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

I'm certainly glad your BIL took the time to call. I'm guessing he didn't have the driver's name, which is a shame. That was absolutely inexcusable behavior on the part of a CM. He obviously just didn't want to deal with the crying any more.

 

[isyt]

I really hope that he gets resolution to this because that was beyond rude.

 

[helenk]

In all my years of riding the Disney buses there have been many many many crying children on the buses and never once has a bus driver made a comment, and never has anyone had to get off the bus. I find this to be bizarre.
You BIL should definately follow up on this.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Altercation? I think your BIL handled the situation great! I expected a report of at least an in-your-face shouting match.

 

[robinb]

Hey! Where's the "fight"? Here I was expecting a knock-down-drag-out. I don't know why you still write the beginning like your BIL was an idiot or something {{shrug}}. He did a great job with, IMO.

 

[M-I-C-K-E-Y]

We had both wonderful (singing and joking with the resort guests) and the - for lack of a better word - "cranks" - driving us this summer. The only words of wisdom I can say are that the bus driver is probably long gone, having been fired in due time (either from this incident or a long list of others). Someone like that simply cannot survive/last from day to day!

 

[GEM]

Although there is no excuse for the way he and his children were treated by the bus driver, your BIL probably was on the wrong bus. Just because a bus stop is for more than one resort, doesn't mean that all the busses that stop there ALWAYS go to each one of those resorts. You have to check the display to make sure you're getting on the right one. Of course, as I said, that definately does not excuse the totally unacceptable behavior of the driver!

 

[ducklite]

Doubtful that the driver was fired. WDW is so desperate to fill positions right now that anyone who can fog a mirror (and in the case of bus drivers and life gueards pass whatever license/certification tests they need to) that they will be hired.

They currently have signing bonus money for many positions, and a lot of people are working huge amounts of overtime because there is no one to fill shifts.

Yet WDW keeps building resorts and rides, even though they can't staff what they already have.

Anne

 

[M-I-C-K-E-Y]

Doubtful that the driver was fired. WDW is so desperate to fill positions right now that anyone who can fog a mirror (and in the case of bus drivers and life gueards pass whatever license/certification tests they need to) that they will be hired.

Yikes! Well, that explains the inconsistent quality of drivers I've seen at WDW. Some are simply fantastic, while others might be better off way behind the scenes!

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

I think its just the drivers themselves regardless. I was there in aug for free dining with my mother and DD6. While we were there after the first day my mom had to rent a scooter due to a bone spur on her heel (she had it surgically removed in sept it was that bad). Anyway, everytime we got in line for the buses the drivers unless someone was on that they had to let off usually would start letting people on before her and so we would have to wait for another bus. Some much so that they wouldn't even get out of there seats because they wanted to just avoid us. One night we were at the TTC center trying to go to MGM from MK and while doing so there is no defined line to wait and at most parks and resorts there is a small handicap spot on the far side. While waiting for the bus there were only a few people just enough to fill the bus and they were all sitting on the bench away from the little post so my mom pulled up to the street but towards the back of the bus b/c thats where she had to get on. The bus driver let everyone on without letting her on first. So I walked on to the bus and politely told him there was a handicap person who needed to get on and he proceeded to tell me no there was not and was going to argue with me about it so much as to say that they just pulled up. I was so embarrassed I was at the front of the bus everyone was now on the bus and in a seat and he yelling at me. Yes there was room on the bus for him to let her on and so he did. Hid attitude was completely unnecessary I didn't have one with him at any point but I should have because he was just being lazy and trying to avoid doing his job.


Sorry its so long I just wanted to share my own bad bus story and yes I all of the bus drivers who skipped us were OWM.

 

[manning]

Perfect example of out sourcing. You lose control. I would have told him I was here before he pulled up and that the person waiting in the scooter is related. Then WHERE IS YOUR SUPERVISOR!!!! After that a letter would be sent to highest level of management demanding an apology.

 

[Cmbar]

Well since I was not there, I don't really know how heated it got. I know my BIL and he is not a shy or timid person. I am sure the "I am doing the best I can" was not said in a sweet tone. I think my BIL did handle it as best as he can. But he did say to me that he should have taken the crying baby and sat right behind the driver. My sister of course told him that was a mean thought. But clearly the bus driver was angry and the people around my BIL said the bus driver was being completely rude. He told me today that there were more heated words when the bus driver told him to "get off". He was so upset that he didn't give him any option and told him to "find his way home". That was what pushed him over the edge. But at least the folks at FW were very helpful.

Also, I think it is entirely possible that he got on the bus that just said FORT Wilderness. But being late at night with three small children, most likely he just saw WILDERNESS! I always had to do a double take when looking at buses to see if it was the Wilderness Lodge versus the Fort Wilderness. And it didnt' help that they are the same bus stop. Also the people he called to complain said it was just at the point at which they switch to going to all three resorts versus a different bus for each resort. They can't really say if the driver was intentionally not going or not. But my guess is that he was on the wrong bus since he was the only one left on the bus when they got to FW! Still I would have expected any bus driver to tell a guess that got on a wrong bus what their options were.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Heated or not, your BIL seems to have handled the situation well. If the driver had been less inconsiderate, even if it was a FW bus, he could have taken your BIL and the girls to WL, no?

