Park etiquette

[Dsnyfireman]

We have bad pretty good luck with the busses at WDW. I will always give up my seat for someone who needs it!! Depends on the resort we stay at as to the crowds on the bus. Pop was never to bad we usually got a seat but All star sports we had to stand a few times. Everyone seemed friendly to me for the most part , we had some rude people at DTD cut in line for the bus but CM took care of them. We live in maine and disney is the only place I use public transportation so I can't compare it to others . Really I think my first non school bus, bus ride was at disney!!!! Yes I am a hick from maine!!!! LOL

 

[bennifer]

I grew up using the Philadelphia transportation system, and used it every day to get to my high school.

The first time I went to Disney I was all ready to get all South Philly Millie on anyone who was rude on the Disney buses, but it never happened. Yeah, people would crowd the buses and I'd have to push my way in, but everyone was usually pleasant and ready to let me get by. Boy, was I surprised, but I soon got used to it as part of the magic.

"South Philly Millie"

I've only ever had one bad experience and it was when a young couple pushed their stroller into then in front of my parents on the monorail. They weren't elderly (it was 10 yrs ago), but my son and I were already on and it was obvious we were together. I'm so happy to see all the chivalry on this thread! I've always taught my sons that chivalry and good manners are imperative, but it's hard for them when they see others not being so generous.

OP, you will have a wonderful trip!!!

 

[maxiesmom]

The bus lines are roped off and you wind your way through it just like a ride queue. It's not like a mob of people just standing there in the vicinity of the bus stop. It's very orderly and rudeness is the exception, not the rule.

This is almost right. At the moderate and deluxe resorts themselves they do not have lines where you wait for the buses to come pick you up. They have shaded bus stop depots, with benches and soft drink machines. No roped off lines though! Only on the way back to those resorts do they have actual queues.

Not sure where the OP is staying, so I wanted to make sure they were aware they may not have lines where they are staying.

 

[Hadjii]

Hi all!!!! In 19 days we are heading to WDW for our 1st trip. I have asked you all many questions as well as begged for advice. Everyone has been AMAZING! I'm reading here about parades & ques for rides, bus shuttles etc! In Boston when you take the trains and busses you have to be pretty tough or sometimes you just won't get on. So my skin is pretty thick.. I'm sure WDW is not like that. Here on the trains if someone talks to you or bumps you, you better watch your purse. It seems like an odd thread, but I'm curious do people wait in lines orderly? Are people friendly? You can say we have lived in a bubble since we never have gone anywhere really. It's me twin 13yr old boys and ds9. We r going Memorial Day week. It's gonna be nuts, but I have no idea what to expect!

Hi. Take it from a fellow Boston girl. People are completely friendly and willing to answer any questions you may have. I've been staying at WDW for many years and the weirdest thing for me is that whenever you pass someone, just strolling through your resort, they say "good morning" or "how's it going" or " beautiful day isn't it?". This NEVER happens at home and it is so nice to engage a stranger and not be worried about their response lol. It's all part of the Disney magic and why I keep going back.

For your part, you'll probably be pooped after a long day in the parks with yor children but I think most of us, if at all possible, will give up a seat on the monorail or bus for an elderly person or parent holding an infant. This is always a topic of debate here but I think, at risk of opening a can of worms, that it's fairly common WDW etiquette.
Just wanted to say, have a great time, go with the flow and be kind and you will get kindness in return. I'll be there tomorrow and I'm going to enjoy every moment. You will too!!

p.s. although we've portrayed our beloved Boston as a tough place, just remember how we all became a united family after the recent bombings. We're grateful to the world for such an outpouring of support after this tragedy. We are Boston Strong.

 

[Bob NC]

This is almost right. At the moderate and deluxe resorts themselves they do not have lines where you wait for the buses to come pick you up. They have shaded bus stop depots, with benches and soft drink machines. No roped off lines though!

And when you wait 20 minutes for a bus on one of those benches expect the family that just walked up to the bus stop 8 seconds before the bus got there to be first in line to get on.

 

[purpledisneyprncess]

People in general are pretty nice at WDW. We use the bus shuttles and everyone was very nice. There were a couple of times the bus was already packed upon us entering and people had given up there seat for me and my kids..very nice! There was 1 bad instance in MK at one of the stands (For the cinnamon sugar almonds), a man got behind me in line- it was very hot and sun beating down on us.. the line was moving slowly. So when we were edging more up to front, he stood directly next to me.. all the while I was wondering if he really was going to try and cut me... So it's time to order and CM looks at both of us and I spoke before he could and placed my order. He gave me a dirty look and I said "I Can't believe you tried to cut me. We are all waiting in this long line buddy." I couldn't believe he 1.) had the nerve to cut and then 2.) give me a rude look like I did something wrong. Needless to say, he was embarrassed after I gave him a piece of my mind. The rest of the trip everyone was very nice, good thing he was 1 in a million.

 

[BuzzBelleMom]

Except strollers, you would think people would know to take the kids out of them.

Never have figured out the reasoning behind that....

 

[Bob NC]

I didn't take it personally. When this subject has come up before there were those who thought people in the bus area should all take note of who shows up when, and try to keep them in some sort of mental order for when the bus shows up. When I have my vacation brain turned on, the last think I am thinking about is who was at the bus stop before me, what park they may be going to, and where I should line up!

OMG, it was just a harmless innocent comment that I wasn't really expecting anyone to take issue with.

But, this is the DIS, and if I ever forget it I am slapped right back into remembering.

 

[letthewookiewin]

Yelled at for bumping into someone?? Goodness, I must be from another world. We don't deal with much public transportation here either. I'm from Louisiana.

My DH got yelled at for this very reason on our trip this past June. We were waiting for our ADR at Liberty Tree Tavern. Since we were hot, tired and were too early to check in, we wanted to sit on the benches just to the left as you walk out of LTT under the lattice work. There was a big family blocking most of the pathway, but the DSs and I were able to squeeze in between the husband and a pillar. The DH couldn't do it, so he asked the man very politely to move several times. When he didn't move, my DH squeezed through anyway and slightly bump the man. When they finished talking to the CM they walked off, with their about 6 children, but the mother came back pushing the empty stroller. She informed us that we were so very rude for squeezing between them like that and didn't my mother teach me any manners. To which I yelled back that didn't her mother teach her manner of not blocking an entire pathway. I guess since she couldn't argue with my logic, so she just told me to lose weight and stormed off. I usually love British accents, and it might have been her attitude, but her voice was like a metal rake on concrete.

 

[maxiesmom]

OMG, it was just a harmless innocent comment that I wasn't really expecting anyone to take issue with.

But, this is the DIS, and if I ever forget it I am slapped right back into remembering.

No issue was taken!

 

[meggiebeth]

I'm from Boston too so I know what you mean!! LOL!! Honestly don't worry. We've been going to WDW forever and have not had too many problems with people. Yes you will get the occasional rude person who will push in front of you but for the most part people are happy. We always rent a car because we don't like waiting for transportation and just like having our own means of transportation. We are used to Boston and NY, but OH MY Paris was even worse!! Very rude people on the Metro. We just laughed and said to each other that it made Boston seem calm and serene! So you see it's all relative. Some places are worse and some are better. Disney is better so no worries!! Have a wonderful trip and...

Enjoy The Magic!!

We find that Italians tend to be more 'pushy and shovy' than our culture. But whilst it seems really rude to us when you are shoved out of the way in the supermarket queue, to them it is just more acceptable. We spent two weeks in Italy and it was funny how different our cultures were.

I've never had a problem with rude guests at WDW, although I got annoyed at people waving their hands in front of my face for the parade at MK. Most guests have been lovely to us. Touch wood that we won't encounter any rude guests on this upcoming trip!