 

[ztbz]

When getting on a Disney bus at Downtown Disney’s Marketplace, Pleasure Island and Typhoon Lagoon you must not only be at the right load zone but also check the sign on the bus otherwise you will risk getting a unplanned property tour once you have got on a bus and you must stay on it till it reaches the next stop however sometimes if you are on the wrong bus you will likely have to return to the point where you got on the wrong bus, there not much a bus driver can do as he or she cannot or is not suppose to drop a guest off at a place that’s not a designated location that Disney Management wants the drivers to drop off to or from.

At Downtown Disney there are eight bus stops but there is also 13 Bus routes at those eight stops. I will go down the list, some zones have more then one route, there are no route numbers I am only showing the routes as 1 or 2, so you know what the routes are going to where.

Load Zone One: route 1 for Old Key West and route 2 is for Port Orleans resort.

Load Zone Two: before 6 pm for Epcot Resorts, Listed in the stop order is Swan then Dolphin then Yacht Club then the Beach Club and the last stop is the Disney Boardwalk.
Load Zone Two: after 6 pm route 1 is Disney Boardwalk then Swan then Dolphin resorts. Route 2 is Yacht Club then the Beach Club resort.

Load Zone Three: route 1 is Saratoga Springs, route 2 is the Conptempary resort then the Polynesian resort.

Load Zone Four: route 1 is Fort Wilderness Campground only; route 2 is Wilderness Lodge and then Grand Floridian resort.

Load Zone Five: route 1 is Animal Kingdom Lodge, and route 2 is for Coronado Springs.

Load Zone Six: only use by the Caribbean Beach Resort.

Load Zone Seven: is for the All Stars resorts sometimes the Movies are separated from the Sports/Music after 6 pm.

Load Zone Eight: is for the Pop Century resort only.


As for the incident that the OP been involved with. If it had been me I would have taken you to the WL even though the route was a Fort Wilderness campground route. Part of the blame also should have gone to the first driver that pick you up at the marketplace, as he/she should have made sure you are on the right route to begin with before pulling out of the Marketplace bus stop. When driver #2 comes on at Pleasure Island he/she assumes that everybody is on the right bus, but appently that was not the case in your situation. It should also be noted many times I will get guest that enter from the back door, no one should enter the back door unless you have first ask the bus driver, this due to security reasons and we also want to make sure you are getting on the right bus and that no one has jump any line that guest may have been waiting for a bus. Guest that have children in strollers should take them out before getting on the bus and have the strollers folded before entering a bus. Strollers are considered to be cargo by D.O.T. and technically they are not suppose to be transported inside a bus passenger area, but Disney buses do not have cargo compartments under the bus so Disney allows strollers on the bus so long as they don’t get in the way of passengers entering or exiting the buses or are not blocking the allies

 

[ztbz]

One other note: you can take the Orange route when at Ft Wilderness Campground Outpost stop to the Wilderness Lodge resort, just a FYI.

 

[Cmbar]

One other note: you can take the Orange route when at Ft Wilderness Campground Outpost stop to the Wilderness Lodge resort, just a FYI.

What do you mean Orange Route? Is that a bus that goes to the other resort or did you mean to hop on the boat. I know my BIL could have taken the boat over to the Lodge, but considering how late it was and the girls being so tired, I was really greatful that the FW people put him in a van.

I also thought that the first driver should have made sure they were on the right bus. But to be fair, They were all used to me telling them which bus to get on. They kinda relied on me the whole trip and this was the last day. So again if he heard "Wilderness" he probably got on. And I asked him and the bus driver did not suggest he stay on back to DTD and catch the right bus. He just said "get out".

 

[seashoreCM]

As for the incident that the OP been involved with. If it had been me I would have taken you to the WL even though the route was a Fort Wilderness campground route. Part of the blame also should have gone to the first driver that pick you up at the marketplace, as he/she should have made sure you are on the right route to begin with before pulling out of the Marketplace bus stop. When driver #2 comes on at Pleasure Island he/she assumes that everybody is on the right bus, :

Was the bus' destinations changed when the drivers changed shift? I don't recall bus drivers announcing things like "This is the Fort Wilderness bus only and does not go to Wilderness Lodge" on each and every run. Unless drivers are supposed to, blame is probably not appropriate here.

On the subway back at home, some cars have automated stop announcements. Things like (OT; ear pollution?):

(at every stop) "The destination of this train is Riverside*" and also the name of that stop.
(later) Entering Riverside. Doors will open on the left."
(finally) Riverside. Last stop. Please take all your belongings. Thank you for riding the T."

* An actual destination in suburban Boston. Now all of you are anxiously awaiting the time when the monorail will go to Port Orleans. No, those train announcments do not include "Por favor mantengase alejado de las puertas."

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

 

[ztbz]

Was the bus's destinations changed when the drivers changed shift?

No it shouldn’t have been as for Downtown Disney the route starts from the Marketplace then goes to Pleasure Island then Typhoon Lagoon (when open) then to the Resort. So when the drivers changed it would be the same route that the first driver started. The only other possibility is that you had a very New Bus Driver and Downtown Disney is a likely place to have new drivers working at, because there are shifts that go as late as 3 am each night and not too many of the veteran drivers will work that late at night.

What do you mean Orange Route?

At the Fort Wilderness Campground there are three internal campground routes, one is the Orange Route (Bus signs normally will read Settlement Orange or Outpost Orange) then there’s Yellow and Purple routes (Bus signs reads Yellow Settlement or Purple Outpost etc). The Orange route is the route which travels from the Outpost (Campground Check-in) up to the Settlement then on to the Wilderness Lodge then goes to TTC then back the way the bus came stopping in the reverse order back to the Outpost stop.