Meg~ Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[WDW in Pearls]

My DH got yelled at for this very reason on our trip this past June. We were waiting for our ADR at Liberty Tree Tavern. Since we were hot, tired and were too early to check in, we wanted to sit on the benches just to the left as you walk out of LTT under the lattice work. There was a big family blocking most of the pathway, but the DSs and I were able to squeeze in between the husband and a pillar. The DH couldn't do it, so he asked the man very politely to move several times. When he didn't move, my DH squeezed through anyway and slightly bump the man. When they finished talking to the CM they walked off, with their about 6 children, but the mother came back pushing the empty stroller. She informed us that we were so very rude for squeezing between them like that and didn't my mother teach me any manners. To which I yelled back that didn't her mother teach her manner of not blocking an entire pathway. I guess since she couldn't argue with my logic, so she just told me to lose weight and stormed off. I usually love British accents, and it might have been her attitude, but her voice was like a metal rake on concrete.

WOW. Bringing up your weight is the equivalent of her saying "I was wrong and am too proud to admit it and too stupid to justify my position, so this is all I got".

99.9999% of people in Disney are fantastic, but unfortunately you do encounter these types.

 

[jlenti47]

One year, the bus was so crowded that I only managed to find seats for my two children separately while my husband and I stood. I kept my eye on both children. About halfway through the trip, I looked at my 4 year old daughter and she was sound asleep on some guy's arm! I started to apologize and get her up, but he and his wife said "she's tired, let her sleep." So I did. It was just too sweet.

 

[Sweets156]

Italians tend to be "pushy and shove-y"? Wow. Way to stereotype! I spy a fallacy. I happen to be Italian and I am certainly not pushy, or shove-y.

 

[Bob NC]

Italians tend to be "pushy and shove-y"? Wow. Way to stereotype! I spy a fallacy. I happen to be Italian and I am certainly not pushy, or shove-y.

May I direct you to the Unruly Mexican Children post?

 

[froggygal1301]

One year, the bus was so crowded that I only managed to find seats for my two children separately while my husband and I stood. I kept my eye on both children. About halfway through the trip, I looked at my 4 year old daughter and she was sound asleep on some guy's arm! I started to apologize and get her up, but he and his wife said "she's tired, let her sleep." So I did. It was just too sweet.

Very sweet of him.

 

[JohnstonMandy]

I remember smiling at everyone in Paris and getting odd looks - my friend (living there at the time) said everyone probably thought I was weird because no one does that there. LOL

 

[meggiebeth]

Italians tend to be "pushy and shove-y"? Wow. Way to stereotype! I spy a fallacy. I happen to be Italian and I am certainly not pushy, or shove-y.

Sorry if it offended you. We found that whilst on holiday in Italy, Italians generally were more 'hands on' than we are. Not to say all were. I'm just saying what we think is rude could be totally normal in another culture.

Meg~ Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[letthewookiewin]

WOW. Bringing up your weight is the equivalent of her saying "I was wrong and am too proud to admit it and too stupid to justify my position, so this is all I got".

That's pretty much how we saw it. Plus there was a long line coming out of the LTT of people waiting to check it. I think it was her way to save face after it was logically pointed out they were in the wrong in the first place.

The DH found her "tantrum" funny. He especially thought it was funny that the wife came up and said something, but the husband "hid" (DH's phrasing) away with the children. It had me in a bad mood for a little while, but then the DH informed me that bad moods were not allowed at the MK and I didn't want Mickey to put me in time out.

99.9999% of people in Disney are fantastic, but unfortunately you do encounter these types.

Totally agree!! We've had some wonderful conversations with people at WDW. This past June we were on a bus and a man noticed my DH's Dallas Cowboys hat. It was a grey hat with a dark blue D on the front. The gentleman told me that he knew it was a Dallas Cowboys hat since the boy he assumed was with him was wearing one as well. He said, "If your husband ever comes to North Carolina, tell him not to wear that hat. It looks too much like a Duke hat and they are our big rivals." The rest of the time on the bus, we talked sports and especially Texas high school football.

 

[Schmeck]

And don't be surprised if, on a packed bus at the end of a park day, a young (or old!) gentleman stands up and offers you his seat. Chivalry is not dead at WDW!

Chivalry is nasty. Search online to find out how bad it truly was. Sexist, warmongering power-hungry quasi-religious men trying to control others.

I'd rather be a woman with rights than a piece of property, thank you.

OP, I've traveled on the public transport system in Boston many times - WDW can be the same, as you will find nice people and not-so-nice people in both places. It is what you make of it.

Oh, and I've seen both men and women give up seats to others.